Abbie's Real Life Blog

I started bringing my own bags to the supermarket about a year and a half ago, and in that time it’s become radically more socially acceptable to do so.  At least in the eyes of the checkout kids, who used to give me a kind of exasperated attitude whenever I’d bust out my assortment of canvas bags (even going so far as to be completely obtuse, trying to stuff regular groceries into what are clearly produce bags or something of that kind).  Now the checkout kids seem to be mostly okay with it.

And now you can definitely find reusable grocery bags in most of the normal grocery stores, and they’re even doing a nice job with new colors and prints for each season.  If only the designs weren’t so preachy.  I’m over the constant “I’m Saving the Earth” motif emblazoned on all of them.  I’d rather have a bag with a giant advertisement for the store chain on it than a preachy Recycle design, though I like it when they have just a pretty picture of a tree or the earth or something, without the words.

I had a pretty great weekend, which started off with an immensely productive Friday afternoon.  I did a lot of cleaning, but even more just tidying up off cluttered areas.  The bathrooms are clean, the floors were swept, and I dusted even the ever-dusty TV shelf.  The exterminator came by and told me that we have mice in the attic.  The fence guy came and gave me a ridiculous quote for fixing the broken gate, which I will pay because I want to get it done.  And the upholsterer came by and measured the couch.  I went out on Saturday to look at fabrics in-person (I did quite a bit of shopping on a fabric website, but it can’t compare to actually seeing the fabrics) and brought a bunch of swatches home to see them with the living room light, with the wood frame of the new couch, and with the armchairs that I bought earlier this spring.  (Those armchairs, despite being clad in a neutral stripe, are surprisingly difficult to match.)  I found a blue fabric that I love, though of course it is pricey.  I am talking myself into it.

It was a rainy, kind of chilly weekend in our area.  Tracy finished sanding her chairs and bookshelves, and we bought primer and paint.  She will probably get started on painting this week.  I did not go to Warrensburg for the engagement shoot- the bride felt that the weather would be too problematic, and I did not argue with her.  We’ll set up a date in May, I hope.

I finished the first season of Twin Peaks, which I’d never seen before.  What an amazing show!  I can see how it revolutionized television for the 1990s.  I guess season 2 isn’t quite so great, but I will make my way through all of it, as best I can.  I don’t think I can really characterize myself as a completist.  I finished off all of The X-Files a few weeks ago, including the movies, and thought it was great, but I tried to watch the spin-off show The Lone Gunmen and didn’t even make it past the third episode.  I do value my time!  I’m not going to waste it on bad television.  (When television is bad, it is horrid.)

We watched Milk on Saturday night with my sister, and though neither Tracy or my sister considered themselves to be Sean Penn fans, they both thought he was great in it.  The acting overall was pretty great, actually… I thought James Franco and Emile Hirsch and Josh Brolin were all excellent.  I’m happy to see Josh Brolin get such great work these days.  I now have seen exactly one of the Oscar-nominated movies from this year.  But only that one.

And yesterday we watched Blood Simple, the first Coen Brothers’ movie, and the only one I hadn’t seen.  It was so good, especially as it was their first movie.  Lots of violence and dark comedy, and a very young, very lovely Frances McDormand as the lead.  I don’t think I need to own it, but it was great.  But all of the Coen Brothers movies are great, and if you don’t agree, we can’t be friends.  I’m sorry.  (I’m willing to debate the lack of merits in The Ladykillers.)

The rest of the weekend kind of flew by, in the way that rainy days often do.  But it was pleasant, and I got a lot of sleep, and I’m actually feeling caught up and productive and ready to start a week.  And that’s nice.

In other news, I am wondering how long I’ll be able to hold out on any Amazon boycott that I may or may not have said I would do last week.  God, I buy a lot of stuff on Amazon, and with Tracy’s move, I have a list of stuff that I am supposed to be researching.  Amazon is my first stop for electronics research.

I made a chickpea and spinach curry for dinner last week, and it was great.  I should learn to make more Indian food at home.  I’m so intimidated because it’s all delicious and full of these amazing and complex combinations of spices and flavors, but I saw that recipe in one of my vegan cookbooks (Vegan with a Vengeance, a really great cookbook. I’ve made several things from it that have been mighty tasty and fairly easy.) and decided to try it, and it was not too difficult.  I guess it might be expensive if you didn’t have all the spices at home, but I already had them.  I just never have fresh onions around, because I’m lazy like that.  Yes!  My fear of cooking Indian food was based entirely on procuring a stupid onion!  I know, but I never have food around that goes bad too quickly.  Another great reason to be vegan- I don’t have to worry that the milk has gone bad, ever.  Soy milk does have an expiration date, but I usually have weeks and weeks.  And I’ll eat expired tofu, usually.  I mean, I’m cooking it so that will kill off the bad stuff.  Anyway, I need to find some more curry recipes to try at home.

Nothing much happening this week, except making a decision about fabrics tonight, attending photo club tomorrow night, and cleaning up the house (just a little more) for visiting relatives this weekend.  May is next week, can you believe it?  Tracy’s lease on the Kansas City apartment begins in May, and then we’ll get to start moving some of the stuff out of the house.  A big process, a big change.  Next week!