Emily's Camping Essentials

• Flashlight
• Sleeping Bag w/ sheet liner
• Stocking cap and wool socks
• Hand sanitizer
• Paper towels
• Kleenex
• Marshmallows, chocolate, and grahm crackers
• Extra pair of shoes
• Fingernail clippers
• Clothspins and line
• Plates, cups, silverware
• Dish rag, drying towel
• Beef stew
• Can opener
• Plastic bags
• Pillow
• Brush/conditioner/shampoo/soap
• Tent
• Camping Chair
• Warm Jacket
• Gloves
• Gum
• Water bottle
• Good book
• Extra pencil
• Uno
• Raincoat
• Sunblock
• Towels (2)

Tuesday Morning

Tuesday morning I woke up to a bad smell in the hallway. At first I thought it was the garbage, but we had just taken it out. So then I thought it was the can itself, but it was clean. I thought perhaps it was coming from the apartment next to us, but that didn't seem plausable either. I set out an air freshener and hoped it would go away while I made breakfast.
It didn't.
So then, I played "Investigator." I started in the kitchen, sniffing my way toward the smell. It led me into the hallway (which I had already known but ah well) and then close to the bathroom. "Ah ha," I thought, "it's here! But much to my chagrin, as I moved into the bathroom doorway the smell grew fainter. Turning around mystified, I stood in the hall, wondering if there was possibly something in the wall. I had ruled out the laundry room before, seeing as how it was just a pile of ironing to do and a waste basket filled with lint. But now as I stood in the doorway between the bathroom and the laundry room, it seemed my only choice. Much to my surprise, the smell grew stronger as I walked into the room! Puzzled, I wandered past the irnoning basket, past the wastebasket and then stopped embarrasedly in front of the washing machine. Slowly opening up the lid, I knew what I would find.....yup, there it was.....the wet smelly laundry that I had forgotten since yesterday morning to throw in the dryer! Whew, it smelled mighty musty! So, I set it on another wash cycle, determined not to make the same mistake again, I stayed around until it finished and quickly tossed it in the dryer before heading out to work.
Now I'm just hoping I remember to take it out of the dryer before next laundry day!

Unwelcome Vistors

It seems this summer, that the neighborhood insects have taken a liking to my house. It's a good thing I like bugs (or at least am not screamy) but I've definitely had my fill! I've found out that spiders think my front bay windows are the real "treat!" I've opened the shades quite a few times now to the soft, glistening of a new web. I'm afraid that the spider's home has become "fast food service" in the sense, they'd better catch their food fast because their web doesn't last very long! So now, my morning routine is sweeping my windows and front ceiling.

Last weekend I had to take drastic measures in my kitchen. I have a family (a quite large and extended family I'm sure with many cousins and aunts and uncles) of black ants that have made a trail through my kitchen. It's very handy for them that their vacationing takes them right past my cupboards and fridge but rather startling for me as I'm standing doing dishes! I read once that a way to repel ants is to sprinkle around some black peper. So, guess what my kitchen looked like for a day or so! *laugh* But it worked! (amidst all the sneezing!) It's a temorary fix at least until I can find a better way.

This morning I had a third visitor. (One to which I wasn't so hospitable!) I went to pick up my carry-all bag from the porch so I could take my books and papers to work but when I looked inside I had quite a surprise! There, staring calmly up at me (I'm not sure that he even registered I was there), was a large 1 inch, fat cricket! I wasn't quite as calm and quickly shook him outside, wondering what else could be awaiting me!

So now, I guess, I am the official Bug Remover. I even had a chance to practice my new trade at the office, when on seperate occasions a cricket and a grasshopper decided to hitchike on the back of our receptionist!

Here's a list of ways to keep Ant Infestation Down:

• Getting rid of ants in your house:
• Do the dishes regularly.
• Wipe down your kitchen counters with bleach water every night.
• Clean your room and pick up food wrappers.
• Seal door sills, window sills, and mend broken screens.
• Mop floors with bleach regularly.
• Put food and leftovers (especially sweets) in proper containers.
  Take out the trash as often as possible