Wood for the Trees

Even in 2020 we don't often write posts about periods, but half the population experience them, and that creates a lot of waste. But slowly that is changing and reusable sanitary towels and mooncups are becoming more prevalent. I have been using reusable sanitary towels for about 7 years now. They're more comfortable, more absorbent, saves money and better for the planet. What's not to love? Well they do chafe something chronic when it comes to exercising. Long runs from home I can get away with free bleeding and stripping off in the shower. But other exercise is a bit more tricky. (And who the frig decided doboks should be white?! Not someone who has periods that's for sure)  When I heard about period pants I wondered if this might be the solution. So I ordered some. I bought the light - moderate flow one as that's the one they sold as activewear. But as my purpose would be to wear them for a only a few hours even on a heavy flow day I hoped this would be en

It's been about two years since I started this blog so clearly by now my house is a picture of minimalist tranquillity. *laughs manically* No. Really no. I have got better at thinking about purchases, and I have got rid of bag after bag of donations but it's barely scratched the surface. I would like to do a big declutter in 2020, partly to try and get rid of some stuff which I seem to be endlessly picking off the floor and partly because January is designed for making good intentions which you will most likely break part way into February. But before I begin those posts I have started with a reflection of the things I've found most difficult so far. 1. Time restraints The hardest bit of the process isn't the identifying the item that you no longer need. It's the processing: The cleaning, the fixing, the rehoming. It's very time consuming and that's time and energy I just don't have. 2. Actually throwing things away I try to be environmental

Writing bucket lists seems a little superficial these days but I've found writing it has helped me to focus on what I want to achieve. It's so easy to get burdened down in the hundrum of day to day life, especially as a parent that it has been good to spend some time thinking about things for ME! I wanted to write a realistic list too because though I would love to write visit Niagara falls or the Grand Canyon, unless I win the lottery in the next few years (Very unlikely given I don't play it) it's not going to happen. So here it is. Let's see how far I get through in the next 3 years!! 1. Actually write a 40 before I'm 40 list This is proving much harder than i thought it would. Apparently I don't have very many aspirations. I got to no. 10 then got stuck! Edit 27/01/20: This is now being published after reading a LOT of other people's '40 before 40 lists' and stealing some ideas, (which seems to be quite common, or more people than i tho

I found this post drafted on my phone whilst clearing out my notes. Healthwise i am doing a lot better but i thought this deserved to be posted as a reminder about not trying to live up to what we see on social media. There was a meme that circled a few weeks back; I am a person who likes to do lots of things trapped in the body of a person who likes to sleep a lot. Never were truer words spoken when you suffer with fatigue. Cutting out gluten has helped. I have gone from a state where getting through the day was a struggle. Where merely standing up felt like gravity was crushing me. Where I was waking up tired, surviving till I was able to have a nap in my lunch break then surviving till I could go to bed normally about the same time as the kids. Where if you asked me a question it would take some time to register that it had been asked then to try and formulate an answer was like my brain was being dragged through thick soup. To a state where most days are good days. But I stil

Buy this product it saves the planet! My Facebook ad stream currently screams at me. The words may have changed to fit in with current popular feeling but the narrative hasn't. Buy! Buy! Buy! Sure if you happen to *need* a new t-shirt, your current clothes are worn beyond repair and you have already searched all the nearby charity shops with no luck then buying one made from organic cotton, not made in a sweatshop (though the ones on my Facebook ad make no such claim) and bearing a planet saving logo is likely your best bet. But i suspect this is not the advertiser's intent. The hungry resource intensive conveyabelt of capitalism still hurtles along but now it promises us 'organic' cotton and nice slogans that make us feel better. It eases the conscience without us having to make many actual concessions to our lifestyle. You see this in Fast Fashion outlets bringing us 'eco' ranges. Clothes made from recycled plastics (which will still shed microfibres in

I haven't blogged for a while. Apart from a few token Christmas posts I haven't blogged for about a year. Illness and family/work pressures have stolen any free time that I had. I also lost enthusiasm for blogging. Caught up in a stream of others' stream-lined, well researched, professional posts I tried to copy what they were doing. It didn't go so well. I lost focus on why I started my blog in the first place. It was supposed to be a record of my journey, as a parent, trying to live ethically and sharing the wins but also the fails. A realistic view of what that means and sharing what I'd learnt. But I got caught up in trying to be a perfectionist. In trying to be an expert on a pedalstool, when I'm not. So I lost enthusiasm. Since then, I've seen friends ask questions on social media about aspects of ethical living. I've also changed my job to one which is less demanding of my time, energy and health. So I think it is time to re-visit the bl