Compostable Christmas

I had grand plans to make all my xmas wrap this year. I bought used sheets to sew into differently sized, reusable bags. Then I could decorate them with the kids. I was going to give away all my wrapping paper ahead of time and force myself into action.

The amount of waste on average per person per day is 5 pounds. At Christmas, that amount can double and more. Think about some things that are 10 pounds: bag of flour, a three month old baby, a couple of bricks....it's a LOT.

So I have some guilt about throwing away that much trash. I thought that by eliminating the paper aspect, it would help. Then the reality of TOYS hit me. All the plastic molded to fit each little dog or block or doll, all the waxed cardboard, and the sheer amount of packaging!!!!!! It's enough to make you quit.

Then there is the experience of receiving a gift. I would much rather have a sensible, reusable bag of some kind. But my kids might not feel the same way. I remember how fun it was to tear into a present, so excited to find out what it is. The anticipation, so much more exciting than the gift itself. Does that excitement go away if it's simply a pull out of the bag? Am I depriving them of a classic Christmas experience?

Well, they have this year to tear into paper wrapped surprises and we'll find out if wrapping paper is compostable.


Good thing I never got around to giving it away.

Happy rampant consumerism season!!!!!!!!!

I know, I know. What a cynic right? That's not it exactly. I love this time of year, as much as anybody. This year, it's taken a new timbre.

A lot of you know that I no longer attend church or ascribe to the Christian spirituality. I loved being Episcopalian. I'm so glad I grew up with such a rich and wonderful religious experience.

But now I have a dilemma. If I wouldn't raise Amelia to believe in Jesus, why would I raise her to believe in Santa Claus????

I know these are both also historical characters as well, and I tell her about them as such. I don't want her to be ignorant, but I don't want to lead her on either. I asked her if she believed me when I told her a man would come down the chimney (then I explained what a chimney was) and leave toys under the tree. That he would make it to all the children in the whole world and give them toys. Her response was a "Mom" in the tone of "You're the silliest"

So then, what exactly is the point of Christmas? If there's no Christ and no Claus....

But there IS!!! A point, that is.

Historically, my feeling is that making it through the winter was a celebration in itself. The solstice is the half way point. This year, December 21 will be the longest night of the year. The day when the sun is furthest from us.  Days begin to get longer and, hopefully, warmer. I don't mind saying I celebrate AFTER I make it through the winter, but I appreciate the holiday breaking up the monotony of the long dark season. I think that a show of abundance is a fit way to celebrate.

And of course I love presents. I love giving them to my kids and watching the excitement they have dreaming about what could be inside those wrapped packages. I love giving at least one present to somebody who never would have expected it. I love making little treats for my friends. I love any excuse to make crafts. I love to get presents too!!!! I love that although the economy sucks, there are twinkling lights everywhere.

We read "Twas the Night Before Christmas" every year before bed on Christmas Eve. We turn off the lights, except for the tree and get into our jammies. Usually there's a fire lit and we all snuggle together on the couch, just like when I was a kid. Some how, that makes the night magical.

I hope that they love this tradition as much as I.

I hope they see Santa Claus and this whole holiday as a wonderful idea of generosity.

The Food and the Restless

Overly dramatic you say? Perhaps. Those who know me know one thing for sure: I love food.

I am not in any way shape or form referring to my ample waist line, though that may be considered proof. Also, I don't mean to imply that I have a lot of experience with many of the finer dining experiences. On the contrary, I love nothing more than a great pizza and a perfect beer. I would like to think I would know something was great cuisine when I tasted it. My point, should I ever get around to it, is that food is a great joy to me.

A couple weeks ago, my husband stumbled across an article on-line and it instantly clicked with him. We should eliminate gluten.

sigh

There are very VERY few forces on this world that could convince me give up pizza for any length of time.  My husband is one of those forces. I was further convinced by Lucky Charms.

My Tuesday morning is mine alone with both kids at school. Of course, I go right for the good stuff: Lucky Charms in a big bowl of milk. Mmmmmm. Until later that afternoon, that shitty little leprechaun turned on me. My stomach hurt so badly!  That was about a week and a half into the gluten free (er) eating.I'm a believer.

In any case, I am on my first trembly little colt legs on the journey of gluten free living. My tummy is feeling much better. My energy is up and I'm losing weight. I haven't explored much into the vast and complicated realm of baking yet, but our dinners have been mostly brown rice and whatever veggies we have and chicken with various seasonings. Not much sacrifice there.

So dinner is not so bad, but I'm home most of the day. Any person who has been home for any period of time knows the strange and secret power the kitchen has to lure you in with the promise of treats so lovely, so rare that you wander in several times a day. Perhaps such a thing has materialized! Well, there is nothing new and special, but I'll take some of these pretzels or crackers or whatever is most interesting. Only now, I have much less to choose from.

And honestly, I can't recall what I used to eat. I know that I miss it though.

The case of the haunted cat

Well, more like the inhabited cat. I had to take her to the vet for the first time in many a year. She's probably 10 years old? Carrie, do you remember?

And here's the story: I noticed a round wound near her left back leg. Odd, because when cats fight, a round wound is not what they leave behind; more like a torn ear or scratch. I thought maybe a stray bb shot?

I took her to the first vet that would take her which was the Alpine Animal Hospital in Hood River. After a little wait he took a look at her.

"Well, you certainly can't blame another cat for this one. It's a critter," Dr. Foss said.

He explained to me that while this particular kind of parasite called Cuterebra (look it up at your own risk-think Star Trek: Wrath of Kahn bug in the ear kind of gross) was rare in cats, it was seen commonly in rats and mice and VOLES and MOLES. We have our culprit. So I asked what we do now and he said he would take it out.

"It's alive in there," he explained.  While it doesn't eat, it creates massive pockets of infection. "You can actually see it move."

"Ohh, gross! Can I see it?" I asked. Come on, how often do I get a chance to see something like that? It was gross/cool.

"So it's not hurting her?" I asked.

It was hurting her. After picking her up, the Doc said she probably had it in there a lot longer than she had let on. They kept Grey and removed the little worm dude. She is shaved and stitched and she has a drain in her side for at least 10 days.

I love my kitty. She's been around longer than my husband. I was really worried about her. I know how scared she was staying some place strange with all kinds of strange smells. She may be a tiger to a vole, but she's a timid little thing most of the time.

She is staying in the basement because the drain is doing its job and I have a feeling whatever comes out will be easier to clean off concrete than carpet. I'm need to give her meds and a warm compress twice a day. But there is a problem.

THE SMELL

It is the worst smell EVER. Even with Vicks inside my nose I can smell it. How in the heck am I supposed to take care of her??? I am seriously worried I am going to throw up on her! How do I deal with this??? For 2 weeks!!!!

I love my cat. I love my cat. I love my cat. I love my cat.....

PS-I also love my husband who is helping take care of her while I attempt to quietly heave over my shoulder.

Uh, okay so it's been a while. I never said I was gonna be very good at keeping up a blog, just that I wanted one ;)


I have also decided to make my blog a forum of sorts to share some of what I have learned in my research on being green and couponing and whatever else I can think of. I don't guarantee to be unbiased or even right, but I'll do my best.

The first topic I want to touch on is the idea of Free Trade.

For those that don't know, a short laypersons (actually this particular layperson) definition of Free Trade might be a fair and healthy work environment for the folks who do the hard work to actually pick or make the product. Basically, the little label means the workers are getting paid a living wage.

Not much to think about right? OBVIOUSLY Fair Trade buying must be the way to go.

And it very well could be.

Here's where I get hung up: there's no standard. No set of rules governing what "fair" really means. Not only that, but Fair Trade is monitored by several companies who each have their own set of guidelines to gain that little stamp of approval on my coffee bag or chocolate bar.

Then there is the question of everybody else. If the brand I usually buy is not Fair Trade, what's happening to those workers? Is there anybody trying to protect them?

But Sarah, you say, how can Fair Trade be bad??? Good money, ethical treatment of workers...sounds alright to me.

Of course, the idea of Fair Trade is great. There shouldn't even be a need for Fair Trade because all people should be treated ethically. Children shouldn't be put to work. A day of work should pay enough for a family to live on.

Look, I have only just begun to explore how I can use the one voice, the one power I have for good. The only thing that gets one little person heard: money. I think what I buy can make a difference in the right coffers. I'm just not sure Fair Trade is, in fact, the right coffer.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fair_trade
http://www.fairtradefederation.org/
http://www.equalexchange.coop/index.php
http://www.fairtraderesource.org/
http://www.crsfairtrade.org/

I can't really tell you what might grace these pages. I made a promise to myself that 2010 would be a year of change.

"But Sarah," you may say, "you are practically perfect in every way! What could you possibly change for the better???"

I know, I know, it's hard to believe, but even I could improve a few things about my life.

I have been struggling with depression for years and I have finally started therapy.

I have been flossing more.

I started going to the gym....not really a change since shortly there after I stopped going to the gym.

I started organizing my house.....also not a big change since it still isn't.

I dyed my hair.

In other words, I'm trying to take care of myself. And by "myself" I mean ME. I'm not focusing on being a better mother or wife, although I think those will be pleasant side effects. I'm trying to be ME.

The challenge is that I have to figure out who exactly that is first.

So perhaps the point of this is to brag up my accomplishments. I suppose I can tell you about set backs (not failures!) but I really don't think that is quite as fun. ;)

It would be really fun for me if you have accomplishments to share as well!

For instance, yesterday I FINISHED the laundry. Oh yeah. For about 5 minutes, there was NOTHING in the dirty clothes basket. I can savor those minutes. I can make those minutes great because I feel like I did something with my day. Of course, there are many MORE days when it's just the damn laundry.

So we'll see what happens with this blog thingy. I may never post again. More than likely, I'll tell you all in minute detail about my journey with flossing my teeth.








So exactly what do I need to do to accomplish this task? Great question because I'm not sure. I think there are a lot of little things that will all contribute to being healthy in mind, body and spirit.

One portion of this formula is creating a home environment that is a sanctuary. I don't mean it's holy, I mean it's comforting. It's HOME. And although I'm super lazy (like I could haver spandex and a big L on my chest) I need a certain amount of order to achieve that feeling. That order is, so far, elusive. Stuff seems to accumulate everywhere!!!