Shop Till We Drop

I try to tell my mother not to hate Saturdays. It's really not the Saturday that we hate anyway, it's the running around we do all morning and afternoon. There was so much running around today that we didn't get home until 1530 (and mom usually leaves for my grandmother's at 1630).

She got a folding bike of her own, and we had to add picking it up to our Saturday shopping ritual. We got home so late, we weren't sure we would get a chance to ride even a little. But, we did! We left the groceries on the kitchen floor (they're all in bags, it's ok!) and took a quick twenty minute ride. Then we got home and put everything away.

I'm spending the evening making soap. I've learned that little batches are best because it solidifies so quickly. And that I can't just use a bowl to heat the base, it has to be something with a pour spout otherwise it makes a big mess. I was hoping I could use that little trick that I learned in chemistry; put a stick across the top and the liquid will run down the stick. Not so with soap! I guess it's too heavy. But, now I know.

I made some facial soap for my mother and I. My mother has a bar for sensitive skin; olive oil glycerin soap with oatmeal. I have an olive oil glycerin with dried sea kelp and an essential oil blend. I will say, not even strong essential oils improve the scent of sea kelp! It's not a bad scent, and it's really not that bad in the soap, but nothing I can add to it can overpower it. That's ok, at least I know!

Sometimes I feel like I should be cackling over a cauldron or something!