What I'm Thankful For

I've really been enjoying the posts from friend's about what they are thankful for. Some are daily posts. Others are blog posts.

After a wonderful family Thanksgiving I figured I'd post what I'm thankful for during this time of year. No matter how big or small the things on your own list are, each are important in their own way.

• Snowdays. I just read a post from a friend that took around 2 hours to drive to work in the snow this morning. Not only was that dangerous but she had no choice (she's the only one at work who does her job). My work closes when the weather is bad (the recent hurricane is one example). They put employee safety first.
  
• I'm done with my holiday shopping. I did it online and supported small businesses with my purchases. I also got a handful of stuff made right here in the USA. I also did not step foot in a mall to complete my shopping (could not find a parking spot if you want to know the truth there). So this list item now equals more time to bake, spend with friends, and go to holiday parties.  

• I'm grateful to live in a place where I have a backyard and free parking. After spending time this fall in Philly, Pittsburgh, Buffalo, NYC, and Chicago I will say this is a pretty big list item. I learned a lot about urban living this fall too. For example, in places like Detroit there is a whole urban farm movement to create jobs and provide fresh food for areas that are declared food deserts. In Chicago it is super clean and there's a culture where ideas are put in motion and EVERYONE works. Even kids graduate college and go to work (not move back to their parent's house to 'find themselves'). I also observed that my own downtown (a pretty shabby often criticized downtown Framingham) is cleaner than New York City. Wayyyyy cleaner.

• My health. This is a huge one since I had several friends be diagnosed with cancer this year. I learned to try new things (ballet barre, joined a new yoga studio) and also had to keep reminding myself that good health is not to be taken for granted. 

What about you? Do you have a little bullet point list of your own? I'd love to hear it.

What is growing in the veggie garden?

This year I did something different. I normally order seeds from Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds. I won a $20 gift certificate for FedCo (a Maine-based seed company). I commented on a blog post by Margaret Roach and won the gift certificate.

I was excited because this was a paper certificate and it required me to order seeds the old fashioned way (by mail). I was able to take the time and place an order not do a rush-job online order. [Here's information on Margaret in case you are interested: "Called "the best garden blog" by NY Times, ex-Martha Stewart exec Margaret Roach's horticultural how-to and woo-woo. Newsletter: http://tinyurl.com/ykk9gf4"]

As usual we started some seeds inside (with a heated mat and florescent bulbs on a timer (one warm, one cool). I find that starting seeds indoors in March gives hope of warmer weather to come. However, it just creates really leggy seedlings and not the strongest of plants (sadly). This is what we have growing right now:

• Green beans (we hope to make dilly beans again this year)

• Cranberry beans for drying

• Heirloom tomatoes (these I do not do from seed, because I like to plant 6 different types). One of the tomatoes is called 'Watermelon' which pleases me greatly (it's green and red on the inside)

• potatoes (not from seed, I just put 4 organic potatoes in the ground and we have 2' tall plants at this point)
• Butternut squash  
• Sugar pumpkins (for beer-making in the fall)
• 2 types of cucumbers, both heirloom (sadly not doing all that well, the seedlings got eaten by bugs and we're starting over from seed outdoors)
• Bell peppers (from seed)
• Asparagus (this will take 2-3 years, but at least we have them planted in root form)
• Spinach and lettuce (from seed, we've never had luck with lettuce and spinach--I'm so ready to buy them in plant form next spring and just throw up my hands in defeat)
• Basil from seed (best quality basil from seed ever, thank you FedCo!). I grow this on my kitchen windowsill because I'm too lazy at 8pm to walk down the hill to harvest basil!

What are you growing in your garden this year? I'd love to hear from you! Container garden, bucket, backyard garden...all count!

Cranberry bean:

Logan Express: A school vacation week disaster

As a community we are very lucky in Framingham to have a Logan Express. This has made my life easier since I moved here in the 1990s. I use it for work, for vacations, and I even have family members use the service when they are flying out of Logan.

I rely on it pretty much weekly this time of year.

This week, there were signs on the Mass Pike that instructed people not to park at Logan Airport. This was because the lots were full. I left for a 3 day business trip and as expected the Logan Express Lot was full (overflow as well). This was not a huge deal for me.

I had a few travel issues this week (ended up only getting 2 hours of sleep in 2 days thanks to Continental Airlines). I landed at Logan without issues (US Air this time) and I was ready to get home and sleep. I got to Logan Express within a half hour. I went to my car. I was blocked in by two other cars.
It turns out that MassPort paid for a valet service (nice use of tax dollars) and had people double and triple parked. I had to wait 1/2 hour to get my car out of the lot (could have been home for a good 20 minutes at that point). I was not comfortable having my car blocked in like that without my permission (it's a used Jeep, but it is still a well-loved car). Also, the Jeep was blocked in so horribly that the valet had to help me navigate in the dark lot (two of them had to guide me out of my LEGAL parking spot). And yes, I still had to pay (as did the others).

My question to you all--is this a good business practice? Using tax dollars to illegally park cars? Pack in as many as will physically fit in there (I know MassPort needs the cash, but this was absurd). I have the phone number for the supervisor and I'm tempted to call her. Was I right to be angry? I was so sleep deprived I was actually shaking by that point. I just wanted to hop in my car and drive home. Instead I had to deal with the valet and also other drivers struggling to get out of the lot (very difficult to navigate all the illegally parked cars--both rows were double lined with cars behind each row of parking spaces).

Again, we are lucky to have Logan Express. I was leaving at 3:30pm so I did not have a way to get dropped off there. I use Logan Express to save my employer money (and me time).

I'd love to hear from people that experienced this and what my next step should be. Is calling the supervisor really the answer since the 'park at Logan Express' sign on the Pike was beyond their control.

Saying the Right Things

As humans we often struggle with the great power we are given: the ability to communicate. Sometimes we isolate ourselves (I work in my own office--the last one in the hall of 25). Other times we jump right into a crowd and pretend all night long that we enjoy being social. Or in fact, on that particular day we might actually feed off the group's energy.

I've been traveling for work since 1999. I work with folks I've never met until I speak to them at an event or conference. It's always been the best part of my job. It breaks up the monotonous nature of working in an office. Plus, I don't travel all year long so it's a refreshing change. Each time I go somewhere new I discover things I've never noticed before. Like in Minneapolis (for the first time this late February/early March) I realized that they are one of the greenest cities I've ever seen. Even my hotel room at the Hyatt had 3 recycle bins (3!) and my food each day was locally sourced (no food deserts there apparently, despite being in the Midwest).

One thing that never fails to surprise me is people I encounter that clearly have no sense of manners. It might be someone that pushes me in line (and nearly knocks me over because I'm carrying a bag, box, laptop case). Or it could be someone that asks me something that is not appropriate or none of their business. I remember when I was engaged to be married and a client stated "Well, I sure do hope you're marrying a nice Jewish boy." (my maiden name is Silver, so I actually got that comment several times while at conferences--and clearly while wearing a name tag).

Recently a colleague told asked me how I was going to start having kids "now, at 35 years old?" Then awkwardly she replied, "Not that it's any of my business..." I told her I was not having my own kids and that here and there we tossed around the idea of adoption. I've been married nearly 12 years and I get that question a lot. I think...I got it twice just last week from complete strangers "And why have you not had any babies yet?" I keep saying I need a snappy reply. Something better than "I don't think my reproductive choices are any of your business."

I know that people mean well. They are just making small talk. The conference attendees that inquired about my fiance at the time were just being polite. They were also being a bit close-minded and were quite shocked at my answer. The same goes for individuals that ask when a woman is due if she's not even pregnant at all. Yes, that still happens. First off, I know women that have had a hell of a time carrying a baby full term or even getting pregnant at all. Can you imagine asking someone "when are you due?" that had just lost a baby?

Please, the next time you want to ask someone (a stranger, a client, a colleague) a VERY personal question--take a step back. I'm also welcome to any type of comeback I can give to someone that asks why I'm not a Mom yet. I've thought about saying "Yes, because clearly I'm not a complete person until I have children." or "Yeah, I lost 2 babies in the past few years. It's been nothing but heart break and devastation. You probably should not ask strangers that question." (totally made up of course, and not making light of women in that situation...I just feel at this point I need a shocking reply to squash that person from ever asking that again (or implying that someone is 'over the hill' at 35).

:(

A Cornucopia filled with BS

Recently an organization called Cornucopia published this list which is an egg scorecard. It is designed to help consumers make good choices on what eggs to purchase. I was VERY concerned when The Country Hen was rated so poorly. For years, we only buy Country Hen eggs. It's hard to find eggs from MA that meet our expectations. The Country Hen has always appealed to me. The eggs taste great and the farm has never had a case of salmonella! I've noticed eggs from other large producers have thin shells and just do not taste the same. Plus, I'm all about supporting a local business.

I contacted the Country Hen this week regarding the rating. They responded yesterday with this note:

"We understand how a Country Hen customer could feel confused and disappointed after reading the Cornucopia article. We have taken time to extensively review, dissect, and comment on the article.

We value the trust and loyalty our customers have placed in our product, farm, and farming practices. We believe this trust has been well earned. The Country Hen has always operated and continues to operate with the highest regard towards the well-being of our hens. Every decision that we make puts their well-being first and foremost at our farm.

This is the link to our official response http://www.countryhen.com/viewarticle.php?type=2&artid=24f46946dbd2541.45011143
We hope this will answer any confusion from the report. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us."


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This response really made me think. Their formal response (above) made me think even more. It's so easy to believe a list we see in the media or from a 'trusted' source. I really need to remember to *not* believe everything I read! The point of that they would need around 800 acres of farmland to farm the way that Cornucopia wants them to farm is absurd! I will continue to buy their eggs. I will also think twice before believing such a survey in the future.

Is it Natural?

Today I'm very proud of myself. Well okay, truth be told I forgot it was 2/15 and that the Valentine's candy is 50-75% off. I went to a little natural food store in Westboro, MA during lunch. I like it there because they sell a few things that I eat daily. Ginger chews by the Ginger People are a part of my food requirements. I work with dirty, germ-infested college students (read: students that work in dental clinics!! Stranger's mouths!!) so I need to bolster my cold-fighting superpowers in any way I can.

So, ginger it is. Works for me. I also like gum without fake sugar (headache inducer for me) so this little food store sells all flavors of Glee gum (yay, local New England company). I also noticed the organic dried fruit and bulk bins are cheaper than...Whole Foods. Not cheaper than Trader Joe's but...it's nice to support a small business.

Every day I see some new sort of food product in the food kitchen. It's a cookie that can be eaten for breakfast (filled with lots of weird chemicals, btw)! It's a bar that can  be...also eaten for breakfast! How long do you get through your morning eating a highly processed cookie? I think I'd get a headache, a stomachache, and make it to...maybe 10am before I was starving again.

Recently at this little natural food store I saw a local policewoman buying her lunch. I was thinking "wow, she's not buying donuts." and "I can tell she never eats donuts." She was buying dried fruits and nuts and cereal. She looked smoking hot. She was probably the only cop on duty at that moment not eating somewhere bad. If food from the health food store helps her get through her shift than so be it.

I know the food store is not the cheapest in town, but I like going in there a couple of times per month. For the ginger chews, the Glee gum, and the pitted dates. Do you have a little local store near you that you buy food at (even if it's not the cheapest place in town)? Do you eat breakfast cookies?

I found a breakfast cookie recipe just in case you want to make your own (healthy) version.

Bargain Hunting

The past few weeks there's been random things I've found while out and about doing errands. Last weekend I got fleece-lined leggings for around $3. Those are hard to find under $10-$30 depending on the brand. Today I found products by Peanut Butter & Co. for $3.50 each. They are normally $5.69/ea. The leggings and peanut butter (oh my goodness-they have maple peanut butter?!?) were found at Ocean State Job Lots. A word to the wise when buying food at OS--always check the dates. The PB expires 2 years from now so I was good.

Kohls has been in the news this week for artificially raising prices. Be careful when you shop there. They are known to have 3 different price stickers on the item of clothing (with the last one before the 'sale' being lower--backwards, right?). Grocery stores are known to do this too. Big Y in particular (the Buy 1, Get 2 free sales where the single item price was lower last week). I was never comfortable with Kohls. I hate that Kohls cash and how they tell you how much you 'saved' on your order. Clothing they sell on 'sale' is known to be cheaper that very same day elsewhere--even on Amazon.com.

JC Penney just released a new pricing strategy. This really is amazing marketing. They figured out that customers are offended by pricing games that other department stores play. At my workplace we laugh on a weekly basis at the Macy's sales (ads in the Boston Globe are often full-page). Is the consumer in this economy foolish enough to fall for these ridiculous sales? The nearly empty Natick Mall (refuse to call it The Collection) says no. Marshall's, TJ Maxx, Ross stores (Philly area--love them!) are full. Target's newest designer collection pretty much sold out on day 1 (this past weekend).

When you shop at your mall and see signs "70% off" "Spring Sale" do you believe them? Are you like me and you Red Laser (iPhone and Android app) the product to see if it's really a good price? It worked with my last coffee maker purchase--by using Red Laser I determined Target was the cheapest price out there. Use the technology at your finger tips. The Amazon app is also useful for this technique. And please, for the sake of your wallet--be smarter than shopping at Kohls, Macy's and the other department stores with artificially increased prices. Maybe even check out the new JC Penney's strategy and welcome the fact that they are not insulting our intelligence.