we do things a little different around here

Lucy is holding an egg hunt.  She has stuck a Christmas bulb in one of the plastic eggs and is hiding it in various spots in the dining room, where we have bat garland across one of the windows and a graveyard arrow that has hung since Halloween 2006.  I like to think of it [...]

Read Full Post »

babies and big kids

Lucy is back to school today so I am having a quiet morning with my Bubby, which is rather nice for both of us.  Right now he is stretched across my lap with one foot on my typing hand and the other resting on the desk.  We are very into feet right now–Chico watching them [...]

Read Full Post »

Oh Jen, what have you done now?

Despite my roaring failure at Technology Free Day, I’m up for yet another challenge:
Buy Nothing!
That’s right, folks. I’m giving up the shopping cold turkey for the month of April. Wish me luck! I’m off to do the one last purchase I must do–birthday presents for friends of Lucy’s.

Read Full Post »

You need to go read this.

Because it really does hurt all of us.
The fact is, I could give a fuck who anyone wants to win the primary.  I could give a fuck if you like Hillary or not.  I don’t want to hear about it, no matter your reasons.  BUT it is crucial to not be so blinded by our [...]

Read Full Post »

Oh Back to School cannot come early enough!

Ok, so this is a bit of an exaggeration.  It’s not that I haven’t enjoyed having Lucy home, but more that I have seriously missed doing things in relative quiet.  Like washing dishes.  Or going to the bathroom.  Or sleeping.  Or, as right now, taking a bit of goof-off time on the computer.
I’ll be honest.  [...]

Read Full Post »

It’s working!

We only used 7.6 kWh/day last month!  That’s down from 8.4 kWh/day the 2 months prior.
I am so very, very happy.  Seriously. And it should be down even further next month if we continue hand washing dishes!  Even factoring in the estimated electric use of our daily laundry at .65 kWh/load, that still only [...]

Read Full Post »

I’m not an addict, my work is, or I worked less when I was employed

I made the mistake of saying ok to a large, second proofing project and I am really regretting it today.  Not only does it mean no tech-free Thursday (due tomorrow morning) but it means I don’t get to haul out to Goodwill to root through baby clothes for my behemoth who is now firmly in [...]

Read Full Post »

Week 3 numbers and some other rambling

Ok, here goes.

gasoline–0 gal
transit elec–10 kWh
trash–24 lbs
recycling–16.5 lbs
consumer goods–363.64
food local–13%
food bulk–10%
food wet–77%
2 dryer loads (1 H, 1 L), 6 washer loads (2 warm, 4 cold)

Ok, so good and not good, as usual.  I weighed an average trash bag and found that it came out at 3 lbs rather than 4, so have altered all of [...]

Read Full Post »

Dids and Didn’ts

I did not do tech-free day this week.  I forgot again this morning, and Sat/Sun are sport days so next week it is.
I did get my mesclun planted.
I did not get to the bulk foods store today
I did get all of Chico’s diapers washed and hung to dry.
I did not get Radical Mama’s box off [...]

Read Full Post »

The growing list (so far)

Since I flubbed tech free Thursday, I decided to poke around and really plan what I want to grow (or attempt) this year. As always, I may have gone overboard…

Beefsteak Tomato
Brandywine tomato
Hampson tomato
Tomatillo
Cayenne
Anaheim Chile
Jalapeno
Serrano
Cilantro
Strawberries
Sweet basil
Oregano
Italian Parsley
Lavender
Peppermint
Wheatgrass
Mesclun

Phew. The tomatoes and peppers are part of a kit which also comes with a few onion varieties [...]

Read Full Post »