Little quilt for the hospital I finished with all my internet-free time. I rang the 'really-cheap-but-lacking-in-customer-service' internet provider this morning and they said,"Your broadband has been active for almost two weeks, did you not receive a phone call to help you access it?" Well, no, actually I didn't. Perhaps that's why I'm ringing you?
I knew I liked the web, but it took this enforced break to realise how much I actually USE the net (as opposed to just passing time on it). There were recipes I couldn't look up, gardening sites I couldn't access for advice, people I couldn't keep in touch with and vice versa, phone numbers I couldn't find, questions my son asked me that I couldn't answer, and I felt quite isolated as I couldn't access blogs of like-minded people and people who I feel I'm learning a lot from at the moment.
It made me a little concerned. What if the world does all turn pear shaped and we all suddenly have to be a lot more self-sufficient? What if, for whatever reason, I lose the internet for good? There is so much knowledge to be had on the web, it amazes me. I don't really buy 'knowledge' type books anymore as I feel that I can find anything I need on-line. But if it all went bust, where would that knowledge be?
My recent Op shop finds: a jersey that felted fantastically and a book of soft toy patterns
In conclusion, I've started thinking about a few things. Like wondering if I should do some formal sort of learning around gardening and sustainability, like these workshops here. I've also decided to do some thinking about goals - what do I want to achieve, where do I want to be in 2, 5 ,10 years time, and what do I need to get there? (Very deep and meaningful, I know).
And I'm going to start being a little more organised with my interests. This means getting some folders with labels on the outside and writing or printing out the tidbits I find and keeping them in hard copy. I will endeavour to write recipes down when I find them instead of trying to find them again later, or worse, forgetting about them completely. I'm going to start using the local library's online service to request books I want instead of writing them down and then losing my list!
Simple lemon cake - I recipe I DID write down.
And last, but not least, I'm going to try and meet more local people, interested in the things I'm interested in, by making the effort to get along to local meetings. For example, I'm a member of Forest and Bird, yet I have NEVER been to a local meeting, not once!
Ooh, is that my simple lemon cake recipe? Yup, I have started printing off recipes as I can never remember where I saw them online. No www, gee, I'd have to think about that...Anyway, glad you're all sorted!
ReplyDeleteSustainability is the buzz word in our house at the mo too. I have started making paper again (remember the teenage efforts?) which the kids really enjoy, we've made a pledge to make all our biscuits and crackers for at least the next six months, we've even made our own soap, and started the vegetables in pots thing. The kids are all starting to think about their impact on the world to the point where they don't want to take any gladwrap etc in their lunchboxes. Go kids!!
ReplyDeleteHi Cat, Yup that's the recipe you gave me - very glad I wrote that down, soooo yummy (I use yoghurt instead of sour cream).
ReplyDeleteGood on you, Lou. What was the fabric used in those paper making frames? I've always wanted to have another go at that.
It was a fine very strong netting that we used in the geology laboratory BUT the kids have just received a book which uses a coathanger with pantyhose stretched over it, to strain the paper. Haven't tried it yet as I still have my old frames.
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