This week’s resolution closely ties in with last week’s! Since I’ve banished disposable toilet cleaning products from my house and switched to a toilet bowl brush, I definitely need some type of cleaner to use in that dirty toilet bowl! Sarah told me that she has recently been using vinegar, sometimes with baking soda added, to clean her toilets. I’ve decided to adopt this habit, too. I bought the biggest jug of vinegar available – 5 gallons! Since both baking soda and vinegar are things people can ingest, I figure they’re probably pretty easy on our earth. I just hope they clean well! And as a bonus, I can now make my own pickles….
Brush up. September 8, 2008
This week’s resolution will probably have a pretty big impact. For the past three years, I’ve been using the Clorox disposable cleaning wand to clean my toilets. I decided that it’s probably not good to be throwing out that blob of spun plastic every other week! I bought a toilet bowl brush, and after I use that last cleaning wand, I’ll be switching to using it exclusively. (I haven’t used a brush since I lived with my parents – I hope it cleans well!)
This week, in review. September 5, 2008
I love blogging, so I’m not sure why I keep putting it off. Actually, I take that back – it’s because I hate blogging without including photos, and I’ve been way too lazy to take or upload them this week. But something about the morning light inspires me, and I finally ventured out today. (Pictures right, bottom, and in About-face.)
Last weekend, one of Alex’s friends from work stayed with us. He would’ve been stranded at his house all weekend (his vehicle-operating roommate was on vacation), so Alex offered him our guest room. I felt bad that we’re sort of homebodys and there wasn’t much exciting to do! We spent many hours playing Rock Band, though, and I have to say I’m becoming a better fake drummer every day.
On Saturday, our friends Cody & Phil from back home came over for dinner. Cody goes to school in NoVA, and Phil was out visiting him over the long weekend. We grilled out and had more food than all of us possibly could’ve eaten – despite the fact that I forgot to serve the chips and potato salad! It was wonderful to see both of them again and re-connect with what we’re all doing these days.
Monday was a glorious, work-free day. We went to Old Town to take advantage of some Labor Day sales. I was particularly excited about Crate & Barrel’s advertised 70% off. Though nothing I got actually ended up being on sale (a new toilet bowl brush, cutting board, and hamper), I was glad that I finally got to use the gift card given to us at our wedding. Of course, a trip to Old Town wouldn’t be complete without eating at La Madeline and shopping at Ann Taylor LOFT. Loft was having quite the sale themselves, and I got a couple of shirts for $17. A bargain, if you ask me! (Which you obviously did.) Monday evening was spent with friends. Maery Beth & Jason Turner hosted a cook-out for friends & neighbors. I had a wonderful time relaxing, eating good food, and talking with friends!
Tuesday was spent doing catch-up from the weekend: laundry, cleaning up the first floor, ironing, and doing dishes. We had the second fencing contractor out to give us an estimate. Though his initial estimate was almost double the other company’s (!), he decided to match their price. I had been hoping that one or the other would be lower, and that would make our decision for us, but no such luck! I suspect that if we do decided to install the fence, we’ll go with the second company. The man seemed very dedicated to his work and told me about a couple of features that his price included that his competitor’s didn’t. We haven’t made the final decision on whether to put one in or not – it’s the price of the fence plus the price of a lawnmower. Yet it would be so nice to have a contained backyard, with Oscar and with new job possibilities… more on that later.
Last night Bible Study was at my house. I love hosting, but boy – it felt cramped! Next time I think I’ll have to scoot back the couch to make room for additional dining room chairs in the living room! Our discussion seemed more weighty and delved deeper than it normally does, at least in my opinion. I have a burden to be transparent with these wonderful women, and last night that seemed to come to a head. I know that personally I need more accountability and revalation of my sins. Hopefully very soon I will have an accountability partner – someone who can really get in my face and love me to the point of hurting my feelings! I feel somewhat like a caterpillar wanting to emerge from her coccoun, to employ an old cliche. Nevertheless, I yearn for change in my own heart more than I have for months. Now there’s cause for a smiley-face sticker for God!
About face. September 5, 2008
This blog is almost a week late. (I blame the holiday weekend, having company [not that I minded at all!], and general laziness.) I promise I’ve been doing it all week, even though I’m just now getting around to posting!
It’s time to do an about-face from using conventional face wash to one that’s more earth-friendly. I’m going to be honest: it’s not organic. The commissary actually doesn’t currently offer an organic face wash! This one, however, is soap-free, colorant-free, contains no animal-derived ingredients, and is not tested on animals. I’m not sure those could all be claimed by my former scrubbing agent, so I figure it’s at least an improvement. Leaving out the soap and colorant is not only better for the skin, but also prevents those chemicals from being washed down the drain. It’s amazing how much soap is put into our fresh water sources each year, and it has a profound effect on the environment.
[I bet I looked kind of silly having a photo shoot with a bottle of face wash in my backyard, but hey, my indoor lighting isn't very good!]
Drizzle, drazzle. August 28, 2008
Today was a rainy one. I love taking pictures of drips & drops, splitters & splatters. (Click here or the photo to see more pictures from today.) I left the windows open and it got downright chilly in the house – I had to put on a sweatshirt!
Alex & I would like to put in a fence in the backyard for Oscar. Today a man came over from one of the two base-approved contractors to measure and give me an estimate. Holy smokes, it’s way more than I thought it’d be! I’d really like to have the fence for Oscar, but I don’t know if spending more than a thousand dollars to upgrade someone else’s property is something we should do. If it was our own, permanent home, I’d do it in a heartbeat. Someone from the other company will be coming on Tuesday to give us his estimate, and then I guess we’ll make a decision. A thousand dollars… that’s a lot of tour money!
Bible Study is tonight. I look forward to Thursday evenings all week. The women are so kind, and it’s so nice to be plugged in to a group with the same values as I have. I always leave feeling refreshed, connected, and ready to tackle my flaws for another week. Of all the things I know I’ll miss when we leave, it’s definitely this group of very special women. I’m trying to not take them for granted now, but instead appreciate every gathering we’re blessed to share!
Glorious end-of-summer. August 27, 2008
Yesterday was the lovliest day we’ve had in a long time, and today is its twin sister. The sun is happily shining, but not too intensely. The wind is blowing a soft breeze, making my wind chimes sing. The grass is green, the flowers are blooming, and everything looks beautiful! The only disruption is the constant sound of chainsaws – apparently it’s “cut down tree week” here on Andrews.
The tree removal really bothers me. They’ve taken down about half of the trees in the small woodsy area behind my house. Yesterday they took the tree in my front yard (granted I was afraid it was going to fall on my car/garage), one down the street, and one across my sideyard. Today they’ve moved along and are taking all kinds of beautiful old oaks in our neighborhood. I am dismayed because trees are so good for the earth, and I do so much to try to save them by recycling, etc., and here they are just chopping down tons of them! I know they’re not paper trees, but still… I am sad.
Positives from yesterday:
- Baked banana bread. I had a lot of bananas this time so I made two batches – one big loaf for Alex & I, and four small loaves to give away.
- Met a new neighbor (Nikki) and her dog (Ollie). She’s very nice! We chatted for a while and made tentative plans to grill out sometime this weekend.
- Made plans with Cody (friend from Iowa) for him & Phil to come over on Saturday evening to grill out & catch up. It will be great to see them both again! I haven’t seen Cody since March, and I’m pretty sure I haven’t seen Phil since June of 2007. Exciting!!
Today I’m doing laundry – I love the smell of freshly-dried clothes when I’m folding. I set up the card table in our guest room, and I might even get some scrapbooking done.
Beautiful days inspire me. Oh, did I mention that the AC is off and the windows are open? Love.
Take a cold(er) shower. August 24, 2008
Heating water takes a lot of energy! My resolution this week is to take cooler showers. I’ve marked a line in the shower past which I won’t turn the knob. (It’s about half as far as I normally turn it!) Summer is a great time to start doing this, because let’s face it – I tend to take warmer showers in the winter. By December, maybe I’ll be used to the change!
Fifty-two green. August 22, 2008
“It’s not easy being green…” Sorry Kermit, but I’m out to prove you wrong. I’m making an effort to change my habits to be more planet-friendly. It’s been a process, one that began several years ago and seems to have grown exponentially in the past few months. Inspired by a blog I saw called “365 Green,” in which the author records one green change she makes each day, I’m trying “Fifty-two Green.” I hereby resolve to make one green change each week – either for my body or for the planet. I’ll start with a list of green things I already do. You won’t find these in future weeks’ reports – no fair unless it’s an actual change!
- Bring my own cloth bags to the commissary
- Use environmentally-friendly (Seventh Generation) dish washing detergent and household cleaner
- Buy organic dairy products (& various others)
- Use energy-efficient washing machine & dryer; run full loads only
- Buy items with smaller/recyclable packaging
- Recycle all plastic, metal, glass, and paper products
- Turn off air conditioning whenever possible & open windows
- Use organic shampoo, conditioner, & body wash
- Use compact fluorescent bulbs in all fixtures
These are good starts, but I could do a lot more. I’ll post my new week’s resolution every Saturday. Oh, and it’s list I’m adding to – when I make a change, it’s not just for a week. The changes are here to stay. Please feel free to leave comments with ideas for what I can do each week!
Brand spankin’ new. August 22, 2008
I admit it: I’ve got blog envy. I’ve seen many beautiful blogs and they always make me think, Wow, that person really has her life together! Look at how organized she is, how many beautiful things she’s made, how easily she can stay in touch, and how wonderful her photos are! I’ve had enough of clunky blogs that are difficult to customize or require someone to be registered in order to view. So, here is my brand spankin’ new blog. Will it change my life? Probably not. But I’m in one of those moods where I feel like I could change the world, so I figure it’s a pretty good time to change my blog.
