the routines post, with rambling

[habiliments]

I love the answers to my question about evening routines. Thanks to all of you for posting them - I may not respond to every comment (I started to, then realized I was going to repeat myself quickly), but I read every detail and appreciate that you shared them with me

Comments

[stellans]

to help with this bit: "• I used to cook more. I'd like to cook more again, but I've never learned how to keep the right things on hand so that I can just cook whenever and whatever I feel like, so cooking usually involves going to the store. We have an unhealthy ability to live on bean/rice/cheese burritos, pickles and cheese sandwiches, BLTs, the occasional salad, coffee, wine, beer and cocktails. I need to change this. If I do, I'll spend far more evening time shopping and cooking."

--I have a book I'd like to send you: Food Matters: A Guide To Conscious Eating by Mark Bittman. There's a pretty large recipe section, which includes a very good pantry section so you know what to have on hand. It's really changed both the way we are eating AND the way I do grocery shopping.

[habiliments]

Oh, Miss Stella! That's so sweet of you. I really appreciate the offer. The funny thing is, I've got Food Matters - I reviewed it for work. And then I put it on the shelf and forgot to think about it anymore. But perhaps when I finish this massive project for work - and then the massive project that is the Lupercalia circle - I'll pull it out and give the pantry section another read. Thank you for the suggestion. :)

[stellans]

You're very welcome, and I'll continue my FoodMatters evangelism by giving it to DD#2 to take to Canada (she's setting up housekeeping with her boyfriend). I was going to buy another one for her, but now I have this one. :) I am keeping my own copy, lol.

[katogden]

My wake up and sleep times are totally divorced as well. It is so difficult to explain to people who simply think that after living my entire life in a society based around certain work hours that I somehow do not know how to calculate time to figure out what would be eight hours counting back from 6 AM. I've been going to bed at 10...and unless I run for almost a solid hour at the gym, I cannot sleep until 1

[stellans]

You said, "the price of things have clearly been inflated for years and do not correlate to salaries. My reticence in purchasing comes from the direct knowledge that the materials and labor invested in the object are less than half the retail price. It offends me, it offends my sense of good taste. And consequently, I find I cannot buy it on the rare occasions I do have possess the means."

This is so true. I don't even like buying new anything any more, without at least searching diligently for a used whatever. I still have furniture which belonged to my parents, grandparents, and great-grands, most of which are not antique/valuable $-wise, but are still durable. That says a lot about how things are made today, IMO.

Heck, even the pilot's case I'm dragging to AR in an hour or so is 15 years old; the stitches are still holding, the zipper is still closing with all teeth. The handles (both extendable and regular) are still fastened tightly. How many things can you say that about lately?

whoa. /soapbox

[katogden]

I have similar stuff- nothing that could be claimed as any sort of heirloom but things have have quite simply lasted. And ugly or not I keep using it for the simple fact that I respect the make of it.

I have a child- people think I'm hardcore about the toy rules I have for him but honestly, he is playing with the same wooden blocks I played with and it drives me nuts when he gets something- hotwheels comes to mind- and it breaks immediately. The cars are still fine-but the little cities won't last a week. It isn't just the waste, it is his sense of sorrow that in simple play, things are breaking, and he is by no means rough with his toys.

I am hoping that this depression we're entering in will bring a spate of homecrafters for household furniture, similar to etsy, who will find they can make a living off the mere durability of their items.

[habiliments]

I wish I ran for an hour. I just don't run. It puts me off, for some reason. When I watched Happy-Go-Lucky the weekend before last, I was SO jealous of Poppy's trampoline gym. Now that, I would do. And I'm still seriously tempted to splurge on a Wii and Wii Fit. Got the tax return and everything. Sure, I should spend that on tickets to the next East Coast wedding, but ... I like to delude myself into thinking I'll have saved up some dough by then

[katogden]

I rather like the idea of the prehistoric you and me, guarding the camp at night. We can pretend this gene is also linked to our fascination with stories. :)

Hi hon ;)

[anonymous]

It's fun to read this, just because I lived with you at different places stretched over a long period of time and it's interesting to see where you are at with things now :) Can we trade?

[Quick aside - Not shocking, but I still refuse to do the dishes. We now have invested in a dishwasher, which has made life worth living (for N + I.)]

Your house sounds beautiful, by the by. I love the furniture and I've never even seen it! We're also trying desperately to move somewhere where raccoons and squirrels might have the occasion to visit, so I'm jealous there as well. Frick buying a $600 couch - wouldn't you rather give a good home to a recycled one and go on a really awesome road trip?

Lots of love from the EC, and seriously, if you want to trade for a week or two, this place is yours :)

XO,
S

PS...

[anonymous]

I forgot to say I miss you loads, and I'm ripping off your post idea. Trust me, it's all flattery. ;)

Hugs,
S