I used to feel weird about feeding the bag product. But, the way I figure it, it's not like I can easily carry things without the bag, walking on the crutches and all. It's not shoplifting until you try to exit the store without paying, right?

Ok, I'm trying to convince myself to go low-carb. So I'm assuaging my premenstrual NEED for chocolate by melting 2.5 oz of 70% cocoa solids chocolate into 1/4 c. of ricotta cheese. It tasted pretty good. The texture was weird, but it was unusually satisfying.

You can also melt a few cubes of that chocolate and then stir in double cream and a dash of sweetener and some orange essence - utterly yum, and reasonably low-carb. Or do same, and mix with cream cheese, and pour over a layer of crushed almonds (perhaps mixed with a bit of melted butter & sweetener & cinnamon), refridgerate, and you have a VERY yummy and rich low carb chocolate cheesecake.

...actually, Andi, if you're low carbing, have you seen Linda's Low Carb Recipe site? It's awesome, imho. Lots of interesting ideas drawn from recipe books and friends and acquaintances (with appropriate citations), and she reviews each recipe and photographs the way it turned out when she did it.

Laga, what show were you talking about, with the sheriff's sister?

Fay, thanks for the link, it looks yummy.

There are a few grocery stores around here that actually give you $0.10 off for each bag you don't use. It's kind of cool.'

I reuse plastic bags as poop bags for Toto, so I figure I'm kind of recycling...

Today is the baptism. Please send drama-free~ma. My SIL's sister is being really interesting about the whole thing. I really want my brother's family to be able to have a nice day with everyone here loving and supporting them.

I had half a mind to stay there and unbag the groceries into my own bag

This is usually what I wind up doing. Groceries go conveyor belt-->bagger-->plastic-->me-->canvas. I can't tell if it's a language barrier issue or just apathy.

See, Seattle is pretty big about bringing your own bag, which is good, I suppose. And they are talking about banning plastic bags or something. But I would be annoyed by that, because I *don't* drive to the grocery store. I walk. It's in the neighborhood. And while sometimes it's "OK, I'm going to walk to the store, and stop at the library, and get some dinner, I'll toss a couple bags in my backpck and fill those up with groceries" other times it's "Oh, hey, let me stop at the store on my way back from the bar and pick up a few things" and I'm not carrying bags around at all, even the little kind that fold up--because I'm not carrying a purse to the bar.

tI've had good luck with the baggus because the fold up into their own little pouches that fit in a purse or coat pocket so I hardly ever forget to bring them. he more I use them, the easier it is to remember them.

CVS, Target, even Wal-Mart has been receptive to them. My local grocery even gives me a five cent credit for ANY bag of my own that I use.

We find that Trader Joes is very good about using the canvas bags, and the regular groceries like Safeway are hit/miss. My biggest problem lately is that my DH likes to use the canvas bags for other things lately and the best ones are never available for groceries.

Best = good handles, not too large, not too small, etc.

I'm considering the farmer's market this a.m. They ban the dog, so I could only shop the edges, but I haven't been lately and I'd like to see if there's anything I find inspiring for the garden. I would really like a crepe myrtle.

Sparky, you can get a hot pink baggu--my DH tends to leave mine alone.