Thursday, July 7, 2011

Family Night--Bottling and Labeling


I am devoid of humorous quips...probably fatigue after adrenaline overload...rushing around, checking email, ordering another ph tester and cucumber cedar for the shower gel...

It was my eldest's birthday, and boy we whooped it up last night... I will let the pics tell the story. The captions will quote the commentary that was accompanying our glorious birthday activities. After a fine meal of country ham, grits, and slaw from Caro-Mi (besides their oil, they give us their empty vinegar jugs for soap), my brood set out to disappearing into crevices and dark caves, trying to hide from my agenda--bottling and labeling some soap. Well, thank goodness Liz and Lindsey were around to assist with the "artistic" and fine motor skills requirements.

Even though I haven't really "launched" my products yet, I keep making soap and filling bottles. I'm like Kevin Costner in Field of Dreams, where Kev doesn't really understand why he feels compelled to plow over some good corn and build a baseball field in the middle of a nowhere-Iowa-cornfield. Even in the face of financial ruin, he still keeps spending money on his plan and taking the family further into debt--all on feelings, signs, omens, voices. After a while, even his once-supportive wife begins to question her husband's sanity. Get where I'm going with this? I just feel like if I make the soap, people will want to clean with it. I can't explain it--the universe has conspired, the stars have aligned, the time is now... I am waiting for James Earl Jones and his booming voice to jump on my bandwagon and take the journey with me. Well, I know how it turned out for Kevin. He built it and they did come. However, James Earl isn't with me, but this evening I did have some help.

Oh yeah, the pics...




Liz said, "It's better to make more than you need, just in case."
I thought, "If I label them, they will come..."





Eldest states: "This would be more fun if we were bottling moonshine."
I replied, "I've got enough stress without adding helicopters and
surveillance."





Lindsey announced: "...I've got a headache. I will finish the other poster tomorrow."
Husband retorted from the living room: "Where's your work ethic? You teenagers today..."




Here's a visual of my husband's work ethic...he scares us
with it. But, we all benefit from it. I'm getting a new
soap fire pit this weekend while I'm at FENCE in
my tent, waiting for the people to come.




Eldest announces: "The 3rd rule of production from the
"Code of Production Handbook states: 'Acquire currency,
disregard the females.' " It is his 22nd birthday and he's celebrating
heavy now. There is no moonshine around the house, sad...
The goggles are overkill; my soap is non-toxic, no sulfates, no phosphates.
Our dog lapped some up from a bucket today.

Oh, the pics...





Product lining up. Eldest, full of himself as usual, instructs
the us to "improve our transportation
and communication." We are laughing quite loudly
now because we've got a slip and slide thing going from all
the water and soap on the concrete garage floor. Notice
the jug with the yellow cap: Waffle House is giving me
their empty syrup jugs for WARHORSE soap. I'm using what's out there.
The ladies and gents working there are getting ready to
receive a reciprocal-thank-you-Kind soap-delivery for
their recycling, container contribution. Just bottled some
orange mint concoction, and it smells pretty good.



James Earl Jones hasn't appeared yet to encourage
me on this soap journey, but last summer I did see this double
rainbow while fishing with youngest on Lake Blalock. Could it have
been the sign?





Also, last summer I was in the Rockies, trying
to see if I could make it "where no woman had gone before."
Husband does this hike yearly, with gear and bow in hand, looking
for the majestic elk. Ultimately, the only voice I heard from the
mountain was
"Suck it up, nose bleeds are common at this altitude.
You said you could do this."
Ya'll got that mental picture of the
small, rusty oil drill thing from Kansas, right?
It was prodding
me along to the summit. I love that oil rig.





Well, about 10:30 pm last night, the soap packaging slowed to
a lull, and things got sloppy...the brood disappeared back into
the crevices and dark caves. I decided to redeem myself
and finally get around to using the garden bounty and making
my famous salsa--loads of garlic and fresh limes. So, when
my crew drags in , they can dive in the big bowl and think, " She still
likes us, even though we don't
see her in the kitchen much anymore."
I could have named my soap
The Good Wife Soap, ya know?

No comments:

Post a Comment