If I may vent a moment about shrink wrap. It now seems to be used for everything and a more non-user friendly device was never invented.

Although I stream music to my phone all the time, I listen to CDs in the car. (I drive a very old car. Besides a CD player it has a tape deck – no kidding!) So I tried to listen to the new CD of Fallout Boys. I couldn’t get the plastic off! With Arctic Monkeys, I managed to get my nail in the plastic and peel it off. The cardboard case opened like a book and the CD was in one sleeve. But Fallout Boys I had to take the package inside the house, slit the plastic with a knife and then cut those little sticky things that hold the OTHER case closed.

Really? (she said snarkily.)

Now lets talk about the plants that come swathed in shrink wrap. As most people who know me, and I count the readers of this blog in that number, know, I am a pretty passionate gardener. Why do they come in shrink wrap instead of straw or something like that? There is nothing more frustrating than getting out to a section of the yard and discovering the plant cannot be put into the ground because it is tightly covered with shrink wrap. I have sometimes been reduced to trying to cut the shrink wrap with my teeth. (Not a good plan, by the way.) I now have set up a little tote bag with scissors and gloves. I try never to forget the bag and now I am thinking of adding secaturs – which are like stronger scissors.

I guess the next step is a belt like the medieval housewives used to wear with keys, scissors and everything else they might need.