It's the middle of July and already I am dreading winter. I think it's because we haven't had a very warm summer so far, sure there have been many days where it's been HOT but a lot of them have been rainy. Today feels like september. Elias and I went for a walk this morning and after about one minute he started "uppa momma, uppa momma" so I cuddled him up and he said it was "told" which is Elias-speak for cold. Just like "tootie" actually means "cookie." He has his own language.

I have been spending some time in my garden lately, mostly weeding. If I wasn't out there every 2 days I'm certain the weeds would take over. Everytime I go outside I have to pull at least a few weeds. It's an obsession.

Next year I want to build a green house. I'd like to see the weeds just try and get in there!

As for my weekly changes, there hasn't been many lately. Actually I have regressed! I started buying crackers again and I have even bought tooties, I mean cookies! Horrors! Since the year is more than half over, I thought I would compile a short list of changes I like, and those that I don't.

Some things that I don't miss:

1. Tissue. Cotton hankies are so much nicer

2. Soft toilet paper. I don't notice the difference now, but Mike, well lets just he say he's a little more sensitive.

3. Disposable feminine hygeine products. I love my cotton pads. Weird.

4. Disposable baby bum wipes. The flannel ones do a much better job and are quick and easy to make.

5. Paper towels. Did I mention that I stopped buying them? It just happened and well, I didn't even notice. Cotton napkins are much nicer anyway, and so fancy when you have friends over!

6. Bottled water. All I have to say is Ewwww. What a waste of money.

7. Superstore meats. Yuck.

8. I would like to write Starbucks here, but I must admit every month or so I get a hankering for an iced coffee. Did I mention I live in suburbia?

9. Gross candy bars. Now that I've given them up, a regular chocolate bar is not so appetizing anymore. Give me organic fair trade chocolate, dark please...

Things that I do miss:

1. Salon shampoo. Oh how my hair longs for good ol' salon shampoo. I have tried everything"natural" and my hair is a tangly mess. I got desperate and spent $50 on Oh-so-natural-aveda and my scalp turned bright red. I had to return it. $50!!! I must have been temporarily insane. Some people say that they don't use shampoo at all. I might try that, when hell freezes over.

2. The bliss of being ignorant. I can't claim that I have ever been ignorant. I was born an environmentalist, but sometimes I wish that I could be.

that's all for now. I promise to post more now that I don't feel like something the cat dragged in.