ACTUALLY SUNDAY, AUGUST 7

HOW TO DEODORIZE A HORSEBLANKET

While we were doing laundry a week or more ago, the woman who ran the laundromat taught us how to deodorize a horse blanket. She'd worked that laundromat for something like eight years and was highly conversant in the art of cleaning fabrics.  Her default position on many of the most difficult problems was this: vinegar and Oxi-clean. Works even on horse blankets, many of which she has cleaned, de-smelled, and personally hand-delivered to many a satisfied customer. The key is in the proportions, and here's her formula:  one teaspoon of Oxy per quarter cup of vinegar, in a load of wash. To JUST DEODORIZE, add the Oxy and vinegar to enough water to fill a common spray bottle, then spray it, then air it.

Try this on yer next smelly horse blanket. We think you'll be pleased. Incidentally, that laundromat lady gives lessons every Saturday afternoon. 

It's been raining nearly nonstop for several days now.  So we spent Saturday night at the glamorous Mooseberry Inn, near Willow, which is near Wasilla, which is near Anchorage.  The Mooseberry was tricky to find. We got the reservation via Expedia, but kept losing the cellular connection to write down the address or phone number. Drove up and down through Willow several times, thinking it had to be within sight, as virtually all motels are, of the main highway ( and Willow is TINY).

Anyway, long story short, we finally found a spot with cellular reception, got the address (Buckingham Palace Road, not lying), and phone number. Called the motel, got directions.  Still couldn't find it because it turned out to be a bed and breakfast place inside a regular looking house.  

The room was fine, and the hostess, one Maggie with a thick German accent, was most hospitable and did whip us up a four -star brekky. Strawberry yogurt, spinach and bacon omelette, pancakes, orange juice, coffee, tea, and Maggie's life story were all presented in generous portions. 

Maggie still goes back to Germany annually to see her "mudder," as she pronounces it.  Owns three different B & Bs  in Alaska, all several hundred miles from each other. Two. Grown kids, a grandchild or two, and a husband who is an "all-around handyman" currently supervising "above ground " operations at a gold mine somewhere.

Also fished for a half hour or so that evening, at a nearby pond. Caught nothing.