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A very encouraging post! I've given up on modern nutritional information too. I follow the Seven Food Groups guidelines. They weren't introduced until 1943, so I'm a little early. I like the way fruits and vegetables are separated into vitamin c and vitamin a groups. I think that's more helpful than lumping them all together. 

After posting that I wouldn't give up my smartphone, I am getting rid of it! On my brief internet break recently, I noticed I sleep better and even eat less when I'm not using my phone. I finally found a flip phone that has no internet at all. Whew! I've been trying for years to come up with a way to have a phone that is just a phone, and I've finally got one! My husband decided he needs a new desktop so he can do projections, so I'll do my shopping on the desktop. The Good News Network shared about an annual bird count in February, and I looked at the apps designed by Cornell University being used for the count. There's the eBird app for the counting and the Merlin app for identification. They look really nice, so I asked my son if he would mind having them on his smartphone so we could share our bird count through the year, not just for the event, and he thought that would be great. My new phone arrives today, and I'll get to be old-fashioned! :) 

Everyone that comes to my home always remarks that it feels cozy. That makes me happy to hear as I have a lot of antiques and don't want it to come across as a museum. I use what I have it is not for show, it has to have a useable purpose for me.

It is still bitterly cold and we have about 8 inches of snow that is now blowing around. I can't get out of my lane, but really have no reason to leave anyway. I did start my car this morning and let it run for15 minutes.

I do love the diary entries. 

I follow my own rules and tastes for eating, I am not big on meat but love fruits and veggies and I have never met a pastry or bread that I didn't love. Lactose sensitive so can't drink milk but make a gallon of whole milk into yogurt every week. As much as I would prefer the organic fruits and veggies I have been priced out of buying them. Pivot and adapt seems to be the way to go for me.

Getting ready to make some soft pretzels to snack on, will probably make some semi-spicy cheese sauce to dip them into. I don't buy chips or snacks, don't like them and prefer homemade.

I'm still working in the computer world, so I'm doing a very "minimalist" version of the study.  

I find it interesting that this study is about 1942, since my daughter lives in a house built in 1941.  I envision the original house (it's been added onto by a previous owner) and what it must have been like for them to live there in the early 40's. Even though the house was later enlarged, a great deal of the original home's features remain. It helps me think about what it was like, living then.

I agree with the see-saw of "Eat this" and "Don't eat this" and back.  It's been ridiculous. I remember when we were supposed to count every gram of fat but the "healthy" fat-free treats were just loaded with sugar.  I remember butter was demonized, then we found out margarine was full of trans-fats.  I decided I will eat real food, as unprocessed as possible, and be done with it.

I do keep a journal which usually mentions weather, visits, funny things, shocking things, and, prayers in it.  I have always assumed I would destrpy my journals eventually, but now I am not so sure.  Mine as they are, I think, are too personal because they describe other people's situations in my prayers that I don't feel comfortable leaving for viewing after I'm gone.  Maybe I will have two journals - one for prayers that shall remain private, and one for day to day stuff.  I will strongly consider that in my retirement.  The day to day writing could be very interesting to a descendent or just to a person who loves history, a la Charles and GDonna.

Good morning Donna ( NZ time) It never ceases to amaze me to find others are doing the same things as me. Making changes to feel more comfortable and at peace in everyday life. Between chores handcraft is happening here..more than it used to and I feel so happy regardless of world or national happenings. Not getting caught up in the "News" has been a game changer. I go to a knitting group once a week. It's is so lovely. All the ladies get on with each other and there's much laughter and chat... My " social" tank gets filled up there and then the rest of the week I'm content at home.

Food.. We've become more basic. I have felt for a long time that we're all brainwashed by "experts" of what to eat and how much etc. And to eat what you feel like. Who cares if you want to have oatmeal for dinner hahaha.

You are so right about thinking sensibly for ourselves. I've gone back to things like making bread ( bread maker on as I write) and will make laundry powder soon. Later I need to make homemade pastry for a chicken pie for dinner.

This year I will be looking at OpShops ( Thrift) for good books. Thank you for telling us how you sanitized the musty book.

Dried beans... Cannot get them in supermarkets where we live now so have to order on line. Our daughter went to a bulk food place by her home.. no dried beans!!! 

Sincerely

Karen (NZ)

I’ve kept a journal for decades and they are stored in boxes in the attic. I keep all kinds of things on them: news, family, personal thoughts, and so forth. I also have a calendar by my kitchen rocking chair where I keep up with chores, baking, weather, and gardening — planting, maintenance, yield, and canning.

This year I am engaged in a use it up project inspired by the 1942 spirit of conservation. We’ve only bought milk and some fresh vegs this past month ($80 total!) and we are using all the canned food I’ve put by. In my sewing room I am working on scrap quilts to use up fabric. I am keeping a monthly tally of how much fabric I use. By my rocking chair I have a basket for cotton yarn being knit into dishcloths. I’m trying to be mindful and, hopefully, use a lot of what is here, clear space, and save some money! 

I keep a daily agenda and diary in a reusable journal cover by a Japanese company called a “Traveler’s journal.” It is a leather bound cover with elastics that permits me to hold multiple notebooks and refill as needed. Everyday, I track family meals, my work/deadlines/ schedule meetings (I am a professor), my weight and my cycle, and my daughter’s schedule (if she has sports practice or a tutor). I keep another notebook in the leather journal system that contains quotes, more personal thoughts, and often a list of worries that I write down before bedtime so I don’t keep them in my head.

Monday, Jan. 26 Dear Diary, it's cold. I didn't do very much today because we're supposed to be conserving energy to take pressure off of the grid during the cold. I cooked some dry beans to go with the tortillas I made yesterday, and I roasted some vegetables for a frittata for dinner. I exercised. Since I need external boundaries and my new internetless phone didn't arrive on Sunday because of the storm, I ignored my growing pile of mending to look at things on the internet on my phone. I did make sure the house stayed in order, though. The birds are hungry since their birdseed is late arriving. 

Tuesday, Jan. 27 Dear Diary, it's a little warmer today. D went out to shovel snow. The birds are still hungry. I don't know when the birdseed will arrive. I needed some laundry washed, so grid or no grid, I washed it. I finally started on my mending pile by putting new netting on my reusable kitchen scrubbies. 

It doesn't sound very old-fashioned yet. :) I don't think it's ready for posterity to read. :)

In my diary, I could write for this week: Snow in southwestern Germany and quite a bit of chaos on the roads and railways. Some schools closed. No power outages.
I used the time to cook for my food supply and tomorrow, when everything is ready, I can put some jars of prepared food on the shelf in the cellar.