Compost solution I'm happy with

I finally found it. An apartment composting solution I'm happy with.

One that stays nose friendly, reduces my waste and best of all profits me with yum produce.

I've recently taken on to putting my compost into my plant pots that are bottom layered with a little soil. Then on top of the compost, another layer of soil. Perfect. Sit for a few days, then flatten it further, layer more from the kitchen. Another few spoonfuls of soil. Sit a few more days, then plant something. So far, I've got lovely green onions, chillies, mint, and up and coming, honey dew melon! Dunno how this one's going to turn out, but it's very exciting.

Photos soon.

Cold showers will keep it down to 3. :)

I recently came across a photo of an environmentalist friend with sandwich card that says '4 minute shower, not a quarter hour'.

The shower, not the sandwich.

This is something I've been doing for quite a number of years now. And quite a few people seem to think it's a boo boo. I'm not going to name names here but even the Malay language has a relatively degrading term for this - Mandi Kerbau - which means that a bath/shower that's very cin cai (not going to do another explanation in one explanation). No soap, get wet run out. Nolah...

I don't know. Meaning I don't know how others do it. But hey, I've got great exfoliating shower gloves I use that I believe makes me clean (and I do believe it gets me cleaner than most others too!).

But you know, one thing that I know can get people to do the same? Switch off the power. :) Get rid of hot water. Then I guarantee you, they finish in under 3 mins - this usually applies to people who work 9-5. One shower in the morning and sometimes one shower in the evening. Nice and cool. :}

This is a haphazard post. I know. I'm sitting in relative cold after a cold morning shower.

Environmentally friendly packaging... Ironic

The past few months had been a few of sleepless nights (working...) , travelling (working...), new responsibilities, holidays (more work for me!). Well, as much as they did cause significant weight loss, I personally found them very fulfilling. It's strange, people thrive on activity. And if you're swamped, you complain, but secretly you know you love it. But the moment the activity slows down, sometimes some of us get trapped in a lull. And somehow we just don't seem to have the energy to do even a fraction of the amount we are able to during times of active crazy working. That's me. Sigh. I need to get back on track.

Now back to travelling. I recently had had to travel for work. And fortunately (or unfortunately), on one of the flights, I travelled MAS to Kota Kinabalu. Now, MAS is the one where you get 'free food'. They serve you whether you like it or want it or not. On our alternative AirAsia, you only pay for food when you want it. And although they say you're not allowed to bring your own food and drinks on board, most of us have brought food and drinks. I bring along my bottle and fill up at the fountain near the entrance of the toilets. They do make it rather difficult to find, but it's there.

Anyway back to my point. MAS has recently joined the environmental awareness bandwagon. And they now serve their better tasting food in better looking packaging... PACKAGING... beautiful sugar cane-fibre box. Whoa... cun... very pretty. It even comes with another cardboard wrapping it explaining the whole deal with this box and MAS's environmental initiatives. Ooooh oooh oooh, and check out all the other packaging inside too. So neatly arranged. I loved the chocs best. That's a whole 6 layers there.

... ...

What is wrong with the picture here?

Sorry, I just have to not mention the point... It would just pierce my skull and my brains will spill out.

I've got a new part time composter!!!!

Hahahaha, seriously, what I do have is a puppy I've fostered for a few days while my parents are out of town.

Recently, my parents adopted an adorably cute little big dog. It's a great little thing. Great temperament. Cuddly. But crazy shreddy nails!

Anyway, I've taken on the responsibility of providing food for it. That is, I have been buying kibbles for the dog. So so far, my father has been feeding it kibbles. Which I thought was of good quality already (pet shop store brand).

Until he came over here and I decided I would like to keep my legs (his nails are crazy!) and brought him to Cerys' schoolmate's mom's Pet Boarding/Care shop. This place is called Pet Epicure. One of the most comfortable pet places I've been to! In fact, the most comfortable. You take your shoes off outside. And inside, her kids roam free, has a little play area even, and the boarding kennels look so much more comfortable than anything I've seen in other places.

Anyway, back to my point, Alicia, the proprietor aka Cerys' schoolmate's-mom, gave me some pointers on how to train the dog but most of all she talked with me about giving raw food to it!

I wasn't quite sure about this until she took out some for Rocky (the dog) a plate and he gobbled it up greedily! Actually I've read it before, but looking at that, it's very interesting. What more, she lent me some books on this. I flipped through it very very quickly when I got back (still very busy working to complete some work in time for the deadline) and decided to jump in. Alicia also gave me to boxes of the food she prepared.

When I went out later to run some errands, I decided to get Rocky some meaty chicken bones (raw) as recommended as the main food component (60%). I wasn't quite sure about this. But decided, well, better try it here rather than when he gets back to my parent's place.

Chopped it up.

The results are amazing. He loved it!!!

The book says more about vegetables, fruit and etc to feed dogs. It's called the BARF diet (see Barf World) It's really exciting coz this means that I have now got another potential food 'composter'. Heeee heeeee. And he'll be better off from it too!

Pressies... OOoh... dilemma

I recently held a birthday party for my just turned 3 daughter. And like any proud mummy, I wanted her to have a 'wonderful party' she'll love. And thankfully, I had wonderful friends who helped make this happen. It wouldn't otherwise have happened. But anyway, here's the deal.

At the end of the party, both hubbie and I was shocked to see the heap of pressies that our lovely guests brought for Cerys. I would be lying if I said I wasn't delighted. Pressies are FUN! It would also mean I can do away with buying her gifts for the rest of the year if we play it right. Hahaha...

Ah, delight delight...

Until hubbie reminded, all this CONSUMPTION! No!

Oh. Ya.... Consumption. Right, reduce... Hmm... So much for Terra Mummy.

The point is, I honestly can't help the delight I felt looking at all those pressies!... for Cerys. And I would love for her to be happy.

But all this consumption... sigh...

Need to think of better ways. We discussed this later with the lady proprietor and I think I'm not the only mummy who feels this way. I think for adults, you can think of 'easier' (c'mon, we're all busy 28 hr mother-maids-driver-corporate ladies!) environmentally responsible gifts like spa treats, holidays, etc etc etc. But for toddlers, got coupons ar?

Maybe I'm just stuck at the moment. IDEAS PLEASE!

Receipts receipts receipts...

It's been a long hiatus.

But I'll try and restart. :) Slowly.

Just earlier when I was supposed to be hard at work, I had to clear some space on my desk. And this included a stash of paper I had just today cleared from my wallet. This stash of paper is actually accumulated receipts over a month or so. And I got quite surprised. Scary at the same time since I actually horde it in my wallet too! Anyway, my point is, we have so much paper from just transactions?

How ar? Each time I pay, I get a piece. Then if I pay by credit card, which is supposed to be 'environmentally friendly' for the future to do away with 'paper' cash, I get another piece, not even counting the two other 'merchant' copies.

Do we REALLY need all these pieces of paper? Is there any way around it? Wonder if anyone's thought about this.

Repair Repair Repair... What about my jeans' butt?

I've recently been on a repairing/altering frenzy. My clothes that is. Clothes that I've grown out of... Erm, actually, I grew smaller. I shrank. So, most of my clothes either don't fit, or I can only wear those with belt loops and the waist scrunches in so bad I look like I'm wearing my hubbie's clothes. Well, maybe not that bad. 

Luckily I found a decent place nearby who does basic alterations. The lady owner seems a little blur sometimes, but otherwise nice. And she seems very kind and friendly to her staff of more ladies at the sewing machines. The ladies are actually locals. I like that. Providing jobs and empowering ladies locally. Which means they're usually better paid too. Me happy.

A while ago, I did another round of filtering my clothes to determine which I have left collecting dust because they just won't stay up. Got quite a few pairs of shorts. I'm happy. I've been thinking of getting new shorts. But now that I've got my old pairs, I'm really quite excited about bringing them to size! And I loved them too. Now I get to love them again! Yay! And I don't have to go out spending hours hunting for stuff that usually don't fit me, don't look good on me, or are made of poor quality materials, and if they're not, cost the earth to buy!

Except, my last pair of jeans. I've not worn them for months now. They are a pair of nice Levis just about less than 2 years ago. What the heck are jeans  made of these days?! They've got a very big patch of threads on the bum spreading from the middle seam outwards. I can't wear them out. A little too risque. It's been sitting there. I've been thinking endlessly, if not for that 'tear', it's otherwise still a very very nice pair of jeans.

:(

Can fix ar? Well, most sites I've been to just says that's the worst part to fix (you just can't prettily) or fix enough to make them wearable only while you're painting. There was a site recommended by many ecofriendly sites. I got really excited. Went to the site and checked them out. Wow, the visuals are so cool. They could really repair them. Like Jotun color matching thingie except this is for thread. Coolness.

But this is in the States. That's $7/inch and for international postage, $85. 

Hmph.