I've been blogging since probably around 2001 and possibly a year or two before, with a few hiatuses. The blog has been called by a few different names and housed on several different sites during that time. Blogger, Blogspot, Webcrimson, Wordpress, my father's site, and now Blogsome have all provided space. The blog has been called rainberryblue since at least 2003 but previous to that it was known as Denim Cottage.

So who am I?

I am a 30-something, shift-working, solo parent to a boy born in late November 2004. [I heard that term "solo parent" a little while ago and I like it. It more aptly describes my situation than "single parent" would since I am my son's only involved parent. His father is not in his life at all by his own choice; he decided to meet him the summer B was two years old and by the time the end of summer rolled around he'd seen him a handful of times and hasn't seen him since.]

In August 2007, just before I met my boyfriend, I purchased my first house, a little 1950's sweetheart (which has tested my love a few times since). As the months go by, I've slowly been making a few changes here and there and I'm loving how much it has become "our home." I have a fully fenced back yard perfect for B to play in, four raised-bed gardens, my very own reel clothesline that extends across the yard, and a cute little composter by the back shed. I find myself becoming more and more aware of small changes that I can make to my daily living that will benefit both my family and the environment - the composter, line-drying in the warmer weather, green cleaning and laundry products, cloth toilet paper (have not and will not be using it for solid waste though), cloth diapers part-time and trainers when B was still in those, non-disposable menstrual products, not buying paper towels or napkins, etc. My son is on an additive-free diet which has made a huge difference in his behaviour. I do my best to keep artificial colours and flavours as well as preservatives out of his food. I'm hoping to cook more and more from scratch (ie: make my own mixes, bases, breads, and the like).

I've begun to budget (yes, 30 years into my life; never too late to start) and have stuck with it and it feels great. I have not spent nearly as much as I used to and am trying to add to my small savings. I am a sporadic knitter and I also sew. When my son was in diapers and trainers, I made all of them and enjoyed doing it. If I ever have another baby I plan to cloth diaper from the very beginning. I'm flirting with the raw food lifestyle and drinking one green smoothie a day. I have two digital cameras, a point-and-shoot Nikon Coolpix P50 and a Canon Rebel which I'd really like to learn how to use properly instead of only on auto. I'd love to take a photography course and I entertain the thought of being good at it one day.

All in all, I really like the person that I am becoming. I've heard it said that the 30's are so much better than the 20's because one stops being so concerned with what others think and one is able to (or willing to) just be their own person. I hear it's even more so with the 40's and while I'm not looking forward to those, I am loving who I'm becoming. This blog is to be a bit of a view into my journey to becoming more aware, more frugal, more self-sufficient, and more responsible with what has been entrusted to me.

You can contact me by commenting on a post or by clicking on the envelope icon in the sidebar.



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