Halloween Frights

So it's that time of the year again....October 31st .....Halloween. Ghosts, Goblins, and FREE CANDY!!!What a holiday.You can dress up like anything you want and no one says a word other than "good costume." Is it just me ... or have you noticed all the sexy nurse, sexy witch, sexy nun, sexy pumpkin costumes? I realize this is the one time of the year you can dress up and everyone else is too but ....Do we really need to show all our ass(ets)? What happened to just being spooky? Frankly, creepy has taken on a new meaning with all these sexy costumes. I mean who the heck think dressing a pre-teen like a woman of ill -repute ( yes there a few unsavory words you can insert here - but this is a blog after all and I should maintain some decorum) is a ok? Why not drop the sexy nurse or witch costume and just call yourself a pornstar - it's way more honest. Ok that's my rant for the month.

Next frightening item... retailers skimping to boost profits.CNBC reports that there is lower quality in today's clothes. Did you just say "DUH"!! According to associate professor Vincent Quan from the Fashion Institute of Technology, retailers are not relying on consumers to spend more money, but are squeezing whatever costs they can on the production side. Quan said "he is seeing shirts with lower thread counts, less expensive synthetic fibers and no extra buttons."  by sacrificing the fabric, retailers can keep price points stable and continue to offer up the deep discounts consumers have become accustomer to getting. So no more extra buttons ( do you remember those) and cheaper material and dyes. OH JOY!!! But here's the real fright ....According to Brian Sozzi, Belus Capital Advisors CEO and chief equity strategist " The large majority of consumers are not going to reward the retailer for quality investment via a full price purchase.Value continues to reign supreme; So from a risk-reward standpoint, it make no sense. Retailers have trained consumers like dogs to pay prices of yesteryear for merchandise that is of lower quality." So fellow pooches out there - the clothes they are making and selling is CRAP and just get use to it. How delightfully frightening to know the dress that fits like a glove will last for a few wearings and then toss it in the rag bag.

Here's a spooky and creepy thought.... My daughter is allergic to corn. Yeah corn ... so no corn cobs, no candy corn ( its made from corn syrup), no sodas ( unless diet or made from sugar) no mmmm good soup ( it has corn starch) ... well you get how being allergic corn is a pain in the tush ( or thigh if she has to use her epi-pen). So guess what happens? Well let's just say washing clothes has become a new adventure in allergies. Apparently Tide Pods have corn. Yeah, she discovered that after a day of benedryll and itching. She could not figure out why she had welts and was itching all over. So she finally figured out it was happening when she was wearing her newly cleaned clothes ( she doesn't live here - so mom can't bring it to work for her). Then she goes online to look for a list of ingredientes and low and behold ,,,, CORN . Not just in the outside of the pod but the new super cleaning chemical is corn based. So back into the washer,all her stuff has to go with a heaping helping of baking soda.  So if you have allergies or kids with allergies ... you may want to check out your detergent. Oh and your face wash, body wash, and shampoo. Been there Done that with allergy girl.

So that about does it for the Halloween frights from me. Go have a good time, dress like you would want your mom to see you and eat lots of candy ( for my daughter that is mostly limited to Seet Tarts). Scare lots of folk and carve lots of pumpkins. But mostly, have fun.

After You Said Yes to the Dress

I have to admit that I am addicted to "Say Yes to the Dress." It is this show on TLC that has gals looking  for their wedding dress. Occasionally, I am shocked at the dress the bride to be finally chooses. I really cannot tell you why I love this show. I have been married to Mike for 26 years - and we sure are not doing a vow renewal.( not willing to spend the money and I figure I got it right the first time). But when Mike wanders past as I am watching it , because no man would be caught dead much less admit to watching it, I say I'm doing research. Flimsy excuse - yes but I do get to see the latest trend and thus I am a better cleaner. I see the different fabrics that are popular and the "bling". So what does this have to do with cleaning? OK - it is June. What happens in June? WEDDINGS!!!!So here's my point - wether she wants to look sexy,tradtional or like a princess - this will be the most important and usually expensive dress any girl will ever own. ( and do not give the - "You only wear it for one day why waste the money ?" ) ( ok I can't let that pass - one day hello? the most important, till death do you part, day - yeah get the damn dress you really want)

So- by now you believe, and rightly so, that this month is aimed for the ladies. Yes, but just a little nugget for the guys. Grooms, groomsman and fathers of the bride it is still important that you look good. First, you will be in pictures forever. Second, you do not want to be the guy who looks like he slept in his tux  every night the week before ( it wil be in that picture that lasts forever). And lastly, groom - your bride will be looking so beautiful that tears will come to your eyes - do the gal a favor and look the same way for her.

So you have the dress, you had the wedding and now you have a dress that cost thousands ( at least on Say Yes to the Dress they do) - now what? Well , now is the time to preserve your dress. For what you say? For perhaps your daughter someday. Ok so sometimes that does not work out - my mom was apparently super skinny - thus I could not wear hers. My daughter is super tall and if she wore mine it would look like a mini skirt. But occasionally, like Goldilocks - sometimes the fit is just right - and it would be nice if the dress was wearable.

First, if you had a fun wedding - the dress will be stained maybe lost some of the beads etc. Not a problem. A cleaners should be able to help you -we can replace lost beads. sequins and rhinestones. The hem of your dress will be stained - all that dancing- so particular attention will be paid to hem. But here is the tricky part - some stains dry clear. Meaning those stains will be invisible - some foods, drinks and body oils. So if it is invisible - how do we know they are there. Honestly, we don't. But what I recommend is DO NOT BOX YOUR DRESS UNTIL 3 MONTHS AFTER THE WEDDING. Why? Because those invisble stains do not remain that way. They will begin to show up - at first as a ring or slightly darker area, then they turn yellow and finally brown. You do not want your dress put away until you have had the oppurtunity to double check to make sure to make sure all those stains are gone. That is why I suggest you clean the dress and then watch and wait before you box. If you do not want to do this yourself, I will do it for you. I believe that once you entrust your dress to me - then I am responsible to clean it as many times as takes to make sure if your daughter wants to wear it - she can.

So how do you store the dress - mine is in a box . Not just any box. Mine is in a box specifically designed for wedding dresses. Theses boxes make sure light and air do not get into your dress. Both of those can cause color changes.My box is in a closet next to my attic. The attic is not the best place to store as it gets pretty darn hot and sometime critters get in attics and no need for your beautiful dress to become squirrel chow. Some folks say not to put veils, shoes etc in the box. But I did. I wrapped them carefully in white acid free tissue and put them under my dress. Just do not put the bouquet in the box - that's what shadow boxes are for. Can you hang your dress for storage - yes you can . But you need a muslin bag that covers the dress.Why muslin - well it a natural fabric that breathes, it is not opaque and it will be a nuetral color ( beige or white) and will not fade unto your dress.

So your wedding was oh so many years ago and the dress has been hanging ( or folded) and was never cleaned and yes, you did everything wrong - so far. Is it toast? Not necessarily. Some of the stains may not be able to come out - but gowns can be restored. Lace can be replaced. Beads can be replaced. Tears can be mended.So all is not lost - it is never too late to try and save that dress.

So Friday night, when you are watching "Say Yes to the Dress" - you can do what I do - claim it is for research - you will have to find your own angle for that one. But now you will know how to keep that dress for future generations. And if your really lucky some kid or grandkid will be just your size and poof you will have the perfect dress.One day - yes, but one perfect day -one day that you will always remember.So buy the dress you want, look beautiful and have your special day. ( I'll take care of the dress after)

"Warshing Clothes Recipe" or Aren't You Glad You Have Me?

Every now and then I find something that just makes me glad that I live in this day and age. I know we all worried about Obama care (how much is it going to cost, what happens to my insurance and dang I'm not a spring chicken so.... death panels?), taxes ( they keep going higher and I keep going lower), the debt ( how can a country keep spending trillions it doesn't have - it's not like I can ), and why does everything cost so much more? So yep, these are the times that try men's souls. But here is something that will bring a smile and a "Oh my - glad I live now"( unless of course we have total economic collapse and then I guess this will useful).

This is a recipe given to a new bride by her grandmother.It was found in a scrapbook. The recipe is as exactly as written, spelling errors and all.

Warshing Clothes

build fire in backyard to heat kettle of rain water.
Set tubs so smoke won't blow in eyes if wind is pert.
Shave on hole cake of lie soap in boilin water.

Sort things,make 3 piles - 1 pile white, 1 pile colored, 1 pile work britches and rags.

To make starch, stir flour in cool water to smooth, then down with boiling water.

Take white things, rub dirty spots on board, scrub hard, and boil, then rub colored don't boil just wrench and starch.

Take thing out of kettle with broom stick handle, then wrench, and starch.

Hang old rags on fence.

Spread tea towels on grass.

Pour wrench water in flower bed.
Scrub porch with hot soapy water.

Turn tubs upside down.

Go put on clean dress, smooth hair with hair combs.

Brew a cup of tea, sit, rock a spell, and count yore blessings.


So aren't you glad you have me ? As the gal who does your dry cleaning and warshing - all you have to is put on the clean dress ( or shirt or britches) , smooth your hair and count yore blessings. So despite all the problems - and Lord knows we have quite a few - at least you can rest assured that I am here. So you will have no need for those kettles and fires. Just drop off the dirty clothes ( get a cup of tea  or whatever) and come back later and all is done. No warshing or ironing!!!! Yep, the 21st century ain't bad!!!

No more Iron - Is that a CATastrophe or just IRONic?

"No one likes irons or ironing. We were overjoyed to learn there would soon be one less iron in millions of homes around the world, even if it a miniature replica game piece," said Mary Scalco ,CEO of the Drycleaning and Laundry Institute.

"Replacing the iron is exactly what dry cleaning and laundry professionals do" said Scalco. "Way to go, Hasbro."

So what the heck am I talking about? The demise of the Monopoly Iron. Yes, last year the fine folks at Hasbro decided to update those tokens we use while playing Monopoly. So they had a "Save your Token" contest. The fate of the car, thimble,boot,Scottie dog,battleship,wheelbarrow and iron were in the hands (literally) of thousands of online voters. One click at a time saved the other tokens. Only 8% of voters liked the iron.

"Fans from over 120 countries,including Djibouti,Kyrgyzstan, Guam and Liechtenstein, voted in the contest" said Jonathon Berkowitz, Vice President for marketing for Hasbro Gaming. Once businesses got word of the tokens wars, they took up the cause for in support of their favorite tokens. Companies like Zappos created campaigns for the shoe. Ames True Temper made videos supporting the wheelbarrow.But nary a dry cleaners or laundry supported the iron.

So goodbye irons!!!! Hello cat. Yep, the iron, the cause of many a clothing CATastrophe has been replaced by a kitty cat. Ok I will say I have seen the occasional kitty cat clothing disaster - pulling the threads of sweaters and the odd using a garment as a litter box. But the iron - oh my!!!! I cannot tell you how many times someone has brought in a garment with that ubiquitous triangle mark permanently stamped on their pants and shirts. The iron that decided to spit out rusty water on the silk dress or favorite shirt.  The shine that your iron makes on your clothes that puts your teeth and hair to shame ( in the right light you could be used as reflector)The worst ever- the triangular shape of totally missing fabric - usually in a spot that would make you look like an Exotic or Chippendale dancer if you wore those clothes. SO GOODBYE IRON!!!!!

While the sad and pathetic iron got less than 8% of the vote to save it- the kitty cat got 31% of the vote to win. The cat beat out a robot,guitar, helicopter and diamond ring. ( a cat beat a diamond ring - I guess Marilyn Monroe was wrong - diamonds are not a girls best friend)

The cat will join the wheelbarrow,shoe,race car, top hat,thimble,Scottie dog, and battleship in the Monopoly game beginning in late summer when the the latest edition hits the shelves. ( so if you want an iron - and why would you?) get it now. A limited -edition "Golden Token Monopoly will hit Target stores this month with gold ( just the color not the metal) tokens of all the current lineup ( yes it will be the last appearance of the iron) and the 5 proposed tokens - including the winner - the cat.

So no more irons!!!!! Yippee!!!!!!No iron - no CATasrophe - no CATaclysm - no CATerwauling..I can CATagorically state the loss of the iron will not be the CATalyst for the world's demise. The voters were apparently CATatonic when voting for the iron. So no requiesCAT for the iron. AH the IRONy!!!!

Well.... the Mayans were ?

So it is now 2013. For those of us with triskaidekaphobia ( fear of the number 13) this will just be a banner year. But we should take note we will deal with one less Friday the 13th this year. We only have two - so we only have to worry about September and December.
And we are not alone - our poor grandparents had to make it through 1913. Not all was bad that year. The first crossword puzzle appeared in the "New York World" in 1913. Of course, for those with triskaidekaphobia - that was also the year of the 16th admendment to the U.S. Constitution. No need to run to your pocket Constitution or your search engine - the 16th amendment was the income tax. So I guess my point is.... what your wallets !!!
The Mayans were .....? Neither right nor wrong ... they just ran out of calendar space. Since there was apparently no Mayan equivelant to a Hallmark store - they just had to wait to make a new calendar. Bad luck - they did not make it 2012 to start all over. So the Mayans were just not here to make a new calendar.
So what should we expect in 2013? Well , I guess more taxes is obvious. ( guess they could  come up with another amendment sticking it to us all but I cannot imagine 2/3 of the states would agree to that). Things will cost more - nothing new there.
But fashion wise... apparently man made fibers will be out. ( only because the manufacturers of man made fibers are closing down).So expect to see more 100% cotton ,wool, rayon, and silk on those care labels. More clothes will be made overseas - China, Indonesnia, and Vietnam. That folks is damn shame for lots of reasons. First it takes American jobs overseas. Second, the stuff made there is just not the same quality.Dyes are not as good. The sewing is not as precise. All in all we the consumer are just not getting the quality we should. I do not know who to blame for this ....us for wanting cheaper prices, the unions for demanding expensive benefits, the government for making taxes and regulations onerous, or the clothing companies for the outrageous mark up on the clothes.  Probably all are to blame. But that just leaves us with expensive clothes that aren't made well at all.
So I guess 2013 will look a like 2012. Maybe the Mayans were right ... there just wasn't a lot of point in making a new calendar when the old one would pretty much suffice. Same old Same old!!!

This Is One Louse-y Blog

OK . Some of you may have been thinking that for awhile!!! BUT..... I mean this blog is about the louse or if you have more than one lice. So even if you think this blog is lousy - it will also be louse-y . Why would I suddenly decide to discuss lice? No I do not have lice. But kids are back in school and bless their little heads - they share everything including head lice.
But before I tell you how to rid your home and head of lice .. I thought I'd share some fun historical and louse-y facts.

When your child comes home with dreaded head lice letter from school, the humans in the house are the only mammals in the home that need worry. So your dog, cat, rabbit ,or other furry friends will not be affected by those pesky lice.Yeah!!! It's hard enough treating your kids hair, your hair and all the clothes and bedding - so now you know you don't have to wrangle and bathe the cat!!! (if you have never bathed a cat ... well just think of yourself as scratching post as the little darling gets near the tub)

Lice were here first. Yep, long before the modern human the louse existed. ( I know I could insert a good Adam and Eve comment here about the louse coming first but Let's just move onward)

In the 17th century, the aristocrats of Europe leaned proper etiquette. So along with the dancing  and  appropriate dinner conversation topics - one learned the proper etiquette for disposing or one's lice. Icky!!

Lice for the most part cause few health problems.The main danger with lice ( body lice and not head lice) is epidemic typhus. Let me repeat this ... body lice not head lice - so do not freak out when your child comes home with the letter. The louse ,itself, is not immune to the infection. An infected louse turns red and dies within a few weeks of infection, but not before it bites and infects its human host. Now her is the really gross part , before dying the louse can poop out millions of typhus bacteria which hang on clothing and infecting other people who never had a body louse near them.

Typhus decimated the Grand Armee of Napoleon in 1812 from 500,000 to 35,000. This kept Napoleon from conquering Russia.

 During the Peloponnesian Wars, Pericles , Athen's leader decide to enclose the city in 431 BCE to withstand a Spartan siege.The dwelling of Athens were packed with not only it's citizens but those from the countryside. A plague exploded throughout Athens, Pericles died as did much of his army. Thus ended the golden age age of Greek culture

In 1526, The French army had to end it's siege of Naples because typhus had killed 28,000 of its army. The failure to take Naples left Italy and the papacy in Spain's power. The pope at the time,Clement VII< to avoid angering Charles V of Spain, declined to grant Henry VIII's divorce request from Catherine of Aragon  and thanks to a louse the Protestant Reformation was born.

In the Middle Ages in Hurdenburg, Sweden, candidates rested their bearded chins on table and a louse placed on the table chose the mayor for the next year. ( who needs elections ?)

Young Siberian woman threw lice at attractive men as offer of marriage. ( how guys went from having a louse tossed at them to buying honking big diamond rings - well that's evolution for ya!!!)

So now - You have received the dreaded "Lice Letter". Does that mean you're a louse-y parent? Nope!! Kids love to share - clothes, hats, brushes ,etc and alas head lice. Away from people ,lice will usually die within three to ten days. So want do you do ?

1. Wash all bed linens and washable clothing in HOT (140 degree) water for 20 minutes.
2. Heat dry clothing or other fabric items in clothes dryer.
3.Items that cannot be washed or dry cleaned should be stored for 30 days in sealed plastic bags. ( make sure they are tightly sealed - not lice in and no lice out)
4. Use only insecticides approved for use against lice. Read and follow the instructions.
5. If you bring in garments to be professionally cleaned or washed - please remember that lice jump from clothing and seal those garments in a plastic bag and let us know.
6. DO NOT be embarrassed. Lice does not equal bad hygiene. Lice is just one of those passages of childhood and heck lice are just part of the human experience.

So now you know all about lice and what to do if your kids come home with head lice. And one last thought to ponder, A person's DNA in a louse's belly can be identified. So think of the implications for forensic investigations?

And that my friends concludes this month's Louse-y blog!!! Should we all say "Ick" together?

And for those of you who wonder - how does she know so much about lice ? ( all kinds of louse-y life jokes can be inserted here) . I read a great article in " Scientific American" by Emily Willingham with a title I wanted to steal "Of Lice and Men :  An Itchy History." Also, you can go to the DLI link on our website and get more information on dealing with your clothing, bed linens and pillows infested with lice or other disgusting pests. Information on typhus ( remember most of us are vacinated for typhoid as children) go to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Make Your Clothes Last Longer

I guess I should start with the obvious - watch your weight. Yep, sadly some of us have put on a few pounds and so the old pants don't zip. But since we all know eat more veggies and exercise ( walking to the frig during commercials isn't exercise), let's move on to more dare I say practical ideas.

The Drycleaning and Laundry Institute has a few simple things that you can do to extend the life of  your clothes.

1. Do not hang wet or moist clothes in your closet. Most closets do not have air circulation. So wet or damp clothes just hang there mildewing and possibly spreading that mold to adjacent clothes. Wet clothes can have the dye fade from them unto neighboring articles or vice versa. So hang those wet or damp clothes somewhere with good air circulation until they are dry.

2. Mend all rips or tears immediately.Why? Well, unless you were bending over in room full of people when that seat seam did a blow out - you will probably forget. So the button you put away to sew on later is where? Oops forgot - but hey it is somewhere safe. Or you wash or clean the garment and forgot that small hole or rip and then what was a minor repair is now major reconstructive surgery. Can't sew - neither can I ( well I a "D" in it in 8th grade). But put the button on safety pin on your garments tags, put a safety pin and note on those small rips. That way when you bring it in - it's there for all to see what needs to be done.

3.Do not store dirty clothing from one season to the next. On natural fibers ,i.e cotton, wool, rayon - the stains are invitation to bugs. Most garments ruined by moths etc were attracted first by a leftover. Plus there are some stains ( sugar) that as they oxidize get darker and eventually become dang near if not truly impossible to get out.

4. Treat and remove all stains as soon as possible after spillage. I say this with a word of warning - if it is an oil based stain - leave it alone and get your drycleaner to do it. And for heaven sakes - please don't experiment with the stain like hairspray on ink before you bring to the cleaners. But if it is a washable garment - get out what can with water first. Never Never Never - rub silk to get out a stain . Always Always test your fabric and dye with whatever you use. It is so much easier to bring me a stain than ask me fix a stain removal experiment gone awry.

5. Follow care instructions and DO NOT REMOVE CARE LABELS. You need to know exactly how the manufacturer wants that garment cleaned. You will not remember if that dress or shirt is the one that is supposed to dry cleaned or hand washed. I wasn't with you when you bought it - so trust me I don't know. Some designers make the same items but one is washable and one is not - so you really need to read and keep those care labels. If you follow the label and there is a problem - then you can and should return it where you bought it. But if you decide to wash a dry clean only garment and something goes wrong - sorry but you will be stuck with it. Buy the clothes you can afford to maintain properly.

6. Do not allow perfumes. hair spray, or lotions  to come in contact with any wearing apparel. The alcohol in these items can cause color loss. So you ask - how I do I put this stuff on - well folks that is what a robe or your birthday suit is for. And make sure if you use those self-tanning lotions - it is completely dry before putting anything on. They are dyes for your skin and thus they are dyes for your clothes.

7.Do not store or allow garments to be in prolonged or direct contact with artificial or direct light. Light fades clothes. You have all seen the the faded awnings etc from the sun. The same thing holds true with the lights in your house. If your closet has a window - get some heavy duty drapes or blinds. Closets should be dark - and you just turn on the light to find what you need and then off it goes and out you go. Think of clothes as vampires and you need to keep them away from the light so they don't turn to dust ( OK they won't turn to dust but they will fade)

So these simple things will help your clothes last longer. And if you do this - then do the diet and exercise think just how many things you can wear in your closet. Those jeans from high school? Naw, as I recall that was the bell bottom era . But, it might make a good Halloween costume . Hmmm.