declaring war on bad smells and making a useful thing

We've had a few icky odours around here lately. A feline entity (not necessarily his Lordship Mr Furpurrson, although he would be pretty high on the suspect list) has been occasionally urinating somewhere in the hall way, not enough to leave a wet mark, but enough to make us wrinkle our noses in the morning, and sigh when we arrive home from the great out doors. I've been sprinkling baking soda on every inch of carpet, leaving it for a bit than vacuuming it up. I think it's worked, for now. But I also think I've developed a very low tolerance for bad smells. Either that or dog turds around Cobden are having a population explosion (and yes I checked my shoes and those of my immediate family).

Dining table clutter has been another of my adversaries. Progress is being made, I have won todays battle if not the war. I have made some very rough and ready seat covers (only covers the backs) with pockets in them to stash each persons reading material or whatever it is they leave littering the table. That way lone diners can pull out a stash of mags etc. to keep them entertained, but if we are eating together it can all be off the table in an instant.

The adults chair version I made out some curtain fabric remnant, and the pocket is made from and old cloth nappy I had done a heliography experiment on. The kids chairs are the perfect size to use teatowels :-) and I happen to have more than a few in my stash.