I discovered a whole new world.... at the library.

I was sitting at the library yesterday, lounging on the couch, enjoying the air conditioning and contemplating a read through the paper while I was waiting for Dylan, when a lady wandering by the magazine racks caught my eye. In our libraries there are magazine racks that hold the latest issue of many different magazines that you are welcome to read in the library, but you can't take them out. Well, this lady was lifting the racks up and pulling all kinds of magazines out of there and I watched her take them to the scanner and CHECK THEM OUT! I did not know this information. Ever so casually I walked towards the racks to inspect for myself... it was like finding gold! There were stacks of back issues of all kinds of magazines and as long as it wasn't the current issue they were free for the checking out - woo hoo! (Stop laughing people. Small pleasures, ok?) I stocked up with about 12 issues of Natural Living (here is their website - it's fabulous!!! www.naturallifemagazine.com) and a whole bunch of Vegetarian (there were great recipes in there!) and a couple of People just to balance it all out. I must have read until 130 in the morning!! It was fantastic!!! I have so much information in my head that I'm not sure what to do with it all now. Fear not, as I process through it I will be passing the good stuff along.
The single best piece of info that I gathered was from a lady who seems terribly crafty and way too ambitious, but she was talking about making rag rugs from old, used up clothes. Now, I have to tell you, I have been wanting a BIG rag rug for my kitchen for as long as I've lived on the farm. I have always kept my eyes open, but I've never found exactly what I'm looking for at a price that I'm willing to pay. $500 for used clothes, braided into a rug that will be spilled on, walked on and probably peed on (by the dog!) is just too much. Well, it never crossed my mind to make one myself. What could possibly meet all the project requirements more thoroughly than a home made rag rug?? Can you say summer project?! The thought of it made my insides tingle! (once upon a time I think it was men that made my insides tingle, and now I'm getting my thrills from the thought of repurposing old clothes into useful rags to be braided. WOW - that's sad. Maybe I need to get out more.) Anyways, when I got to the library today I googled "homemade rag rugs" and there were tonnes of things popping up! And I have lots to read now. I have no idea how many pieces of old clothing I will need, so I may by putting out the call for some help.
An update on the garbage producing part of our project.... we are doing well at keeping true garbage almost non-existent since the beginning of the project, but the amount of garbage that is leaving our house from pre project days is a bit embarrassing. I'm trying to not feel guilty about it, we're making a life change and it's going to take time. We are composting a lot and we have mastered not buying anything that contributes towards garbage - yay us! It is weird to still reach for a plastic bag at times and then realize that we don't have any - old habits definitely die hard. In six weeks we have still not filled our one small can with trash to take to the curb.
I must admit shopping has somewhat lost its thrill. There was time when I loved to wander the aisles of a store and see shiny new things all waiting for their turn to be taken home, but now it's depressing more than anything. I've always loved a good thrift store and I think we have officially converted from new belongings kind of people to extending the life of other people's belongings kind of people. It was not that hard really.
In a small moment of confession.... I pulled a fan out of the closet yesterday and plugged it in in my bedroom. Don't tell the boys.