Anyone who

knows me or reads this blog,  knows that I am a mess in the kitchen.  Actually, I probably shouldn't limit that comment to the kitchen.  Let's just say that I make a big mess anytime I am cooking or working on any project.  And usually it is not limited to the one room the project originates in.

Anyway, as I spent the day yesterday cleaning up from the cupcake class, I was reminded of a comment Tiffany made in August.  While we were cooking in the kitchen she said, "Mom, I'm proud of you.  I've noticed that you haven't left any paper towels (wet ones, dry ones, messy ones) in the sink or laying around on the cupboard." 

I laughed and told her why I was reformed in that aspect of messes.

Gary is the Ward Clerk in the ward, and because he has a lot of papers to deal with, he was always rustling through them during Sacrament Meeting.   It was distracting and noisy and was taking away from the reverence of the meeting (along with really annoying me).   After being annoyed by it enough, I called him on it.  His response was, "Ok, I'll quit doing that if you'll quit leaving paper towels on the stove and in the sink and on the cupboards."

Fair enough.  I took the challenge.

And the result is:  He doesn't rustle papers in church any more, and I don't leave paper towels around anymore.  And Tiffany even noticed.

I guess we should use that kind of bargaining power (or is it competition?) more often.  It gets results.