The Mandi Project

It occurs to me that much of my frustration and stress lately has to do with a lack of trust. I am quite suspicious and wary of anyone these days, and with good reason. We send our kids to school, trusting they will be taught, above all else, how to get along in our culture. Secondary, is the academics. We don't need to know everything under the Sun before the age of 18. We have the rest of our lives to learn all the facts that inspire us. I have learned more as an adult than I ever did in school, when my only job was to learn. We believe the school transportation office when they give pick up times and location, and assure our children will safely reach their destination. We trust the bus driver to do their duty. We trust the hiring agent to have chosen wisely. We trust the students to behave accordingly, so the driver can focus on driving. We trust the court system to enforce court orders and follow due diligence when parents don't pay their child support. ...

I'm sure there has been a surge in interest in survival skills lately, especially since shows like "The Walking Dead" and "Revolution" came out. But there should always be interest in where our food comes from, and a willingness to do for ourselves when circumstances don't allow for the price of convenience. At the grocery store yesterday, I was approached by a woman looking for cash donations to help her buy more than kidney beans for her kids. She claimed she was short money due to recently moving and going through a difficult divorce. I didn't have any small bills on me, and I desperately wanted to help her, but I was only there to buy flour and yeast for making sandwich rolls from left over whey, after making cheese with past-date milk from the market I work at part-time. I searched my brain for any way I could help her without breaking my bank. I have worked very hard to spend no more than $50 a week on food for me and my three teenagers c...