Go Dutch

Sept. 9 marks the anniversary of my return to the States after serving as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Netherlands. I served there for about 16 months and learned a lot about myself and other people. I loved learning the creative and industrious way the Dutch people live.

What have I done since I returned 6 years ago? I married, graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Exercise Science, moved 8 times, held 7 jobs (one as short as 1 day (my client died the day after I started) and as long as 2.5 years and counting), visited 10 different states and 5 different countries, and certified as a Lifestyle and Weight Management Coach. Sounds busy.

So the toilet paper thieves have struck my home. We'll call this thief Simon. Simon leaves empty toilet paper roles on the holder. Occasionally, this makes for uncomfortable circumstances when one is in need of such paper. In my busyness this week, I decided to prevent Simon's doings further.
My experience in the Netherlands taught me that all bathrooms, or rather the WC, need 3 things above and beyond the toilet itself. Each WC contains a toilet bowl brush, a birthday calendar, and a spare paper roll holder. Generally these were lacy, fluffy white, beribboned contraptions. Not to break with tradition, but I didn't want lace, so I repurposed my old pants to do the job. Time to find another busy project.

Hup Hup Holland!

And a second try, this time with part of a dress.

The onion wrapper

My wish for a vegetable brush has increased to the point that I have actually looked for one. Amazing that someone like me would actually buy something out of normal weekly groceries. It's true; I don't like shopping. 

But today, while at the local whole foods store, I checked out their selection of kitchen gadgets and, lo and behold, found various good options. Wood, plastic, colored, seemingly limitless possibilities. One nice red one was priced about $3.50. Fine, lovely, except that it was just an onion sack with an elastic around the top to keep it on your hand. Brilliant, but am I really going to pay someone to package and name my onion sack scrubber? No, I'm going to go peel my onions out of the sack and scrub. No assembly required. Sure, it may fall apart after a few uses, but by then I'll have a new sack of onions. This way, I won't have to wonder how to clean it when it turns green and smells like the socks that haven't seen the light of day for a few weeks after the gym. I can just toss it and get another. Thanks for the inspiration you packaged, elastified little scrubby!