Tuesday Nothings

 While sitting still, I hurt my hand today. There is a bruise the size of a silver dollar on the back of my hand. It really hurts. After three days of not straining and pushing to rise from a chair, I am now injured somehow! Since it hurts, I think maybe I will not type for a bit. The same thing happens to this hand occasionally and I don't know why. 

I have been busy sorting paper! This is not fun at all and slow. 

The Summer Savory came, but we decided to freeze the last almost-quart for a dinner later. So, no immediate gratification in the form of seasoned soup. We need something fast some days.

Dinner tonight will be hotdog on bun with chili and cheese, coleslaw, sweet potato. 

All the Paper in My Life

All this paper will go two places--in the trash or in my new portable file box that holds file folders.  I am putting reports from each doctor into a separate folder. Tommy gave me a hanging folder that holds files. It is a wonderful addition to my system.

Today, I added a folder for recipes. Besides having recipe books at home, I had a shelf inside a cabinet for recipes. Yes, it might not be organized some days, but they were out of sight.

In the back of the file folders, I am sticking all the current grocery ads I use. I was confusing old ads ad new ads, sometimes saving or throwing away the wrong ad. No more.

Coupons are now organized, all in one folder and in old envelopes.

Since I have letters concerning many things that need a response, I added a To Do folder in the front of the files.

Any piece of paper will be corralled now.

I awoke this morning with my right elbow in severe pain. This has caused a few, no, many yelps from me. I finally got oxycod/aceta something 5/325. I only got five from the doctor just to let something heal. Today, I only had a half tablet left. It is making me very woozy.

It is good I cooked enough last night for leftovers. My right elbow is in no condition to do anything! Plus, the left arm across into the chest muscle hurts almost as bad as the R elbow.  No matter what, I must bathe and wash my hair. I told Tommy it might including screaming.

This morning I awoke at 11:30 am and came in here to wake Tommy. He was shocked he slept so late. Last night, I slept on my right side some, obviously too long! The right elbow must have been in the wrong position. The storm kept me awake, I think.

This day has been devoted to the painful filing I am doing. But, at least my papers will be in one place. I had a file cabinet at my house, but this little plastic box is okay for now. I do not have a thick file of warranties like I once did.  Oh, my file cabinet was rescued, so there is no need to ever buy another!

I do throw out useless ads that come in the mail!

Can you get overwhelmed by paper? What is your system for dealing with paper?

The Natural Package

I don't know where this bag came from, but the bottom is the interesting part that made me think.

PAPER
The Natural Package
*recyclable
*reusable
*degradable
*renewable
This product contains recycled material

Yes, I have a paper bag! As I read this, I could only think of the flaws in the convincing wording, meant to reassure consumers and to convince consumers of the rightness and goodness of using the paper bag.

The bag is definitely recyclable. But, how many people will actually recycle it? If it gets wet or food stains it, the recycling facility will not want it.

The bag is reusable. How many times can it be reused before it is torn. Once the bag tears, I could never use it again. If it does not function, it is no longer usable. Of course, it can be used to start a fire, I suppose? It can become and craft tool/material.

The bag is degradable. But, what other substances are now in the wood product. This bag won't be killing fish or floating around, hanging in trees and fences. It will work in a compost bin.

The trees from which the bag comes are definitely renewable in that more trees will grow. But, how many years old must a tree be in order to cut it and make more bags? 20? 40? I did not look it up. Since there are more trees still available while we are waiting for the replacement to grow, virgin forests can be consumed. Maybe not. What chemicals are used? How much water? How much energy?

At least the bag contains recycled material.

As I read this label stamped on the bottom of the bag, I thought back to a movie I saw and my thoughts then. As I watched HAWAII, I marveled at the shipping containers. There was not one metal shipping container or huge plastic bin used to contain and transport merchandise coming to the island. Of course, the burlap bags and large and small wooden crates were manufactured from raw materials just like the paper bag I have or the alternative--plastic.

The difference? A burlap bag will last much longer in use. No trees that took decades to grow are cut. Burlap bags will not kill fish.

Reusable bags that last longer than our present choices, paper or plastic, would be perfect. Reusing colorful bags for Christmas wrapping is one way to cut down on wrapping paper. There are quite a few other ideas for not using paper or plastic.

I will stop since I could write about this for days. Almost all of my bags I have had for twenty years are gone. So, I have to start over. In antiquity, an animal skin from a consumed animal could be used to carry items. Pottery that still exists was used to transport items in ships. Okay, I am stopping here.

I know some cities and stores either ban or no longer made free plastic or paper bags as a matter of course. Hopefully, that will come to our city or area. But, this paper bag is not the solution to our problems. It is not the natural package we need to use.

Do you use paper, plastic, or reusable bags? I use a mixture.