Another blog I’m following; another friend I met while he was volunteering at CARE. Steve doesn’t include pictures but writes vivid descriptions of places he visits and sights seen.

Not that a few raindrops would hurt me, I came in to have a cup of coffee and upload these pictures. It’s a pleasant 82 degrees outside, cloudy with wind, and a sprinkling of rain. The weather report says this condition will last most of the week so this is my perfect opportunity to clean mold and mildew in the tiny teardrop trailer. I started by standing (hunched over) in the extreme back, sponging white vinegar on the culprit. “Oh no, we’re going down!!” So I needed to use the tool and lower the stabilizers. It’s looking better where I have swiped white vinegar–but I have a long way to go.

Read Rome wasn’t built in a day, Mold in T@B–part one, and Mold in T@B–part two.

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I went searching T@B Teardrop Travels for a specific picture of my T@B during a rain storm–with a rainbow arched down, touching the T@B. **Oops!!** I did not document my trip, in March 2010, to Be In Health, Thomaston, Georgia.  Too busy getting ready for the move from Shelby, North Carolina. Well, those pictures are probably lost forever because my former laptop computer crashed, and my backup system was flawed.

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Having to use the air-conditioner–in early May–is a new experience. Every time I turn on the A/C, I start counting the dollars!! Even with the oscillating fan, the indoor temperature was higher than outdoors. I was uncomfortably warm while reading!!

The day after… and I’m glad and sad. I’m glad I went through weeks of frustration–with TracFone–so I still have service on my “old” phone number. The phone call from my son was on that precious little (seldom used) instrument. I’m sad that two other sons did not call….

There’s an old saying: “When you have daughters, you have daughters for life. When you have sons, you have sons until they take a wife.”  I often wonder how life would be if my daughter had lived. During recent “travels” (via blog messages) I found this earlier epistle: If Roses Grow in Heaven.

…to me!! My sons, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren are missing out on irretrievable blessings. IMHO, I’m a pretty nice person to know!!

Happy Mother’s Day to all my lady friends who are mothers, grandmothers, and great-grandmothers!!

Postscript, eleven AM: Oh joy!! A long phone conversation with my middle son!!!

Check my T@B Teardrop Travels four years ago. Then read A Day in the Life of Lorraine.

Reading about my experiences in 2010 makes me nostalgic!! Will I travel again??

I was in Orlando, Florida, at this time in 2011.

Read about After the T@B Blue Ridge Rally (2012).

 Yes, I’m “travel sick.” ~~ Similar to “homesick,” but “travel sick.” ~~ Will I travel again??

Speaking of “sick,” I traveled back to 2009 (figuratively speaking) and read this blog dated May 9th.

Just for laughs, read my blog post for May 11, 2009.

No, I’m not eating in the dining room. I do not like their highly processed, highly over-cooked food!! I’m eating a great BIG salad: avocado, beets (cooked), bell pepper, cabbage, carrots, flax seeds, green onions, organic Spring greens, tomatoes, and fresh range-fed Araucana (chicken) boiled egg–with all natural Balsamic Herb Vinaigrette dressing. (I choose to believe Araucana eggs are nutritionally superior…. These came from a near neighbor.)

Much as I hated to, I had to turn on the air-conditioner. ~~ Too hot to work in the T@B. ~~ I’ll spend the afternoon reading a book I purchased (yesterday) at Habitat for Humanity: Anatomy of the Spirit by Caroline Myss. (Searching the web, I find she has her critics. I’ll judge for myself. People who embrace allopathic medicine usually find fault with holistic health. I have critics!! Not a week goes by that someone [in my very small world] challenges me about my eating habits. Most.. carry around a lot more fat than I do!!)

…and the T@B won’t get clean overnight. I’ll document the labor as it happens.

Today I work (as a volunteer) at the local Habitat for Humanity thrift shop. This would  be a good day to clean mold and mildew because quite cool (67 degrees at 7:45). We had a severe thunder and lightning storm last night and two-fifths inch of rain in the gauge. I just took mealworms to the feeder and the Bluebirds were there almost immediately. Magically, one of my frost-bitten struggling mark-down plants has a bloom.

Procrastinate no more!! Mentally and physically, I am not up to this task!! But someone’s got to do it!! Where are those little elves that made shoes while the cobbler slept??

I’m Too Young to Be This Old! ~~~~ Specifically, this blog prepared on Friday, May 9th, 2014, 1:00 PM.

Specifically, this blog prepared on Friday, May 9th, 2014, 7:00 PM. 

The following is just a portion of an article titled

Practical Sailor tests 14 mildew stain removers….

There are numerous products that claim to prevent or remove mildew. Sodium hypochlorite, or bleach, can kill fungus and mold spores if used correctly. Less-toxic chemicals like ammonium chloride are less effective at eliminating resistant molds but are less harsh on fabric and humans.

Once mildew appears, Practical Sailor recommends first trying a mix of mild soap and water to remove the mildew. The second line of defense is a chlorine-free mildew cleaner. Because some materials—like vinyl and stitching—can be damaged by repeated exposure to chlorine/bleach, it’s always a good idea to try removing the stains with less aggressive cleaners first (no chlorine or low chlorine). If that doesn’t work—and the material being cleaned isn’t affected by chlorine—try a more potent chlorine-based cleaner or a solution of 10 percent household bleach and 90 percent water to spot clean the stain; rinse thoroughly with fresh water and dry the area.

Some chemicals that eliminate mildew are considered pesticides, and may contain chemicals that can be harmful to people, animals, or the environment. For this reason, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Pesticide Programs regulates pesticides in the United States to protect public health and the environment. Typical pesticides found in mold and mildew removers are chlorine and alkyl ammonium chlorides. These are known as fungicides and can be very caustic, ruining some fabrics or stitching, and harmful humans.

Conclusions

Your best defense against mildew is prevention, but once those black stains appear, act fast. To avoid the possible damage that repeated exposure to harsh cleaners can cause, try to clean the stains first with soap and water, then a non-chlorine product.

Testers’ favorite bleach-free cleaner in this test was the Spray Nine. A top performer with the best price, Spray Nine also notched Budget Buy honors. Another top chlorine-free cleaner was Nautical Ease.

If the mildew problem is too tough for mild measures, advance to a diluted bleach-and-cold water solution—usually the cheapest approach—or a chlorine-based cleaner.

The hands-down top performer in this test was the bleach-based Klean-Strip. It stood out from the rest of the pack, easily cleaning the vinyl cushion and making a significant impact on the life jacket. It’s thePractical Sailor Best Choice for cleaning extreme mildew stains, but with caveats. This is a highly concentrated product—it has 19 times more sodium hypochlorite than common bleach—so be sure to read its label carefully and be selective about what surfaces and materials you use it on. We do not recommend using it undiluted for cleaning sails or fabrics.

Reading the safety precautions on a product label before using a cleaner is a must. Many will recommend wearing gloves and eye protection.

My preference is a natural product; I found these web sites: The Thrifty Couple, and Thrifty Fun.

The suggestions (on the web) are numerous: Home Guides Natural Mold & Mildew Remover, and Green Mold & Mildew Remover.~~ Some of you will remember that I am extremely sensitive to odors (cigarette smoke in Shelby, NC, and moth balls in Waxhaw, NC). I **know** I must approach this project with caution. (I recently purchased products for a homemade cleaner.)

Have you seen the movie “Shadowlands”?? I watched it last night, for the first time (on VHS tape). The box advertises that it is “The year’s most extraordinary love story.” It continues: “Based on a true story, C.S. Lewis is a world-renowned writer and professor. Unmarried, he leads a gentleman’s life filled by intellectual pursuits, remaining untouched by any great passion until he meets Joy Gresham.  …Lewis must confront a terrible truth that a heart awakened to great love is also opened to great pain.” ~~ Yes, C.S. Lewis that wrote The Chronicles of Narnia and other books.