Good morning, friends! This is probably the first time in ages that I’ve been sad to see Friday, since it means this amazing spring break is slowly coming to an end. We’ve had such an awesome, relaxing week around here, where we really didn’t do much at all and that was exactly what we needed. I’m reading a book right now that’s causing me to rethink a few things about how I homeschool, and we may need to change some things up, but I think it’ll help if we do.
I hope you’ve had a similarly relaxing week. The weather has been absolutely gross here, with rain and even some snow, but it hasn’t affected at all how much we’ve enjoyed this week. We’ve got a bunch of errands to run this morning, so at least we’ll get out of the house for a little bit!
Here’s what I
found interesting online this week!
Microplastics
found in human blood for first time
EEP. This is
really, really not good. Not surprising, of course, but not good. One of the
books I read recently said that the ocean has basically become ‘plastic chowder’
because of all the plastic floating around in it (micro- and otherwise); perhaps
we humans are becoming plastic chowder as well? Absolutely terrible. : (
But, along
those lines, there’s always hope…
Okra:
a new hero in the fight against microplastics
All hail okra!
Whether you enjoy eating that slimy little vegetable or not (I do!), okra is
lending a hand in the fight to remove microplastics from our drinking water.
That slime? It’s useful! How cool is that? So even if you’re not interested in
chowing down, you can still be grateful that okra exists, because it may help
solve problems other than, “What can we put into this gumbo to thicken it?”
Woman,
Flabbergasted at Thrift Store’s Prices, Calls Them Out by Sharing 14 Examples
If you’re in the
US, you’ve likely noticed a lot of thrift stores raising their prices to
absolutely ridiculous levels. No, Goodwill, I actually *don’t* want to pay
$7.99 for a t-shirt with a large grease stain on the front, nor do I want to
pay three dollars for something that I KNOW came from The Dollar Tree. It’s gotten
so bad that I won’t shop at Goodwill anymore, which is a shame. If these stores
lowered their prices, they’d move more stuff and end up making more
money. Instead, they alienate their customers by overcharging for absolutely
everything. I envy those of you who have more local charity shops. We have a
St. Vincent de Paul thrift store that isn’t bad at all; our Salvation Army was
still decently priced (at least for clothing; their books were ridiculously
priced and I didn’t even bother looking at them), but they closed, as did our
Savers. I’m hoping we’re actually able to have some yard sales this year, as my
daughter is going to start outgrowing all her clothing…
Fast fashion:
European Union reveals fast fashion crackdown
Ohhhhhhhhhhhh,
how I love this. I don’t suppose there’s any hope of the US following in the EU’s
footsteps, but it would be nice. Not only is the EU requiring manufacturers to
ensure their clothes are ‘eco-friendly and hard-wearing,’ they’ll be providing
consumers with more info on ‘how to reuse, repair, and recycle their clothes.’
YES PLEASE. This is AMAZING, and I want something like this here so badly.
Clothing that doesn’t shred in the wash? YES PLEASE. (My favorite dress, which
I’d only worn a few times, absolutely shredded in the laundry one day. I was so
upset. I’ve never had clothing do that before. Clothing shouldn’t do
that.)
That’s all I’ve
got for this week. We might try to hit up a local forest preserve this weekend if
the weather holds up, but I’m not holding my breath. In any case, I’ve got a
TON of reading to do – two interlibrary loan books came in, big fat ones about
foraging; I just started a book about behavior medication that will hopefully
help me help my daughter; and the nonprofit I volunteer with announced a book
club meeting in two weeks, so I need to read that selection as well! If
anyone could point me in the direction of the place where I can get more hours
in the day, I’d be super grateful…
I'll be back on Sunday for an update on monthly goals (here's a brief preview: not much has been done, haha! Such is life).
Wishing you
all a wonderful, relaxing weekend. Shalom, friends. : )
No kidding the thrift shops have gotten carried away. We got deals last summer, but the last time I looked they wanted practically retail prices for things that were clearly well worn and generic items. The microplastics issue is alarming.
ReplyDeleteThe microplastics issue freaks me out. They've found them in fish for years, including fish that humans often eat. Maybe if we all eat fish and okra together??? :(
DeleteThrift store prices are such a bummer. I really don't understand their end game with the much higher prices for clearly substandard items. I understand that they have to pay rent and salaries and electricity, etc., but again, they'd make more money and move more items out the door with lower prices. They're getting none of my money the way things are now...
Hi Stephanie,
ReplyDelete...I'm so glad y'all had a nice week off...and very best wishes with your new homeschool routine...that's pretty scary about the plastics...hopefully the vegan diet helps with that...and okra...YAY!...I do love me some okra...our Goodwill is pretty great...they almost always have a box of 'free' things...but Mom says they don't all do that...I've found several things in there...mostly some stains that I've been able to remove...and the bald headed dollie I refurbished came from there...I mean...who wants to buy a bald dollie...haha...and sometimes they do a $3 for all you can stuff in a bag...maybe your Goodwill does that...it's usually just once or twice a year...
~Have a lovely weekend!
Oh man, I'm so jealous of your Goodwill! The ones we had when we lived in TN used to have racks with certain color tags, and those tags would go down to 99cents every weekend. I got almost 100% of my skirts and dresses from there (and almost all of my daughter's baby wardrobe!) and used to go often to see what the store had to offer. None of the stores here have racks like that, and the prices are much, much higher. It was such a disappointment. Their kids' clothing is almost all full of stains and holes. I've heard of other thrift stores having free boxes too, and I'm HUGELY jealous! I think that's such a great idea; all the better to keep things out of the landfill, like that doll you're doing such a beautiful job on!!!
DeleteI thought of you when I saw the okra article! :) Have a great week!!! :)
Glad that you had a wonderful spring break. Hope your rethought homeschool plans work perfectly for you.
ReplyDeleteOkra is not really eaten here in Canada, so I am not sure what you mean by slimy.
The thrift stores in my city are very expensive when compared to those in the city closest to us.
God bless.
I'm reading a book on self-regulation right now that will hopefully help me help my daughter with her...how do I put this...difficulties in coping with stressors. :D It was recommended by an online homeschooling group, and I'm thinking it's exactly what my daughter and I both need to get her on the right track. :)
DeleteOkra has a bit of a mucilaginous texture that can be off-putting to some people. It's got a really great flavor, though, and turns out it's useful for things other than adding to soups and gumbos! It's more commonly eaten in the southern US (likely why it never quite made its way to Canada!), since it's very much a warm-place crop; I never had it until I moved to the south. All this okra talk is making me want some! :)
We have a new local thrift store here in town I haven't stopped by yet; I'm going to have to do that at some point in order to check out their prices! Crossing my fingers! Have a great week. :)