I Don't Even Really Need One, But Now I Have Two

There are definitely some things that put me on the fringe.

I took forever to get a cell phone. I remember working on consulting in the late 90s and going out to lunch with the guys on my team. All five of them would put their (identical) cell phones on the table when we got to lunch. There was a blank spot near me. And I was totally cool with it. I finally got one in maybe 2001 or 2002.

And now we have no landline and haven't for the last seven years. I'm funny that way. And umm no, I don't know how to text, and I have a phone that pretty much lets me call people. I will admit to beginning to lust after some of the cool phones with cool applications, but ... not yet.

When I graduated college and moved on my own, I purchased the usual staples of a new housekeeper. I had a vacuum, a kitchen table, a sofa, a bed, and the other usual odds and ends. But I had no microwave.

I cook. I like to cook. And at the time I had a tiny galley kitchen that had no spare counter space. Even after moving to places with larger kitchens - and yes, that became a criteria), I just didn't see the need for one. I don't like the texture of most reheated food, so I tend to eat leftovers cold. I don't eat microwave popcorn or microwaved ummm meals. Why bother?

Several years ago, a friend of mine offered to teach me how to make soap. I'd seen some of what she'd done with the cool colors and shapes and scents and such, and I was thrilled to learn. Can you tell that this was back when I was single and childless and had this thing I think is called free time?

As she was on her way (she fortunately lived very far away), she called to confirm that I had everything she needed to teach me to make soap. I did, and began to get out the measuring spoons, the liquid measuring cup, spatulae, and molds. I placed the newspaper on the kitchen table and set up drying racks.

Once she arrived, she unpacked the supplies she'd brought, broke apart the soap into the liquid measuring cup and walked into my kitchen. She walked around and around again. I watched her in silence.

"Ummm, where's your microwave, Michelle?" she asked.

"Uhhh, microwave?"

"Yeah, I need a microwave to melt the soap."

Apparently no, we couldn't just do it over the stove because she had no idea how to do that without ruining the soap. Soooo we packed up everything and headed to Target where I bought a microwave (the cheapest one I could find - this hobby was quickly becoming more expensive than I'd anticipated).

Once unpacked and plugged in, the microwave did its job melting the soap, and we got down to work. I learned how to know when the soap was melted, how and when to add dyes and scents, as well as the fun glitters and other powders available. We made soap to keep us clean for a year.

It was really easy, and we had a blast.

I debated returning my microwave after that, knowing that I could easily figure out how to do the soap on the stove, but I couldn't bring myself to return something that had been used, however briefly.

I haven't made soap since shortly after Mister Man was born, but I do still have most of the supplies needed, and someday I'll teach the wee ones. I see this as a great birthday party one day for Little Miss.

And that microwave? Well, it's down in the basement in the room that I will someday make my craft room waiting to melt some more soap. I can't quite bring myself to get rid of it.

That doesn't mean that we're completely without a microwave though. When we moved into our house, although the previous owners stripped all the cable and stereo wires from inside the walls (sadly, I'm not joking) they left behind a microwave that nicely matches the kitchen. It keeps great time on my kitchen counter now. Plus, it's a great shelf for those things that I just can't quite find a home for. With cabinets only a few inches above it, it hides the mess nicely.