SRS, we periodically run our DW with vinegar to dissolve the mineral deposits that stain things here.

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I just got off the phone with the nice man who takes care of the roads around the spring, next county over, that we have needed to visit since snow closed the hunting-camp roads-- they are not maintained unless someone is wintering up there, and this year no one was. My funeral-director colleague over there (a friendship that began in my Red Cross days and has since been cemented with recent funerals) didn't happen to know how the particular road I was concerned about might be now that Mid-Thaw is on. This VERY manly-helpful township guy actually offered to take a ride up there in his 4WD, and call me back to let me know if our van can safely navigate the ice and/or mud and/or bad ruts on that steep hill that is the best way to get up to the spring-- so water-jug-filling can't be far off, yeeHAHHHH! (Apparently he was in the mood to he'p a lady out and take a sunny ride this afternoon.) My favorite part of the chat was when I described the exact spot in pictures and he totally knew exactly where I meant-- the shorthand between people who actually live here year 'round? As opposed to the leaf-peepers (tourists).

Another reason we stay here-- people live close to the bone and don't put on airs, and "neighbor" each other so well. I'm grateful we enrolled in the program! :~)

~Susan