Seventh Generation

Just wanted to make a quick comment. The other day we picked up Seventh Generation's Free and Clear Dish Soap. It's non-toxic, and has no dye or frangrance. Also, it's hypoallergenic and biodegradable. Oh, and it works really well, and costs essentially the same as the major brands.

We're taking baby steps but we're getting there.

Super Citrus Vinagrette

1 Good Seasons Italian Dressing Packet
1 packet True Lime
2 packets True Orange
Vegetable Oil
White Balsamic Vinegar
Water

Prepare according to package directions with vegetable oil and white balsamic vinegar. Shake well, add the True Orange and Lime and shake again.

Enjoy!

Your Favorite Hippy is Back Online

So after all this time, we're finally getting settled back into the house. We've been living in it for almost 3 weeks, but it's only now starting to feel like ours again. All the damage from the fire has been repaired at this point but we haven't started to unpack yet because the bathroom remodel isn't done yet and repairing the living room floor and redoing the kitchen come after that, as well as the touch up painting in the whole house. When things are finished up, I'll post some pictures.

I haven't been totally lazy while I haven't been online, although admittedly, my dislocated kneecap is slowing me down quite a bit. But... I do have a few recipes to get posted, including two for awesome salads, both using variations on Good Seasons dressing mix packets.

I have my follow up with the orthopedic on Thursday, wish me luck.

Thoughts, Prayers, Vibes

Please keep our neighbors in your thoughts and prayers tonight. An arsonist struck our neighborhood early this morning. If you don't know, we live in row homes, so the whole thing was pretty scary for us, since it was the house next door to ours that burned.

We're fine, just temporarily displaced. Everybody next door got out, some with the help of the fire department some on their own. The house that burned was converted into 2 apartments. The family downstairs got out pretty safely, although their little guy was taken to the hospital just to make sure he was ok.

The upstairs family was not as lucky, the fire department had to force entry and all four of them were taken to the hospital. Their 5 year old daughter is in critical condition, but from what I've heard they think she'll be ok.

Please keep these to families in your thoughts, send vibes, add them to your prayer list, whatever it is that you do. Also, please think of the family on the other side who only closed on their house last week.

Progress Report.

Well, let's see. I've pretty much completely given up soda in favor of Polar, Naturally flavored seltzer - no carbs, no calories, no sodium. I was drinking strictly water, water with True Lemon, Lime or Orange, or tea (unsweetened or sweetened with either agave syrup or Sun Crystals-half stevia, half sugar) but I realized I really missed having something fizzy.

At any rate, that's a huge source of sugar totally gone from my diet and Polar's Vanilla Seltzer is kinda like Vanilla Cream Soda for grown-ups.

Even Hubby is loving the soap nuts and is taking a handful to his parents tomorrow, we managed to talk them into trying them.

We're both packing lunch nearly everyday and I'm even having breakfast more often than not.

We're getting there.

This past weekend we did a ton of planting in the garden(s). Pansies and Daffodils out front - which gives the added bonus that we can add the pansy petals to salads if we want. And we put in Asparagus roots and Onion sets out back. Not sure what other veggies we're planting yet, but we're thinking of hanging strawberries on the fence.

It's been almost a year, and I'm still loving the Diva Cup although I did pick up a Glad Rag the other day for "those" days.

I've always had a hard time making myself eat yogurt, but StonyField Organics seems to be the answer to that one. They have awesome flavors like Strawberry-Pomegranate and a French Vanilla that's so creamy even I love it plain (although it's good with Cinnamon graham crackers) and my personal favorite and every chocolate lovers dream yogurt Chocolate Underground. It's their same awesome Vanilla yogurt, but with a layer of chocolate hidden under it. Not chocolate yogurt, CHOCOLATE.

I still haven't needed to replace my Crystal Deodorant, although I did buy a second one because Hubby started using it too, and I got tired of sharing. I like to put it one when I'm wet, but since he showers at night, but likes to put on deodorant right before leaving in the morning, he was wetting the deodorant crystal. Totally valid option, but I got tired of freezing cold water dribbling down my side in the morning.

I'm totally natural for treating my allergies for almost a year now also. Stinging Nettle daily and sinus rinses as needed are taking care of me better the traditional prescriptions ever did.

All in all, so far, I'm still kinda fat, but I'm happy. We're living better, eating better and saving lots of money in wacky little ways. I haven't bought new deodorant in almost a year and couldn't tell you the last time that I bought pads. We're off to a good start. If only I could actually remember to take my reusable shopping when I leave the house, we'd be awesome.

Soap Nuts.

Yes, I said Soap Nuts. Actually, they're the dried berry of the Chinese Soapberry Tree.

Anyway, had to go to King of Prussia the other day and while we were that far, we decided to pop over to West Chester to go to Senora's Authentic Mexican (I don't how to do the thingy on the 'N') for lunch. Then we thought, while we're here, let's see if the Great Pumpkin Market is still open.

I had heard about Soap Nuts before, but I hadn't seen them in a store, at least not that I can remember. The best part, they had them in a trial size. Which meant I didn't have to buy the 80 load huge box, just to try them. So we've got the first load in the wash right now. Wish me luck.

Here's the deal about Soap Nuts. First thing, if you want all the info go to Maggie's Pure Land Products website. But I'll summarize it here. Basically, they're a natural source of Saponin which is a natural cleanser. It's been used for something like 2500 years and is low sudsing and safe for high efficiency machines.

You take like 5 of them and put them in a cotton pouch and toss it in the washer (use less for hot water). It's fragrance free and works naturally as a fabric softener, which is great for me because I'm allergic to fabric softener. And you get to reuse them. Once the saponin's gone you toss them in the compost pile or turn them under in the garden.



I'll let you know how it turns out, but everything I can find online says that everyone who uses them loves them.

This Hippy Has a Plan

So, things have got to change at this hippy's house. We're disorganized at best and it shows almost more than anywhere else in our eating habits. And we both ought to get it under control, because we need to get our weight maintained better for our health. I have arthritis in my spine and really bad knees and he has acid reflux and apnea. It's all aggravated by excess weight, which let me tell you, we have plenty of at this house.

So, we have a dear friend who also needs to make some major changes for health reasons, and she has a diabetic son. So, our family is going to support her family and vice versa. We have some similar hurdles, like a tendency to skip breakfast, and not eat as regularly as we should. We all need to get our portions under control, especially for snacks.

Our plan is not the same as hers, but they're similar enough that we can help each other a lot. As steps of the plan become habit, we're gonna add new things, until we're doing what we need to do.

So here's the plan:
No more high fructose corn syrup.

No "regular" pasta where it's avoidable. We're gonna use whole wheat and high protein whenever it's possible. (Try finding whole wheat Acini de Pepe in this area.)

Eat breakfast everyday.

Smaller snacks more often. (Not one huge snack late at night.)

Pack a lunch.

Plan out a whole week's meals at a time so we can shop more effectively.



Wish us luck.