It's Not Easy, Being Green

Especially when the grocery store is out of the permanent bags. But, Hallelujah and Save the World, they got them back in at last and I was finally able to purchase 8 and I test drove them at Target today.

Although I felt a little self-conscious walking into the store with them (and I was the only person who brought her own)I can't overstate how virtuous I felt leaving the store with my four green bags, full of Target goodies, not a scrap of flimsy plastic bag to be seen anywhere. Since i have now been to Target 3 times this week, it was good to know that at least this time I didn't contribute to landfill issues and marine life endangerment any more than I had to. As a bonus, these bags are kind of pretty. They're that lovely acid-apple color that I so long to find in bath towels. Yummy. And my children, who were with me, will soon come to see this behavior as entirely normal and expected: you shop, you bring your own bags.

Obviously I've pulled out of my nervous breakdown of about a week ago and am feeling somewhat better. That would be because WE SOLD THE OTHER HOUSE. Praise God and what a relief. In just 4 weeks that house will be someone else's to mow, trim, rake, scrape, paint, mop, dust and vacuum. I will miss it because it was our first house, the house we brought all our babies home to, the house where I created my first really fabulous garden. But I will not miss the financial, emotional and physical strain of trying to maintain two places. The couple purchasing it is expecting a baby in September and that makes me especially happy -- I like to think of another family starting out in our little house.

What a difference changing realtors made. Our new realtors had very savvy tips about what to fix, repaint, tidy and change and although we probably spent about $2000 (including repainting the exterior) it was more than worth it when the house was only on the market 36 hours before we got an offer. Sure wish we'd signed with them from the outset. Then we might not have sat on the house for 9 months.

Sold. What a great word.