This year was a year of growth and a year of trying new ideas. I started my eco friendly Friday's, not save the earth but to save me. I was on a mission to save money and to do my part to reduce recycle and reuse.
Now I have not always put the planet first, but I did try. The last week or so I have been busy doing stuff, and some , O.K. a lot of my cheap and eco ways have kicked in.
I bought no wrapping paper this year. I told everyone that we will use what we have on hand and after that you can get creative. Sometimes that can be hard. We had three rolls of that clear paper that had little designs on it. O.K. I will use it and I will show everyone that you can wrap something in clear paper. First I found some old tissue paper and I wrapped it around the gift and then I used the clear stuff over it. I also discovered that at the end of the roll was brown paper, so I also used that to wrap gifts.
Then there was the tree issue. I got over ruled and everyone wanted a real tree this year, so that is what they got. Threw some twist and turns we ended up with a free real tree. But we had no base for it, and I was not going to give in and go buy one. I was racking my brain, and then I remembered what one of my girlfriends does. She would take a deep bucket and put the tree in the bucked and then fill it with sand and then pour water over the sand. So off to the garage we went. We had a cat litter bucket that hubby was using, so we dumped his stuff out and I sent the girls to the lake to get some sand. I must say that it is very sturdy, and as of yet we have not had a cat climb the tree, but I am sure it will happen.
I was talking to the dogs one night and I asked them what they would like for Christmas. I know one of the dogs, butter, wants a new basketball, but what could I get for our old girl? I really wanted to get her a bed since she is not moving that well, but I don't want the hassle of trying to wash a pet bed. Then it hit me and I am now on a quest for a crib mattress. A crib mattress sits low to the ground, and I can cover it in blankets, which would be easier to wash. I can also slide the mattress under our bed when she is not using it. I found a crib mattress, but there is one problem with it. It is brand new! My girlfriend is going to give me her mattress, but her daughter never used it, and that mattress is top of the line. So once I get the mattress I am going to find someone who has a crappy mattress and trade them.
Butter is young and full of energy and he is very hard on his toys. He got a basket ball last year and he still has it. It is deflated, and the skin is gone, but he still plays with it. Then one of the marines said that he has a basket ball that has a tiny hole in it so it wont hold air for long. Perfect. There is butters gift.
Earlier this year I cleaned out all of my winter clothes, and I can tell you already that I will be getting rid of more clothes. I seem to only wear the same few sweaters and sweatshirts, so at the end of winter, I will be downsizing even more. I am just so amazed at how much clothing I had, how much I still have and how much I can live without. It actually feels good to have less, because I feel like I have more.
Well everyone, keep doing your part, and please tell me what you have done this year, and what ideas you have for the up coming year.
2 comments:
One of John's renters left a poor pitiful ivy so I went to the thrift store and found a cute metal pan to plant it in for 66 cents and with my senior discount I paid almost nothing. For the drip pan underneath I used a frozen pie pan. Now for the big question will it grow? I think it will. Not new but I started recycling plastic this year and I continue to be amazed at how much plastic just the two of us was sending to the land fill every week. I watch the trash can like a hawk in case John throws something in there that he should recycle. Go getum Kelli you're doing good.
My wonderful thrift store went out of business so I have hardly bought any clothes at all since, so I have quit buying clothes and am now starting to give them away to our play it forward table. I have aleady made some ladies happy and hope to make more. This Christmas I decided not to spend a lot of money on new books as I have done previous years to add to the second hand ones, but instead am using that money to give my grandson's mother enough for a trip to the grocery store, as she is having a tough time this year. I am sure I am going to be inspired by your blog everytime I read it to do someething else. No new decoratons either! Made do with old, as I do not get enough visiiors to warrant the expense. I also am going to give away the money to others I would have used on a Christams eve supper since I feel too incapacitated to do it this year and my family seems relieved as they are mostly all going to another dinner Christmas day and we can meet there! Never fear that reading your blog does not inspire ecco thoughts because it does!
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