Thursday, December 18, 2008

Dear Santa,

Really I don't NEED anything this year. I am perfectly happy and content. I have three wonderful kids who keep me on my toes and teach me more about life than I ever thought possible, a big old messy lived in house next to a cute park which makes me feel close to my mother even though she's been gone for 6 years, a husband who loves me more than I will probably ever comprehend, great neighbors and friends (close by and far away, ones we talk to daily and ones we catch up with every few years), a crazy extended family which I love dearly and try not to take for granted, and really so much more than I can list here.

*Bliss*

Okay, okay, if you really twist my arm, I could come up with a list. World peace and long happy healthy lives for me kids (heck, all kids). More? Well, if there really was a Santa here are some things I wouldn't mind having...after everyone in the world is fed (nutritious vegan food), clothed, sheltered, has quality health care, etc. and all the non-human animals were let out of slavery and allowed to live natural lives without being eaten, tested on, worn, abused, etc. by human animals. Humans would learn to live sustainable, peaceful lives...okay, you get the picture.

1. An outdoor wood pellet and corn furnace. Thanks for the heads up on these Thomasanna! They look great. If anyone out there has one, I would love to know how you like it.
2. Cast iron cookware (Lodge or recycled from an antique store). I have a small skillet and a humongous skillet, I need one in between, a double boiler, and really any cast iron stuff. I love to cook with cast iron.
3. A kitchen remodel. I know I've talked about this forever. We put our plans for a kitchen redo on hold because Rob's company was laying people off. Luckily, he was not laid off, but still...things are tight right now all over.
4. Oven mitts. I have been using the same ones for almost 20 years. I need new ones.
5. A gift basket (or cases of them dropped in my helicopter) of yummy foods which I feel are to extravagant right now to buy for no good reason. Organic pitted Kalamata olives (we used to live on these, but I've been trying to keep our food budget down so they are a once in a while food now), my favorite hot sauce (we aren't living without hot sauce, no sir, but I don't buy this these days), vegan chocolate chips (the $10/lb. ones from the co-op), Teese vegan cheese (I just want to try it), any organic frozen fruit, for the boys (okay, I might have one) organic peanut butter pretzels, organic almond butter (can't believe we used to buy this stuff by the case), and my liquid gold organic orange juice.
6. An inexpensive way to scan photos into the computer. While we are at it, all my digital pictures backup and safely saved.
7. New vegan cookbooks:
Vegan Fire and Spice (love Robin Robertson and would be happy with any of her cookbooks, but Fresh From the Vegetarian Slow Cooker is another one I don't have which comes to mind)
The Vegan Dad Cookbook (check it out, all you need is a printer)
Vegan Soul Kitchen (okay it isn't out quite yet, but keep it in mind for the future and I would also take Grub)

I'm not all about the getting Santa, here is some giving...

****It is that time of year again and here is my list from last year of worthy organizations which need your help. I know giving is hard when the economy is in the toilet, but that is when non-profits need help the most.

5 comments:

Lisa -- Cravin' Veggies said...

We live in a semi-rural/residential area, and two neighbors have outdoor furnaces. They are horrible! The smoke out the entire neighborhood - so much that it looks like several houses are on fire - and everything constantly smells like a campfire (which is fine when you are camping, but not all.the.time.!)

I can see how they could be a money saver, but they are a nuisance to everyone else around you.

Just my 2 cents...

Oh, and I am with you on the oven mitts. I have mine since before I was married!!! I want Ov-Gloves (or however they are spelled).

VeganLinda said...

Lisa,

Thanks for telling me this. I have a few friends with indoor corn/pellet stoves and some with wood stoves. At one friend's house (she has both, but I'm guessing it was the wood stove) I notice the smell blocks away and wondered how anyone could live with that...I don't like campfire smell either...and it doesn't seem like it would be good for the neighbors breathing it in. Of course, coal power plants aren't good for people either and that is where our heat comes from when we turn on the furnace. There just seems to be no good environmental/health choice when it comes to heating. I guess we will stick with making our house tighter (we put insulation in first thing...I can't believe the house was here more than 100 years without insulation!) and keeping the temp. 50 at night and 60 during the day.

I'll look into the Ov-Gloves.

VeganLinda said...

I would have to add Hemp Milk (vanilla or chocolate) to my list of gift basket items. I haven't been buying it lately due to trying to cut down on food costs. I also would love the Real Food Daily Cookbook.

Lisa -- Cravin' Veggies said...

My husband just had a good point to add about the outdoor wood stoves. There are several legal battles going on around here because of the air pollution/smoke nuisance. So, that is something else you have to consider.

I agree with you on the coal pollution. I don't know what the right answer is. Wind? Solar? I don't know. We have to re-insulate our house and replace the windows in the spring. We have an oil furnace and I would like to cut our consumption in half. I think windows and insulation will definitely get us there.

Loretta said...

I have Straight from the Vegetarian Slow Cooker if you want to borrow it. (And I need to return your copy of Eat, Drink, and Be Vegan--I have had it waaaayy too long!) You could also borrow our slow cooker if you don't have one. I like the cookbook--lots of good recipes, but a lot of them have tomatoes as a main ingredient, so I haven't been using it as much as I did before I realized about T's tomato allergy.