Last night we decided to go visit the church building with no one in it and see if the new carpets had outgassed enough for me to contemplate attending meetings again. I also wanted to see if the new, more eco-friendly, cleaning supplies were being used. I have not been in our building since the new carpet, upholstery and countertops were installed the first part of March.
As soon as I walked in, I could smell the carpet, but it was faint, so we went looking for the new cleaning supplies. Sure enough, they are using the more eco-friendly products. They aren't the products I recommended (and found were available from the distributor), but they are certainly much better than what was being used previously. We couldn't find the new hand wipes (or any hand wipes, for that matter) that we were told were being ordered for use at the sacrament table, so maybe those haven't come in yet.
We were in the building for all of about ten or fifteen minutes, until I just had to get out due to the smell. I went right home and took an antihistamine and some extra strength Tylenol for the headache I could feel coming on. It was a little discouraging, but I am encouraged that the new cleaning products are being used. This is one of those experimental small (very small) buildings with the chapel in the middle and a hallway all the way around (which makes a great race track for toddlers during meetings) and very small classrooms. It has very poor air circulation, with little or no exchange with outside air, and the windows are never opened, so it could take a really long time for the carpet and upholstery to outgas. The other building here in Helena has even newer carpet, so attending church there is not an option either.
Fortunately, I was able to attend church one week in Virginia in an old brick building that was anything but airtight. So I guess my church attendance will be restricted to visits out of town. Sounds like a good excuse to travel to me.
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it was our turn to clean the church the week after I returned from Idaho--
it was also our week to feed the elders--
I had had such a challenging time in Idaho (father's funeral, etc.) that I prepared the meal for the elders and went to my room; I felt badly not to come into the kitchen and wave at them as I usually do and smile and encourage them, and they kept asking about me, "Is Sister S. ALL RIGHT?"--
*sigh*
but elders CAN be stinky, and it doesn't matter how many times I tell them I have MCS, they just smile and keep wearing the same smelly things. Fortunately, missionaries are usually less than fresh about supper time--unless they are really "dandies"--
*hee*
so, we went to clean; I used the vacuum cleaner; I can't handle ANY of the cleaners--
i was very fatigued, so it didn't last long--
I walked around the building, curious as to how different rooms would affect me--
and the new stake center addition, recarpeted JUST before we moved here 6 years ago--
STILL SMELLS BADLY--
still . . .
often when we go to clean I will open all the windows, but I just didn't care this time; that may be selfish of me, but I got my new recommend in May, and I see no point of going back to the stake rooms--
pragmatic, aren't I?
*blush*
but still smelly after 6 years?
*sigh*
How can they endure it?
The rest of the building must have better circulation, because it's not that bad--
at any rate, I am able to handle it, if the priests are considerate . . . (since my organist is very thoughtful and since I sit way back behind) . . . up on the stand, behind the organ, leading the singing--
*sigh*
such a fuss . . .
it's hard for me even to wrap my mind around what it was like in the "olden days" when I went to every dinner, every activity, EVERYthing--
hard to imagine what it was like to feel safe and comfortable doing all those things--
the little old church in which my father's funeral was held, an old building, was also quite safe-feeling to me--
a great blessing--
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