It is sometimes hard, when you both have heads full of cottonwool, to understand what's going on. Poor man, he got really confused by one conversation.
Would you like a hot drink, sweetheart?
Yes please Bob, could I have a Blackcurrant Cold drink?
Do you want a hot drink or a cold drink?
Yes, both!
[next week, we discuss fork 'andles]
I've lazed on the sofa, binge-watching rubbish TV, including lots of programmes about hoarders and declutterers, minimalists and zero-wasters.
I conclude that probably I am middle of the road in all this.
I do not have any 'collections' [Beanie Babies, football programmes, little resin cottages] but I do admit to 14 glass jars of buttons sorted by colour [and two biscuit tins, contents awaiting segregation]
I have quite cheerfully gone through my bookshelves on a regular basis since we moved into this house, sorting out volumes for Ziffit and the Oxfam bookshop. [you can use the code IYBRCFFMI for a first time bonus at Ziffit] - but I still cannot bring myself to cull my massive knitting needle collection.
I'm not sure I'll ever be a true minimalist though.
I continue to work, slowly, towards Z-W.
It is good see see the supermarkets picking up the challenge- e.g. M&S now have wooden forks with their takeaway foods, and Waitrose are phasing out black plastic packaging for ready meals.
Pattypan over at Tarragon and Thyme has a helpful post full of links regarding ZW this week - thanks PP! But I am still reluctant to freeze things in heavy glass jars, for all sorts of reasons. And like PP, I'm reluctant to discard perfectly good Tupperware to landfill while it still has a use, simply because we are avoiding plastic.
It is Very Hard to be consistent about all this. I was chatting with a friend about women who declare "My Family Lives Plastic- Free" and said I wasn't sure how they produced their blogs using wooden tablets, or hand knitted i-phones. And is it right to jet all around the world, lecturing on climate change, when your aeroplane is a big part of the problem? I started off the weekend with soft old cotton hankies, but by Monday was back to paper tissues [it felt more hygienic]
What is your best decluttering tip?
And what has been your most useful Zero-Waste discovery?
Sorry to hear about your nasty cold.
ReplyDeleteIt annoys me that the fuel they use for flying is so cheap, and all airports expanding. Watched a bit about people living close to London Southend Airport. A quiet place when they moved in now planes ticking over all the time just 50 yards from their houses.
Plastic free would be good but impossible
Sorry I haven't commented for some time but I do read almost everyday! I know what you mean about consistency: when my mother died 2 years ago we found 3 rolls of cling film stashed away in her kitchen and I know I shouldn't use it but it seems mad to send it to landfill before it is used even once! Unless you believe there are undoubted health benefits for you and your family, surely the best thing is to use any plastic items as often as you can before discarding but then not buy plastic replacements. I agree about the tissues - but even these have to be put into something to dispose of them - a paper bag perhaps? Maybe use recycled paper tissues - although I understand the manufacture of these is more detrimental to the environment than ordinary ones! I think we are in a transitional stage at the moment and it will take some time before the best solutions evolve... hopefully they will! Vicki
ReplyDeleteSending unused stuff straight to landfill does seem wrong, I agree
DeletePaper hankies are the one thing i would find very hard to give up. Like Pattypan still does, I used to boil all cloths, hankies etc but the hankies have had to go. Still do the cloths, dusters etc which are mainly worn put towels, tshirts etc. I have recently made some reusable makeup remover pads from cotton and an old soft towel. Agree about the glass-I have had a few disasters with pyrex dishes over the years although my daughter does all her batch cooking frozen in the dish. Hope you are recovering and the cause of your tiredness is identified. My daughter has has spells of B12 deficiency requiring injections over the years which I think was called perncious anaemia when her father had it as a child.
ReplyDeleteI had iron injections when I was pregnant with Steph. I hope that if I am anaemic I can take tablets this time [I hate hypodermic needles!]
Delete1st pregnancy I had iron injections. The second I was given a very good iron preparation from 2 months. 3rd time around it was discovered I was severely anaemiac and put on large dosage iron and vitamin C. 4th pregnancy AFTER I was diagnosed a coeliac I had no anaemia whatsoever and he weighed 11bs!
DeleteOh Judith, what a saga. I hope that having had the coeliac diagnosis you have remained in good health since.
DeleteThank you, yes the last 33 years have been much better than the 34 before. My health did deteriorate about 10 years ago. That was due to a Vitamin D deficiency. Once corrected I felt better than ever again.
DeleteI now play badminton twice a week and walk up to 10 miles regularly.
I hope you soon have a diagnosI'd that will enable you to resume your busy life. I have to say that I am often in awe of all that you do.
Deletethe hypocrisy of the green movement...lol ..but we try our best , though i do enjoy informing ill informed vegans what urea means on a label and what they make the contaceptive pill from
ReplyDeleteCan I have a word in your-ear ?
DeleteI have discovered that a local Quaker primary school has a huge eco-recycling heart; at last I can recycle toothpaste tubes, old electric toothbrushes, and the foil pouches that the cat food comes in. That's a little load off my mind. I cut the tops off the plastic milk bottles and use them to store the separate bits and pieces for recycling.
ReplyDeleteIt is always good to find someone who can find a purpose for things which are no use to you anymore.
ReplyDeleteI would like to be more eco and plastic free but it seems to be an expensive way to live most of the time.
ReplyDeleteI try to make the best use of things that come my way but otherwise im a bit stuck
I giggled at the 14 jars of buttons (and the non-segregated tins!)
ReplyDeleteI DO have collections (Clara clothes, dresses, wind-up toys, craft stuff) but I do like them all!
That is so true about the hand-knitted tablet (ha ha!). I won't get rid of the plastic I have as it will go into landfill. If I do have glass things, I will indeed use them.
I don't fly hugely often- my husband is a fan of train travel (as is my MiL) - we avoid where possible but occasionally, it is not possible.
I use cotton handkerchiefs now but agree when you have a stinking cold, it is not possible to really use the cotton ones hygienically. I have always used recycled loo roll pretty much all my life as my Mum used it. Ironically,she doesn't now!
I hope you are recovering from your cold and the doctor can prescribe what to take for an iron deficiency (I was prescribed tablets) or a treatment for thyroid issues. Yes, do continue to take it easy for a bit longer.
ReplyDeleteIt's all very well to say we strive to live plastic free or produce zero waste, but, it is very hard to do so. Practically everything one buys from a store these days comes wrapped in some sort of plastic. Fortunately, our recycling program does accept plastic, so I always try to reuse what I can (plastic containers, for example) and recycle the rest.
I am not a minimalist, myself, and I do have collections. I have been trying to declutter for quite some time, now, but I find it hard to let go of lots of things.
Blow the doc - have a nice hot toddy It may not cure you but you won't care! Cheers from Carole's chatter
ReplyDelete