Mrs. NH and I are expecting the 4th member of our family in February. The lead up to that occasion has caused me to reflect on some of the ways our life changed way back when were expecting Little NH a few years ago. I remember the biggest bummer for me was that I had to take a more active role in house cleaning. Mopping floors was a more physical activity that Mrs. NH convinced me wasn’t advisable in late pregnancy. That I could handle. But I also had to switch from Mr. Clean, Ajax and 409 to vinegar, baking soda and vodka. Well, maybe the vodka wasn’t that much of a stretch. But I preferred it in a glass, not on a sponge.
The reason we did it didn’t have anything to do with the environment. Instead, it’s the feeling you get on your hands after scrubbing a counter with 409. I don’t know about you but after using that stuff I always washed my hands. With vodka, I don’t have to. Yeah, I may smell like a martini but some of you know that’s commonplace anyway. I’m not as big of a fan of using vinegar but Mrs. NH uses it all the time to clean fruit and vegetables. Finally, I’m struck by how well baking soda works on a dirty tub. It requires no more elbow grease than Ajax and you don’t end up smelling like a pool after you use it.
Sure, I’m sure our mom’s did plenty when we were in the womb that didn’t totally deform us. But if stuff works this well and is considerably cheaper, why shouldn’t we use it. Not to mention, if some sort of natural catastrophe hits, you’re going to have a hard time pickling anything in Mr. Clean, much less kicking back with a tumbler of 409.
NotHemingway 
You’ve come a long way man…….I Guess?