Good Morning- September 5th

Yesterday I tried getting all the produce from the garden processed into meals or freezer bags.  I'm still working on it.  The carpenters were working inside and brought along a special little treat for me.  A very tiny 2 year old girl.

We played with her doll, crayons and paper, some farm animal beanies and finally I left her to amuse herself with a box of large blocks.  Her dad served her lunch.  What a good little girl.  She was polite, amused herself and was careful about walking around the mess on the floor.  Her dad said she was excellent at going to get them tools they needed. They left at around 1 pm--nap time.

I finished reading a book I borrowed from the library.  Zero Waste Home.  You can read about it on her website zerowastehome.com.  The author has worked her way to leaving a very small footprint on the planet.  Reusing what she can, refusing what she can etc.  She shops the bulk aisles, using handmade cloth bags instead of the plastic bags we all use.  Wet things go into glass canning jars.  This is a "learning curve thing" for the employees at the grocery.  I imagine it goes easier at Whole Foods. In California.

Her wardrobe (if you visit the site click on wardrobe in the sidebar) is 33 items.  I have to say, she is very creative with her use of the few items she owns.  All are thrifted.  Everything in her closet fits into a carry on.  When she vacations she takes it all.  In one interesting post she wears the same black men's shirt for 50 days.   BUT, she is rail thin and thinks she is a fashion model.  It gets old, fast.  Hardly what the average woman would wear.  I like the combos using jeans.

My daily, non-work, outfit is exactly the same every day.  Black cropped knit pants, white tee and faded blue cotton men's work shirt which I bought in quantity at the store with blue light specials, buttoned with the sleeves rolled up.  When I weighted "quite a lot", I wore 2X black sweat pants, the same white tees and the shirt (same ones I wear now) was never buttoned--because I couldn't button it.  Everything is 10 years old or much more. If I followed her rules--I would have one of each; pants, tee and shirt and get rid of all the others. In the winter I wear a longer version of the knit pants, a long sleeved white tee and my grey cashmere pullover sweater.

My work clothing is just as limited.  I have a washer and dryer handy so can wear the same clothing all week.  Just washing it when it gets really dirty.  Two pants.  Two shirts.  Lots of socks.

Actually, I could get rid of everything else in my closet.  When we go out to eat (summer), I change into a white linen shirt or the royal blue and white stripe shirt.  This begs the question--- why do I shop for clothes????  Can I let go of my clothing?  Can you?  The author tags her clothing with a date when she wears it--if it goes unworn for a month--it goes to Goodwill or a thrift store.

My garden is getting too cold at night (48 last night) and I worry about all the tomatoes not having time to get ripe.  The cucumbers are about finished.  Still getting beans.  Not many zucchini.  No more eggplant.  Tons of kale.  We are waiting for the corn.

G and I cleaned out the "sewing room".  The previous owner had a room made in the unfinished attic for "sewing".  We fill it with stuff.  And yesterday we tore through it and G is carrying four or five large cartons down to the garage.  My daughter's neighborhood garage sale is Saturday.  Which reminds me--I need change for my cash bag.  Each year we empty a different part of the house for the sale.  This year it was the sewing room.  There were boxes in there from our move from Germany in 1988.  Unopened.  There is a greater amount of stuff in garbage bags and boxes for recycling.  We can actually see the floor.  

It felt good to clean it up and it felt bad.  To have all of that.  Ugh.