Bounce, Bounce, Bounce, Bounce, Bounce

Well, thanks again to the Mumatron for coming up with another blinder. I shall be nipping into my local shop for a couple of boxes as this stuff seems to be even more useful than Vodka! Unless of course you want it in a glass with coke and ice, then, I think, the Vodka is the way forward.

So get a load of this magic stuff:

22 uses for Bounce, yes, the stuff you put in tumble driers:

1. It chases away ants when you lay a sheet near by.
2. Spread sheets around foundation areas in caravans and cars that are to be unused for a while. The Bounce repels mice.
3. It takes the odour off books and albums that don't get opened too often, put a sheet in the leaves.
4. Tie a sheet of bounce through you belt when out doors in Midge and Mosquito season - the bounce repels them, also Bees and Wasps too.
5. Eliminate static from your TV/PC screens. It also stops dust from resettling.
6. Dissolve soap scum from shower doors; clean with a sheet of bounce.
7. Freshen drawers, boxes and wardrobes with a sheet.
8. Put a sheet in the vacuum cleaner to banish nasty niffs.
9. Prevent thread from tangling; run a threaded needle through a sheet of Bounce before sewing.
10. Prevent musty suitcases, chuck a sheet in before storing.
11. To freshen the air in your car, shove a sheet in the foot well under the seat.
12. Clean baked on foods from a cooking pan; put a sheet in the pan, fill with water and let it sit overnight. Apparently the anti-static agent weakens the bond between the food and the dish.
13. Collect cat hair (maybe Dog too?) but dusting with a Bounce sheet (I don't know about you but I might just give the Dogs a wipe over with one as their always giving me static shocks).
14. Eliminate static electricity from venetian blinds by wiping them with Bounce. Again, also, stops dust resettling.
15. Using a sheet to wipe up dust after drilling, will clean it up like a tack cloth.
16. Eliminate laundry hamper/waste basket odours by putting a sheet in the bottom
17. Deodorize shoes and trainers by putting a sheet in overnight.
18. Pack a sheet into your sleeping bags before storage and it keeps them smelling fresh.
19. Hose down your car windscreen and use a damp Bounce sheet to remove bugs easily.

Whensa Your Dolmio Day?

Today I have been mostly making homemade Italian tomato sauce. The "young people" scoffed the last batch the other week after the Blackout!, so I ordered a crate of tomatoes from the food co-op last week and after school today Meg and I embarked upon a marathon sauce making session and the results are marvelous, if we do say so ourselves.

There has been much thriftiness, creativeness and gardening-ness since I've been away.

Ms. Brooks cordially invited my good self and a couple of mutual friends around for a lentil-fest on Friday night. I'd not been out for a while so was rather looking forward to some tasty home cooking and good company, I just needed something new to wear.

(Cue a pair of Steve's old jeans and a big gorgeous wrap my Nana gave me)

I un-stitched the inside legs of the jeans, shortened, and made a lovely grey denim skirt. Then I stitched the end of the wrap to the side at the other end and made a gorgeous grey fluffy knitted poncho that everyone admired. It's incredibly warm too and a great use of the wrap as it was a bit big to be a scarf, and I don't really use wraps, so now, it's a lovely jumper type thing. Hey presto, a whole new outfit for nowt.

Thanks to Ms. Fleming, the growing is going good too. I've now potted up my apple seeds that are growing beautifully and the leeks, onions and tomatoes are all sprouting. I've gratefully accepted the gift of a whole load of gardening stuff, along with enough jars to make my Syn free sauce. I've had to transfer them to another window sill too as I ran out of space on the other one.

So the "Mumatron" has promised me two lovely emails of hints and tips in keeping with my frugality/anti-consumerism. One of them is about different uses for Bounce tumble drier sheets. I'm looking forward to that one, I must be honest.

The crochet is coming along beautifully and I've found some lovely inspirational thought for the day type words that fit in nicely with the theme of the blog. Stand by for inspiration.