Out of Bed Early

We have remained relatively unscathed by the snow and ice storm that is moving through this weekend. It has been raining for about the last twelve hours; temperatures have remained above freezing. Nearly all of the snow that had fallen during late yesterday morning and early afternoon has melted away (to the dismay of the German Shepherd dog). She who loathes the rain has returned inside and had seemingly been out trying to play in the last of the snowfall as she is soaked to the skin. Grubby beastie.

*Note to self* All references to canines should henceforth be made in Gaelic (a la Robert Burns) for more apt effect.

I am still recovering from the weekend of switched shift times. Not an easy thing to do when it involves planning for working a night shift and then being called in to work a day shift. I was scheduled off yesterday but was on call to cover any call offs for the night shift and the day shift today that were anticipated due to the storm. That would be why my sleep pattern is so erratic that I was awake at 2:45am this morning. That shouldn't have to happen due to some fortunate breaks with temperatures remaining above freezing, and I will probably be working my own 11am to 7pm shift today.

I made an observation when I was called in to work Friday day shift. I found it to be amazing how Helen manages to stay where she is scheduled to be when Hindolo isn't around. She is moving to New Jersey in January. I will leave that one alone, pending the actual move, of course.

I bought some groceries the other night when I decided to head to Wal-Mart at 1:30am before the storm blew in. In keeping with the plan of changing my eating habits to vegetarian and organic at the beginning of the year, I picked up a few things. I have already begun to change what I eat. Makes the transition easier. As I was buying some groceries, I decided to go ahead and pick up some organic stuff. Talk about "things that make you go hmmmmmm." Definitely requires more investigation as to why organic items are nearly double the price of their commercially produced counterparts.

Done on a commercial scale, though labor intensive in some aspects, organic farming is not that much more expensive than traditional commercial agricultural practices. My gut feeling would be that, as with traditional agriculture (OK, commercial farming as it is practiced in the US), it is the middle men who are profiting the most.

Organic milk, $3.00 for a half gallon. Commercially produced and marketed milk, containing bovine growth hormone (BGH - sale of this milk banned by Canada and the EU), $3.50 for a gallon. Organic peanut butter was nearly double the price of "natural" peanut butter for the same size jar of the same brand. My Starbucks organic coffee was only $1 more than their non-organic varieties. Eggs from the free-range chickens which had been fed whole grains (what a novel concept), were double the price of a dozen commercially produced eggs. The pattern of disproportionately higher prices continued to be noted in all other price comparisons of organic vs non-organic products.

This is 2007. Production methods are well-established, markets are widespread, and certification programs are well-entrenched. It has to be the "middle man syndrome." As we have steadily continued to abominate foods with our growing and processing techniques, the demand for organic products is greater than the supply (This brings up the quandary of importing "organic" products from other countries to fill the gap. Another whole chapter in the organic supply and certification chain.) according to several sources that I have read. This would account for higher pricing to a degree, but I would be willing to bet that organic producers are not being paid double what their commercial counter parts are being paid. More investigation will be in order.

I chatted briefly with Genny last evening before she went off to finish the last of her Christmas shopping. Hopefully, I will finish mine today and tomorrow. Friday was supposed to be my last day shopping, but I didn't get to do it with having to work.

The snow and ice that was forecast may not have been a factor in the storm, but this wind that is currently beginning to blow surely is. My power is flickering. Going off just long enough to make the computer have to restart. PITA

Guess that means it is time to publish or perish.