Red Hot News! Rhys' Above the Bay of Angels is #1 in Historical mystery and
several other categories on Amazon and has sold 25,000 copies in the
first 10 days— not counting Audible!
JULIA SPENCER-FLEMING: Friends, it's happened again. My week and Ash Wednesday coincide once more, and, as your resident observant deist, I'm going to talk about it. In past years, I've pointed out the near-universal practice of fasting, shared my painful sacrifice of sweets, and we've discussed the day just past: Shrove Tuesday, a/k/a Pancake Day, a/k/a Mardi Gras (the consensus was none of us wanted to go to New Orleans for Carnival, but we all liked powdered-sugar pancakes and beignets.)In some ways, February and March are ideal for revisiting some of the good resolutions and self-denial we were all super charged up about on January 1st. We've all had the chance to fall off the wagon - did you really stick with the intermittent fasting? How are you doing with being nicer to your in-laws? A little wiser, a little more sober, we can take a look at the disciplines we'd like to integrate into our lives and take another crack at it.
Another reason? What else are you going to do to get through what's arguably the dreariest time of the year? Yes, okay, those of you in Arizona and Southern California are enjoying the weather God intended for the Garden of Eden. But, as Debs recently pointed out, for most of the rest of us, February, March and early April are one long, wet, chilly, slushy slog to Spring. What better time to gird your loins and Do Something Meaningful?
Do I have a suggestion for something meaningful? Readers, you know I do. The past two years, my church has asked us to consider abstaining from - or at least cutting down on - our habits that harm our local environments and our climate-challenge world. What does that look like? Let me share something written for our church newsletter by our own Celia Wakefield:
To observe "a season of penitence and fasting", takes some discipline. This discipline received new wheels last year as we were asked to cut back on single use items in our lives. Refusing straws, trying not to use one off containers for drinks etc.(Though I haven’t yet worked out how to enjoy a milk shake without that big paper beaker.) Carrying a small towel to class for hand washing, or a cloth napkin if it was lunch out on the run.
In addition, I worked on some other ways where I could do better. I carried reused plastic bags to the supermarket, or didn’t use a bag at all. Does one head of broccoli really need a bag? I bought fabric bags for veggie storage and to use when shopping. I made sure there were always shopping bags in the car. I also tried to cut down on paper products in day to day use. Instead of automatically reaching for paper towels, I stocked in more fabric dishtowels for spills. Washing my hands when out finds them drying on my butt more often than not! (So far no dread illness or reaction from that choice.) Even just shaking them after washing finds they are dry within a minute.
So, Reds and Dear Readers, here's a challenge for you to get you through the next forty days until blissful spring - what changes can you make in your life to help the environment?
What can we do to build on this this Lent? Save Water. Americans use on average 88 gallons of water daily. Colgate toothpaste prints on their wrapper that running water while brushing used 4 or more gallons. We read that dishwashers clean perfectly well when plates are not rinsed, and that saves water. This is from the EPA site - According to a 2014 Government Accountability Report, 40 out of 50 state water managers expect water shortages under average conditions in some portion of their states over the next decade. Well, not in Maine! In Maine we have the best water evah! But there are many more states facing scarcity.Over the forty days I encourage you to think about your use of water. Please email --- with thoughts, saving ideas, your own water plan. We will share, expanding our ideas for the planet.
Thanks for sharing the good news about Rhys’s book [which I am reading today] . . . congratulations, Rhys!
ReplyDeleteThis is definitely something to ponder, Julia. Saving water, helping the planet . . .
I have silicon straws in my silverware drawer and metal straws in a neat little bag in my purse . . . if we need straws, we have ’em without using plastic [and the grandbabies all remember to ask if I have the straws]. We have reusable bags in our cars for the grocery store [and anywhere else we might shop]; we use cloth napkins; we have reusable cloths to take the place of paper towels. I don’t drive if walking will get me where I need to go . . . .
As for saving water, we don’t take overly-long showers, we only run the dishwasher or do laundry when the machine is full, we don’t let the water run just to get warm or while we brush our teeth. We don’t water the lawn.
I’ll have to give this some more thought because I really like your idea of cutting back on water usage during [and after] Lent . . . .
Joan, I'm trying to be good with straws. We have a bunch we've saved from milkshakes, etc, and I keep some in the car and some at home. I just need to remember to say, "No straw, please," which I suppose will be like remembering to take reusable grocery bags along - by now, it's automatic.
DeleteI'm already doing so many of those things, AND there is room for improvement. When I eat out, I rarely finish the whole meal. And I always forget to bring a reusable container for my lefovers. I want to work on that. Luckily they rarely include a plastic straw with a glass of wine, so I'm good on straws. I love string cheese for a quick protein snack - but every one is wrapped in plastic. Grr! I guess I'll cut up cubes of cheese and pop one of those in, instead.
ReplyDeleteEdith, the way things are packaged drives me nuts. I would gladly pay a little more for, say, glass containers instead of single-use plastic.
DeleteCongratulations, Rhys!!!
ReplyDeleteLots of excellent ideas here. In recent months, I've take up the torch regarding plastic grocery store bags. I've been carrying reusable totes in my car and finally bought the cloth bags for produce. (Note to self: need to pick up another pack this week). Getting away from plastic is a process but I'm definitely working on it.
Annette, it took me several months to remember to 1) keep reusable bags in the car 2)bring them into the grocery store and 3)take them out of the house and put them into the car again after unloading. But now it's automatic and effortless, and I even make it a habit to bring totes into other types of stores as well.
DeleteLiving, as I do on an inland sea, surrounded by lakes and rivers, in a part of the country where rain is plentiful -- and snow -- water conservation isn't something I think about. We don't even water our lawns and gardens, save for about a week in the spring when the bedding plants are getting started.
ReplyDeleteWegman's, ahead of the rest of next month's NYS plastic bag ban, has already eliminated plastic bags. If you must, you may buy a paper bag for a nickel. We've uses reusable bags for years, and we return to be recycled all those little vegetable bags. I'd like to get rid of those too.
I think the thing I waste the most of is Kleenex, followed closely by paper towels. I am not going back to handkerchiefs, just isn't happening, but I can certainly used more cloth towels in the kitchen. I have a lifetime supply.
We will observe minor fasts, fish today and on all Fridays. And I personally will offer up my services to our dear neighbor for as long as he needs care, even if I'm tired, even if I'm irritated at having to stop what I'm doing, even if two nights in a row I've had to get up and dressed and go to him. You know, I bet no one would care if I went next door in jammies, robe and slippers. It is a privilege to be where the angels fly. But I want you to know that even hospice nurses get grumpy. xox
Hospice nurses, home care nurses, therapists, office staff - we all have those challenging moments at work.
DeleteAn, my grandmother used to say, "You're earning your crown in heaven." Yes, taking care of easy people who don't need much is one thing - showing up for hard work with grumpy folks is an offering and a privilege.
DeleteBecause my boiler is located rather far from my kitchen sink it takes a while for the water to get hot. In summer it would waste a gallon and a half; in winter only a gallon. So I normally wash my hands in cold water and if I need hot water I collect it to use later for watering the plants. I do all this even though, as others have pointed out, water is plentiful where I am.
ReplyDeleteI don't have a problem with the ban on plastic grocery bags as I have been using the reusable ones for several years now. But I do reuse those plastic bags for used kitty litter. So I have been hoarding the bags for some time now.
I only use paper towels for really yucky messes and with pets I do have some messes!
We buy biodegradable bags for kitty litter. They are relatively cheap on Amazon. It occured to us a few years ago that a 1000 years from now, archeologists would be sifting thru plastic bags of cat poop and wondering why!
DeleteThank you, Ann! Found them and will be ordering soon! I see there are so many - which ones would you recommend?
DeleteYes, I'd like to know, too, Ann.
DeleteWhichever are the cheapest. I do like the ones with tie straps. We buy smaller ones for the dogs
DeleteCongratulations Rhys! Such good news!!!
ReplyDeleteLike several previous posters, I already try to do most of the things mentioned, though there is always room for improvement. Like Ann above, I will observe the meatless days, and have already identified my own Lenten discipline for the year. I plan to read Thomas Merton's Seven Storey Mountain over the course of Lent. (I have a hunch it won't take me the whole time, so I will be on the watch for an appropriate follow-up book.)
Susan, you're ahead of me - I try to take on some sort of study in Lent, but honestly, being sick for so long makes planning anything not absolutely necessary for life hard. Maybe I can practice prayer and gratitude when I'm lying in bed exhausted.
DeleteJulia, I think you should just get well for lent.
DeleteShrimp with feta cheese and fresh tomatoes today and on Fridays, which sure beats the fish sticks of my childhood. I have our water consumption under control, because our monthly sewer assessment is double our water consumption: $30 for water plus $60 for sewer makes a $90 monthly stab.
ReplyDeleteMargaret, that sounds MUCH nicer than the fish sticks of my childhood! My very observant Catholic dad hates seafood, so meatless Fridays (we kept them throughout the year) were usually cheese pizza days at our house.
DeleteJulia—brilliant! We cannot hear this enough!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Hank!
DeleteLike Edith and Susan, I already do most of the things mentioned but I know that I can do more like use napkins and sets in fabric.
ReplyDeleteI have already reduced the use of paper towels but, like Ann, I stick to tissue paper.
Having my own artesian well, I use water smartly. The water has to have a certain flow to keep its quality but I certainly don't waste it.
I try to do my best every day and won't do something special during lent. I won't eat meat on Good Friday but I don't eat meat a lot, I can't say it will be a sacrifice.
Danielle, I've always used cloth napkins, and it can really save a lot of money, as well as being better for the environment. The trick for me has been to buy cloth napkins cheaply - I've gotten mine at thrift stores, yard sales and estate sales (as well as geting a lot of hand-me-downs from family.) I have enough so I can wait until I have a full load of laundry to wash the dirty ones, so there's no extra cost (or water) to keeping them clean.
DeleteCongratulations, Rhys!
ReplyDeleteI switched to a more biodegradable plastic doggy poop bags (made from corn-something, not starch, feels like plastic, but is supposed to break down). I've started stocking up on reusable grocery bags (I had a bunch and they have disappeared). I will gently introduce The Hubby to reusable produce bags. He's always somewhat recalcitrant, but our trip to Vermont in January seems to have made him more suggestible.
Oh and I've switched out even more plastic containers for glass ones. One more purchase and I think I can put the plastic away for use in only the direst of emergencies (although at least they are not single-use plastic).
I would love to start composting, but am overwhelmed for some reason.
Now if only I could get him to stop rinsing the dishes before he puts them in the dishwasher. I keep telling him all he has to do is get rid of the big particles, but will he listen? No.
I switched plastic for glass for leftovers, too - only thing is, you can't freeze in glass.
DeleteOur leftovers don't tend to last that long. I haven't found a good replacement for plastic for freezing stuff, though (we tend to buy our meat in bulk, break it into one-meal portions, and freeze).
DeleteOh, Liz, I feel you. Ross must have been trained when dishwashers were in the stone age, because he thought you had to SCRUB dishes before stacking them in the machine. Of course, he didn't necessarily want to scrub his plate and bowl right at the moment, so I would walk into the kitchen to see a bunch of tableware filling the sink. Sigh.
DeleteHallie, I have frozen in glass quite successfully. Of course don't over fill. I learnt that the hard way! As for plastic bags; I wash, and rewash and re rewash. I let them accumulate, (6-8), then fill my sink with hot soapy water and soak them like laundry. Cold brief rinse, and I have a drying stand which I bought from Gaia many years ago. Oh I do wish I could share pics here.
DeleteWater overuse is definitely my weakness when it comes to being a good custodian of the planet. Out of doors I'm good - most of the year I don't water my lawn or garden because we get plenty of rain and I try to plant indigenous species that don't require it. But indoors I do let the water run when I should not (it takes forever to heat up, and aren't you supposed to flush the line before you drink?) Should get a pitcher with water filters--but then I'd be throwing filters away. When I look at all those surgical masks, part of me panics that they are virtually unobtainable anywhere right now, and the other part is imagining the mountains of waste/used masks that we're generating worldwide.
ReplyDeleteTry, I hate to say it, Amazon for masks. My sister sent me N95 masks when the Tubbs fire happened here and there were no masks in the area.
DeleteDon't even get me started on medical waste. Of course, we know the most sanitary option is single use and then dispose, but when Youngest was in hospital for her jaw surgery last summer, it was horrifying to see how fast the waste bins filled up and were emptied.
DeleteWoohoo, Rhys! Congratulations, my dear.
ReplyDeleteAs much as I tried while building our new home, I was overruled in several attempts to make less impact on the planet. Solar roof panels? Nope. Geothermal HVAC? Nope. Super efficient spray foam insulation? Nope. Bamboo and cork floors? Nope, nope. However, I did win on a tankless water heater, which is brilliant. Even with eight people here showering over the Thanksgiving week, plus laundry, plus dishwashing, we never ran out of hot water. It holds a mere five gallons of water. We also have low-flow toilets, which also hold less water in the tank. But in general, building a house creates WAY, WAY too much waste. I cringe when I remember how much we wasted.
I've used reusable bags for grocery and other purchases for years, already, although I mostly forget to take the produce bags with me. They don't do much good in the drawer, I'm afraid.
My biggest dilemma is food storage, especially since we freeze so much produce from the garden, as well as venison and wild turkey that Steve hunts at the farm. I simply cannot figure out how to manage that without plastic. Hallie mentions freezing in glass: it IS possible, but it isn't nearly as efficient, wastes space in the freezer, and if you overfill the container it breaks. You can trust me on this one, I have sad experience here with broken jars and wasted contents. I've started investing in some silicone containers, but they are super pricey. Any suggestions?
Karen, my mother used to freeze a lot out of her garden when I was young - she had a separate freezer dedicated to storage. Her trick: she had a FEW plastic containers of different sizes, which she would line with plastic bags she was reusing (bread bags, etc.) She'd put in the veggies/sauce/soup, let it freeze, and then take off the plastic container and keep the food in the bag. She would reuse plastic bags over and over and over again until they fell apart, and managed without a whole freezer's worth of plastic containers.
DeleteThank you, Julia! That's worth trying.
DeleteTHIS IS SO BRILLIANT, Julia!
DeleteHaving lived in California through droughts I am good with water. Rinse brush, turn off tap, put on toothpaste, brush and finally turn on tap to rinse brush. We don’t always flush after peeing. Don’t use straws at all. Bought the family mesh bags for veggies shopping and storage but do use paper towels. Those trees are only grown to make paper. They are more hygienic and no water is needed to wash them. Also have super efficient washing machine that uses almost no water
ReplyDeleteRhys, it was amazing to me to see how much less water went into a front-loading super efficient washer than my old top-loader.
DeleteVery exciting news about Rhys' new book! That will be one of my very first Audible books, as soon as I sit down at the computer and figure out how to use that nice Chanukah present from our kids.
ReplyDeleteJulia, wishing you many blessings of the season. There is a certain rhythm to the year dictated by the holidays we observe. Some of my fellow Jews find Yom Kippur, a fast day, to be the toughest. I think that Passover, with all of its restrictions for 8 days is harder, but that would take an entire essay to explain.
We are bringing reusable bags to the grocery store, we rarely drink from one-use containers and we are also refusing plastic straws. Cutting down on plastics is really hard to do, but I am determined to find ways to use less. Paper is harder to give up but I am using more rags and dishtowels and cloth napkins. In the kitchen, we reuse plastic containers until they are falling apart. I have several containers that are years old. Think of it this way, every single consideration on your part is a win for the environment.
Unfortunately, the biggest threat to our environment is happening in Washington as long cherished protections for land and for animals are being revised. The best resolution I've made right now is to keep track of those changes and speak truth to power when I hear of them. So far this year I've written a dozen or more letters in support of programs that protect the environment and wildlife.
On behalf of all of us who care about our land and wildlife, thank you, Judy!
DeleteI’m attempting to do the same, I speak the truth to uniformed and those who are ignorant! Someone needs to care and do it. So many are avoiding politics because they find it so unpleasant. If informed people don’t step up I fear our country is lost to us!
DeleteThank you for what you are doing. Many should be ashamed of themselves for avoiding the current crisis in our country,
I have quite a few plastic containers for food storage. I’m trying to get my fellow house dwellers to use those rather than baggies. I’m trying to eliminate disposable plastics from our home but it will take a while. Old dogs.....
ReplyDeleteAs for water conservation I’m open for suggestions. What little grass we have is on its own. We have a sprinkler system for the flower beds but we don’t use it except for hot dry spells. I don’t wash my car. When it gets bad mainly due to our neighbor’s pecan tree I take it to a carwash where I’m fairly certain the water is recycled somehow. We have a tankless water heater too but our master bath is at a distance so hot water isn’t instant. I will not start off in a cold shower! Sorry but that sucker has to warm up before I’m stepping in! I’m also in the middle of Rhys’s new book. Loving it!
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DeleteDeleted the last because of a spelling error. Oh, for an edit function! Anyway, Pat, it sounds to me like you're doing pretty well already!
DeleteLate to the party again. It is 7:34 am California time. Wonderful post!
ReplyDeleteFirst, congratulations to Rhys! I was the first in line at the library to request your book and I read the book already! I flew through the beautiful story and returned it so others waiting for the book can read it too!
Julia, this is very important because of the climate change. I read the paperback "No One is Too Small to Make A Difference" by Greta Thunburg. And the author of Maisie Dobbs, Jacqueline Winspear, wrote a brilliant post about climate change on her Facebook page a few weeks ago.
What have I been doing? I have been conserving as much water as possible. I reuse bags whenever I go grocery shopping. Trying to reduce use of plastic bags. Rarely ear beef these days, which is tough because hamburgers is among my favorite foods. When I learned that beef made a big impact on the environment, I decided that I would TRY to eat less beef. I already have been eating a plant based diet. In college, I shared a house with several college coeds. And I remember one person thought her roommate was strange because the roommate refused to eat any living things. Now we know more and that roommate was ahead of her times.
We have been having a lot of Spare the Air days, which means not using the fireplace nor driving the car.
Not buying as many clothes as I used to. Clothes is another source. Many times clothes end up in the landfill! I mend holes in my clothes instead of throwing them away, if possible.
There are many things that we can do to reduce our carbon footprint. It takes a lot of practice!
Diana
Diana, one of my favorites of the three Rs - reduce, reuse and recycle - is reuse. Mending clothing and shoes, and buying used instead of new not only saves money but has an effect on the environment. SO much "fast fashion" goes into the waste stream!
DeleteJulia, these are one of my favorites too. I still have clothes that I wore in college. I kept the clothes that I wore when I was working on the East Coast. They are still in great condition! Expensive when I bought them, though they last well!
DeleteDiana
My mom always gave up chocolate. I stopped using straws last year and the office has supplied everyone with reusable flatware kits. I've been carrying shopping bags for years now. Apartment complex controls watering outdoor plants, no lawns just mature trees and plants. As much as I should do more walking, the sun and I are enemies so I'll continue driving but it is at least it is a hybrid. Cans go into a box to be taken to the recycling dumpster. My biggest guilt is plastic trash bags, as much as would prefer to use paper I don't always remember to purchase one when grocery shopping. Need to work on that. Rhys' book is waiting in my Kindle, congrats one #1 status.
ReplyDeleteDeana, look for the kind of reusable bags that fold up small. Even in a tiny purse I can carry at least one of these; in my Baggalini bag there are anywhere from two to six of them.
DeleteThis is similar to the kind I have, but there are many different types, from the size of a plastic grocery bag to very large totes.
I like this brand because they fold flat, and being made of nylon, they are strong, washable, and take up virtually no room. The kind that folds into itself, or has an attached fastener are superior, in my opinion. I have lost all of the cases that other bags came in.
https://www.reisenthel.com/en/shopping/Function/foldable-bags/
Excellent. Observing the season in a meaningful way.
ReplyDeleteI’m trying to use less plastic and water— those are two areas where I know I can be more environmentally sound. My bad habits are so ingrained that I often find myself remembering after I’m midway through wasting plastic or water, but I am getting better.
ReplyDeleteI'm a hardcore environmentalist. I don't think a day has passed in the last thirty years that I haven't thought about the sustainability of our beautiful blue space marble - I recycle, I compost, I plant trees, I reuse, etc. That being said, true confession, I have a mental disorder and can not seem to remember to bring the reusable grocery bags, that are right in the cupboard by the backdoor, with me to the store for my groceries. So, I pledge to spend the next forty days REMEMBERING the cloth bags when I shop! Promise.
ReplyDeleteJenn, since I have had the unfortunate experience of paper grocery bags falling apart while carrying groceries, I always reuse the cloth grocery bags from home. Perhaps practice becomes a habit? I have been doing this for years!
DeleteDiana
Sorry to be late to the party today, Julia. My computer wasn't cooperating this morning. These are all such good suggestions. I have no trouble giving up meat for Lent as I'm eating less and less of it already. Many of the other things we already do, but our biggest issue--as I'm sure you will sympathize with--is that our old house is NOT energy efficient and I don't see us every being able to afford the necessary improvements. Replacing 30 turn of the century (19th!) windows? Yikes! Same with having all our siding removed and insulation added. Ditto insulating under the floors... But we do what we can.
ReplyDeleteOn the water usage, we have a 16 gallon water heater installed next to our kitchen sink. Otherwise it would take at least 5 minutes to get hot water from the upstairs front attic big water heater. The other good thing is that having limited hot water has taught me to use it carefully. I'm always horrified when friends help out with the dishes and run the tank dry!
On freezing and food storage, I know glass would be best, and I do use a lot of glass in the fridge. But a couple of years ago I invested in some sets of Rubbermaid Brilliance storage containers. They are plastic but very long-term use and are great for freezing.
I don't even like to drink from straws, I have a reusable water bottle and coffee mug. We drink pitcher filtered water in the kitchen, but I don't have a solution to throwing away the filters every few months. It's all so complicated, isn't it?
Here's great resource for looking at the big picture on these issues, the Breakthrough Institute:
https://thebreakthrough.org/
Deborah, we have reusable water bottles and coffee mugs. I think the filters from the water pitcher can be recycled?
DeleteDiana
Rhys, congratulations on the great book numbers and success! I'm getting ready to read it, and I know it's going to be wonderful.
ReplyDeleteI feel like the bad kid here on the conservation matters, but the good news is that I can be taught. There are so many great practices being discussed here today, and I plan on taking them to heart. I like the idea of taking my own bags to the grocery store, and I have thought about it before, but I am ready to take that step now. I can do a bit better on the water usage, too, although my husband needs to pay heed to that one more. Another one I can definitely do better on is paper products usage, particularly paper towels. I'm a big paper towel user, so I can work on that. So, I guess I have some changes ahead.
First, Yea Rhys, so happy for you. Next is huge thanks to Julia for championing my writing and helping me improve it. Last, I am loving all the posts with your ideas, thank you, thank you. I'll try to add in some comments under the appropriate names. Today, my daughter, who works for a big Pharma, actually asked that we stay away from our big city, Portland, to keep Dad away from nasty virii? In addition to Victor's age, 93, he has COPD. We are in a little local quarantine bubble for the time being going no further that to Julia. Please everyone stay sensible and safe. Our daughter isn't one to panic.
ReplyDeleteShalom Reds and fans. I had to check. There are five Rhys Bowen books in my Kindle library and only this present one was on my Goodreads TBR list. So I have fixed that and now all I need to do is finish one of my “being read” books so I can find a space to read at least one of them.
ReplyDeleteI make coffee for a group that meets in a church on Wednesdays. Starting on Ash Wednesday and for four Wednesdays following, the church has a soup supper. There are at least 20 big spaghetti pots filled with soup, homemade by the elders. They almost always knock on our door and invite me to dine with them. I usually do, sitting in the back of the hall and out of the way. So I think this year to leave shyness for Lent.
There's no water shortage here, except for occasional water main breaks. After carrying a container to the allergist's to fill once, I now keep a couple of filled jugs in the garage. It works, no more water main breaks. ;-) I refill my water bottle, and have crocheted a nifty carrying pouch for it, and I seldom use straws.
ReplyDeleteI use cloth napkins also, mostly thrift store finds, but also some bought in Guatemala long ago . . . using is much better than keeping for "special." Every day should be special. I also use handkerchiefs, after one of Mom's friends told me they'd be much gentler on my nose . . . and she was right. Listening to one's elders is often helpful.
I do have cork floors and super insulation in this house, not enough land for geothermal installation, but it is a nifty idea. I wish I had solar panels and on-demand hot water . . . maybe someday. I also wish I'd gotten a solar tube to light the bathroom, scold myself every time I leave that light on. OTOH, I'm on my second Prius now; the hybrid battery gave up on the 2002, and a friend sold me her 2010. Sipping, rather than guzzling, the gas. We do what we can. <3
I think I stopped running the water when brushing my teeth in high school - so over 40 years ago! Ditto with using paper towels, I hardly ever use them and prefer dish towels instead. We drink tap water and refill a 2 1/2 gallon water bottle to put on our water cooler/heater. No need to boil water for things because it comes out piping hot! It is really impossible to stop using some things, like disposable gloves, diapers, and bags since I am Mom's caregiver and w/out these things I'd be up shit's creek literally (sorry for the vulgarity!)!!!
ReplyDelete