Happy Monday night in November

Ok. So I usually try not to stand on a soapbox and tell the world what they should be doing, but I cannot bite my tongue on this.

I've started to look at labels again. Generally I do look at labels, but once I deem something is suitable to purchase, I don't look at them anymore. This is where my mistake came to light. We buy apple juice. 100% no sugar added. From concentrate mostly because hey, let's face it-we have 5 out of 6 children who like apple juice and generally it's cheaper. We don't drink more than a small cup full each day, but you can see with just 5 it's bound to be a high demand item.

So I start noticing the "country of origin" which is now required to be printed on all juices (and on many of our food items). I'm not really picky, however truth be told, I'd prefer to purchase things produced in my own country or the neighboring country to the north of us. I about DIED when I saw China. Really? We need to get our apple concentrate from CHINA? WHY? Well, I figure there are two reasons and neither are making me feel any better. One reason - because it is cheaper. Cheaper does not equal better when it comes to many things. Apple concentrate is one of them. Second reason - we don't have enough concentrate in our own country to meet the demand. Still not diggin' it. So just cut production. If we don't have it, we don't have it. China? Really?

This is the same country who repeatedly sends toys to us with lead in their paint. Plastic crap toys that break because they are so cheap. Really? We want to get our FOOD products from there? Color me xenophobic I guess - I don't want their crap here. I don't want their food or their toys or any of their cheap crap in my house anymore. I've decided that even if I have to pay $15 for something that is made here (ie, a locally made coffee cup from a potter instead of a $5 coffee mug made in China) then I will just have fewer items. LESS is more in this case. My family isn't worth hurting over a few pennies, or a few dollars, or a few hundred dollars or even a few thousand dollars.

On a totally unrelated note, I've been noticing the traffic feed on my blog. Interesting to see where people come from to read my dribble and the fact that I have hits from other countries (other than the ones to the north and east of me). More interesting is the fact that at least one person who hits every week or so is someone I don't speak to anymore. I don't get the fascination on what is happening in my life...It boggles my brain really. I haven't changed any. I'm still me and I'm still not a fan of using people, but I'm not about to take this private again just for that one person. I guess this little blurb is just to let that person know that they are not going unnoticed...I know you're here, but I wonder why.

Other than those two things, I have nothing else...hard to believe, isn't it?