Favorites From the Holocron
|
C-3PO: “He says the scouts are going to show us the quickest way to the shield generator.”
Han Solo: “Good. How far is it? Ask him.”
[3PO turns to ask, Han pulls him back]
Han Solo: “We need some fresh supplies too.”
[3PO turns again; Han pulls him back again]
Han Solo: “Try and get our weapons back.”
[3PO turns; Han pulls him back yet again]
Han Solo: “Hurry up, will ya? Haven’t got all day!”
Star Wars VI: Return of the Jedi
I learned a valuable lesson today.
If you want to get rid of free homeschooling-related stuff quickly, announce it on the General Board at The Well Trained Mind website. I’ve dwindled the Watto’s Junk Shop list by at least half over the course of just a few hours.
I feel so free.
“I’m a Toydarian, mind tricks don’t work on me. Only money. No money, no parts, no deal!” – Watto, Star Wars I: The Phantom Menace
Maybe I’m not quite as bad as Watto, but I do love a good deal – especially now that I’m being forced to rein in the budget something fierce. Since I don’t know if everyone else knows about it, I’m going to put in this link to Amazon.com’s bulk-buying Subscribe & Save program. I l.o.v.e this program. Every time I order something from it, I get free shipping and an automatic 15% discount. Woo-hoo!
What reminded me was that I just ordered some more HE detergent for my front-loading washer today. I get paper products (my much beloved Seventh Generation toilet paper, paper towels, and bath tissues, for example), Dad Windu’s favorite face wash (very hit or miss at the grocery store), “lady items” and other such bulky non-perishables this way. I’m a huge fan of buying local and supporting local merchants, but I’m also a big fan of being able to get my weekly groceries on my bicycle (hard to do when you’ve got lots of bulky items) or – if the load is really light – walking there and back. Plus the local grocery doesn’t even stock Seventh Generation stuff (yes, I’ve requested them) – and that bugs the crap out of me! So the the UPS truck pulls up and delivers 6-7 months of TP in a big o’ cardboard box.
To get the great deal, it makes me pick a recurring period (1, 2, 3 or 6 month time frames). That seemed a bit risky until I realized that I can cancel the repeat order immediately after buying something if I want to. They also send you a reminder email about a week before sending out the next shipment, too, so you can skip the upcoming order if you wish. Generally I order everything on the 6 month plan and move the order date back or forward as needed.
I hope this helps some of you out too.
Lando Calrissian: “Lord Vader, we only use this facility for carbon freezing. If you put him in there it might kill him.”
Darth Vader: “I do not want the Emperor’s prize damaged. We will test it on Captain Solo.”
Star Wars V: The Empire Strikes Back
Here’s a shout-out to anyone that is getting more and more afraid to look in the back of the pantry or the bottom of the deep-freeze. Kethry announced tonight that she is going to participate in Catz’ Corner’s Use it up April, and so am I. To be honest, I didn’t even know there was such a thing when I decided yesterday to try not do any but the most essential grocery shopping for April, but I think Catz is on to something. Waste is waste and reducing it is in all our best interests. This can only help to s-t-r-e-t-c-h out next month’s lean income and will be a real help in getting us ready for the bounty that will be coming with the next growing season at the CSA.
Han Solo: ”I love you.”
Princess Leia: ”I know.”
Star Wars VI: Return of the Jedi
OK, these are just some of the cutest things in the entire world and I just bought the original Brown Bag Lunch set as a gift for Christmas. I.love.them. If you have any young-ish nieces, nephews or neighbors around that like to pretend to cook OR who like to cook and play pretend, please buy them some of these. They’re absolutely adorable!
I found them via the Etsy.com website, home to all kinds of wonderful things. For me, they were cute enough on their own to buy, but it was extra nice to know that they’re being made by a small group of hard-working America moms who use natural fibers. Every one is individually made, with lots of hand-stitched details. How could I not love them?
Just to clear up any suspicions, I don’t know the woman that makes them, although I talked to her on the phone for a few minutes yesterday when she answered some questions I had about shipping and stock on hand. She’s very nice.
What’s that? You need a little sneak peek, before you’re willing to click through? Oh, alright…
 
Luke Skywalker: ”Boy, it’s lucky you have these compartments.”
Han Solo: ”I use them for smuggling. I never thought I’d be smuggling myself in them.”
Star Wars IV: A New Hope
Sometimes things get a little crazy around here and I simply run out of time. Then again, sometimes I’m just plain lazy and put things off too long. An.y.way. We were having friends over for dinner and a movie on Friday night and I found myself way, way behind schedule. My revised goal, around 3pm, was to finish getting the house cleaned, take a shower, and have something more presentable than my pajamas on by the time that everyone arrived at 5:30pm. I even called in Dad Windu, who was kind enough to leave work a bit early, to make a run to the store and get the chili started.
As I was getting ready to clean the kitchen floor, I kept tripping over some soda cans and beer bottles. As we don’t drink much besides water and milk on a day to day basis, it usually takes a while for me to gather up a large enough collection to merit the trip to turn them in for recycling. We had arrived at the tipping point it appeared. So I did what any good homeschooling mom would do. I pulled Padawan Learner away from his books for a few minutes to make a completely overdue trip out to drop off the cans/bottles because they were annoying me assist me in reducing the amount of recyclable material that enters our household’s solid waste stream. At the same time, I wanted him to buy some more soda for the boys that would be coming over practice his comparison shopping and currency handling skills.
As he was loading everything into my bike’s baskets (Cool aren’t they? Admit it, they’re hot.), he couldn’t get everything to fit, so I grabbed a bungee cord and strapped a big ol’ box from a case of locally brewed beers onto the rear rack and we tucked several plastic soda bottles into that. I had to laugh because he looked like a “can man” in training.
He was pretty amused by the situation and begged me to take a picture. As he rode away, he said, “You should put this on your blog. You could use Han Solo’s quote about smuggling himself on the Millennium Falcon.” Smart boy, he.
Uncle D, FilmChris and WineChris will be pleased to see a sixpack of Bell’s tucked into the basket. In truth, there was another one on the other side, as well.
“Impressive. Most impressive. Obi-Wan has taught you well. You have controlled your fear. Now, release your anger. Only your hatred can destroy me.” – Darth Vader, Star Wars V: The Empire Strikes Back
People who know me, know that I’m quietly environmental. I feel strongly, passionately about keeping my place on Earth as environmentally neutral as possible – and I fail stunningly at that, and often. Maybe I don’t do enough to “get the message out”, but I do try to live what I believe. In reality, I don’t think it does any good to lecture people with the “You’re bad. You’re killing the planet. You’re acting selfish” mantra. It’s rude, and rude rarely gets anything worthwhile done. But I do what I can.
I first became afraid of what was going on in our world (and what I might be contributing to with my actions) when I started to travel around the world a bit. Seeing how other people lived (in both better and worse conditions), what was considered essential and worthwhile, what other countries are like overall was very eye-opening and thought-provoking. Then I got angry. Angry at my waste, greed, laziness and entertainment mentality. I hate my own participation in poisoning the planet, keeping large portions of the world poor and ill, and sucking up more and more “easy energy” reserves through my choices, actions and inaction. So day-by-day, I try to do something about it.
I think about so many things and probably keep quiet too often. But, in the end, I think we all have to come to our own understanding. That said, I think this little video, called The Story of Stuff, does a nice job of treading the line between informative and obnoxious. I’ll have Padawan Learner watch it later. It’ll be sure to prompt a good conversation later. I can’t speak to all the numerical fact tidbits she mentions, but then I’m a little leery of all facts that don’t have reference notes attached for me to follow up on. Still, I think the basic theme of the video is worthwhile.
Side note: I want to make it clear that I don’t agree with everything in this video. I don’t think the government should “take care of us”, for instance. I think a government should care about us and consider the implications that its actions and edicts have on its citizens individually and collectively, but we should take care of ourselves, ultimately. I just wanted to make that clear.
Governor Tarkin: “The Jedi are extinct, their fire has gone out of the
universe. You, my friend, are all that’s left of their
religion.”
Admiral Motti: “Any attack made by the Rebels against this station would
be a useless gesture, no matter what technical data they
have obtained. This station is now the ultimate power in
the universe. I suggest we use it.”
Darth Vader: ”Don’t be too proud of this technological terror you’ve
constructed.”
Star Wars IV: A New Hope
I feel this way about how our nation’s food system is becoming ever more unsustainable, centralized and – frankly – dangerous. The FDA is taking comments on their decision to allow fresh lettuce and spinach to be irradiated – Use of Ionizing Radiation for the Control of Food-Borne Pathogens and Infectious Protozoa, and Extension of Shelf-Life, in a Variety of Human Foods - to kill e-coli and other nasties that have sickened so many people in the recent past. In one of the spinach recalls, the contamination was from e-coli infected fecal dust and liquid sewage leaking from a “manure lagoon” near a confined animal feeding operation located upstream of a fresh vegetable growing operation.
Nice. Here, have some pig poo to go with your leafy greens and raspberry vinaigrette.
I am opposed to allowing food to be irradiated in general, but especially food that will be served to the general public without their knowledge or consent – such as in restaurants, nursing homes, school or other public venues. Irradiation of food, in my researched and much considered opinion, is a “too late” solution to our very dirty and dangerous food growing and manufacturing systems. To me, irradiating food is similar to having nails and broken glass embedded on a highway and “fixing” the problem by having a tire repair station 100 feet further down the road. Sure, you’d be able to continue on your way, eventually. The real solution would be to remove the section of the road having nails and glass, just like the real solution to these contaminated veggies (and CAFO beef, poultry and pork) is disallowing high-density animal confinement facilities where unnatural feeds are given to animals and unsanitary conditions are the norm.
Yes, it will cost more. It will require more people farming on smaller farms. It will, in actuality, entail a retooling of 90% of the American food production “system”. But it is also the right thing to do for the safety, longevity and sustainability of the very food that keeps us healthy and alive.
“You must do what you feel is right, of course.” ―Obi-Wan Kenobi to Luke Skywalker, Star Wars V: The Empire Strikes Back
We’ve wanted to do this since we moved in, a decade ago, but found ourselves constantly with other draws on our disposable income. OK, maybe not essential draws but what seemed like important purchases at the time (travel to Ireland, England, The Netherlands, California, British Columbia, and a car that doesn’t rain on the inside when you’re driving in inclement weather - you get the picture.) Well, we’ve taken the plunge. A year ago in October, we got estimates on making the house more energy efficient. Then I cringed in horror. And cried a little. And maybe died just a little on the inside. We had already replaced the front and back doors, which were so bad the fanlight windows on top were, literally, falling out but knew we had to take it up a notch.
Our house was built in 1949. Did you know that here in the great, snowy north, until the 1960s, houses were not built with insulation in the walls? That’s right: nothing, nada, zip, zilch, zero. Basically we have clapboards on the outside and plaster on the inside, with 6 inches of breeze blowing in between. No wonder our place quickly becomes an icicle when the power goes out! We’ve chosen to remove all the current siding and have insulation blown into each and every little spot possible. After that, the house will be wrapped with 1/4″ closed cell foam board before new siding is put up. I feel warmer already. Our attic insulation depth is “a 7 out of 10″ according to the contractor we’ve chosen to use, so it only needs a little help.
Our windows are even worse, if that’s possible: the 1949 originals - huge and very drafty with single panes of glass and loose-fitting storms. I think they’re an R-value of about negative 13. We’ve been putting plastic up in the winter to keep some of the heat inside, which has the added bonus of keeping your shirt from waving in the breeze as you pass on a cold, blustery day, but it has to come down in the spring, summer and fall to let the breeze in and so we don’t have to run the air conditioner as often. Therefore, new windows are going to go in at the same time as the insulation. They’re also going to insulate that recess back behind the edges and sills of the window frames. That’s why we’re biting the bullet and having everything done all at one time, so that everything will be as sealed as possible.
In the end, it’s going to cost us a boatload of money (almost as much as my first car, a new mid-sized sedan – that’s still in my garage 13 years later) but it’s worth it. Say it with me. It’s worth it. Repetition will, hopefully, make the gasping sound lessen as I write the final check. We’ll probably even be able to get a smaller furnace when the time comes to replace the current one (according to the furnace guy). So we’ve saved and saved and saved and cashed in an investment and saved some more. I have to write the first of the two checks tomorrow night. Barring any holdups, it should all be done by the beginning of September. For the record, I’m glad it’s getting done, but I sure can think of more exciting things to spend so much money on – like travel.
“Why do I sense we’ve picked up another pathetic life-form?” ―Obi-Wan Kenobi, Star Wars I: The Phantom Menace
After Padawan Learner left for lunch and a movie with his grandma today, I biked over to the super-mega-regional-chain grocery store to pick up the things I needed for the week’s recipes. Although I’ve got a boatload of veggies in the fridge, many of which I’ve never cooked with before, I still needed to buy some staples that I’d run out of and some things to round out the recipes.
After locking up my bike, I headed into the store and grabbed one of those half-carts that I love so much. Throwing my helmet into the top basket, I headed back to the can return area with a few beer bottles and my (cat sitter) niece’s 2 liter soda bottles. After dropping them off, I began cruising the store.
After a few aisles, the following conversation took place:
A kindly older woman looked at my helmet and asked in a very concerned voice, “Honey, did you ride your bike here?” (I really, honestly do love it when older people call me Honey. It’s so cute.)
Smiling my best and friendliest, biking is for everyone smile, I replied, “Yes, ma’am I did.”
“Well, you’re going to need to put some of that back then,” pointing into my mini-cart, “because there isn’t any way you’re going to get it all home on your bike.”
“Oh, it’ll be alright. I’ve got baskets on the back of my bike to carry stuff in.”
“Still, there just no way,” she said, shaking her head at silly ol’ me.
A few aisles over, another woman said roughly the same thing. Tsk, tsk, tsk-ing, as she looked at my growing pile. And another woman in the dairy section said the same thing, with agreement from a man who looked over to see what the situation was.
Getting into the checkout lane, the cashier began ringing up my order and I asked her to please bag my stuff in the bags I’d brought (one of which is an insulated bag so my Dove dark chocolate butter doesn’t melt). For the record, doing this appears to drive cashiers batty.
Pulling my helmet out of the way as I unloaded the mini-cart, the cashier did a double take, stopped scanning, and said, “Girrl, did you ride your bike here?”
“Yes, I did. It’s only a couple of miles from my house and my bike has baskets on the back for the groceries.” I was getting into a groove saying that.
“Well, you ain’t gonna be riding your bike home today. You’ve got too much stuff for doing that.”
“It’ll be OK. I’ll rearrange the bags a little once I’m outside. I’m sure it’ll all fit.”
“Um huh.” And with that, she dismissed me as a hopeless case and continued scanning my groceries.
“Seriously, I’ve got an extra backpack for the stuff that I can’t get into the baskets.”
At this point, the people behind me in line, including the guy from earlier who I’m pretty sure followed me into the checkout lane just to see the show, began to voice their agreement with the cashier. “Uh uh.” “No way.” “Girrl, you’re plum crazy to think all that’s gonna fit.”
Well, by this point I was determined to get home with all my groceries in just two bags and a backpack, on my bike, if it meant that I’d end up eating half my groceries out in the parking lot! “Oh, I just love the taste of peanut oil on a warm summer day!” I am a determined woman. Perhaps also a bit pigheaded, but certainly determined.
“I have got to see this!” a voice behind me said and wouldn’t you know it, a little group of people followed me out to my bike and watched me pack all my stuff up - in two bags and a backpack, thankyouverymuch. While I was shifting things around, they asked me a few questions about my bike and why I ride it to the grocery store. “Don’t you have a car?” (Yes, but I’m not driving it this summer. I like to ride my bike whenever I can.) “Do you think that gas is just too expensive now?” (Not really, I’ve lived other places where gas is much more expensive. I like the exercise.) ”Did you have to get a special kind of bike?” (No, it’s a normal, everyday bike. The style is called a hybrid.) ”Did your bike come with those baskets?” (No, I bought them online but you can order them from the bike shops around here. They’re around $25, less than a tank of gas.) “What if it’s too hot or raining outside to ride?” (I take the bus, wear a rain jacket or get a little damp.)
As I rode away, my little group actually cheered me on for being able to get everything packed away. I even heard the guy say, “Screw $4 a gallon gas. I’m getting a bike!” My first convert.
Here’s the bags packed:
And the bags unloaded:
What was included in the bags:
- four bags chocolate pieces (ostensibly for Dad Windu)
- peanut oil
- 2 bottles olive oil
- bag cashews
- pound butter
- package tofu (don’t tell Dad Windu)
- large container yogurt
- 3 small containers yogurt
- parchment paper
- bread
- shampoo
- 2 boxes cereal
- canned artichoke hearts
- soy sauce
- large onion
- 2 heads garlic
- 3 boxes of chicken broth
- 2 large cans whole tomatoes
- bag of onions
PS – I completely stole the idea of pictures and a list from aLex over at Hank and Me. I hope she will forgive me.
|
|
Most Popular