I think I mentioned a couple of days ago that I wanted to start going to bed earlier (than 1-2 a.m.) in order to get up earlier, so last night I duly forced myself to go to bed at 11 p.m. with the idea of reading for a little while and switching the lights off. At 1 a.m. I got back up again as I couldn't bloody sleep! I figured it wouldn't be easy for a few days but I could feel that there was no way sleep was coming any time soon. My doctor had given me tablets before my Sri Lanka trip to help me relax/sleep on the plane so I decided to take one of those, although I doubt I take even 3-4 a year! Anyway, I had a fairly decent night's sleep and was raring to go when I woke up - at 10.50 a.m.!!!! Bloody hell! So much for getting an early start! But I have also decided that I want to try to do some form of exercise every day if I can (but not during the mid-day sun) so I duly set to and did a few yoga exercises our wonderful young teacher had taught us. And you know what? Even just doing 20 or so minutes was so worth it as I felt so good afterwards!
Anyway, "getting up with the larks" (not) meant that I missed our local town's Thursday market! Damn and dratt, but I guess I'll go to another one in Bonneville tomorrow. By the time I did trot into town I was in time to stop in at the notary's to pick up the attestation they had prepared for me. It took a month and cost me €50 but they had done a search of the local property registers and were able to give me an attestation to the effect that I actually own my own home. So that's one thing crossed of my list towards my French naturalisation request. I think my birth certificate and mom and dad's marriage certificate etc. should also be here by next week (in French), so that's another check mark. My next project is to fill out a form called "cerfa" but crikey it's detailed. I have to give all the details of my brothers and sisters and all my previous addresses! The "addresses" bit took some thinking about as I have moved about a bit but I think I've got them all down. The Pittsburgh address was actually the most difficult to pin down as I no longer have our US tax returns (my ex took those) but with a bit of help from google maps I managed to find our little street!
After that I planned to go grocery shopping. Now just down from the supermarket is a sportswear shop (they're big around here obviously) and there used to be a kind of paper/diary/music/book shop which I thought was very nice but it went out of business. I had heard that a burger joint was going to replace it (yuck - I mean there's a McDonald's 30 minutes away, we don't need another one). Buuuut, it turns out it was replaced with a health food/vegan/vegetarian/bio (organic) shop so that's good news. I didn't need much in the way of groceries anyway so thought I would have a look round. Very nice it is too, but obviously it's pretty pricey. Organic food (they call it "bio" here) is more expensive than the non-organic stuff but I realised while I don't spend a fortune I am still buying/cooking too much for one person so I am still wasting food. I guess the "bright" idea then is to buy and cook less so while I don't think I'll do all my shopping there (our other store sells bio stuff also) I might give it a shot. I do wonder, though, if it will work out as there is another similar store about 500 metres away and yet another, much smaller, store right in the centre of town. I hope it works though. And I really hope going back to organic is something that will be feasible in the future. After all, it used to be the only way older generations ate didn't it - I mean, it was normal! I don't think it will be possible for everyone as producing food for the masses just isn't possible that way, but you can only do what's possible for you can't you!
My dogs get me up between 0430 and 0500 every morning to do their potty outside, which means I have no problem going to sleep early.
ReplyDeleteI actually thought of you and your early mornings when I wrote that bit. Even though I love dogs I'm not ready to get one as I love my freedom too much at the moment. Later? Who knows!
DeleteThere is a list of "dirty foods" that will have more pesticide on them, things like strawberries and peaches. "They" suggest those foods should be organic. But, other foods are just fine not being organic. That might make your choices easier.
ReplyDeleteAnd yet I read it's foods that grow below ground that have more pesticides in them. I guess we'll never know will we. My own crop aren't doing great so far but we'll see. I guess I will just have to give it a try and see, though it certainly won't hurt buying less!
DeleteI've never adjusted to a small family and cook too much. Come fall, there will be just the two of us. I see a lot of "girl dinners" where I literally just graze and eat, throwing a chicken breast and a vegetable and baked potato for the hubs.
ReplyDeleteI bet you really will find it hard. It wasn't too bad when I was at work as I took the leftovers for lunch etc (and saved a fortune) and even though I cook once and eat twice now I could probably eat 3 times every time. I'm trying to bring it down but I suspect you will find it very difficult too!
DeleteIn the old days you are right, everyone had a garden. Land was a lot cheaper then though too. Now the lots are so small if you own a home most don't have the room but I've figured out a way to container garden. Next year I think I will add in some potatoes grown in bags. I grew potatoes a few years ago and it was nice having ones straight from my garden. I grow tomatoes every year (they grow so well on the sunny side of the house). The pea experiment is working so maybe next year I will grow even more of those as we both love peas. We used to actually shoot/raise all the meat we ate too. Chickens, beef, sometimes lamb. My stepdad would get a moose every year, otherwise we couldn't have afforded to eat a lot of meat. People don't even tend to know where their food comes from these days.
ReplyDeleteYou're right gardens are much, much smaller now (if they exist at all). And my tomatoes usually do really well against my back wall but last year they were terrible and not starting off too great this year, but by golly you can taste the difference can't you. I don't think I would be able to slaughter my own animals but then I would probably become vegetarian anyway. And sadly you're right, many of today's generation don't know where it comes from - sad isn't it!
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