A trip to the library

My original plan for today was to have a car free day. That got changed however when I logged on to the library website and saw one of the branches nearby had a copy of a book I wanted to get my hands on. In fact I was even considering buying it when I decided to see if one was available. It's been highly recommended by a friend who is right into self sufficiency.

Now the library we visited today is not our local library but is only 8-10kms away from home. And it's quite a new branch and therefore is very modern.

The first advantage over our local branch was the fact they have a lot of computers. So I was able to log the lads in for up to an hour free of charge with high speed internet. There are 2 bonuses to this. The first is at home we have just the 1 laptop so they take turns but often have "issues" when 1 does something the other wanted to do first. The 2nd is the fact that I can happily wander around the library while they are playing their game and actually get time to browse the shelves.

The second advantage was the larger variety/quantity of books. Our branch is quite small and desperately needing expansion as the neighbourhood has grown over the past 10 years. And having lived in this neighbourhood pretty much since returning to Christchurch in 2001 I think I may well have checked out most of the books that interest me. Having more books meant less chance the ones I wanted would be checked out saving me a $2/book transfer fee.

Now I read a lot. Fiction I really like crime/thriller novels and some other stuff like Jodi Picoult. Non fiction I read a lot of personal finance, debt reduction, mortgage reduction type books. I have recently taken an interest in self sustainablity books however.

I am both amazed and horrified at what I can find in these books. Did you know that by the time an apple makes it to your fruit bowl it can have 18 different chemicals sprayed on it and have been in cold storage for up to 6 months? Hmm no wonder they don't taste as good as they did when I was a kid. I've been concerned about the stuff in our food for a while now - especially since having my own children. And as organic/chemical free becomes more popular the prices are getting more reasonable.

I want to go one step further than that at this stage however and am heading head first down the self sustainable track. My current reading pile is testament to this with titles such as The Good Life (a NZ book) and Leading the Good Life. I am already inspired with what I am reading and I have only managed 1 chapter. It's amazing what you can find and learn from if you just make the effort.