Sunday, August 10, 2008

My "I don't drive" day.

I try at least one day a week to leave the car in the driveway. It's my "I Don't Drive" day, a day to stay at home, conserve gasoline and save money.

When you live in the country, 25 miles from the freeway or major shopping, you learn to make every trip count. I already do many of the things people recommend to save gas: I drive a vehicle that gets ~30 mpg, keep my
car well maintained and my tires inflated. As for combining trips, I have done that for 11 years, ever since I moved here.

These days, I am looking for other ways to conserve, thus the weekly ban on driving. My newest trick is to turn the car off instead of idling in drive-through lanes and at long red lights. If I know, or presume, that the wait will be longer than 30 seconds, I put the car in park and turn the key off. Am I saving much gas? I don't know for sure, but it feels good.

What do I do on days I don't drive? I stay home -

Doing laundry

Vacuuming
(If you own a pet with hair, you really need a Dyson)

Preparing food for the week ahead

Glazing a piece of pottery

Watching a old movie


Checking my e-mail for a long-overdue letter....

and checking ...


and rechecking. {sigh}

Sitting by my pond, drinking a glass of wine

Reading your blogs, and blogging to you about my quiet day.

Time to check the e-mail ...

7 comments:

NCmountainwoman said...

More of us should leave the car in the driveway one day a week. I've been doing it several days a week recently. They are re-paving our only road down to town. I can't stand sitting at a dead stop for 15 minutes each way.

It has made me realize how many unnecessary trips I have been making. If I can drive less when inconvenienced, then I can drive less in the future. And I'm going to do just that.

KGMom said...

A drive-less day is a great idea.
But, truthfully, I like the glass of wine idea even more!

Dog_geek said...

I could go for a glass of win by the pond. I just need to get a pond...

I agree on the Dyson. I should be using mine a lot more than I actually do. (I keep thinking about getting a Roomba, but I think it would be overpowered in seconds - I can't imagine it would be any match for the dog and cat hair in my house!)

Susan Gets Native said...

STOP CHECKING THE EMAIL.

I believe I will join you for a snort of wine on the pond.

Anonymous said...

DITTO WHAT SUSAN SAID!!!

Mary said...

Gotcha. What did Susan say say about the e-mail???? Huh?


I enjoyed your quiet day. I crave them! We were offered a day or two to work at home and I'd love it but I have students that call and visit - darn. I plan to make it happen and stay home a day a week real soon!

Great post, Kathi :o)

Kathi said...

OK, OK - I will stop obsessively checking the e-mail.

BUT - then I would miss all the comments from you.

~Kathi