Past Pull Dates

We are almost ready to go! Today I worked at cleaning out our refrigerators and pantry. I'm trying to get things in good order for our house sitter, Cindy. I put on my highest magnifying reading glasses, entered the kitchen, and went looking for pull dates. First, I hit the refrigerator upstairs (we also have 1 in the garage). I couldn't believe that at least half of the bottles of condiments, salad dressings, oils, etc. were at least a year past the pull dates. The oldest one I found was a large bottle of barbecue sauce that was 3 years past date. Ugh! I tasted it, just for kicks, and it still tasted fine. My 2 year old olives were yummy, too. I still threw them out. I don't know where we've slipped up. I'm very careful to check pull dates when I buy food. I even trained sons Cliff and Phil to do the same. Perhaps we have old things in the refrigerator because our sons with great eye sight no longer live with us. I need to be more conscientious about marking my items with the date of purchase and circling the pull date with my sharpee pen. Someone always seems to walk off with it, though...

I got to thinking about other things I own that ought to have pull dates. Bras definitely. My sewing friends have lectured me recently on the life expectancy of bras. Rotary cutting blades and sewing machine needles always should be replaced or pulled more than they are. Larry's favorite night t-shirt and Larry's favorite orange down jacket are past pull date. The bed pillows that we replaced last summer were 10 years past pull date. It's easy to go on and on. I'm trying to live in a green way, but some things just have to go. Husbands and friends, though, are not on my list!