The Eco Dad

I just noticed it's been approximately 2 months since my last entry. That's pretty piss poor consistency. It's not like I haven't been busy either. I'm sure I had lots to blog about, and out of all that I'm going to provide a vapid post about how I saved money on boxing day - one of the prime consumer 'holidays' next to Black Friday. God help us all. Lately I've been in a creative mood. I've made a refined, personalized coaster using a piece of firewood, a wood burning kit and stain/lacquer (picture not attached). I've tried my hand at making healthy treats, such as vegan, gluten-free mint chocolate bark (picture on my  Instagram account ). I've also made vegetarian (used whey protein powder), gluten-free protein brownies (also on my Instagram account). Maybe I'll post recipes and try to dig up some photos of the coaster, but until then you get the post about fixing jeans. I am sooooo sorry. So, on Boxing Day, instead of going out...

As the disposable razor supply in my house reaches what I'd consider a critical low point, I have, with great patience, found a honing stone. It's a tad dirty and needs a good lapping (flattening), but I have a means to sharpen my old straight razor. Victory! I was starting to give up and even saved a website on my browser for buying new stones and a lapping apparatus. Guess I won't be needing that! I've also found a guy who hones straight razors that works where some friends of mine live, so even without the stone, I'd have a way to sharpen my razor. Ta-da, an environmentally friendly alternative to disposable razors that also supports small business. Not bad. This is going to take some work ... thankfully there's YouTube! I also found a seamstress willing and able to fix my favorite shorts. Cost? $12 ... there was more than one hole that needed sewing. 😬 No matter. You'd be hard pressed to find a pair of shorts you'd consider your favorite f...

Well, I've been hit with a few clothing emergencies. Okay, so they aren't emergencies, but as life happens I'll need a couple things. I dodged a bullet with buying a suit because my son's daycare graduation was moved to a new date that clashed with a business outing. Given the choice I chose family. I always will. Yes, I know it's daycare and it's not a recognized diploma, but my son worked very hard on his Going to Kindergarten song and at four years old he knows if dad is, or isn't, there. Back to the suit though, this will likely require a consignment store. I don't see too many suits in a style I like on the thrift store racks. Consignment means paying more, but not everything second hand is going to be cheap or found in a store that relies solely on donations. It's sort of a negative connotation about second hand - that's it's cheap, beat up, useless stuff. Yes, you have to sift through the rough (and there's lots of rough), but you...

In an earlier post I discussed my internal debate between a home gym and a low-cost gym. I ultimately chose the low-cost gym for a variety of reasons, but as I sit here on weekends, with the low cost gym closed, I wish I had something more than running at my disposal. Now, I'm not going to invest in a home gym. I don't have the money or the space. With a little ingenuity though, I can create something that doesn't take up any floor space and still lends itself to working out. I'm not much of a handyman, but off the top of my head I can redneck something together. I don't normally workout in sandals.  What did I slap together? A pull up station! All this pull up apparatus took was 3 pieces of 1" pipe, 2 threaded elbows and 2 floor flanges. I'm actually a bit impressed at how easy this was to do. I'm already trying to draft a fold away dip station in this head of mine. If companies can create fold away tables and beds, surely I can create somewhe...

Over the past two days, little by little, I have endeavoured to make my best friend a trophy. Why? Because she deserves it. She has served her country for twenty years and I am fortunate to have been her partner (officially and unofficially, on and off) for almost the last four of them. I could go on and on about how awesome she is, but that's not the purpose of this blog. The trophy I made - that's why I'm writing today. So yeah, she's served her country for twenty years as an officer and there will be no pin, no plaque, no handshake, nothing. In fact she had to plan her own celebratory lunch. While I'm up for that, I wanted her to have something other than a full belly. My immediate thought was a gag gift - a used softball trophy from Value Village, likely a 1997 Pee Wee 'AA' Championship. It wasn't that I was looking for a softball trophy, I just figure that's the sorta trophy that gets thrown out. Having it used also keeps in step with my year ...

In the absence of purchasing anything new, I've found that thrift shopping or scouring used online ads has become a bit of a pastime, almost an addiction. There is something to be said about finding a great deal, but trying to keep in step with decluttering is becoming a bit of a battle. I've done well enough in terms of donating old clothes when I buy something 'new,' but I'm running out of clothes I'm willing to part with and I really enjoy finding something awesome at a second hand store. Just yesterday I found two used shirts I really liked, so I caved and purchased them. Coincidentally, it is Hockey Night in Canada! What else have I been scouring for? Well, I'd like a second iPad Mini 2 in order to minimize the fighting between my boys over the one iPad Mini 2 I have.  My Nexus 7, the one that allowed me to part ways with my Kobo in a previous post, is on it's last legs, so I started looking for a used Android tablet for me. Shoes. I ...

As I enter my third month of not buying anything new, I am amazed at some of the stuff people part with. I guess I shouldn't be, given what I parted with, in terms of clothes and items. Everything I donated, or sold as the case may be, was in perfect working/wearable condition. I don't know though, it still kinda floors me. I guess one man's junk really is another man's treasure. Regardless, I took my oldest son on a donation run to lessen the load of toys in our house. I managed an entire garbage bag, but still I barely see a difference. Even now, as I type this, my eyes wander over to a corner with 'stuffy' toys that neither of them has even looked at in over a year. Why is it still there? So. Much. Stuff. I guess it'd take a long time to empty the ocean one bucket at a time, and that's exactly how this feels. Oh well, I did get one bucket (or bag) out of the house. I should take some consolation in that. Wow, clutter really distracts me! Anyways, in...

Well, I've been on a bit of a writing hiatus, but it's been pretty productive. I've actually managed to donate some kids toys, though not nearly enough of 'em. My oldest son even got in the spirit of not buying things by wearing his Mountie costume for the fourth time.  That's two trick-or-treating expeditions, one school dress up and a school Mardi Gras parade. And this isn't the last time the costume will be used either. Nope, my youngest will likely wear it a couple more times too. What does this all have to do with my blog of not buying new? Aside from the obvious 'reuse' from the three R's, it reinforces the notion of quality over quantity. Had we bought a dumpy, cheapy costume it likely would not have survived the first Halloween, let alone the subsequent uses. This goes for a lot of life's purchases. You often times get what you pay for. Cheap sunglasses break or scratch easily. Cheap clothes tear or wear sooner than higher quality clothes...