Utterly Putterly - New Use for Insulated Beverage Container

It is the simple things in life that can make you happy.

I like cucumbers. I especially like to pickle them. But, occasionally, I'll keep one cucumber to make snacks and salads. But, one drawback is cucumbers don't keep long and you can't freeze them.

While I try storing them in the vegetable bin, it just seems they go bad too quickly.

On 5/28/20, I got a big beautiful cucumber (.415/kg, 43.50 / 18.05).

After a day or two, I made a small cucumber salad and some snacks.

Now, here I was with 3/4s of a cucumber I wanted to save for more snacks, salads or pickles. Could I find a way to make it last longer?

So, on 5/31/20, while I was washing dishes, I washed out a insulated souvenir beverage container. I sighed. Like many souvenir mugs or beverage containers, I did not often use this container. Do I give it away? No use keeping things you don't use.

Hmmm, would this hold the remaining cucumber? Would it help keep the cucumber fresh longer? Let's try it.

It works. So far, so good, been eating fresh cucumber snacks for two more days, now, and the remaining cucumber is still fresh.

I love the fact the container is compact and does not take up too much space in the frig.

More Puttering Bliss

I fixed my first zipper.

Zippers are an interesting invention. But, if they break, they can be a bear to fix.

When the zipper "broke" on one of my backpacks, I put it in the sewing pile. 

I am always optimistic that I can fix things. Eventually, a lot of my "to be fixed" items go in the trash because I can't sew or repair much of anything.

Well, during the COVID19 Shelter-in-place, I had much more time on my hands. So, I decided to try and tackle fixing the zipper.

The top of the zipper had torn away from the base and the little zipper handle came off. The zipper teeth had fallen open.

So, using tweezers, I pushed and pulled the two ends of the zipper back into the handle into their respective slots. Then, when I pulled the handle down, the zipper teeth closed up.

I stitched the zipper base and the top of the zipper teeth tightly together so the zipper teeth would not separate, again.

I saved the knapsack!

Also, while I haven't learned how to make deodorant, yet, I did find a way to stretch a container of deodorant.

I buy men's deodorant because they come in larger quantities for about the same price as women's deodorant. You can find men's deodorant in pleasant scents.

But, I think deodorant containers are wasteful. They don't contain much deodorant and come in hard plastic containers that end up in the trash.

When I reached the end of a deodorant container, I decided I needed to figure out a way to extend the life of the deodorant, if I could.

So, I took the container and ran water over the top while I rotated the ball applicator. 

Then, I shook the container to slosh the water around, hoping to salvage some remaining deodorant.

It worked! I think I have almost as much deodorant as when it was new.

A Puttering Passion

I use a lot of yogurt.

Here in Mérida, yogurt comes in a variety of sizes from small snack cups, to the popular 8.5 oz drink size, and to larger container sizes.

(Popular brands in Mérida: Yoplait, Danone)

I had a persistent problem. Often, I do not use all the yogurt in the 8.5 oz bottle and want to restore it in the frig. The little aluminum cover often tears, so it doesn't not work as a lid.

I have been looking for lid alternatives for years.

 I found one, today.

I use a cough syrup that comes with a cap you use as a measuring cup for the syrup. It fits perfectly as a yogurt lid.

 Hurray, for Puttering Passion!

While I save lots of plastic containers, I am not advocating for a lid for this yogurt. If you ever watched the film, Albatross, it really makes one want to eliminate all plastics.

Uh Oh, just one search for yogurt brands in Mexico and down the rabbit hole I go.

It makes me think of Yogurt Wars, whose brand makes it to the store shelves?

Found a recipe for making Yogurt that I can try.

The Junk Drawer and the Fine Art of Puttering

After being prematurely retired, I downsized significantly and moved to Mexico. Two years later after acclimating my new environment. I rented a one bedroom furnished apartment.

Among the pieces of furniture that came with the apartment was a large wooden bureau with four big drawers, one large shallow drawer and two small drawers. Because the bed had several large storage drawers for personal items, I did not need the bureau in the bedroom. So, I moved it into the living room/dining room area to use as a sideboard for linens and kitchen items.

I made one of the small drawers a junk drawer. Nothing says home like a junk drawer.

My junk drawer holds spare light bulbs, batteries, spare key chains, odd keys, guarantees for purchased items, rubber bands, nails, screws, pens, broken items, and other odds and ends.

Most people have hobbies. Many like sports. Lots of people are artistic and make crafts and such. I like to putter. I find it relaxing. I go around my home and determine if the furniture is in the best position.  I go through the drawers and sort and rearrange items. If there are items I know I will never use again, they go into a barter box.

I examine the rooms to see if there are items that need repair. Today, I sorted through my junk drawer. I found a broken corner from a stone paperweight. I found the glue and repaired the piece.

Then, I went though my closets, I found a colorful handbag and decided to hang it on the wall for decoration. I found a pair of pants I meant to mend. I made the repairs and now have a “new” pair of pants. I also found a little horse statue that was a gift from my mother; I moved it to my bookcase for display.

I sorted through my earrings and separated those that I use often, those I hardly wear --holiday and special earrings, and broken or single earrings. I repaired one pair of earrings and found a pair to put in the barter box.

In addition, my puttering makes me feel organized. It also reacquaints me with my belongings. Sometimes, I call this process “shopping in my closets” because I find things I forgot I had and might have purchased, again. So, I save money.

All in all, these few hours were relaxing and profitable.