its salamander time!

SALAMANDRE (by Sarah Harmer)
Salamandre, Salamandre
Il faut m'aider comprendre
Touts les mysteres de la foret,
la carte secrete, l'arbre d'oree
Patientement, je vous attends,
Salamandre.

Salamandre, Salamandre,
Tout les deux, ensemble.
Ma solitude et mon ennui
ont disparu pendant la nuit.
Ca fait si longue ma vit soit lente,
Salamandre.

C'est vrai, un jour je serais roi.
Toute la France attend a moi.
Toutes mes paroles deviendront loi.
Mais maintenant, mon seul ami,
Venez-vite, je vous en prie,
Ma Salamandre.

Salamandre, Salamandre,
la nuit s'approche, je pense.
La lune sera notre chandelle--
Bienvenue, ma vie nouvelle.
Nos aventures nous attends,
Ma Salamandre

I'll put up more pics once i get out there!

earth hour

its earth hour tonight. won't be that much different than a normal night at our house. we generally only have the one light in the basement turned on. but i will turn it off tonight, and make sure the outside lights are off too. have fun in the dark!

more greening

one of my new year's resolutions this year was to try to eliminate my consumption of plastic bags. i haven't been able to completely break free, but i think i am down to at least a 90% reduction in my consumption. the hardest bags to eliminate are the places where you need really large ones, and the unprepared times, like last minute grocery shopping when i haven't had time to go home first to get the cloth bags. i have been carrying a cloth bag in my car all of the time, which has helped a lot but i am really interested in getting some small nylon folding bags. i have heard of these but i haven't actually seen them anywhere. you can get them on keychains i think. (i have seen them online but ordering them sort of defeats the purpose). the other problem is my other half. his consumption of plastic bags is still at 100%. if i can get some of these small nylon ones i might be able to convince him to change.

the second new years resolution was to use more environmentally friendly products and eat more organic food. so far i have been able to eliminate harmful cleaning products and switch to some organic food but of course since i am not living at home i have to eat what is prepared for me. any food that i buy for my lunches, etc. is now about 75% organic. still a ways to go. i also have not been able to make the switch to safe hygiene products ie. soap, shampoo, as i am trying to finish using those that we have already purchased. it might take a while as it takes me about 3-4 months to go through a small bottle of shampoo. again, the other half is a problem as he seems to love his PertPlus even though it makes his hair all dry. hopefully if i ever move back home i can work on that as well. i think by the time summer rolls around i should be able to make the switch. if you have any suggestions for good products, let me know.

i find it interesting trying to think of more ways to become green, when i already do a lot of great green things. i like being able to fit my philosophy into my lifestyle. so many people live as if being green will actually make life harder, but you don't have to see it like that. once you develop new habits you wonder why you didn't do things that way before.

**********UPDATE*************

i forgot to write that i have also given up drinking/buying bottled water. whats in the tap is good enough for me!! this is due to a few reasons, 1) because of the enormous amount of waste produced by plastic bottles, both here and in other countries that we have visited, 2) the environmental cost of bottled water to groundwater, etc., 3) i drink less phthalates which has to be good, since plastic bottles can leach this crap into the water, 4) its a waste of money! maybe you can consider making the switch, ask for tap water or bring your own bottle.

the hawk concert

ohh good concert.
highlight: yummy music
lowlight: standing for 3 hours (ouch my feet!)

hawksley played a great set, letting people shout out their favorites so he could play em, with a little help from us in remembering the lyrics. but i have to say, he is not as sexy as last time. mr. workman has put on quite a few pounds since the last time i saw him at the starlight. last time he wore this sexy leather belt / jock strap thingy that we couldn't stop staring at. this time he wore a jacket buttoned up to cover his bulging pot belly. hawksley, dude, let me help you with your diet! someone has to keep the dream alive and the libido kicking!

and i bought an awesome shirt at the concert but it is a little too small so hopefully i will be able to shed that last 8 pounds and i can wear it.


Great concert. Hawksley, i miss the leather jock strappy thing. Get in shape sweetie so you can wear it again!!

no more pee pee dance???

alex has informed me that as of this moment WE HAVE A WORKING TOILET IN THE BASEMENT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

---dramatic pause----

i know that might not seem that exciting to other people but i have been waiting for this day for about......4 months now. no more having to climb 2 flights of stairs in order to wash hands, relieve myself, check my hair, etc. JOY JOY JOY. it looks like the bathroom will be in working order by tomorrow afternoon!!! and apparently the guy is finally putting up the light fixtures that i bought about 5 months ago. i can barely contain myself. i almost want to drive home this second just to worship at my running faucet!! but i guess i have to wait until friday, by which time i am sure alex will have christened all of the new fixtures.

in other news, i believe both of my arms are broken from shoveling approximately 9 feet of snow from my driveway (collectively) over the last 4 days. the worst was the 3 foot deep pile left by the plough at the end of the driveway. the rest was fluffy fairy dust compared to that pile of rocks. we now have the potential for two magnificent snow forts, one at each end of the driveway (front and back). anyone want to come over and play? i have also completely buried my neighbours basement windows, front porch and back door. guess he can only get out the side until spring (sorry Bill).

i'm about ready for spring.

sometimes oatmeal makes me want to puke

but you know, i eat it anyways. i wonder what it is about things like that. i mean, i like the idea of eating oatmeal, it's all good for you and stuff, but sometimes the taste or the consistency really makes me gag. seems like a lot of things in life are like that lately. like wanting to be really happy for a friend but at the same time being really jealous. the reality is never as easy as the fantasy. and on that note, i guess i will go finish eating what's in the bowl....