Good news, bad news dept.

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The good news — I turned in the layout for our United Way campaign brochure this morning, a project I was worried about completing before the trip.

The bad news — Yesterday, I sent a rude, know-it-all e-mail to one of my teammates and I still feel bad about it. We had a disagreement about some plans related to departure. I sent her an apology yesterday and still haven’t heard back.

The good news — Thanks to timely reimbursement from LEAMIS for some previous expenses, and a generous and unexpected contribution from my Sunday School class, I was able to buy some last minute trip essentials yesterday and will be in good shape as far as spending money for the trip.

The bad news — Wal-Mart apparently doesn’t carry mortar-and-pestles. (Mortars and pestles?) Neither does the neighborhood health food store, nor Eckerd drugs. I want one for the trip so that we can use it to grind up lavender as a fragrance additive for soap. (Some domestic soapmakers now seem to use coffee grinders, but that does me no good when teaching rural Kenyans.)

  • http://gaddabout.blogspot.com Matt

    Hey John, by teaching Kenyons to make soap, won’t they end up with waste that is both toxic and highly explosive? How do they dispose of that? Hopefully not on neighboring tribes …

    God bless you and those you serve on your mission and return you safely!

  • http://lakeneuron.com John

    I’m assuming Matt’s comment was tongue-in-cheek. Combining lye and fat to make soap does not, as far as I know, produce any byproducts other than the soap itself. When you wash out your utensils and containers, the wash water is somewhat alkaline, and must be treated carefully, but it can be poured down the outhouse with no ill effect. (Lye is, after all, sold as a drain cleaner!)

  • http://gaddabout.blogspot.com Matt

    Hey John, by teaching Kenyons to make soap, won’t they end up with waste that is both toxic and highly explosive? How do they dispose of that? Hopefully not on neighboring tribes …

    God bless you and those you serve on your mission and return you safely!

  • http://lakeneuron.com John

    I’m assuming Matt’s comment was tongue-in-cheek. Combining lye and fat to make soap does not, as far as I know, produce any byproducts other than the soap itself. When you wash out your utensils and containers, the wash water is somewhat alkaline, and must be treated carefully, but it can be poured down the outhouse with no ill effect. (Lye is, after all, sold as a drain cleaner!)

  • http://wildfaith.blogspot.com/ Darrell Grizzle

    I got a mortar and pestle from one of those high-end yuppie kitchen shops, the kind that sell pasta makers and coffee grinders. I looked around Atlanta for quite a while before I could find a store that sells them.

  • http://wildfaith.blogspot.com/ Darrell Grizzle

    I got a mortar and pestle from one of those high-end yuppie kitchen shops, the kind that sell pasta makers and coffee grinders. I looked around Atlanta for quite a while before I could find a store that sells them.

  • http://www.writers-edge.info Georganna Hancock

    I have a mortar and pestle. I’ve worked with lavender most of my life. Use lavender oil. Or a hammer and a rock. Or two rocks. I’d think that grinding lavener would waste most of the fragrance, smearing it on the instrument and container. Perhaps a lesson in distilling would be more useful, if they have access to the herb. Good luck! Stay safe. Blessed be.

  • http://www.writers-edge.info Georganna Hancock

    I have a mortar and pestle. I’ve worked with lavender most of my life. Use lavender oil. Or a hammer and a rock. Or two rocks. I’d think that grinding lavener would waste most of the fragrance, smearing it on the instrument and container. Perhaps a lesson in distilling would be more useful, if they have access to the herb. Good luck! Stay safe. Blessed be.

  • http://www.gryfalia.com Kristi

    If you have a Bed, Bath & Beyond, they should carry them, or any gourmet kitchen store. I think World Market also has some.

    Good luck on your trip and have a safe, blessed time!

  • http://www.gryfalia.com Kristi

    If you have a Bed, Bath Beyond, they should carry them, or any gourmet kitchen store. I think World Market also has some.

    Good luck on your trip and have a safe, blessed time!