Better Living Daily

Free of Credit Card Debt as of Today

2011-03-03T19:21:00.000-05:00

As of today, March 3, 2011, we have paid off all credit card debt and closed the accounts. We are free from credit card debt, and the feeling of freedom is still sinking in. It has been so long, almost a decade, of oppressive credit card debt and interest. Never again.

You do not need credit cards. A debit card can do anything a credit card can. You can save up money in an emergency fund and have a debit card associated with that account for emergencies.

And now, to unleash all the money that went to credit card payments onto the student loan. There's no way I'm going to volunteer interest payments to the government!

This is all still just sinking in, but it still feels incredible!

One Chicken, Three Meals- Chicken Soup

2011-02-04T00:45:00.000-05:00

Meal #2- Chicken Soup

It is undeniable and beyond contestation: one of the best things for a cold is a hot bowl of nourishing, homemade chicken soup. A week and a half ago, I roasted a chicken. When we were done with that juicy bird and roasted veggies, I carved off the remaining meat and picked the carcass clean. I put all the remaining meat in the freezer. The carcass, on the other hand, had more cooking left to do.

I put the carcass and the contents of the bag of organs that were removed before roasting the chicken in a stock pot and filled the pot with about a gallon (16 cups) of filtered water. Next, a 1/4 cup of white vinegar goes in to draw out the minerals from the bones. The water was brought to a boil, then dropped to a simmer. Any bits and pieces or foamy scum that floated to the surface was skimmed off and discarded. Once that was removed, my vegetables and seasonings went in.

Each batch of stock is a little different, depending on what I have on hand that day. This time, it was an onion (quartered), 2 carrots, 2 celery stalks, 5-6 black peppercorns,3-4 cloves of garlic (smashed), two teaspoons salt, 2 bay leaves, a teaspoon each of sage and thyme, and 1/4 teaspoon of red pepper flakes. I let the stock simmer on the stove all day for a total of 12 hours. It was left to cool off, then strained and stored in the refrigerator. I took about half of the left over chicken out of the freezer and put it to defrost in the refrigerator to defrost overnight. The next morning, the fat had risen to the top of the stock. I skimmed the fat off and used it to cook potatoes (home fries) with breakfast.

The nicely-gelled, de-fatted chicken stock went back onto the stove top. In went a 1/2 cup of brown basmati rice. I really don't care for brown rice, but this is pretty good- very similar texture to white rice. I sliced up three carrots, two celery stalks, and chopped the defrosted chicken. It all went into the pot with a tablespoon of parsley.

And here is a nice, hot cup of soup. Perfect to chase away the common (if ever so stubborn) cold.

Just a Phone Call

2011-02-02T15:40:00.000-05:00

What happens when you are under the weather, coughing, achy, you have no strength for anything (cooking, cleaning, crafting- all too much), and you still need to do at least one thing to make your life better during the course of your day? Pick up the phone and call your elected officials or a government agency about something important to you.

I know- it doesn't feel like they ever listen. But silence is like giving your tacit approval; giving consent through non-objection. Today, I called the USDA to voice my opinion about their decision to deregulate Monsanto's Round Up Ready alfalfa.

In a nutshell, this seed is guaranteed to increase the use of pesticides, specifically Monsanto's Round Up. It is also guaranteed to contaminate all alfalfa in the surrounding area. Alfalfa is a cover crop, and a food source for cows used in producing organic dairy. This decision effectively makes true, non-GMO organic dairy and organic beef a thing of the past. Consumer choice is eliminated by allowing this seed to infect US alfalfa through pollination. There are no long-term safety studies to indicate how this will effect humans and livestock or the environment. In essence, we have been turned into lab rats and subjected to an experiment without the opportunity for informed consent. For a more detailed analysis of the dangers of GMO seed, please click here.

Safe food is crucial to our health and ultimate survival. I called the USDA and let them know what I think about this. I also told them that I would contact the dairies in my area to find out where they stand on this and whether or not they will use this frankenseed. Those that do, I will name them and let my local area know about it and the potential dangers of it.

And my second good deed for the day is passing the word on to you all and asking you to do the same thing. Not bad for being stuck at home with a bronchial infection! Don't let a sick day keep you from doing something towards creating a better life for you and future generations.

One Chicken, Three Meals

2011-01-21T01:35:00.000-05:00

Whew- it's after midnight and I'm only now getting a break to post!

A whole chicken can be stretched over three meals for two adults and one child:

a roasted chicken (crockpot chicken in the summer)
chicken soup (also done in a crockpot is the summer)
chicken pot pie or chicken salad

With our schedule, our big meal of the day is lunch. Early this morning (1/20/11), I roasted a chicken for lunch. I reserved the organs and neck for later, and rinsed and pat dry the chicken. The next step was to loosen the skin over the breasts, and I stuffed garlic cloves under the skin. I sliced a lemon and stuffed the two halves into the cavity of the chicken with a few more garlic cloves. The chicken went on a rack (I use the one from my toaster oven- perfect size for a chicken) breast side up, and then I sprinkled salt, pepper, thyme, and oregano onto the bird. Carrots, potatoes, and onions went into the roasting pan surrounding the bird. 375 degrees and two hours later, this is the delicious result:

After we ate our fill of the bird and the roasted veggies, then I removed all the remaining meat off of the bones. The carcass, skin, the organs and neck that were reserved earlier, and pan drippings went into the stock pot with a tablespoon of vinegar to help extract the minerals from the bones, and then I filled the pot with filtered water. It was set on the stove to simmer all day to make chicken stock. It has been strained into containers and put into the refrigerator. Tomorrow, I'll skim the fat off, reheat the stock, reserve two cups of stock for a pot pie, and add more a few more ingredients to make chicken soup. The fat that rises to the top and is skimmed off the stock

Now, if you can raise your own chickens and grow your own vegetables and herbs, all the better. However, if you don't live somewhere that allows you to raise chickens, the next best option is to get them from someone local. After that, the next best option that I've seen is to get chickens raised without hormones or antibiotics from a wholesale club (please avoid paying retail whenever possible- your just wasting money you do not have to spend). Our wholesale club sells a two-pack of hormone and antibiotic free chickens for approximately $8. If you can grow your own veggies and herbs, than the only cost for the roasted chicken dinner would be the chicken for $4 (half of the two-pack).

Now, with two chickens, I can feed my husband, son, and myself six meals each week for an average of $5/meal- and that's if I buy everything from the store and had nothing in my pantry. Otherwise, it works out to closer to $3 per meal for all three of us. Now that is frugality at it's finest.

Practice Makes Perfect, But I'm Not Quite There Yet

2011-01-19T23:30:00.000-05:00

Today was another day with the spinning wheel. Today saw more spinning and less "figuring". I ended up pulling the first attempt at wheel spinning off of the bobbin and starting all over again. Something about seeing that lumpy, bumpy, twisty mess just irked me a little too much to leave it be. I've placed an order for a book on spinning, "Spinning for Softness and Speed" by Paula Simmons. It has been recommended to me twice now, and soon it will be part of my library. In the meantime, I have a book on tablet weaving to read.

As I promised yesterday, here is a picture of my wheel.

And here is a picture of my beginner spinning efforts from today.

It looks very similar to my first attempts with a drop spindle. Over time, it will get more even. For now, it's not too pretty.

Tomorrow, I've got some cooking to do. Frugality rules, and a simple chicken can easily be stretched over three meals. I will post recipes and pictures.

Spinning with a Wheel

2011-01-18T22:33:00.000-05:00

Hello again! Welcome to the first post of 2011.

A few weeks back, a very special Yule gift made its way to our home- a spinning wheel. While I had finally been getting the hang of spinning with a drop spindle, in order to reach our self-sufficiency goals, I will need the increased productivity that you can only get from a wheel. The model I got is a Kromski Minstrel, a castle-style wheel and perfect for folks like me with limited floor space. I was very surprised at just how little room this wheel requires, and it is a beautiful piece to look at.

My husband was kind enough to put the wheel together for me. Gotta love a handy guy! A free lesson does come with the wheel, but it has been rescheduled a couple of times now due to winter weather, and now I have another week and a half to wait. Regardless, I've been playing with it, testing out the different mechanisms, trying to figure out what the heck I'm doing, attempting to trouble-shoot my own stumbling blocks, and even getting a good stride here and there. Thanks to the Fiber-Arts Gods for Facebook and Ravelry which provided me several social connections far more knowledgeable about spinning than I do! And a special thanks to the many kind folks who have given their time to make YouTube videos demonstrating spinning with a wheel.

Tomorrow, I'll post a few pictures showing the wheel and my very beginner attempts at spinning yarn with a wheel.

Last Minute Update- Raven Radio Show Moved to Next Week

2010-07-22T17:02:00.000-04:00

I was just contacted by one of the hosts at Raven Radio, and they have to move the show until next Thursday.

Live better, a little every day.

I will be a guest on Raven Radio tonight!

2010-07-22T14:35:00.000-04:00

I will be a guest on Raven Radio tonight talking about preparedness. The show will air live at 10PM Eastern Time. Check it out at http://www.ravenradio.info. Older episodes can be heard at http://www.ravenradio.info/podcasts.html.

Live better, a little every day.

Forgotten Foods- Linden

2010-07-22T09:26:00.000-04:00

During our recent trip to Maine, our friend and local guru, Leif, pointed out that we have a linden tree behind our cabin. And... that the linden produced edible fruits that have a flavor somewhat akin to chocolate. Chocolate? I say, let's move into the cabin right now!

Ok, we can't relocate just yet. When we got home, however, you bet I went on line to learn more about this chocolate-like linden fruit. As it turns out, it's not just the fruits, but also the flowers and leaves that are edible as well. Cooking with linden is part of older, traditional recipes in places like England, Germany, and France where the linden is abundant. Thankfully, it grows well in New England.

The young fruits contain a nut-like seed that when ground tastes similar to cocoa powder. However, older fruits produce seed that taste more like coffee. Yes, that's right, coffee! Actually, the description is a coffee-like flavor with a hint of chocolate. Yum! Hot mocha in the morning! That's when my husband said, "Ok, so where do we buy more of these linden trees?" Since I don't drink coffee, I was happy to learn that the blossoms can be used for tea, and that the blossoms would have a gentle, calming effect.

Of course, the trick is to be able to collect enough of the linden seeds to make either the cocoa powder or coffee grind substitutes. You need a lot, so unless you have a lot of linden trees, you may only get a few bites of chocolate or a few cups of mocha. And yes, we have already sourced out a local supplier of linden trees.

Store the seeds as seeds, not ground up. Once ground, it doesn't hold its flavor well. Once blended with the blossoms and grape seed oil to make linden chocolate, it does not store well. It will last only a few days in the freezer. Thankfully, the nut-like seeds store well and they can be ground as needed.

Perhaps the most practical use of linden, however, is using the leaves to make flour. Linden leaf flour can be used in combination with other flours and grains to bake breads, cakes, and porridge, or be used as a thickener for soups. I found a few web sites with information on using linden in cooking, but this one had the most, and it's just a cool site overall. Check out Celtnet Recipes. Click here to go directly to their linden recipe page.

Live better, a little every day.

Building a Small Cabin Update

2010-07-21T11:55:00.000-04:00

Building a small cabin shouldn't take long. However, when you live about a five hour drive away (or longer if you have small children that need longer stops for diaper changes and bottle feedings), things can take a bit longer than expected.

Last week, we made a four-day trip up to Maine to work on our little cabin. After being left without work for almost a year, everything was exactly as it was left. Some birds had made a nest, and a bit of a mess on the second floor, and there was a field of dead lady bugs on the first floor. Considering that the second floor was not fully enclosed last fall, and there are still a few gaps that needed sealing in the outer walls, this was no problem at all compared to what we could have found.

The first day was spent travelling, trimming down the overgrowth, and setting up camp. We had one snake in the camper this time, which is a massive improvement from the 10-15 that had taken up residence that last time our camper had been left for the winter. There was also a hornet nest and a yellow jacket nest discovered in various vents, and both were destroyed by my very brave, beekeeper husband!

The second day, friends arrived to help. The men got right into mowing the tall grass for a larger camp, and then set to work on the cabin. The doors framed and hung, and the remaining windows were installed. We also set up a screen house for the little ones to play in, keep the bugs out, and provide some shade.

Speaking of bugs, the infamous Maine black flies were there in numbers to greet us. The mosquitoes were also present in unusually large numbers due to the massive amounts of rain and flooding this past spring. Not wanting to use DEET with small children, we used an essential oil based insect repellent from Burt's Bees. On a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the best, I'd give is a 9 for it's effect on the black flies, and about a 7 for it's effect on the mosquitoes. The blood suckers kept buzzing us, but didn't land to bite, making them more of an annoyance than a real problem.

On the third day, the second floor exterior was finished. We had originally planned to put up the roofing shingles as well. With the temperature topping 90 degrees and humid, the idea of working on black roofing paper with black, asphalt shingles wasn't very appealing to anyone. So, it was time for some play. Most everyone took rides on the dirt bike and ATV. Work hard, play harder!

The last day was bright, sunny, and we hated to leave. But, we should be able to actually sleep in the cabin during our next trip up to our developing homestead.

Live better, a little every day.

An Evening With Celery

2010-06-28T18:33:00.000-04:00

If you think you like celery, but have only tried it from the grocery store, you don't know jack about celery! We grew "tango" celery from organic seed, and wow is it different. The store bought stuff has crunch, but flavor? Not compared to this. The grocery store celery is more like water compared to the homegrown celery.

The more I grow food, the more I realize that for most of my life, I've been eating poor immitations of food. It is no wonder that children don't like vegetables. When varieties are grown for flavor, instead of how they hold up through long shipping and storage conditions, and when food is allowed to fully ripen before being picked, a whole new world of flavor emerges.

I have many more bunches than I could use in the next week, so I've pulled them, washed them, and was in the middle of chopping them to put in the freezer when the baby decided she wants to be held. At least I can type one-handed!

Why not dehydrate the celery? Dehydrating would certainly preserve the celery well, and take up a lot less space. However, it is extremely humid, we just had a thunderstorm pass through, and the weather is just not cooperating enough for us to use a solar dehydrator. You really need a dry day to make the best use of one.

A Day at The Hives

2010-06-22T22:18:00.000-04:00

Grass-Fed Bison, It's What's For Dinner

2010-06-20T22:08:00.000-04:00

What a weekend! Between the two of us, Eddie and I worked three farmers' markets. It has been hot, sticky, and exhausting. Hard work was rewarded, as we made a decent chunk of change to show for it.

At the final market of the weekend, another vendor was selling bison. We spoiled ourselves a little, and picked up a pair of grass-fed, bison-meat rib eye steaks. Thick, beautiful bison steaks, raised without all the hormones or antibiotics, free to graze on grass all day long. Paired with a stir fry of onion, pok choi, swiss chard, and garlic scapes, this was a well-deserved reward at the end of a gruelling weekend.

Our display is very basic, easy to set up and take down. We only have one product- honey. A canopy, card table, a sign, and a few bottles on display, and we're done. The poduce growers and crafts people take a lot of time setting up all their baskets and handmade items. There are always a few good-natured comments along the lines of "I'm so jealous! You're set up is so easy." To which Eddie always says, "Ah yes, but do you want to go work the bees?" Then the lightbulb clicks, and they don't feel so badly about having so much to set up.

Due to impending thunderstorms (Hail Thor!), this afternoon's market closed a half hour early. Our stuff was packed up quick, so Eddie, being the helpful guy that he is, assisted the bison folks in packing up their freezer. They gave us a few packages of bison jerky in return. What a treat. Needless to say, the jerky (and the rib eyes) have already been consumed!

Live better, a little every day.

Long Week

2010-06-18T19:32:00.000-04:00

It's been a long week with the kids, the heat, and the baby has already started teething. Our living room ceiling fan has bit the dust, and the hottest day of the year so far is slated for tomorrow. At least the garden is kicking butt!

Live better, a little every day.

Podcast Update

2010-06-14T16:41:00.000-04:00

This week's schedule for the podcast is up!

06/14/2010, Monday- No Show Today
06/15/2010, Tuesday- Off-Grid Living 101
06/16/2010, Wednesday- Peak Oil, What You Need To Know
06/17/2010, Thursday- Reducing Dependence on Oil
06/18/2010, Friday- How To Set Up An Off-Grid Kitchen

Live better, a little every day.

Farmers' Market Season Has Begun

2010-06-14T16:27:00.000-04:00

The Farmers' Markets we participate in started this past weekend. In spite of cloudy skies and scattered thunderstorms, each market had plenty of foot traffic. Eddie worked the markets, while I kept the little ones home out of the weather. We moved a lot of honey this weekend. Next weekend, when the largest market we do begins, it should be even better!

At the end of the market on Saturday, one of the other vendors gifted us with 12 plum tomato plants. They went into the ground immediately. Seeing how much further along those tomato plants were than my tomato plants made me wish that we had a greenhouse. Yes, I could have started some seeds in my As we will most likely still be living here as our primary residence next year, we may look for a small greenhouse for this winter to grow a winter garden and get a jump on next year.

Beyond honey, we planted pie pumkins and mini melons to sell at the markets later in the season. I just took a quick inventory of them. They are ready to move up to bigger pots, as are my own tomato plants. Two more weeks, and everything should be in the ground.

Live better, a little every day.

Honey Sweet, Yummy Beets

2010-06-08T12:09:00.000-04:00

Yesterday was spent mostly on the computer and getting caught up on administrative tasks. I put up a listing on local harvest for our beekeeping operation and honey sales. Relaunched the podcast, finalized show notes for the next couple of podcasts, and added our beekeeping operation to Local Harvest. If you would like to check out the listing, it should be searchable in their database by the end of the day, or you can click here.

Eddie was out at the hives yesterday, and our bees are doing very well. They will need additional room very soon to store more honey. If the weather these past couple of months is any indication, things are shaping up to be a very good honey year.

For a couple of months each year, my kitchen is overrun with seedlings and larger veggie plants in containers. Something came by and ate half of the cucumber plants. This is exactly why I start so many seeds! Thankfully, I have several more cucumber plants to get in the ground. They will be put in cages until they get well established. That should give at least one layer of defence against whatever came a'nibbling in the night.

Most of my plants are still doing very well in their containers, but it is absolutely time to get more in the ground. My back has had a few days now to rest, and I need to get back outside to dig in the dirt again. After Eddie gets home from work this evening, the weather should be cooperative enough for me to get my summer squash outside. The beets are doing very well. I can't wait to pick them, but they aren't quite ready yet. I've been dying to try my hand at making beet sugar to compare it in baking to store-bought white sugar. Beet greens are rather tasty, and the beets themselves are quite a favorite in our household. It will soon be time to can the excess beets and start stocking up for the winter.

Other than gardening and continuing work on my guide to reducing petoleum consumption, today's plans are to research the ins and out of building log cabins and log homes.

Live better, a little every day.

Podcast Relaunch Today

2010-06-07T13:56:00.000-04:00

Today is the Better Living Daily Podcast Relaunch! There is a new episode up on the site, Homesteading as a Strategy for Freedom. Please check it out and let me know what you think!

Live better, a little every day.

Alternatives to Oil in Plastics

2010-06-06T20:37:00.000-04:00

I had originally planned on getting the majority of our plants in the ground over the past few days. I have, however, been sidelined with back pain from overdoing it in the garden and reorganizing the house. To move forward with our pledge to do something every day to live better, I spent many hours researching ways to reduce our dependence on oil, and I ordered a new cell phone. That may sound incongruous, as most new phones would represent market demand for new oil, but wait...

I'm not a techo-gadgety type, but it was finally time to upgrade my cell phone. I've been avoiding getting a new one because each new phone represents more oil-based plastics. With the Deepwater Horizon disaster in the Gulf of Mexico, I was expecting to feel some guilt in contributing to market demand for petroleum.

My carrier offers a couple of cell phone models at no cost to customers, and the offers change every couple of months. This time, their free offerings included the Samsung Reclaim, a phone that boasts 80% recycled materials, and 40% of new plastic used as corn-based bioplastic. Of course, I would be happier if the phone were manufactured in the USA, and if there were no components made from new petroleum, but is a step away from oil dependency.

In order to prevent another disaster, we need to reduce our overall consumption of petroleum. But, can we do this when we are so accustomed to our conveniences and gadgets which are often made of plastics? One emerging option is bioplastic. Bioplastic made from corn is already used to make plastic containers for organic and natural cosmetics and in water bottles.

Walmart, in its efforts to do damage control and revamp its image, has given bioplastics its largest market boost by agreeing to package some of its produce in bioplastics. I'm not suggesting that people now shop at Walmart, but the fact that the largest retailer in the US is now using some bioplastics funnels more resources to the bioplastics industry.

Of course, there is a catch. We could easily be trading Big Oil for Big Agribusiness. While bioplastics can be made from the starch of many different soures, much of it comes from corn. Also, some bioplastics are being designed to come from genetically modified sources. If we opt to continue producing corn on gigantic farms requiring large amounts of petroleum-based agricultural chemicals and petroleum-based fuels to run the extra-large farm equipment, there will be a tipping point where we will not be saving on petroleum consumption.

The issue that would hit consumers more immediately, however, is that bioplastics cost about twice what petroleum plastics cost. That may change, however, as petroleum costs continue to rise and newer, more efficient ways to manufacture bioplastics are developed.

As alluded to in my last blog entry, I'm putting together a comprehensive guide to reducing oil dependency. I will be adding a section on bioplastics where their application seems appropriate. I will let everyone know when it's completed.

Live better, a little every day.

Supporting links:
USA Today Article on Biodegradable Plastic
BioBag, 100% Biodegradable & Compostable Plastic (made from non-GMO plant starch)
Corn Plastic To The Rescue (Bioplastics get a boost from Walmart)

Podcast Update

2010-06-02T20:41:00.000-04:00

It is official. The Better Living Daily Podcast will relaunch on Monday, June 7, 2010!

Here is the show schedule for the week of 6/7/2010

06/07/2010, Monday- ***Relaunch Episode*** Homesteading as a trategy for Freedom
06/08/2010,Tuesday- Debt, Why You Should Never Carry It, and How to Get Out of It
06/09/2010, Wednesday- Buy Land and Build a House Without a Mortgage
06/10/2010, Thursday- Homesteading as an Investment Strategy and Retirement Plan
06/11/2010, Friday- Off-Grid Living 101

Please tune in, leave comments, and get involved!

Live better, a little every day.

Driven By Oil (Leak)

2010-06-02T20:13:00.000-04:00

Earlier today while listening to The Survival Podcast, I was shocked (though I probably shouldn't have been) to learn that there has been another oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico identical to the one in the gulf right now. In 1979, the Ixtoc oil spill dumped 30,000 barrells of oil a day into the Gulf of Mexico after a the blowout preventer failed to stop a blowout. Sound familiar? The exact same methods to stop the leak were tried, and they failed. Remember the "Top Hat" strategy? Well, 30 years ago it was called the "Sombrero" strategy. And, guess what... it didn't work then either. Oh, and the rig was owned by a company called Sedco, which is known today as Transocean.

In the past thirty years, nothing has been done by either our government or the oil industry to improve safety or prevent this kind of leak from happening again, which it so disasterously has. However, our government knew this has happened before, what worked to fix the leak, and what did not. Pretending to go along with BP's attempts to fix the leak using failed techniques from thrity years ago is irresponsible. Why not just come out and say, "Look the only way to fix this kind of leak is to drill a relief well, but that will take many months?"

I'll tell you why. No one wants to give the public that kind of bad news. Our government, along with BP, would like everyone to believe they are doing all that they can with the most current technology to stop the leak. So, they distract us with failed attempt after failed attempt, rather than deliver the bad news that this leak is going to be active for a long time coming.

I've seen a lot of groups pop up and circulating emails focused on boycotting BP. That's a start, but the problem is so much deeper than boycotting one company. These disasters have happened because we have an addiction to cheap oil. Our oil addiction has made oil companies very rich, and they will go to any length to feed our addiction and ensure that profits keep rolling in.

Since our government has had 30 years to prevent a problem like the leak in the gulf, and hasn't done so yet, we are on our own if we want to prevent oil leaks in the future. The only way we will prevent future accidents from risky oil drilling is to reduce the demand for oil.

So today, I spent the time to compile a comprehensive list of things that individuals can do to reduce their oil dependence. So far, I have a list of over 85 things that are easy to do that also reduce our individual oil consumptionl There isn't room here to list all of these, so here are the top 7:

Grow a garden. Oil used to power large farm equipment, in the fuel from shipping around the country and around the world, the powering of food processing equipment, food packaging, and of course, the fuel used in each vehicle used to go to the grocery store. Gardens also reduce the amount of grass that needs to be cut, so you use your lawn mower less.
Whenever possible, walk, ride a bike, or take a bus. Leave the car at home unless absolutely necessary.
Wear clothes made of natural fibers. Not only do they feel better and breathe better, synthetics are made from petroluem products.
Source out natural personal care products. This includes hair care, cosmetics, deodorants, skin lotions, and perfumes. Personal care products that contain petroleum-based and synthetic ingredients are linked to health problems, including cancer. Artificial fragrances are some of the most toxic concoctions ever invented. Stick to products with natural ingredients, and fragranced with essential oils.
Use cloth shopping bags instead of plastic ones. Besides, do you really need so many bags collecting in your home. At the very least, bring your plastic bags to be recycled. Some grocery stores have a recycling recepticle at their entrances for plastic bags.
Recycle. Most towns and cities now have some kind of recycling program, and they will take your plastic water bottles, milk jugs, and other plastics, reducing the need for newer plastics and additional petroluem.
Buy used. Shop at consignment stores, yard sales, craigslist, and good will stores. This is another form of recycling.

Live better, a little every day.

Supporting links:
Rachel Maddow, The More Spills change, the More They Stay the Same
Wikipedia, Ixtoc I Oil Spill

Lightening the Load

2010-05-30T21:47:00.000-04:00

I missed getting a blog post in the past couple of days, but with good reason. We have been turning our apartment upside-down- cleaning, organizing, gifting items, sorting other items for sale, separating items to donate to good will, and bagging items for the trash and recycling. It has been go-go-go from rising in the morning to my head hitting the pillow at night. And... we're not even close to being done.

I've been itching to reorganize, and here's why:

What if there were an emergency and we had to leave our home in a hurry?
Can we access our important papers and belongings quickly?
What if there were a flood and our basement storage unit turned into an indoor pond?
When we move, do we really want to wait until the last minute to shed our extra stuff?
We could use the cash from selling some of our things to make an extra payment to get rid of the last remaining credit card faster.

We cleaned and organized all of the closets, moved some furniture, repacked the clothes we had in storage in water-proof, vacuum sealed bags. The clothes were originally stored in boxes, which have now been broken down and stored flat, and can be used to pack our belongings when we move. Between the change to the storage bags, and flattening the boxes, we gained a ton of space. And when you live in an apartment, space is always at a premium.

After we attend a Memorial Day remembrance tomorrow morning, we still have more work to do. We have many more plants to get in the ground, which will give all of us a chance to get outdoors. That still leaves me the task of purging old documents and revamping the filing system. At least, we have access to a commercial shredder.

We will do a purging like this once a month from now on. This will help us raise funds and get us ready to move. Moving can be a real pain in the neck. There's no need to make it more of a pain by having to purge items at the last minute.

Live better, a little every day.

Small Amounts Add Up

2010-05-27T23:00:00.000-04:00

Today was a long, dull day, full of chores and chasing kids around. I'm not even sure how many sinkfulls of dishes I did today. Every muscle in my body is sore, but in a good way. Spent the evening planning out projects for the weekend. It's going to be a busy weekend.

I did a couple hours of bookkeeping for some extra money, deposited it, and sent it immediately to our last remaining credit card. It was only $20, but it was little amounts like this, chipping away at the principal balance paid off our other credit cards quickly. Never underestimate the single, small, extra payment!

The day has taken it's toll, and we needed a moment to unwind and reprogram our minds with something more positive and inspiring. We watched the documentary, Alone In The Wilderness which follows a 51 year old man who moves out to a remote part of Alaska, builds a log cabin and furniture by himself and with just hand tools. Just the kind of movie to feed the spirit.

Much more to post tomorrow.

Live better, a little every day

Garden Report 5/25/2010

2010-05-25T21:43:00.001-04:00

Here is the first official Garden Report of 2010. We are a little late getting some plants in the ground. That was dictated, like so many things this year, by our daughter's birth in early April. Certain plants really should have been replants outdoors before now, and we will just have to wait and see how things pan out.

So far this season, we have:

dug an additional garden bed
expanded the size of the existing garden bed from last year
8 rows of 10 plants each of onions, carrots, and beets in the ground

We have the following plants ready to go in the ground:

15 plants each of green beans (bush), summer squash, and cucumbers
20 swiss chard plants
5 melon plants

The following are ready to be repotted into larger pots

15 slicing tomato plants
15 paste tomato plants
5 mini pie pumpking plants (variety specific for container gardening)

We are still waiting for 15 bell pepper plants and 15 sweet pepper plants to germinate

Live better, a little every day.

Blog Updates and Companion Podcast

2010-05-25T12:24:00.000-04:00

We are approaching the Better Living Daily blog's first birthday!

Some of you may have noticed that I've made a few changes to the description of my blog. I'm trying out a few things to improve the blog's look and clarity. The purpose of the blog, however, is still the same: to record those things we do on a daily basis to improve our independence, level of self-sufficiency, and quality of life.

Last autumn, I had started a companion podcast to this blog. This was to help keep blog posts focused on documenting our daily actions towards living a more independent life, while leaving the longer and more opinionated topics for the podcast. Sadly, the podcast was left fallow for many months mostly due to medical problems. For the same reasons, I have not made daily entries here to my blog consistently. It has also meant that some of these longer, opinionated, and politically charged topics have ended up here on this blog again.

The podcast will be relaunched in the next couple of weeks. I have some updating to do to the podcast site, but will announce the official relaunch here within the next few days.

Thanks to everyone for reading my blog and listening to the podcast.

Live better, a little every day.