Aired May 28th, 2025
I wanna again welcome you to the four zero five coffee break. Get your cup of coffee, glass iced tea, or bottled water, and let's see what's happening out there today. You know what? Today, I'm gonna be sharing with you from a little booklet that I received from my good friend Sheila Simonton way back when. Now this little booklet was in her father's possession, and any of you remember Shingles Edwards from the Malta Mercantile store?
OK Solberg:That was a while ago, but I know lots of you remember him. So this little booklet would have been something that a general store owner would have given out at Christmas time or New Year's to his good and loyal New customers. A free gift. A free gift from a store owner to show their appreciation to a faithful customer. Now the little booklet measures about six inches by four inches, but it has some over 200 pages in it, and it's titled, I like this, Valuable Information for Everybody.
OK Solberg:We want that, everybody. That includes me. This little booklet truly does remind me of a bible verse, and it's from Proverbs three. My son, do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your heart, for they will prolong your life many years and bring you peace and prosperity. Let love and faithfulness never leave you.
OK Solberg:Bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart, then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man. Ain't that nice? Okay. Let me read a little bit from the booklet that was printed. Listen now.
OK Solberg:Way back in 1914, valuable information for everybody. Found on page a hundred and eight under the heading to keep mice away, it says, lumps of gum camphor placed in drawers and cupboards will keep mice away. Interesting, isn't it? Gum camphor. Now where do you suppose I'll I'm gonna find some of that?
OK Solberg:And as I read that, I'm reminded of a movie that I'm particularly fond of titled Back to the Future. And if you remember, Marty is transported back to the year 1955, and he's visiting with his friend, doctor Emmett Brown. And if you remember, Marty was transported in a time machine that Doc invented, but Doc invented it in 1985. Now Marty is back in 1955 and telling doctor Emmett Brown about his time travel machine that he made out of DeLorean. Marty fortunately has a video recorded from 1985 to prove to doc that it's really true.
OK Solberg:As they watch this video, Doc hears himself say, the 1.21 gigawatts of power necessary to propel the time machine. Doc then goes into what I'd like to call a conniption fit, and he's prancing around prancing around like a chicken with his head cut off, saying, 1.21 gigawatts. How am I gonna generate that kind of power? Marty gently says, we just need some plutonium. That doesn't help Doc's conniption fit.
OK Solberg:Doc says, well, maybe in 1985, you can go down to the local grocer and buy plat plutonium. In 1955, it's a little hard to come by. Now back to the subject at hand, gum camper. Back in 1914, it may have been down at every general store, but in 2020, it's a little hard to come by. But this is worth pursuing.
OK Solberg:The helpful hint read, lumps of gum camper, lumps of gum camper placed in drawers and cupboards will keep mice away. Well, we have as many mice now as we did back in 1914, maybe more. I need to research this gum camper topic. The beauty of the Internet, right? Check this out.
OK Solberg:Camper used to be made by distilling the bark and wood of the camphor tree. Today, camphor is chemically manufactured from turpentine oil. It's used in products such as, listen now, Vicks Vapor Rub. Camphor products can be rubbed on the skin or inhaled. And I also checked out online, and you can order gum camphor.
OK Solberg:Have you ever had mice infest your combine? Have you ever had mice infest your swather? I think this gum camphor is worth looking into. And we remember, we read it from a book printed back in 1914 titled Valuable Information for Everyone. You know, the mice problem is a huge issue in Phillips County, storing machinery over the winter.
OK Solberg:Guys, gum camphor could be the answer to keep those little rascals out. So until next time, as you go out there, remember now, don't be bitter.