Food Waste Friday | A missive from the sickbed
Every week, I post a picture of the food that has gone bad over the last seven days. Why do I do this? Because in March of 2008, I finally got fed up with the amount of food I was wasting, and I thought that showing my waste to other people would motivate me to use up my food instead of wasting it. Because this often embarrassing practice was so helpful for me, I invited other bloggers to join me in posting their food waste photos, and Food Waste Friday was born. If you're not a blogger but still want some food waste accountability, feel free to participate by leaving a comment.
It's really more like a sick-couch, actually. My bedroom is too isolating and cold for me to want to hang out there when I'm sick.
I'd share a picture of my sick self, but I look scary beyond all reason at the moment (Mr. FG said he's not sure he's ever seen me look so sick), so we'll stick with pictures of my surroundings. 😉
I've got my hot drinks and thermometer (because I have a perverse interest in keeping track of my temperature!).
And a blanket to keep me warm (plus I am wearing two pairs of pants and 4 shirts (a tank top, a long-sleeved shirt, a sweater and a fleece). Because even on a good day, I have trouble staying warm, and when I have a fever, it's even worse!
And fortunately, I have the laptop and a USB camera card reader, or I wouldn't be managing to blog at all today.
Because using my regular computer would require me to get up off the couch, and I just don't see that happening any time soon.
Needless to say, I'm also not up for cleaning out my fridge (can't do that from the couch, after all!), so I don't have a food waste photo to show you. I think I have some cooked onions that are past the point of eating, but beyond that, I don't think there's much in my fridge that's waste.
In fact, my fridge is pretty empty! The last time I went shopping was two weeks ago, and I was due to go again yesterday or today. But of course, that's not going to happen unless I use one of those internet-ordering systems (that's the only way you can grocery shop from the couch!).
I'm also not going to be able to go speak at the local homeschooling seminar tomorrow. I don't think I'll feel well enough, plus a couple of my kids seem to be coming down with the bug and I am not about to share that with a babysitter. It's kind of a bummer to have done all the prep work to speak and then not be able to actually do it, but I am resting in the knowledge that even the flu/cold germs that get me are sovereignly ordained, and that the most appropriate place for me right now is...the couch.
Oh, and thank you all for your sweet comments and emails and prayers for my recovery. You guys rock. 🙂
Also, don't forget to go enter in my America's Test Kitchen giveaway. I'll be randomly choosing a winner tomorrow morning, so don't let the 880 prior entries (holy moly! You guys love you some ATK!) discourage you.
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How did you do this week? If you blogged about your food waste, link us up by entering your info into the widget below. You'll save money, reduce your trash output, and get a little publicity for your blog! And if you don't blog, you can still share about your food waste by leaving a comment.
I hope you get to feeling better soon! Get lots of rest, stay warm, and drink plenty of fluids!
Also, I hope your kids don't get too sick...nothing is worse than a sick mommy AND sick kids.
The good thing about me getting it first, though, is that I should be feeling well enough to take care of them shortly, and I can take care of them with no worries about getting sick myself. =P
Kristen, I love your blog, but this might be the most sickeningly positive thing I've ever heard in my 32 years on this planet.
Feel better!
Hmm. Do you mean that as a compliment?? lol
I truly am glad to have gotten the illness first, so please don't worry that I'm putting on a fake happy face.
All four of my kids are down with it now, I'm on the mend, and I am so glad that I can take care of the kids now. Trying to take care of them when I'm feeling miserable is just awful, and so I'm relieved to be feeling better myself now that they're all more needy.
With a fever, it sounds like the flu. I hope you feel better soon!
Oh, and I'm a serial temperature taker when I am sick too! I'm glad I'm not the only one! LOL!
I hope you get well soon!
I love to take my temperature as well. ha. Whenever I start feeling sick I track my temperature almost hourly. My husband thinks I am weird.
Slow Cooked Mediterranean Vegetable Pie today for The Wright Household as part of my No Waste Tastes Great Challenge inspired by Food Waste Friday! Thank you Kristen for keeping me on track - wishing you a speedy recovery! (hope it misses the Kids!)
Heehee - I'm fascinated by tracking my temp when I'm sick too. I think it's like a band-aid for little kids - I take my temperature and feel a little better.
Feel better!
Feel better! Glad you can camp on the couch. Resting is delicious when on is under the weather.
Sorry you're not feeling well. My son has been home for a week due to the flu too. He also developed bronchitis. The rest of us don't have a thing so I'm just confused. But I should be thankful! Should you be covered up so much with a fever? I don't know... Usually you should uncover some of those layers so your temp will go down, no? My son didn't look like himself either, his eyes were in all directions, lol. I hope you feel better soon! BTW, maybe you should bring somesanitizer and sanitize some of the workout equipment when you go workout... Like some wipes, just a thought.
"Should you be covered up so much with a fever? I don't know... Usually you should uncover some of those layers so your temp will go down, no?"
Er, no. The hypothalamus regulates body temp, and sets a higher body temp - fever being an immune response to help fight off disease. The body uses various mechanisms to increase body temp, including shivvering if nothing else works. So one feels cold and even shivvers as one's temp *rises*. One feels hot when the fever breaks, as the body temp falls to match the new temp set by the hypothalamus; sweats is one cooling down mechanism. So shivvering = rising temp, sweating = lowering temp.
Hmm - maybe your fever is a teaching moment for your kids.
I bundle up and unbundle based on how I'm feeling...if I'm freezing cold, I put more layers on, if I feel hot, I take some layers off. That's not based on science...just on comfort. lol
And oddly enough, I did have a discussion about this with my kids today...that the body is heating up to fight off the germs!
Confused a bit I guess. When my son was in the hospital with over 103 temp, I was told by the nurse NOT to cover him up so his fever would go down. That was 9 years ago. Maybe things have changed since then. I was a bit confused because I listen to my inner thoughts and I actually choose to cover myself up too when I'm cold and running a fever.... weird. But I never cover my kids when they run a fever... Any Doc's in the house? IS William a Doc? Just wondering.
From what I've read, it sounds like the current advice is to do what is comfortable...if you're hot, take off layers, if you're cold, add them.
It seems like the fever will go down when the body decides its done fighting the germs, not when covers are removed, you know?
But I am definitely not a doctor...that's just my initial thought on the topic.
I'm not a doctor, either, but I am a doctor's daughter. We tend to run very high fevers in our family, so we've had this discussion many times.
I agree with Kristen and WilliamB, do what makes the person comfortable -- cover up when you feel cold, and uncover when you feel hot. But there is one exception, and that is with a VERY high fever. Fevers over a certain temperature (around 105 or so) can cause brain damage. If you or a loved one is that hot, extreme cooling measures are necessary. I've had to use a cool bath, which is miserable to the febrile person -- but effective. There are also things like tylenol suppositories for kids who are vomiting too much too take oral medication.
Kristen, I am glad to hear that you are feeling better. Hopefully the kids will follow suit soon.
I'm so sorry you feel rotten right now....and I promise to ask God to help you feel better FAST---and to give you all the stamina you need to help with any precious younger ones who come down with it.
Also.....I don't know is this helps, but I'm kindof excited FOR you to see that it's that great blanket I read that you got (for FREE?!) last month is the one keeping you warm and cozy today. 🙂
Yes, it's the HomeGoods blanket! lol The same one my kids use for tents and a spaceship. =P
All 4 of my kiddos seem to have come down with varying degrees of this illness over the course of the day. I think, though, that I MIGHT be getting just a teeny bit better, so hopefully tomorrow I will be up for taking care of them while Mr. FG is at work.
Feel better, Kristen. Thinking of you today.
I hope you are feeling better soon. Thank goodness your husband is able to stay home to fill your role when your're sick 🙂
Go to sleep now, all will be better with rest
He actually hasn't stayed home at all so far...he doesn't have much flexibility with his work, so unless things are really super desperate here, he goes in. He's got to save his sick days for the times when he himself is sick (which hopefully won't happen this time around!).
Hi Kristin,
You are stronger than me, you actually did blog today! When I'm sick, I am a total baby!! Oh, and taking my temperature every hour is a must!! lol...I think it is because when you are sick you feel so helpless and at least knowing your body temperature gives you some sense of control. I am praying that the Lord sends you energy and healing. BTW...if the fever doesn't leave you soon, you may want to look into an antibiotic. If your like me, you'll wait too long and suffer needlessly. *Don't do that!* Hugs!
Sorry to hear that a bug has you down and out Kristin. I pray that you will be well and feeling more like yourself in time to take care of the kids. Isn't that the way it usually happens. LOL. Your "No Waste Challenge" inspired me to go back to weekly menu planning... especially from what's already in the fridge and freezer! Thanks.
I hope you are feeling better soon..... Hope the kids are helping you out!
Hope you're feeling better soon (and letting everyone else take care of you)!
A lot of waste on my side this week. Shameful, really.
And I shall repeat my well wishes here: Get well soon!
I just have to say that it's so funny that a lot of you take your temperature obsessively too. My kids are even worse than me...they want their temperatures taken every 30 minutes or so. =P
Sorry that you're still sick. Ugh. Get well ASAP.
PS, good job on the food waste, I actually skated by with no waste (yet), but I have one more tidbit of leftovers that might not get eaten (sort of sick of it at this point).
I hope your fever breaks tonight so you can get better tomorrow. 🙂
3 yams and an avocado here this week. I hate it when the avocado just barely feels ripe on the outside so you cut it, and the middle is rotten. Seems to happen a lot here--wonder if they get too cold during shipping?
It seems that there are an unusual amount of cold/flus/viruses going around this winter. Hope you feel better!
Get well soon. One other reason I may not get a cold much anymore is I was my hands like mad and use hand sanitizer when I do not have access to water. It is cheap at the dollar store.
Feel better soon and take care of yourself.
Kristen,
Hope you feel better soon!!! We loved the cherry danish at my house and they were gone within 30 hours. Thanks so much for your great baking recipes!!! I am an RN so bear with me, hope you can stomach yet a couple of more suggestions to help with your illness. Throw away your toothbrush...if you are using the same one you are continuing to reinfect yourself with the same germs over and over. Makes sense right? The frugal way would be to boil the toothbrush for 3 minutes, but I just throw mine away b/c they are not that expensive (manual) and it gives me peace of mind knowing that I opened a new sanitary toothbrush etc. Take a warm shower and continue to rinse out your nose. Many people like the Nettie pot, I just continue to rinse out my nose in the shower daily as I am around so many germs with multiple patients. Lastly, and important, use triple antibiotic ointment on the end of a Q tip and place a small amt. up each nare after you have cleaned out in shower. This really has helped shorten my colds/illness without the use for systemic antibiotics. If you do not improve by tomorrow, go to the Dr. and get some antibiotics! Your time is much better spent helping us learn to bake and giving us ideas on how to challenge our creativity to stretch our money! Thanks for all you do!! Get well soon!!!
I hope you feel better soon! Do you take any vitamins at all? Maybe you should start taking echinacia regularly!!
Oh Kristen! Hope that today finds you better. Hope too that your little ones don't get hit as hard as you did with the nasty bug that is troubling you.
I'm getting over a cold myself and am getting so bored with staying in. I know, let's all resolve never to be sick again...not one single day more in our lives!
If only. Whenever I'm sick, the fact that heaven promises no more sickness and sorrow is always very appealing to me!
Sorry to hear that you are stuck on the couch. Take your time to recover - we love hearing from you and hope you'll be back up and running around soon. Other than some scallions that need to be eaten up tonight or else!, I think this is my first waste-free week ever, and it really does feel good! Thanks for the inspiration.
I hope you feel better soon!
My son is out of the woods. His flu is gone but still a linger of a cough or two. My daughter started with a fever today though. 🙁 It is 7 days since my son's first flu symptom. AH! Now I am stuck in the house for yet another week... 🙁 I am not sick or husband.....I hope to NOT get it.. *crossing fingers*. I hope all goes well with you and your loved ones.
Yes, I hate it when things drag out like that. I much prefer for everyone to get it at once if they're all going to get it eventually!
So sorry to hear that you are ill! Hope that you feel better soon and that your kiddos recover quickly as well.