Rambling on and a recipe

Well, I have nothing new from the State fair to report other than I haven't been there since Saturday. WHEW!  The first Iowa Public TV fair coverage started last night so I recorded it to see if anything we went to or participated in was covered.  Not yet.  There is another week of the productions to see though.  

Although, Ice cream nachos...  I'd try that...

On Sunday, I was feeling like I NEEDED to do something productive because I spent all day Saturday at the fair or visiting with relatives.  They left at the same time we left for church, so when I

got home, I got some stuff done!

I saw a hack online on how to use a shower tension rod under your kitchen sink to hang bottles on.  CHECK!  It is organized now!  

still looks disorganized, but at least I now know how much of what we do have. AND where the tools are without having to rip everything out when I need them.

See my creative use of an old dog leash??  That shelf IS put to good use once again.

and still no one knows where anything is.  What's new?

I also made 4 gallons of laundry detergent after realizing we were almost out and I found a bar of Fels Naptha under there.  GOOD!

While making the detergent, I realized that while I had Borax, I did NOT have Washing Soda, a key ingredient to homemade laundry detergent.  So I googled what a good substitute is.  

Apparently you need a chemistry major to figure this out, but if you take Baking soda and bake it for at least 30 minutes, it becomes Washing soda, aka Soda Ash, which is used to dye fabrics. 

Who knew??!  

Well, I guess SOMEONE knew!  So yeah, I did some baking on Sunday.

Recipe to make your own laundry detergent.

1) grate 2/3 of a Fels Naptha bar into a large pot with 3 quarts of water.  Bring to a boil and stir occasionally until the soap bar is dissolved.

2)  Add 1 cups Borax and 1 cup Washing Soda, boil for roughly 15 minutes.  Stirring on occasion. It will have a honey like consistency.

3) Add 1 more quart of hot water from faucet and mix well.

4) In a 5 gallon bucket, dump the mixture and add 3 gallons of cold water.  

5) Let sit overnight, but stir with a long spoon whenever you think of it.  Maybe once or twice.

Voila!  You've made your own, VERY inexpensive laundry detergent that will last for a long long time.  Keep it covered and close to your washer.  

1/2 cup is sufficient per batch.

I got some more boxes sorted in the garage and even picked out some fabric to make Meri a few new shirts for her Senior school year.  Got one cut out and she's not too keen...  She said, "I thought it was going to be exactly like my old shirt that you used for a pattern!"  

Do I need all her friends to think I'm a one trick pony?  No.  It will have adjustments made to look a smidge different.  COME ON!

Oh well.  If she won't wear it, I will.  

Plucked several tomatoes out of the garden when Leon got home.  YUM!  I'm trying to incorporate them into everything I eat these days, because there are a few people in the house who don't care for them.  Have you ever had tomatoes on oatmeal?  Me neither. 

I may have to draw the line somewhere.

On Sunday night, we got to Skype with Maddy.  Looking forward to seeing them soon!!

Gotta go.  Work beckons.  Have a great Tuesday!