A MONTH LATER THE CARPET STILL SMELLS and WE'RE STILL CAMPING OUT IN THE LIVING ROOM and GOING THROUGH OUR CLOSETS

It's true.  New padding has been laid, the carpet has been reattached to the tack strip, but we still think it smells.  We're going to get one more carpet cleaning.

In the mean time, slowly, very slowly, we are rewashing all our clothes.  The fans that dried the carpet spread a lot of dust. 

We went through our closets, trying everything on, and decided to donate a huge box of clothes in good condition to our local hospital.  We found out that many of the people who go there HAVE NO CLOTHING TO GO HOME IN!  Some of them are homeless.  Some had their clothes cut off of them in an emergency situation and just don't have any family or friends near enough to bring them clothes.

And we are not going to ask for a tax deduction either.

DON'T YOU JUST HATE STORES THAT SELL CLOTHING and HAVE NO DRESSING ROOMS ?

Don't know about you but in my neighborhood stores have opened that sell clothing inexpensively. And if you're broke or you don't make much money yourself, the only options for clothing are stores like these, and thrift shops and garage sales.

This inexpensive clothing is usually sold by first generation immigrants - Chinese - Russian - Armenian - who buy clothes in the garment district (where there are reportedly still illegal immigrants - even slaves - sewing the clothes). THEY HAVE NOWHERE TO TRY ON CLOTHING and a NO RETURN POLICY. It stinks.

But maybe worse are the thrift stores that also have no try ons and no returns.

You can't really save money if you buy clothes that turn out not to fit.

CHECK THOSE GARMENT LABELS ! ELEANOR ROOSEVELT DID ! WILL MICHELLE OBAMA WEAR AMERICAN DESIGNERS ? !

Click on the title above to get to the ELEANOR ROOSEVELT NATIONAL HISTORICAL SITE article on the International Ladies Garment Workers Union and the importance of checking those labels before you buy clothing.

Now readers, if you want to feel bad about yourself, go to your closet right now and see just how many garments you own were proudly made in the United States of America!

And here's a tip for Michelle Obama, First Lady of our Nation! Ms. Obama, you had better be wearing AMERICAN DESIGNERS, AMERICAN FABRICS, AMERICAN ZIPPERS AND BUTTONS! That's A FASHION STATEMENT !