Mothering Earth

One last rant

2008-10-07T07:41:00.000-07:00

In today's local paper, The Pantagraph, there was an AP story about stay-at-home moms needing to stay closer to home. Oh, the woe. They can't just get in the SUV and drive to Target, whenever. They have to plan that trip in conjunction with a trip to playgroup.

The sacrifices these women make! I tell you. One mom says there's no way to go back to work. The hour commute would make it cost prohibitive.

It's just too much woe for one morning paper. I will say, living close to city center, taking public transit (yes! with your kids), walking, biking, eating at home, line drying, watching energy costs and not bitching about it would really be a welcome change of pace among this group. Instead of saying, "There's no time for poor old me," they could maybe be grateful they have, at their disposal, a means to teach their kids that energy is something we use with purpose. It's not our God-given right.

As I end this rant, I end this blog. I just don't have it in me to direct other people in the ways of green. There are much better outlets (Ideal Bite and Grist, for instance) for this information.

My whole idea of writing about green comes from a humorous aspect, much like writing about parenting. But unlike parenting, I've been able to pretty much master going green in just a few short years. No longer to I get flustered on the bus. No longer do I get stranded miles from home. No longer do I struggle with laundry.

So, I'll start blogging more on my original blog — My Dirty Little Secret — about my life as a mom who is constantly flustered. Of course the green will be there as well, but I'll leave the advide to the experts and, instead, try and document my little world, which is funny, loving, frustrating, unbelievable and green, all at the same time.

On the line

2008-09-30T10:43:00.000-07:00

I received an e-newsletter from e-mail from Project Laundry List today. I was surprised the impact of laundry, which uses a huge amount of our resources, wasn't being tracked as closely as other things, like transportation.

But it seems there will be a meeting to take a closer look at these issues. This is from the newsletter:

The statistics that our government keeps, which are used by hundreds
of businesses, utilities, and nonprofits, are often dismal. When it comes to laundry,
the numbers are terrible.

* There are no stats on commercial laundry done at Laundromats, hospitals, hotels,
restaurants, universities, fish piers, etc.
* There is terrible data about gas dryers, which about 17% of American households
have.
* They have this "5.8% of residential electricity use goes toward the electric dryer"
figure upon which we have built our organization's mission; however, they have no
footnote or any knowledge of how the number was derived.

I guess there will be a meeting to take a closer look energy consumption in general. I wonder if laundry will make the list?

The REAL reason SAHMs go green

2008-09-25T07:30:00.001-07:00

Hi and Lois
Sept. 25, 2008

You might think that children are our future, and all that crap, but really, it comes down to cash. Or lack of cash. And if the newspaper comics are talking about it, rest assured, it's old news.

Why the bus?

2008-09-22T11:34:00.000-07:00

I was chatting the other day with a single friend of mine, who happens to live in the sprawling land of Phoenix, Ariz., when she told me she's been commuting via the bus?

Why? It's less stressful, she said.

That is something all transit companies should really start pounding into the public. Reading the paper, listening to an iPod or daydreaming is about a billion times less stressful than driving.

Gas prices means this might be a viable option for many more people. Check out this stat:

The U.S. Department of Transportation reports that Americans drove 3.6 percent fewer miles last year than the year before — a total of 3.003 trillion miles in 2007 compared to 3.014 trillion miles in 2006, according to preliminary measurements.
That would make 2007 one of the few years — if not the only year — in U.S. history during which total traffic volume decreased.

Friday recipes; or Fricipes

2008-09-19T15:47:00.000-07:00

Technically, I'm not including a recipe. But this is definitely food related.

The New York Times just wrote a really interesting article about the mistakes parents make when feeding the kids. I was a little shocked that "Letting your child live exclusively on Fruit Loops" didn't make the list, but hey, I guess that's sort of implied.

I have to say, I'm only guilty of one to two of the six sins. The article suggests you shouldn't force kids to take at least one bite of everything. I'm definitely in that camp. My argument is, I'll give you an alternative if you don't like what I made, but you've got to at least try it.

Anyhow, I thought it was a great list unlike any I'd seen before. Most say things like, don't let kids fill up on carbs. Well, duh. But this actually offered some useful advice.

1. Don't send kids out of the kitchen. Let them hang around for preparations. BTW, I'm super good at this one.
2. Pressuring them to take a bite. I think I've mentioned, not so much.
3. Keeping good food out of reach. "Good food" was a misnomer. It actually means stuff kids think is good, like candy. The argument is, don't have it in the house if you don't want your kids to have it. I hope wine doesn't apply.
4. Dieting in front of your kids.
5. Serving boring veggies. For Pete's sake, but some butter on those green beans.
6. Giving up too soon. It can take kids up to 15 tries before they accept they like something.

This is how we roll

2008-09-15T10:27:00.000-07:00

I vowed not to be one of those mothers who enroll their children is countless organized activities, only to become just that sort of mother.

The only criteria I have is that the activity must be very close to our house, or on a bus route. But my town's park and rec department's community center is about a block away, which houses my daughter's preschool and (soon) her dance class. Her swimming class is just a mere half block further, so you can see I have a surprising amount of options.

And I know that some parents think I'm cuckoo by dragging my kids around on a bike, sometimes in pretty crappy weather. The other day, we walked home in torrential downpours with just some rain boots and umbrellas. My neighbor didn't just think I was crazy, he told me so.

But on a bike, I can get in/get out much quicker than in a car. A round trip might take just three or four minutes. And getting outside, even in bad weather, expends a lot of kid energy that keeps the girls from re-carpeting the house with plastic toys.

With gas prices jumping about 15 cents in two days, it might be cuckoo. But feels pretty sane to me.

Now I realize not everybody has the option of living two blocks from activity central, but our central location coupled with non-car transportation means some days when my husband takes the bus, which is becoming more and more frequent, we don't even move the car from the driveway.

Another way to think about it is to contemplate a commute. If I worked in Peoria, I'd spend close to $2,000 a year just driving to and from work, without any pit stops. Did I mention cuckoo?

Friday recipes; or Fricipes

2008-09-12T11:14:00.001-07:00

For my birthday, my aunt gave me this great cookbook all about cooking with the seasons. Since she's also quite the gardener, I also came home from a recent visit with a paper bag full of tomatoes.

"Simply In Season," commissioned by Mennonites, has fantastic recipes for all kinds of veggies. From springtime asparagus to winter squash, almost anything growing in your garden is covered. Since I was the lucky recipient of all these tomatoes, and because I don't can, I made a simple tomato sauce, which I froze. The following recipe is pretty much straight from the book, with a few of my own tweaks.

1 chopped onion sautéed in 1 Tbsp olive oil over medium head until soft.
2 garlic cloves, minced. Cook for about 30 seconds.

Add two shredded carrots, 1 chopped green (or red) pepper, 2 bay leaves, 1/4 cup fresh parsley, 2 Tbsp fresh basil, 1 Tbsp fresh oregano and/or 1 Tbsp fresh thyme.

Stir well

6 cups peeled and chopped tomatoes. Puree about half in food processor or blender.
6 ounces tomato paste
Salt and pepper to taste.

Sauté about 15 minutes. Have a lovely bowl of pasta and freeze the rest in plastic bags.

Fake plastic nappies — Big fat flaw week/month

2008-09-02T10:23:00.000-07:00

It seems my biggest flaw is procrastination. But since that's not really a green sin, I think I'll let it pass.

But diapers. Oh diapers. These have been my eco-downfall.

I didn't use cloth diapers, heralded by attachment-parenting types and most environmentally friendly moms-and-pops. It's an issue that ranks right up there with breast feeding and baby-wearing.

To start, I would like to point out that at least three studies concluded there is virtually no environmental difference between cloth and disposable diapers. There are been critics to these studies, although they did take many factors into consideration.

It seems logical that cloth diapers are better, in that there's no polluting of the landfills although there's no disputing that both types of diapers use up natural resources. But doesn't the soft cloth against baby's bottom, later line-dried in the heat of nature's sunshine, seem like a better alternative?

It didn't for me for a few reasons. First off, I didn't start thinking of myself as a green parenting until six months into my second child's birth. By the time I contemplated changing, I'd have spent several hundred dollars in start-up nappies. The cost and work precludes lower-level income earners and working moms from truly considering cloth as an alternative.

And to be truly green, I firmly believe it should be accessible to everybody, regardless of income. How else are we supposed to make significant changes for everybody?

Grist's Umbra, of Ask Umbra fame, wrote she was relieved to find out there was little difference in diapering baby. After all, 99 percent of parents use disposables at one time or another and it should be considered good that disposables aren't 50 times worse than a diaper very few people are using.

And the biggest item to note from Umbra's column:

"For one child, over two and a half years, these impacts are roughly comparable with driving a car between 1,300 and 2,200 miles." Now we know exactly how much mileage to shave off our car to compensate for diapering each kid.

Since my children are both out of diapers (actually, it's almost for my youngest, but I am not enough of a stickler and too much of an optimist to count one diaper a day as "still in diapers") I'm effectively out of the debate. But for anybody still considering how to cover baby's bum, try some eco-friendly varieties like gDiapers or Seventh Generation. By all means, if you're able and willing, use cloth, wash in cold and line dry. Or maybe, try diaper-free babies, which is really a thing and has apparently worked for some brave parents.

Or just try to compensate in other areas. Stop using central air, or turn it down. Cut shower time down to three minutes. Eat more vegetables. Drive less. And, perhaps the most important aspect of eco-parenting, encourage children to do the same.

Photo by A Fresh Perspective | Zak Metz's photostream on Flickr

Flaw week; continued

2008-08-26T11:26:00.000-07:00

Doritos!

I have many excuses for not listing all my green flaws in a timely fashion as I had promised. For instance, I have a non-stop barrage of family in town. Also, who really wants to list their flaws in an organized, thoughtful manner? And last night, I bought Lucky Charms, juice boxes and paper plates in an effort to make my eco-fied house somehow more kid friendly to my husband's kin.

This truly is a downward spiral. To make up for my uncharacteristic impulse buys (my husband demanded to know what I had done with his wife), I made some very tasty, adult-friendly, homemade mac-and-cheese my kids literally ate up.

So here's my eco-flaw of the day: I cave to peer pressure and Doritos. It's really unfair that guest kids are eating Doritos on the couch while my kids are banned to the kitchen table during snacks of crackers and milk. I understand this.

But there's lot of reasons to eat non-processed foods. They taste better. They're better for you. They're better for the environment. Trust me... I love Doritos. But sometimes you just have to say no for the greater good, meaning both the planet and my waistline.

So maybe the kids should be able to watch Saving Nemo while eating some stove-cooked popcorn (that's why God invented Friday Movie Night) and some homemade peanut butter cookies. It just takes a tiny bit of effort to feel a little better about "kid food" that doesn't have a bunch of mystery ingredients or excessive packaging.

But maybe I should consider that nobody is perfect, and while I might have bought one package of paper plates too many, I'll do better next time.

Dorito photo by giest on Flickr

Guilty pleasures – Big fat flaw week

2008-08-20T10:56:00.000-07:00

So I love Day of Our Lives. So what!!

I know it's so stupid, really I do. I can hardly believe I'm even admitting to it. Even still, I try to catch at least 10 minutes of it a few times a week. I also love really cheesy movies, Tori Amos and The Simpsons.

Just because I'm trying to conserve energy doesn't mean I live in the woods. I like Project Runway as much as the next girl/gay guy, but all this media love can really add up to some serious cash on DVDs, CDs and electricity.

So, instead of denying myself my Sami/E.J./Lucas love triangle, I just try to conserve as much as possible.

• Power cords, especially for televisions and stereos, are great ways to fight phantom energy, or the stuff you're using even when the tube is off. It can make up as much as 5 percent of your energy bill.
• Instead of buying, borrow. Libraries aren't just for books, like the crime mysteries I'm currently embarrassed to admit loving. I get most of my rental movies there as well. They're not always free. Mine charges $1 for two nights, but they have new releases. We just watched Superbad a few nights ago. Many libraries also stock music and video games.
• Speaking of music, instead of CDs, try Pandora. It's like a radio station made just for you and totally free.

Stop wining – Big fat flaw week

2008-08-19T10:17:00.001-07:00

Sometimes, like last night, I've been known to drink a beer or two (or, unlike last night, 18) too many. But my real weakness leans toward the sipping variety.

Red wine that is.

And how come it's so hard to leave a half-empty bottle on the kitchen counter? It's just a question for the ages I guess. But if you're going to drink a glass or two of the stuff while you're making dinner, best to be as eco-friendly as possible.

And so we have the box. Less packaging and transport costs means greener (and less expensive) drunkenness. I've read in a number of places that campers like to remove the wine bag from the box for a light-weight cocktail hour in the woods.

Now, I know a wine snob or two who would never touch a glass of Merlot from Target (also available in little single serving juice boxes!), but for the casual wine drinker who doesn't swoosh the stuff around in the mouth and then spit it into a community bucket (as the very sophisticated wine connoisseur can do) then there are a couple of pretty good choices.

My favorite so far is Pinot Evil (like "See No Evil" with three monkeys on the box) just as much for the clever name as the tasty pinot noir. Black Box has gotten a good reputation and is widely available.

Lazy imperfect days

2008-08-18T10:19:00.000-07:00

For whatever reason (the heat, the sun, thoughts of fall right around the corner), it's hard for me to get motivated in August. For instance, I stop blogging and think, "Eh... I'll get around to it sometime next week, or maybe the next time it rains."

This lackadaisical approach to life (like spending way too much time and the pool and not contributing a weekly Fricipes entry) definitely creeps into my eco-world as well.

For instance, sometimes it's just easier to use the dryer then hang those tiny kid clothes on the line. The carpet smells vaguely like dog so it's easier to buy some chemical-laden carpet cleaner than research and make my own concoction. I just can't bear browsing garage sales for great deals and Macy's is having a one-day sale. One car trip to the mall won't end humanity, right!

So this week, I'll focus on my eco-flaws and maybe even a few fixes, just as a reminder that even the most perfect of moms (and here I'm referring to some other women I know) have moments of weakness.

Bugs and beautiful flowers

2008-08-11T09:59:00.000-07:00

Here are a few reasons why heading to the nature preserve, or even the backyard, can be thrilling summer outings for kids, at least here in the Midwest.

Here's our favorite summer songstress — the cicada. Do you know, these bugs are eaten in some part of the world?

A monarch butterfly enjoying some lovely goldenrod. This scene was one of many from our recent nature walk.

Speaking of butterflies, here's some pretty butterfly weed. I think its color makes butterfly weed (it's not actually a weed, fyi) the most beautiful of the prairie wildflowers. I think many people consider wildflowers weeds, but what makes these plants less beautiful than a peony or a marigold?

I think these are black-eyed susans. They were among some of the plentiful, and colorful, varieties of wildflowers in bloom this time of year. I once spoke to a horticulturist who noted wildflowers are big, to-be-noticed kind of plants, something that scares away many timid gardeners. But these plant, native to the prairie, are familiar with the climate, don't need a lot of tending to and really are quite beautiful.

Friday recipes; or Fricipes

2008-08-08T11:17:00.000-07:00

So you had a big party last night and that big bowl of tortilla chips is stale. Or, more likely in my case, you fell asleep with an open bag while you were watching "We Are the 80s" on VH1 for the 15th time.

Whatever. There's an awesome remedy for those inedible corn chips — chilaquiles.

Chilaquiles is a traditional Mexican dish using leftover corn tortillas. The tortillas are fried, layered with leftover sauce and cheese, and baked into a casserole. There are a ton of varieties to this great dish, and here's a link to get you started, but my personal favorite is the tomatillo variety. It's tangy and wonderful.

2 lbs. tomatillos, quartered. They look like husked green tomatoes and sold near the avocados.
1 medium onion, diced.
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped.
Juice from one lime.
1/2 tsp salt.
1 jalapeño or serrano pepper, for the brave. (otherwise, optional).
2 cup chicken broth.
1/2 bag corn chips. If you don't have this, fry up about 12 corn tortillas cut in eighths.
16 oz Monterey Jack cheese, shredded.

1. Combine the tomatillos, onion, cilantro, lime, pepper and salt in blender until smooth. Bring mixture to boil on stove.

2. Add chicken broth. Bring to boil. Turn to low and simmer 10 minutes.

3. Preheat oven to 350.

4. Put about 1 cup sauce on bottom of casserole dish. Layer with tortilla chips.

5. Add another cup of sauce, half the cheese and another layer of chips. Top with sauce and cheese. Bake for 20 minutes, or until heated through and cheese is bubbly.

6. Serve with sour cream. If it's a spicy dish, it works really well with a fried egg.

Eco-parenting

2008-08-07T16:18:00.000-07:00

The site How You Eco has been profiling eco-homemakers (something they're caling Chief Eco Officers, and really, could I say eco one more freakin' time!) this week on their blog. Sure I'm included, but I swear there are other, more interesting, people on the site.

The Whole Foods story

2008-08-06T10:06:00.000-07:00

Whole Foods, the fancy-schmancy grocery store known for selling quality organic food, is having a bit of a problem. Seems people aren't willing to spend half their paychecks on good eats when times are tough.

So the chain is trying to shake its image. But one thing it can't do at this point is appeal to the huge part of the population it's ignored for so long. There are 16 stores in my state of Illinois and every one of them is in Chicago or the Windy City suburbs. Big cities. Hip neighborhoods. That's where Whole Foods built its base.

Don't get me wrong. I love Whole Foods. Yum. But it looks like I'll have to stick mostly to my local grocery (the St. Louis-based Schnuck's that built a store a mile from my house off a bike trail) local farmers (it is the Midwest, after all) and local specialty stores.

Good luck with that image problem of yours Whole Foods. You're going to need it.

Photo by beardenb on Flickr

Getting to know you

2008-08-04T10:53:00.000-07:00

I got one of those silly surveys friends sometimes send to one another in an effort to talk about themselves. Sure I answered it.

What caught my attention was a question about favorite smells. Many of the women (all moms) said they liked the smell of a clean house.

After watching more daytime television than I care to admit, and having wandered down a cleaning product aisle at the grocery store every once in a while, I can tell you, that smell is not the smell of clean.

In fact, it's probably exactly the opposite.

Many cleaning products contribute to indoor air pollution, which can be 2 to 5 times higher in your house than outside. The chemicals (or volatile organic compounds) in cleaning products, air fresheners and dry-cleaned clothes can contribute to a number of health woes, including damage to the central nervous system.

Air fresheners are the worst in my book. They provide a very strong smelling product meant to conjure images of clean, when one organization found phthalates (known to cause birth defects and reproductive harm) in 12 of 14 air fresheners testing, including those labeled as "all natural."

The truly safe cleaning products, such as those sold by the company Seventh Generation, are great, but expensive. For most of my cleaning, I stick to baking soda, washing soda and vinegar. Try to buy soap instead of detergent, which contains petroleum products.

And for a fresh, clean smell, open a few windows. You might find the outside actually smells OK.

Friday recipes; or Fricipes

2008-08-01T11:35:00.000-07:00

The tomatoes are here! The tomatoes are here!

Every year when we get those first few tomatoes, we always analyze the best way to eat them. A fresh mozzarella/tomato salad with olive oil and great bread? A fantastic BLT?

How about some fresh salsa? Oh how I love the conundrum of summer food.

Here's my recipe for the perfect summer salsa. Next week, check back to find out how to deliciously use stale corn chips.

This is a single tomato recipe. Just double, triple or multiple by 100 for your needs. Also, don't be afraid to experiment. A seeded cucumber or diced carrot can make a nice addition, especially if you're making a clean-out-the-fridge variety.

One good sized tomato
Tsp salt
One small onion
One jalapeno or Serrano pepper (use half a green pepper if you don't like the heat)
One small ear of corn, boiled five minutes and cut off cob
Juice from half a lime
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1. Dice tomatoes. Put in colander in sink and sprinkle with salt (this will rid the tomatoes of their excess juice)
2. Layer diced onion, diced pepper and corn on top of tomatoes. Do not stir.
3. Squeeze lime juice over vegetables
4. Wait about 15-20 minutes.
5. Stir the mixture into a medium bowl. Stir in cilantro and season with salt and pepper.

Eat with corn chips, tacos or over scrambled eggs.

Awesome reasons for not driving

2008-07-30T11:56:00.001-07:00

Surprises.

Yesterday, I meant only for a quick bike trip to the library for some new books (I got Salman Rushdie's newest novel!) and a little browsing.

But then ice cream sounded great. After some chocolate cones, we strolled through the town's farmer's market.

On the way home I thought, "Why not stop at the playground?" And what a treat when two little girls, the same ages as my little girls, showed up. The little quartet played together, as my4-year-old would say, "The whollllle time."

Child's play

2008-07-28T10:05:00.001-07:00

I was jogging about a week ago when I noticed a particularly windy storm had knocked one of those backyard playsets down in a nearby neighborhood. Yesterday, I was running along the same route and noticed nobody had bothered to fix it.

It's part of the problem with DIY playsets. I see these overpriced kits (a very small set excluding lumber starts at a few hundred and the sky's the limit on high-end equipment) constructed all over town and see kids playing on them less than 1 percent of the time. What a waste.

I think the monotony is part of the reason for backyard playground failure. Kids like the park because there's always a chance other kids will be there. Sure the swings and the slide are fun, but it gets old after about the hundredth time.

It's also not uncommon to see these sets bordering community parks. That just screams, "We're too important to mingle with whatever commoner might be frequently my neighborhood playground." Also, they fall into disrepair from lack of use, or when a wind storm blows them over.

And people have blight issues with clotheslines.

I say the playground's biggest benefit is it's community building. Kids want to play with other kids! And if you're a stay at home parent, don't tell me you don't crave adult conversation, even if it ends up merely being about your 2-year-old's reluctance to eat anything but bread.

So stop the backyard madness, get out the bikes and ride to the park. You might be surprised what (and how many friends!) you might find there.

Friday recipes; or Fricipes

2008-07-25T11:55:00.000-07:00

I've got nothing against the traditional grilled cheese sandwich. Who doesn't love butter, bread and cheese slices, maybe some ham if you're feeling fancy?

But I definitely prefer a more grown-up variety, especially in the summer. And both my kids, even my picky eater, love it.

Today is one of my favorites. I got some good Ciabatta bread from the bakery. I could have made my own rustic version if I had the time and inclination, neither of which panned out.

Then I layer fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, basil and some shredded mozzarella. I brush both sides with olive oil and cook over medium heat on the stove top until both sides are golden brown, about four minutes each.

Add and subtract veggies and cheese to find your favorite combo. I'm also partial to sautéed spinach with goat cheese.

Hurry up and wait

2008-07-25T07:02:00.001-07:00

That was our day yesterday after a very long, very stressful trip on the city bus. I know, I know... I'm always saying things like, "Sell your car and ride the bus. It's fun!" Well, it's fun sometimes, I think.

We don't use the bus much in the summer. I really only take it a few places (transferring with two kids can be a little like trying to pull two kids off the monkey bars and one of the kids is kicking you in the head) and the bike is just an easier option. Mostly that's because I can come and go at my leisure, which I enjoy.

A bus is a whole different story. It only comes by our house once an hour. That requires us to be at the bus stop at 45 minutes past the hour and, more importantly, be at the downtown stop at 35 minutes past the hour. Missing the bus means either waiting an hour for the next bus or walking the mile home.

Ever try to get two kids under the age of 5 out the door is 3 minutes? Well, it's tricky. It's even harder in the winter with coats, hats, mittens and boots.

But when I made an ambitious trip to Meijer yesteday, I broke the cardinal rule of riding public transit in a small town — wear a watch. If you're constantly worried about the time, it's stressful.

To my kids' credit, they were extremely well behaved on the bus. Well, except for my 2-year-old pointing and laughing at the giant Vietnam Veteran wearing a beret, a hat she apparently found hilarious. But all this waiting serves as good opportunities for running around, which at a bus stop, isn't a great spot for that. We did find a nice little spot with steps and some grass.

But while the weather is nice, the bike is definitely better.

Summer favorites

2008-07-24T07:26:00.001-07:00

Someone recently asked me about the cost of a CSA v what I'd spend at the grocery store.

We pay about $14 a week, which is slightly more per week than we paid last year, but our farmer this year grows more "backyard garden" kind of stuff, which is a bigger hit with the fam. This cost obviously differs among farmers, regions, items grown and how organic the farmer is.

One green pepper; two onions; two tomatoes (yeah! tomatoes); three cucumbers; three pickling cucumbers; four banana peppers; one eggplant; three Japanese eggplants; up to four zucchini (I only took two because, frankly, I don't want any more zucchini); one head of leaf lettuce; one bunch of basil; one bunch of carrots; one head of garlic.

And music please.

A dozen ears of corn!!!
After several months of the constant mantra "I don't like it" from my super-picky 2-year-old, this was indeed a welcome addition to the dinner table.

(note* I checked at Meijer yesterday and calculated $14 without counting the zucchini, garlic or tomatoes. I definitely feel like I got a deal.)

Getting from A to Beta

2008-07-23T19:01:00.000-07:00

Beta Walking Google that is. Google Maps now makes it possible to map your walking route. This totally rocks, especially when visiting cities where one-way streets might make regular mapping unpractical.

Here's a blog (Google LatLong: Pound the pavement)that explains all the benefits of walking better than me. But one thing I noticed, Google gives you plenty of time to get somewhere with one mile taking about 19 minutes.

I love that!

Doing what works

2008-07-23T11:35:00.000-07:00

I recently considered the possibility of going back to work. Now, all you SAHMs out there, don't get all hot-headed and bitchy with your "raising children IS work" argument. Sure it's work, but not the salary kind I'm thinking about.

But after some serious thinking following my initial interview, I called to cancel the second interview. In my pros/cons lists, the side came out nearly even, not nearly enough to ditch the tan, buy a car and go suit shopping.

Here's what I learned in my silent deliberations.

• Buying a car would be almost a necessity. That means a car payment, insurance, gas and the probability I'll actually use this car (unlike the clunker sans working air we currently own which I avoid at nearly all costs) meaning more money on gas. This wouldn't be very Mothering Earth-like behavior.

• Homecooking would take a backseat to sleep. Cooking good, wholesome, inexpensive meals at home is time consuming. In fact, when I went on the interview I called my husband and asked about lunch. He asked if I could just pick up Taco Bell. Taco Bell?! I haven't eaten this kind of low-grade food in months. It was delicious, but I had to run an extra mile just to justify it.

• Speaking of running, that would be the end of that. Again, sleep has to take priority. I run in the morning when everybody's home. I can't very well go for a run at night when the girls are in bed before Steve gets home. And darn it all if I don't want to spend at least 30 minutes with my spouse everyday.

• Childcare. This is a biggie. I'm not opposed to childcare, but it's expensive and it really goes against this whole simple life we've concocted for ourselves. One more year before my oldest starts kindergarten and then it's all over but the teen-age angst.

• All the little things. The line drying. The garden. The homemade cleaning products. These are the products of a person focusing on the home. I realize it would be nice to communicate with adults on issues unrelated to potty training, but potty training will come and go. Jobs will come again. This simple life of using less, wanting less and loving almost every minute of it, this could come and go.

But I'm going to hang on as long as I can.