Several weeks ago, homes in Mission BC suffered a high voltage power surge, resulting in damaged appliances. The cause is unclear, but the bottom line is that many electrical devices that were plugged in at the time of the power surge are now no longer useable.
When I read the list of items lost (in the article linked above), I can't help but think that typically not all would be used simultaneously. I suppose if you had a busy family and everyone was home at once that might be the case, but more than likely many of these electrical devices (such as a microwave, for example) weren't in use at the time of the surge, but were plugged in.
Ah, hindsight...
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One Less Bridge, But Old Habits Die Hard
It's tough to give up your car. Even "miss green me" finds the prospect of not driving across the Fraser River and taking the kids on the bus a little daunting.
I usually don't have to drive because we're pretty local and "walkable" with all of our stuff, but on occasion, the car is a huge convenience. If given the choice between taking my kids in a carpool vs. transit, I'll grab our booster seats any day. Now, however, with the temporary demise of one of our bridges, the carpool is no longer a good option (unless of course you have hours to spend idling in gridlock).
So today, we are going to brave the potential hassles and take transit. We're in the minority, however, according to this article: No Big Spike For Skytrain, Despite Pattullo Shutdown.
I'm sure our transit trip won't be as exhausting as I'm anticipating ;-) I'm quite sure, also, that we'll emerge from it relatively unscathed. Maybe I can even give such a glowing account that I can inspire others to take the transit plunge as well?
I'll keep you posted...
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I usually don't have to drive because we're pretty local and "walkable" with all of our stuff, but on occasion, the car is a huge convenience. If given the choice between taking my kids in a carpool vs. transit, I'll grab our booster seats any day. Now, however, with the temporary demise of one of our bridges, the carpool is no longer a good option (unless of course you have hours to spend idling in gridlock).
So today, we are going to brave the potential hassles and take transit. We're in the minority, however, according to this article: No Big Spike For Skytrain, Despite Pattullo Shutdown.
I'm sure our transit trip won't be as exhausting as I'm anticipating ;-) I'm quite sure, also, that we'll emerge from it relatively unscathed. Maybe I can even give such a glowing account that I can inspire others to take the transit plunge as well?
I'll keep you posted...
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The End Of The Age Of Oil
Here's an eye opening article published in the Vancouver Sun yesterday, about the impending end to the "age of oil". The experts believe that if we're lucky, we may have only about 40 years worth left.
Here's the link - it's definitely worth the read:
http://www.vancouversun.com/Technology/ending/1189119/story.html
Interesting, to say the least...
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Here's the link - it's definitely worth the read:
http://www.vancouversun.com/Technology/ending/1189119/story.html
Interesting, to say the least...
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4 January Garden Planning Tasks
Now's the time to get organized for this year's garden!! (Or start Christmas shopping? HA HA). I think I'll start with the garden.
Over the next week I plan to:
Over the next week I plan to:
- Inventory my seeds
- Schedule planting times in my day timer
- Organize pots and soil for things I want to start indoors
- Make a shopping list
It's a place to start, and it'll save me from what happened last year - I wasn't organized and started my tomatoes too late, and never did get any Beefsteaks (although I got an abundance of cherry tomatoes).
Happy planning, everyone!
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Not So Green Lunch Containers
Lately I've been noticing that my daughter's lunch has been coming back with her sandwich uneaten, still in its Disney Princess plastic container. The explanation, I was told, was that she couldn't get the lid open, forcing me to send her sandwich to school in Zip-loc baggies (which get too messy to be re-used), or plastic wrap.
Ah-ha moment: my solution was to get a different kind of container - one with a plastic tab on the side of the lid that she could use to open it. No more baggies and plastic wrap :-)
Such a simple thing, but I thought I'd post about it because it was something I myself had not thought of when I bought the first containers.
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Ah-ha moment: my solution was to get a different kind of container - one with a plastic tab on the side of the lid that she could use to open it. No more baggies and plastic wrap :-)
Such a simple thing, but I thought I'd post about it because it was something I myself had not thought of when I bought the first containers.
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Rooting Rosemary
Call me a newbie, but I didn't know you could root Rosemary. I just assumed it was too woody.
A few weeks back, before our deluge of snow that buried my entire garden and everything else in sight, I plucked a few sprigs of Rosemary from the bush in my garden for some cooking I was doing in the kitchen. I had one sprig too many, and I popped it into a bud vase filled with water and left it on on sunny window ledge without another thought.
It hasn't dried out, and today I noticed that it's grown some roots. Awesome!! Hmmm... do I leave it as is, or transfer it to potting soil and risk killing it? Decisions, decisions ;-)
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A few weeks back, before our deluge of snow that buried my entire garden and everything else in sight, I plucked a few sprigs of Rosemary from the bush in my garden for some cooking I was doing in the kitchen. I had one sprig too many, and I popped it into a bud vase filled with water and left it on on sunny window ledge without another thought.
It hasn't dried out, and today I noticed that it's grown some roots. Awesome!! Hmmm... do I leave it as is, or transfer it to potting soil and risk killing it? Decisions, decisions ;-)
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Goodbye Sled
Ok, kids - you choose. Slip sliding away on slush, or sitting in the sled in a pool of rainfall.
In the end I chose for them, and hung the sled up in the garage. My argument in favour of wearing snow pants even though it was(is!!) raining paid off, because they both slipped and ended up on their knees in slush several times. In the end, though, all things considered I think they stayed pretty dry.
Have I mentioned how happy I am that we're only three blocks from school?
Aaaand... what a great time to be "commuting green", too. SO many spinning wheels of stuck cars... if only more people bothered to buy reasonable boots and rain/snow gear. Snow boots don't have to be expensive, and even if they are, for adults who wear the same size year after year, they're a good investment.
I have a pair of Joe brand snow boots (Superstore) that cost $24 and are good to -10C, and they have wonderful tread. So far they seem water resistant as well.
As for my pants, I have a Wetskins rain suit, a jacket and pants, that are wonderful. They are fully water proof, and also trap body heat so they are warm. The cost of the suit was $75.
So, for a mere $100 (plus $3 total for dollar store gloves, scarf and toque), I'm all set for my green commute :-)
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In the end I chose for them, and hung the sled up in the garage. My argument in favour of wearing snow pants even though it was(is!!) raining paid off, because they both slipped and ended up on their knees in slush several times. In the end, though, all things considered I think they stayed pretty dry.
Have I mentioned how happy I am that we're only three blocks from school?
Aaaand... what a great time to be "commuting green", too. SO many spinning wheels of stuck cars... if only more people bothered to buy reasonable boots and rain/snow gear. Snow boots don't have to be expensive, and even if they are, for adults who wear the same size year after year, they're a good investment.
I have a pair of Joe brand snow boots (Superstore) that cost $24 and are good to -10C, and they have wonderful tread. So far they seem water resistant as well.
As for my pants, I have a Wetskins rain suit, a jacket and pants, that are wonderful. They are fully water proof, and also trap body heat so they are warm. The cost of the suit was $75.
So, for a mere $100 (plus $3 total for dollar store gloves, scarf and toque), I'm all set for my green commute :-)
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Slushhhhh, Part Two
It wasn't so bad! An added bonus is that after pulling the sled with about 80 lbs of kids on it through slippy mucky slush, I feel like I've been to the gym ;-)
Tomorrow should be interesting (not bad!! interesting!! ya, that's it) because it'll be wet, rainy, and all out NASTY (there, I said it ;-)
Good thing we're only three blocks from school!!!
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Tomorrow should be interesting (not bad!! interesting!! ya, that's it) because it'll be wet, rainy, and all out NASTY (there, I said it ;-)
Good thing we're only three blocks from school!!!
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Slushhhhhh, With Kids And Their Non-Driving Mom
I don't think the snow is that bad yet, but when I let the dog in this morning from his quick jaunt outside, his back was wet, with no flakes. That means one thing: rain!!
There's quite a bit of snow out there and it's unlikely to clear anytime today (although some of the walks that were shovelled yesterday might get back down to pavement). That means that the sled will be my mode of green transportation, but it looks like we'll be rained on.
A part of me is thinking "ugh", but another part is thinking that it won't be too bad. DD's school is three blocks away, and DS's is another 6 after that. They both have rain coats and snow pants, and awesome boots. Besides, I've seen worse. I've seen people out in the rain with umbrella strollers with nothing covering them at all. Maybe I'm a bit obsessive carrying our rain cover everywhere, but really? Some people take their kids out on foot on a cloudy day, with no rain gear at all? Uh-huh.
Anyway, off I go to start packing our gear!
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There's quite a bit of snow out there and it's unlikely to clear anytime today (although some of the walks that were shovelled yesterday might get back down to pavement). That means that the sled will be my mode of green transportation, but it looks like we'll be rained on.
A part of me is thinking "ugh", but another part is thinking that it won't be too bad. DD's school is three blocks away, and DS's is another 6 after that. They both have rain coats and snow pants, and awesome boots. Besides, I've seen worse. I've seen people out in the rain with umbrella strollers with nothing covering them at all. Maybe I'm a bit obsessive carrying our rain cover everywhere, but really? Some people take their kids out on foot on a cloudy day, with no rain gear at all? Uh-huh.
Anyway, off I go to start packing our gear!
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I'm Back!
It's been a while since I've posted on this blog - caught up in all the holiday madness I guess :-)
School starts again tomorrow, and I suppose I'll be my green sledding self in getting the kids there and back. It should be fun - ha ha - with all the rain we're supposed to have tonight. That will no doubt wreak havoc on the sidewalks.
When you're transporting kids on foot, you need either all snow (so you can sled) or all bare (so you can stroller or wagon). At the moment we're at the tail end of a surprise snow storm (yippee :-), so that makes the trip very sled friendly. The only fly in the ointment so to speak is that the snow is supposed to turn to rain, which could turn it all into a nasty, slushy, part bare and part slick mess. Oh joy.
Not much I can do I guess, other than dress the kids warm and bring extra mittens & stuff in my back pack. The hardest part will be convincing my daughter to wear her snow pants when she goes out for lunch at school. Lots of fun.
Wish me luck!
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Return to Blog Scene By Jeanne
School starts again tomorrow, and I suppose I'll be my green sledding self in getting the kids there and back. It should be fun - ha ha - with all the rain we're supposed to have tonight. That will no doubt wreak havoc on the sidewalks.
When you're transporting kids on foot, you need either all snow (so you can sled) or all bare (so you can stroller or wagon). At the moment we're at the tail end of a surprise snow storm (yippee :-), so that makes the trip very sled friendly. The only fly in the ointment so to speak is that the snow is supposed to turn to rain, which could turn it all into a nasty, slushy, part bare and part slick mess. Oh joy.
Not much I can do I guess, other than dress the kids warm and bring extra mittens & stuff in my back pack. The hardest part will be convincing my daughter to wear her snow pants when she goes out for lunch at school. Lots of fun.
Wish me luck!
____________________
Return to Blog Scene By Jeanne
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