Thoughts from the Back Porch; Feathering the Empty Nest #2

Last week I began sharing how my life is quickly changing as our children move to increased independence and adulthood. Yes, it is an emotional rollercoaster, but it also has been fun. I have learned some very practical lessons. For instance, Nora is an amazing example of stewardship of the Earth. She has encouraged me to really take a more responsible look at what I toss in the trash. Now, I recycle, but because of her vigilance and commitment to reducing waste I have taken a hard look at what I don't recycle and how I can reduce what I use to store my food and pitch. Rather than throwing away empty jars and plastic containers I have begun washing them and using them as food storage.

I discovered this cocoa container is top rack dishwasher safe!

The iced coffee straws that I never thought about are now vexing me. I found these stainless steel straws and plan on keeping one with me for those Dunkin' Donuts days. I am buying whole heads of lettuce rather than plastic containers of pre-washed and chopped lettuce and wrapping them in dish towels. Okay, I now have to wash and tear my lettuce. The upside is my old salad spinner that I received as a shower gift is getting a new "leaf on life!" I am avoiding my tried and true Glad Wrap and moving to foil and beeswax food wrap. She has helped me to look at the sheer quantity of food bags that get indiscriminately tossed and directed me to Terracycle. From this website I have been able to explore how to recycle items our town recycling center doesn't accept. Our town's recycling facilities are paltry at best. They only accept 1 and 2 plastic! With a little research I have learned how I can recycle chip bags, toothbrushes, floss containers, toothpaste tubes, laundry soap bottles, pens and more. With a little effort I am doing my part and I encourage you to do the same.

Mack on the other hand brings a certain joie de vivre to my life lessons. He makes me laugh and see situations with a sense of humor. I recall one day recently when I had asked him to pour me a cup of coffee. Now Mack's working memory can be less than efficient, so needless to say, the coffee was nowhere to be found. I commented, "Wow, I'm amazed at how quickly things leave your head!" He turned on a dime with eyes wide open and a huge grin replying, "I KNOW, RIGHT? IT'S AMAZING!" In that clarifying moment I finally understood, he doesn't forget because he chooses to forget.

He also taught me about the no internet game. With this remarkable heat we have been experiencing our internet service has been inconsistent. I actually don't know that the heat is the cause, it's just a correlation I've made! I always wondered what that little dinosaur was for when the connection was lost. Now I know it's a game I can play while I wait for the service to come back. Who knew? I'm pleased to announce, I scored a PR of 699 points :).

I watch them walking away from us, but I know they are walking toward something. That thought helps me. That thought brings some peace.