There's hot and there's what's been happening here in DC and many other parts of the country... This goes beyond a regular summer with humidity that is my worst nightmare, evenings that don't go below 90 degrees, airplanes sinking into the tarmac (that really happened!), week-long power outages and the weather guy on TV baking cookies on the sidewalk (that also really happened).
When the weather gets like this there isn't much to do but go on lockdown. Take the dog for a quick walk after the sun sets to keep the panting to a minimum, don't run the dishwasher or washer/dryer until right before bed and look for activities to appease a 14-month old who is used to going on long walks and playing at the park, neither of which we've been able to do lately because of the heat. With the power outages here last week and the week before, all public places with good AC we usually hide out at like museums, the zoo or the mall were mobbed with people, all hovered near any available power outlet and looking like they were going into technology withdrawal. I actually heard a girl crying because she hadn't been able to get on Facebook for a few days.
Have we really gotten to this point? Instead of worrying about an elderly neighbor or pets not doing well in the heat, the wasted food in the fridge or the possibility of dehydration, we worry about FACEBOOK? Wow. This reminded me of a few things I had planned on getting around to when "I had time."
My husband is a green mechanical engineer. He was interested in it before it became trendy and has changed my life for the better (complete with changing my lightbulbs to LEDs 10 years ago when we first started dating). With weather like what much of the country has been living in these past few weeks, how can you not believe in global warming? Yes, it's hot, but guess what? It's our fault. We've ticked off Mother Nature and she's showing her wrath by reminding us we've lived responsibility-free for far too long.We live in a small apartment in the city and while it's not possible to live a 100% green life, we do our best to do what we can. We recently decided to live our lives paper towel and napkin-free. Think of all that waste! I've also been trying to use up some of my stash, whether it's yarn, fabric, cleaning supplies or soap (why do we have so much soap under the sink?).
This weekend I hauled out the 'ol sewing machine, dug through my fabric stash for scraps not big enough for any substantial project, gathered my rotary cutter, threads, cutting mat, ironing board, iron and got to work. I found an online tutorial here and changed the size up a bit for larger napkins. I knew I wanted 15 napkins as a start and that they would be doubled sided, with no 2 alike. A few hours later, I had exactly what I had hoped for! I forgot how much I love sewing and while I'm not fantastic at it, I love every aspect of turning fabric into something utilitarian and beautiful. I'll definitely be making more of these to build up an arsenal for when we have company.
Next up? New kitchen towels, a small quilt, pants for my son and maybe a few pillow covers.
Until then, stay cool.