The Commissary Just Got Cooler!

When I was still researching Finland, planning my escape, before we got Spain orders, I learned that they pay a small fee for plastic bags in stores. Many people there, then, keep those bags and reuse them in other stores. I thought it was a fantastic way to cut down on waste. And I HATE having all those plastic bags in my house, but I cannot bear to throw them away! It is almost like littering now.

Not long after that, I saw that Ikea (a Swedish company) started the policy of charging for bags. Or you could by a sturdier bag that was better for more uses. I was so proud to see it in the U.S.

Around that time, in entertainment magazines, stars were seen carrying the ultra chic and super expensive bags used for shopping with these words on the front of the bag: I AM NOT A PLASTIC BAG. See? Even the cool kids were doing it!

Soon after that, Vonns started carrying lil black fabric bags to be used in place of grocery bags. They were 99 cents, and I picked up a couple everytime I went, and eventually had enough to not need those plastic bags! Even Target began carrying cute lil red bags that folded up and zippered close. They were small enough, that I began carrying them in my purse to be used in any store, so that I could avoid a plastic bag. Also, MANY stores have the policy of a small discount if you bring in your own bag!

Then I went to visit Jess in Hawaii, and being the ultra-hippie she has become since Maggie (way to go Maggie!), she had a ton of Chico bags. Fabric bags that squish up even smaller, so they are easier to carry around at all times. They run a lil higher in cost, but they are made of sturdier material.

Completely hooked on the no plastic-bag solution, I went to visit Grandma in TX. Even in the stix of TX, they had the lil black fabric bags for sale at the grocery store. I explained what they were for to Grandma, and told her that we may someday go the Nordic route of charging for plastic bags. Grandma said that she would wait until they "made" her buy the fabric bags. Can't win them all, eh?

After TX, I went to CO. I began preaching my bag politics to them. They patted me on the head, listened politely, and ignored me. Then I bought a few of the bags from the grocery store and a few from Target and actually put one in Grandma's purse. I am hoping I have planted the seed.

Mom made the good point that the plastic bags can be useful at home. And she is totally right. But inevitably, you will be somewhere without your fabric bag, or you will forget to use it, and you will bring some plastic home. This smaller amount of plastic bags, I am sure, would be all you need for things like the kitty box or trash.

Now here is the cool part! Yesterday, I saw that in the commissary here on base, we now have lil green fabric bags for sale!! I am so excited to see that the military family is jumping on the bandwagon! YAY!

Are you on the bandwagon??

BTW, here is an Post on this from another funny blog.

Last of the Colorado pictures

Click HERE to see the

last pictures from

Colorado.

They were taken from Clayton's camera,

so there are

many of

Emily

of

course.

I also used it to get some pictures of Cole at the park,

but he was not very

cooperative for

the camera

that day.

Finally

Nima, Nino, and I are at a hotel. In less than 2 hours, I will be off to the airport. I should be more nervous, but I am so excited to finally get there!!

I will be laying over in Atlanta for 8 hours tomarrow, then an 8 hour flight to Madrid. Wish Nima luck on that one. It is his longest yet.

He is in the cabin with me. Whew!!

Type to you from the other side of the pond.

~~~BYE~~~

Wee folk in Colorado

Grandma and Nino in their St Patty's Day finest!

Last weekend in America

Today I took Enigma to the vet for his health certificate. I really hope this goes smoother than Moo's journey.

She said that she heard a heart murmer that she did not hear when she gave him the other health certificate to go back to CA late November.

That worries me, as it came kind of fast. The doctor before said he had an enlarged heart and wanted to medicate him for it, but I wanted to wait to get a second oppinion in Spain, as this Dr was not the most trustworthy.

Tomarrow, Mom,Grandma,Cole,Nino,Nessa,andI are going to Colorado Springs to have lunch at PF Chang's. I hear many good things about it, but I have never been there before. Then we will do a lil shopping.

Sunday, should be all about packing and deciding what I will have to mail to Spain.

Yay- almost there!

Emily Pictures

Clayton First Touches Emily

Steffy's sister, Tabitha, took these. I am so sad I am camara-less!

Click HERE for new pictures!

The people in the pics are Steffy's sister, her mom-Trish, and her Grandma.

All visiting from CA.

Although I have taken over Steffy and Clay's camera tonight. I was going through snapshot withdrawls!

Tonight, Clayton made eggrolls, Nino made springrolls, and Mom made fried rice. So Nino did a FoodTV style tutorail on making a springroll.

To be uploaded...

Baby Update!

Cole has 2 molars coming in. One on each side. He is in a looooovely mood. And his nose and eyes are always running. I told Nessa, that she should get used to it. They do that until they are about 5 years-old anyway, right?

Emily has been out with Steffy's family lately. But she has changed so much already! Her lips got bigger and her eyes more defined. She looks so much like Clayton. But in pink!

Steffy's sister has taken a bunch of pictures, but I have to get them from her.

My camera is still not working. I may have to send it back to the company, because I lost the receipt and charger it came with. Ugh!

Tomarrow

Nino and I hope to visit the Holy Cross Abbey again. Weather permitting, we would love to do some sketches of the place.

Nino has also started glass etching and metal wire sculpting. Both are harder than they sound.

Anything to keep me away from the Poppy Seed (PLEASE CHECK IT OUT HERE, a new store down town. They have the cutest hippie clothes you have ever seen. You would not believe some of things I have bought! Won't John be surprised!

Emily Update

Today, I finally was able to hold Emily. I had her middle name spelled wrong before, so I need to correct that. Steffy looks great! She says she has some cramps and some tenderness from breastfeeding, but she is feeling great otherwise!

Clayton is so beside himself, all he can say is, "Have you seen her!!!!"

She looks so tiny compared to Cole, who no longer looks like a baby but the toddler that he is.

They said that Emily is actually bigger than Cole when he came home, and she was the biggest of the newborn at the hospital.

She really does seem to look ike Clayton- his eyes and nose and possibly his color. But she has Steffy's chin. Her hair is very dark and she has a lot of it on the back of her head.

I have not seen her eyes open yet, but Steffy said they are very dark blue.

Welcome home Emily K. Robertson!!!

Emily

Emily Kehden Robertson

will be home tomarrow with mom and dad.

She is born!

February 5, 2008 at 3:03PM

7 pounds and 3 ounces

19 1/2 inches

Welcome baby Robertson

And congratulations to Steffy and Clayton!

Mama is fine, but sore. Her family made it in town in time for the birth. They will be here in Pueblo West to help her for a couple weeks.

I do not know if Steffy is still going with Emily for the baby's name or when Steffy and baby will be coming home. Nessa said that she has tons of light brown hair.

I cannnot wait to see what Cole does when he sees her. I do not know if he has ever seen a smaller baby than himself.

Hmmm, and she is born on Super Tuesday. The day we will be deciding whether to put a black man or a woman on the Democratic ballot. I wonder if that will be significant later...

Update on CO news:Steffy in hospital

Steffy went to her Dr appointment today. They sent her to the hospital saying that she would probably have the baby tonight.

However, she has not dialated more (I think she is still at 4). They said they might induce her tonight, because it was Steffy's plan to induce on Feb 11.

Her mom is on her way now, she is flying in from CA tomarrow morning.

Now, they are waiting some more. Trying to decide if they want to send her home.

I know 1st babies are slow coming usually, but tonight we are expecting a big amount of snow. That would not be fun hurried drive through snow and ice tomarrow if they send her home tonight. Grandma said the hospital is about 30 minutes away.

Nessa, Mom and Ernie are there with her and Clayton. Nino stayed for a while, but then he had a date. Grandma, Cole, and I stayed behind and had pizza! Woohoo!

Update: Nessa just came home and said Steffy is staying overnight,

because her bloodpressure is high.

She will most likely have the baby tomarrow.

Good Luck Steffy!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Also- as a post script: Nessa and Stan broke-up.

No biggie, no drama, just no more Stan.

Sunday Seven

Today is a special day. Yeah, I know there is some kind of football game on, but I mean it is a culinary fiesta here!! It has smelled so good here all day, but now it is all ready,

So today's list is

The Sunday Seven Reasons You Wish You Were Having Dinner Here

1. Ernie's famous meatballs. Soooooooo much flavor!

2. Mashed potatoes with meatball gravy

3. Buttered peas

4. Clayton's home-made Caribean Jerk Wings

5. Clayton's Hot-wings

6. Clayton's Sesame Wings

7. Left-over chocolate birthday cake

Ernie and his meatballs

Happy Birthday!!

Nessa Bear turns 28 today.

OH YES 28 YEARS OLD!!

We had chili and noodles with ham on the side for dinner and then went out to the "wings" place to play trivia games and have wings.

Then we cae home and played games and watched Kids In The Hall!!!

Happy 28!!

Happy Anniversary

Happy 11th Anniversary to Mom and Ernie!

They are going out of town for the whole weekend!

Have fun!

Red Hat and Boulder

Today, Grandma and I went to her Red Hat meeting! I got to meet all her friends there. They were all decked out in their purple shirts and red hats. Some had feather boas and scarves and lots of jewelry. Everyone was so friendly and talkative. I had a wonderful time.

I had to wear a pink hat, because I am under 50 years-old. We went to a mexican resteraunt here in Pueblo and they had a drawing for door prizes. As a guest, they let me pick the 4 or 5 names and the last name I picked was Grandma! She won some Red Hat earings.

It was so much fun, I would go again, but their next meeting is after I leave here.

Celestial Seasonings Tea Factory:

I did not get too many pictures in Boulder. We mostly did shopping, and the Celestial Tea factory did not let us take pictures there. But click HERE for what I did get.

The inside of the tea house:

I talked to John today, and he is in the middle of the classes you have to take when you go to a new country's base to learn customs, get shown around, and get your driver's license for Spain. I cannot wait to go to that class. In a couple days, John goes to Cadiz, which if you remember from your Spain Geography Lesson is right accross the bay and is a larger town than Rota.

The City of Boulder and TEA, glorious TEA

Whew! What a day!! Nessa, Nino, Cole, and I left for Boulder last night. It is about 2 1/2 hours from Mom's house. We got there late, but had a hotel room and watched a movie.

This morning we all got up on Cole Time aka 7:30 (no easy feat for any one of us), and started our tour of the city. We FROZE! It snowed all day, but we managed to see some of the cute downtown area.

Later, we went to the Celestial Seasonings Tea factory and took a tour. Then we got to taste a bunch of different teas. A lil jittery from the caffiene, we did some shopping and driving around. There was a lot we could not do due to the weather.

We did not want Cole's lips to turn blue!!!

For dinner we went to the the Danshube Teahouse. It was so much fun!!! We had MORE tea, and several dishes that we shared. Come to find out, Cole loves hummus! The teahouse is gorgous and has an amazing history. It is a work of art all by itself!!! All hand painted and hand carved in the inside.

Click HERE to see it and learn more!

Tomarrow is my Red Hat meeting with Grandma. I am so excited! Pictures of me in my pink hat and us in Boulder to follow.

Cole's Table Manners

Colorado News

Extra Extra Here is the latest:

Mom has a new job!! She is working at a drug clinic doing what she did in CA. But the hours are way better. They are from 6am to 2 pm. She bought a whole buch of new, cute scrubs. It seems to be going pretty well. She has gotten out at noon a couple of times too.

Steffy has less than 1 month to go before she has the baby. It is a girl, and they have the name Emily picked out, but so many moms change it after they have the baby, so we will see. She is inducing labor on Feb 11th, because all her family is coming out to see her be born!

Clayton is working at Mission Company, so he brings home tons of chips and pork rines and snacks. We love him!!! He doesn't usually come home until 11PM or so.

Nino started the new semester, but he is only taking one class. A night class. He says that he cannot take any of the other classes until he takes this one. He and I have been lil night owls and have been getting up VERY late in the day. My excuse is that I am on Spain time. Haha!

Ernie has a job that gets him up very early in the morning, so I only see him for a lil while in the evening. He is usually in bed by 8:30.

Grandma is still doing her Red Hat meetings and she invited me to the next one. But because I am under 50 years old, I have to wear a pink hat!! Won't I look just fantastic in a PINK hat!! But I am excited to go.

Nessa has an interview for a job that will pay her to go to school for 9 months before she works. So we are wishing her luck on that one. She also has been seeing a guy named Stan for a while now. I introduced them last time I was here. I just thought he was cute, but he turned out to be a really cool guy. He works for the prison here, but on the side, he does the sound for concerts, so Nessa has been able to go backstage at a few concerts here. Next week there is a music festival at the art center here. She will be going to that as well. Click HERE to see his website. But has no pictures of himself on there. Never fear:

Nessa and Stan:

They are threatening us with more snow, and it is COLD, but I have not seen a flurry since a last week. I hopeit does not all come at once, I wanted to go to Grandma's property in the mountains this weekend, but the roads may close for the weather.

All us kids went to dinner a few nights ago. We have had some fun nights of snacks and games. Clay works late into the night now, though, so we have to wait for when he is feeling perky.

Clay and Steffy

Pueblo Art Center

Nino went to the Sangre del Cristo Art Center in Pueblo. We looked at some great pastel art, then we went to the children's museum and played dress up and made masks. It was really fun, and most kids were in school, so we had the place to ourselves.

It is freezing here. Actually below freezing, and tonight it will get below 0 degrees!