8 Things I've Learned to Live Without
1. Paper napkins. We stopped using paper napkins over 10 years ago. I keep a decent stash of cloth napkins stocked by picking up a few at the thrift store when some of the ones we've been using are starting to look a little worse for the wear. They then move on to be rags. I don't give any huge preference to any color or design, but much prefer a nice heavy cotton blend. They wash up easy, and are fun to hang on the line.
2. Paper towels- Paper towels didn't go out quite as fast as the napkins. I truly loved the convenience of paper towels. I now keep a huge stack of white bar cloths which are nice big durable rags, and they can do just about everything a paper towel could do except take up space in the trash can.
3. TV- Another thing that we ditched about 11 years ago. Once we started eating our meals together as a community, there really never is time to watch anything on tv anyway. When the kids came to our family, we thought we'd wait until they asked for tv, and they never have! Don't get me wrong- we have a tv. If we want to bad enough, we can hook it up and get actual pictures on a couple of stations. The girls watch CD's of old tv shows and lots of movies on the VCR portion.
4. Swiffer cloths to use on my floor. A stack of white wash cloths work just fine!
5. Sleep- Not smart, I know, but see number 6.
6. Quiet time alone- I've had to learn to find little patches of this where I can. Most often that means I'm sitting at the computer until way too late.
7. Cologne- If you know me now, it's hard to believe, but I used to have a HUGE weakness for good cologne. I could alter my mood just by deciding what to spray on for the day ahead.
8. My youth- I begrudge this one a bit. Not that my youth is anything I would ever want to re-visit. I just want to look and feel a little younger right now. Today in the drive-thru at White Castle, the sweet young man taking the money gave me back part of what I paid saying that he had just taken off the senior discount. Some instinct that has not gotten the bulletin that I look and act and feel older these days rises up in me and makes me want to refuse the White Castle offer, just push that change right back to the boy. I miss two good knees, ordered thoughts, and a measure of self-confidence lost along the way!
1 comment:
I keep sayin' it and I mean it....8 Things is my favorite post of the week. We still use paper napkins (love the photo of yours) but very little paper towel and cologne is something from my past. I've never used a Swiffer, still get on my hands and knees with a cloth. And I appreciate every senior discount that comes my way.
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