We have a cold going around our house right now.  I thought I was going to avoid getting it but no such luck.  I took some medicine which temporarily relieved my symptoms but now I feel jittery.  I was about to give up on writing until I realized I could ask another good What Would Grandma Do? question.

In my initial list of challenges, I included that I would like to use less toilet paper.  With cold season upon us, I may have found one way to reduce my use.

Whenever my kids have a cold, they grab a roll of toilet paper and carry it with them to use for blowing their noses.  At the end of the day, the various trash cans in our house are filled to the brim with bunches of used toilet paper.  The little poofs of white paper collect like clouds, and I find myself smiling because they remind me of my kids.  It is one of those endearing moments I never would have understood prior to becoming a parent. 

However, when toilet paper is unavailable, my middle son is prone to using the front of his shirt to wipe his nose.  Although the toilet paper clouds are much cuter, the t-shirt method is probably a step closer to how my grandparents would have handled a cold.  My grandparents did not use disposable tissue paper or toilet paper to blow their noses.  They used hankies or handkerchiefs.  I did an internet search in an attempt to find a picture of a handkerchief to use for this post.  Most of the pictures I came across showed a handkerchief being used as a fashion accessory and not for blowing one’s nose like originally intended. 

My dad and his father, my Grandpa Pickies, both still use hankies to blow their noses.  Even though I usually use toilet paper or Kleenex to blow my nose, I have never really thought it was gross that my dad and grandpa use a hankie.  I actually get a warm, fuzzy feeling whenever I see a blue handkerchief like the one my dad uses because it makes me think of him.  Strangely enough, I seem to have lots of fond feelings associated with the act of blowing one’s nose! 

I cannot be the only one who associates good memories with one of the most basic of human functions.  I am willing to bet some of you have your own stories to share!  And so it is your turn to tell me your best hankie stories.

What did your grandparents use to blow their noses?  What do you use?  Would you be willing to switch to using a handkerchief in order to use less tissue or toilet paper?