The description of mom and dad sounded so much like my parents, how well I remember them doing things just that way. I remember when paper towels were first on the market and my mom was visiting me, I was busy wiping up something and throwing the paper away. She said that was wasteful and expensive, I should just use old "rags" and that would be better. I could use themand rewash them. I thought that was so silly! Then when I started using zip lock bags , I would wash them out and reuse. My daughter in law thought that was stupid. There were lots of things we should have learned from our parents and didn't, and now it is too late. But for my friends, I consider you all "keepers". It's funny, but I have shared things on here that I havne'T even said to my neighbors.