A Tale of Turmeric

The last time I was at the health food store, I decided to get some fresh turmeric. I've never been one who has used turmeric much (if at all) before, but I had recently purchased a couple of cookbooks and one of them had turmeric in several recipes. There was also a recipe posted at the health food store for turmeric and ginger tea. So anyway, I decided to get some. I scooped out several scoopful into a plastic bag and took it home.

So later that week, I decide that I should probably transfer the turmeric from the plastic bag into a glass spice jar. So I got out the bag and the jar. I looked at it for a minute and thought about getting out a small funnel, but I decided that I could just angle the plastic bag into the jar and then I wouldn't have to get out anything else, etc.

Bad idea.

So, of course, the turmeric spilled. On the counter. On the linoleum floor. I tried brushing it off the counter into the bottle and ended up getting it on my hands, and spilling more of it on the floor. I also spilled a little on my left foot, but I was wearing clogs at the time, so at least it wasn't all over my feet, right? I finally managed to get most of the turmeric in the bottle and I went to go wash my hands.

OK, I know i had heard that turmeric could be used for dying purposes, but you'll be glad to know that I know this for a fact now.

The turmeric came off my hands - slightly. There was still a definite yellow tint. I tried to wipe up the floor and the counter. Same yellow tint left behind. And same with my foot. Well, I figured I'd try again later with a little bit more soap, but I was running late for my meditation class, so I just hopped in the car and headed over there.

I got a quick glance at my face when I got out of the car and I had yellow on the left side of my face. Great. Thankfully, I had baby wipes in the car (yes, my "baby" is 6, but you never know when you might have turmeric on your face and need to wipe it off.) and I was able to get most of it off. I slipped my shoes off for meditation and noticed that not only was the top of my left foot a little yellow, but in between my toes was yellow too. Great. And my fingernails were yellow too. Great.

So after meditating (and trying not to think about how much of my body and kitchen was dyed yellow during meditation) I came home and tried to deal with the kitchen. I don't usually use Magic Eraser, but every once in awhile, it is just the only thing that will work to get a stain out. So I used one on the counter and got most of it off. There is only a slight tinge if you are looking at it in just the right way.

Then I started working on the floor. And after repeated scrubbings, and trying a few other things, I gave up. It is permanently stained. At least it is just linoleum. And at least it is just in a small area. And at least my kitchen is closed off from the rest of the house so hardly anybody besides me will ever see it.

And 3 days later, my fingernails and between my toes are still yellow, but everything else is pretty much gone. I haven't decided if I'm going to actually use the turmeric now or just toss it. You know, before I end up dying myself all yellow. Just call me Big Bird. Well, since I'm only 5'3", I guess that would be Little Bird, right??