Maggie didn’t have “running water” in her house. Not at least as we know it today. But she did have the next best thing. She had her water pump on her back porch just off her kitchen. A very convenient location for that day. She didn’t have to tread the meadows behind her house to the creek that ran along the woods. Nor did she have to walk out into the yard to the pump or the well. She just went out her kitchen door. How much more convenient can you get?

Well look at our lives today. We turn on the faucet and hot and cold water come out. Do we ever question that? Do we ever think of how convenient that is? Only when we don’t have it.

Our apartment was recently without hot water for 17 days. Even though Maggie had a convenient water source compared to most people in her day, I’m certain that the water coming out of her pump was not hot. She had to boil water for everything that she did – washing dishes, cooking, bathing, laundry, washing cloth diapers for her babies and grandbabies. I experienced just a small portion of her life the last 2.5 weeks that we were without hot water. And now I wonder how did she do all that she did? Our house was a wreck the entire time. I just couldn’t stay on top of even the most basic things. Dishes, cleaning – everything became harder. I found myself thinking about Maggie a lot these past few days and admiring her even more. And I’m especially thankful that hot water now comes from my tap. What an innovation that we take for granted.

Recipes:

What sits next to your kitchen sink? Dishwashing soap? Hand soap maybe for cleaning all those sticky fingers that run around your house?

What if I told you that you could use one to make the other?

Here’s how.

foaming hand soap

Foaming Hand Soap:This is easy and cheap. Less than .10 cents per bottle.

First you need a foaming soap dispenser. If you don’t already have one buy a bottle at the store and use up the soap that is in it. When it is all gone fill the bottle half way with water. Then add about 1 tbl. of dish soap (any brand will do). Add bit of olive oil, coconut oil, almond oil or whatever other oil you have sitting in your pantry if you want to make it a bit more moisturizing, but this is optional. Then add 5-10 drops of your favorite essential oils for their disinfecting and antibacterial properites and of course because they smell good. I like lavender, lemon, lime, orange, etc. But my favorite combination so far is cedarwood with geranium. Ahhh. Smells so good. And when you find that your four year old has just used a whole bottle of soap while playing in the sink while you were getting her brother and sister down for their naps you won’t worry since it only cost you .07 to make. 🙂 Let me know if you find a good scent combination that you like. Enjoy!

These are a few of my favorite things…
Cotton-lined Dish Washing Gloves