Yesterday was a nice day, though we got off to a tricky start!
Packed the kids in the car, dad ready to follow us to the in laws... I put the key in the ignition of the Citroen and nothing happened, total black out.
Called the AA and luckily the lack of anything going on was due to a loose conection. Phew - no costs incurred thank goodness.
The thought of having to spend what little money we have on the car makes me feel kind of ill! I grew up with parents who literally had no money, but a dad who was competent at fixing anything and everything therefore the thought of paying anyone to do anything that I think dad could fix leaves and uneasy queasy feeling! Mark, on the other hand, grew up with parents who pay for everything therefore he seems to think that the handy man on the block is an inevitable part of life.
Yesterday was full of food, basically. We thought we weren't gonna be able to go to Mark's parent's house, 'cause of the car, so the girls were fed and watered by the time Mr AA gave us the OK. We, however, were not, and we enjoyed a feast prepared by Mark's mum.
She'd also bought the girls, (and Mark) Easter eggs, which is a sticky point for me.
This year they've had Easter eggs - lots and lots of chocolate. As Easter is a time for change, a time for renewal and refreshment I'm using it as the starting point of our new, healthier lives, therefore, no more choccie! My children have no choice about what they eat. They're not old enough to make conscious decissions about what they do and don't put in their mouths therefore the ultimate responsibility lies with Mark and I to ensure we give them the best start in life. The best start does not mean eating sugar, a vile refined food, cocoa and caffine... I had got a bit excited about the prospect of using Aguave nectar until I read the Natural Life Magazine blog and Veronika's post on the Mother blogspot. It's just fructose syrup - possible more closely linked to obesity than sugar and deffinatley as bad for you as sugar so what's the point in that. As for artificial sweetners - the real thing's not good for you so how the hell can an artificial variation of the refined stuff be anything other than just wrong????
Anyway, I did an on-line shop. I like the idea of using a co-operative of organic growers for our fruit and veg, however, I don't know the contact details for the one closest to us, (Abundant Earth) so I used Tesco on line... Abundant Earth is open on a Saturday so we'll pop along next weekend and see what the prices are like.
I have plans for growing our veg in the garden, however, I'm taking one step at a time. I know that if I rush in and try to do everything at once without thought and planning, then nothing will work... I've always been too hasty - putting the breaks on is a point of self development!
I've bought good, healthy whole foods, organic where possible, (though yes, I know, coming from a Supermarket they're all wrapped in plastic), and I've asked my dad to bring the juicer down from his house. Mum bought it, used it about five times then asked him to stick it in the loft. I've checked out some green juice recipes so we're going to be juicing and eating good quality, healthy, home cooked food. Nothing refined or artificial, (you never know, we might actually manage to make our own butter one day!).
I feel as though I'm reinventing our family wheel when it comes to what we eat and what we'll grow in the garden. I really am starting from scratch. I have been uber healthy in my time and very very physically fit, (my pulse rate was so low that it was questioned by a consultant at the local hospital. I don't understand why they made a fuss considering the amount of exercise I used to enjoy), however, I wasn't necessarily eating food that was nourishing me properly. I used a lot of artificial sweetners and meat.
I want my children to grow up taking healthy, wholefoods for granted. They will just 'know' what's good to eat and won't have to think, plan and implement the way that I'm doing now. They'll have grown up home educated therefore with hands on experience of growing fruit and veg in the garden. They won't be checking out library books and meticulously planning to ensure that crops won't be wasted or planted at the wrong time - it will be in their cells... they will simply know what to do.
It's so important to me, as a mother, that my children know how to survive, and how to do it well. We don't know what the future will hold but with the prospect of peak oil and the cost of living rising and rising and the materialism of the every day over riding anything to do with the self, it's vital that they know who they are, what the are and how to live lightly, fairly and well. There's so much in the world to discover. They can't do that if their lives are filled with TV, video games and shallow needs. They're worth more than that, so much more.
Mark's having a shower and Annabelle's in her little chair listening to the water. Sylvie and Bea are playing downstairs and all is well.
I'm going to sign out now and spend time with my children. Perhaps we will paint! It's chucking down outside so I think we'll go out after lunch. Water proofs ahoy! They've had a lot of use this year... all good.
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