It’s time again for Non-Consumer Mish-Mash, where I write a little bit about this and a little bit about that.
BPA-Free is Not Enough
I don’t like drinking from plastic, even when it’s BPA-Free, and a recent study profiled in Scientific American confirms that I am correct to be skeptical.
“In 2012 the U.S. Food and Drug Administration banned the sale of baby bottles that contain bisphenol A (BPA), a compound frequently found in plastics. The ban came after manufacturers’ responded to consumer concerns of BPA’s safety after several studies found the chemical mimics estrogen and could harm brain and reproductive development in fetuses, infants and children.* Since then store shelves have been lined with BPA-free bottles for babies and adults alike. Yet, recent research reveals that a common BPA replacement, bisphenol S (BPS), may be just as harmful.”
It makes me even happier that I recently scored a Life Factory water bottle from Goodwill. (And not just because it was $2.99 instead of $19.99.)
Dropping Balls Left and Right
I’m apparently unable to be on top of every category of my life. Work, family, housekeeper, if I’m excelling in one area I’ll let the balls drop in another. (You may have noticed how the blog has been a bit dormant lately.)
We just finished hosting my 14-year-old nephew for two weeks. Each and every day he got to be part of some fun activity and the whole family really enjoyed his company and the break from our normal humdrum activities. However, the house fell into impressive grubbiness and I screwed up my work schedule, which I won’t go into as it gives me an anxiety attack to think about.
I know there are people out there who excel at being able to keep their balls up in the air, and I marvel at their skills.
I do feel proud of all the great stuff we did while my nephew was in town:
- Day trip to Mt. Hood.
- Day trip to to the beach.
- Attended three soccer games. The Portland Timbers, The Portland Thorns and the MLS All-Star Game.
- Afternoon spent at Oaks Amusement Park.
- Afternoon spent at Avalon arcade.
- Downtown adventure day including tram ride, haircuts and food cart falafel.
- Three get togethers with my nephew’s other Portland friend, which included Guardians of The Galaxy.
- Multiple get togethers with grandparents.
- An afternoon at the pool.
However, I want to take a fire hose to the house and I’m scared to write a to-do list as I know it will crush me.
Simple Living? Ha!
Decluttering
It never ends. That is all. Seriously.
Katy Wolk-Stanley
{ 15 comments… read them below or add one }
Thank you for your frankness about your inability to do it all, which helps make it OK for the rest of us to admit to same. IMHO, the only two women who can do it all are Wonder Woman and Martha Stewart–who have superpowers and a staff of hundreds, respectively.
I think the only way to “do it all” is to never relax and take a load off.
But, to never, ever relax and take a load off, is not really living! Besides, just think of all the really good memories you made during your nephew’s visit. Priceless! 🙂
Exactly. It’s not a life I want.
my mom used to say ‘a clean house is the sign of a misspent life’. For me it is all about the time of year – lots of areas in my house need deep cleaning, and painting, etc, but that can be done during the dark winter months. For now I am keeping the weeds at bay in the garden and enjoying the incredible summer we are having.
Wait…what you mean there are folk out there who can do it all. Not to be calling them all liars but I think they are bending the truth. No one can do it all not without masses of help. Your focus is on your family, where it should be, all else is a bonus.
I totally agree with you about plastic, I have always hated drinking out of plastic, it changes the taste especially warm liquids.
However I have to disagree about clutter. I have none, so it can be done.
We sure can’t do it all, that’s right! Neither does Martha Stewart–she has a huge staff. But I don’t begrudge her anything in her super world–after all she did do what most people in power don’t do anymore: she actually took responsibility and served time for her insider stock crime. She also loves her animals and wrote that the hardest part of being in prison was missing her pets. So even though many think she sets an unrealistic standard for women, I give her a lot of credit in the bigger picture.
Actually, Martha Stewart pleaded not guilty to all charges, and publicly said she was innocent during and after her trial. She did not take responsibility – she was convicted by a jury.
Wow, I hear you Katy- I have been feeling the same way! I am so relieved to hear that I am not the only one with a crazy life! Honestly, I think that you have kept up on the important stuff. Sometimes we do let things slip with so much going on but its okay. We just move on……. Tomorrow is another day:)
Same here…it’s been a crazy summer:
***Daughter’s graduation end of May; had company for a week
***First summer dealing with summer camp (my new job) so from mid-May until the 1st week of Aug, I don’t think I came up for air.
***VBS
***3 separate weeks of camp for my kids
***Did the food for a 2 day Women’s conference at my Church
***Hosted an ‘adoption’ party/reception for our friends that recently adopted 2 kids
***Got the kids (and my husband) started back to school this past Tuesday.
So needless to say my house is a wreak and my soul and spirit is exhausted. And I’m broke. So never again. There were several things on that list I could have said ‘no’ to or put off till later and I didn’t. So I will learn a lesson and sloooooow way down next summer.
I think I’ll be singing “Balls on the Floor” to the tune of “Pants on the Ground” all day. Thanks for the giggle, Katy.
Side note – I got a nastygram from BofA yeaterday. Seems I hadn’t used my mileage card for 18 months, so they took my miles away. Now they want me to pay to “redeem” them. Grrrr…I think I’ll have to pick that ball up today.
The to-do list at my house is never finished either. I like to define having/balancing it all by being okay not balancing it all. It takes some effort (sometimes I come home and just want a clean house, dammit!), but I’m a happier person when I have time with my family and time to relax- that is having it all to me. Love your blog!
A very young mother recently asked me how, when both of my kids were young and at home and involved in a lot of activities, I managed to keep the housework and laundry caught up. I told her frankly that I didn’t, I cleaned the necessary (kitchen, bathroom) and the obvious (dusty tables in the living room, tracked up entryways), did laundry “on demand” and let the rest slide. Until my kids got old enough to really help, some things had to be ignored, especially when I went back to school to finish my degree while still working. Try not to worry about it — I think you prioritized correctly.
Oh, if any should wonder where my husband was in all this, he was gone from the house 12-13 hours each day for work, and his standard work week was six days a week, but he often worked seven days a week. I gave him a pass on cleaning, since he was doing all our yardwork and home repairs around that schedule. I really do not miss those days, nor does he.
I love your water bottle. I am still making do with re-purposed pasta sauce Mason jars, with lids, and with gleaned stainless steel beverage bottles (my husband rescued them from a lost and found pile at work that was headed into the trash).
I don’t even try to juggle that many balls, that much stress just isn’t worth it to me.
I’m glad you had so much wonderful family time, kids grow up so quickly.
1. Stop 2. Breathe Then see if there’s something to eat for dinner and toilet paper – if so, all is well! Enjoy your family, there will be plenty of time to clean the house later!