Happy New Year

The days after Christmas are so strange around here. For weeks before I live by a chart that shows me what presents I've (or we've, my kids are a huge help) finished and what still needs to be done. The last two years, I've been stitching the final stitches on Christmas morning (although I had more time to spare after completing the last stitches this year, so that's positive progress.) December 26th, its all over.

Now there are projects that I've been wanting to complete, like making the curtains for the living room or trying to make a rag rug from old jeans. This past weekend I put the finishing touches on a DVD bookshelf that was rescued from the trash heap. The back needed to be reattached but structurally it was fine. There were some ugly spots where the finish had come off. A little strategically placed wall paper border (left over, of course) and it looks great! I was also pretty proud of my crayon trick for the spot the border didn't cover. A little brown crayon followed by a little black crayon and the white spot now blends in perfectly!

2004 centered around frugality, finding our excesses and cutting them whenever possible. We cut down to basic cable and never missed it. We began really making use of the movies and books at the library. We discovered freecycling which helped us give and recieve so many useful things. We became thrift store regulars, seeking out treasures amid the racks. We discovered canning.

2004 also focused on honesty in our dealings with others. It was the year that my five year old announced to a neighbor that he did not eat lots of turkey on Thanksgiving, he ate lots of Tofurky. When she asked why, he told her we didn't eat animals. It was the year that my four year old asked for only stuffing and vegetables at his preschool Thanksgiving feast even though I gave him the option to try turkey. It was the year my daughters made pizza with friends at their birthday parties and all their friends agreed to try and prefered the soy cheese to the dairy cheese. It was the year my kids taught me to be up front and unapologetic about my beliefs.

So what's in store for 2005? I'm hoping to get more earth friendly and decrease my global footprint even more. Solar ovens, compost tumblers, and rain barrels are all things I'll be exploring. Planning our retirement home and life is also on my mind even though I'm only 34 and my hubby is only 39. The choices we make now will forever impact how and when we are able to live our work free years. I'll also be reading and trying out new recipes, especially ones written about lean times. One of the most creative cookbooks I came across was Grandma's Wartime Kitchen. It certainly wasn't veg but there were some great veg recipes in there.

Happy New Year