Sunday, July 14, 2013

Things that seem normal to us but has friends and family members thinking we're not..

Over the course of time my husband and I have made changes in our lives. These were due to budget concerns, environmental concerns, etc. They have become normal and routine for us, but I find friends and extended family members think we are a little "off". Here are just a few.

1.) No television

We own a television. It is hooked up to a vcr (yes, we still have one) and a dvd player. But, we have no channels. We used to have the basic channels, but when things went digital, our 1995 model tv no longer broadcasted them (and we were to lazy to get a converter. No regrets.) My son watches shows on the computer (and so do we), and we rent dvds from the library. This seems totally routine for us, but often I get, "you don't have cable?" "no." "Basic channels?"  "No". "??"

We do have and pay for the internet, that was non-negotiable (except when we couldn't afford it, and we didn't).

2.) As long as were on technology, neither one of us has a smart phone. Or a GPS. We each have a cell phone (and we have a family ipad). We survive with the phone and maps. Really. We do.

3.) Paper towels

I stopped buying paper towels about a year or so ago. I had an old flannel sheet that I cut up into rags. Is it gross? Yeah, sometimes it's gross. But you get over it and get used to it, and now I refuse to spend money on a paper towel when I can use a regular towel just fine. We have a "rag bag" system in our kitchen, there is a clean bag of rags, and a dirty bag of rags. When the dirty bag is full, I wash them.

4.) Tissues

Once again, like paper towels, I use a hanky. If our snots are really bad, we use a roll of recycled toilet paper. It works fine.

5.) Homemade yogurt.

Yogurt is like the gateway to making things from scratch. Once you've made yogurt, you get the "heck, I could make anything!" feeling going. The funny thing is, it is pretty easy to make, and cheap/ I make a half gallon of yogurt for $2.50 (the cost of a half gallon of local farm fresh hormone free milk sold in returnable glass bottle).

Do you have things that you do that have become routine but have people thinking your a little off when you tell them?

Katie

6 comments:

  1. I bring my own take-out containers to restaurants because I really despise styrofoam and the plastic clamshell containers (even though our town finally recycles the latter). I don't even care if people think it's odd--I can't stand carrying home styrofoam!

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    1. This is something I need to do. My question is, do you show up with your container and order? Or do you call, order, and tell them you will bring your own container?
      Thanks!
      Katie

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    2. I meant that instead of taking home doggie bags (styrofoam) from restaurants where we can't finish the meal, we bring our own containers, but I bet Beth Terry would know what to do about actual take-out orders. I'm going to check!

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  2. I still have two rolls of paper towel purchased 18 months ago. I've already trained myself to use rags in their place almost always. I made a gazillion (90) hankies from old sheets! I do have tv but not cable (it's less essential here in Australia) but I don't have the net at Home expert on my smart phone. Oh and I prefer paper maps to GPS! I go to new places with work and I think I'm the only one who doesn't whinge about wanting a GPS!

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    1. That's awesome. Australia is a place I dream about visiting someday :)

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    2. Oh you'd be most welcome! It's a great place, mostly :p

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