I Must Confess

In addition to all of my questioning about the efficacy, safety and necessity of vaccines, I am still conscious of stuff, or the lack thereof. We still are not buying it...except when I have. So, I confess.

My recent purchases have been food related though, so I'm giving myself a little wiggle room on those ones. Well, on one of them, the other one I didn't need.

This first purchase addresses a health issue and I have been keeping my eye out for anything remotely similar at Goodwill or any other resale shop I have frequented for the last year and a half--no luck. So, a few days ago, I broke down and bought some of these:

These are pyrex glass food storage containers to contain all of the leftovers that I create. I don't want to use the plastic ones that I have.

I basically no longer use the microwave (I just heat coffee in there) and I never did heat food in plastic in it. I know that plastic leaches into the food and I didn't want that in my husband, or myself or my kids. What I didn't realize was that it kind of leaches always. It's not uber stable. But, glass is.

OK I say fair enough on that purchase. But, then we went to the fantastic store, American Science and Surplus in Chicago (they also have an online catalog here) where I bought the kids some Harry Potter physics kits--we already have done some of the exercises--it's difficult to find the center of gravity when you make homemade mobiles out of thin dowels and circles of cardstock. That was a fine purchase. The kids were also allowed to get whatever they wanted with their own money. Prudent, and frankly imprudent, spending are both great lessons at this age. "Are you sure you want the giant squishy worm thingy that is offgassing and so I won't let you take it into the house, but you may enjoy it on the porch?" Yes, my daughter answered. "Is this really what you'd like to buy?", I asked my son. "Yes. I really want it." And so the chicken chucker is now languishing on the computer desk after it broke on the second day of ownership. Who knew that a chicken chucker could be a delicate thing?

I bought myself a coffee mug--an exact duplicate of one I already have, as my husband pointed out--but, I just couldn't resist. It has the store's name on it and its catch phrase, "Incredible stuff, unbelievable prices!" It announces when it was established ("Est. About 1937"), and I just love that it's vague. You know, 1937ish. And above the name is hovering an optimistic guy who is wearing a Da Vinci-like helicopter strapped to his back. His arms are outstretched and he is flying as if he's in a hanglider. It's so hopeful and creative. So, I bought it.

I confess.