Random Musings and such

Yea!!!!  This is one of the chairs to my beautiful breakfast room dining set.  I just had the chairs refinished, refurbished and re-upholstered.  I immediately got "buyers remorse" after I bought that fabric and wasn't sure how I would like it.  But I believe they turned out nicely.

Let me just tell you how I came to be the proud owner of such beautiful furnishings.  Way back in 1981, around August or Sept., I was toodling along in my car which was the cutest thing you have ever seen in your life.  Let me just show you a quick photo of Molly.  I think you will agree, the cutest thing ever.

This is a cousin of my car Molly.  Molly Metropolitan. Molly was a 1959 Nash Metropolitan.  Hilariously cute car!  I would drive down the road and people would point and smile and laugh.  Every day.  It was that cute.  Molly was described as a soap dish, a tennis shoe, one of those weird amphibeous cars that turn into a boat, all sorts of things.  And I can promise you this, I have never before nor since gotten such great gas mileage.  Loved that car.

Back to the quick little story of the antique furniture.  So there I was just toodling down the back streets going to the grocery store, when out of the corner of my eye I spied the prettiest little sideboard just sitting in some people's carport.  I went to the store and on my way home I thought I would go back by there and see if perhaps it was for sale.  As I was walking up to their door I saw that there was also a china cabinet, a table and six chairs.  All matching.  Anyhoo, I rang the bell and asked about the furniture and the lady told me this really long story of how much she loved that dining room set but that her husband's aunt out in Tennessee called them and said that she wanted to leave him, her only living relative, all the family antique furniture, and could he pay for the freight to ship it to Texas?  So the new-to-them family antiques had arrived and now the set that that she had had previously (my set) was relegated to the carport till they could get it sold, even if this set was way prettier than the new-to-them set they had just gotten from the aunt.  So I wrote down my name and number for her and asked her to talk to her husband and come up with a price.  I really wanted it and I really wanted it moved indoors before it sat out in the weather and ruined.  Then I went home and called my boss who loved her some antiques.  She was one of those people with a real eye for quality and knew how to safely strip, refinish and show off these prizes.  I told her all about this set and asked her to guesstimate the value so I would have a better idea when they called me with a price.

The owners of said furniture called me about an hour later with a price of about 20% of what my boss told me I should pay.  20%.  NOT 20% off.  More like 80% off.  Only paying 20%.  So I said SOLD! And then he said, "Can I deliver this to you so it doesn't sit out in the carport overnight?"

SCORE!!!

When I got this set the chair seats had kind of an ugly white/ecru color with a strange pattern fabric.  A couple years later I re-upholstered them and took off the ugly white to discover that it was actually re-purposed drapes with that rubber backing on them to keep out the heat and light.  Under that was a gross watermelon red color and under that was the original beautiful wine, claret colored velvet.

Over the years, this dining room set has been with us through 4 countries and 9 moves.  The seats have had a variety of fabric coverings.  This is the first time I have gone with a plaid.    It takes me a while to adjust to change, so I am still not too sure about this one.

And here is a neon sign I had to take a pic of to share with you.  I was at a very famous local hamburger joint the other day and looked up at this sign and wondered to myself, WTF???  Have a look.

Seriously?  Nacho's??  Nacho's what?  Nacho's bad grammar?  Nacho's bad signage?  Aaarrrrgggghh!! Why, oh why, is there an apostrophe there?  Idiots.  They are everywhere.

And here is one of Mr. Big Ed's birthday gifts I thought you might like to see.  I found this at one of my favorite new stores. P'lovers is a wonderful ecological store that sells some of the coolest stuff.  Lots of recycled and organic stuff. (and another place with a weird apostrophe)

Look here at what I got Mr. Big Ed.

In the first picture you can tell that this is a record album.  In the second you can tell more clearly that it has been re-shaped and re-purposed as a bowl.  And in the third you can see that it was a Bob Dylan greatest hits album.  Now, if you know anything at all about Mr. Big Ed, you know that he loves some Bob Dylan.  And now, he has his very own Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits Volume II bowl with which to store his crap.

Personally, I don't care for Mr. Dylan's singing.  But I know, it is un-American to say that out loud.  When we lived in Minneapolis, home town of Bob Dylan, he was touring with his unplugged acoustic version of all his songs and Mr. Big Ed was beside himself with giddyness to go to this show.  He and the kids went and enjoyed themselves immensely.  I on the other hand, stayed home and did not subject my ears to 2 hours of Bob Dylan Live.  Which is practically what I get when I have to ride in Mr. Big Ed's car.  He has a six disc changer in his car and at all times, 5 of the 6 discs are Dylan.  Seriously?  Aaarrrggghhh!  again.

And here are 2 more photos of my furry babies.  Just for fun.

This is my camera-shy Princess Nikita Babushka.  I don't know why she was avoiding the camera today, but every time she saw it she turned her head.  She is a beautiful girl with gorgeous baby blue eyes.  I love my Husky!

Stretched out on top of this buffet is Stanley Manley.  He is one handsome cat.  Stanley is the twin brother to Lester Buster.  It's not clear in this particular photo but Stanley has one green eye and one blue eye.  And cute black specks on his little pink nose.  If looks were what we based awesome pets on, Stanley would be a winner.  He has it going on in the looks department.  What he has problems with is 2 things.  He's a shedder.  And he's a pisser.  He sheds and pisses all over things.  It is aggravating in the extreme.  Other than that . . . .

Team USA

It has been 80 years since the US has had a team make it this far in the World Cup.  I think some thank you's might be in order for Mr. Bradley, Mr. Donovan, and Mr. Dempsey.

Thank you guys!  There are a ton of people cheering for you in South Africa and at home.  I hope you can feel the love.

One more shot of Landon as I go get ready for today's match.

You want to help? Here is a specific way to make your mark!

I am so excited about this project!  I don't even know what to do with myself.  Rather than trying to explain it all myself, I want you to go HERE.

Please read all the way through and do what you can to help.  I will be cleaning out my bathroom cabinets and sending all that I have.  All the cotton towels anyway.  I had never realized that possibly towels might be made with anything else.  But I will check all the labels before I box them up.

Hurray!  My heart was lifted when I found there is a way, even this small way, that I can contribute to the clean up.

Watermelon - recipe and little-known facts

Would you just look at that?  Did your mouth just water?  It's one of those Pavlovian responses you almost can't stop!

Watermelon.  Ruby red, light pink fading to pure white, stripey green flesh, black tear drop seeds, and sweet juice that goes all over your face, hands and down your arms to your elbows.  Does anything say "Summer is here" like the first watermelon?

For some really good nutritional facts, you may want to go here and read up.  Turns out not only is watermelon a visually pleasing fruit, and delicious, but it is damn good for you!  You see all that red?  That means beta-carotene.  That also means lycopene.  It means vitamin C and tons of anti-oxidants.  And . . . . .

apparently it contains high levels of something called arginine.  Arginine has something to with prostate, erectile dysfunction and lowering blood pressure.  So if you would like to give someone you love a little "boost" in that department, ahem, give them a big hunk of watermelon!

Or you could whip up a batch of this drink.  This has become one of my all-time favorite beverages.  I got this several years ago in a little book put out by Southern Living magazine. (sorry, I have no clue how to underline for titles).

Make this recipe the first time the way it is written.  Then let your imagination take wing and explore loads of varations.  Try it with cantaloupe, or my favorite, honeydew with cucumber.  Add in some herbs like flat leaf parsley, rosemary, basil, mint, or cilantro.  I promise you it ranks right up there with Sonic fresh limeade slushies in the fabulous department!

Enjoy!

Watermelon Cooler

8 cups (1/2 inch) seeded watermelon cubes
1 1/2 cups ginger ale
1/3 cup water
1 (6-oz.) can frozen limeade concentrate
Garnish: watermelon slices

Place watermelon in a single layer in an extra-large zip-top plastic freezer bag and freeze at least 8 hours. Let stand at room temperature 15 minutes.

Process half each of the frozen watermelon, ginger ale, water and limeade concentrate in a blender until smooth; pour mixture into a pitcher. Repeat procedure with remaining half of ingredients; pour into pitcher, and serve immediately.  Garnish cups with the watermelon slices.

***My notes:  The seeding is a lot of work.  Buy seedless watermelon to save time, and don't worry about the little white seeds.  They blend down to nothing so don't bother digging them out.

Makes about 8 cups

Juneteenth

I really should have posted about Juneteenth yesterday and Father's Day today.  But since I already did Father's Day, Juneteenth gets done today.

Do you know about Juneteenth?  If you live outside of Texas, there is a high probability that you do not.  Juneteenth is the shortened name for June Nineteenth.  June 19, 1865 is the day that some general rode into Texas and said, "Oh, by the by, President Lincoln freed the slaves about 3 years back.  All you slaves are free, and you slave owners, well, you better hire you some help to run your spread".

So, Juneteenth is a HUGE big deal and lots of celebrations go on.  Yet another reason to barbecue, eat lots of food and since it is smack in the middle of fruit season there are tons of peaches, watermelon, blueberries, strawberries, and so forth.  

Here is a link to wikipedia that gives a more detailed background to this day.

Father's Day

Tomorrow is Father's Day.  My Papa passed away 15 years ago, then 7 months later my step-father also died.  Both of them died of colon cancer gone to the liver.  How strange is that?  They would both get the same cancer months apart and then die just a few months apart as well.

I still have my father-in-law.  He is probably the most honorable man I have ever met.  Not a judgmental or mean bone in his body.  He will have 2 of his 4 children plus 4 of his grandkids with him tomorrow to celebrate Father's Day.

Both of our kids are off road-tripping and camping right now and so we will be postponing our Father's Day celebration till they arrive.  When they do get here it will be just about Mr. Big Ed's birthday so he will get double celebrating and gifts!

My grandpas are both long gone, and I miss them.  I have a few memories of 2 of my great-grandpas.  My mama tells me about one of the other ones who did meet me when I was just a baby, but I don't really remember that.

I am thankful for all my uncles who have served as supportive surrogate fathers for all of us.

Happy Father's Day to all the men out there who are guiding and teaching kids, their own and the others they might not even realize they are helping!

Monthly De-cluttering, remember?

Does anyone remember that I had this great plan to completely clean out and de-clutter one room a month? I did pretty good for the first few months and then I got sidetracked.  I swear I am as bad as that dog Doug on UP who seems to be paying attention and then whips his head around and yells SQUIRREL.

That's not to say things aren't getting done.  Things are definitely getting done.  Just not necessarily one room at a time.  I keep finding myself doing that stupid time-wasting thing where you start in one room and  then take something to another room to put away and get side-tracked in that room which then leads to another project and next thing you know . . . The whole day has gone and you have stirred up projects in 5 different areas.

Mr. Big Ed's office was the first room I started on and I got rid of books and cleaned out shelves and organized crap.  I have one more thing to do in there and I don't know how to get started.  Maybe you have some advice for me?  Here is the background on this project:  This house was built around 1977 and we bought it from the original homeowner.  Oh, it was so modern and cool and had all the coolest gadgets from back in the day.  Some still work, like the central vac system that I love, and some were totally out-dated and crappy back in the '80s.  On to my project!!  In this office there is a set of speaker wires that lead to the big family room where there are speakers on the wall and also out to the sunroom/Florida room where there are speakers in the ceiling.  I want to know if those speakers work.  I don't really know what kind of equipment I need to bring in here and hook those wires up to, so that I can check it and then oh I don't know, USE THE DAMN SPEAKERS!

Maybe these are too old and can't be connected to anything that is currently made?  I don't know.  I have searched and searched online and here is a photo of what the end connecting thing looks like.

See how the center prong sticks straight out?  and the surrounding area is in 4 separate little pieces.  This is what these things in the office look like.  I have no clue what that thing is in the picture behind the cord, but it sure looks antique-y doesn't it?

So if you have advice or information on how I go about figuring this out, please let me know.

Rambling thoughts, yet again

I can NOT believe it has been six days since I posted something.  Where has the time gone?  Well, mostly it has gone to getting up at the crack of dawn to watch the early a.m. World Cup matches.  Woot!!

Are any of you watching?  Are any of you annoyed and irritated beyond belief at the flipping vuvuzelas?  Those horrendous horns that are like a big long kazoo and when you have 50,000 of them going all at the same time for 2 hours straight, it doesn't get annoying at all. And when you watch 3 matches in one day, that doesn't make it any better.  And you know what?

There's an app for that!!!  Yes indeedy, there are apps out there that can put that oh-so-annoying sound right on your phone.  Just in case you want to create axe-murderers out of your family members who have to listen to it.  Guess who got not one but TWO different vuvuzela apps on her phone?  Yep, it was me!!! Annoying my family and loved ones since heaven knows when!!

I also attended a birth this weekend.  Mom and Dad both did such a beautiful job getting that baby born.  And what a large, healthy and precious baby boy!  He was born exactly one month after his cousin.  I was at her birth as well.  Isn't it nice when sisters have their babies close and then the cousins can grow up together?  I wouldn't trade my relationships with my cousins for anything!  Extended family is a beautiful thing.  I dated a guy in high school whose parents were both the only child.  That meant no aunts, no uncles, no cousins to play with or fight with or anything.  By the time I knew this family there was only one grandma.  Such a difference from my huge, rowdy, loud family.

My car is off getting it's 5,000 mile check up and new tires, new brakes, spark plugs, the whole nine yards. It feels really funny to know that I am going to stay home, nowhere to go, and no way to get there.  Of course, I could always walk to the corner and hop on the bus if I had to, but being car-less it's a different feeling.  One we might all need to be getting used to.

Which leads me to the BP oil disaster.  I am refusing to call this a "spill" or a "leak".  This is a disaster of epic proportions and it is ON-GOING, people!  Thick, gunky crude petroleum is spewing out of the earth at rates no one seems to be able to quantify with any accuracy.  And how can I be all outraged and upset if I am still using a gas powered vehicle?  This a real pickle we have gotten ourselves into, being all dependent on oil and mostly foreign oil and no easy solutions.  But hard changes are coming and the sooner we face them, the better off we will all be.

What are the options for Americans?  We have built this infrastructure over the last 60 years of highways, and being completely dependent on them for not only getting ourselves from point A to point B on a daily basis, but also hauling all our food, store goods, everything.  Our train system is a joke.  Traveling by bus within the city is one thing, but to use the bus or trains rather than our own cars is a HUGE pain in the ass to figure out and ridiculously expensive.  Four years ago in Jan. of 2007 I joined The Compact in an effort to learn to quit buying new.  And over the last few years I have learned so much and implemented so many changes to my life all due to the Compact.  There are currently between 10,000 and 11,000 people all over the globe on the Compact list and everyone shares their little bit and we all benefit.  Changes that I have made over the course of my time on the Compact include:

* No more paper napkins, paper plates, plastic cups, disposable anything (except paper towels and tp)
I already own a ton of cloth napkins.  Now we use them on a daily basis and it has added almost nothing to my laundry.

* I make all my own cleaners and laundry soap and dishwasher soap.
Making your own cleaners is a great way to get chemicals out of your house.  If you have any sensitivities to chemicals, you need to do it anyway and you just won't believe how easy peasy it is to do this.  Not to mention the side benefit of costing waaaaaaaaayy less!  Win, win on this one.

* Revived my composting ways.  I have composted off and on for years, but forced myself to get serious about it.  And let me just say this, if you take everything that can be composted out of your garbage and then you take all your recyclables out, there is just not very much garbage left.  Which leads to . . .

*Changed my shopping habits.  If there are two products available and one has lots more packaging and plastic, start buying the other one.  Make it a priority to purchase things with less packaging.  Don't bring it in your house and then you won't have to deal with it.

*Changed my shopping habits, part 2.  I am really strict about taking my own shopping bags with me. No more plastic bags coming in the house!  If you don't think plastic is a problem, watch this and this.

*Changed my shopping habits, part 3.  I try really, really hard to buy as many local and organic products that I can.  Yes, they cost more.  Yes, it can be tricky trying to find them.  Yes, it is necessary and it is worth it.

We all need to do more.  Whatever we are doing to be good stewards of the earth, we need to do more.  We don't need more.  And one of the most important things I have learned over the last 3 1/2 years is this: There is no *away*.  When you throw something *away*, you are just giving that problem to someone else.

And on that happy note, I will leave you with my favorite recipe for all-purpose cleaning.  I mix this up and pour it in a spray bottle.  This lasts about 2 to 3 weeks or so.

3 Tbsp. vinegar
1/2 tsp washing soda
1/2 tsp vegetable oil based liquid soap (Castile type soap like Dr. Bronners or Murphy's oil soap)
2 cups hot water

Mix in a spray bottle and use as you would 409 or any other non-rinse cleaner.  Note:  I use the tea tree oil version of Dr. Bronners and I also add in about 10 drops of real tea tree oil for extra disinfecting.

If you were to do a cost-analysis of this vs. whatever product you are currently using, I think you might be pleasantly surprised.  Let me know if you do try it.  And also if there are any other cleanser recipes you need, just give me a holler!

World Cup!!!!

Yes, indeedy, it is that time again.  Every four years the whole world comes together to back the 32 top teams fighting for the top spot.  Too much fun!

Our tradition is to hang the flags of our favorite teams on the days that they play.  So tomorrow there will be a Mexican flag, and Saturday it will be Argentina and so on.

And here is a little treat for you.

Lionel Messi.  Considered the best player in the world right now.  He should be able to lead Team Argentina to victory.

Tomorrow morning is the first game.  Mexico vs South Africa.  And while Mexico has a good team, there is nothing like home field advantage, so it should be a really good match.  Later in the day it will be Uruguay vs France.

Personally, I am most always in the camp of the Latin American or African teams instead of the Europeans.  Teams like France and Germany dominate the sport so it's always more fun to see someone else take top honors, isn't it?  Especially when there is a good upset and some small country no one really expects much from just takes out the top rated team.  That's always exciting.

Good luck to your team.  Unless they are playing my team.  : )  And happy viewing over the next 32 days!!  Goooooooooooooooaaaaaaalllll!!!!!

Shamelessly stealing a great tag line!

Pet Bull.  That's what June Gardens over at Bye Bye Pie was posting about today.  Her beautiful dog Tallulah is a rescue dog and June did that DNA thing where they tell you what breeds are in your dog. Turns out Tallulah is part American Staffordshire Terrier and Beagle amongst other breeds.  Am Staffs are one of the breeds known collectively as "Pit Bulls".

My little Ernest T. Bass is also Am Staffie and who knows what else.  Because I have not had his DNA tested yet.  I can't decide whether it is better to know and put expectations on him or to not know.  You know what I mean?

Anyhoo, here are some even newer photos of Ernest T. Bass wearing his new fun dress-up collar and carrying his Big Bone around in the front yard.  Oh yeah, that's Mr. Big Ed with him.

Enjoy!

Is that just about the most handsome puppy you have ever seen?  Aaah, a man and his dog.  And get this, that Big Bone?  Ernest T. has been carrying it around for 18 months.  It was his Christmas gift a year and a half ago!  Here is what is interesting; Ernest T. eats everything.  He has an oral fixation you can't believe.  He has eaten about 12 beds, and every toy he has ever had.  But not the Big Bone.  He carries it proudly and shows it off to everyone.  His head goes way up with the snout pointing up in the air when he has his Big Bone in his mouth.  And that tail just flaps aways like a whip hitting you if you are anywhere near it!  So happy and proud is he with his Big Bone.

Now why on earth would he NOT eat the rawhide bone and yet eat 12 beds?  Not good planning if you ask me, Ernest T.!  Oh, and I do not buy him any more beds.  Mr. Big Ed felt sorry for him not having a comfortable bed inside his dog house or in his night time kennel so he bought him two blankets at Goodwill for Christmas this year.

He ate them both already.  I really do heart my Pet Bull.

T.V. shows 2010 Part 8

There is almost nothing on t.v. right now due to all the fabulous May season finales.  However, I have managed to find a few goodies.  Some are new, so listen up!

Here is a new show that is just the most different thing out on the airwaves.  Or wherever t.v. comes from now.  Top Shot is on the History Channel.  You know, that channel that is 99% WWII all the time?  Well, they have broken out of that and have their very own little reality/elimination show.  And guess what?  It is hosted by none other than . . . .

COLBY DONALDSON

Would you just look at that handsome Texan?  Isn't he a doll?  And just because I am nice like that, here you go!

Honestly, if he hadn't been cast on the second season of Survivor, I don't know how that show would have fared.  He brings the looks, the charm, the charisma and also honor and ethics.

I like Colby.  (His latest Survivor performance not withstanding, he is still the kind of guy you look for on that show).

So, anyhoo, Colby is hosting this show.  It is all about testosterone, guns, weapons of all kinds throughout the ages, and skill and mental acuity.

Sunday nights, History channel, be there, you won't regret it.

Another new show I found is the OCD Project.  I think it is another of the fine, high-quality programming we have come to love from VH1, like Tool Academy and the Flavor Flav show and the Bret Michaels show.  But this one has some new Dr. that is NOT Dr. Drew.  Who knew there are other therapists out there besides Dr. Drew?  Since Dr. Drew is on Sex with Mom and Dad, 16 and Pregnant, Celebrity Rehab, Sober House, Sex Rehab, etc., etc. it is hard to imagine a show without him!

But the OCD show has some other Dr. and he is a no nonsense kind of guy.  He actually LICKED THE BOTTOM OF A SHOE to prove a point to these patient/contestants/whatever they are.  And since most of them have issues with germs and contamination, you can imagine their response to seeing THAT!

The Tudors - is coming to a close.  Ol' Henry VIII is not aging well.

U.S. of Tara - season is about to finish with yet another new alter of Tara's coming to light.

Breaking Bad - I think there are a couple more episodes of this season here as well.

That's about it till Big Brother starts up.  In the meantime, don't forget, DO NOT FORGET, Friday at 9 a.m. central time is the first of the Fifa World Cup games!  Starting right out of the gate with Mexico vs South Africa.  Woo Hoo!!  32 teams in 32 days.  Don't miss it!

We are heading out right now to go buy a Brazilian flag.  Our tradition is to fly the flag of the team we are cheering on the days that they are playing.  Typically, we root for Argentina, Brazil and Mexico.  And we need a new Brazilian flag.  So off to the soccer store!

Feel like a hummingbird

Yes, I am feeling like a hummingbird. Just flitting from topic to topic.  Hither and dither.  My brain couldn't just settle on one thing to discuss, so here we are.

Firstly, o. m. g.  Did we have a thunderstorm come raging through here last night or what?  Wind, hail, sideways rain, thunder and lightning like nobody's business!  We were without power for a couple of hours but nothing major.  The power company said on the news that 190,000 were powerless after 9 separate transformers went down.  Check out this link to the local news site where people sent in their photos of the storm.  Of course, these are all amateur shooters, but they are good pics nonetheless.  I am going to go out and check out the neighborhood and see what all was tossed about in the wind.

Do you iron?  I do.  I iron a lot of things.  I like, no that's not right, I really love the smell and the feel of freshly ironed sheets, pillowcases, tablecloths, napkins, most anything made of cotton or linen.  I even buy ironing water to give my sheets a light fragrance.  Here's the thing, I was throwing away multiple cans of spray starch and Magic Sizing (whatever the ingredients of that product are!) every week and put my foot down and said "No More Cans!" This was years ago, by the by.  So I started buying the liquid concentrated starch stuff and mixing that in a spray bottle and that worked pretty well.

But then when we started moving and globe-trotting as ex-pats it was not convenient to haul big gallon jugs of concentrated starch around.  And I found that many places still sold the old school starch in a box that you cook and then use.  Do any of you remember this?

One of my most vivid memories of my childhood is coming home from pre-school or 1st grade and it being ironing day.  My mama would have the big pot of starch cooked and the smell just perfumed the air and the clothes were starched and sprinkled and then rolled up so they wouldn't dry out too quickly.  She used an old over-sized glass coke bottle with a cork stopper that had a little sprinkler head on top to sprinkle the clothes with water.  And then when the hot iron hit those clothes with the starch, well that is just about the best and cleanest smell in the world.  I love this starch.

So this is what I have been using all these years.  When I was living in Mexico they also sold a box of Niagara starch and I had several of these that got pushed to the back of the pile.  And recently, I was running low on starch and started checking out all the local stores.  No one had any, and I repeat, ANY little aqua boxes of starch!

Then I had to start looking online.  And wrote to Faultless and to Niagara both to ask where I could get my beloved little box of starch.  You know what happened?

They both wrote me back.  Shocking, isn't it?  And the Faultless people sent me the nicest really long really informative letter as to what happened, why there is no more box of starch.

I kept searching and found the Argo people, yes, those same ones that make your regular corn starch you cook with, have laundry starch.  It is available through Lehman's and Amazon.  So I ordered a box of starch.  A box, meaning a case.  A case of 24 boxes.  Enough to last my lifetime.  My kids may inherit a box or two of starch, is what I am saying.

I will report back after I make my first batch with this new brand and let you know how I like it.  I better like it with as much of it as I have!  This new stuff better be really good if it has a chance of replacing the memory of my Faultless.

R.I.P. little aqua box of Faultless starch.  I will miss you.  Something that was around on the shelf at home and at every grocery store all of my life is gone now.