I'm talking about salt and pepper shakers.
I'm a collector. I have probably a hundred or so pair. Gas station pumps, tractors, dump trucks, cars, and trains. Characters like Mr. Potato Head, Gumby and Pokey, Smokey the Bear, Cat in the Hat, and Winnie the Pooh. Some made of marble, antlers, and Mt. St. Helens volcanic ash.
When I first started collecting, I bought just about any salt and pepper shaker set I could find. When others found out I collected salt and pepper shakers they bought for me as well. After a few years my collection was beyond what I had room for, so I stopped buying and only kept the ones I absolutely loved.
One pair that was given to me was a plastic set of old folks. When the grandpa-y one was used it achooed and when the grandma-y one was used it said bless you. I eventually put those noisy ones in the donation box I kept in the back of the car. Every time I turned a corner, stopped, or started, the grandpa would go off. We wound up bringing the set back in the house and stuck them in a drawer until we knew we were going to drop them off at the donation center.
That was years ago. Those noisy shakers have been in the drawer ever since. Never been used. But ever since then, the grandpa goes off randomly. If you walk by the china hutch. If you're eating dinner. If you're sleeping in the middle of the night. The batteries aren't easy to take out, so we've just lived the random achoo occurring all times of the day and night.
So as I was sitting at the table and the achoo hit again, I decided enough was enough. Out to the garbage. Now.
I don't need any sneezing around when I'm decorating cookies.
