Cowboy Cleaners

The Great Garbage Patch

2012-01-11T11:53:00.000-08:00

I think everyone has heard of the giant swirling patch of plastic garbage in the ocean. I had and was under the impression the "Great Pacific Trash Vortex" was the size of Texas. Wrong! Truth is no one really knows. Why?Most of the debris consists of small plastic particles suspended at or just below the surface, making it impossible to detect by aircraft or satellite. Although media and advocacy reports suggest its twice the size of the U.S. continent - its not. The National Science Foundation suggested the area may be twice the size of Hawaii, but the most recent study concluded it might be smaller. But don't think the Atlantic is spared. There is a similar patch floating in the Atlantic. What it isn't is a swirling mass of used water bottles - it's small bits of plastic naked to the eye.

We were told those nasty cruise ships and boaters were responsible for the "the Garbage Patch". Once again , not true - it is us land lovers. 80% of the garbage comes from land-based sources. So why is this a dry cleaning topic? Well ... the American Chemical Society's (ACS)Environmental Science and Technology published a report saying the major source of "microplastic" ( the naked to eye stuff ) comes from household washing machines.

Mark Browne from the ACS said that the accumulation of microplastic debris in marine environments has raised health and safety concerns. The bits of plastic contain potentially harmful ingredients which go into the bodies of animals and could be transferred to people who consume fish.

So why was your washer the culprit? More microplastics were found in densely populated areas.The source was identified as waste water from household washing machines. (commercial laundries are required to have lint filters and strainers to not discharge this stuff into our waste water). More than 1900 fibers can rinse off a single garment during a wash cycle.

So what can be done? Well ....have your clothes washed by a commercial laundry or laundromat. Buy clothing made from natural fibers -e.g. cotton ,wool, silk, linen and avoid plastics e.g. nylon,polyester and spandex. Consider grey water - instead of having your washer's waste water going down the drain - use it to water your lawn ( if your city or municipality allows it ). And designers of clothing and washing machines should consider the need to reduce the release of fibers into waste water.

Even though researchers are working on methods to remove microplastic from sewage, they cannot do it yet. So next time you wash your clothes - remember you may be eating those plastic fibers later.

Christmas Myths, Legends and Quiz

2011-12-06T12:17:00.000-08:00

Have you heard your favorite Christmas song yet? Mine is Nat King Cole's "Christmas Song". Thanks to cable t.v. - we get to watch all the Christmas movies our husbands can take. I admit to never missing "It's a Wonderful Life", "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" , "A Charlie Brown Christmas" and "The Grinch Who Stole Christmas ( the original Boris Karloff version). Yeah Christmas !!!!!
Well, I guess since I am writing for Cowboy Cleaners I need to mention something to do with clothing ( because the rest of this is just interesting stuff about Christmas) so as you know Santa wears red and white velvet suit. But the elves ( being the good workers that they are) make sure the dyes are set and the red doesn't bleed unto to the white. That is why Santa can wear his suit in any weather and the suit still looks good. If however, you should decide to purchase a suit similar to Santa's - be sure to check the dye to make sure it doesn't bleed and run - last thing you want is a red body for Christmas. Also, don't forget to bring the tablecloths in after use.We need to get the stains out as soon as we can. And while everyone makes fun of them - WEAR YOUR CHRISTMAS SWEATER!!!!! I don't care if Stacey and Clinton on "What Not To Wear" say they are awful and unfashionable - CHRISTMAS SWEATERS ARE FUN. But be sure to clean them after you wear them because a stained Christmas sweater is not fun. You only wear them a few times a year - so make sure to clean them and properly put them away. OK clothing talk is over.

So here's the Christmas Myths and Legends :

The German Christmas Pickle - you hide a pickle shaped ornament on the Christmas Tree. The person who finds it get an extra present. Today there are lots a glass pickles sold throughout the country. Only problem - The people in Germany have never heard of the Christmas pickle . They don't hang pickles on their trees. So is this just an ornament conspiracy between the glass factories and Vlasic? Well here's the pickle story - A soldier in the Civil war named John Lower was born Hans Lauer in Bavaria in 1842. He was captured during the war and sent as a prisoner to Andersonville,Georgia. In poor health and near death , he begged a guard for one last pickle before he died ( OK me I'd go for banana cream pie - but he wanted a pickle).The guard took pity on him and gave him a pickle. John said that the pickle- by the grace of God- gave him the mental and physical strength to live on. Once he was reunited with his family John began a tradition of hiding a pickle on the Christmas tree. The first person who found the pickle on Christmas morning would be blessed with a year of good fortune. Nice story ! But there is also this one - glass ornaments were produced in Germany as early as 1597. The Lausche company was know for is glass blowing making drinking glasses and glass containers. In 1847 they started making glass ornaments in the shape of fruits and nuts. Soon they were exporting these ornaments through out Europe and the United States. And today, they export the glass pickle - with the pickle tradition story along with it. So hang a pickle if you want - but there is no German pickle tradition .
Poinsettia plants are poisonous. Nope!!No deaths have been reported as death by poinsettia. A 50 pond child would have to eat 1.25 lbs of poinsettia bracts ( about 500-600 leaves). Apparently, poinsettia leaves are extremely bitter - so it is unlikely any animal or kiddo will eat more than one bite. So do not fear the poinsettia - your kids and pets won't be munching on them and you can decorate with them to your hearts content. ( OK I fell for this for a while and spent a few year poinsettia free and franky drably decorated - but no more!!)
Did you know our friends to the North (Canada) has a zip code for Santa - yes they do. All letters to Santa can be sent to the North Pole or Santa's workshop or no address at all - as long as the letter has the zip code - it will get to Santa. The zip code is HoH oHo!! Santa has had his zip code since 1982 in Canada. Each year Canada Post receives over 1 million letters to Santa at his personal zip code. Each letter gets to Santa and is answered ( in language it was written) . Letters to Santa come from all over the world to Santa at the HoH oHo zip code. So parents now you know - and we wonder why our postal service is losing money.
Haven't we all sen the movie "A Christmas Story". All Ralphie wants is an official Red Ryder BB gun. But everyone tells him no because he'll shoot his eye out. So will a BB gun shoot your eye out. No!! In order for a shooter have a BB reach his or her face the BB would have to ricochet off something. And I can try to explain this scientifically ( but frankly i can't) but there would not be enough force or speed on a ricocheted bullet to literally pop some one's eyeball out. Depending on where it landed it could injure an eye - but chances are you would have closed your eyes by then and maybe a bruise. Now if for whatever reason you put the butt of the BB on your eyes before your shoot - aside from being incredibly stupid - you would have one heck of a shiner but the eye would still be there .Most folks who have been shot in the face ( through freak accident)
ends up with a few stitches and temporary loss of sight. But the eyeball is intact. So properly supervise any child using a BB gun or airgun to prevent any accidents but rest assured they will not shoot an eye out.

So now your Christmas quiz:(answers at the end)

1. Modern descriptions of Santa as a jolly fat elf wearing a red and white suit.with a twinkle in his eye and rosy cheeks was inspired by:
a) Coca Cola advertising of the 1930s
b) the poem "A Visit from St. Nicholas"
c) drawings of the 19th century artist Thomas Nast
d) all of the above

2. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer was originally created as holiday promotion for Montgomery Ward
a) true
b) false

3. The word "mistletoe" derived from the Anglo-Saxon phrase meaning
a) dung on a twig
b) yule tidings
c) kissing weed
d) winter harbinger
e) bitter weed

4. According to legend the first person in history to decorate a fir tree with Christmas lights ( at that time candles) was
a) St. Nicholas
b) Martin Luther
c) king Henry VIII
d) St Augustine

5. The Christmas carole "The Twelve Days of Christmas " was composed as a secret catechism for British Catholics during the Protestant reign of Queen Elizabeth I
a) true
b) false

6. Know today as Santa Clause, the 3rd century monk St. Nicholas came to associated with Christmas because
a) he was venerated for his piety and kindness
b) he died in December
c) he was known as a protector of children
d) he gave to the sick and needy
e) all of the above

7.The day after Thanksgiving known as "Black Friday" is literally the biggest shopping day of the year in the U.S.
a) true
b) false

8. The tradition of "decking the halls" with boughs of holly originated from
a) propaganda from the horticulture industry
b) the need in the olden days to preserve plant life from the harsh winter weather by keeping it indoors
c)) the superstition that bringing greenery into the house during winter would ensure the greeneries return in the spring
d) to add a little color to the dull medieval decor

9. The shape and color of candy canes were originally intended to symbolize the purity of Jesus and the blood he shed on the cross
a) true
b) false

10. The tradition of hanging stockings by the chimney was inspired by
a) the belief that stockings symbolize Santa's bag of toys
b) The legend of St. Nicholas, who is said to have provided dowries for 3 poverty stricken sisters by dropping gold coins down the chimney and into their stockings
c) the story of the Baby Jesus , who had no stockings

11. Poinsettias are poisonous if eaten
a) true
b) false

12. The earliest known commercial Christmas card was sold in the year
a) 1501
b)1706
c)1843
d) 1941

The answers are 1.-d 2. -t 3.-a 4. -b 5.-f 6. -e 7.-f 8.-c 9.-f 10.-b 11.-b 12.-c.

For those who are wondering - did she make this stuff up - nope! so thanks goes out to Snopes.com. ,Moviefone, and David Emery.

MERRY CHRISTMAS from all of us at Cowboy Cleaners. Have a safe and happy holiday. Happy New Year and may it be a prosperous year for us all. May God bless you . your family and the Untied States of America.

Cranberry - Yum and Ugh!!

2011-11-21T11:51:00.000-08:00

It's cranberry time. Yes, what is Thanksgiving without the cranberry ? A lonely turkey ( whose white meat is usually dry and needs that cranberry desperately). So everything you ever wanted to know about the cranberry and more.
Cranberries are a group of evergreen dwarf shrubs or trailing vines. They are found in acidic( surprised? nope!) bogs throughout the cooler regions of the United States and Canada. The flowers are dark pink . They are pollinated by bees ( so no spraying those honey bees). The fruit is a berry that is larger than the leaves of the plant. It is initially white, but turns a deep red when fully ripe. They are edible but have an acidic taste ( hence no surprise about the acidic soil)
About 95% of cranberries are processed into products like juice drinks, sauce and my favorite craisins( dried cranberries).Only 5% are sold fresh to consumers. OK if your cranberry sauce is in the shape of a can - we need to talk. You can make fresh cranberry sauce. Trust me -it is easy. And if you are addicted to the can shape jelly - well with a little more time and effort - you can do that too. Why you would want to - I don't know - because fresh whole cranberry sauce is amazing. ( at the bottom I'll give the recipe)
The name cranberry comes from "craneberry". Apparently our forefathers thought the flowers, petals and stems reminded them of the head of a crane. In the early 17th century New England cranberries were sometimes called "bearberries" because bears were often seen feeding on them. Native Americans were the first to use cranberries as food. They also used cranberries for wound medicine and dye. The Indians called the berries " sassamanah" and introduced the berries to the starving English settlers in Massachusetts. And thus the tradition of cranberries at Thanksgiving was born.
Cranberries are harvested in the fall when the fruit takes on its distinctive red color. This is in September through November. "So what about that white cranberry juice?" you say. Well , white cranberry juice is made from regular cranberries that have been harvested after the fruits are mature, but before they have turned dark red. So all cranberries are alike.
In 1816, American Revolutionary War veteran, Henry Hall started the first cranberry farm in Cape Cod town of Dennis , Massachusetts. Until 1930 most of the crop was sold fresh to consumers. In 1930 a cooperative of farmers was formed called "Ocean Spray" Today Ocean spray has about 65% of the cranberry market.
So what has this to do with cleaning? Cranberries can be used as a natural dye. So, needless to say, the stain is difficult (not impossible) to remove. Ugh! But that's why I'm here - to remove those tough stains. So if you or your tablecloth get cranberried - leave it alone and bring it in - we'll take care of it. But if you want to use your cranberries for dye - here's how :

Cranberry Dye

2 cups fresh cranberries
1 quart water
! cup salt

You will need :
Large enamel or stainless steel ( no aluminum ) pot
wood or plastic spoon ( remember the wood will turn red)
cheesecloth
Large bowl
Natural fiber material ( silk, cotton, linen etc)
gloves - unless you like red hands

The fabric must be submerged in the dye - so the larger the fabric the more dye you will need - be prepared to make a few batches.

1. Put cranberries and water in (non-aluminum pot) and place on stove over medium heat. Simmer 15 minutes.
2. Crush berries with spoon and simmer another 15 minutes.
3. strain mixture through cheesecloth into bowl and discard berries. Allow to cool.
4. Add salt to strained mixture ( because all of you faithful readers know that this will .....set the dye.
5. Store the dye in a non -reactive container or add the material to be dyed ( if its is a large piece of material I recommend a storage tub)
6. Let the material soak in the dye, remove and allow to dry for about 10 minutes. If you want a more intense color - repeat the soaking and drying process until you get the color you want.
7. Now completely dry ( and if you are going to wear it - wash it)

Vicky's Cranberry Sauce (easy)

1 bag cranberries
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
pinch of salt

Put sugar and water in to large sauce pan and stir to combine. Over medium heat get the water and sugar heated ( should be clear). Add cranberries. Cook about 15- 20 minutes . The water will will turn red and thicken like jelly. Cranberries will split and you will hear them pop. If you want whole cranberries - don't stir often. I prefer to stir every 3-4 minutes and keep pushing the cranberries into the water with back of my spoon the rest of the time. So you have the best of both worlds - some whole berries and some of that can -shaped jelly (without the can shape).
But for you can shaped jelly folks - strain the cooled cranberry mixture through cheesecloth and pour into a can. Cool in the refrigerator and wallah can shaped jelly! But for me too much work and the whole berries are sweet and tasty - so just pour your cooled mixture into a bowl or glass jar and refrigerate. It will last about 2 weeks. Any leftovers( surely not) can be made into bread or muffins - Yum!!!

Happy Thanksgiving!

99% Pure Manure

2011-10-12T11:45:00.000-07:00

Normally, I don't comment on politics - but what is normal about this occupy wall street crap? You have every freak and loser stinking up lower Manhattan. They are joined by rich kids whose parents apparently abdicated the ability to teach their kids common sense. Let me just say - right here -right now - if I was paying 100k for my kid to attend a university they had better have their butts in the desk and be studying- not hanging around loonies. But 1. I don't have 100k to send my kids to those bastions of liberal lunacy and 2. my kids have enough sense and fear of mom to never do anything that stupid 3. my kids know they would not be going back to the 100k school and would learn what it actually takes to make a buck.
Then in swoops the "I know your pain" liberals. I call Bulls*#^!!!! Do you own a $1000 pair of jeans? Did you even know $1000 jeans existed? Well, apparently Balmain jeans are $1000. What the hell make a jean worth $1000? Denim is denim is denim...... I'll tell you what makes a jean worth $1000 - Kayne West is stupid enough to be pay it.Yep , that fine example of intelligence went to occupy wall street wearing those $1000 jeans, a $355 Givenchy plaid shirt ( looks a lot like the Lamar Alexander $25 one), $500 shoes and enough gold to choke a leprechaun. And that fool acts like he is part of the 99%. Once again , I call Bulls*#@!!!!!!!
And lets talk about the top 1% and the 99%. Is there anyone out there who doesn't want to be part of the top 1%? Anyone not want to be a billionaire? Well ? If you are honest ( and not part of the 1%) - yes!!! I don't want to work those long hours - I like my husband and kids. So yeah I'm happy being a 99%er. I am not however a bottom 50% er who pays no taxes at all. You. I suspect are not either - or you'd be occupying something asking for - oh wait we don't know what they want. You are like me - regular tax-paying folks. I like billionaires - Steve Jobs made "Cars and Toy Story" and my apple computer. OK George Soros isn't on my list of likable billionaires but that's because he is funding this crap ( literal if you watch the news).
And comparing these losers, anti-Semites, druggies and nuts to the Tea Party? That is just more - well I call Bulls*#@!!!! Tea party was polite, cleaned after themselves, and had clear issues - quit spending and follow the Constitution. These crazy stinky lazy asses - they have no goals -oh DUH!!!!! Why would useless people have a goal in protesting when they don't have a goal in life?
So I am not a 1%er or 99%er - I am a 49%er!!! Yep, I care about my country. I go to work everyday and pay way too much in taxes. I think the government spends too much. I own guns, read the Constitution and even own a Bible. I am tired of being told I cannot pray in public - too damn bad - sometimes you just need God. I won't shoot you for no reason - but come near my husband, kids or pets ( in Texas they are considered property) - then Castle Law it is!!! I expect to be treated fairly and treat others the same. I haven't created anything that changed the world - but I do make clothes look good. So should I be paid the same as Steve Jobs - hell no !!!
And get this -- the anti-capitalism wall street stinkers - have over 1200 items listed on E-bay . Yep, can't take a bath but complain about capitalism while loading items on E-bay from their laptops and I-phones.$ 30 t-shirts and $3.50 buttons - what a rip -off ? oh wait isn't that what they are protesting? being ripped off !!! So I call bulls*@^!!!!!!!!.

Don't Forget

2011-09-08T11:00:00.000-07:00

I remember listening to the radio when I heard a plane hit the World Trade Center. That was all that was said. The announcer didn't know what kind of plane or exactly what happened. I thought "oh my". Then minutes later, the same announcer said the second tower was hit by another plane. It was then that "oh my" turned into "oh God, what is happening?". We had no t.v in my office - so we ran out to get one. We knew when the second plane hit - this was a nightmare, an act of war, and a day that will forever be etched into our minds.
I will not forget watching those brave firefighters and policeman running into a building while others were running out. I will not forget the faces of family members looking and praying for their loved ones. I will not forget the towers collapsing. I will not forget those brave and patriotic Americans on Flight 93 and their sacrifice. Ordinary folks who chose to down the plane rather than allow the terrorists to kill others. I will not forget the Pentagon, the headquarters of our military, hit by yet another plane.
And then the silence. No planes flying - just silence. The background noise we have all become so used to , we no longer notice it. But when it was gone the silence was deafening. I remember looking up to the sky - waiting just waiting to hear that sound again. When the planes began to fly again - I stood in the street - just to watch them and silently pray.
Ten years have passed since that day. Ten years. Much has changed. We know the enemy has not given up. But neither have we. We stood together. We showed those cowards - those radical Islamic terrorists - we do not give in, we do not act them , we help one another and we stand together and we will not be victims. WE ARE AMERICANS!!! We are the greatest nation on the earth, we are the greatest people on the earth , and WE WILL NOT ALLOW CRAZY COWARDLY TERRORISTS TO DEFEAT US! And yes, WE ARE BETTER THAN THEM - IN EVERY WAY IMAGINABLE.
So this Sunday, September 11th, I will pray for those who lost their lives ( I will not do that for the terrorists - they can ask their own vindictive god to do that for them). I will thank God ( the kind, just and merciful one we believe in) for those firefighters and policeman who thought of others before themselves. I will thank God for the heroes of Flight 93. I will thank God ( despite that idiot Mayor Bloomberg's objection) for this country and for our people. WE ARE AMERICANS. I WILL NOT FORGET. YOU WILL NOT FORGET. We will make sure our children, grandchildren, and every future generation remembers. GOD BLESS AMERICA.

The FTC Wants You

2011-08-17T11:58:00.001-07:00

It's the 100th day of over 100 degrees in San Antonio. ( well maybe not 100 days but darn close). So as I wither here, I was wondering what I could possible write about. My brain is fried and I could be an ad for any antiperspirant - even though I haven't worked out. So what does my whining have to do with the Federal Trade Commission? Not a darn thing. But I just figured it's my blog and I can whine if I want to ( or it's my party and I can cry if I want to). But onto the actual topic of this blog.

The FTC wants you ( well sorta)! Every now and then the Federal Trade Commission decides to review some of their laws. This year they are reviewing the care label law. This could be a cause for celebration but it's government - so I'm going to go out on a limb here - this will probably be a total screw -up. But this is your chance to tell them what you think about the care labels. I did!!!!!

They are actually pondering if care labels are necessary. Yep, you read that right . The Federal Trade Commission wants to know if you want to know how to safely clean your clothes. ( did you just mutter "that's government for you".) And that my dear readers is just one of the thirty or so questions they have listed. You can go to htttp://ftcpublic.commentworks.com/ftc/carelabelinganpr/ to read the whole questionnaire and voice your opinion. Please do .....

Since I have spent the last year whining about care labels - those that are wrong, stupid and just plain outlandish -WE NEED TO COMPLAIN!!!!! Aren't you tired of the " Do Not Dry Clean Do Not Wash Spot Clean Only" label? Tell the FTC. Wouldn't you like to know all the methods that are safe to clean your clothes? Right now the manufacturer only has to give you one method.But most of the time the garment can be either wet cleaned or dry cleaned. But you the consumer, the owner of the garment will never know. FAIR? HARDLY!!!!!

This is your chance to tell the FTC what you want - do you want the care labels in English? Is that a big DUH!!!! Do you prefer written instructions to the fun and funky symbols? It's your clothes - it's your chance - don't let it pass you by - write the FTC.

So once again - here's the link:
http://ftcpublic.commentworks.com/ftc/carelalinganpr/

Frankly,my dear I give a damn

2011-07-20T13:01:00.000-07:00

Yes, I know I have changed the iconic line from "Gone With The Wind". But I do give a damn about the dresses worn by Vivien Leigh in the Oscar- winning movie. Now, you Rhett Butler's out there will care less - unless one of us Scarlett's show up wearing the drapes. But we gals, we remember all those beautiful gowns and if asked we all have a favorite. So southern belles - this column is for you.

Restoration has started to preserve and restore the dresses from "Gone With The Wind." The bad news is - some of the gowns cannot be made to look like they did on screen. The holes, and dropped stitches can be repaired. Feathers added to the Burgundy ball gown removed. But, the dresses are old, badly faded in spots and one is too fragile to handle.

In 2014 an exhibit will mark the 75th anniversary of the film. The Harry Ransom Center at the University of Texas acquired five of the dresses from the collection of David O. Selznick in the 1980's. The center will spend $30,000 to preserve the five dresses. The five dresses are Scarlett O'Hara's green curtain dress, her velvet gown, a burgundy ball gown, a blue velvet night gown and Scarlett's wedding dress.

Cara Varnell, an art conservator who specializes in Hollywood film costumes is doing the restoration work. Varnell has studied the dresses. The waistline of the green curtain dress has been altered several times and extra feathers were sewn on the ball gown. The dresses are in rough shape. The reason was David O. Selznick realized the value of the dresses and put them on tour. They went through decades of traveling displays and were even loaned to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City ( fell free to utter the Pace Picante sauce line from the their commercial here) Plus, costumes were never made for everyday use- they were made to wear for the filming of movie and then be discarded.

But thankfully, since 1980 the Ransom Center has has kept them in a properly temperature and light controlled storage environment. Sadly, the the curtain dress has long faded streaks that have turned the fabric an ugly brown mustard color. Ms. Varnell does not believe this was caused by light fading because the fabric is not dried out or fragile in those areas that would be typical of light fading. Records show the dress was likely sprayed with Sudol, a disinfectant similar to Lysol, which may have affected the rate and nature of the discoloration. ( note to selves - never spray disinfectant on your clothes)

So the curtain dress will not be restored to it's original shade of green. Ms Varnell said her job is to keep the dresses sturdy enough to endure in as close to original form as possible, not to recreate their precise look in the movie. ( so disappointing but hey - it's going to be 75 years old - none of us look as good as we use to)

Varnell believes the dresses travels and faded spots are " part of it's history".( kinda like my wrinkles, grey hair and a few extra pounds) She believes she should "honor the history and honor the piece."( ha- take that husbands - honor the history - honor the wrinkles) The Burgundy ball gown, however, is still it's same vibrant color. Scarlett's silk wedding dress veil cannot be restored. It was brittle and lined with permanent creases when it was acquired and is now so fragile that it will likely disintegrate if handled. But Ms. Varnell said " we are all organic material ans when a costume has come to the end of its life, it is no different than we are.

So in 2014 - head to Austin to see Scarlett's dresses. But use what happened to them to as a reminder to be careful with your clothes. Proper care and storage would have kept Scarlett's dresses in better condition. Proper care and storage will do the same for yours. But no matter the condition, aren't you thrilled to know the dresses are still here? Can't you still picture Clark Gable looking up the staircase - when Scarlett asks who is that man ? Don't you still wonder why she preferred Ashley Wilkes over Rhett Butler? And don't ya just feel like saying "Frankly my dear, I don't give a damn?"

We're Having a heat Wave

2011-06-20T12:56:00.000-07:00

Some of you will remember the song "We're Having a Heat Wave." If you are not old enough to have heard it on the radio , watch re-runs of "M.A.S.H." But, if you are living in San Antonio - we are having a heat wave. Heck we are frying. Yesterday it was 104. Today it's 104. Tomorrow- who knows. We need rain. My lawn is a lovely shade of brown and plants are dying. So simple reminder - drink a lot of water, stay indoors if you can, and try to keep cool.

I know I talked about this before - but it really needs to be said again - perspiration can damage clothes. It can change the color of the dyes used in making your clothes. It is important with days like these to make sure that anything you wear - is immediately cleaned to remove perspiration. Don't leave damp clothes in your hamper - one garment can fade unto another. So if your garment is damp from perspiration -hang it up to dry (if dry clean only) or wash immediately if you can. Don't put these garments back into the closet until it's cleaned.

Also remember to clean to clean stains and soil as soon as possible. Any stains or soil left on a garment can become impossible to remove. Studies by the Dry Cleaning And Laundry Institute show after aging for only one week,20% of stains cannot be removed satisfactorily. After three weeks , this increases to 47%.

Always allow lotions, antiperspirants, perfumes, and toiletries to dry before you get dressed.These products can contain ingredients that can cause color loss or color changes in your garments. We all know we are not supposed to sit in the sun - ( yeah that summer tan can kill ya) so if you use a sunless tanner - be sure you give it enough time to dry.

Prolonged exposure to direct sunlight or strong artificial lights can affect the color in your garments. The light can fade the color. If the garment is white -it can cause the white to yellow or gray. I have always wondered what crazy architect thought putting a window in a closet is a good idea.

Always clean and wear matching items together.

So while you're roasting here - remember your clothes. This is that time of year to pay special attention to your clothes. The deodorant and perspiration that isn't immediately removed from those garments can leave lasting damage. Oh joy - as if you didn't have enough to worry about. But think of it this way - there are 3 things you have the largest investment in - house, car and wardrobe. So don't forget to protect your investment.

May 1961

2011-05-16T11:23:00.000-07:00

I cannot say I really remember May 1961. Let's just say I was very young ( a lady never tells her age). But apparently, even though I don't recall all of this - 1961 was a very good year.

On January 20,1961 John F. Kennedy was sworn into the office of the president. But it was Jacqueline Kennedy who changed fashion. The pill box hat was the fashion must have. Oleg Cassini, who designed her inaugural dress was "the" designer.

If you were watching t.v. in 1961 - and weren't we all. You had a choice of 3, yes count'em on one hand, 3 channels. your favorite shows were "Wagon Train", "Bonanza", Gunsmoke", "The Twilight Zone" and my personal favorite ( back then) "Mr. Ed." Clearly, mom and dad must have been into pop culture - top shows = westerns - cleaners name = cowboy. Do you remember this - "The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat"? That was the opening for the new Saturday afternoon show with Jim McKay - "The Wide World Of Sports".

The movies that year included " The Absent -minded Professor","101 Dalmatians "( still my husband's favorite dog) "Breakfast at Tiffany's","judgement at Nuremberg", The Guns of Navarone" and "The Pit and the Pendulum". The Broadway musical "West Side Story" was made into a film this year starring Natalie Wood and Rita Moreno. ( the American Romeo and Juliette) .Are you humming "We want to live in America?" or "Tonight"?

On the radio , you were listening to "Moon River" by Henry Mancini ( the theme song from "Breakfast at Tiffany's).Pete Seeger sang "Where Have All The Flowers Gone", Roy Orbison recorded "Crying". And my two all time favorite songs "Crazy" recorded by Patsy Cline and written by Willie Nelson ( yep the same Willie Nelson) and "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow" recorded by the Shirelles - Thankfully re-recorded by the song writer in the 70's , Carole King.

In 1961 construction began on the Berlin Wall. (amazing some young folks never saw it in their lifetime). Texas introduced the state sales tax. (oops) The first Six Flags was opened in Arlington. Proctor and Gamble introduced and test marketed Pampers in Peoria,Illinois. Coca-Cola had a brand new soft drink - they called it Sprite. TWA showed the first in-flight movie. Yuri Gagarin was the first human in space. ray Kroc had bought the rights to McDonalds and had opened 230 stores.

The average cost of a new home $12,500.00
The average income $5315.00
Gas per gallon $0 .27
The average cost of a new car $2850.00
Pound of bacon $0.67
Dozen eggs $0.30

This was when Mom and Dad decided to open the first Cowboy Cleaners. Fifty years later McDonald's is world wide ( to some the scourge of America - to the rest of us a quick, tasty burger and dang good fries). If there hadn't been pampers -millions of kids would literally have been butt-naked.( no way was I going to use a cloth diaper)."West Side Story" is a classic. And Cowboy Cleaners is still here . The company has grown but we still follow the same ideals that dad started. We do the best job. We take the the time and care to make the clothes we are entrusted with look their best. So if you look at the picture on the home page and think who are those folks? That would be us - Dad, Shannon and I and the next generation of Cowboys and Cowgirls.

Happy Easter

2011-04-20T09:21:00.000-07:00

Today I recieved the usual batch of e-mails. I am sure you get them too. Friends and relatives send political information, touching human interest stories, cute photos of pets and then the odd clean and slightly dirty ( I am a cleaner - so they are never really, really dirty) jokes.

But today, I got a fun Easter related e-mail. I thought I would share it with you.

All I need to know I learned from the Easter Bunny:

1. Don't put all your eggs in one basket.
2.Everyone needs a friend who is all ears.
3. There is no such thing as too much candy.
4. All work and no play can make you a basket case
5. Everyone is entitled to a bad hare day.
6.Let happy thoughts multiply like rabbits.
7. Some body parts should be floppy.
8. Keep your paws off other people's jelly beans. ( and Russell Stover chocolate marshmallow eggs)
9. Good things come in small, sugar coated packages.
10. The grass is always greener in someone else's basket.
11. To show your true colors, you have to come out of the shell.
12. The best things in life are still sweet and gooey.

So Happy Easter and may God bless you all.

The Worm Has Turned

2011-03-22T13:07:00.000-07:00

Ever wonder where we got the phrase "the worm has turned"? Did you say Shakespeare? Then you were right. It appeared in Shakespeare's Henry VI part III " the smallest worm will turn, being trodden on." Then the phrase meant even the most humble will strike back if abused enough ( remind you of the Tea party or the you tube video of the boy that was being bullied). Like many English words and phrases it evolved over time to its current meaning - the situation has changed. So what does turning worms have to do with dry cleaning? SILK ! Silk is obtained from the cocoons of the larvae of the mulberry silkworm. The two countries that are the largest producers of silk are China and Japan.

Silk is a beautiful and yet fragile fabric. It comes in may forms. It can be smooth or rough. It can be raw, polished or suede. The colors and weaves used for silk fabrics are endless. Silk can be used for wearable fashion and for home fashion.

Silk does have some problems. I'm going to help you look for some of these problems before you plunk down your hard earned money and some that occur from wear. Let's start with one you can avoid before you buy.
YARN SLIPPAGE
Yarn slippage looks like puckering or separation between the fibers. It is caused by the yarns slipping apart or seam separation. The fabric will have a rippled or distorted effect and appear thinner. It can appear any where on the fabric. The yarns are not broken but have slipped across the warp yarn. How can you tell before you buy? Hold the garment up to a light - you will see areas where the yarns have a slight separation. You will notice that the yarns don't look straight but slightly wavy. These areas will eventually pucker and will become holes. So before you buy a silk blouse, shirt, dress or whatever - hold it up to light. ( sound like Poltergeist - "look into the light")
MYSTERIOUS HOLES
Sometimes relatively new silk garments will show holes or tears for no apparent reason.The damage appears as a local loss of fibers or tears on the fabric. Sometimes there will be a visable discoloration in the weakened area. ( in whites it will appear yellow - in colors it will appear a lighter shade than the original color). This is caused by chloride salts. chloride slats are found in perspiration and deodorants. Chloride salts are also found in many foods, beverages,skin lotions .medicines and table salt or salt water. When the solution dies, the moisture evaporates out, but the salt residue remains int eh fabric and starts the chemical process that degrades the silk. So does this mean - don't wear silk in Texas in the summer. NO! it means get the silk cleaned after wearing and make sure the cleaner pays attention to the underarms and any area you may have spilled liquid on. Just because you don't see the stain after it dried doesn't mean it's still not there. ( once again think Poltergeist - just when you think the ghosts are gone - they rear their ugly heads - and haunt you - stains not removed will haunt your silk and make holes)
COLOR FAILURE
You know what this looks like - the dye in an area is lighter or just gone. The dyes on silk are fragile. That is why your cleaners charges more - it takes time, patience , and knowledge to work on silks. Do NOT RUB SILK. What does that mean? OK - picture this - You are sitting at a restaurant and you spill white wine on your blouse or shirt. You quickly grab your napkin and dunk into your water glass and rub stain and it's gone. But so is the dye. when you look down that area will look lighter or once it's cleaned it will lighter. This may be able fixed by a knowledgeable dry cleaner( no promises) but if it can be corrected - it will need that done every time its cleaned. NEVER RUB SILK. ( oh while we at it - the napkin dabbing thing - yes I've done it - but never never never do that with an oil-based stain e.g butter or salad dressing)

Silk dyes can be solvent soluble or water soluble. That means some dyes on silks cannot be washed and some cannot be dry cleaned. How do you know? If you've been reading this blog - this is an easy one - read the care label. So what happens if you don't follow the care label - over-all fading.

Silk fabrics are more prone to fading from light exposure than most fabrics. This is especially true for bright,vivid colors ( blues, greens and purples). This can be caused by sunlight, strong artificial light, and ultraviolet light. ( I have never understood why a builder puts a window in a closet - can you say light fading on all your clothes)Light fading can happen with even minimal exposure to to the light source. Never place a silk in direct exposure to light. ( silk drapes with no lining or sheers - bad idea!)
SPLITS
We are not talking about those painful legs stretching things that cheerleaders do but lengthwise ( I guess kind of like those cheerleader legs) in the fabric . The thin warp yarns are broken and thicker filling yarns remain intact. This happens from the stress of wear and can be aggravated by by the cleaning process. If this happens it needs to be returned - the manufacturer needs to balance the yarns during construction.

So now you know - silk is a great fabric but one that needs special care. It can be soft and shiny or when raw nubby and rough. It is versatile. You can wear it or your windows can be draped in it. Beautiful rugs are constructed from it. Silk was first used in China in 3500BC. Any fabric that old - has really got something going for it. So enjoy the fabric that was once only for Chinese emperors and empresses.

The 10% Rule

2011-02-21T11:04:00.000-08:00

We've all heard that the average person only uses 10% of their brain. This is a myth. Just look at a brain scan. I know we have all met some one we were convinced only used 10% of their brains but sadly they were really using all their brain. They just didn't have much of a brain. But this year the 10% rule will apply to clothes. The cost of clothes will be going up at least 10%.

Why the rise in the cost of clothes?The price of cotton has more than doubled in the last year. The price of cotton has hit an all time high. This is good for the farmers in South Texas but bad for the end user ( you and I). The price of synthetic fabrics has jumped 50% as demand for alternatives has risen. This may be good time to explain the difference between natural and synthetic fibers.

Natural fibers are found in nature, they come from animal and vegetable sources. Synthetic fibers are manufactured fibers and fibers created by scientist including some manufactured from cellulose and wood pulp. Is one better than the other - no. They have different properties but both natural and synthetic fibers have advantages and disadvantages. So how do you choose which to buy - check the care label. The best advice is to buy whatever you can afford to care of. One thing that those of in South Texas may want to remember , natural fibers tend to be cooler as it allows better air flow.

Some natural fibers are cotton, linen, ramie, silk, wool, bamboo, jute, hemp, and sisal.

We all know cotton - the iconic blue jean. If you have ever driven I-37 to Corpus Christi - you've seen cotton growing in the fields. Cotton grows in the seed pod of the cotton plant. Cotton is the second strongest natural fiber. Cotton has been used in fabric since 5,000 B.C. in Egypt. ( yes I used B.C. and not B.C.E.) Cotton takes dyes well allowing for a wide range of colors. Even though the cotton ball seems white -once it is made into fabric it has an optical brightener to make it appear whiter. So wondering if the unrest in Egypt is going to effect you? The answer is yes, Egyptian cotton is used to make some the best sheets and shirts.( gentleman please take note - if you like heavy starch -stay away from Egyptian cotton - it gets softer with wear and washings unlike Texas king cotton).

Linen is the vegetable fiber from the woody stem of the flax plant. Linen has been around as long as cotton and was popular with the Egyptian Pharaohs. Linen is cool and absorbent but it wrinkles easily.

Ramie is from a plant similar to flax. The plant is grown in China. ( which explains all the made in China labels on ramie.)

Silk is from the cocoon of the silk worm. It was the fiber of the Chinese Emperors.The legend of silk is the concubine of an Emperor Yuen Fei dropped a cocoon into hot teas 2600 B.C. and it unraveled into silk fibers.Silk was a guarded secret in China for 3,000 years. The dye on silks can be very delicate.

Wool is the strongest natural fiber. It is breathable,hard wearing and can be soft or scratchy. Wool is the hair from a number of different animals ,most commonly sheep. If you are allergic to animals - you can be allergic to wool.

Now for the synthetic fibers...Acetate, acrylic,microfiber,nylon,polyester and rayon

Acetate is both natural and synthetic. It is composed of refined plant cellulose or wood pulp and acetic acid. It is long wearing ans resists wrinkling.

Acrylic is derived by polyacrylonitrile. Acrylic has a wool-like feel but lacks wool's insulating properties.Acrylic stretches easily - and pure acrylic cannot be steamed. Acrylic also pills easily. But if blended with natural fibers it is very durable.

Microfiber is a generic term for any synthetic fiber finer than silk. Currently, there are four types of microfibers being produced - they are acrylic,nylon,polyester and rayon. Microfiber is 100 times finer than a human hair.

Nylon was invented by DuPont in 1938.Nylon was the first completely synthetic fiber created. Nylon is very strong and flexible. nylon wears well and resists static electricity.But nylon is not breathable. Nylon makes great umbrellas and parachutes.

Polyester the fiber of the 60's and 70's. ( remember the polyester suit worn by Herb on WKRP in Cincinnati ?). Polyester is short strands of fiber bonded together. It dries quickly. It is fade resistant, abrasion resistant and doesn't wrinkle during wear. But polyester will retain permanent wrinkles if dried in high heat. Do not dry polyester in your home dryer.

Rayon is regenerated cellulose.rayon is made from regenerated wood pulp, cotton linters or other vegetable matter. Rayon is a manufactured fiber that uses natural materials. Rayon was invented in 1910. rayon does not do well in high humidity as dampness can cause shrinkage. The sizing used in rayon are often water soluble and leave the areas that get damp darker. This can cause the rayon to look stained. So don't go "walking in the rain with one you love" wearing a rayon dress or shirt .

So now you know the difference between natural and synthetic fibers. But no matter which you choose these will both cost you more.Higher cost will affect how clothes are made. Clothing makers are using more synthetics and designers will use less beads and embellishments. You may also notice less color choices. Bad weather in August of 2010 cut harvests in major cotton producing countries including China, the U.S. ,Pakistan and Australia.Restrictions on exports from India ,the worlds second largest cotton exporter behind China have also lead to the higher prices. During the recession many Chinese factories were shut down. So all this is leading to the higher costs.

What can you do? Take care of the clothes you already have. Never put anything away dirty. Even if you don't see a stain - if you know you spilled something on your clothes - clean them. Those stains will up later. Read care labels. Make sure you know exactly how to take care of your garments. When buying new garments - read the care label. Can you clean this ? Can anyone clean this? Does this require special care? Can I afford to take care of this garment? As Dad always said "when times get tough -the tough get going" Be tough - make sure you know exactly what you are buying and make sure you or your favorite dry cleaner ( ME) can take care of it. If the seafood restaurant offers that cheesy plastic bib - wear it. Make sure your winter wools are properly stored this season - now is not the time to surrender to moths and silver fish. You can do this . I can help. But get tough - know what you are buying and then take care of them. Well made clothes can last decades ( if you stay away from the latest fad and stick to the classics). I have some sweaters ( yes they still fit) that are over 20 years old. My secret - proper care. I have dresses ( some don't fit - but I keep them to encourage me to exercise) that are 30 years old. They all look perfect - proper care. So get tough - take care of your clothes and they really can last for decades.

Pink Pigs and Purple cows

2011-01-12T09:31:00.000-08:00

Pink pigs and purple cows sounds like one of those trippy songs of the 60's. But, it also reminds me of when I was a kid and drawing in the lines was not all that important. I could choose any color from my crayon box to color my world. Trees could be orange and there were pink pigs and purple cows ( the pink cows made strawberry milk and brown cows gave us chocolate milk). So what does pink pigs and purple cows have to do with cleaning? Well, we all agree in the real world - there are no pink pigs and purple cows - so all leather is dyed.Leather is animal skin - so since no pink, green, blue, purple, brown, grey or any other of those 164 colors in the crayon box exist in our animal friends - all leather is dyed.

What types of animals are used to make leather?
The most common is pig skin. One of the ways to tell if a leather is pig skin is by the pores visible on the skin. When looking at the skin you will notice tiny holes on the surface. Pig skin can be used to make leather or suede. (difference between leather and suede - which side of the skin that was used) It is the most common and the usually the least expensive leather.

Sheep - you are probably thinking - What wool is leather? Nope. Wool is a fiber. Wool is the sheared hair from the sheep, cleaned and spun into yarn. But there are sheepskin jackets with the hair attached to the skin. But the skin can also be used to make leather items.

Goat - yep. The skin is pretty tough and thick. It is not very commonly used to make clothing but is excellent for light weight tough clothing like motorcycle wear.

Cow - you've seen cow hide rugs ( come one this is Texas) But cow hide is used for clothing too. Cow hide is very thick - so it is split to to reduce the thickness. But, as the thickness is reduced so is the strength. That is why the rug can take decades of feet walking all over it and your jacket cannot. The most supple and most expensive of the cow skins is calf skin.

Fish - yep even fish are made into leather. No you don't walk around wearing those fish scales - but the skin does keep the imprint of the scales.But, knowing those crazy designers maybe the skin and scales will be the next big thing. Carp is the most common fish used to make leather or suede trims. One small problem with fish - they stink. So never wear your fish in inclement weather - you will smell - well fishy!

So since we all agree - no pink pigs and purple cows - how does leather get all those colors and what color is leather ? OK leather is skin - so it is the color of dried skin - YUCK! But there ya go - it is an unappealing color in it's natural state. So all leather is dyed. Yes, you read that correctly all leather is dyed. But unlike fibers, the dye in leather may not be set. ( remember the earlier blog about salt setting dyes - salt + leather = disaster) So when leather is cleaned it must be re-dyed after cleaning. The leather cleaners has to match the leather garment you have to swatches to re-dye after cleaning.

How do you know if what you have is leather, suede or man -made? Check the label . Real leather will say "Clean by leather method only". But you can also check the backside of the garment. Leather is skin and so the backside of the leather will look like skin. You can check this by peeping under the lining. Man made leathers have a material back and no imperfections. While not required, most garments will have a content label. The content label will say something like 50% cotton 20% acetate etc. A man made leather will say vinyl, nylon or polyester. A real leather will say leather. It will not identify the animal. But it will say leather.

So how is leather cleaned? Very carefully! First before cleaning it is dye matched. Since the dye may not be set - the leather cleaner must match the dye before cleaning to restore it to the original color after cleaning. Is this always possible - honestly no - but every leather cleaner tries their best to return the garment to the original color. There are some stains and spills that can cause permanent damage to leather. Perspiration can discolor or harden the leather. Some ink cannot be completely removed. Oil stains can discolor the leather. Ground in dirt may not be completely removed with out damaging the skin. Blood stains may not be completely removed. Beer and alcohol can cause permanent color damage. Never use a pin on leather ( the hole will not go away unlike cloth) and don't ever put those "Hello my name is" tags on your leather jacket. Better to be incognito than damage your leather.

Leather is skin and skin needs moisturizer. DO NOT PUT YOUR FACE CREAM ON THE LEATHER. The leather cleaner has a specific solvent designed to maintain the garments original appearance. This solvent puts moisturizer back into the skin while cleaning. YOU CANNOT DO THIS YOURSELF. I don't want to hear that some of you heard me say skin needs moisturizer and then slather the stuff yourself all over your jacket.NO NO NO ! But, your leathers and furs are skin - so you must have them cleaned and moisturized - I recommend annually. If you don't have them cleaned - stains will set and the leather or skin may crack . Both will make your leather unusable. But once a leather or fur skin cracks - it's a goner.

Leather is tanned and stretched during the manufacturing process. Therefore, after cleaning leather needs to be re-stretched. But excessive shrinkage can occur after cleaning because excessive tension was used during the manufacturing. Always buy leathers and suede slightly larger to compensate for shrinkage.

Now , lets talk about a typical day in the life of a cow. (I know how this sounds but just go with it ) Mabel( that's our cow) is out in the pasture munching on grass ( well green ground cover that we will refer to as grass - not the stuff in your lawn) . Mabel is wondering along munching away,looking at the ground and then oops she trips over a rock. OUCH! The rock gave her a knock on the knee ( or whatever you call it on a cow). But the ever intrepid Mabel ,shakes it of and keeps moving on. Then Mabel( not the brightest cow in the herd) runs into the barbed wire fence. OUCH! That will cause a scar. But hey Mabel will not be deterred - so off she goes munching along. But poor Mabel now has a couple of bruises and pretty big gash that once it heals will scar. Oh well - Mabel doesn't really care since she already has her bull. Yep, Mabel is a mom to be and whoa - here comes the calf "Hazel". So now Mabel is bruised,scarred and damn she is going to have those stretch marks we ( human ladies) try so hard to get rid of. But hey Mabel is a cow and she already has her bull - so stretch marks - no biggie. So the point of the day in the life of Mabel. If Mabel is your jacket - those bruises,scars, and stretch marks may be disguised during manufacturing but after cleaning may become more visable. Skin , unlike fabric, is not uniform. No leather is perfect. So there can be belly wrinkles, stretch marks, scars bruises, darker or lighter areas ,vein marks and texture variances. After cleaning all of this may be more visible - let's face if you are wearing it - your jacket was probably not the brightest cow in the herd either.

Let's talk salt ( not the Angelina Jolie movie) but Na Cl. ( My high school chem teacher is now beaming with pride - yes, she really did learn something)Salt is not used in the cleaning or manufacturing of leather because it can cause staining of the skin or permanent damage. Salt can be found in food, drinks, urine, deodorants, ice melt and you ( perspiration). Salt will continually absorb moisture from the atmosphere , thus keeping the stained area of the leather damp. The salt stained area can discolor the leather.Salt can also shrink, stiffen and even crack the leather.

No salt = no set dyes. Beware the multi colored leather. Beware the dark leather on the light fabric. If the dye is not set - the dye will bleed. Can the dye be set - of course but chances are ...it is not . So I'm saying if you want a multi-colored leather or a dark and light leather or suede combination - DO NOT SPEND MUCH ON IT. This is a garment you will wear and eventually just throw away. If properly made , they can be cleaned and no problems. But lets be honest they aren't properly made any more - so avoid these or be prepared to wear and toss.

Varsity jackets are not usually leather. The sleeves are normally vinyl. These have their own set of issues. But that's for another day.

So what have we learned. To quote the little mice from the movie "Babe" - "Pigs are stupid." OK maybe we didn't learn that - but pigs are not pink. Cows are not brown. Just because they spent their life in pasture doesn't mean your coat can too. Mabel didn't care what she looked like - but you care what she looks like once she's your jacket. Leather is tough and delicate. It requires specific care. The cleaning process is intricate and longer that regular dry cleaning or washing. Leather care is more expensive than regular dry cleaning. So when you look at a leather jacket ,coat, skirt or rug - remember the cost of cleaning . Never buy anything you cannot afford to maintain. Unless - you get it cheap enough to wear and throw away. But don't you just wish there really were pink pigs and purple cows?

Goodbye 2010 Hello Twenty Eleven

2010-12-07T10:52:00.000-08:00

Another year is gone and now we start all over. So this blog is assorted stuff that happened this year. Some of it will relate to clothes but some of it is just plain strange. So allow me to let you in to that portion of my brain that finds this stuff amusing.

Words. yes, you read that right -words. For some reason each year about this time - some one feels the need to let us know there are new words, popular words and the word of the year. Hence, the twenty eleven in the title of this blog. Apparently that is what we will all be calling the next year. According to the Global Language Monitor ( can you believe that group exists? I think it's a guy in his undies typing on his computer but ....he and or they made Reuters) the world has " moved away from disagreement over how to pronounce the first years of the decade"( did you know there was a disagreement? I feel foolish - I didn't) But next year is twenty eleven. So get with the program and start saying it right - no need to continue the disagreement. ( Don't we have better things to fight over?) And the top words - Obama -mess and Palinism. But here's an irionic twist - the word of the year is a Palinism - refudiate.

And once again, this time of year brings out the best careers for next year. Yeah, like we are all going to suddenly be able to get one of these jobs. This list comes from the Labor Department and Challenger, Gray and Christmas. And to quote Gomer Pyle " surprise ,surprise , surprise" dry cleaner is not on the list. But here are some of the best careers for 2011: Accountant ( not so shocking since we don't know the taxes for next year)meeting planner, commercial pilot, curator, heating,air conditioning and refrigeration technician, athletetic trainer,school psychologist, emergency management specialist, urban planner, firefighter, hydrologist, meteorologist,and biomedical engineer. See, like we can all just go on over to the airport and say -"hey I'm applying for the pilot job " or head over to fire department and yell " hand me the hose boys ". So here's my thinking the best job for 2011 - is the one you've got.

Speaking of jobs - did you know how hard a clown works? Well, performers in New York's traveling Bindlestiff Family Circus protested in October against the political language referring to Washington D.C. Kinko the Clown was upset about referring to D.C. as a circus and said " Before you call anyone in Washington a clown, consider how hard a clown works."( I cannot improve on that one - I mean when clowns are insulted by us for comparing them to politicians - what could I possibly say to improve on that) And clowns = politician . Yep, Grumpy, a professional clown was elected by a resounding vote to the Brazilian Congress from Sao Paulo in October. Grumpy's slogan was "It Can't Get Any Worse". So don't call politicians clowns unless they really are ,in fact, clowns.

The $110 billion dollar new $100. What? Well, the Federal Reserve ( Ron Paul will love this) designed a new high -tech $100. To combat counterfeiting the bill had a 3-D secruity ribbon. Sounds good right? However, the bills crease during printing leaving blank places on the new bill. Needless, to say they cannot be use - so now $110 billion of $100's are in quarantine ( their words not mine). So the notes cannot be put in circulation but are sitting in lockup in Fort Worth and Washington D.C. How much was QE-2 supposed to inject into the economy? Maybe this is God's way of saying " Ben Bernanke - Do not print money you don't have" Oh , Ron Paul , next year will be oodles fun for you.

The FBI has issued a "cyber crime alert" for Barbie. No, this is not a joke - Barbie is on the FBI list. "Barbie Video Girl" could be a possible child pornography production method. The $49.99 Barbie was nominated for 2011 Toy of Year. Barbie has a video camers built in her. So girls can record video from dolls -eye view and then watch it on the LCD screen on Barbie's back or upload the video to a computer. Has Barbie been used for child porn - nope. Steve Dupre from the FBI Sacremento field office said " there have been no incidents of this doll being used as anything other than its intent. So why the alert? I guess poor Barbie with her outrageously curvy body that gives young girls unrealistic expectations and body dismorphia is now really a porno queen. My thought - I had a Barbie and I still have a realistic view of my body - ( chubby and as I grow older things are moving south much like the U.S. population) So why give creeps and idea that they surely would have never thought of themselves. Sometimes, Barbie is just a Barbie and she always just a doll.

Green news ..... Want a cheap way to keep that Christmas tree lit? Get an eel. Yes, an eco -friendly electric eel can light your tree. In Kamakura, Japan an electric eel at the aquarium has been lighting the tree for 5 years. Each time the eel moves, two aluminum panels gather enough electricity to light up the 6 foot tall tree. Visitor Sumie Chibe found it fascinating but questioned the practicality of eel eregy for domestic use. A big DUH !!!!!! to that ,Ms. Chiba.

And now fashion news and other icky things to do with clothes and clothing care. In an aticle on "Sneaky Reasons You Get Zits" one sneaky reason was your pillowcase and towel. Your face lies on that pillowcase for hours and if it's not clean you are pressing in dead skin and bacteria onto your skin. GROSS! If your towel is dirty (even if you are shower -clean) you're wiping germs on your face. So , the International Dermal Institute, suggests changing your pillowcases once or twice a week and changing your towel daily. ( I feel it necessary to interject - we clean and press those pillowcases and kill all those nasty germs and bacteria .And because we use products you cannot and press them at a higher temperature that you can at home - well if I was doing your Pillowcases you could cross this off the Zit list)

Do you use fabric softeners and dryer sheets? Also on the the sneaky zit list. Why? The stuff that makes your clothes softer is tallow. And what is tallow? Tallow is ....... ANIMAL FAT. So needless to say wiping animal fat all over your face is not a great idea. Oh, let's be honest who in the hell wants to sleep with or wear animal fat?

The answer to Who wants to wear animal fat is ........ Lady Gaga . Ok but not not just fat - real meat. Yes, apparently Lady Gaga wore a meat dress to the VMAs. By meat dress ,I mean real meat like at the butcher case in the grocery. When asked why she said " Well, it is certainly no disprect to anyone that is vegan or vegetarian. As you know, I am the most judgement-free human being on the earth. However, it has many interpreatations but for me this evening. If we don't 't fight for our rights, pretty soon we're going to have as much rights as the meat on our own bones. And, I am not a peice of meat." If none of that made sense to you - well join the club. So , I wonder if meat and produce dresses will catch on. I ponder this because I know some damn idiot will pay $5000 for a carrot top dress and then bring it to me for cleaning. ( you knew I couldn't end the year with out mentioning care labels) So can you imagine what that must have smelled like under all those lights? I guess the care label would read "BBQ after use." So I guess hats off ( yes, she had a meat hat, purse and shoes) to Lady Gaga for the tastiest dress and raw talent.

Under the oooh!ICK! file. Ghana plans to enforce a ban on the sale of second- hand underwear. Remember the song Second Hand Rose - well doesn't this put new meaning to that? In Accra, the capital of Ghanna street vendors sell second -hand undies. Believe it or not, vendors are upset by the enforceement of the 1994 ban. "People patronise my goods because they are not expensive as compared to the new ones in the market,"said Kwesi QAmin. "The government must consider the plight of the poor and change their decision." O.k. - what more can one say other than Ick !!!

And now on to the TSA. Since the introduction of the nudie scanners or the TSA feel-up, we have seen fly-wear. Yep, (maybe that should be on the list of 2010 words) scantily dressed folks with nothing left covered to conceal anything. You've seen the pictures of the lady wearing a bra and panties in her wheel chair or guys in the fruit of looms. So maybe there should be a seperate line at airport for folks wearing fly-wear. If you wear someting that ,as my mama used to say, leaves nothing to the imagination , maybe the TSA should just send you on through. Just a thought. But for those of us whose bikini days are long behind us ( because our long behind would frighten other passengers), there are scanner -proof undies. Yep if you are worried about those new security scanners filming your privates - there are new anti-radiation underwear. Colorado company, Rocky Flats Gear, sells undies with a fig leaf over your sensitvie areas. The fig leaves block natural and man - made radiation. According to the company web site www.rockyflatsgear.com " The technology insures privacy of medical and body scanner images". So, if you don't want any one touching your "junk" - you can wear nothing but your skivvies or you can wear scanner-proof skivvies.

And that friends, is the crazy corner of mind. As we end 2010 - this is the weird, wild and wacky stuff that caught my attention. So before this becomes and Obama-mess and I am forced to refudiate all of the above nuttiness - Merry Christmas and Happy New Year .

Let's Talk Turkey (and gravy and cranberry stains)

2010-11-22T12:49:00.000-08:00

O.K. Let's talk turkey. Where did that come from ? What the heck did they mean by talking turkey- Gobbling? Nope! Actually it originally meant a nice chat similar to the ones around the dinner table at Thanksgiving. But like most phrases over time it changed to skip the niceties and get on with the important stuff. So let's skip the pleasantries and get on with the turkey talk.

Most of you know, Ben Franklin wanted the turkey as the national symbol.He also thought the rattlesnake would make a good symbol. He felt the rattlesnake was an appropriate symbol or "the temper and conduct of America". ( after the last election and the revolt at the airports of the naked scanners and the grope - he may have been right.)So now I will digress - heard a great joke about the TSA-can't see London can't see France unless I see your underpants. O.K. just one more no shirt - no shoes - no problem. But back to Ben and the turkey. He was talking about a wild turkey and not the inbred butterball. He thought the turkey to be "a true original Native of America." "Though a little vain and silly, a bird of courage."Poor Ben, little did he know we would be eating them every Thanksgiving.

So some fun turkey facts. The turkey is the only native poultry breed of the Western Hemisphere. Turkeys have great hearing skills but no ears. Turkeys can see in colors( how they know this is beyond me) have excellent visual acuity and their fields of vision spans about 270 degrees. Turkeys have poor sense of smell but a great sense of taste.Wild turkeys can fly at a speed of 55 miles per hour over short distances and can run 25 miles per hour. Domestic turkeys ( the butterballs) are so sensitive that they can drown by looking up while it is raining and can have heart attacks due to sudden shocks. I don't know about you but those last two facts make me feel less guilty about eating mine on Thursday.

Now let's say while you are eating the turkey,gravy,cranberries etc. - some spills down your shirt or on the tablecloth. Just remember turkey and gravy have oil based stains and don't just wash these. (oil and water don't mix) The stain will wash out but not the oil and that will leave a darker spot on the clothes where the turkey or gravy stain once was. Cranberry makes a great red dye.( many old and antique quilts were dyed with natural fruits, vegetables, and herbs) So be sure and treat cranberry like a dye. But most of all , don't worry about any of those stains - we can get them out.

So eat ,drink and enjoy your family. I love Thanksgiving. I love a holiday that requires nothing more than family and good food. So enjoy your Thanksgiving. Watch the parade, the football games and be glad that you can spend the day with the people you love. I know - we will. Have a safe , delicious and great Thanksgiving. While this may have been a trying year ( economy and all) it is nice to spend a day remembering what we should be really thankful for - this country, our family and friends, and pumpkin pie. ( I know some days we may think that the pie should lead the list but that's great thing about Thanksgiving - everything is put in prespective) Happy Thanksgiving.

Sleep tight, Don't let the bed bugs bite

2010-10-06T11:34:00.000-07:00

Remember that saying? I do but never had a clue what a bed bug was or if there were in fact, bed bugs. But alas, bed bugs are not the invention of the Brothers Grimm or Rod Serling, but real blood sucking creepy bugs that are damn hard to kill. As long as we are mentioning creepy icky bugs - there is the harmless ( except for allergies) dust mite. Then there are those friends of your clothes - the silverfish, moth and carpet beetle ( they love to eat those natural fibers).So what's the poor human to do when surrounded by all these creepy crawlers?

Let's start like the old horror movies - with the least scary first. Then we and the organ music will work our way up to the crescendo of terror - the Freddie Krueger of bugs - the bed bug! So silverfish,moths and carpet beetles - what to do? What to do? OK, they stink something awful and remind you of old ladies but the best deterrent is the good old fashioned moth ball. ( also good for the garden to keep away unwanted pests and the neighbors cat that uses your yard for a litter box)Yep, when putting away those summer or winter clothes a moth ball or two in the drawer or closet will keep away the bugs. But, then there is that smell and yes it is hard to get rid of that smell. So, while very effective it's very stinky ( unless you like that smell - but I have yet to meet the person who does). So let's say you want to protect your clothes and you want to use the moth ball - how do you get rid of the smell so you don't smell like your great -grandma? Expect to take about a month to fully get rid of the smell. DO NOT WASH THE CLOTHES. Yep, you read right - no water - water binds with the chemicals in moth balls and then it's stinko for way longer. HEAT!!!! If your clothes can take a hot iron - iron away. Then put the garment outside to air ( not too long at a time or the sun will bleach the item) and do this for about a month. Also, put a few pieces of charcoal in a metal pan and place in the drawer or closet. If the item is dry clean only or cool iron - ask your dry cleaner if they have an ozone room. About one week in the ozone room and then cleaning will remove the moth ball smell. So you are now thinking " uh too much work - maybe I'll let the little buggers dine on my clothes." No, No, Nannette ( only funny if you are into musicals) there are some other less offensive ( also less effective) remedies. These will work but not on every bug or all the time - but cedar and lavender are also good bug deterrents. You can use cedar planks, cedar bags, or cedar or lavender sachets.Remember, it is the oils in all these products that contain the smell - so don't let them actually touch your garments. But when pulling out your seasonal garments. just air for a few days and heck cedar and lavender actually smell nice.

(Inset organ music here) Yes, I'm asking you to imagine a loud Dum-dum -dum!!!! Dust mites, harmless yet creepy.Dust mites DO NOT CARRY DISEASES. They live primarily on dead skin cells regularly shed from human and their animal pets. OK - here's the obligatory warning - this part may be disturbing to some it contains descriptions of icky stuff!!!!!Beds are the primary habitat of dust mites. A typical mattress may have anywhere from 100,000 to 10 million mites inside.Ten percent of the weight of a two year old pillow can be composed of dead mites and their feces. ICK!!!! Mites prefer warm,moist surroundings like the inside of a mattress when someone is on it. Their favorite food - dander ( both yours and your doggies and kitties skin flakes). humans shed about 1/5 ounce of dander (dead skin) each week. about 80% of those little particles floating in sunbeams is ------not fairy dust but skin flakes. (inert EECK! EECK! EECK! here). So you folks with allergies may be allergic to the dust mites and the most potent allergy dust mite feces. GROSS!!! So what to do? What to do? Vacuum your carpets regularly. Steam clean those carpets annually. For those of you with allergies consider tile or wood flooring. take those throw rugs and area carpets to the cleaners. ( you really don't want that dust mite poo in your carpet) Get your comforters, bed spreads and bed linens cleaned at least twice a year.( if you are allergic to dust mites more monthly would be a good idea) Don't forget your drapes - yep even your drapes and curtains need an annual dust mite cleaning. wash your sheets and pillow cases in hot water. The water need to at 130-140 degrees. Most home hot water heaters are set at 12o - so you can raise the temperature of your hot water heater. Or you can bring me your sheets and pillowcases - we wash and press those sheets killing the mites. And you get freshly pressed sheets without the hassle of trying to figure out how to fold those idiotic fitted ones that usually end up in a giant sheet ball in your closet. So there ya go - No more Mitey Morphine Power Rangers.

And Now ( Insert the hair-raising scream from the beautiful blonde co-ed and Dum Dum Dum)bed bugs. While some folks may have considered Dracula sexy - the vampiric bed bug is just plain disgusting. No stake through their hearts will work and they don't freak out if your crucifix has no effect. These nasty bugs require professional help. CALL THE EXTERMINATOR!!!!! But here's some things you can do - never put new clothes directly into your closet. WHY? No matter what the label or price almost all clothes are from foreign countries - China, Indonesia,etc. These clothes may have bed bugs in them. So put your those clothes in the dryer for at least 20 minutes. The heat will kill the bed bugs and their eggs. If the clothes are dry clean only - clean them first. Make sure your cleaners is actually a dry cleaner and not a green cleaners using cold water. COLD WATER WILL NOT KILL BED BUGS. if you find yourself with a bed bug problem - seal your bedding and clothes in air proof bag. Let your dry cleaners know you have bed bugs on those items. They will require special care. Once again, hot water 140 degrees will kill those bed bugs. Sheets and pillow cases need to washed in HOT WATER. Bed Bugs are nasty and bad but you need net be embarrassed - just be careful with newly purchased items. And don't be too embarrassed to call an exterminator and tell your dry cleaner - that's our job.

SO, ( insert rainbow and happy survivors walking into the sunset with sappy violin music) no Love Bugs here, just the creepy kind. But with a few precautions you will survive the horror show and the bed bugs won't bite.

P.S. Since I totally creeped myself out - I decided to give you some help getting rid of those Jeepers Creepers - until Nov 9th - I'm giving you 25% off all household items. that's 25% off sheets and pillow cases, bedspreads, comforters, blankets, rugs and drapes. I couldn't just leave you there all grossed out. DUM DUM DUM!

What's black and white and bled all over ?

2010-09-27T11:51:00.001-07:00

OK- so that's not the usual start for the joke. But unlike the usual answers of newspaper or sunburned zebra - my query doesn't have a witty response. So what is black and white and bled all over? Pretty much any garment with black and white.

While these garments may look good at the store - one wash or dry cleaning will have the black all over the white. Why? Simple - the black dye isn't colorfast. If this was just happening occasionally -I would not write this blog. But in the last two years it has become predictable - ANY BLACK AND WHITE GARMENT WILL FADE.

What do you do? The simple answer is do not buy black and white garments. If the stores start to notice that people aren't purchasing black and white, the big retailers will have two choices. Stop buying black and white from designers or demand that the designers set the black dye. If you still think that black and white is the bomb ( and honestly - so do I) then make clear to the store that you are aware of this problem and you want them to stand behind this garment. Get the store to put in writing that should the garment bleed - they will immediately take it back.

Why are the dyes not set? Well that is simple. The final stage of the dying process is a saline solution bath. So no salt bath - no set dye. You have been to the grocery lately, how expensive was salt? A whole 29 cents? So why not do this - I don't know. Why send all the clothing manufacturing to China? Cheap labor - Cheap cloth -Cheap -Cheap Cheap!!!!

So does a $2000 black and white dress hold up better that a $20 black and white dress? NO!!!! Unfortunately. every designer has their clothes and fabrics made in China. While I could rant about the failure of our government, unions and clothing designers to retain those jobs here- well I guess i just did. But I think we would all be willing to pay a few bucks more for garments that can be dry cleaned or washed without being ruined. I think we would be prefer to have clothes that last. I do not pretend to know the cost of garment from design to retail sale, but we want to get what we pay for.

So, I guess I am hoping we can buy American made clothing. Keep the manufacturing jobs here. Produce a better garment. But hoping isn't getting. So for now. buyer beware. Avoid black and white garments unless the store can positively assure that the black will not bleed unto the white or will accept the garment for return when the black dye fails.

So now, what's black and white and red all over? The same black and white garment that you refused to buy with the big red discounts all over the sales tags.

Cry Me a River and Sweat Me an Ocean

2010-08-18T11:29:00.000-07:00

My favorite all time song "Cry Me A River." Heck, there isn't a girl alive who didn't want to tell an ex-boyfriend "Cry me a River." Particularly ,when he broke her heart. Sadly, few us of ever get the chance. So we end up crying the river. And that leads to mascara rolling down our face and stinging our eyes.

I can't help with eye stinging but removing the mascara and make -up from your clothes-That I can handle. Just remember , even though the make up is easily removed from your skin with soap and water it isn't so easy from clothes. Make-up has oils and we all know oil and water don't mix. So before throwing any garment with make-up in the wash - you must remove it first. If your make-up and mascara are water-proof - don't add water to remove. That will require a professional.

Now sweat me an ocean- yep here in South Texas we all sweat an ocean. August is always the hottest month. So while you are uncomfortable and pouring out oceans - your clothes are also taking a beating. What? Isn't it bad enough that you are a walking salt lick? But that salt also damages your clothing.

So,my wet and wild friends what kind of damage can your bodily ocean do to clothes ? Lots!

Sometimes yellow,tan, or brown stains ,streaks or rings appear after dry cleaning ,laundering or just after a period of time in use or storage. They appear in areas that may become damp with perspiration during wear( underarms, neck, back and waistband - and since this is South Texas dang near all over). OK here is the gross part - all perspiration ( oh let's just call it sweat) contains fats ,oils ,cholesterol , and other substances exuded from the glands onto the skin. YUCK!!!! All these substances oxidize over time and turn fabric yellow or brown. So while the sweat is fresh it needs to be removed. Let your dry cleaner know if the garment is dry clean only ... dry cleaning alone will not remove perspiration.

Cellulose will develop weak areas and tears. Cellulose fibers are cotton,ramie,rayon, and linen ( to name a few). Sometimes, but not always, staining is noted in the weak area. This is usually underarm areas of shirts. You may notice a ring,streak,splotch, or light area. This means the fibers are already damaged and will weaken sooner than it should. Antiperspirants that remain on the fabric for a period of time cause this damage. Antiperspirants are acid -based chemicals and may also contain aluminum chlorides. These chemicals can form hydro cellulose (chemical degradation) on garments contain cellulose fibers). many times the damage is noted until the agitation of cleaning separates and tears the weakened fibers. So, am i saying don't use antiperspirant? HEAVENS -NO!!!! Sorry but let's face it - no one likes the stinky guy. So what do you do? Have the garment cleaned as soon as you can after contact. Try switching to a pH neutral deodorant instead of an acidic antiperspirant.

Silk -lovely delicate silk. Silk can develop yellow or rust colored stains. Silk may just develop holes or tears. Why? Well , chloride salts of any type will progressively weaken silk yarns. Chloride salts are found in perspiration and deodorant. Chloride salts are also found in many foods,beverages,skin lotions and medicines. Even table salt and salt water are chloride salts. ICKY- but you know that you are $5 of chemicals and loads of salt. So when the liquid (your sweat) dries, the moisture evaporates but the salt residue remains in the fabric and begins the chemical degradation of the silk. So what do you do? Clean immediately to remove the chloride salt. If you want most fabric stores sell dress shields to prevent the moisture from reaching the silk. Just remember, the longer the salts remain on the fabric, the greater the chance of garment damage.

So now you know- you are one of your clothes worst enemies. Yep, so while you sweat an ocean and complain about the heat don't forget the poor shirt on your back. Otherwise, you'll be crying a river over lots of damaged garments.

July 4 ,1776

2010-07-02T11:11:00.000-07:00

"When in the course of human events..." Those are the words that started a revolution. Not just a physical revolt against tyranny but an ideological revolt. An idea that became us - you and me and this country.

"We hold these truths to be self-evident:That all men are created equal;that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights;that among these are life,liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; that to secure these rights,governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed; that whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends,it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it,and to institute a new government,laying its foundation on such principles, and organizing its power in such form ,as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness."

Do you read those words and not feel amazed? It is clear to me that this country was truly blessed by God - how else could all these brilliant men have been together in this country at the same time ?Can you imagine no Jefferson , Washington , Adams ,or Franklin? What a difference there would have been without any one of these men? But ultimately, that these men believed that you and I have God-given rights that no man or government can take away. They had faith in us that they would create this republic and we would keep it. They knew when they wrote and signed this document that this was for themselves and for generations to come.

"And for the support of this declaration,with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes, ans our sacred honor."And each of these men from the 13 colonies signed. They signed knowing that they could lose everything. Who were these men?

Well we all know John Hancock. His is the first and the largest signature. John Hancock was the president of the Continental Congress during the debate and signing of the Declaration Of Independence.He was one of the wealthiest men in the thirteen colonies and served as Governor of Massachusetts for many years.

New Hampshire was represented by Josiah Bartlett, William Whipple And Matthew Thornton.

Josiah Bartlett was a doctor. He held various political offices before and after the American Revolution. His house was burned to the ground by British loyalists in 1774. He was the first person to vote for independence on July2,1776. He was the first to sign his name on the Declaration after John Hancock. He became the first Governor of New Hampshire.

William Whipple was a former sea captain who became a successful merchant in Portsmouth. He served as a brigadier general in New Hampshire and led four brigades in the Battle of Saratoga. The Battle of Saratoga defeated General John Burgoyne's British army, a major turning point for the American's in the war for independence.

Matthew Thornton was a doctor from Londonderry, New Hampshire. He served mostly in New Hampshire politics.He held the highest offices in the state. He was not appointed to the Continental Congress until November 1776, but was still allowed to place his signature on the Declaration of Independence. His signature is on the bottom because there wasn't enough room to write beneath the other New Hampshire signers.

Massachusetts was represented by (at this point one could interject that they have never been as well represented since but I won't ..... ok I did) John Hancock, Samuel Adams ( not the beer),John Adams, Robert Treat Paine, and Elbridge Gerry.

Samuel Adams was largely responsible for uniting the colonies in their war for independence. He was a fiery leader. His aggressive views toward the British even alarmed some of his fellow patriot leaders. He became well known in America and England for his writings denouncing British policies and politicians. He became Lieutenant Governor and then Governor of Massachusetts. ( so lets get a Sam Adams this week-end and thank the Sam Adams who the beer was named for)

John Adams was called the "Atlas Of American Independence" by fellow signer Richard Stockton. He was one of the most active and loyal men in the fight for independence. He was a diplomat, Vice President and President of the United States. He lived to see his son John Quincy Adams become the the sixth President of the U.S.

Robert Treat Paine was a clergyman who later became a lawyer. He was an early member of the inner circle of Massachusetts rebel leaders, being a good friend of John Adams and John Hancock. He gained national prominence as one of the prosecuting attorneys of British soldiers involved in the Boston Massacre.

Elbridge Gerry was a prosperous merchant. He served as a leader in raising troops and supplies for the revolution. He barely escaped British soldiers the night of April 18,1775 as they marched to Lexington and Concord. He became Vice President under James Madison.

Rhode Island was represented by Stephen Hopkins and William Ellery.

Stephen Hopkins was the second oldest signer of the Declaration. His shaky hand is noticeable in his signature. He held numerous political offices and was Governor ten times before the revolution. During the war, he served on the committee that created the Continental Navy. His brother Esek was the commander in chief of the navy.

William Ellery was unlike the other signers. He had never held any other significant political office other than being a delegate to the Continental Congress. He served as a customs officer in his home of Newport. His home and property were destroyed in the British invasion of Newport and he never fully recovered financially. He died at age 92.

Roger Sherman, Samuel Huntington,Oliver Woolcut, and William Williams represented Connecticut.

Roger Sherman started out following in his father's footsteps ( or shoes) as a cobbler.But ,like American stories to come, he worked his way up to one of the most powerful political offices of the land, He served n the Committee of Five that wrote the Declaration of Independence. Hi is only one of two Founding Fathers who signed all three major documents of A merican Independence, The Declaration, The articles of Confederation,and the Constitution. He introduced the Connecticut Compromise which broke the deadlock between large and small states at the Constitutional Convention.

Samuel Huntington was a cooper ( barrel maker in early life. He then became a lawyer, judge and politician. He was the Kin's Attorney in Connecticut for a decade but resigned in 1774 to join the Revolutionaries. Samuel Huntington served as the president of the Congress, Chief Justice of the Connecticut Superior Court and Governor after the revolution.

William Williams ( don't you love a mom with a sense of humor ) was a prominent merchant who married a daughter of Royal Governor John Trumbull. He raised money and gave his own money for the war effort and was a colonel in the Connecticut militia.

Oliver Woolcut was a lawyer. He was a sheriff,legislator, judge and colonel before the Revolutionary War. He served as a brigadier general in the New York campaigns that eventually lead to the surrender of British General John Burgoyne at the Battle of Saratoga. He was also a major general defending the Connecticut seacoast from the raids of British royal Governor William Tyron.

Delaware was represented by Caesar Rodney, George Read and Thomas McKean.

Caesar Rodney served in various public offices in Delaware and was one of the leading figures for independence in the state. He is best known for riding through the night in the rain in order to sign the Declaration of Independence on July 2,1776.

George Read was a lawyer and was married to the sister of fellow signer George Ross. George Read was the only signer who voted against independence on July 2,1776. He became Governor of Delaware led his state to ratify the Constitution. Delaware was the first state to ratify the Constitution.

Thomas Mckean held various public offices including high sheriff of Kent County,militia captain, customs collector, and judge. He became president of the Continental Congress,Governor of Delaware, and Chief Justice of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.

Samuel Chase, Wiliam Paca, Thomas Stone and Charles Carroll represented Maryland.

Samuel Chase was a lawyer who was involved in the public destruction of British stamps in Annapolis during the "Stamp Act". He was appointed to the Supreme Court by George Washington but was impeached during Thomas Jefferson's administration.

William Paca was a mayor and councilman of Annapolis. He was a delegate to the General Assembly of Maryland.

Thomas Stone was a lawyer and plantation owner.He served on the committee that wrote the Articles of Confederation which was the ruling federal document from 1777 to the creation of the Constitution in 1787. He died suddenly in 1787 at the age of 45.

Charles Caroll of Carollton ( yes that is how he signed it) was the wealthiest man in the 13 colonies. he owned a ten thousand acre plantation in Frederick County. He was the only Catholic signer of the declaration. He was a strong supporter of religious freedom due to persecution of catholics in England. Charles Carroll lived longer than any other signer. He died at the age of 94 in 1832.

Virginia was represented by George Wythe, Richard Henry Lee, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Harrison, Thomas Nelson Jr, Francis Lightfoot Lee, and Carter Braxton.

George Wythe was a wealthy lawyer. He trained many lawyers ,his most famous student was Thomas Jefferson. He became the Professor of Law at William and Mary College making him the first professor of law in America.

Richard Henry Lee was born into wealth and never had to work to sustain himself. He was involved in politics and was an early supporter of the rights of all Americans. He led a group that publically burned British stamps during the "Stamp Act". He is credited with proposing the final dissolution of all ties with Great Britain.

Thomas Jefferson is one of the most well-known of the Founding Fathers and signers of The Declaration of Independence. Jefferson wrote the original draft of the Declaration. He was Governor of Virginia, Secretary of State, Vice President and President of the United States. His home was Monticello.

Benjamin Harrison was born into a long line of politicians. His son William Henry was the 9th president of the United States and his great -grandson Benjamin was the 23rd President. Benjamin Harrison led the discussions in the Continental Congress leading up to the signing of the Declaration.

Francis Lightfoot Lee was Richard Henry lee's brother.He served in the Continental Congress and served for many years in the Virginia Legislature.

Carter Braxton was a wealthy land owner and merchant. At first, he did not support independence but later joined the patriots and signed the Declaration of Independence. Carter Braxton lost most of his wealth during he war. His ships were captured by the British and his lands were pillaged.

William Floyd, Philip Livingston, Francis Lewis and Leis Morris signed for New York.

William Floyd was a wealthy landowner from Long Island.When the British invaded Long Island in 1776 he and his family were forced to flee to Connecticut and were in exile there for 7 years. His wife died during the exile in 1781.When he and his children finally returned to Long Island he found his trees and fields destroyed and his home badly damaged. It was used as barracks for the British army.

Philip Livingston was a wealthy landowner and merchant. After the defeat at the Battle of Long Island, George Washington and his officers met at Livingston's Brooklyn Heights mansion and decided to evacuate the island. When the British invaded Manhattan they confiscated Livingston's mansion and used it as a naval hospital. He died unexpectedly during the war when Congress fled Philadelphia to York to avoid the approaching British army.

Francis Lewis was a wealthy merchant. He suffered the most of any of the signers. When the British invaded Long Island , his estate was destroyed and his wife was captured. She remained in terrible conditions during her captivity and became very ill . She was eventually released but never fully recovered and died in 1779.

Lewis Morris was the owner of Morrisania Estate.He gave much of his wealth to the war effort. The British wrecked Morrisania during the war. He served as a brigadier general in Westchester County during 1776. Three of his sons served under George Washington.

Richard Stockton, John Witherspoon, Francis Hopkinson, John Hart, and Abraham Clark represented New Jersey.

Richard Stockton was a lawyer and early supporter of independence. When the British invaded New Jersey in late 1776 Stockton hurried home . Local loyalist informed the British of his whereabouts and he was captured. He was treated very badly and was eventually released but he never recovered his health. His estate was destroyed and due to the treatment during captivity he died in 1781.

John Witherspoon was a minister and was president of the Presbyterian College of New Jersey ( now Princeton University - so ivy league professors were always radicals ) His son James was killed at the Battle of Germantown during the war. The college was wrecked by the British during the war and he spent the years after the war rebuilding the school.

Francis Hopkinson was a lawyer and a judge. He was known for his poems, drawings and songs. He is considered on of the first homegrown American writers and composers.

John Hart owned farms and mills. when the British invaded New Jersey in 1776, they destroyed his farms and mills. He escaped into hiding in he local hills. When he returned home, he found his wife who had been ill during the invasion died. He became ill shortly after and died in 1779.

Abraham Clark was a surveyor and farmer.During the war, he served in the Continental Congress. Two of his sons were captured during the war and held prisoner on the notorious prison ship, Jersey.

Pennsylvania was represented by Robert Morris, Benjamin Rush , Bejamin Franklin, John Morton, George Clymer, James Smith, George Taylor, James Wilson, And George Ross.

Robert Morris was one of only two Founding Fathers to sign all three major founding documents.Robert Morris was a very wealthy Philadelphia merchant who became the chief importer of arms and ammunition during the war. Without his efforts, George Washington would have never succeeded. Robert Morris died bankrupt and spent several years in debtor prison at the end of his life.

Benjamin Rush was a doctor. He signed the declaration at age 30. He was surgeon general in Washington's army. He became a strong advocate for for prison reform, the mentally ill and teaching the Bible in public schools to promote virtue after the war.

Benjamin Franklin was the oldest member to sign both the Declaration and the Constitution. He was a printer, author, philosopher, scientist, and inventor.He created the first public library and fire station.He became a diplomat to Europe and his last public act was to sign a memoranda to Congress recommending the abolition of slavery.

John Morton was a surveyor, farmer and politician.He served 18 years n the Pennsylvania colonial and state senate. He became a county justice of the peace, a county sheriff and a justice on the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.One of Morton's most important votes was changing form no to yes on July 2,1776 in support of the Declaration. Ensuring Pennsylvania's vote for independence.

George Clymer was orphaned ant a young age. He was raised by a wealthy uncle who taught him business. He became a wealthy merchant. It was his knowledge of finances that helped the Continental Congress in its financial affairs.His family hid in nearby woods while the British army ransacked his house during the Revolution.

James Smith was a not so successful lawyer- so he became a politician ( not unlike today). He was elected to the Continental Congress after July 2,1776 but arrived in time to sign the document on August 2,1776.

George Taylor came to America from Ireland as an indentured servant. He worked in the iron forges and married the widow of the owner of Coventry Forge where he worked. He became a prosperous iron seller.He supplied iron equipment and ammunition during the war.

James Wilson studied law under fellow signer John Dickerson. he was a successful lawyer. At first he did not support independene. During the war a mob ttacked his home because he did not support some parts of the Pennsylvania patriots' ideas. Several people died before the city militia put an end to it.

George Ross was the son of an Angelican clergyman.He had a successful law practise. He had loyalist leanings but decided to go with the revolutionists. He was not yet elected by the vote on July2,1776 but was in place by the signing of the parchment on August 2.

Willaim Hooper, James Hewes, and John Penn were there from North Carolina.

William Hooper's father was a loyalist who disowned him for supporting the Revolution.William Hooper was once dragged through the streets for supporting North Carolina's colonial governor.

Joseph Hewes was a wealthy merchant. He created the U.S. Navy. He appointed John Paul Jones. He never married after his fiance died. He died from over exertion during the war.

John Penn was a self -taught lawyer. During the war he kept North Carolina militia supplied. His efforts helped the continental army drive back Lord Cornwallis's army in retreat in 1780.

South Carolina sent Edward Rutledge, Thomas Heyward Jr., Thomas Lynch Jr. and Arthur Middleton.

Edward Rutledge was the youngest signer at age 26. He strongly opposed independence, but ultimately encouraged the other representatives from South Carolina to vote for independence on July 2,1776 for the sake of unity with their colonial brothers.

Thomas Heyward Jr.was the son of a rich planter. He was 30 when he signed the Declaration.He was captured by the British during the battle of Charleston. He spent a year in a prison camp in St. Augustine ,Florida before the war ended.

Thomas Lych Jr. was the captain of the South Carolina militia when the Revolutionary War started. He contracted swamp fever that left him sickly for the rest of his life. During the middle of the war he and his wife left for France in hopes the weather there would be better for his health. They were never seen or heard of again and were presumed to have been lost at sea.

Artur Middleton was a very wealthy planter in Charleston. His father, Henry,was the first president of the Continental Congress.Despite knowingtheir wealth would be in jeopardy if they supported revolution, they both put freedom ahead of their own personal prosperity. Their plantation was reansacked during the Battle of Charleston and both spent nearly a year in prison camps.

And lastly Georgia sent Button Gwinnett, Lyman Hall, and George Walton.

Button Gwinnett was he first governor of Georgia.He was killed in duel a year after signing the Declaration.

Lyman Hall was a doctor. He was from a fiercely anti- British area of Georgia. During the war he supplied food and medicine for the Continental Army.

George Walton was 26 when he signed the Declaration.He was appointed a Colonel in the Continental Army. He was seriously wounded and captured by the British during the Battle for Savanah.

So these are the men we owe our gratitude for this country. These are the men who risked their fortunes and lives for us. So while you grill those burgers and dogs -take a moment to think of them. They were young and old. They were ardent believers in independence and some who just went along to maintain harmony. But ultimately they all believed in freedom. They believed in us- yes you and me. They believed we would preserve this freedom , that we would appreciate their sacrifice and we would keep this freedom. These men believed out rights were given by God and no man, no government ,no country can take them away. We may be foolish enough to give them away but they are ours to keep. So this 4th of July - please think of these men and say a prayer of thanks. It was a miracle they were all here on this earth at the same time ,in the same place,and we are the benefincairies of God's grace. If you are ever in doubt - read more about these brave and brilliant men and you will know - really know - God has blessed America.
Happy 4th of July.

One is the loneliest number

2010-06-15T12:56:00.000-07:00

So if one is loneliest number - is that why pants are pairs? No, Three Dog Night fans. So why are pants pairs and a shirt just a shirt? If you were thinking pants have two legs - wrong. Shirts have two arms and still - just a shirt. And now the history of pants - everything you ever wanted to know about the nether coverings - and yes the answer to why pants are pairs.

Around 1760 men began to wear breeches. These gents, were a tight garment worn from the waist to the knee with stockings covering the rest of the leg. Picture yourself in that delightful garment. Breeches eventually evolved ( like the English language always does) into britches. Before the breeches or britches you guys wore skirts and dresses. ( OK kilts and caftans but does it really matter what you call them your legs were hanging out)

Pantaloons ( which the word pants come from) were made popular in 1812 by George Bryan "Beau " Brummell. He added a foot strap to keep his pants tight and avoid wrinkles.Beau Brummel was the male fashion icon of his time. He gave fashion tips ( even to the king) and stressed cleanliness. I know stressing cleanliness seems strange but that really wasn't much of a priority then and people had some strange ideas about baths causing colds and illnesses. Think of how it must of smelled at those big social gatherings. Icky. Aren't you glad you live in this century?

In 1789 the French revolution was not just a political revolt but a fashion revolt. Breeches were too upper class - so enter the trouser. The country French peasants wore looser fitting garment called trousers meaning drawers. With the revolution came trousers for every man. ( nope ladies we were still in stays and hoops).

Sir Harry Lumsden was commanding the English troops in Punjab, India in 1846. The English troops wore bright white pants and red wool jackets ( think the movie Zulu and Michael Caine). Well, good old Harry was pretty darn hot in India being from England and all - so he trades in his bright white pants for p.j.s . Yes, Sir Harry wore pajama bottoms. To disguise the fact that he was wearing p.j.s - Harry dyed them with a native plant - mazari. The color of the p.js was now the color of dust which the Hindu word for dust is khaki. Thus the birth of the khaki. So now guys - when you wear your khaki's - thank Sir Harry and his p.j.s.

Well, we Americans , not to be outdone, liked those khakis. They became the standard for the military in WWII. So while stationed in the Pacific khakis were duplicated ( for less) in China. That's how we got chinos. So I guess it started with khaki knock-offs and now we have Chinese knock-offs of everything. Who knew khakis would start the whole sending manufacturing off to China?

So ladies - here come the bloomers. Elizabeth Smith Miller invented pants for ladies. Can you imagine the scandal? The pants consisted of a skirt with baggy trousers underneath that gathered at the ankle. So Amelia Jenks Bloomer of Homer, New York takes a look at those and decides to be rebel and wear them int he 1850's. The bicycle craze and the suffragettes embraced the bloomers and there you go. Somehow bloomers sound better than millers ?

In the 1890's Oscar Wilde tried to reintroduce breeches. Thank goodness the man could write because he did not succeed at fashion trends. So over the years pant legs got wider then smaller with each generation of rebellious youth. Think Zoot suits and bell bottoms.

And then good old American advertising introduced pants to be worn between work and sports. The pant was called a "slack" for your slack time. So slacks were invented by Haggar and the folks in the advertising department. Amazing to think Santa Claus and slacks - advertising that stuck.

And that leaves us with the American icon of pants. Let me give you some hints and see if you know what pant this I'm talking about. James Dean wore them in the 1955 movie "Rebel Without A Cause ". American teenagers decided to join the rebellion and rushed to buy these pants. In 1853 in San Francisco Loeb Strauss from Bavaria sold these pants to miners. Regular pants weren't strong enough for the rigors of mining - so he invented these. ( I know hard to believe Mr. Straus and Nancy Pelosi from the same place - one creates something you wear and one wears on you). In 1873 Strauss meets Jacob Davis the inventor of the rivet. And together they created a pant with rivets on the stress points of the pants. Have you guessed? Loeb changed his name to Levi and this is story of the blue jean.

And now the answer to the question why are pants pairs but a shirt just a shirt? If you said because there are two legs - wrong! After all shirts have two arms - so why ? You know how English has the little quirks like i before e etc. - this is one. In English there is a class of objects that are thought to consist of two independent but connected parts, usually identical or similar to each other. So not only are pants and trousers pairs, but there are eyeglasses, scissors,pliers, earrings, and tweezers. These objects are always in the plural form and the usage of a plural form goes all the way back 1297 AD. (of course back then it was a pair of hose or "a peire of hosen"). The implication is that these two parts are separable. So trousers are pairs but a shirt is solo because it covered the entire torso. At one time compass and nutcracker was referred to as a pair ( can you imagine asking for a pair of nutcracker - some many quips running through my mind on that one - but this is G-rated column). That folks is why pants, trousers, slacks and jeans are a pair. I know panties and undies have no legs but they are pairs too. Mainly that is just an extension of the pant pair rule.

And for those of you wondering if I just made this stuff up - the answer is - I wish I were so imaginative. I actually had some help .The history of pants came from Andy Gilchrist's "The Complete Contents of A Man's Life." Cecil Adams from "The Chicago Reader" is my source for the evolution of the English language. If you are interested in more weird facts ( and I know some you are) I recommend reading Cecil Adams' column "The Straight Dope".

So, I have been writing this blog for about six months. I decided this month to give those of you who have been reading a gift. I figure if you are willing to sit at your computer reading my rants on care labels and clothes - you ought to get some thing more than just a giggle ( I am hoping you did giggle, chuckle or at the very least groan). So this is for you - if you come in any Cowboy Cleaners before July 4 - I will clean a pair of pants for you for free. I mean since you are now a pants historian and know that a pair of pants is really just one - you should be rewarded for being so smart. So come in - say I read Vicky's blog - and I'll clean your pair of pants for FREE.
Those of you who are thinking " I'm getting something for nothing?" - no you're not - you had to read all this to get your gift. Some are saying " but I like reading this"( yeah!!! and thanks) and others are saying " Torture - this blog is torture" ( you will still get the free cleaning and the torture). But this is my way of saying thanks for reading and to quote "Three Dog Night" - "Celebrate".

oh shirt 2 or the end of the iron age ?

2010-05-07T11:58:00.000-07:00

So gents , you have just purchased a wrinkle -free or wrinkle resistant shirt.....it's the end of the iron age right? well ....let's talk about this..

Remember I said as any lady knows , getting rid of wrinkles requires a lot of chemicals. Same for your shirt.There are 9 different resins used to make shirts wrinkle -free. Most of those resins have formaldehyde. And yes some the formaldehyde is released from the material during wear and the lifetime of the shirt. I don't know about you ,but anything the frogs in bio - lab was pickled in isn't going on my back. But that's just me.

You should also know these shirts are guaranteed wrinkle-free for 25- 30 washings. After that the resin has disappated and the shirt is no longer wrinkle -free. So what ? Well here in south Texas that means in 6 months - back to the iron age. Only one small problem - there is a glue in collar that when heated turns dark and looks like dirt on the collar tips. Not all shirts have this poblem and not all brands have the problem. But your problem is - you won't know if your shirt does until you actually use a hot iron on it. ( can't tell by looking - sorry guys - a pretty shirt is like a pretty girl - you can't see what's inside)

So - do you spend money on those teeth whiteners? Think white teeth are important? How about a white shirt? Well the resins used in those wrinkle -free shirts resist optical brightners."So what does that mean to me and what the heck is an optical brightner?"Optical brightners are in most home and all commercial detergents to help keep white shirts bright white. So by resisting the optical brightner the wrinkle -free shirt will not look as white as a pure-finished shirt. Ok think of it this way - no resin -whiter shirt. Optical brightner basically crest white strips for your shirts.

Remember those ads "ring around the collar "? Ring around the collar is not a sign of poor hygiene. Let's be honest - we sweat when we get hot. And yucky as this may sound we are kinda oily folks. Those ring around the collar stains are oily stains . Now don't start thinking we are walking human salad dresssings. But if it wasn't for those oils in our skin - we would have dried up and blown away in the dark ages. The resins in wrinkle -free shirts end to retain oily stains. And do not use chlorine bleach on these shirts.Never ever- you can turn your shirt yellow or lose strength in the material. So if you are washing these shirts at home - sorry but you will need to scrub those collars.

These shirts also tend to suffer from abrasion because they are stiffer due to the resins. What this means is areas that tend to get more wear ,the back of the collar and cuffs will show signs of wear faster than untreated shirts. The resin treated shirts will probably feel stiffer than non-treated shirts.

So how do you know if your shirt is wrinkle -free or wrinkle resistant? Most shirts will have a label on collar saying it is. But it is not mandatory. It is not required by the care label law. But ......if you read the ........yep you got it ....the care label you will know. The care label will read machine wash,tumble dry, and remove promptly. The label may allow for cool or cold iron. (good luck with that one ) But those washing instructions mean your shirt was treated with wrinkle-free resins.

So is it the end of the iron age ? If you want a whiter shirt - no. If you want starch - no. If you think a great laundered shirt makes you look and feel better - no. So I guess if you want to move on to the bronze age - you could always get a bronze tie.

oh shirt

2010-04-07T11:10:00.000-07:00

Remember the song from Mr.Ed - "a horse is a horse of course ". Unless the horse was Mr. Ed. ( got ya singing that one all day long). So what does Mr Ed have to do with shirts. Well - a shirt is a shirt of course unless it's Mr. Silk Shirt, Mr. Rayon shirt, or Mr. Wrinkle -free shirt. So like the amazing Mr. Ed ( who we all remember talked) your shirt that isn't a shirt also talks.

How does a shirt talk? Ok - I'll give a few minutes to think about it. The shirt doesn't talk aloud- so don't go into your closet and think those shirts are talking behind your back when light is out. Those of you who read this blog - you got the answer- yep it's talking on the ....... wait for it........care label. (ha - and you thought i'd finally finished my care label diatribe).

So let's talk shirts. Oh shirts- those bastians of maleness. The indesputable foundation of every mans closet. Let's talk about those regular everyday everyman man shirt. These come in cotton or cotton/ polyester blend. Aside from differences in color, sleeve size and neck size - they are pretty much all the same. And that my male friends is why you're shirts are the least expensive item to clean. It is the one gament that we have machines that with a well trained operator will allow faster production. ( some cleaners will stop there - but we make sure each shirt is touched up by hand after production to remove any and all wrinkles). Starch ? No starch? Which is better ? Honestly, I could make some testostorone laden comment about real men use ..... but the truth is - What do you like? It is really up to you. ( however, I will say that starched blue jeans - kinda like a denim girdle - so always a good way to hide those extra lbs - maybe that's a woman thing)

Now, let's take a trip to say ... the Bahamas? How was that for subtle? Those shirts are made of silk. Most will say drycleaning recommended or dryclean only. So could they concievable be done like your everyman shirt? No. The dyes on that shirt can not be washed, starched and pressed wet. That shirt will shrink with high heat. That shirt, gentleman, requires special care. So buy them if you understand they need to be drycleaned and the dyes are sensitive. But do not buy these type shirts if you don't want to pay the drycleaning bill. Don't get me wrong - these are great shirts. My son loves them ( but his mom owns the cleaners). All I'm saying is these shirts are going to be more expensive to maintain. So its kinda like buying a Lexus or a Ford. Both good cars but one is more nicely equipped and it will cost more to maintain. So if you choose to go to the Bahamas in your shirt buying - remember it's a Lexus.

So guys - here's the deal . When you buy a shirt .. think ... do I want to spend the money to maintain it? Why buy a Lexus to never change the oil and let it fall apart? Why go the shirt Bahamas - spend all that money on a seriously fine looking shirt - to wash into the junk yard?So a shirt is a shirt of course unless it's ...

Next week Oh shirt part 2 - so what the deal with wrinkle free? ( ask any woman - no shirt or face is ever wrinkle free with out a heck of a lot of chemicals)

Take it off

2010-03-08T12:14:00.000-08:00

Yes, I know it sounds like that old song from the Joe Namath shaving cream ad ( how old am I to remember Joe Namath much less that ad) But it is time to take off - take it all off. What , you asking, my clothes? No ! (unless you are Tom Selleck - but chances are darn good you are not- so leave the clothes on) So what am I talking about?

Now, inside some of your clothes (Ann Taylor for sure) is a tag that is sewn into the seam that says " remove before washing or wearing". This tag is for inventory control. But you need to know - they really do need to come out. Inside that tag is a dye pack. So just like the ones put in the bank bags during a robbery - that tag is the mini version.

So what can happen if you don't remove the inventory control tag. Well , you wont have it explode on your face or hands like a bank robber but it can explode. If you ever had a load of laundry come out with purple, red , or blue tinge - the unremoved inventory control tag could be the problem. If it leaks while you're wearing it - well it could get on you and that will take a while to come off. You will need a lot of baby oil for that one.

So check those new clothes carefully.They are in blouses, pants, and skirts. Usually , they are near the - ( ok by now you should know this ) THE CARE LABEL. So snip those control tags out to prevent damage to the garment and a very weird tattoo for you . Careful, don't snip your gament. But if you are a little wary of snipping these out - come on by and we will be happy to take care of it for you.

So once again - I managed to get care label into another blog. So now I want you to not only read that care label but get those inventory control tags out before washing or wearing.

The Sequel

2010-02-02T12:20:00.000-08:00

Ever wonder if any one in Hollywood has a new idea? I mean how many Rockys, Terminators, Pirates , and Alvins can they posssibly make? Then we have old tv shows like the Brady Bunch, Starky and Hutch and The Addams Family made into movies. While enjoyable in my youth - I really peferred to just remember those with my rose colored glasses that made me think they were great. And lets not even talk about Bewitched.... oh poor Elizabeth Montgomery must have been twitching her nose in heaven hoping to make that disaster disappear. And who in the right mind ever thought that remaking classics like The Day the Earth Stood Still or War of the Worlds was a good idea? Ok - no one in Hollywood has a right mind - so what was I thinking!! But I say here and now - any one touches The Thin Man - well that is when I toss my popcorn and never spend another $9.50 for a movie again. No one can beat William Powell and Myrna Loy. No one else could possibly be Nick and Nora Charles or heck no other dog could be Asta.

So now you say - why is she ranting about sequels? Well because this is a sequel.... but I think it's a good one. Of course maybe it's just that I'm seriously serious about care labels. By now you know what care labels look like and how important to look for them before you buy. But this is the sequel .... what if you did all that and still you have The Nightmare on Elm Street happen?

So here's the nightmare - your black and white shirt has machine wash cold tumble dry. Since you are now a care label reader you do exactly what the label says and like the disaster movie the black fades all over the white.( are you hearing the music from Psycho in your head right now?) Or ( keep that music going) you take a matching khaki blouse and skirt that says dry clean only to the cleaners and it comes back not matching - the blouse is khaki and the skirt is green. What happened. Like the audience that says to the beautiful blonde - run. Run back to the store where you bought it.

How does stuff like that happen? How often does that happen?

Ok how does it happen - well it can be mislabeled. Sometimes when a manufacturer is making thousands of garments some one picks up the wrong box of labels and sews them in the garments. Sometimes like in the white and black example the dye was not properly set. That is fairly common and oh so simple to do. But to save a few pennies - it does not get done. And the now mismatched khaki - well the skirt was originally green and once again to save money the manufacturer over -dyed the skirt. That means the dyed a green skirt khaki to match the blouse.

How often does this happen - well we have a book chock full of stuff like this. But mercifully for all of us - only about 10% of garments have problems. Even high priced garments like Tommy Hilfiger shirts have had problems. Tommy Hillfiger in the 1990's was the Creature from the Black Lagoon of problem shirts. His were so bad that the Federal Trade Commission fined his company and made Tommy put a 1-800 number in the shirts for problems. And thus Tommy learned his lesson and spent the few pennies extra to set the dyes. But it took hundreds of drycleaners sending shirts for analysis to get this done.

So if you go back to the store where you bought the problem garment and they are no help. Do not give up - you can do more. You can call the manufacturer. Hey its not hard to do. I've done it and believe me so can you. In every garment is a RN number. ( gotta be there by law) That number is registered with the FTC for each manufacturer. So you can call me and I can help. Yep I have a big book of RN numbers. When you call - have the offending garment in your hands. That way you can accurately describe it and if asked can give the lot numbers or style numbers if they are in the garment. Then you explain what happened and most of the time the manufacturer will help you return the garment.

But if all this fails ..... you are still not done. Yep you are like those zombies that just keep on coming. You can ask your drycleaner to have the garment analyzied. Or you can be like Dracula and go for the jugular - write the FTC. (Federal Trade Commission c/o Correspondence Branch , Washington D.C. 20580)

Most drycleaners and most manufacturers do a good job. But if you have a problem with a garment - do not just let it go. If the store won't help( though most good stores will) keep going. It is important that you get what you paid for - a good garment that can be cleaned. ( because none of you bought spot clean only right?).

So now will care labels keep popping up in this blog like Alfred Hitchcock in his movies? Probably. But for now - I'll be moving on to other subjects. But hey if Indiana Jones can come back and Star Wars can have a prequel - so can care labels.

New Years Resolution You Can Keep

2010-01-05T13:00:00.000-08:00

Every year we are assaulted right about now with New Year resolutions. The morning news folks bring on experts to tell us how to actually do the things we say we want to do. Yep, we can shed those extra pounds, learn to quit cussing, quit smoking or just do the things we say we want to do without fizzing out in two weeks or being complete jerks to our friends and families before we fizzle out.

So did you make a resolution? It's been 5 days - how's that working for you? Well for me - the shed those extra pounds came to a roaring halt when I made Paula Deen's " Not Your Mama's Banana Pudding". If you are a lose weight resolution person skip this paragraph. You absolutely do not want to read this. This banana pudding will change your life. Bananas taste really good - even if you haven't eaten a banana since the Gerber jar. The pudding is creamy, fluffy and rich. Instead of the old vanila wafer that turns into a gluey goo - you use a cookie. And sad to say this makes a huge 9x13 pan of yummy heaven. To make this really depressingly awful - it's super easy to make. So go to Food Network's web site - get the recipe and forget the shedding pounds. Of course we could exercise and still eat the pudding. But hey - that's too much work and it's really cold outside. I don't want to walk in the cold and then before you know it it's really hot outside and then - well you see the problem. So another year of chubby Vicky. Another resolution bites the dust.

But wait - there is a resolution we can all keep. "What?" you say. Yes, there is a resolution that is easy , requires no work, no exercise, no giving things up , and takes about 1 minute. How perfect is that? And when your friends ask you can say "yes I made a resolution." Because you know if you say " no I never make resolutions." you just sound like a lame loser with no willpower. And when asked later in the year "how's that resolution going?" You can say "going great."

So here it - before you buy any clothes this year resolve to read the care labels. EASY! So repeat after me - I resolve to read the care label before I buy any garment. ( see you're no lame loser without willpower) You are empowered. You will know exactly what you are buying and will not waste your money on over-priced clothes that cannot be cleaned. ( what would be the point of reading the label and still buying over-priced stuff that can't be cleaned just for the designer label)You can do this. And in the next few months - you will still have the willpower to continue. By December 2010 - you will have been one of the few who did it. Made a resolution and kept it.

So while you are keeping your resolution - yes you empowered resolution winner - think of me. I cannot make this my resolution - that would be well stupid. What kind of drycleaner would I be if I didn't already read the care labels? Heck , I even read yours when your clothes come here. So I am care label reader. I cannot resolve to read care labels ( lucky you and pity me).

So I will resolve to to lose weight - good bye Paula Deen. I will try to excercise - guess I should get off my tushie now and walk around the block. I will try to get into my skinny jeans - hello Special K. So while I am eating lawn and cardboard ( no -it will just taste that way) .You will be reading care labels. You will keep your resolution and me - well we'll talk next December.

Ghosts of Christmas Presents

2009-12-22T11:47:00.000-08:00

Tim Gunn says "nothing says love like a gift that's homemade;unfortunately it also says cheapskate". While funny -he is only half right and it's not the cheapskate part. My favorite gifts and the ones I hold dearest are the gifts my children made when they were young. My daughter now 21, remember that age you were uber-smart -your parents uber-ignorant, asked when I was going to stop putting those ugly ornaments on the tree. Those "ugly ornaments" are the ones she and my son made in gradeschool. I said "never". Because to me - they are the best and most valuable ornaments I own.

So as you rush around this Christmas, looking for that perfect gift - stop. No gift is as perfect as you. You are what your family and friends desire. Any thing you give will be fine. And if you decide to make a gift - good for you. A family photo would be perfect for your parents. Husbands get a picture or a painting of your children for your wife. Trust me. If you decide to make a scarf (not that hard - if I can do it - you can do it) or a quilt or a garment be sure to include the care instructions. When you buy fabric or yarn there are instructions on the skein or the end of the fabric bolt.

Whatever you decide - buy the perfect gift that brings tears to the eyes or brings bowl full of jelly laughter or you make cookies etc. Remember you are the greatest gift of all. And heck -even if you completely blow it and give the strangest ,weirdest, crummiest gift ever- it will be memorable. For years to come it will be your ghost of Christmas presents and it will the talk of family gatherings for years. You will be famous.( and yes people outside the family will hear of you).

Merry Christmas and may God bless you and our family.

See Jane run ! Run Jane run!

2009-12-16T09:34:00.001-08:00

See Jane run. See Spot run. See Jane run from spot clean only.

Sorry guys, but this really doesn't apply to you. But I promise to write a men - only blog at later date. ( and it will be good clean fun ) There's is nothing as good or good for a groan as a pun. And I am the Queen .

So ladies - why is this for you? Well - here comes New Year. And what do you need for those New Year's Eve parties? A new dress. Men , God love 'em , never seem to understand the importance of a new dress. There's nothing quite like finding a dress that makes you look drop dead gorgeous. At my age if a dress just hides certain parts and makes other parts look thinner - well it's a winner.

Since I'm no Stacey London or Tim Gunn , I can't tell you what will look good on you. But trust me - if there are big toasting champagne glasses on your chest - put it back on the rack. But what I can tell you is how to pick a dress that will last for years and is able to be cleaned.

So before you try on any dress ( yes, before because if you do this after you may tempted to buy it any way) check the care label. The care label may be hard to find. So think of this as a scavenger hunt for grand prize. It may be on the back of collar but most likely scavenger hunter it's on the side seam. This once you find it - is the font of all knowledge. This is just as important and fankly maybe more important than the price.

Why? Well this will tell you how well this dress will last. This will tell you if you will get many parties out of this dress or if you should wear it once and toss it. What? you say, spend hundreds of dollars to wear it once. Yep, that's the dirty little secret . ( told ya I was the queen) Some very expensive dresses can not be cleaned . SO RUN from "SPOT CLEAN ONLY".

SPOT CLEAN ONLY- what does that mean? Or hey, how about PROFESSIONALLY SPOT CLEAN ONLY"? It means do not spill anything on your dress. Imagine your dress with it's sequins, beads, and pearls, and you have to try to remove just the spot and you can not clean the whole dress.How is that clean? And I know pigs sweat, man perspire and women glow - but do you want a dress that will smell like glow?

So run Jane run from "SPOT CLEAN ONLY". Don't even try that dress on. That is right - walk away -leave it on the rack - send a message to designers and manufacturers that you actually want clothes that you can wear more than once.

But,Vicky, what about professionally dryclean only - what does that mean ? Problems. If there is no explanation as to why then leave it on the rack. The label needs to tell you and me why they only want professionals to clean it. But if it says professional dry clean only and gives a reason it may be o.k. So what will make o.k.? If it requires a specific solvent, such as petroleum, then it will be fine. They may want you to remove buttons or trim. And there ladies is the tricky one.
If your dress is covered with sequins and beads and the label says to remove the trim - well no one is going to want to pay to have all the sequins and beads removed to clean the dress and then have them sewn back on after cleaning. That's like making a new dress. Also, make sure that the buttons or rhinestone decorations can be easily removed. Once , again you do not want to pay to have your dress remade after cleaning.

So am I saying - no rhinesone, beads, pearls and sequins ? Heck no - let's face it nothing is nicer than a shiny new dress. And nothing catches eyes like a sparkle on your dress that matches the one in your eyes. What am I am saying is read that care label. If you still have questions - call me . I would rather you call me first and get a dress you can wear for many years than bring me dress that will be nothing but problems for me and you.

Lyin',Tiger, and Bares

2009-12-03T10:04:00.000-08:00

So now we know- Tiger Woods is not the guy we thought he was. Ok, Tiger is a lyin', cheating SOB. And this knowledge effects me how? I can understand Mrs. Woods being tee-ed off.(pun intended) Would any of us blame her if she took nine iron to his butt? Not me. But this is now between Mr. and Mrs. Woods.Right? Wrong!

Here come to quote Andy Warhol " the fifteen minutes of fame" for trallops. Yes every tramp that may or may not have slept with Tiger will be on parade. The grand marshall of the bimbo parade - Gloria Allred, will tell how these poor waifs were taken advantage of and their lives are in ruins. Hey, like none of these gals knew he was married?

But at what point did this become news? Do you really need Matt Lauer naming the possible bimbos and plastering their faces on the screen. Wouldn"t you think that maybe these ladies have a little pride and wouldn't want to be known as Tiger's coarse mates. ( yes also intended).

What does this say about our society? We have turned people's shame into news and entertainment. Do you feel superior to whore in one ( ok maybe more than one)Tiger ? Do you feel superior to the shame-less hussies? NO!

So why are we bombarded with Tiger. Why the need to bare-all in the press. Heck, alot of the stuff we are getting as news is just someone guessing. Do you need to know about his pre-nup etc. etc.

News should be what effects you and me. The weather is news. Politics- news. Traffic reports - well since stations now tell ya about traffic tie-ups all over the country - not so much. I don't know about you but I don't need to hear about a 20 car pile-up in L.A. since i wasn't planning to get home here in San Antonio via the Santa Monica Freeway.

So am I saying what Tiger did was right. Heck no. But I'm not married to him. Is he a victim of his wealth, status and culture? Heck no . He's a weak scuzzball. But so are the women who knew he was married and didn't care because he is Tiger Woods. Shame on all .So now we know - but now we need to quit peeping in the Wood's family windows and let them work out or not their problems.

News is like pornography - you know it when you see it. THIS IS NOT NEWS.

The Symbol

2009-12-02T09:21:00.000-08:00

No I am not talking about Dan Brown's new book. I'm talking about those funny circles and triangles on the labels of your clothes. What are they? Why are they there? Should I even care about them?

Let's start with why you should care? Those symbols tell you, the consumer, how to clean your garment. Some manufacturers will still write words such as 'dryclean only" or my personal favorite "spot clean only". ( I will discuss why I sarcastically call this a favorite in my next blog)But you need to know the manufacturer is not legally mandated to use actual words. The garment must have care instructions and many items now only have those funky symbols. So like Professor Robert Langdon, Dan Brown's famous character, you will need to learn the meanings of symbols. Yes, I will help you decifer those labels in your clothes. You will be a fabric symbologist. May be not as exciting as decifering the Da Vinci Code, but way more useful.

So, let's get started . The first symbol you encounter is a square excpect the top of the square has been replaced with a wavy line. What could this mean? No, it's not the perfect shirt to take on a cruise. That symbol means the garment is washable in warm water. But wait , your wash tub symbol has a hand dipping into the waves. If this were summer - I'd be thinking beach or lake. But fabric symbolist , you know better - you know that means hand wash. So here's a question for you - what does the wash tub symbol with an X through it mean? Have you got the answer? Those of you who said X marks the spot - are wrong. We are not looking for buried treasure, remember. It means do not wash. But wait ,you say, this is a white cotton jacket, shirt, or some other garment. How can white cotton not be washable? Well, my intepid symbologist it could be the cotton was not preshrunk.

Now, you see a triangle. What could that possibly mean? I'll tell you honestly - there's no rhyme or reason for the triangle to mean what it does. But this is where we seperate ourselves from those amatuer symbologists and we receive our Masters in Symbology. The triangle means bleach. The plain triangle means you an use any type of bleach. Yep, even that dreaded chlorine bleach is ok. So, if you're going to a pool party and think some goofball may get the bright idea to toss you in the pool - then wear the garment with the triangle.

So now let's go for the gold. What does a circle mean? No, masters in symbology it is not the international symbol for the circle of life.Here's a hint- it's the symbol for the circle of my life. Yes, Masters of Symbology, you like Eliza Doolittle , by George have got it. That circle means dry clean only. So now you know when you see the circle - think of me, you're favorite fabric symbologist and drycleaner.

Now , you ask - am the Robert Langdon of fabric and care labels? Am I the grand master fabric symbologist? No students , you have taken baby steps. But I can help. No more will you have to depend on a sales clerk to interpret those symbols. No more will you have to stare at a label and think "where is Vicky now to tell me what this after dinner mint looking symbol with a X through it mean".Yes, masters of symbology that symbol does exist and no it doesn't mean you cannot eat pepppermint while wearing that shirt. So how do you become a Doctor of Fabric Symbology- come on by any Cowboy Cleaners and we will give a care label symbol pamphlet. You can put in your purse or wallet. And when you are at the store and the sales clerk says "that symbol means..."- You master of fabric symbology - can whip out your symbols and cry out " No thanks - I am a fabric symbologist."

Over 40 years..

2009-11-27T21:31:00.001-08:00

Over 40 years ago Don and Peggy Maisel started Cowboy Cleaners. There goal was simple - Be the BEST. Use the Best products, hire the Best people, and help keep your clothes looking New.

Today, Shannon and Vicky continue the tradition. We know your wardrobe is one of your biggest investments. We also know that first impressions are important. Often your success is dependant on your look. We want to make sure you look great!

We take care of your clothes as if they were our own. We replace buttons, make minimum repairs at no extra charge.

Everyone here at Cowboy Cleaners takes tremendous pride in their work.

We take pride at making you look your best.

Cowboy Cleaners

2009-11-27T21:08:00.001-08:00

Cowboy Cleaners has a new look website www.cowboycleaners.com. Please follow us on our blog.