November 19, 2016 – Murphy’s Law 

          I came in late from work and am still in my uniform. [White starched dress shirt, black bow tie, black vest and black dress pants.]  I re-heat in the microwave some homemade spaghetti sauce which has pieces of Italian sausage in it.

          I am actually too hungry and too tired to take off the white shirt and get into casual clothes for the rest of the evening.  Knowing from experience white shirts and homemade sauce don’t mix; I say to myself, ‘I will be extra careful’.

          I am down to my very last bite and my precious Jasmine, my calico cat, jumps on my lap for kisses.  Well, that last sausage jumped off the spoon and right onto my white shirt.  UGHH - MURPHY’S LAW.

          The damage is done now.  Now, I have no choice, I have to take off the shirt, and work on it with detergent to see if I can’t get the red stains out.

          The label says “No bleach”.  WHAT?  How is that possible as it is a cotton shirt?  Okay, Okay, I work with the kitchen dishwashing detergent.  Nothing happening, I then plaster on some of that pre-wash stick stuff and I will attend to it in the morning.

          Next morning, I wash just the whites and before I toss it in the dryer I check the shirt – WHAT?  The scrubbing and the pre-wash didn’t make a dent in that stain.

          So, can’t wear it as it is and I do have bleach in the house.  I took a touch of bleach with water and dabbed at the stain.  Nothing.  Excuse me. What is in our homemade spaghetti sauce that makes it a permanent dye?

          I mixed more bleach with a bit of water – still nothing.  However, the bleach action on the old toothbrush I am using to scrub is making the toothbrush look clean; I am wondering if I shouldn’t put it back in my medicine cabinet for use; but the diluted bleach won’t touch that stain.

          Next I try straight bleach and hard scrubbing.  It will either ruin the fabric of the shirt or take out the stain.  But, with a stain, I cannot wear the shirt.  I also add a slather of laundry detergent on top of the full strength bleach before it is washed again.

          That irritating beep, beep, beep, alerts me to the wash being done.

          AHH . . . more like it, not only is the stain gone from the front of the shirt, but the slightest ring around the collar has also disappeared. So, why does the manufacturer not want you to use bleach???  I guess they want your shirts to get dingy without using bleach that way you just buy a new one when they get dull?  I guess, built in obsolescence is a possibly.

          I go to toss it in the dryer . . . WHAT?  The overhead light in the mud room suddenly goes out?  I step into the kitchen and find no digital lights showing on coffee pot, stove, or microwave.   Electricity has gone out? A Friday afternoon at 1:00 p.m. on a clear day and the electricity goes out?  Now that is Murphy’s Law again.

          I will have to hang up the shirt to dry instead.

          Next item on my agenda . . . vacuum.  HA HA HA, no electric, no vacuum.

          I guess I will run errands instead.  

          At my favorite dollar store, where I pick up best seller hard back books for $1 along with inexpensive bathroom shower cleaner, I spot a wine glass that has snowflakes and reindeer on it.  It is cute.  I see only one of its kind in the mix of Christmas season wine glasses.  I stroll around the rest of the store looking for more.  Hopefully, there will be a second one in the glassware section.   NOPE.

          So, buy it or not?  Yes or NO?  It’s cute.  I’ve never had a seasonal wine glass and lately, I’ve been having a little bit of red wine with dinner.

          If I don’t buy it and they get more in, by the time I come back, they will be down to just one again . . .  If I buy it, then only I can enjoy the moment. And, when I come looking for another, they will have not re-stocked.  Is it a one-glass "should-I-or-shouldn't-I" moment?  NO – It’s Murphy’s Law again.  That’s thrice in one day.

          I throw caution to the wind and buy the solo glass.  Maybe that will break the cycle of Murphy’s Law.