Only two more weeks are left in this month.
Things are getting somewhat hectic at work with tests, volunteering, and new committees. The last two days I went to bed around 1AM and 2AM after grading tests.
On the home front, things are going as usual. One exciting news is that I unmolded the second batch of soap. These soaps have pretty designs and look so delicate. Though I used lavender essential oil, the scent is almost unnoticeable. I think I didn't use enough oil.
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| New soaps. |
After curing for 6 weeks, soaps from the first batch should be ready next week. I can't wait to use one.
Plantation shutters are now ready to be installed. I could have hung them today, but I decided to take a break. Shutters can wait another week. 😊
On Friday I went to a thrift store and found two books ($0.49 each), a basket ($0.50), a curtain rod ($2.00), fabric remnant ($1.25 because they had 50% off sale) and an old book from the 'free' table. I already read several chapters of A Random Walk Down Wall Street when I borrowed it from the library a couple of weeks ago. But I had to return it and now I have to be on hold for several months to borrow it again. So when I saw the book at the thrift store for $0.49 I decided to buy.
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| From the thrift store ... |
I planted radish and swiss chard seedlings outside, and chard seedlings are already dead. I think they were not strong enough to tolerate the heat yet. I should have kept the seedlings inside for another week or so. I didn't thin mustard seedlings and decided to let them grow a bit more.
I bought a door sign. I had several people knocking on the door ( and waking me up from my beauty naps!) and trying to sell security systems or windows. So I decided to hang a no soliciting sign. There are so many designs available online. I could have bought a simple less expensive one, but I bought this.
While looking for a document I found out that my external hard drive is not working. I have over ten years of stuff in it: photos from all the trips, dissertation and research papers, computer programs and everything that I thought I should backup. Not only I have to recover those files, now I have to buy a new hard drive to backup everything on the laptop again. That's an unexpected expense.😢
I didn't have time to check the stockpile. I will put it on the next week's list.
I also want to clean the washing machine using vinegar and baking soda. The one I have came with the house and already pretty old. I'm sure the previous owners never cleaned it. I simply cleaned it with a sponge before using it for the first time. Then I read online that you could use vinegar and baking soda to remove soap scum and deep clean the washer. So that's going to be on the to-do list.
Do you clean your washing machine? How do you do it?
Results of this week's to-do list:
1) Continue working on plantation shutters. In progress.
2) Take an inventory of the stockpile. Not done.
3)
4)
5) Thin mustard greens. Not done.
6)
7) Sleep 7 hrs. Not doing well here. The average was about 6 hours.
Tasks for the next week:
1) Continue working on plantation shutters.
2) Take an inventory of the stockpile.
3) Sew curtain panels.
4) Clean the washer.
5) Weed flower beds.
6) Thin mustard greens.
7) Do one hour of yoga.
8) Sleep 7 hrs.
I hope you all have a wonderful week.
XX
Nil
Your soap looks great! I'm afraid I don't measure my essential oils. I probably use too much. At our last home, I bought a pretty sign that said "no solicitating". I found that it kept away the honest sales people but the dishonest ones still knocked! My kids used to make fun of it because I had a "Welcome" sign also, and the "no solicitating" one underneath.
ReplyDeleteMy washing machine has a "clean" cycle that takes over an hour and splashes the water (and cleaner that you are supposed to buy, but I just put in Tide that I have on hand). But it is a good idea to do that with today's energy saving washing machines (that don't always clean well!). Get more sleep! I bet you feel good about getting those tests graded though! Andrea
I wanted to have a "Welcome" sign also, but couldn't decide where to place it after I hung the "No soliciting" sign. :) So instead I hung a wreath.
DeleteNil, your soap looks very pretty. Well done with your first batch. I should clean my washine machine and it is on my To Do list. Not sure what I am going to use as yet. It is a front loader.
ReplyDeleteThank you Chel. 6 more days to go to complete the 6 week curing period!
DeleteI love your sign! It's so funny. Your soap looks fabulous. It will be exciting to start using it. People love it as gifts. So glad that you got the books. Your teaching schedule sounds difficult. I think you are doing very well. Hope that you can get some more sleep.
ReplyDeleteHehee Stephenie, there are very hilarious "no soliciting" signs online. I had a good laugh while searching for one. :)
DeleteYour soap looks wonderful! I guess you'll have to experiment with the amount of essential oil to use. This was only your first try with using an essential oil, wasn't it? Maybe the scent intensifies as the soap cures?
ReplyDeleteI like that piece of fabric you bought! An excellent bargain, too! I must look for fabric at our local thrift store, when I go, next.
Sorry about your hard drive. I hope a new one won't cost a lot.
I occasionally wipe down the inside of my washing machine (did that last in August, when I cleaned the laundry room). Every now and then (like today), I use bleach when I wash bed sheets, etc., so, I assume the bleach water helps to clean the washer, as well. Otherwise, I don't do anything special.
Sounds like you are very busy both at work and at home. I hope next week will be a little less busy for you. Catch up on your sleep!
I too expected the scent to intensify with time, but I think the opposite is happening. :)
DeleteI slept 7 1/2 hours last night, so I think I'm back to normal.
Hey Nil, you've been productive. I bet you'll be glad to get those shutters finished. Love the soap - pretty designs. I also really like the pattern on your fabric remnant - greys and yellows go so well together (IMO).
ReplyDeleteWe upgraded our washing machine last year. We had been using a very old top loader for about 8 years that we got second hand. The new machine has a self washing cycle - which is just a very hot wash that you add a small amount of liquid to (according to instructions) plus I normally splash some vinegar in the rinse compartment.
I can't believe September is half over already!!
Cheers,
Laura
I don't even know how old my washer is. :) I guess there should be a label somewhere, but I didn't see one yet. It's old, and a very basic top loader.
DeleteOne day when this dies I think I'll have a bit fancier one. :)
Your soaps are beautiful. I did read in a candle-making article that lavender oil is milder than other essential oils, so you have to use more for the scent to come through.
ReplyDeleteWe are blessed with not-too-hard water here, so there is no soap scum build up on our washing machine, plus I use liquid laundry soap which is not supposed to leave a residue (otherwise the whites would turn dingy). But I do clean around the edges of the machine with a rag, diluted dish washing soap (my go-to cleaner) or vinegar, and a lot of elbow grease.:-) I don't put vinegar and baking soda together. I figure one being basic and the other acidic, they'll just react, robbing each other of their cleaning power, and leave a salt behind.
I hope you get more sleep this week!
The recipe I saw uses baking soda with very hot water, and then add vinegar to the final rinse cycle. May be to get rid of baking soda residue...
DeleteOr I will try your method (dish washing soap+elbow grease). :)
I suppose with the soaps its a leaning curve, so next time I am sure it will turn out as you hope.
ReplyDeleteYes I have a sign on the door as well, we see people walk up and then walk away again, like you we were fed up of being disturbed by sales people, who these days buys on the doorstep? I think with all the scams there are about it is best avoided now.
Yes Marlene, I never hire people who go from door to door, or buy anything from them. Some of these people can be very relentless.
DeleteWe do clean the washer with one of those washer cleaning kits. They work rather well. We only do it about every 6 months or so though. You got some great stuff at the thrift store. That Handmade Home book looks interesting. I like your No Solicitation sign. It's a great idea. when we lived in town we used to get people knocking on the door regularly too. I don't miss that.
ReplyDeleteWhen I lived in apartments I didn't get door to door salesmen. I hope this sign will deter at least some of them. :)
DeleteHello Nil,
ReplyDeleteThank you for your visit today and sweet comment:)
Your soap turned out really lovely.
I use vinegar and tea-tree oil in my machine
on a hot cycle.
You found some lovely bargains.
Wishing you better sleep.
Take Care x
Thank you Fiona. :)
DeleteI do have tea tree oil and use it with water to wipe the shower stall. I'll use some when cleaning the washer.
Sorry Nil:)
ReplyDeleteI forgot I wouldn't see my comment straight away
and thought it had not gone through.
As you will see I wrote again,please delete one
Thank You x
No problem Fiona. I moderate comments because lately I've been receiving spam. So it takes a while for comments to appear. :)
DeleteHey Nil, I'm very envious.....and pleased for you.... that you found a copy of Soulemama's book. I love her blog, have been following her for years. Your soaps look wonderful, you must be feeling very pleased that you've accomplished your goal to make soap. I juxt use vinegar And a hot wash to clean my washing machine, and fairly regularly as I wash ani al blankets in it. It's a front loader and I always wipe out the bottom of the rubber seal after each wash, as a bit of water and 'gunk' usually settles there. My dog always barks if people come to the front gate, friends come in the side, so they're usually selling, they call out asking if they can come in, but I tell them the dog bites....they leave pretty quickly :)
ReplyDeleteNanette, I didn't know the author of that book had a blog. Thank you. I already added it to my reading list. It's a beautiful blog.
DeleteHeheee another advantage of having a dog. You don't need a special 'no soliciting ' sign. :)
Hi Nil, glad you enjoyed reading my post today about a "Hot Roast Sunday Dinner." To answer your question, YES you put the roast in the oven after lowering the temperature to 475℉, and it stays there with the door shot (do not open) for 2-1/2 hours.
ReplyDeleteThe soap looks wonderful and let us know when you try it. Sorry to read about the hard drive failure which has happened to many of us :-( And I like the sign you bought. Thankfully, living in this mill apt means we do not get door-to-door solicitations.
Thank you so much Beatrice. I will make the roast when I buy beef next time. I rarely cook beef, so I don't know much about beef recipes. 😊
DeleteYour homemade soap looks great, Nil! I'm sure it will be lovely to use. I also love the fabric you found at the thrift store. What are you going to make from it? I have the book, "Handmade Home" and hope you enjoy the ideas in it too. Meg:)
ReplyDeleteI don't know what I'm going to make from the fabric yet, Meg. I just loved the pattern and colors so I bought it thinking an idea will come up soon. :)
DeleteMay be I'll find a good project in "Handmade Home".
I love your soap Nil, they look so pretty! That door sign should scare off any unwanted doorknockers lol! You should be able to enjoy your beauty sleep once again :)
ReplyDeleteWhat great thrift finds. I would love the homemade home book. I have been looking out for a copy to add to my collection. One day it will turn up in my travels. I love Amanda's blog.
Have a lovely fun-filled weekend,
xTania
I hope you will soon find a copy of Homemade Home book, Tania.
DeleteHope you are having a great weekend.