Uncategorized – Page 63

Inside the Honeymoon, Part II: Nummies

And we’re back for Part Deux of our honeymoon adventures — what we ATE. While I don’t remember every little thing we indulged in, food-wise, I know that we were SO very impressed by the freshness of the food available in Vermont, even (or should I say “particularly”) in restaurants. Here I assumed that I would just eat to excess without a care to the organic or local factor of its ingredients; don’t we always do that during a vacation or holiday? Well, weren’t we surprised to find that we essentially had an easy locavore challenge during our honeymoon!
The reason that it was so simple to find locally-grown foods while practically eating out the entire time was because of Vermont’s Fresh Network. This organization’s goal is to connect chefs with local farmers to not only stimulate the economy but provide fresh, local food for residents. What a great idea, right?! We came back home and thought, “Why can’t we do that?!” Well, instead of sitting on our butts complaining, we’re actually thinking about what we can do to make our own. 😀

Anyhoo, so from the moment we walked into our hotel, we noticed the VFN logo (yep, our inn’s restaurant was local, too! It was green, after all) — and started keeping an eye out at other restaurant store fronts for the same logo. From Burlington to Bennington, it was there, that 4″x4″ sticker logo. I love that thing.

Our first meal in VT was actually eaten while we were waiting for our room to be ready.

Inside the Honeymoon, Part II: Nummies - image on https://megactsout.com

And, did I mention, outdoors? It was a little chilly, but it was a perfect New England autumn day — why else would we have honeymooned in VT?! We grabbed our lunch at a cafe named The Hungry Mind (which reminded Dave of his old haunt, “The Thirsty Mind”, in Mass.), where they provided a side salad with every sandwich or panini. We grabbed all-natural beverages and a bag of (also all-natural) chips. Delish and perfect after searching high-and-low for anything that was open and didn’t cost an arm and a leg.

What else did we find in Middlebury? Well, incredible gourmet food at Middlebury Inn, our hotel (also locally-sourced). Oh, and my favorite “CAN WE MOVE HERE?!” point of interest? The Middlebury Natural Foods Co-Op!!! It was like going to a traditional grocery store — only everything’s either all-natural, local, or organic — sometimes all of the above! While we didn’t eat here, we did enjoy visiting it (and buying some cheap organic soap). Here’s Dave, not realizing he’s in the shot…hee hee…and a vast array of local veggies!

Look at the SIZE of this place!!

Organic cat products, anyone?

Mmmm. Salad bar. Why CAN’T we live there?! (And by “there” I mean IN the co-op! ;-D)

Can we say “lunch every single day if I lived here”?

Me, loving it. Dave was incredibly supportive and even forced a picture in front of the place. 🙂 Lucky lady!

So, both breakfasts were all at the Inn, as were two of the three dinners. Our first lunch was from the Hungry Mind (eaten in the park). Our second, in Burlington, was at New Moon. This was my side salad (I still wonder if they got the order wrong) and panini…

This place was terribly awesome. The food was all prepared/served from an “in the round” center island, and you could have them make any salad or sandwich imaginable. They also had soup and other things, but all in all it was just delicious and, again, another VFN participant. AWESOME!

By the time we left Middlebury to travel home, I don’t recall that we stopped to eat along the way. I almost think that we noshed on the snacks that my best friend (and maid of honor) Beth have given us — we don’t have a Trader Joe’s, and, knowing our propensity for organic/all natural goodies, she gave us a huge basket of snacks, several of which we brought along with us. We finally stopped in Troy (after a long day o’ shoppin’ along the way out of VT) for our final “honeymoon meal” at Brown’s Brewery. It was DELICIOUS and, while I’m not sure if the food was local or not, the brewery itself is about self-sustainability, the 3 Rs, and their own Clean Water Act (there’s a particular brew you can purchase which provides funds toward preserving a local reservoir…which I thought was purdy darn cool.

So, for the most part, our honeymoon food was not only ecologically friendly, but delicious! We couldn’t be happier that we chose Vermont as the site of our honeymoon. Next up? What we did to keep busy traveling around VT.

Inside the Honeymoon, Part I: Accommodations

So, we’re back and, for the most part, FINISHED with all the wedding festivities. The day of the wedding and those following it were some of the greatest memories we’ll ever have. But, I’m ready for some normalcy to return. I just can’t get as motivated as I’d like to, for example, work on house projects or blog entries. Perhaps it’s the newlywed slump…or maybe it’s the fact that I don’t know what to do with myself now that I’m not planning the wedding! It’ll pass (especially with the holidays and an end to the renovation at work coming up) — I was excited that I just happened to get the urge to share with you some of our honeymoon fun!

With that said, I figured I’d start by telling you about where we stayed. We had originally booked a bed-and-breakfast and found out that the room that we’d fallen in love with was no longer available. We accepted that for awhile, but as the plans of our VT trip started coming together, we realized that we also wanted to be relatively “centrally” located (we traveled along the western side of the state, up and down, but you know what I mean). So, we picked the aptly-named Middlebury, VT to make our 3-day home.

I chose Middlebury Inn for several reasons. A) It was centrally-located. B) It’s HISTORIC! Boy, is it!! C) It’s GREEN. D) They had a nice room available for our time at a reasonable price (although it was still a splurge by our standards).

We discovered several “pluses” to add to the list after we arrived, although we did run into an issue. When we arrived, admittedly early, we were told to leave and return at a certain time. Okay, so we schlepped our bags back out to the car, walked around town, grabbed something to eat, and returned at the allotted time…at which point we discovered that they still didn’t have the room ready AND there were no apologies. So, we partook in “Afternoon Tea” (on the veranda, nonetheless!) to wait for another 30 minutes. It was kind of ridiculous that they had a good handful of people working the front desk but zero hospitality or kindness.

Enjoying some tea and a gorgeous autumn day in VT

But, that didn’t get us upset. Once we walked into the Porter Mansion and our suite, any annoyance in our bodies melted away. It was incredibly roomy and the entire inn (which is actually three buildings) was green-certified in its energy practices. Also, the tavern (which was more like a nice restaurant) was part of Vermont’s Fresh Network, which connects chefs with local food sources (farms) to give patrons the best, freshest possible meals. Gotta be frank: we ate organic/local practically the whole time!

Dave, already enjoying the comfy couch and learning about the area.

This was the same floor I had once considered
buying from Lowe’s…vintage!

Yet, with all this modernity, the history of the place was palpable. The inn opened for business in 1827, and the decor of everything felt historic but not “old” or worn. Everyday, we ate in a separate dining area for breakfast and I couldn’t stop looking at the wallpaper. Granted, I’m not usually a wallpaper person, but when it’s high-end and GORGEOUS, you just have to appreciate it.

Also on the National Registry of
Historic Places (just like the theater!).

We had two dinners (we stayed two evenings, left on the third day) at Morgan’s Tavern (which I LOVED the name of — my niece’s name is Morgan). The first evening, we had our “big meal”, which was gourmet and awesome, and we decided to go there for a more “pub” experience the next night. IN-CRE-DIBLE! Oh, and that breakfast? Best thing we ate the entire trip! BEST. WAFFLES. EVER. (ie I had to buy myself a waffle maker the WEEKEND after. Must discover their secret.)

Dave, enjoying his breakfast, trying
his best to be a good husband
while I snap pics.

Looking pretty pale and sleepy…but SO excited for this meal!

So, all in all, our experience at Middlebury Inn was awesome. The food service was impeccable (which I noted in our survey at the end of our stay — wishing that the rest of the staff at the inn could take lessons), the ambiance of the inn was elegant yet warm, and it provided the perfect geographic center-point for our trip.

Stay tuned to hear more about our actual honeymoon activities, meals, and other “favorites”.

*If you know us, you know we’re not a “sexy couple.” So, sorry if you saw the title of the post and are disappointed that I discussed where we stayed and what we did, and nothing more. 😀 Pervs.*

Holy Herbage!

I’ve been feeling guilty about my garden lately. I shouldn’t. It was meant to be an enjoyable project to help us eat “locally” (how much more local can you GET?!) and a little cheaper. We learned a lot about gardening this year — like what products go gang-busters in our well-lit little yard and what we actually WANT to grow. I’m excited to plant FEWER tomatoes on their own, in planters, next year. In case you didn’t know, I’m NOT a tomato person, so we’ve been giving lots away. The space that we used as a garden this year will inevitably house more herbs and veggies that we’ll actually eat and use (and possibly more space and plantings for different seasonal items), while a separate crate for potatoes will *hopefully* avoid the blight, proving my true Irish heritage. 😉

So, why all the guilt? The frost. I knew it had hit, and I diligently turned my eyes away from the garden, presuming all we had lovingly planted and plucked to be dead — and how sad is that to see wilted plants? But, to my surprise, when I finally bit the bullet and flip-flopped back to the leaf-ridden garden box, what did I see? HOLY PARSLEY AND ROSEMARY, BATMAN!

*OUR* herbs in a huge pot. The house is permeated with the smell.

(Anyone got some sage or thyme on hand? We could sing some Simon and Garfunkel. BTW, those are on the docket for next year’s garden.)

I’ve got an idea for the rosemary right now, aside from freezing some and handing a bit over to some deserving folks…but you’ll have to wait to see what my rosemary plan is.

Is anyone else as excited about autumn as I am? And not just because it’s my “marryin’ season”??

I’m Baaaack…and Married!

Inside the Honeymoon, Part II: Nummies - image 33582_10150282414170577_599820576_15011307_3616826_n on https://megactsout.com

So, I’ve been MIA for a little while. The wedding took SO much time — any extra moment was spent doing even time-wasting Googling about wedding stuff. And, while I felt ashamed that it was taking up so much time, in the end, I’m glad we did! The wedding itself was absolutely PERFECT. Not a traditional wedding shindig in the least (sure, we got married in a church and danced at the reception), but fun and simply wonderful. We couldn’t have asked for a better day, better friends and family to share it with, better vendors to help make it perfect. Seriously. Awesome. (Finishing up our final wedding blog post at Momentville.)

Dave and I took LOTS of pictures during our honeymoon — and not because we’re freakishly kinky. Nope, other than wanting to remember the awesome time we had, we took the pics specifically for YOU GUYS! Really, we’d find something else wonderfully neat and Dave would say, “Oh, let’s get this one for the blog.” Didn’t I find a perfect guy?

So, we’ll start posting soon. Instead, I thought I’d share something very meaningful to both the mister and myself. We took the last day of the honeymoon to decompress, and a part of our decompression was grabbing lunch at our regular spot, Donna’s Diner. While there, we started brainstorming all the ways we want to make our marriage successful, small to majorly important. So, as written on our napkin, we give to you our…

Declaration of a Happy Marriage (10/13/2010)
– When it’s time to have kids, take them into our lifestyle, not create a new lifestyle for them.Yes, we want kids. It’s probably the biggest goal we have. If we’re meant to have them, our life goal will be achieved. And, while we don’t necessarily have a very crazy lifestyle right now, we’d like to be able to maintain the parts of our life that make us “us” — theater work (less, but still active), travel (especially to NYC — if I’d been able to experience the city when I was young, I think that my philosophies on life would’ve been more realistic), making movies, etc. It may sound unrealistic, but we want to give them ALL the time they deserve but not forget that we exist, if that makes sense.
– Keep eating healthy. (And get healthier in other ways.) Our trip to Vermont helped solidify this, and even has us brainstorming about how we can change things for MORE than just the Dellecese household.
– Be happy for what we have, but no excuses not to dream. We never want to take what we have and where we are for granted. At the same token, we won’t stand in each other’s way — and we won’t use our “comfort” stop us from considering a different future.
– Get out of ruts. It happens to everyone. We get busy. We get tired. We have those nights that we get home from work and hardly talk to each other, too zoned-out to notice. When that happens, inevitably one of us will notice — and, in the words of Mike Holmes, make it right.
– Have more friends over. One way that we’ll get out of ruts is by changing up our routine. Also, the wedding made us that “Oh, them? Are they still alive?” couple. I’m DYING to break out my new fondue set…wine…games….
– Take the time for date nights. Still another way to get out of a rut. Pretty self-explanatory.
– Appreciate one another. This is an easy one to forget, especially when life takes over.
– When we fight, remember our vows. Everyone fights. It’s inevitable. If two people are going to spend sooooo much darn time together and have opinions on things and sometimes disagree, a fight will happen. It’s also easy to say things that we don’t mean. This is when the sincerity and honesty of our vows will help get us through…among other things. 😉
– Do/say something kind every day. We already do this, whether we do it on purpose or not. From Dave making my lunches to my making dinner, I feel loved by the way he shows it, and I feel that I show him how much I love him in actions as much as anything. However, sometimes I get insecure and wonder… “Does he still love me, heads-over-heels, or is he just busy with work, or…?” So, we’re making a point to SAY something kind everyday, too. I think this’ll be a household rule as the family gets bigger.
– Help with and/or support each other’s dreams and attempts at achieving them. Some dreams don’t pan out. You don’t want your one and only partner to be down on them from the very beginning. “Stand by your man” (or woman, as it were). Even those goals one of us might be apprehensive about, I find, helping a person out with it helps you understand it. Open-mindedness!

There’s room to add, although I’m not sure Dave will give us a chance to before he frames it. I’m sure there are about 100+ more things that should be on the list, but we’re new at this. We also know that these don’t work for everyone, but given the 2 1/2 or so years that we’ve been together (and 1 1/2 living together), it’s what works for us! 🙂

And for those of you dying for a few more pictures, here’s our INCREDIBLE photographer’s blog. She’s still got plenty of time before we’ll be bugging her for the final versions of all the rest of the photos, but it was awesome of her to share these samples with us.

Keep an eye out for our honeymoon posts! Thanks for following.

How to Be a Wife…

So, one week from today, I’ll officially be a Mrs. I’m hoping for smooth sailing and a fun time out of the day, as well as the marriage, but I know that won’t necessarily be the case. I’m realistic — generally. 😉 I know there are things in life we can’t control; boy, do I! Luckily, Dave and I have supportive parents who didn’t mind that we decided to move in together before getting married. Heck, my purdy darn conservative mom FOUND the house for us. Psht. Granted, she knew he was planning on asking me to get married, so y’know.

I’ve thought a lot about how our relationship might change, what will stay the same. Much of it will be a continuation of “already issues” while the things that we enjoy will remain a constant comfort. At the same time, I know that I’ll be working on overcoming lots of my own flaws (or at least keeping them in check) in order to combat some of our issues — and I’m sure that new and exciting fun will help keep things fresh. Our involvement with the theater (and hopefully future involvement in different areas) ensures that things are hardly, if ever, dull!

So, how am I going to do this wife thing? Like I said, I’ve got some challenges ahead of me, but simultaneously I know that I’m ingrained with some pretty cool traits that helped Dave realize he wanted to marry me. (Just like Dave has traits that made me want to marry him — or else we wouldn’t be in this mess right now, lol!)

– We’re individuals. This was our first agreement as a couple; to maintain our own identities. It doesn’t mean that we don’t spend a lot of time together. It more means that we’re allowed to be ourselves (flaws and all, as long as they’re not hurtful or dangerous), which sometimes entails doing things separately. Let me just say that I can’t WAIT to get my piano! Oh, and he’s fine when I MUST MUST MUST watch one of my favorite cooking (odds are either Nigella or Ina) or design (odds are Sarah Richardson or Genevieve) shows. Clearly not an area that we share interest, but man is he forgiving…although, come to think of it, he’s never watched the Monkees with me.

– On the same token, we embrace our similarities. Some of our best quality time is spent watching great old movies. It seems like a small thing, but it’s one of the special similarities that make us work. We both read, and we pretty much read ANYthing, so we’re great at discussing the interesting points or what in the reading might affect our lives. Hell, we had a pretty great conversation tonight about the history of super heroes. Oh, and we met onstage, so we have a creative streak; unfortunately, I need to work on being critical without being OVERLY critical (I’m sure you know what that means!!!).

– We share the hard, little stuff. When he’s having a rough week, I mow the lawn or take out the garbage to take some of the stress off his shoulders. He scoops the cat pan and washes dishes way more often than I do. I generally cook a lot more than he does. They’re things that we don’t mind doing individually, but if we had to do it ALL alone, it would add resentment.

– I’m working on my patience. I know he must be working on his, too, because I’m not sure I could live with MYSELF if I had to. He worries far too much, but I try to rationalize and recognize WHY he worries. It all boils down to my own safety, and the safety of Beardslee. Those are his two priorities in the world, and it’s incredibly, importantly, wonderfully sweet — but sometimes it’s easy to look at small situations rather than the big picture and get frustrated. So, as a wife, I’ll be working on honing my patience level.

– We also embrace our future goals. For the most part, we enjoy doing home improvement jobs together. He’s learned so much from my stepfather, who ADORES teaching him what he knows, and I get to show off my “man skills” with power tools and dirty stuff without getting scoffed at. We truly enjoy discussing what our plans for the house are, and where our priorities lie. Of course, our other future goals include kids, and we discuss it quite a bit – but we don’t have a time frame. It’s good to know we’re on the same page on such a HUGE life change! …Oh, and I say “for the most part” because there are those times when Dave wants to, ohhhh, saaaayyyy, hang a chandelier on a Sunday afternoon, thinking it’ll take 30 minutes…while Meg knows full well that it’ll be more complicated than expected (aren’t all projects?!?!?!) and may last into the late evening. Yeah, it’s been known to happen.

– But that’s our only definitive goal. While we’re not necessarily yyyyooooooouuuuuunnnngg (my poor circulation and a daily reminder from 16-year-old girls are both far too blatant), we don’t want life to end upon marriage. At times, I feel “behind” — parenting was old hat to both of our sets of parents by the time they were our ages (Dave’s parents had both he and Dan; my parents had 3 out of 4 of their kids by this point) — but we’re also quite sure that we’re not 100% sure what our futures hold. We’re in agreement that life takes us in unexpected directions, and we have to be ready, prepared and supportive in case of such times. Life’s a journey, and marriage isn’t the end of it!

– Finally, I consider myself uber-lucky. Dave puts up with a lot from me. I may be the most wonderful person on Earth and all, but even I have some annoying and, at times, downright bitchy tendencies. (No, really, don’t we all? Man, I hope so.) And while Dave isn’t always all sunshine and rainbows, he deals with lots more from me than I do from him. So, when I get into one of my crappy modes, before too long I have to remind myself what life would be like without Dave in it. Then I have to make myself STOP thinking about that; just too hard. That generally smacks enough sense back into me to find the dude, hug him (if he’s nearby) and tell him how much I appreciate and love him. *sappy Full House audience “awwww”* That’s another wicked important thing to remember — if you THINK something positive, TELL them about it! You can never hear “I love you” too many times (um…unless doing it sarcastically, I suppose), but even the simple “I love the way you cook” or “Thank you for mowing the lawn, it looks awesome” comments mean a lot.

So, those are some of the things that will help this marriage succeed in the future. I know there will be tough times as well as wonderfully sweet, awesome times. I think we’ll be fine as long as we continue to enjoy watching a kitty do ninja kicks at invisible intruders throughout the living room together.

Post-Wedding Plans

Howdy, all! Things here at the McCoy-Dellecese household have obviously been pretty busy lately. The school year is well under way, the theater season has started…and, oh yeah, our wedding is ONE WEEK from this Saturday.

Holy crap! It’s so easy to liken it to doing a show. You prepare and plan and organize and even kinda practice (girls? Wedding shoes? Am I right?) and lose sleep thinking that you must be missing something. You want it to be fun for all your guests (audience?) and as the end is near, you finally realize that, wait, why are you doing this in the first place? Obviously, to get the “job done”, but WE have to have some fun, too. Some unavoidable mishaps are inevitable; just like live theater, wedding planning is impossible to control completely. But, boy, does it take over your thought process in the meantime.

So, that’s where I’ve been the last month! Things are coming together pretty nicely. Heck, we’ve got the license and rings, so we could just do it tonight if we wanted to…but, we’re SO looking forward to seeing our friends and family (many of whom are traveling quite a way to get here!) and giving them a bit of a party to get to know each other and celebrate, well, love!

But, what about AFTER the wedding? Dave and I are itching to get going on a project or two (or more) around the house. Here’s what we’ve got in mind?

#1: MAKING THE BASEMENT USABLE: You’ve seen my post about my basement inspiration as far as decor goes (if you haven’t, check it out here). First, however, we’ll obviously have to do some prep work. Any time you’re working in the basement (especially when you’re trying to make the space more livable through the use of furniture and decor), waterproofing is essential. So, we’ve got some cement walls to scrape, a few patches to fill and Drylok to apply.

We’re deciding to take my stepdad’s advice and only apply a foot or so of Drylok around the perimeter of the basement. Why? First, it’s cheaper. Second, the only areas that we’ve had moisture problems have been where the floor meets the wall. Oh, and we’re not just doing the wall; we’ll be coming down onto the floor 6-12″s, as well.

After Dryloking (which will inevitably be a project, since we’ll be applying a few thin layers), we’ll be painting the walls a creamy tan to modernize and brighten things up. The floors will be painted a light brown to coordinate and hide dirt.

We’d like to have these projects done before the snow flies. That way, any additional work down there can pretty easily be done on our schedule, regardless of weather. Don’t want to paint when the walls are freezing, but working on adding storage and decor can definitely be done in a cozy fashion.

In addition to working on the laundry area, additional living space, and hopefully a half bath, we’ve got extra room for some storage! In a 1920s house that is full of closets — TINY ones — extra storage is a must. We have a cut-out space on the far side of the house that is just begging for pantry shelving. Yay! My potatoes and onions can actually store, unspoiled! Plus, there’s an awkward area in the center of the whole shebang that seems useless — except for storage that we only need to access every once in awhile. (Y’know, Christmas decorations, tubs full o’ our childhood and adult memories.)

The space under the stairs also needs some work to make it a safe place for Beardslee to hang out — which he can’t WAIT for! He loves “discovering” the basement. Plus, we can finally move his potty space down there (right under the stairs) now that his cough has gotten better. Man, is this basement going to be a huge multi-tasker! How have we lived using it so unwisely so long? 😉

#2: MINI-BATHROOM RENO: We have one bathroom. We MAY be adding one (is it sick that I dream and wish about it?) half bath, like I said, in the basement. For now, one bathroom is all we have and, honestly, it’s all we need. Sure, it’s small. Compared to the bathroom that I left behind in my old apartment, where you could easily practice ballroom dancing, this one is awkwardly-shaped (the 3rd bedroom, aka office, closet juts into the room — and bedroom minus closet equals no more bedroom AND a lower home value…yeah, we ain’t movin’ nothin’) and just fits the toilet, sink, bathtub, and built-in storage.

Our goal? (Well, mine.) Three words: modernize, modernize, modernize! We’ll chip away the tiny tiles that cover the bottom half of the walls, cover with white bead-board (and finish with chair rail), paint the rest of the walls, add some new towel hangers, then turn my attention to the built-in and shower. The tub is a brown-ish color and, if I can get an eco-friendly heavy-duty cleanser, I’ll keep it. It’s in good shape and I’m a little lazy; tubs are frickin’ HARD to move! But, the surround was put in improperly. I’ll be consulting my stepdad for options (I’d LOVE to put subway tile just on the shower interior to add some more value and interest, but a new surround to replace the now-torn one would also work). Ah, and the floors need some consistency — I had considered tiling, but since we’re still trying to determine how long we’ll be here, I know that vinyl tiles may help achieve what I want easily and cheaply. Then, I’ll turn my attention to the currently-ugly built-in cabinetry. I’d like open storage, so I’ve just gotta continue brainstorming. Overall, I’d like to go for a spa-feel. Heard it before? 😉
#3: KITCHEN CABINETS: We have two cabinetry./counter areas in our kitchen. One is as old as the house and would be impossible to move — and we don’t need to, we just need to clean them up and give them a new countertop. The other…well, to put it bluntly, is a piece of crap. The previous owners put in a CHEAP press-board sink cabinet and let’s just say that I cry every time I open them. They had a leak issue with the faucet and didn’t bother to fix it. So, what were we left with? A rotted-through bottom. So, while we have some cleaning supplies in there, it reeks to open it and I can’t take advantage of the storage as I’d like. It just needs an update!!!! My loving future-husband (I’d say “hubby” but he hates that) has promised that, before too long, I’ll at least get new a new sink area. We’re also pretty much constantly pricing new appliances, although we’re lucky that these (as with the washer/dryer) were F-R-E-E!!!!

We’ve got lots of other must-do’s around the house (can you say “tree”?!), but for now, these are where our priorities lie. Anyone else out there have some fun to-do’s helping to distract you from other things — be it work…or wedding planning? 😉

Did That Summer Go Fast, or…?

Things have been pretty wacky around here lately. My uncle’s wife passed away last week, so I attended her wake and funeral earlier this week, mostly to share my condolences and show support for the family, and a little to see the family that was visiting that I tend to see every couple of years, at most. (What a run-on sentence THAT was!) We’ve had some other private stuff going on in the family that we’ve been doing well getting over, but it’s kept me distracted from the blog. Sorry!

Oh, yeah, and we’ve been doing wedding stuff! Most of the invitations (I accidentally printed slightly fewer RSVP postcards than I should’ve, so there are a few that still need to be sent) have been sent out — there’s no looking back now! And, yes, September 1st is upon us (and gone), so it feels like it’s coming up pretty fast. Our priest (Uncle Mark) let us know that we’re on schedule. We have to meet with our reception people and tie up some loose ends, but otherwise, it’s coming together pretty well. So, that’s excuse #2!

Anyhoo, I’m here to at least provide an update on how things are going! Dave and I have done well balancing things, I’d like to think. We’re working on the wedding checklist, of course, but we’re also trying to make time for friends and continue our theater work. And, now that school’s starting Tuesday, of course, that will be taking more of my energy, as well.

Before we know it, I figure the wedding will be over and we’ll be calling each other husband and wife. I’m hoping to try out some of the preserving the bounty tips (especially drying tomatoes!!! God knows we have enough of ’em) and working on nesting once that happens. Oh, and turning out thoughts towards projects we’ve been neglecting around the house. 🙂 After all, autumn IS our favorite season, so as long as the snow holds off, we’ll enjoy it! Between our honeymoon to Vermont, inevitable trips to Cooperstown, and cozy nights in with the cat, I can’t wait! Plus, you can bake up a storm without worrying about how much energy the A/C is emitting.

Hope all’s going great out there!

Eco-Reviews

Howdy! I’ve talked a lot about our food choices (isn’t food one of the most important inanimate things, after all?!) and our cat goods, but we’ve also been trying some non-edible eco-friendly products, too! After all, there seem to be a million ways that people can go green. So, here are some of the products that we’ve tried, and what we’ve thought of ’em:

Inside the Honeymoon, Part II: Nummies - image 50923_L_vvs_000 on https://megactsout.com

Picture from
Valley Naturals

Toiletries

As far as toiletries go, I’ve been more adventurous (to a fault) than Dave. We have lots of non-eco stuff stocked in our home that he’s doing a good job of trying to use up first. I was so excited to try out the items that I tend to swap between the old and the new. In general, the shampoos don’t do it for me. I consider myself to have “normal” hair (not too greasy, not too dry and flaky), so it’s been disappointing to find that the eco-friendly versions tend to completely strip my hair of any natural oils, making it completely impossible to comb through afterwards. Bummer! I currently have Nature’s Gate Daily Cleansing Herbal Shampoo and alba shampoo. Maybe I need to rethink the beauty regime ideas I’ve been cultivating since elementary school; I’ve changed the way I think about eating and shopping, after all. Either way, I’ve had MUCH better luck with alba’s facial scrub and body wash, though!

We’ve also been using Tom’s of Maine toothpaste and neither of us has had a single cavity at our recent dentist visits. I guess we don’t need to rely on Colgate or Crest so much! (Plus, I’ve grown used to the taste and kind of prefer it now. It took awhile, though.) On another “weird” point, I’ve started using Tom’s deodorant, too. I don’t hate the stuff, although it smells a little…manly (a hint of Old Spice or something I can’t put my finger on)…and I have to reapply at least once a day. Yes, I like it, regardless. 🙂 I think it’ll just take some trial and error on what works for me, but we all have our preferences. I can’t WAIT to try more Burt’s Bees products, as suggested by my future sister-in-law (can’t wait to cut out the “future” part!).

Paper Products

All of our paper goods, from tissues to toilet paper and paper towels to napkins, have been replaced by Marcal’s SmallSteps brand items. The price is comparable to the usual products PLUS there’s a coupon in our weekly paper at least once a month, which helps. It seems to always come out just as we’re getting low on one item. How convenient! (Oh, there’s an occasional Tom’s coupon, which helps, too.) By the way, if you’re interested in any of these products, just Google the item and “coupon” and it’ll help with the initial going-green wallet drain.

Clothes

Inside the Honeymoon, Part II: Nummies - image 10757-747418-p on https://megactsout.com

Picture from Zappos

I’ve dreamed about going green as far as wardrobe is concerned, but the best I can do is shop at thrift stores, which, honestly, is a challenge. My wardrobe is one of two things: professional (hard to find anything not circa 1980, and I’m NOT rockin’ the 80s comeback, thanks) or incredibly casual (mostly a variation of tee-shirt and jeans, both pretty disgusting when you find them at Goodwill — pit stains or nearly see-through material). That’s probably one of the biggest issues I’ve had with going green — knowing about sweatshop conditions and feeling guilty when I purchase ANY new article of clothing. I’ve done lots of research on eco-friendly clothing online (and even more “window shopping”), but the prices are just too steep for me, and the designs leave a LOT to be desired.

However, today I made a big step. I’ve been in dire need of new running sneakers (still another item I won’t buy from Salvation Army or Goodwill…sorry! Sometimes ya just gotta put your foot down — pardon the pun), and even with all the back-to-school sales, I just didn’t feel right purchasing “regular” ones. So, after still more research, I placed an order on 6pm.com (INCREDIBLE prices!) for a sneaker called END Stumptown (hee hee). For $32, these sneakers give the support I look for with recycled webbing and lacing, bamboo-infused lining & a Biosmart midsole made partially of recycled materials. Better than nothin’, and the price couldn’t be turned down. The only thing I’m worried about was that they had limited availability, so I had to order one of my two possible sizes (I’m a 9 or 9 1/2, depending), but that’s a concern anytime you order online. So, one small step (again with the puns!) towards a more eco-friendly wardrobe…let’s see if I can find my traditional work outfit of black slacks made of organic cotton at a good price!

Cleaning

The biggest winner in our household by far has been for cleaning: Dr. Bronner’s liquid soap. I use it to clean pretty much anything and everything, and it smells AWESOME. (Currently using peppermint.) Plus, it lasts FOREVER since you only need to use a drop. It’s by far our favorite product. For other cleaning, I’m trying out different laundry detergents (can’t wait until we have a water-saving washer! Saving up and dreaming and researching, oh my!), but I’m most impressed by adding good, old-fashioned 20 Mule Team Borax. I love that all they had to do was change the packaging from the 100+ year-old version to the green yuppie-pleasing kind to make it marketable again, lol. I mostly love picturing the women (hate to be sexist, but isn’t that how it was?), and mostly, my ancestors, who used it to give their soap a boost. Plus, the price ain’t bad ($.86 a pound)!

There are other cleaning products that we’ve been using for awhile, like the GreenWorks line. The one thing I have to say about them is that my mother is wrong. Before she knew that I was using green products (I’m still not sure that I’ve “come out” to her completely about our new eco-mindedness; I’ve just spouted off knowledge here and there, probably hinting about it…and she’s seen my hotdogs, so she must be aware), she told me that a friend of hers tried eco-products and that they didn’t cut grease or do a good job at all. I don’t see where that’s at all true, but then again, I’m a really good scrubber. 😉

Inside the Honeymoon, Part II: Nummies - image 31A5X4YBY8L._SL500_AA300_ on https://megactsout.com

Image from Amazon.com

Oh, and we’re trying to use more rags and I purchased some microfiber clothes at TJ Maxx for good ‘n cheap so that I can dust without spreading chemicals about the place, especially with a cat with really bad respiratory problems and two humanoids with allergies (and, at times, asthmatic tendencies).

Final Thoughts (Nope, you didn’t just tune into Jerry Springer)

It just makes sense to start these trends now for several reasons. If we can balance our budget to make room for things like organic foods and all natural cleaning products now, we’ll be in the habit of doing so when our budget is much more strapped (hint, hint: future babies). Also, I’d like to know that our kids are surrounded by as few chemicals as possibly, hopefully lessening their possible issues that our poor genetics will inevitably giving them — I wonder how much of my asthma, major allergies, and generally “always sick” childhood could be attributed to genes vs. environment. All-in-all, we also want our kids to be aware of their environment, inside and out, and the idea of how precious it is; to teach a general responsibility and accountability for actions, not just “don’t hit your sister”, but “don’t keep flushing the toilet” and “littering is being mean to the Earth”. Hopefully, they’ll be well-rounded and aware, moreso than we ever were. We’re grateful for our upbringings or else we probably wouldn’t be as sensitive these days; we’re just considering how to make the place better for the future inhabitants.

If you have any suggestions on eco-products or web sites, please feel free to comment! Sharing is the best way to get reliable, valuable (and free!) information.

Unexpected Farmers’ Market

Just writing a quick entry to let you know I didn’t fall off the planet. I’ve got a larger entry in the works, but don’t have the time to get my pictures uploaded quite yet. Ever since my wedding shower last Saturday, I’ve felt more of an urge to work on wedding planning. If you’d like to know how that’s going, check out our wedding web site at www.momentville.com/daveandmeg2010.

Last Friday, Dave and I made our annual trip to Old Forge, specifically to go to Enchanted Forest/Water Safari. As tradition, we go there for a little over half the day, then wander the town, play putt-putt golf, and stop in to some shops and incredible little cafes. This year, we bought Beardslee an organic cotton collar at the hardware store, Dave “got it in the clown’s nose” for a free game (Happy 50th Anniversary to Nutty Putty!), and we had what we like to call a “casual gourmet” meal at one of the cafes on Main Street.

While walking through town, we spotted a sign for the Old Forge Farmers’ Market — which, wouldjyabelieveit, was happening that afternoon. What luck! Plus, it was incredibly close to where we had parked the Kia. Nice! So, our final jaunt of the day would be to a backstreet parking lot filled with all types of vendors.

I think I noticed at least three Amish tents, two local wineries, several farmers selling eggs/meat/veg, and a random maple syrup seller. We ended up coming home with:

– Two bottles of wine (one “Cranberry Bog” (great for the holiday season) and a Riesling (Dave’s fave, and I do like my white wines) — both from the North Country)
– Some maple BBQ sauce (which, FAIL, has ketchup in it — 2nd ingredient, HFCS…CRAP! And they were such a nice old couple, from quite near Herkimer)
– Incredible Amish bread
– A head o’ broccoli
– 5 or 6 pounds (I think the 6th was free) of grass-fed beef (from another familiar name, a Little Falls farm close by; they even gave us tons of ice so that it’d make it home safely)
– And I’m sure something else. Dave would remember; he was the one who had to stop me from purchasing so much. *ahem*

And, it’s a good thing I didn’t get any zucchini because the next day at my shower, my lovely aunt brought enough for everyone to take…

Inside the Honeymoon, Part II: Nummies - image 44782_10150243821075577_599820576_14074586_7296660_n on https://megactsout.com

Simple (But Spectacular) Side

Image from kettlechips.eu
(They have balsamic sea salt chips!
Why is this the first I’ve heard of this?!)

Although I made some tasty fish in foil packets and brown rice for dinner tonight, the star (in my book) was the veg. We had green and yellow beans from the farmer’s market (grown in Mohawk, woot!) so I threw them in salted boiling water for 8-10 minutes until they weren’t crisp anymore. I then drained them, threw in some salt, pepper and a drizzle of olive oil.

And, then I got inspired. As I’ve said before, I’m a huge balsamic vinegar fan. So, I threw some in a small frying pan, along with a drizzle of olive oil and a teaspoon or so of raw sugar. While that reduced, I turned to realize I had clipped some rosemary from our garden. Moments later, a tablespoon+ was chopped finely and popping in the frying pan. Another minute, and it was ready to drizzle over the beans.

There’s something about rosemary and balsamic together! It’s the simple things, I tell ya. 🙂

Oh, and speaking of simple things that make us very happy — dessert was homemade old-fashioned strawberry shortcake. The shortcake was just that — buttery, slightly sweet, and the polar opposite of the sponge cups you buy in the store — and the hand-whipped cream had a shot of amaretto. I’m enjoying this whole cooking thing.