Just a quick update in between workplace crises:
Product endorsement: Prepara Gourmet Cruet Set with Chrome Carrier. I suppose this is technically a gadget endorsement.
We keep a small oil cruet on the counter for quick dashes into saute pans or salads or to dribble into things like pesto and hummus. It has not been a smooth relationship with our current cruet to say the least. No amount of careful use or preventive measure could stop the dribbling down the side of the container. The most livable solution we came up with is frequent emptying of the vessel, using a pin to remove the caked-in oil from between the ridges and using an inverted pickle jar lid lined with napkins to contain the mess. Never was there an encounter that wasn’t icky, save the first sad use after a trip through the dishwasher, knowing that as soon as the oil starts flowing the problem returns.
But this pair of cruets sent that problem right down the memory hole. The crazy little two-layer spout design makes these 100% drip proof. The set seems pricey at first glance, especially compared to our previous dollar store bottle, but this is a clear case of you get what you pay for. Amazon had the best price I found plus free shipping with Amazon Prime .
Very highly recommended! Don’t know who Prepara is, where they came from or how long they’ve been around but if all of their products give this much satisfaction I might have to order their ice balls, too.
VB6 update: going very well! Just got done tucking into a salad as big as Jethro Bodine’s cereal bowl for lunch. I just hope that next year there’s no federal report issued that says chick peas are bad for you. I’ve become quite dependent on them.
Cripes Suzette 
I depend on your shopping skills.