Letters From New England

Quiet weekend...

Sunday

June 22, 2008

Hi,

Today is my nephew Jamie's 30th birthday.  Yowza... I still remember his birth, of course...and the blue macrame plant hanger I made with ceramic blocks that spelled "BABY" and the plant (fern) I put in it. :)  All long relegated to the dump now, I'm sure.  Anyway, Happy Birthday to Jamie.

I've had a very quiet, relaxing weekend.  Dawn and her kids have been gone all week (lucky us!), so it's been WONDERFUL to be home. 

Den arrived around 6:00 on Sunday.  I picked him up at Alewife and we drove home, stopped to pick up Chinese food, then chatted until bed time.  He said, several times, that he was really enjoying the GREEN here. The trees, the grass, the flowering shrubs.  And, we had fantastic (to me) weather all week.  Dry, sunny, 70's or so... one day, even needed a light jacket.  He relaxed, read a book, hiked the Leominster State Park, enjoyed some time at Jumpin' Juice & Java, as well as The Alehouse.  I worked Mon-Wed, had to be out on Tue and Wed evenings for workshops, but we still managed some time together. 

On Thursday morning, we drove to Maine.  Tammy kept Em home from school (next to last day...all she missed was an ice cream party).  We went to the Portland Flatbread Co for lunch and did a little shopping in South Portland, near the water.  I had on the WAY wrong shoes to be jaunting through the neighborhood, so we stopped at a Life Is Good store where I paid WAY too much for a pair of flip flops.  However, my poor feet were extremely grateful.

We also stopped at a cool puzzle and games store where Tammy bought the kids some fun stuff and Den & I bought puzzles from White Mountain Puzzle Co.  I got a really cool one called The Sixties.  It's loaded with dates and faces and events from the 60's.  I'm bringing the box to my memoir class on Wed.  Great writing prompts!  :)  I sorted the edge pieces from the rest on Friday night, then began assembling it yesterday.  Spent too much time on it, but am enjoying the process.

We headed back to MA on Friday afternoon.  All too soon, I dropped Den off at Alewife and he took the train into Boston to the hotel he was staying in near the airport.  He had to be at the airport at 5:30 in the morning on Saturday.  He called last evening to say that he'd made it home safely, that his trip was uneventful.  He was working on his puzzle as well.  Not sure of the name of it, but it was very interesting.  There are also 50's and 70's puzzles, and a Rock & Roll one which I am considering.  Not sure if I'll preserve them and hang them in my back room (no theme going on it here...it's whatever inspires me at the moment. ;) or take them apart to do again someday.  Here's the website:  www.whitemountainpuzzles.com 

Puzzle #367PZ shows 300 people and the word Peace in 158 languages!

Today, I have a couple of errands to run, so had to get dressed...sigh.  It looks like another gorgeous day though, so I guess I'll get out and enjoy some of it.

Peace,

Kay

It's over and the rewards are coming in...

Saturday

June 14, 2008

Hi,

Is it Flag Day today?  If so, Happy Flag Day, America/Betsy Ross!

So, the week is over and what a week it was! 

The last class of the journal workshop (except for next Tues make-up class) was fun and we've decided we like writing in group so much that we are going to continue.  We will meet once a month beginning with the third Tues in July.

The first night of the memoir class went okay.  Not sure how everyone felt about the information from class.  The next 2 weeks there will be much more writing.  I actually spent quite a bit of time this afternoon (as in HOURS) tweaking the workshop a bit to add more writing opportunities. It's a new (to me) class and I created the whole thing from books I have on memoir writing, so I want it to be helpful and fun.  Halfway through Tuesday's class, one woman asked if there would be an opportunity to write more after the class was over.  So, I invited all of them to join the memoir group! :)

The benefit is OVER.  Not as many people as I would have liked...maybe it looked like so few because it was outdoors, I don't know.  Anyway, I was so diligent in catching people before they entired the grounds to make sure they either paid or had a ticket they'd already purchased that I charged Jacob's FATHER!!!  I wasn't paying attention to who was in any of the cars...I was just asking everyone who came down the road if they were there to play softball (3 softball games were going on that night) or coming to the benefit.  Josh never said a word...just told me he was there for the benefit, paid his $10 and got his hand stamped.  Once the softball games were over, we moved to the picnic area and I saw Josh talking to someone.  Scratching my head, I said to Tammy..."Josh is here.  I don't remember seeing him drive up."  She says... "Mom, you CHARGED him to get in."  I was mortified!  I walked down to where he was, apologized for being an idiot, and returned his $10, even though he protested.  Godde... I should be a bouncer.

Anyway, I don't have the true total, but with the benefit ($1200), the Red Sox vs Yankee's tickets raffle ($4000), the chinese auction ($160ish)and the raffle of a bottle of Blackberry Stoli ($93), it appears we made a little over $5000.  :)  The whole benefit thing was Tammy's idea.   I just helped with a portion of it and, lucky me, my co-worker's pitched in too.

I got to spend some time with my former manager though!  His wife works with me, so they came together.  It was good to see him and get caught up a little bit.  And the last band (Phil D) and last (our Headliner) performer, Tim LaRoche, jammed together and were INCREDIBLE.  They did a lot of 70's/80's rock, southern rock (my fav), etc. instead of Tim's usual show (which is great too, but it looked like he was havin' a hell of a time up there!).  There is a guitar player in The Phil D band that can rock your socks off.  All of 20 something, but so talented.  I couldn't keep my eyes off him.

And, the last reward of my hectic week was a phone call from my son asking me if I could pick him up at Alewife Sunday night around 6.  Alewife?  That's the train station in BOSTON!  Yes, he's coming home for a week.  Flying in on a buddy pass from a friend who is a flight attendant.  He will be here for his birthday on Monday.  I have a couple of evening things I can't cancel, 2 that I did cancel and filled out a vacation slip for Thurs and Fri.  Don't know if I'll get it on such short notice, but we'll see. I'd like to be able to travel to Maine with him to see Tammy and the kids before he goes back to AZ on Saturday.

After spending last year's birthday at his place in AZ (can it be a year past that already?) and melting in the heat, I told him (jokingly) that if he ever wanted to see me on his birthday again, it would have to be in MA.  He's such an obedient child. :)

We had a whopping thunderstorm a little while ago, which cooled things off nicely. 

I have 2 movies from Netflix waiting for me, so I'm going to sign off and watch them.  I did NOTHING today outside of this house.  I didn't even answer the phone. :)

Peace,

Kay

The Week of Fun...

Monday

June 9, 2008

Hi,

For about 3 weeks now, I've been calling this week, The Week From Hell.  I decided to change my tune and tude about it and see if that keeps the monsters at bay.  So, I'm now calling it The Week of Fun and Personal Growth. :)

Today, my spin-off memoir group met at Jumpin' Juice and Java.  I shared an essay called Wedding Bell Blues, but it wasn't really about my wedding, oddly enough.  It was about my first kiss, which happened with the "boy" I ended up marrying.  Anyway, it was fun to write and share with the girls.  The other two read stories about RECENT events...a graduation in Puerto Rico and a kidnapping scare.  Wow...

Tomorrow night is Fun Night (see how I'm following the theme? :) with my journal workshop group.  Our last night together.  It went by so fast!  Wednesday is the first night of my new memoir class at the college.  Hope everyone shows up! :)  Thursday, I thought I was going to have the night off, but...as I mentioned might happen in my last post...I filled it with a rescheduled hair appt.  Not work for me though, so I'm okay with that!  And Friday is the benefit for Jacob.  Please pray for good weather and a big crowd!  I hate to give a party and no one shows up!!!

I have asked Linda and Carol if they would be interested in taking a cross country train trip with me next fall...Sept or Oct of 2009.  I recently read about a trip like this in Susan Branch's (the artist) newsletter and it filled my head with bohemian rhapsody.  It looks to me as if the train goes from Boston to Chicago, via New York, Ohio and Indiana...all along the very top of each state, right along Lake Erie for part of it.  Then you can choose one of 3 directions to take.  If you go northwest, you go through Minneapolis, N Dakota, Montana, and stop in Seattle, WA.  How gorgeous would that be in the fall?  The mid-west "Prairie to Peaks Pacific" route takes you from Chicago though Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, Colorado, Utah, Nevada and ends in San Francisco.  The mid-west to Southwest goes from Chicago to Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, the southern tip of Nevada and ends in Los Angeles.

They all sound wonderful to me!  Right now, I'm partial to the northern border trip due to the foliage possibilities, but I'd also love the mid-west on and the southern one. :)  Anyway, plans are just forming.  I don't know how much it will cost yet and...since the train stops all over the place between hither and yon, you could really create your own trip.  An overnight in the Windy City might be fun!  Oooo, maybe we can take the northwest route over to the other coast, take a coastal train from Seattle down to San Diego, then take the mid-west or southwest route back to Boston!  We'd go through San Luis Obispo (Hi Ellie!) and Santa Barbara (Hi Linda!), so I could visit friends along the way.

I am already planning what to bring on the train for entertainment. :)  You are so much more FREE on a train than a plane!  You can get up and move around.  You don't have to wait in a long snake line (in a very narrow aisle) for the bathroom.  The seats are not so crowded.  There is a dining car with real meals!  We will stop a zillion times in little towns across America.  We will be on the GROUND. :)  And, let's not forget how much more earth friendly train travel is than air travel. 

The sleeper units are VERY little.  Most sleep 2, a couple sleep 3, but I'm wondering, if it's not cost prohibitive, if we should take separate rooms.  More privacy and room for each of us.  I guess we'll have to check it out and see.

Well, I need to wash up and get ready for bed.  Thanks for stopping by.  Sorry I'm not here more often.  Will update the entire week on Sunday, when I finally get out of bed.

Peace,

Kay

Happy (early) Memorial Day...

Monday

May 26, 2008

Hi,

When exactly did the government decide they were going to tell us what day(s) we can celebrate the national holidays, anyway?  "Hey everyone!  From now all, allllll national holidays will be celebrated on the Monday closest to the actual day.  Sorry if this inconveniences anyone". 

When I was a kid, businesses were closed on Sundays and holidays, giving people a chance to enjoy their families (or not).  Now, I think the only days everything is actually closed are Christmas, which is a Christian holiday, and New Year's Day, because everyone is too hung over to mind the store.  And, of course, inevitably, you wake up on those mornings and realize you forgot to buy the stuffing mix or you need Alka Seltzer just to get out of bed.  So, we find ourselves actually complaining that there are no stores open ANYWHERE. :) 

It was a nice (long) weekend.  Weather was fantabulous!  On Saturday, I went to my cousin Diane's son's graduation party.  Had a great time catching up with the family.  Stopped at Idylwilde on the way home and picked up a bunch of fresh fruit and veggies.  Yum...

Yesterday, I spent the entire (wonderful) day in the house!  Didn't even get dressed.  Found out last week that the memoir class (Life Lines) that I offer at the local college filled enough to run, so that will be starting on June 11.  Since I haven't taught it in almost 2 years and THAT class was my first, I thought it might be a good idea to dig all of the materials out and, ahem, brush up.  Since I created and designed it from the journal workshops that I teach, along with materials from the bazillion books I have on the subject, I found myself moving things around, adding new stuff, etc.  Spent most of the afternoon doing that and throroughly enjoyed myself.  Let's hope I sound like I know what I'm talking about when the classes start.

The beading class at the college was on Thursday.  Originally, 4 people had signed up and although they like 6 or more (most classes have had 10-12), they said they were going to let it go.  Only one person showed up.  Not that I didn't enjoy my 90 minutes with Shirley, but I had to pack and haul and repack and rehaul, then unpack all of my beads and tools and books. Bah. Well, it was extra cash, so I'm not complaining (much).  I usually take in about $300 the night of the class, then 3 hrs pay from the school.  So, having only one person hurt a bit, but I least I wasn't running around like a mad woman for 3 hrs.

I am going to be out straight the second week in June and will probably collapse in a big heap on Saturday, the 14th.  On the 9th, I have my little memoir group that spun off of the first Life Lines class I taught.  We meet at a local coffee shop and share essays.  On the 10th, we will be finishing up a 5 wk journal workshop.  It's Fun Night and something I always look forward to ending my time with the group with.  I bring snacks and drinks, we collage, do poetry, share stories, listen to music.  Fun times.  On the 11th, the first night of the 3 week Life Lines class starts.  On the 12th, I will actually have a night off, unless I fill it with the hair appt I now have to cancel on the 18th, as that conflicts with the Life Lines class.  On Friday, the 13th, Tammy and I are hosting a blowout (I hope) benefit for Linda's grandson, Jacob.  There will be 4 bands and food and a chinese auction and tons of fun and money coming in!  So, as I said...On the 14th, I may stay in bed alllll day.  Last summer on that day, I was flying to Phoenix by myself to surprise Denny on this birthday!

My "California" Linda called me a couple of nights ago.  We haven't talked in months and months, so it was good to catch up.  We always laugh and laugh when we are on the phone together...a good thing for both of us.  I have "made an appt" in my calendar to call her on June 15th.  Will have lots to tell her that day.

Went to the cemetary today.  Brought flowers for my mom and Aunt Evelyn, then "visited" with the rest of the family.  As I was searching the stones looking for a particular grave, I ran across the graves of my former sister-in-law and her husband.  Did a little walk around, then as I was heading back to my car, I saw my former brother-in-law and his wife heading to Janice's stone, so I went over to say hello.  I think the last time I saw them was at Janice's funeral. 

Did I tell you that the landlord is taking the house off the market "for a year or so"?  It's nice that I don't have to worry about moving with everything else going on at the moment, but I haven't given up plans to leave at some point.  I just do NOT want to pack this apartment up and move again!

Typepad made some changes to this screen that I wasn't aware of until I logged in.  New things added and a few things upgraded.  Nothing too scary. :)

Peace,

Kay

Saturday Snippets...

1. Tam is here for the wkend.  Off with Mike at the moment, but will be back for dinner (I think).

2. I did the usual Saturday working person routine: run errands, shop for food (new incentive at local market...bring reusable bags for your stuff and they take .05 off your bill for each bag.  Saved .20 today ;).  Laundry nearly done, floors mopped, etc.

3. Took a trip to Wal-Mart (I know, I know) and got a carpet sweeper that uses muscle power.  Tired of lugging that heavy vacuum out all of the time and the carpet sweeper is "greener".  Also bought a couple more pks of CLF bulbs in higher wattages.

4. Started a new JTTS class on Tues.  Good group dynamics.  Enjoying being in that process again and looking forward to the next 4 wks.

5. Hoped a box of beads from Fire Mtn Gems would arrive today...filled with sparkly autumn colors...but no luck. :( Maybe Monday.  I have a small pile of new beads from The Beadin' Path in Freeport, ME and that will have to do for today.

6. Began reading The Red Leather Diary yesterday.  Like it so far.  Still reading books on green living.  The Idiot's Guide had lots of info, but I also like Easy Green Living by Renee Roux.

7. Went to Home Depot and bought a couple of English Ivy plants.  Needed more green inside.  Stopped at Michael's and picked up bead containers.  Also made a quick trip to Roots Natural Food Store while in the area.

8. The Universe has graced me with some monetary abundance this month.  Thanks for that!

9. A co-worker stopped to talk with me in the cafeteria one morning this week. While chatting she said..."You always look so pretty.  You have beautiful skin".  Aw...made me blush!  What a way to start the day! :)

10. Last, but definitely not least.  Remember my story from last July about my "father"? (check the archives if you'd like a reminder) Well, I finally contacted the oldest daughter of my sperm donor's brother.  She took me completely at my word that her Uncle Paul is quite possibly my father (he was her godfather) and proceeded, over 3 days, to fill me in on so much paternal family history that I was about flat on my back in overwhelm.  She has spoken to her other sisters, one of whom works at the hospital with me and wants to meet next Fri a.m. for coffee in the cafeteria before work.  Both N, and D. have been very open and friendly, more than willing to fill me in, and share pictures (not yet, but soon) of my father. Due to information from N. (who has traced her family tree all the way back to the 1400's), Tammy was able to find one of my 2 half-brothers at MySpace.  Both are quite a bit younger than me.  L. (the youngest) is younger than Tammy! He doesn't know about me yet and just thinks Tammy remembered him from the short couple of yrs he and his father lived in Gardner when he was in middle school.  I'm not quite ready to open that door yet.  If I do, I am hoping one of them will be willing to do DNA testing with me to know for sure.  It would be really nice to put that question to rest before I die. It would also completely SUCK if it turns out that Paul is not my bio contributor after all, when my newfound family has been so open and friendly.

Anyway, it's been a helluva week. :)

Peace,

Kay

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Where does the time go?

Thursday

May 16, 2008

Hi,

If I had married my high school boyfriend on the date we'd planned, we'd be celebrating our 38th anniversary today.  Amen to that not taking place. :)

The jewelry sale...well, what can I say?  It happened, it was extra money, but it wasn't the rockin' sale I had in November.  Several reasons why.  Too many vendor sales at work...no one was Christmas shopping, of course, and a handful of jewelry vendors just before us.  Oh well... Kay Sera Sera. :)

What HAS happened is that I've gotten some private sales which have padded the purse by about $120.  So, it's all good.

My journal workshop started on Tuesday.  I had 7 in the class, 2 nurses missing.  I only had 5 sign up and as it's happened in the past, I didn't want to end up with 2 or 3 (which, as you can see, would have happened), so I invited some personal friends to come for free to energize me and the classroom.  I emailed both of the no shows and one responded saying she'd fallen asleep (she works 11-7) and missed the class.  She asked if she could start next week, but in order to get her CEU's, she needs to attend all 5.  Since one of the nurses who was there this week has to miss next week, I'm going to book the conference room for one more Tuesday at the end for makeup classes.  Oh...that added another $440ish to my checking account.  Good thing I wrote out my abundance check on the 5th, eh?

Anyway, we (well, *I*) had a really good time.  I've gotten feedback from a couple of people (positive feedback), and am looking forward to the next 4 weeks.  I think it's a good mix of people and I see some bonding taking place already.  I love teaching these!  Wish I could fill them all of the time, but it's not that easy.  You'd think with the opportunity to get more than the required amount of CEU's over a 2 yr period in ONE 5 week course, I'd have nurses begging me to run them.  Not the case.

Emma did a great thing on Monday.  She's been growing her hair out for a few years now, and she went to the salon with Tammy and had 10" cut off to donate to Locks Of Love, an non-profit organization that gathers hair for children who have lost theirs due to illness.  I'm so proud of her for doing that...and she looks cute as a bug in her new haircut. 

My cousin and I have been walking almost every evening for a little while.  Unfortunately, I am still having trouble with my back and the sciatica in my right leg, so can't go as far as I'd like (or NEED) to, but she's cool with it.  If she needs more, she gets it on her own.  At least it's getting out there, which is more than I've done all winter.  Gained more weight, am uncomfortable, hate my clothes, blah blah blah.  I have a family event to attend in the fall and I'd love to be about 100 lbs lighter.  Well, okay...that's a stretch.  I'd look like the walking dead if I lost that much. 

Cindi's here... gotta go.

Peace,

Kay

It's finally here...

Wednesday

May 7, 2008

Hi,

After weeks of working evenings to plump up the inventory, I finally put my tools down and packed up my boxes.  My sale takes place tomorrow from 9-4.  Cross all crossable parts for us to have a good day!  I wrote out my "abundance check" on Monday, so I'm sure we'll do great.  We have had sale after sale after sale at work (and some of them were jewelry) for weeks now.  I hope people have money left in their paychecks! :)

When I got home tonight, I spent about an hour packing everything up and getting into the car so I don't have to deal with that in the morning. I'm really looking forward to the sale...it's always a good time.  We have a great volunteer and these sales give me the opportunity to see people I don't usually run into on the average day.

The woman who coordinates these sales for the Hospital Aid Association stopped down to remind me to pay close attention to my table when it gets busy.  Once again, people have been stealing from the vendors, mostly the jewelry sales because it's easy to slip things into pockets.  I called Deb to let her know and we will keep a watchful eye for each other when we're with customers.  I've had a few pieces "go missing" from my table in the past, and Deb and I have also had price tags switched (the balls on these people never fail to amaze me).  It's awful enough that some of them steal, but with us they are also stealing from a co-worker.  That really sets my hair on fire!

I'm going to Maine this weekend to spend Mother's Day with Tammy.  Not sure what we'll do, but I will be happy to spend time with her and the kids.  The weather, like last weekend, is supposed to be rainy.  It has been gorgeous all week so far, just like the week I was off with Emma.  2 rainy weekends in a row.  Makes it difficult for people who work all week to get yard cleanups done.

Well, it's been a long day and I'm yawing away here.  I think it's time to wash up and go to bed with a good book.  Speaking of... have been reading A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle.  Enjoying it so far.  I've also been reading books on living green and have a great one from the library right now.  It's called Easy Green Living by Renee Loux.  I liked The Idiot's Guide to Green Living for it's easy reading ability, but love this one because it's filled with information, recipes (for cleaning products and stuff), and quick references on a variety of things.  I might have to buy a copy (this one is from the library).

Here's a recipe for glass cleaner:  yield 1 qt

1/4 cup distilled white vinegar

1/2 tsp of liquid soap (castile)

1 3/4 cups water

8 drops of essential oil of choice

Mix all in a spray bottle, spray on windows and wipe clean with your recycled newspapers.  Wear gloves!  No, not because of toxins, because of newsprint ink. ;)

On a sadder note, I've been so upset over the tragedy in Myanmar this past week.  Today, I read that there may be over 100,000 people dead.  I can't even imagine...  My heart goes out to the people of Myanmar during this awful time. 

Peace,

Kay

Seriously?

Tuesday

April 29, 2008

Hi,

Dawn called me at 7:15 this morning, just as I was walking out the door. She wanted to ask me for my email address so she could share the email she'd written to her mother at 3:00 am.  So, I gave her my work one since that's where I was heading.

It was a long dramatization of the complete upset and bitterness she feels in regard to the sale of this house.  She offered solutions to the issues that might work instead of selling.  She included ME in her "this is what we can do since Bob is tired of maintaining both houses" sentences.  This email came on the heels of a huge blow up with her mother this weekend, after not talking to either of them for 3 weeks.  She has been crying for days.  I dunno...

To make a long story short, about 2 hours later I got an email from her mother (at work) telling me that they are taking the house off of the market for at least a year.  Her realtor, and the realtor who brought someone to look at the house yesterday, have told them that they are asking WAY too much for this house.  Their problem is that to sell for much less, they would do so at a loss.  I don't know how, but that's none of my business.  She apologized for what "she put us through" in regard to having to move, etc.  Whatever...  I was a little surprised and not the slightest bit excited about moving again so soon, but it was the push I need to get out of here.  Dawn reminded her mother that her other daughter (who's 10 or 11) and her niece (the same age) are coming for the summer and "what's she going to do if she has to move"?  AND, she'd like to get a dog.  Okay then... I'm outta here.  Oh...and they are raising our rents because Dawn thought that would be better than having to move. 

I responded to both of them, letting them know that I am going to continue my search for alternate housing.  I have Wendy, the realtor who has this house, looking for appropriate listings for me.  Tomorrow I will call the bank to see about pre-approval so I don't waste anyone's time looking at something the bank won't give me a mortgage on.  On Sunday, I hope to look at a couple of places spittin' distance down the highway.

But, there was GOOD news in all of this drama today!  I advertised a journal workshop at work and today it filled enough to run!  Yeehaw and thank you, Universe, for the additional income.  That's the second (the first was the beading class at the college) opportunity to fatten the checkbook to come along in less than a week.  Wait...the THIRD.  I got my Economy Stimulating deposit yesterday too. 

Peace,

Kay

Checks in the mail...

Monday

April 28, 2008

Hi,

A news brief alerted me to the fact that the Bushwacker's checks would hit the accounts of approx 800,000 people who did direct deposit for their tax refunds this year.  I just popped into my bank's website, and sure enough...a nice little $600 boost was sitting there.  Couldn't have come at a better time, since I might (most likely) have to move.  I'd love to blow it on something fun, but it's not practical to do that right now. In fact, I plan to transfer it from my checking account to my Christmas Club acct, which I generally leave alone. :)

I suppose I could also have responded to the email I got today from Joyce Kaka (yes, that was her name..Kaka) asking me for my bank account information so she could send me millions of dollars that her now dead husband left her and she has no way to get it out of Africa.  Sheesh...

Since we are talking about saving our pennies, Eco Geek tells us that it's a bad idea to have bottles and cans and jars of change lying around the house.  And this article tells why...which makes all kinds of sense.  I'm guilty and will gather it up and get it into a change counter sometime this week.  Then pop it into my savings account with my gift from Dubya.  Here's the link:

http://green.yahoo.com/blog/ecogeek/455/coinstar-saves-precious-metal-from-sofa-cushions.html

Also, I read an interesting article on bottled water today, which I will also share.  As you know, I recently gave up bottled water when I put a PUR water filter on my kitchen faucet.  The water tastes fine, since it's exactly like the FILTERED WATER Dasani and Aquafina sells, and not spring water at all.  Since the plastic bottle scare hit the news last week, I'm not sure I want to buy bottled water for that reason alone, much less the scam it sometimes is.  Anywho...here's the link:

http://www.care2.com/greenliving/bottled-vs-tap-water.html

My dilemma is that I caught a brief blurb between shows last night that local (as in my whole state, not just my hometown) has tainted drinking water.  Guess I'd better find out what that's all about.

Well, my week with Emma was fun and over all too quickly!  My little granddaughter has her foot in two worlds...childhood and adolescence.  One minute she's running around in puddle jumpers, net in hand, scouring the pond for frogs.  Turn around and she's all dressed up for dinner and talking incessantly about a boy named Eric who's "so immature".  She thinks she'd like to dress Goth.  I think her chances of getting out of the house like that are nil.  She's fascinated with Mod Podge and mascara.  She has the attention span of a gnat when it comes to reading, but can watch the same movie 3 times in a row.  Pasta is her favorite food because she doesn't have to take the time to chew it.  She has a spattering of summer freckles across her nose and microbras in her duffle bag. 

We couldn't have had better weather if we'd ordered it directly from the Universe.  It was sunny, dry, light breeze, high 70's-low 80's all week.  Since she left yesterday, it's been raining and cold.  She is, apparently, the sunshine of my life.  It's too bad she is also on the brink of adolescence. :)

I spent some time working on jewelry.  I have a sale coming up on May 8th, so will have to make sure I write out my abundance check on the 5th.  A beading class, which I thought was cancelled, filled enough to run last week.  We had to push it up because I was unprepared to run it, but that will be another little wad of $$$ in the checking acct on May 22.  Little sums of moolah seem to be arriving from all kinds of places and for that, I'm grateful.

I plan to make a few pair of earrings tonight before I settle down in the living room to relax.  Once there, I will make more paper bead necklaces and bracelets because they are simple and can be done while watching t.v.

Well, I guess I've bored you enough for one day.  Ciao...

Peace,

Kay

Earth Day 2008

Tuesday

April 22, 2008

Hi,

Happy Earth Day!  Emma and I headed to a farm in Keene today, but it turned out to be a big disappointment.  Wish I'd been able to find some Earth Day activities close by, but most took place over the weekend... and I didn't have her with me yet. 

Right now, she's sitting on the sofa reading a novel for school while I clean up from dinner, read email and send a short post off here.

I bought my first Physician's Formula Organic Wear makeup today.  Found it (finally) at Rite Aid.  It's all organic ... and the packaging is completely recyclable.  (Is that a word?)  Anyway, it was mucho expensive in comparison to the product I used to buy, but I feel better about putting it on my skin and that there are no plastic components that will be sitting in a landfill in 2099.  That was part of my "contribution" to Earth Day.  Next, I will be getting some more of my plastic bag stash ready for the recycle bin, newly erected at Wal-Mart.

Is it just me...because I'm trying to be more conscientious about it all, or are there more opportunities in a bazillion products these days, to be eco-friendly?  Seems like I'm seeing/hearing it everywhere all of a sudden! 

Here's a link for today: http://green.yahoo.com/earth-day

Oh...and one for the makeup I bought: www.organicwearmakeup.com  It's nicely done...

Peace,

Kay