No Southern-fried Southern boy wants to be called a Yankee, but we share the characteristics of shrewdness and thrift. Thus, each month we include a money-saving tip. It’s OK if you call me “cheap.”
This is actually a Steven Johnson trick, but I’m pretty sure he gave it to me because he knows I’m constitutionally incapable of throwing anything away.
I’m known for quite a few quirks, and one of them is that I want all of the socks in my drawer to match. That way, I don’t have to worry about pairing them, I just reach in the drawer, grab two, and I’m on my way. It requires purchasing quite a number of pairs at a time; otherwise they don’t fade at the same rate and thus won’t match.
Grab and run. Every sock in the drawer matches and they all fade and age at the same rate. When the bottom wears out, it becomes a polishing rag, finish application rag, or cleaning aid. Rotate your stock,” as they say at the grocery store, and they mostly wear out at the same time, too.
Steve’s sock tip is: “Cut the elastic upper part of an old sock, put it over your wrists to span the area between a glove and your cuff, especially handy when installing insulation.”
First the shirt, then the roll up the elastic part of the sock, put on the glove. Now, span the connection between the shirt and glove with the sock by rolling it out. Add tape if it makes you feel more secure.
If that boy sticks with me I might be able to teach him something about frugality!
Jim Randolph is a veterinarian in Long Beach, Mississippi. His earlier careers as lawn mower, dairy farmer, automobile mechanic, microwave communications electronics instructor and journeyman carpenter all influence his approach to woodworking. His favorite projects are furniture built for his wife, Brenda, and for their children and grandchildren. His and Brenda’s home, nicknamed Sticks-In-The-Mud, is built on pilings (sticks) near the wetlands (mud) on a bayou off Jourdan River. His shop is in the lower level of their home. Questions and comments on woodworking may be written below in the comments section. Questions about pet care should be directed to his blog on pet care, www.MyPetsDoctor.com. We regret that, because of high volume, not all inquiries can be answered personally.