My Lover Betrayed Me.

I used to love shopping at the mall with my mom and brother when I was a little girl. I would fantasize about that huge space being my home. Everything in the mall was mine...in my imagination. Anything I could ever want for was at my disposal. All the mall patrons were my visitors borrowing my stuff. I slept in the JC Penney home section. My kitchen was Coney Island. My living room was the lounge in the center of the mall. And my closet(s) were all the clothing and shoe stores. And don't get me started on the toy stores. My home was a blissful (if not delusional) haven.

A girl can dream....no?

I'm not a little girl any longer.

But I still fantasize.

Everytime I pass that glorious Red Bullseye threshold I become a little girl again.

I become the little girl that fantasizes about living in and spending my daily life wrapped in the arms of Tar-jay.

I imagine picking out warm and fuzzy jammies from the sleepwear section...and perhaps some slippers from my "shoe closet"....

I imagine wandering over to the books and picking out a best seller before moseying on over to the blow up mattresses in the camping gear section with my warm and cozy fleece blanket from the bedding section.

I imagine waking in the morning....picking out a coffee maker in small appliances and going to the "kitchen" to get my morning coffee....all the while jamming to the tunes blaring over head from the electronics section.

I'm sick. I know. But seriously, if there's a advertizing agent out there reading this....I'd like to see this fantasy in a commercial....It's brilliant I tell you....

I love tar-jay. Almost as much as I love my family.

Tar-jay and I have been involved in a (not so) secret love affair for years.

Tar-jay never lets me down.

Tar-jay always greets me with love and appreciation.

Tar-jay always seems to know just what I need. Just what I'm looking for.

Several months ago I payed a visit to my Lover.

I was in search for cups for my children. Cups that will not break. Cups that come with lids.

I knew Tar-jay would not let me down. And he didn't.

My heart went pitter pat when I found what I believe to be my favorite Tar-jay purchase to date.

I'm easy.

A set of plastic cups. These cups were no ordinary cups. They had lids. Lids with spill resistant straw holes. AND a whole other set of lids with no holes for spill proof storing and transporting. These cups came in several sizes. And delightful colors. I bought several sets. They've been my (and my kids') favorite cups ever since. I even went back and bought more. I love these cups.

Did I mention I LOVE these cups?

I've been doing a lot of reading lately.

Reading about harmful chemicals in plastics.

I've ignored all the literature.

Ignorance is bliss.

But the more I read the more I begin to worry.

I've been hearing and reading that #7 plastics are plastics that should be disposed of immediately.

They're bad.

Harmful.

Deadly even.

Guess what number plastic my beloved cups are.

I'm grieving folks.

I can not ignore the information any longer. But oh how I love plastic. I'm so sad. The little plastic bowls with attached straws are perfect. Perfect for eating cereal in the morning and drinking the excess milk through the straw. The little plastic soup cups were perfect for keeping soups warm and contained in lunch boxes. Plastic water bottles are oh so convenient. And the little plastic meal containers are perfect for our meals on the go.

I have a LOT of plastic. This is only a small sample of what I removed from ONE cupboard. I have many more cupboards filled with more of the same. I have to take baby steps. One cupboard at a time.

I'm so sad.

Good-bye my beloved plastics. Parting....is such sweet sorrow....

Editing to add: Here are a few links that I found helpful and informational since you asked....

Eat Pray Love wrote a post on this a while back that started my search for info.

And Domestic Accident sent me this and this.

And now I've just found this article on Yahoo news