Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Cuz the Water in the Hood is Always Hard

SSG is heading out on a little vacay in a few weeks.  And even though she's staying with her sister, got a good deal on a plane ticket and will be required to wear only t-shirts, track pants and flip flops while she chases her niece and nephew around, she STILL feels guilty about spending money that's not tied to absolute necessities.

(What's so funny?  Grey Goose Lemon Drops ARE SO necessities.)

So!  SSG decided to follow Suz Orman's advice and become fiscally responsible by not eating out for a month and taking one day off a week from spending any money at all.

But instead of a month, it will be like 3 weeks.  And instead of not eating out, it will be more like not eating LUNCH out ... and instead of saving for retirement or toward 8 months of expenses in a high interest bearing savings account, the money will be used to sustain SSG and her sister's age old pact ...

SSG does NOT have to change any diapers as long as she buys her sister Starbucks each day.

Since SSG's gay boyfriend, Predo, was out of town last weekend and the Bobs weren't coming into town until Sunday, she decided Saturday would be the day she didn't spend any money.  And instead of lounging around on the couch all day watching reruns of How I Met Your Mother, she decided she'd clean ... and only spend HALF the day watching the comic genius that is Neil Patrick Harris.

Cleaning was the perfect idea because SSG has had this little problem with her shower head recently.  Instead of delivering a steady stream of water throughout its hundreds of little holes, SSG's shower has chosen to deliver water through only 5 holes.  One of which shoots SSG in the eye every morning, two others aim for the ceiling, another manages to cover her entire bathroom floor in water leaving only one anaemic stream to rinse out shampoo from SSG's hair.  Which now takes approximately 2 1/2 hours (ya'll have SEEN her yearbook photo).  SSG can now be the first girl to, legitimately, use the excuse that she can't go out because she has to stay in and wash her hair.

But when SSG went and opened her cupboard last Saturday morning, she realized she didn't have ANY cleaning supplies.  After a few minutes of wrestling with whether or not she should run to Target for cleaning supplies because cleaning supplies are a NECESSITY.  As is a new CD.  Oh yeah and that cute shirt!  And ohmahgah VALENTINE'S DAY stuff!  She decided that she should try and use ANYTHING that was already in her house.  Because Target for SSG is kind of like crack.  One step in that place and gone are her next three paychecks.  And before you know it she's turning tricks to fund her magazine, pajama and matching shower curtain/bathroom accessories habit.

Wait.

Where was I again?

OH YEAH.  

So THAT is when SSG learned about the genius called VINEGAR.  

After doing some online research about homemade cleaning products and finding out that they all involve either vinegar or baking soda, SSG ran downstairs to her kitchen cupboards.  And after sifting through the twelve bottles of flavored vinegars most likely recommended at some point by the Food Network, she found a lowly little bottle of plain old vinegar WAY toward the back.  Right next to a box of baking soda that still had packing tape on it.  Packing tape from when she moved from San Diego to Portland.  Five years ago.

SSG got down to business and whipped up a few recipes from vinegartips.com.

And that's how she ended up with what looks like a condom on her shower head.



But peeps!  It worked!  A little bit of straight up vinegar on that bad boy for a few hours and SSG's shower is now fully functioning.  

And her bathroom only smelled like a salad for like, two days.  

15 comments:

BOSSY said...

Nice! Bossy wonders if she wraps herself in a vinegar condom if she'll get all shiny and new, too.

FB @ FabulouslyBroke.com said...

Vinegar, lemon juice, hot water and baking soda are pretty much staples in every household because they'll solve almost any problem!

Fabulously Broke in the City

"Just a girl trying to find a balance between being a Shopaholic and a Saver."

Molly said...

I bow to your ingenuity in the face of certain Target temptation.

I made the deal with my sibs that if Aunt Molly didn't get to have kids, she wouldn't change diapers. And said kids didn't come for overnight stays until they were fully functional in the bathroom. The first few (there are six) are there and we are having FUN!

Unknown said...

I am so proud of you! And I loved the title of your post ;)

N.W.A.? Easy E was my boy! C'mon...give me something harder than that! LOL

and you are so being environmentally proactive!

Marlene

Rhi said...

The sad thing is, I only have Balsamic OR Red Wine Vinegar, so I probably could not do this.

Bella Della said...

I went to two Targets on Saturday. Sorry. I have a problem. Hey, it's better than three- we have done that before.

I've tried that shower trick before and it does work. Love cleaning with vinegar.

Candy said...

That is an awesome tip! You're like Heloise or something. I'm very impressed with your resourcefulness.

Cool Breeze said...

That's a good idea.

I tried something like that before, but I got tired of holding a bowl up there after about 10 minutes. I'm such an idiot.

Look at you. Bossy was your first comment? You go girl ... wait did that sound too gay?

ab said...

I love it! I just checked my cupboard and do not own a single drop of regular vinegar. But I do have the red wine, apple and 3 different kinds of balsamic. Hmmm...I believe a trip to Target is in order. For vinegar. Yeah.

And can I just say, I too moved here from San Diego 5 years ago. I swear I'm not stalking you.

Bob said...

Way to go, Bob! I've used vinegar to clean the coffee pot.

While at the coast this past weekend, I saw a sign for 'Bob Creek'. I nearly crashed the car with excitement.

HalfAsstic.com said...

Well, first of all it's good that we don't have to worry about any little baby shower heads running around your place. I mean you can't be too careful..right?
Secondly, I was whizzing through the first part of your post and, apparently, going a little too fast and read "homemade" as "lemonade". This caused me some consternation until I went back and re-read.
Oh, they opened a Target less than half a mile from me... I am SO SCREWED!

Anonymous said...

Wait. BOSSY????? YAY!

Target is the Devil....

Frita said...

I'm going to have to try it... I wondered what that smell was...? :o)

Your house was super sparkly!!

Predo said...

You are so busted! You dated McGyver, didn't you!!!!

Lys said...

Predo - get outta my head?!?!?!

SSG, you have too many tricks up your sleeve *LOL*

I'll be making sure that the vinegar is at the forefront as I reorg. the house today - however, what can one do to fix crappy water pressure?