Lessons Learned in the Basement

My aunt Iris and her husband moved more times that I can remember and it seemed like every time they packed and moved, fewer things went along to the next place. Yes, they might be replaced -- or maybe not. I was thinking about Iris as I put my basement back together after the mold removal. I was an only child raised with parents who "collected," and I think doing so must be in my gene pool. 

With my aunt Iris, several years before she died.

As I was putting things back together, I began to wonder if that was a good gene to have!

Everything Mold Is New Again

The mold remediators have come and gone -- and it was quite an ordeal. They sealed off the basement with a huge hose going through the family room and out the window, tackling one half at a time. It took the whole day (and I'm amazed it was so fast.) When done, the basement looked like a different place. They not only did the mold work but they also took off all the cobwebs that had grown in place. 

Polishing Copper with Catsup -- Does It Work?

One of the things I learned when I visited the Lavender Hill Farm -- and the thing in the post that so many readers commented on -- was that they cleaned their large lavender still with catsup.

They also mentioned using lemon and salt, which I had done, but the catsup was new to me -- and to you, too. So, I decided to try it!