Friday Foolishness - April 5, 2013

 For several years now Mom has made flannel bags filled with deer corn that's been sifted clean. They're all different sizes. Most of the ones I have measure 5" x 7". Some are made of three 5" x 7" sections to cover a larger area.You know the kind of thing I'm talking about. You put it in the microwave for a minute and when it comes out apply it to sore and aching muscles. She's bought me a fancy one filled with lavender, but I like the ones she makes better.


Isn't this one pretty? She uses all different fabric prints. Bright and flowery. Countrified. Checks and plaids. Outdoorsy. Mom's pretty creative.


She first learned about corn bags when she gave blood for her own surgery (cancer). The hospital where the surgery was conducted allowed patients to come in prior to the operation and, over a period of time, have the  blood withdrawn and stored. Cool, huh? That way you know you're getting clean blood because it's yours. The phlebotomist put one on her wrist to bring up the blood vessels so it wouldn't hurt so much when they drew blood. Mom's veins aren't the best. I'm told that chemo does that -- and all sorts of other fun stuff -- to your body.

OK. OK. I'll get to the point... right after I circle this here mountain.

I've used these corn bags for years. Big ones. Small ones. Huge ones (draft stoppers for doors). As foot and hand warmers. Tucked up under the covers at the foot of the bed for warmth on a cold winter night. Sore backs. Sore knees. Sore neck. Sore shoulder. To wrap in a blanket and put with the new puppy so it doesn't feel so alone. I suppose they'd make great 'toss bags' if  you wanted to set up a game of bean bag for the kids in your back yard. You get the idea. There's a size for everything you can imagine.

So after all these years I figured I'd 'bout used them in every way possible. WRONG!

Right now I live in a mobile home. I say right now because I'm at the top of a waiting list for a cabin that (crossing fingers) should become available this Spring/Summer. This is a pretty nice mobile home. It survived the 'not-hurricane' that hit the area last summer with nary a scratch. But it's still a mobile home.

We installed a wood stove this Fall because the heating bills were so outrageous. Although outrageous to you and outrageous to me are probably two different things. I've heated with wood for so many years that any time my utilities (electric AND gas) go over $150 in the Winter I get angry and start closing rooms off and dressing warmer. So it's finally warm here. Averaging 70-75 degrees most of the time.

But it's still a mobile home. It's unusual in the fact that the owner believes in preventive maintenance and has done extensive work to preserve its structural integrity. For example, not only do the pipes have insulation and heat tape on them -- the crawl space area is insulated.

But it's still a mobile home. The heating duct-work runs the length of the house. Cold air moves through the duct-work up to the floor vents. You can put a rug over them but in a house with animals (or children) how long do you expect that to last. Or now with Spring fast approaching and the wood pile running low, using the gas forced air as a back-up is a certainty. Still the wind outside when just right can cool off a house faster than you can say 'lickety-split'.

This Winter we discovered that one of Mom's corn bags was just the right size to cover the heating vent and block all that cold air. It's even big enough that the animals leave it alone. Another purpose for the now infamous Corn Bag. Thanks, Mom. I ♥ you.