dumb phone

Sometimes it seems like I'm the only person I know who doesn't have a smart phone. I had one - an iPhone - but I concluded that its net contribution to my life was negative, and I got rid of it and went back to my daughter's old Env3 from circa 2009.

No expensive monthly charge for data. I don't have to worry much about breaking it or losing it; I routinely lend it to my younger daughters when they go for a walk or a bike ride. If something happens to it, I'll just replace it with some other discarded old dumb phone; as most everyone has upgraded to smart phones, there are plenty of discards to be found.

And in a real pinch, you can look things up at Google via text.

slow cooker granola

Yesterday while I was at home waiting for the arrival of Hurricane Sandy (but before the power went out), I made crock-pot granola from a recipe at Stacy Makes Cents. It's delicious. That half-gallon jar was actually exactly full when I finished yesterday afternoon, but I ate a bunch of it for breakfast (mixed into plain Greek yogurt). I left out the nuts and fruit, at Belle's request. I like it even better than our favorite store-bought granola, I know exactly what is (and isn't) in it, and it's substantially cheaper. Definitely will do again.