This mamma's going green

To some, Earth Day (April 22nd) is just another token holiday on our calendar. To others, Earth Day makes us reflect as we barrel down the highway in our SUV, chomping on a Big Mac, then flinging the wrapper out the window. This year, I've decided to take it one step further. I'm attempting to educate people so that planet & people-friendly choices can be made.

As a mother of two young children, I have become much more motivated to "go green". We all take for granted the convenience items that have become part and parcel of our daily lives. Did I ever stop to think, however, that those Pampers Swaddlers and lavender-scented wipes I use on my babies' precious bottoms contain chlorine? You see, once upon a time, chlorine was used as a poisonous gas...to kill people...in WWI. Today, we're using it to clean people. Odd, isn't it? And, don't get me started on all the toxins in our homes: synthetic pesticides, formaldehyde, fertilizers, growth hormones, volatile organic compounds...want me to go on? Didn't think so. So what can we do about it?

CLEAN GREEN

Years and years ago, my grandmother and mother would clean exclusively with white vinegar. I can still remember that distinct smell on Friday nights...also known as cleaning night... or, as I jokingly referred to it, salad night! They had the right idea, though. They used all-natural products to clean our home, thereby reducing our exposure to any harmful toxins. Nowadays, our cleaning baskets are stockpiled with Lysol, Vim, Comet, etc. I have opted out of mass-market cleaners. One major reason for this decision is the fact that I am very uncomfortable with a government that doesn't regulate the safety of chemicals used in the products that line the shelves at Fortinos. Vinegar, lemon & baking soda suit me just fine (and they're a lot easier on the pocketbook!). Oh, I do use dish soap, but it's non toxic: Nature Clean or Method.

BUY GREEN

I've made a conscious decision to buy organic (when possible & necessary), or I make the effort to buy local. If it has skin on it when I eat it, it's organic: apples, pears, grapes, potatoes, etc. My kids loooooove grapes, apples & strawberries, so why in the world would I want to fill my adorable, little munchkins with pesticides? Whenever possible, however, I buy locally. First off, the apples at Pine Farms in King City taste much better than any other apple I've ever eaten. Plus, by supporting local farmers, I am aiding in the protection of green space, helping to sustain viable farming communities, and I provide more sound nutrition for my family.

BE GREEN

Anytime I breathe in, I'm filling my lungs & body with chemicals...why add to it? I've made a conscious effort to use all-natural products with regard to personal-hygiene as well. Yup, we're all sulphate and paraben-free. The children smell of Gaia bath products or Burt's Bees. And the old folks? We use Jason products, Kiss My Face, or Avalon Organics. We've never smelled better!!! Plus, I take comfort in knowing that I am not slathering myself & my children with unnecessary chemicals. It's a win-win situation.

Please don't misinterpret my message here. I am by no means telling you to ride around on a trike, wear negative heel earth shoes, eat tofu & spelt all day... Heck, I drive around in a Ford Explorer (though I walk when possible, or use the Corolla if I'm on my own). My message is one of making a collective difference. If we collectively make a few good, sound choices, we can actually make a huge difference in our health and the health of our planet. On Earth Day (April 22nd), turn lights off when you leave the room...switch to compact flourescent bulbs...turn off the tap when brushing your teeth...pick up your trash...start small, but make a big impact.

Happy Earth Day, everyone!

I talk the talk & walk the walk!

I awoke Sunday morning (April 15th) to a cold & damp welcome from the weatherman. I was hoping for sunny skies, but a walker's gotta walk...2 degrees celcius & drizzle. Yay me!

I arrived at Fr. Ermano Catholic School in Woodbridge at 9:35am for Super Cities Walk for MSthe & things were already in full swing. The number of people at the "Vaughan Walk" was astonishing. I'm not even going to guess how many of us took part in the fundraising event.

People didn't seem to be as phased by the whole scene as me. I looked around & couldn't help but notice everyone's "sign" - where you indicate who you're walking for. In my case, it was for "All Canadians with MS". But as I circled around the room, I read the names of those who live with the disease; some even partook in the day's events. People of all ages coming together...even "nonni" - little, old people...bless their hearts. And, although I had a brush with MS, today made the disease so much more "real". There has to be a cure out there somewhere...

As a 10km walker, I was asked to follow the green signs & at 10:04am, that's exactly what I did. Less than five minutes into the walk, however, I was stopped by a middle-aged Italian man who was sipping his espresso & smoking a cigarette outside a bakery/deli. In his thick Italian accent, he asked me to explain why all these people were walking around with signs on their backs/fronts. Being a lone-walker (no team...no company) he either felt I was more approachable, or he took pity on my sorry butt! I proceeded to explain as best I could, without getting too technical. Immediately, he asked if I wanted money (LOL), so I mentioned that a donation would be graciously accepted... The guy zips into the bakery & comes back out with two twenties. Well I'll be!!! I attempted to get his info for tax receipt purposes, but he waved it off & said, "My name is Tony...the rest no matter...I hope they find that cure". In total, I submitted $850.00 - a far cry from my original goal of $500.00!

The route wasn't exactly scenic - they took us through the streets of Woodbridge. I had the opportunity to walk by many enormous, palatial homes...most equipped with three-car-garages, gargoyles, ferocious lions, ancient greek goddesses & the occasional Madonna. I kept myself occupied & tried not to focus too much on the increasing pain in my left leg by listening to songs by The Killers, Tom Jones, Mika, Barry Manillow, The Village People, Bowie, Celentano, Ricchi e Poveri...lol....and I had to repeat Elvis' "Hunka Hunka Burnin' Love" a couple of times (it makes me laugh). :)

At exactly 11:30am, I reached the finish line... so, taking into account the 5 minutes I spent gathering up that unexpected $40.00 donation, I made decent time - 1 hour & 21 minutes. Might I have done better? Perhaps... In the days prior to my spinal fracture...and before all my neurological crap started. Then again, I don't think I did too badly.

The sign at the finish line thanks us.... Ironically, I'm the one that's thankful... I'm thankful that I was able to walk the walk, when I know there are so many who can't. These events are great because we get the opportunity to contribute & at the same time, our eyes are opened to the things we should be most grateful for - things we take for granted on a daily basis.

So, folks...to all those who contributed in the form of a donation...or a kind word, I thank you dearly. Your support meant a lot; it kept me going when my lungs were about to give out (damn asthma) & when my leg cramp almost caused me to drop to my knees in front of one of those scary lions.

Thank you. Truly.

Live and let DYE

It started off harmlessly enough... A bit of good-natured teasing on my brother's part. He couldn't help but point out the obvious amount of grey that's taken up permanent residence amid my black/brown do. My sister, brother-in-law....and all others present decided to take a closer look.

Here's where my happy Easter became not-so-happy...

The not-so-subtle suggestion was made that I colour my hair. Apparently, my face is too youthful looking to be sporting grey around the perimeter. I came back with a feeble comment about a number of beautiful/successful/influential women who sport a silver/white coiffe. Someone shot back that "it's fine if you're sixty, but not in your mid-thirties." OUCH!

From the time I was a teen, I made the decision to embrace the natural process of aging. I've seen enough women fight it...and fail miserably (Joan Rivers, Melanie Griffith & Goldie Hawn...to mention but a few). I decided that I would challenge aging, but befriend it at the same time. Little did I realize the fight would involve a third party - our youth-obsessed culture.

If you google "hollywood actresses grey hair", you'll come up with Meryl Streep in "The Devil Wears Prada"...and Taylor Hicks! I was extremely disappointed by the lack of silver-haired sirens in Hollyweird. Nada...nothing...just a few honourable mentions: Jamie Lee Curtis decided to go "au naturel" at the last Academy Awards ceremony. And that's about it. Whoopdidoo! Coincidentally, there's hardly a shortage of mention for the grey-haired hunks of Hollywood: George Clooney, Richard Gere, Anderson Cooper, Michael Douglas (even though his face looks like a roadmap through the Rockies!!!)...etc. etc. etc.

So what's a lass like me to do? I represent a minority; only twenty-five percent of the female population show signs of grey between the ages of 25-34. Damn Murphy's Law!!! So, in representing a minority...I've got to get this right. To dye or not to dye? That is the question...

I don't mind my grey as much as others might. For me, they're like battle-scars...and I wear them proudly. My greys speak volumes about me, my biology and my history. Why would I want to hide that?

This reminds me of my "birth-mark-moment" on my wedding day. See, I've got this birthmark, shaped like Argentina & the colour of a light strawberry sorbet, smack dab between my throat & chest. It is anything BUT faint...and when I'm angry or nervous, it's like a beacon in the night! My eager hair & make-up lady politely suggested I cover it up...so that it wasn't so obvious in pictures. Hmmmm.... So I'm supposed to cover up this birthmark...because...ummm... I can't even finish this thought; it just doesn't make sense to me! My birthmark, like my grey, is part of what makes me unique. And, as long as I'm comfortable with it, I'll go with it....

This is not to say that I'll never cover up the grey. In fact, I've got a bottle of Herbatint in 3N (natural dark chestnut) sitting upstair, on the bathroom counter. It's been there for five days & I glance at it from time to time. I'm not sure I'll use it...I came pretty close the other day...but I might wait a bit longer. I've got to figure this out first.

A little "soul food"...

The kids were intent on playing in the kitchen this morning while I made my tomato sauce (I'll post the recipe later). I could see they were keeping a close watch on me while they built their fortress out of Mega-Blocks. And, on any other day, I'd consider the whole tomato sauce-task necessary & tedious. Today, however, a memory popped into my head which made me stop & reflect on what I was doing - sharing a moment.

I can still smell the sweet aroma of my Nonna Angelina's top-notch meat sauce. I can't tell you what she added; if you asked her, she'd tell you "a pinch of this & a fist-full of that". She cooked it as she felt it - no measurements, just intuition & feeling. When I'd come home from school, that sauce was guaranteed to be simmering away in that gigantic "pasta sauce pot". The handle was slightly askew, but old habits die hard. So, I'd come home from school (grade school, highschool, university) & there was nonna, stirring her trademark "sugo".

After my grandmother passed away in '94, the tradition was taken up by my mom & moved over to weekly-sauce making on Saturday morning. The aroma was slightly different, but equally sweet - somethings change, but the soul of the food stays the same...as does that pasta sauce pot!

So, I'm watching my kids...who are watching me stir the tomato sauce & I have a revelation: Food isn't just about nourishing our bodies - Food nourishes our soul. It isn't exclusively about calories, fat & fibre - it's also about love, frienship, and wonderful memories. Quite the lesson, don't you think? From now on, I'll focus on cooking with "heart", adding a pinch of this...and a fistfull of that....And here's my recipe for Steph's spectacular tomato sauce:

1/4 cup of good quality olive oil
1 sweet onion, finely chopped
5 cloves of garlic, crushed & coarsely chopped
2 boxes (750ml each) of Pomi chopped tomatoes (I substitute one with a jar of my in-laws' homemade "pomodoro", made fresh every end-of-summer)
1 small can of Pecchino tomato paste
1 scant tablespoon of sugar (to remove the acidity)
Salt to taste
1 bunch of fresh basil

Heat the olive oil in a large pot. Add the onions & garlic & sautee' over med-high heat for 8 minutes or so, until transparent. Add the can of tomato paste & stir well. Add the chopped tomatoes & stir. At this point, I like to use my little blender-thingy to remove any large chunks of onion or tomato. Since I use the homemade tomato stuff, I add that...stir it all up. Toss in the sugar & mix. Then, season with salt... 1 tsp might do it. Now, bring the sauce to a boil. Once it boils, reduce the heat to a simmer & let it cook (stirring once in a while) for about 45 minutes. In the last ten minutes, add the basil leaves. Voila'... it's done...ready to serve (and freeze too...it'll keep in the freezer for a month).