typealice

29 Dec, 2008

I’m Tired of Snot

Posted by: typealice In: Daily

My poor sick boy :(

We’ve been sick with a really rough cold for close to two weeks, and Ash just caught what Clive and I had on xmas day. There is SO much mucus. I’ve never seen this much snot come out of such a small nose. And then there’s the coughing and then the whining that comes directly after. I bought $20 homeopathic nasal congestion water at Shopper’s the other day, simply out of desperation. I call it “magic water” to Ash, but it doesn’t do a damn thing. I just hope he gets over it faster than I have.

Xmas was nice. We had our own little family gift opening and breakfast eating thing in the morning. Ash got a couple of Plan Toys vehicles from me, and an atrocious plastic jeep from his dad. Clive seemed excited about it, so I kept most of my displeasure about it to myself. All the money I spend on plastic-alternatives goes down the toilet when he comes home with that. Sigh.

Clive bought me a new camera. This is five cameras we own now- but this one is great because it’s small and can fit into my purse, which is the point of it. I hate carrying around the Rebel. We were going to upgrade our Rebel to the next in the series (it was on sale at Future Shop for $449 for Boxing Day), but decided against it because I realize that I’m not as thrilled with the Rebel as I want to be. I’m not sure if we’d be able to sell our old Rebel for $500, which is what I’d want to do if we were going to upgrade.

I bought Clive two lift tickets and rentals to the local ski slope (a very small mountain) so that we can have a day away from Ash. We had a lot of fun when we went on a river rafting trip this autumn, so I know it’s going to be fun. As long as I don’t break anything. I haven’t been skiing in more than ten years.

***

Last night I built a light box using a tutorial I found online. It works well- I don’t have enough small lamps to light it really well, so it takes some manuvering with a lamp in one hand and the camera in the other, but the outcome looks better than any other pictures I’ve taken.


Zipper pouch

Zipper pouch

Zipper pouch

Here’s the lightbox itself: it literally cost me $2 to make- tissue paper and a piece of bristol/poster board.


Homemade light box

***

Anyone have any guesses to what this brown sludge could be that’s coming out of our walls in the bedroom? It’s fucking disgusting and smells awful and has ruined a mattress of ours that was up against the wall (I hadn’t noticed the sludge until it stained the mattress). Could it be tar leaking out of the walls from years and years of the previous tenants smoking?


WTF is dripping down our walls?

16 Responses to "I’m Tired of Snot"

1 | Amanda

December 29th, 2008 at 12:22 pm

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My walls do the same thing. Ive always been under the assumption that its “sweat” as it only shows up after i shower (and oddly enough in a room other than the one I have been showering in)

2 | Krissa

December 29th, 2008 at 12:49 pm

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It could be tar – it could also be mold. I would alert your landlord that, since you are paying out the (snotty) nose for rent, this needs to be taken care of IMMEDIATELY – whatever it is, it is clearly of Satan and needs dealt with post haste.

3 | Ashley

December 29th, 2008 at 2:45 pm

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I bet it’s nicotine! We the previous tenants smokers? That shit does disgusting stuff….

4 | Amber

December 29th, 2008 at 4:00 pm

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That definitely looks like it’s from the previous tenants smoking. I washed down the (supposed to be white) walls at a former house before painting because the old owner was a smoker, that was the color that came off.

It’s nasty, nasty stuff.

5 | Danielle

December 29th, 2008 at 5:33 pm

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What model is your camera and will you be selling it just as the body alone, or with any lenses?

6 | busybee

December 29th, 2008 at 5:38 pm

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A little bit of smoke comes up in my bathroom through a space under the tub from the tenants below us, we get the same yellow on the wall when any moisture hits it.
I agree, it is absolutely disgusting, especially to a non-smoker.
We clean it regularly with straight bleach and water. I hate using bleach, but it’s the only thing I feel cleans the disgusting grime off the wall. Unfortunately, it never seems to fully stop it, it appears like magic again.
Blaugh.

7 | typealice

December 29th, 2008 at 5:48 pm

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My landlord says:

I washed all of the walls and bought a very expensive primer sealer to go on the walls to get rid of it. Unfortunately, I hired someone to paint your flat and they must not have put on the primer in that room and the closet. I’ll have to repaint with new primer sealer.

And she also says that it’s not mold. Which I guess is good… but this is all seriously annoying and disgusting. Do you know what a fucking nuisance it’s going to be to have to move EVERYTHING out of our BEDROOM so she can repaint? Just having to deal with naptime is annoying.

Danielle: We have a Canon Rebel xti, with the basic 55mm lens.

8 | angellee

December 29th, 2008 at 8:57 pm

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I asked my parents who used to work in construction, they said it is probably tar from smokers. Your landlord may not have used TSP (Trisodium Phosphate) to mop the walls before painting on the primer. I’ve painted over wallpaper and not had that problem, though no one has ever smoked in my house.

A friend of mine also said she had the same problem with her house because her grandfather is a chain smoker.

As for “expensive” primers, Kilz would the job, I would think.

9 | Jamie

December 29th, 2008 at 10:58 pm

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try a warm bath and throw in a mint tea bag…anything with eucalyptus (sp) works wonders too. I swear by it with my kids.

10 | Jamie

December 29th, 2008 at 11:05 pm

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Oh…have you tried using Oxi Clean…that works excellent and isn’t too harsh. I know you generally dislike eco unfriendly cleaners…BUT if you want to rid yourself of the tar…either oxi clean or diluted ammonia mixed with dish soap will work wonders. However if you use the ammonia I would reccomend getting ash out of the house for a while.

11 | kristen

December 30th, 2008 at 6:46 am

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If it is nicotine staining, it NEEDS TO be de-greased with something like TSP and then sealed with at least two coats of sealer-primer before painting. My entire house was so bad when we bought it that your hand would stick to the wall in some spots. You could see where every bookshelf and picture was. I brought over every smoker friend I knew to show them what their lungs looked like. Good thing I love the house as much as I do because man, that stuff is gross…

12 | typealice

December 30th, 2008 at 6:50 am

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I’m betting that it is nicotine staining… the room reaks of old cigarette smoke. I guess my landlord will come in over the weekend and repaint. I’ll pass on the TSP advice to her. Thanks, everyone!

Also, thank you to the bath tip, Jamie. I’ll try that tonight. I think we’re headed to the clinic today because he hasn’t stopped crying all morning. I’m wondering if it’s progressed into an ear infection.

13 | Jen

December 30th, 2008 at 2:48 pm

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Yup – nicotine for sure. You could also use that as a reason to break your lease with no penalty. You know, in case you need one.

My mom swears that Vicks Vapo Rub on the feet will work every time.

14 | typealice

December 30th, 2008 at 4:57 pm

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Jen: snopes says it’s a myth.

I’d love to use it to break my lease- but really? How would that work? She’s agreed to repaint etc… I’m not sure what the rules are about breaking leases without penalty.

15 | Nicole

January 1st, 2009 at 10:00 am

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G,

Do you guys have a humidifier?
Pick up some eucalyptus oil, use about a tsp diluted in the same amount of water your machine runs with. If you dont have one, you can boil pots of water on the stove or do the good ol’ bowl full with a towel over your head.

ps. That nicotine sludge is disgusting!!

16 | typealice

January 1st, 2009 at 10:17 am

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We do have a humidifier (the nicotine sludge got much worse when we used it for a couple of days, so now I don’t want to use it anymore :( )…

Maybe I’ll use it when he’s awake and just stick it in the livingroom instead. Thanks for that tip!

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I'm Gillian, a world-traveller turned natural parent. I believe in primal parenting; breastfeeding, baby wearing, cosleeping, cloth diapering, elimination communication, vegetarianism and all things natural. I have very strong parenting views. There's nothing better in my life than my days with my kid. Also: sushi and sweet white wine, skinny jeans and black tshirts, torrents and sugar.

My sustainable accessories company Pip Robins keeps me busy in the evenings.