I was browsing cookbooks this morning - a favorite pastime on a dreary February day - trying to find some inspiration to liven up suppertime. Like many other folks who cook for only one or two, I've fallen into a meal-preparation rut that centers around frozen meals and convenience foods. I enjoy cooking and trying new things but lately have found it increasingly difficult to choose this more adventurous culinary path.
The reason?
It's becoming more and more difficult to find foods that are packaged in smaller sizes. Everything seems to be sold in bulk or Jumbo Sized or SUPER-SIZED! We're on an especially tight budget right now as are so many others. The idea of wasting food, never a good one, is a particularly unwelcome one these days. But try as ye may, it's virtually impossible (at least in my neck of the woods) to go into a grocery store and purchase two or three yellow onions instead of a 5- or 10-pound bag. Celery seems to only be available in two-bunch packages and it's getting harder to find milk in pint bottles or eggs sold by the half-dozen.
It's this that makes me long for the old corner store, an endangered species that has become virtually extinct in much of the country (especially in suburbia).
I grew up in Buffalo, New York in a neighborhood made up primarily of German and Polish families. I fondly remember hopping on my bicycle and pedaling two blocks to Mr. and Mrs. Kowiski's store. You could "break" a pound of butter and only purchase one stick, or purchase that half-dozen eggs or 3 onions or 4 potatoes or whatever else mom put on the list as she was planning the evening meal. Mrs. Kowiski would always invite errand-running kids like me to pick a piece from the magical glass-fronted penny-candy case as her reward to us for helping our mothers. Nothing ever seemed to be out of stock, yet everything was always fresh. The Kowiskis knew the tastes of the neighborhood and accommodated requests to stock particular products with pleasure.
The corner store, though, was much more than a place to buy groceries. In many ways, these enterprises were the hearts of the neighborhoods in which they thrived. In those stores, the women in the neighborhood - most of them strictly homemakers - would stop to chat with each other or with the store owner, exchanging news both momentous and mundane. If a neighbor was sick, you'd probably learn of it first at the store and would likely make a call to see if help was needed or make a casserole or offer some other kindness.
The store owners also kept a watchful eye on the neighborhood kids who'd congregate to check out the newest comic books or teen magazines. They'd ask about how things were going in school or for the little league team and would offer praise for a job well done or encouragement (and sometimes even gentle admonishment) when things didn't go quite right. And of course, they'd be sure the parents knew if there were any hints of trouble.
But enough reminiscing! It's unlikely that the corner store, along with so much of what America seems to be losing, is coming back anytime soon. Communities everywhere are poorer for the loss.
Monday, February 9, 2009
Sunday, February 8, 2009
It's Not Easy Being 'Green'
I agree with Kermit the Frog - It's not easy being 'green'. Hubby and I have been making a concerted effort to do our part for the planet, but we're discovering a couple pitfalls.
The big one for us is converting to compact fluorescent bulbs. Sounds simple, doesn't it? ... and it'll save oodles on your electric bill, right? (Not to mention that in a few years, there'll be no choice - traditional incandescent bulbs will go the way of the dinosaur by 2012 or so.) That is, of course, unless our so-called "friends" in Washington change their minds like they seem to have done with the conversion to DTV.
OK, so we started to make the switch in earnest about a year ago. At first, with great trepidation, we replaced the bulbs in the closets. "YECH!!! Those are so UGLY! - they're too BLUE!" (and blue is my favorite color, even). Off to Lowe's to try a different brand and wattage. Same song, second verse... "GAWD! these are so PINK it looks like a House of Ill Repute in this closet!"
After considerable searching, we found a color/wattage (Sylvania 3000 Kelvin) that was agreeable and almost-but-not-quite like an incandescent bulb (at least when hidden by a lampshade).
The first place we installed them was in a pair of brand new lamps that had cost about $250. These were "touch lamps" - you could caress them anywhere and they'd light up immediately - a great help first thing in the morning when you're stumbling half asleep from the bedroom through the pitch-dark living room to the COFFEE POT!
Guess what? The bulbs didn't work in the lamps. In fact, one of the lamps shorted out. Let me repeat - these were brand new lamps purchased from a reliable retailer. With the impending mandate for switching to CFL's, we assumed that the manufacturer would have indicated that they were NOT appropriate for the new bulbs in the product literature. Oh well, chalk it up to the old saying about assumptions - they make an A** out of you and me. We eventually purchased ANOTHER $250 pair of lamps that WOULD take the new bulbs and they're working fine, but it was an expensive lesson for a couple of folks trying to do the right thing on a really tight budget.
Then there's the issue of using the CFL's with ceiling fans that have a light kit and operate on a dimmer (or any other lights on dimmers). So far, despite asking questions, we haven't found any that will work on a dimmer used with ceiling fans sold just a couple years ago. And even if there are a few out there, you still have to cope with how gosh-darned UGLY they are! These twisty little buggers are taller than traditional bulbs and in a ceiling fan or a pendant-type fixture they may dangle their twisted bodies unashamedly into view. Not a pretty sight LOL!
And oh yes... if you live in the Midwest and intend these cost-saving gems for outdoor use, "Beware!" Their performance in cold temperatures (and I'm defining "cold" as below 40 degrees for you Sun Coasters) is shaky at best. If it gets below zero, these things will take until sunrise to warm up enough to shed any light.
Lastly, let me address the much-touted five-year lifespan.... HOGWASH! (at least in our experience.) The very first one we installed - in the desk lamp next to the computer, which is left on about 12 hours per day - lasted less than 14 months. Others have failed even under less demanding situations. We've taken to dating the bulbs when installling them to get some objective idea of how much is hype and how much is hokum.
So, to all I say "caveat emptor"... As you make the switch to CFL's, go somewhere where the bulbs are actually displayed LIT (Menard's has a good display if you have one in your area), and ask LOTS of questions - will the bulb really meet your needs? Be careful, too, if you're buying new light fixtures. Will they accept the new bulbs and function properly?
OK - that's my rant for today. In time, I'm sure techology and improved design will triumph and overcome my disgruntlement. But for tonight, I'm turning off the light ....
The big one for us is converting to compact fluorescent bulbs. Sounds simple, doesn't it? ... and it'll save oodles on your electric bill, right? (Not to mention that in a few years, there'll be no choice - traditional incandescent bulbs will go the way of the dinosaur by 2012 or so.) That is, of course, unless our so-called "friends" in Washington change their minds like they seem to have done with the conversion to DTV.
OK, so we started to make the switch in earnest about a year ago. At first, with great trepidation, we replaced the bulbs in the closets. "YECH!!! Those are so UGLY! - they're too BLUE!" (and blue is my favorite color, even). Off to Lowe's to try a different brand and wattage. Same song, second verse... "GAWD! these are so PINK it looks like a House of Ill Repute in this closet!"
After considerable searching, we found a color/wattage (Sylvania 3000 Kelvin) that was agreeable and almost-but-not-quite like an incandescent bulb (at least when hidden by a lampshade).
The first place we installed them was in a pair of brand new lamps that had cost about $250. These were "touch lamps" - you could caress them anywhere and they'd light up immediately - a great help first thing in the morning when you're stumbling half asleep from the bedroom through the pitch-dark living room to the COFFEE POT!
Guess what? The bulbs didn't work in the lamps. In fact, one of the lamps shorted out. Let me repeat - these were brand new lamps purchased from a reliable retailer. With the impending mandate for switching to CFL's, we assumed that the manufacturer would have indicated that they were NOT appropriate for the new bulbs in the product literature. Oh well, chalk it up to the old saying about assumptions - they make an A** out of you and me. We eventually purchased ANOTHER $250 pair of lamps that WOULD take the new bulbs and they're working fine, but it was an expensive lesson for a couple of folks trying to do the right thing on a really tight budget.
Then there's the issue of using the CFL's with ceiling fans that have a light kit and operate on a dimmer (or any other lights on dimmers). So far, despite asking questions, we haven't found any that will work on a dimmer used with ceiling fans sold just a couple years ago. And even if there are a few out there, you still have to cope with how gosh-darned UGLY they are! These twisty little buggers are taller than traditional bulbs and in a ceiling fan or a pendant-type fixture they may dangle their twisted bodies unashamedly into view. Not a pretty sight LOL!
And oh yes... if you live in the Midwest and intend these cost-saving gems for outdoor use, "Beware!" Their performance in cold temperatures (and I'm defining "cold" as below 40 degrees for you Sun Coasters) is shaky at best. If it gets below zero, these things will take until sunrise to warm up enough to shed any light.
Lastly, let me address the much-touted five-year lifespan.... HOGWASH! (at least in our experience.) The very first one we installed - in the desk lamp next to the computer, which is left on about 12 hours per day - lasted less than 14 months. Others have failed even under less demanding situations. We've taken to dating the bulbs when installling them to get some objective idea of how much is hype and how much is hokum.
So, to all I say "caveat emptor"... As you make the switch to CFL's, go somewhere where the bulbs are actually displayed LIT (Menard's has a good display if you have one in your area), and ask LOTS of questions - will the bulb really meet your needs? Be careful, too, if you're buying new light fixtures. Will they accept the new bulbs and function properly?
OK - that's my rant for today. In time, I'm sure techology and improved design will triumph and overcome my disgruntlement. But for tonight, I'm turning off the light ....
Welcome to the Doghouse!
By way of introduction I'll admit that I never thought much of the concept of blogging... after all, how are all those bloggers' opinions worth any more than my own? Opinions are a dime a dozen (even less if you happen to catch a special at Wal-Mart). Lately, though, there have been so many things happening in the news and in my own little corner of the world that if I didn't have a place where I could cheer or jeer, I just might explode. My husband Dave and my two Golden Retrievers, Marley and Dhugal, have made it clear that they've heard quite enough of my opinions lately and suggested that I seek out a wider audience. According to them, our little house can only contain just so much "hot air".
So here I sit, with plenty to say despite knowing that the number of people who stumble upon these thoughts may be nil. "If a new blog falls into the forest of cyberspace, will it be read?" In the old days, I'd have simply kept a diary hidden under the bed, but by writing here I can feel smug about being "green" in some small way. (In my girlhood, my diary used LOTS of pages.)
You can look forward (or not) to thoughts on politics, pet ownership, job hunting in Y2K-9, the virtues (or lack thereof) of compact fluorescent bulbs, and the pitfalls of cooking with cornstarch, among other topics large and small.
Stay tuned.
So here I sit, with plenty to say despite knowing that the number of people who stumble upon these thoughts may be nil. "If a new blog falls into the forest of cyberspace, will it be read?" In the old days, I'd have simply kept a diary hidden under the bed, but by writing here I can feel smug about being "green" in some small way. (In my girlhood, my diary used LOTS of pages.)
You can look forward (or not) to thoughts on politics, pet ownership, job hunting in Y2K-9, the virtues (or lack thereof) of compact fluorescent bulbs, and the pitfalls of cooking with cornstarch, among other topics large and small.
Stay tuned.
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