DH has officially changed careers! 18 months ago he left his previous career in construction and embarked on a new career path. He is now a radio operator with the Coast Guard, after 5 months on the other side of the country at college training and then doing 8 months on the job training. What a relief to have it all behind us now!!! Getting "checked out" means overtime and a raise, and he can begin taking holidays. :) It really is wonderful.
Other news is that the chickens are now laying 6 eggs a day (between 11 of them). Three days ago we got 4 eggs, 2 days ago 5, yesterday 6. Who knows? Today, 7?! The kids are still very interested in collecting eggs. I'd like to find one of those wire egg baskets; maybe in an antique store?
Not much going on; I had a great tai chi class last night and slept like a log (much needed after the 5 hrs of sleep the night before). Today I'm hoping to go get my hair trimmed and run a few errands... sans enfants. It's funny because some people say it's healthy for moms to take time away from their kids regularly when they're really young. I've had a hard time doing that - I know my infants needed me close by, so I've invested the time when they're that age, and now that they are 9 & 5, they're getting much more comfortable with me going off alone... even as long as a weekend away. The flip side of it is that I always knew that for me, too much time away from my children would be... well, I knew if I ignored my baby's needs and went off alone that I'd want more and more time away from the child - I feared I would come to regret ever having had children, and regret having to come back to meet my child's needs. Maybe it's an irrational fear, but really, I guess I feared I would enjoy the time alone a little too much. As it is, I don't regret having my children at all. I don't regret investing the time and energy I have into their upbringing, being their for them when they needed me. I believe that having a parent there to fully meet an infant or young child's needs helps that child meet the need, and move on to the next developmental stage more securely and quickly than a child who's left to meet his or her own needs alone. Certainly though, the first say 5 years of a child's life are INTENSE in terms of needing to have a loving adult there to help them meet their needs. There are other countries (I think it's Sweden) where parents are given a really long parental leave after the birth or adoption of a child - I think it's like 2 or even 3 YEARS. Compared to what's available in the States, where I hear of mothers having to put infants as young as 3 weeks in care so they can return to work, Sweden looks mighty attractive. :) In Canada we have, I believe, one year of benefits available. This is better than the 6 months leave that was available here a decade ago. It really speaks to the values of a society. Do we value our children enough to invest in quality care - i.e. a loving parent available to meet their needs? I'm sorry, but I've worked in daycare as a fill-in and one adult with 7 children under 7 years of age (of which 5 are under 5, of those 3 can be under 3, and 1 under 1 yr) - how can one adult POSSIBLY meet the needs of these children? Sure, there are families where the children may be spaced as such, but I would argue that's REALLY uncommon around here. Yep, it all comes down to the values of a society. Do we value families? Do we value stay-at-home parents? Do we value our children?
Anyways, you've got me going on a rant now. I just wanted to say I'm going out on errands without children today. LOL Enjoy your day!
Namaste'
~n~
28 August 2009
25 August 2009
Raw Food makes you happy!
I read somewhere or heard someone say that after 6 months on a raw diet they were suddenly aware that they'd been HAPPY for the majority of the previous 6 months. It was such a subtle, yet major, change in their life. I've now been vegan for nearly 3 1/2 yrs and have been raw the past 16 months and I, too, agree with this observation. For the most part, I'm nearly always content now, which is a huge, yet subtle change to how I was before. SAD foods (it's an acronym for Standard American Diet) make you, well, sad. Literally. You won't know what I'm talking about unless you try raw foods for even 30 days and see if you don't notice a difference for yourself.
Today I've had so much energy. I've been feeling really positive and upbeat and just generally peaceful and calm within. It's wonderful. I feel so blessed. And whenever cooked food tempts me, I just remember how much better I feel after eating something raw. Think about how delicious a fresh apricot is, instead of a bowl of starchy, white-flour-y noodles or something equally cooked. Blech. No appeal when you compare it to a piece of fresh fruit, or fresh vegetable.
We were driving the other day and all I had were fresh vegetables in the car and the children were hungry. My son ate an entire (huge) organic tomato... as a snack. And loved it. We have very few food issues with the children because they eat what is available in the home and also what they see me eating as a healthy role model. No soda pop, no store-bought juices, no chips, no packaged convenience foods like fruit roll-ups or granola bars, no candy, no store-bought ice cream, no yogurt (too much sugar in the store-bought stuff)... But we DO have lots of fresh organic fruit and veggies, lots of homemade yogurt, bread, fresh eggs, air-popped organic popcorn, nuts, seeds, dried foods and generally lots of yummy raw goodness to go around, and they're not hurtin' - they're not deprived at all. ;) And for the record, I'm not anal about not allowing these things I've just mentioned into the house. It's just that we don't routinely have them in the house, which makes eating them a non-issue, generally.
Today I've had:
Today I've had so much energy. I've been feeling really positive and upbeat and just generally peaceful and calm within. It's wonderful. I feel so blessed. And whenever cooked food tempts me, I just remember how much better I feel after eating something raw. Think about how delicious a fresh apricot is, instead of a bowl of starchy, white-flour-y noodles or something equally cooked. Blech. No appeal when you compare it to a piece of fresh fruit, or fresh vegetable.
We were driving the other day and all I had were fresh vegetables in the car and the children were hungry. My son ate an entire (huge) organic tomato... as a snack. And loved it. We have very few food issues with the children because they eat what is available in the home and also what they see me eating as a healthy role model. No soda pop, no store-bought juices, no chips, no packaged convenience foods like fruit roll-ups or granola bars, no candy, no store-bought ice cream, no yogurt (too much sugar in the store-bought stuff)... But we DO have lots of fresh organic fruit and veggies, lots of homemade yogurt, bread, fresh eggs, air-popped organic popcorn, nuts, seeds, dried foods and generally lots of yummy raw goodness to go around, and they're not hurtin' - they're not deprived at all. ;) And for the record, I'm not anal about not allowing these things I've just mentioned into the house. It's just that we don't routinely have them in the house, which makes eating them a non-issue, generally.
Today I've had:
- about 1/2 L of soaking water, as well as about 10 or 15 soaked organic prunes. yummy
- a total of 2L of green smoothie (a bunch of kale, 3 bananas, some frozen blackberries, huckleberries, & blueberries, about 15 or so chlorella tablets, some maca powder and about 1/4 tsp camu camu berry powder and some water) - I had 1L in the morning and another L around lunchtime. I must remember not to put so many chlorella tablets in. A bit too chlorophyll-y with the first couple sips. You get used to it as you drink it, though. LOL
- some fresh red pepper slices, a white Japanese turnip sliced, a few sticks of celery, with some raw ceasar dressing
- a key lime Larabar (i'm not certain they're 100% raw; the packages no longer say "uncooked") - a snack while out driving
- 1 oz clarity chocolate with gojiis and blue-green algae. Don't often get these; an extra-special treat - a snack while I was out running errands
- 14 oz mega veggie juice from Jugo Juice (beets, carrot, celery, cucumber, spinach, ginger, I think)
- a cup or so of raw carob-avocado pudding. Had to lick the bowl, right? ;)
Lots of fresh pure water, and that's about it. Tonight I made raw pesto and put it in the freezer - I had fresh basil and zucchini. :) And I made the children (and dh) a zucchini cake as well, which smells yummy. Our freshest of fresh eggs that we get from our hennies now make baking EXTRA fluffy!! And I've got some fresh cabbage sliced and it's "soaking" in a little salt right now. I'll make some raw coleslaw tomorrow with it.
I'm looking for a juicer. A GreenStar, preferably; either that, or a Champion. If you know where I can find one, please contact me. I'm preparing to begin juicing Sept 1st. We'll just take it day by day, but I'm hoping to juice for 92 days - up to and including December 1st. We'll see. Like I say, day by day. :) I might be able to borrow a juicer, but if that doesn't pan out, I'd like to have a backup plan in place.
23 August 2009
tai chi's not just for old fogeys!!!!!!
today i was up before dawn. rowed 2.5 kms, got ready and was out the door by 6:30 so that i could drop the children off at their grandparents as i headed to a full-day tai chi intensive or workshop. i do these 2 or 3 (or 4) times a year to keep up on my instructor accreditation, and also because they're so much FUNNNNNNNN.
Had a fabulous day doing tai chi with 60+ other people, from all over the place - some were visiting from winnipeg & sudbury! Although the workshop ran 6.5 hours, this includes snack breaks and a long meal break, so really, we probably actively did about a good 5 hours of tai chi throughout the day. It's like a 5 hour massage of your internal organs and spine. (Can you imagine what you'd pay for a 5 hour massage at the spa?!?)
I had a conversation with someone after, while we were waiting in the sunshine at the ferry terminal. He said Taoist Tai Chi has a marketing or image problem, in his opinion, in that it's not actively marketed to younger people (i.e. under 50). There are people in our club who are in their early 50s who have been practising for 20+ yrs, which means they began when they were in their 20s and 30s. So what attracted them to tai chi and how do we market to people in that demographic (20s, 30s) today? These are very good questions. The person I was talking to this afternoon said that to market to younger people we have to show how tai chi benefits other activities in one's life - like how it can improve our performance in other sports and activities. I laughed inwardly because one of the best-kept secrets about tai chi is the enhanced (ahem) performance, if you know what i mean. LOL (ooooh i'm blushing) Not only that, you'll sleep more solidly after practising tai chi. In terms of benefits to cross-training, you'll focus longer, more intensely, have greater flexibility, lung capacity, enhanced circulation.... so many benefits that will help in other sports. I not only do tai chi, I also row regularly, and it definitely makes a difference - regular tai chi practice, that is, on my rowing practice. I think this fellow's right. Tai chi needs to be seen as a beneficial activity for all ages, not just for older people.
On that note, I'm off to enjoy a "tai chi sleep". :)
~namaste~
Had a fabulous day doing tai chi with 60+ other people, from all over the place - some were visiting from winnipeg & sudbury! Although the workshop ran 6.5 hours, this includes snack breaks and a long meal break, so really, we probably actively did about a good 5 hours of tai chi throughout the day. It's like a 5 hour massage of your internal organs and spine. (Can you imagine what you'd pay for a 5 hour massage at the spa?!?)
I had a conversation with someone after, while we were waiting in the sunshine at the ferry terminal. He said Taoist Tai Chi has a marketing or image problem, in his opinion, in that it's not actively marketed to younger people (i.e. under 50). There are people in our club who are in their early 50s who have been practising for 20+ yrs, which means they began when they were in their 20s and 30s. So what attracted them to tai chi and how do we market to people in that demographic (20s, 30s) today? These are very good questions. The person I was talking to this afternoon said that to market to younger people we have to show how tai chi benefits other activities in one's life - like how it can improve our performance in other sports and activities. I laughed inwardly because one of the best-kept secrets about tai chi is the enhanced (ahem) performance, if you know what i mean. LOL (ooooh i'm blushing) Not only that, you'll sleep more solidly after practising tai chi. In terms of benefits to cross-training, you'll focus longer, more intensely, have greater flexibility, lung capacity, enhanced circulation.... so many benefits that will help in other sports. I not only do tai chi, I also row regularly, and it definitely makes a difference - regular tai chi practice, that is, on my rowing practice. I think this fellow's right. Tai chi needs to be seen as a beneficial activity for all ages, not just for older people.
On that note, I'm off to enjoy a "tai chi sleep". :)
~namaste~
22 August 2009
reflections on the week past & the week ahead...
The new moon this week pulled serious force over this house. LMAO This may well be tmi for some, but Thursday night we went out and left our puppy in her crate inside the kitchen (my idea, not dh's, I'll admit). We were out for 3 1/2 hrs. When we returned, we were greeted with the worse mess you could POSSIBLY imagine. Even though it was 10:30 at night, we had to bathe the dog, hose the crate out outside, and wash and disinfect the floors and walls. Poor dog. Friday she slept most of the day; I think she'd exhausted herself (probably crying) and pooping most of the time we were gone. I said to dh that it was 10x worse than any diaper-blow-out our children had ever had. WAYYYYYY worse. LMAO
And my emotional volatility on Wednesday night I chalked up to PMS. Why I experience PMS some months and not others is beyond me. Sometimes I wish I had a "hormone mood ring" tattooed on my body - one that would change colours when my body was experiencing hormonal upheaval. Alas, until that happens, mindfulness seems to be the piece of the puzzle I need to work on. I do know when to expect my period, within a day or two; I should know by now to be a little more compassionate and mindful in the days leading up to my period.
I feel like I'm being led in some very clear directions in my life:
- regular meditation practice
- regular Reiki sessions
- regular Tai Chi practice
(regular in these instances meaning 'daily')
- I'm intending to complete a 92-day juicefeast this fall. Not sure how many people I'm going to share that info with; some in my life will be more supportive than others. Sept 1 - Dec 1st (inclusive) are the tentative dates - so I only really run through Thanksgiving and one (extended) family birthday during this time where I might run into some resistance from others, where I *know* I'll be sharing meals with others and will need to plan ahead. Getting things in order for the feast - borrowing a (Champion) juicer, planting extra greens in the garden, preparing to bulk-order apples, carrots, celery, cucumbers, etc. In these last 10 days on solid food, though, I'm consciously trying to "lighten" my food intake - less "heavy" foods and more smoothies (I'm already having 2+L a day, sometimes 3!), more dark leafy green salads and fresh fruit, less complicated food combinations. Also trying to use up some of the staples that won't really last for 3 months - using up nuts and seeds or freezing them for later.
- continuing to exercise regularly; I row 100 kms a month (5 kms a day, 20 days a month). Usually though it ends up being 6 kms a day for 16 or 17 days because of procrastination. The kids are keen on getting a rebounder and I think it would be a great thing to have in the house - everyone would enjoy bouncing on it, but it's important to get one that will last. I found a new one for $40, but am thinking of saving up for a better quality one like a Bellicon.
I think that's all I have on my mind right now. We're heading into an extremely stressful week for dh's job; that's where our positive energy and intentions will need to be, through the middle of next week. Nonetheless, dh & I realize how blessed we really are; we have such an abundance of comfort in our lives - comfortable housing and clothing, access to an abundance of healthy food, supportive relationships, cars and pets - so much to be grateful for already.
Namaste'
~n~
And my emotional volatility on Wednesday night I chalked up to PMS. Why I experience PMS some months and not others is beyond me. Sometimes I wish I had a "hormone mood ring" tattooed on my body - one that would change colours when my body was experiencing hormonal upheaval. Alas, until that happens, mindfulness seems to be the piece of the puzzle I need to work on. I do know when to expect my period, within a day or two; I should know by now to be a little more compassionate and mindful in the days leading up to my period.
I feel like I'm being led in some very clear directions in my life:
- regular meditation practice
- regular Reiki sessions
- regular Tai Chi practice
(regular in these instances meaning 'daily')
- I'm intending to complete a 92-day juicefeast this fall. Not sure how many people I'm going to share that info with; some in my life will be more supportive than others. Sept 1 - Dec 1st (inclusive) are the tentative dates - so I only really run through Thanksgiving and one (extended) family birthday during this time where I might run into some resistance from others, where I *know* I'll be sharing meals with others and will need to plan ahead. Getting things in order for the feast - borrowing a (Champion) juicer, planting extra greens in the garden, preparing to bulk-order apples, carrots, celery, cucumbers, etc. In these last 10 days on solid food, though, I'm consciously trying to "lighten" my food intake - less "heavy" foods and more smoothies (I'm already having 2+L a day, sometimes 3!), more dark leafy green salads and fresh fruit, less complicated food combinations. Also trying to use up some of the staples that won't really last for 3 months - using up nuts and seeds or freezing them for later.
- continuing to exercise regularly; I row 100 kms a month (5 kms a day, 20 days a month). Usually though it ends up being 6 kms a day for 16 or 17 days because of procrastination. The kids are keen on getting a rebounder and I think it would be a great thing to have in the house - everyone would enjoy bouncing on it, but it's important to get one that will last. I found a new one for $40, but am thinking of saving up for a better quality one like a Bellicon.
I think that's all I have on my mind right now. We're heading into an extremely stressful week for dh's job; that's where our positive energy and intentions will need to be, through the middle of next week. Nonetheless, dh & I realize how blessed we really are; we have such an abundance of comfort in our lives - comfortable housing and clothing, access to an abundance of healthy food, supportive relationships, cars and pets - so much to be grateful for already.
Namaste'
~n~
20 August 2009
Oy Vey.
So everything yesterday went great. I exercised, I enjoyed some lovely raw food throughout the day, I went out for a few hours in the evening with a girlfriend and had a really enjoyable time. Then I come home and start my "rackets". Dh & I learned about "rackets" in a Landmark Education Seminar we've both taken (at various times). A racket is basically that voice in your head, that comes up quite, well, unconsciously at times... and we play the whole scenario over and OVER again in our lives, because we get some sort of Payoff from it - in some sick way, we find it rewarding.
So here's the racket I play over and over again. Maybe sharing it with you will help me sort through it.
So I come home from my evening out, and it's 9:30 at night. It's dark. The rock music is on, a tad loud for my liking (and I don't find the lyrics appropriate for the children), the lights in every room of the house are on (there's no way dh & the 2 kids can be in so many rooms at once; wasting electricity must be a pet peeve of mine, I now realize), dh is playing his guitar along with the music in the living room, the kids aren't in their pajamas yet, not yet ready for bed. Although I left the kitchen tidy, I returned to find all the dinner dishes still sitting there, the leftovers still sitting on the stove. The dog was out of water, the outside evening chores not done (chickens not closed in for the night, they were out of water, the shed door was still open). Yadda yadda. I pretty much walked in and found fault with everything I looked at. WHY?!?!??!?! Why couldn't I have seen that they were all having a great evening together, and so had I been, and really, none of this was the end of the world?!
Okay, so in my MIND, I was HOPING that I would return to: a house where the children were bathed, teeth-brushed, in bed reading a story. I was hoping that the chores would all be done - outside chores and inside, a clean kitchen, laundry put away, and dh would be waiting for me, making my return somehow special, yadda yadda. I wanted to feel appreciated - like all the times I do these things around the house to make our lives somehow more organized are valued by the others in the house. I turned it into a "if they loved me, they'd show me by..." thing, and that's NOT fair to them to do that. I can see that (today). LOL
So WHY do I expect so much?! Well, partly because my whole life seems to be about RESPONSIBILITY. When I was a kid, I remember my parents saying, "oh ~n~, you're the resonsible one". And teaching me to take pride in being responsible. I don't MIND doing the majority of the housework and chores around here - I actually ENJOY (take pride in) doing a good job, whether it be folding laundry or raising our children. I think partly I'm jealous that dh spent the evening playing with the kids and just didn't seem bothered by the housework that wasn't done. It simply didn't cross his mind that at some point these things needed to be done.
The other part of it is that I'm a middle child and I know I have some unmet needs from growing up. I have a really strong need for RECOGNITION. I think on some level I like to do a lot of the housework around here, and even in volunteering I take on more than I should because it's like I'm jumping up and down, trying my hardest to get noticed. There is definitely a sense of insecurity there; like I'm not worthy unless I prove myself by doing, by accomplishing. Simply "being" isn't enough to make you stand out. At least, that's not how I grew up. ;) So I struggle with trying to accept myself, just BEING, not DOING. I hear it when my dd says things like, "Mom, you never have time to play with me. You're always to busy doing housework!" That hurts so much to hear that. So I try to stop myself from accomplishing everything on the never-ending to-do list, and take time out to colour in her colouring book with her, or play Pokemon with ds, or go for a walk with them to the beach. Take time to just hang out.
This is about as far as I've gotten in figuring it out. Reading Thich Naht Hanh's book, Anger, this morning - I see how mindfulness is a wonderful antidote to unconscious rackets that play in our heads. I'm aware that I've played this scenario over a few times now, and the payoff is that I get to be a martyr. When we are suffering, we unconsciously lash out at others when we're not mindful, thinking that making others suffer will somehow alleviate our own suffering. This is simply not the case. Mindfulness makes us stop and think about our unconscious rackets, helps us stop them in their tracks. With awareness we can see that there is only an illusion of self and others. We are all interconnected. There is no separation between ourselves and others. No duality. Then we can see that when we suffer, already those around us suffer. Without a happy mama, how can others around her be happy?
So today I practice mindfulness.
Breathing in, I calm myself.
Breathing out, I smile.
Namaste
~n~
So here's the racket I play over and over again. Maybe sharing it with you will help me sort through it.
So I come home from my evening out, and it's 9:30 at night. It's dark. The rock music is on, a tad loud for my liking (and I don't find the lyrics appropriate for the children), the lights in every room of the house are on (there's no way dh & the 2 kids can be in so many rooms at once; wasting electricity must be a pet peeve of mine, I now realize), dh is playing his guitar along with the music in the living room, the kids aren't in their pajamas yet, not yet ready for bed. Although I left the kitchen tidy, I returned to find all the dinner dishes still sitting there, the leftovers still sitting on the stove. The dog was out of water, the outside evening chores not done (chickens not closed in for the night, they were out of water, the shed door was still open). Yadda yadda. I pretty much walked in and found fault with everything I looked at. WHY?!?!??!?! Why couldn't I have seen that they were all having a great evening together, and so had I been, and really, none of this was the end of the world?!
Okay, so in my MIND, I was HOPING that I would return to: a house where the children were bathed, teeth-brushed, in bed reading a story. I was hoping that the chores would all be done - outside chores and inside, a clean kitchen, laundry put away, and dh would be waiting for me, making my return somehow special, yadda yadda. I wanted to feel appreciated - like all the times I do these things around the house to make our lives somehow more organized are valued by the others in the house. I turned it into a "if they loved me, they'd show me by..." thing, and that's NOT fair to them to do that. I can see that (today). LOL
So WHY do I expect so much?! Well, partly because my whole life seems to be about RESPONSIBILITY. When I was a kid, I remember my parents saying, "oh ~n~, you're the resonsible one". And teaching me to take pride in being responsible. I don't MIND doing the majority of the housework and chores around here - I actually ENJOY (take pride in) doing a good job, whether it be folding laundry or raising our children. I think partly I'm jealous that dh spent the evening playing with the kids and just didn't seem bothered by the housework that wasn't done. It simply didn't cross his mind that at some point these things needed to be done.
The other part of it is that I'm a middle child and I know I have some unmet needs from growing up. I have a really strong need for RECOGNITION. I think on some level I like to do a lot of the housework around here, and even in volunteering I take on more than I should because it's like I'm jumping up and down, trying my hardest to get noticed. There is definitely a sense of insecurity there; like I'm not worthy unless I prove myself by doing, by accomplishing. Simply "being" isn't enough to make you stand out. At least, that's not how I grew up. ;) So I struggle with trying to accept myself, just BEING, not DOING. I hear it when my dd says things like, "Mom, you never have time to play with me. You're always to busy doing housework!" That hurts so much to hear that. So I try to stop myself from accomplishing everything on the never-ending to-do list, and take time out to colour in her colouring book with her, or play Pokemon with ds, or go for a walk with them to the beach. Take time to just hang out.
This is about as far as I've gotten in figuring it out. Reading Thich Naht Hanh's book, Anger, this morning - I see how mindfulness is a wonderful antidote to unconscious rackets that play in our heads. I'm aware that I've played this scenario over a few times now, and the payoff is that I get to be a martyr. When we are suffering, we unconsciously lash out at others when we're not mindful, thinking that making others suffer will somehow alleviate our own suffering. This is simply not the case. Mindfulness makes us stop and think about our unconscious rackets, helps us stop them in their tracks. With awareness we can see that there is only an illusion of self and others. We are all interconnected. There is no separation between ourselves and others. No duality. Then we can see that when we suffer, already those around us suffer. Without a happy mama, how can others around her be happy?
So today I practice mindfulness.
Breathing in, I calm myself.
Breathing out, I smile.
Namaste
~n~
19 August 2009
We may all have 24 hours in a day (however many minutes that is), but this library computer says I have 2 minutes left on this login. LOL
All is fantastically well today. This year of Jupiter in Aquarius is absolute BLISS. I'm loving it, myself, although my dh, who's in his Year of the Ox is having a HELL of a challenging time with work. It'll all pass though.
I'm going to plant seeds in the kids' garden today. We had a family Pokemon tournament this morning and the dog & I picked huckleberries at dawn together. :) awwwwwww. so sweet.
anyways now i have 30 seconds.
peace.
out
~namaste~
All is fantastically well today. This year of Jupiter in Aquarius is absolute BLISS. I'm loving it, myself, although my dh, who's in his Year of the Ox is having a HELL of a challenging time with work. It'll all pass though.
I'm going to plant seeds in the kids' garden today. We had a family Pokemon tournament this morning and the dog & I picked huckleberries at dawn together. :) awwwwwww. so sweet.
anyways now i have 30 seconds.
peace.
out
~namaste~
18 August 2009
So I think I mentioned that I neglected to exercise much for about 9 days there last week. OOPS. I think the only exercise I got was one tai chi class in there. So a couple days ago, I was DETERMINED to get back into it. I did two sets of tai chi in the morning, rowed a fast 6 kms in the afternoon, and did another set of tai chi before bed.
Next morning, I woke up with a lump in one of my lymph nodes. At first, I was a little panicked. Where the heck did this lump come from so suddenly overnight?! What IS it?! It was a painful, hard lump, about the size of a small egg. Once I realized it was a lymph node, I knew that the lack of exercise for over a week had definitely affected the circulation of lymph tissue in my body. OBVIOUSLY. Two days now I've had this lump. It's not painful when I'm awake at all, unless I'm touching it (which I try not to). I'm hoping continued exercise will help it go away on its own, as well as Reiki, which I've been doing often lately.
And then as if that weren't enough, an area fairly close to the lymph node got bit by some sort of insect during the night (spider, probably, I'm guessing) - about 8 or 10 small bites, all clustered together. I've been putting lavender oil on them - it's really good for relieving itching. Plus I smell nicer. LOL
It made me think about how health issues first manifest in our energy fields before becoming physical manifestations. What am I to learn from these issues - that's what I'm left wondering... I believe that if we can take care of our health at the level of our energy fields, then I think we can avert more critical health care issues that are allowed to manifest when we ignore our health on different levels. If we only focus on physical health, but ignore our emotional and mental health, or our spiritual health, or even our financial health, or what have you, then we're not looking at the whole picture, are we. I'd love to hear your thoughts on this. I'm left thinking that I need to really spend more time learning Reiki, Tai Chi, Meditation... these things are where I feel I'm being led in my life.
Oh, and can I just add (although this may be TMI for some, LMAO) that the lack of exercise also gave me rank BO last week?! I kept thinking, holymother, this is INSANE. I (sometimes) use a natural deodorant (Nature's Gate), but it seemed completely ineffective against the detoxing my body was trying to accomplish (why we try to stop our body from detoxing is purely due to social stigma, imo; we should be ENCOURAGING our bodies to detox, even if it means unbearable BO from time to time). And what HAVE I learned from this whole thing? Sweating daily during regular exercise is SOOOOOOOO important for our bodies - it helps circulate lymph tissue, it allows our body to detox through the sweating so we don't smell like we haven't showered in three months (LOL), it is so beneficial for regulating our hormone levels, for giving our muscles tone and as a stress reliever, yadda yadda....
So now? NO PROCRASTINATING. EACH DAY I will sweat. I will exercise. I will moooooooooooove my brilliant, beautiful body. Right now. ;)
Next morning, I woke up with a lump in one of my lymph nodes. At first, I was a little panicked. Where the heck did this lump come from so suddenly overnight?! What IS it?! It was a painful, hard lump, about the size of a small egg. Once I realized it was a lymph node, I knew that the lack of exercise for over a week had definitely affected the circulation of lymph tissue in my body. OBVIOUSLY. Two days now I've had this lump. It's not painful when I'm awake at all, unless I'm touching it (which I try not to). I'm hoping continued exercise will help it go away on its own, as well as Reiki, which I've been doing often lately.
And then as if that weren't enough, an area fairly close to the lymph node got bit by some sort of insect during the night (spider, probably, I'm guessing) - about 8 or 10 small bites, all clustered together. I've been putting lavender oil on them - it's really good for relieving itching. Plus I smell nicer. LOL
It made me think about how health issues first manifest in our energy fields before becoming physical manifestations. What am I to learn from these issues - that's what I'm left wondering... I believe that if we can take care of our health at the level of our energy fields, then I think we can avert more critical health care issues that are allowed to manifest when we ignore our health on different levels. If we only focus on physical health, but ignore our emotional and mental health, or our spiritual health, or even our financial health, or what have you, then we're not looking at the whole picture, are we. I'd love to hear your thoughts on this. I'm left thinking that I need to really spend more time learning Reiki, Tai Chi, Meditation... these things are where I feel I'm being led in my life.
Oh, and can I just add (although this may be TMI for some, LMAO) that the lack of exercise also gave me rank BO last week?! I kept thinking, holymother, this is INSANE. I (sometimes) use a natural deodorant (Nature's Gate), but it seemed completely ineffective against the detoxing my body was trying to accomplish (why we try to stop our body from detoxing is purely due to social stigma, imo; we should be ENCOURAGING our bodies to detox, even if it means unbearable BO from time to time). And what HAVE I learned from this whole thing? Sweating daily during regular exercise is SOOOOOOOO important for our bodies - it helps circulate lymph tissue, it allows our body to detox through the sweating so we don't smell like we haven't showered in three months (LOL), it is so beneficial for regulating our hormone levels, for giving our muscles tone and as a stress reliever, yadda yadda....
So now? NO PROCRASTINATING. EACH DAY I will sweat. I will exercise. I will moooooooooooove my brilliant, beautiful body. Right now. ;)
16 August 2009
Sunny Sunday!
After a good dose of rain this month, the sun is SHINING!!!! And it feels so gooooooooood. Mornings have cooled off considerably; I'm wearing my fleece jacket over my pjs to take the dog out at 5 something every morning. ;)
I'm really enjoying reading Thich Naht Hanh's book, Anger. It's really REALLY great for helping me PRACTICE MINDFULNESS throughout the day. And I need to practice. Not just so that I'm more present in what I'm *doing* in my life, and so that the seed of anger gets watered less, but also just so that in my relationships, I can be fully present and really actively listen and give you my full, undivided attention when we're in communication. I've just become really aware lately of how many times I'm in conversation with someone (kids, husband, store clerk, whoever), and I'm just not THERE in that moment. I'm multi-tasking, or thinking of something else. And it's not fair. I'll inadvertantly avoid eye contact if I'm busy doing three things at once. So I've been really trying to make sure I make eye contact, stop whatever else I'm doing, and just listen, or talk, or be fully present in the conversation. And it makes the other person feel so GOOD!!!
I'm still learning. Heck, that's what we're all doing throughout our lives. LOL We say in tai chi that we're not going to *do* tai chi, we're going to *practice* tai chi. Because when are you ever at a point where you're not continually striving to improve your own form, your own experience of the set? Each time you practice, it's a completely new experience - a fresh experience - and it allows you to approach each set of 108 moves, indeed, each individual move within the set, with a beginner's mind. It's wonderful how deep my tai chi practice is allowing me to go, and still it boggles my mind why I don't practice daily. LMAO
I haven't exercised much the past 2 weeks. I rowed 5 kms, 3x the previous week, and last week, NOTHING. No rowing at all. And by the end of the week, I was really feeling the lack of daily exercise. So today, no further procrastinating. I'm going to row, row, row...
(big breath) here I go...
the actual dreading of exercising is always worse than the exercise itself. Our bodies are meant to move; they LOVE to move. It's my MIND that makes up a big story about how I dislike it so much. Really, it's quite enjoyable when I'm actually rowing. Why is it that after 3 1/2 yrs I still have to struggle with my mind about this? Because I don't practice being in control of my mind enough, that's why. Continual practice of mindfulness. That's what I would really like to do more.
OOOOOOOHHHH!!! And before I go, the Universe is so WONDERFULLLLLLL!!!!! I've been thinking lately of doing a juice feast this fall, so I'm looking online for a used juicer. I found a couple, but I really don't have any money set aside just yet for one. So I don't bother pursuing any of the contacts I find. Then yesterday, we're at a friend's 40th birthday party, and I strike up a conversation with an acquaintance and it ends up she's 50% raw!!!! I was SOOOOOOOOOOO surprised!!! And delighted! AND it turns out she has TWO champion juicers - a spare one, in great condition, in her basement that she got for (get this) $4 at a garage sale!!!! It's missing the blank plate and has a crack in one other part, but she's willing to pass it along!!!! ISN'T THE UNIVERSE WONDERFUL?! ISN'T IT FANTASTIC HOW ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS PUT YOUR INTENTIONS OUT THERE AND IT ALL WORKS OUT?!?!?!?!?! I'm grinning from ear to frickin' ear about this. I can't BELIEVE how this all unfolded. Absolutely freakin' fantastic.
And now? I row.
I'm really enjoying reading Thich Naht Hanh's book, Anger. It's really REALLY great for helping me PRACTICE MINDFULNESS throughout the day. And I need to practice. Not just so that I'm more present in what I'm *doing* in my life, and so that the seed of anger gets watered less, but also just so that in my relationships, I can be fully present and really actively listen and give you my full, undivided attention when we're in communication. I've just become really aware lately of how many times I'm in conversation with someone (kids, husband, store clerk, whoever), and I'm just not THERE in that moment. I'm multi-tasking, or thinking of something else. And it's not fair. I'll inadvertantly avoid eye contact if I'm busy doing three things at once. So I've been really trying to make sure I make eye contact, stop whatever else I'm doing, and just listen, or talk, or be fully present in the conversation. And it makes the other person feel so GOOD!!!
I'm still learning. Heck, that's what we're all doing throughout our lives. LOL We say in tai chi that we're not going to *do* tai chi, we're going to *practice* tai chi. Because when are you ever at a point where you're not continually striving to improve your own form, your own experience of the set? Each time you practice, it's a completely new experience - a fresh experience - and it allows you to approach each set of 108 moves, indeed, each individual move within the set, with a beginner's mind. It's wonderful how deep my tai chi practice is allowing me to go, and still it boggles my mind why I don't practice daily. LMAO
I haven't exercised much the past 2 weeks. I rowed 5 kms, 3x the previous week, and last week, NOTHING. No rowing at all. And by the end of the week, I was really feeling the lack of daily exercise. So today, no further procrastinating. I'm going to row, row, row...
(big breath) here I go...
the actual dreading of exercising is always worse than the exercise itself. Our bodies are meant to move; they LOVE to move. It's my MIND that makes up a big story about how I dislike it so much. Really, it's quite enjoyable when I'm actually rowing. Why is it that after 3 1/2 yrs I still have to struggle with my mind about this? Because I don't practice being in control of my mind enough, that's why. Continual practice of mindfulness. That's what I would really like to do more.
OOOOOOOHHHH!!! And before I go, the Universe is so WONDERFULLLLLLL!!!!! I've been thinking lately of doing a juice feast this fall, so I'm looking online for a used juicer. I found a couple, but I really don't have any money set aside just yet for one. So I don't bother pursuing any of the contacts I find. Then yesterday, we're at a friend's 40th birthday party, and I strike up a conversation with an acquaintance and it ends up she's 50% raw!!!! I was SOOOOOOOOOOO surprised!!! And delighted! AND it turns out she has TWO champion juicers - a spare one, in great condition, in her basement that she got for (get this) $4 at a garage sale!!!! It's missing the blank plate and has a crack in one other part, but she's willing to pass it along!!!! ISN'T THE UNIVERSE WONDERFUL?! ISN'T IT FANTASTIC HOW ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS PUT YOUR INTENTIONS OUT THERE AND IT ALL WORKS OUT?!?!?!?!?! I'm grinning from ear to frickin' ear about this. I can't BELIEVE how this all unfolded. Absolutely freakin' fantastic.
And now? I row.
14 August 2009
raw food
Okay, I admit it. The sun is shining and I *STILL* haven't gone outside to plant seeds yet. In a minute, in a minute...
I wanted to tell you I've been creating some DELICIOUS raw food lately. I've taken photos but haven't uploaded them. They'll be worth the wait, I promise. You'll be drooling when you see these fantastic meals:
I'm going to make more corn/tortilla chips very soon. Corn's just coming into season here and will be for another month or so, so I'll be able to get it cheap and make lots - once dehydrated, they last for at least a month. YUMMERS.
But now, I must go plant. ;)
Arrivaderci!
I wanted to tell you I've been creating some DELICIOUS raw food lately. I've taken photos but haven't uploaded them. They'll be worth the wait, I promise. You'll be drooling when you see these fantastic meals:
- Corn tortilla chips - Absolutely Abeba's book - go great with fresh salsa and guacamole!
- Raw "sun"burgers and raw ceasar salad - the burger recipe was from Ani Phyo's book (complete with black sesame "bread"), the salad recipe from J&J's Living Raw Foods - which the whole family enjoys.
- Raw oatmeal made with blended soaked oat groats, from Jennifer Cornbleet's book.
- and "Pancakes" with Raspberry Syrup from Ani Phyo's book, once again.
- Raw Chocolates - again a J&J's Living Raw Foods recipe - they're in the freezer. I don't have more than 1 oz a day.
I'm going to make more corn/tortilla chips very soon. Corn's just coming into season here and will be for another month or so, so I'll be able to get it cheap and make lots - once dehydrated, they last for at least a month. YUMMERS.
But now, I must go plant. ;)
Arrivaderci!
Eggs!
Well, today our eleven Sussex hens are 21 weeks old. We have raised them from 2 week old chicks (our first experience at doing so). We started with 12, but one died (for unknown reasons) about 7 weeks ago. Two days ago, I put up "Celebration Lights" (LED coloured Christmas lights, if you want to know, LOL) around the pen and coop, because it's getting dark here around 9 p.m. these days, and sometimes we're not home before then, so when ds goes to lock the chickens in, it can be rather dark. So I put up Celebration Lights so it would be a little more welcoming. (Sure, it's eccentric. But if you live in this neighbourhood, you'll quickly see that eccentric is normal!)
WELL.... yesterday we were absolutely DELIGHTED to find a beautiful little brown egg in the coop! And today, TWO!!! Just wonderful to see the kids' enthusiasm towards the hens return (it waned a little for some time there, as nothing was really "happening"!). Now I can hardly keep the kids out of the nestboxes; they constantly want to check for more eggs!! (although I'm sure, too, this enthusiasm for collecting eggs will eventually pass, LMAO)
So I guess if you want your chickens to lay more eggs, put up some Celebration Lights to honour them! :D
Other news is that we have signed up for a local organic weekly food delivery. They've recently extended their boundaries and FINALLY we're within delivery range!! So we signed up and I've enjoyed perusing their website (even on dial-up, LOL) - lots of local and in-season veggies and fruit. But you have to know your prices. Some are a little more than in stores, others less. Guess it depends what's on special each week, both online & at the stores.
Today I thinned out the raspberry canes, so hopefully this will produce more fruit (this year). I also picked 6 cups of huckleberries, which went into the freezer for later. And I've got 40 lbs of non-sprayed blueberries coming tomorrow which will also go in the freezer. (Our family goes through about 100 lbs of blueberries a year, maybe even 150 lbs. Mostly it's the kids & I eating them, and I guess you could say I eat about 60% of them, and the children 20% each). One year I put 100 lbs of blueberries and 100 lbs of raspberries in the freezer as well as canning 100 lbs of cherries, 100 lbs of peaches, AND 40 lbs of pears (yes, 440 lbs of fruit in total). And yes, it was all gone within the year. Our family LOVES fruit!! (The fruit is definitely the highlight of our CSA farm box each week for the kids. I like the leafy greens, myself. mmmm, Collards).
I'm going outside right now to plant more winter veggies, realizing I'm a little late on this, but still, it's not tooooooo late, I don't think. Ideally I should have been planting over the past 6 weeks (I *do* have collards, 2 kinds of beets, kohlrabi, and lettuce in already). We've had a good dose of rain this past week (much needed; we were in Extreme fire hazard - now we're back down to moderate); the soil should be nice and moist for sprouting seeds. So off I go!
I'm reading Thich Naht Hanh's book about Anger. I love his writing. It's so easy-to-read and yet profound in its insights. I'll admit I've struggled with anger throughout my life; I was the kid who'd run down the hallway and slam my bedroom door (until my parents removed it as punishment; THAT was humiliating - I loathed the lack of privacy). So I'll keep reading and will continue to practice engaging in mindfulness in ALL I do throughout the day.
"There you go again, derailing the meeting with another one of your obscure comments, Brett." (from Flight of the Conchords)
Enough already. I'm going outside. :D
WELL.... yesterday we were absolutely DELIGHTED to find a beautiful little brown egg in the coop! And today, TWO!!! Just wonderful to see the kids' enthusiasm towards the hens return (it waned a little for some time there, as nothing was really "happening"!). Now I can hardly keep the kids out of the nestboxes; they constantly want to check for more eggs!! (although I'm sure, too, this enthusiasm for collecting eggs will eventually pass, LMAO)
So I guess if you want your chickens to lay more eggs, put up some Celebration Lights to honour them! :D
Other news is that we have signed up for a local organic weekly food delivery. They've recently extended their boundaries and FINALLY we're within delivery range!! So we signed up and I've enjoyed perusing their website (even on dial-up, LOL) - lots of local and in-season veggies and fruit. But you have to know your prices. Some are a little more than in stores, others less. Guess it depends what's on special each week, both online & at the stores.
Today I thinned out the raspberry canes, so hopefully this will produce more fruit (this year). I also picked 6 cups of huckleberries, which went into the freezer for later. And I've got 40 lbs of non-sprayed blueberries coming tomorrow which will also go in the freezer. (Our family goes through about 100 lbs of blueberries a year, maybe even 150 lbs. Mostly it's the kids & I eating them, and I guess you could say I eat about 60% of them, and the children 20% each). One year I put 100 lbs of blueberries and 100 lbs of raspberries in the freezer as well as canning 100 lbs of cherries, 100 lbs of peaches, AND 40 lbs of pears (yes, 440 lbs of fruit in total). And yes, it was all gone within the year. Our family LOVES fruit!! (The fruit is definitely the highlight of our CSA farm box each week for the kids. I like the leafy greens, myself. mmmm, Collards).
I'm going outside right now to plant more winter veggies, realizing I'm a little late on this, but still, it's not tooooooo late, I don't think. Ideally I should have been planting over the past 6 weeks (I *do* have collards, 2 kinds of beets, kohlrabi, and lettuce in already). We've had a good dose of rain this past week (much needed; we were in Extreme fire hazard - now we're back down to moderate); the soil should be nice and moist for sprouting seeds. So off I go!
I'm reading Thich Naht Hanh's book about Anger. I love his writing. It's so easy-to-read and yet profound in its insights. I'll admit I've struggled with anger throughout my life; I was the kid who'd run down the hallway and slam my bedroom door (until my parents removed it as punishment; THAT was humiliating - I loathed the lack of privacy). So I'll keep reading and will continue to practice engaging in mindfulness in ALL I do throughout the day.
"There you go again, derailing the meeting with another one of your obscure comments, Brett." (from Flight of the Conchords)
Enough already. I'm going outside. :D
10 August 2009
I survived our Community Fair!!
Ohhhhhh YESSSSS!!!! It was a GREAT success, our local community fair. I have no idea how many people came, but the pancake breakfast was far more well-attended than in previous years. The midway was a FANTASTIC success - the "Lucky Ducky" pond, "Plinko", "Barbie Dunk Tank", and "Tic Tac Toes" (yes, you threw beanbag TOES - how macabre!), as well as "Goofy Golf" and "Tea Party" toin coss were all very successful. We ran out of prizes after 4 hours of FRENZY and went to free play (no charge to play, but no prizes to win, either) - next year we'll up our budget for prizes. The local music was wonderful - we had a bluegrass band and also a classical string trio. Salmon barbeque was a great success as well - selling about 60 or 65 plates out of 70 available tickets. So I think at the end of the day we will find our community association has made some money on this event.
OH! And we raised $619 for the fundraising project to bring a security sensor light to the hall parking lot. I'm chairing the committee and am hoping to raise $3000 and have the project complete by mid-November at the latest. The actual work will only take about a week, but it's the fundraising $3,000 in a small community (of 400!) that will take longer... possibly. After this day of rest, I'll tackle that.
Nonetheless, I still lay awake from 3:30 until 5:30 this morning, rehashing the day and all its events, wondering how to get people more interested in the family fun run and walk to promote healthy communities (prizes?), wondering how to get more of our neighbours interested in attending the day's events (beer garden, says dh?), wondering how to get more volunteers, which are always desperately needed (highschool students that need volunteer credits to graduate?). DH & I put in a nearly 12 hour day, with 2 young children & puppy in tow. Surprisingly, all went well, but GOODNESS are we tired today!!
Oh, and as far as raw food, I managed to subsist quite easily yesterday on:
a banana very early in the morning
3L of green smoothie throughout the day
a few veggies that came with my son's spanakopita and hummus that he got from the concession
1 lb of org cherries
another banana (or two?) throughout the day
some water, but not nearly enough
a sandwich in the evening with raw black sesame bread (ani phyo's recipe), miso, alfalfa sprouts, a tomato and a couple black olives sliced on it.
Oh, I did enjoy a little air-popped popcorn with the kids. We hardly ever make popcorn, and popcorn's not my favourite snack (I have very tight spaces between my teeth so I end up having to floss after popcorn), but the kids really like it, and we get organic bulk popcorn from the food co-op. And let's face it, there's a lot worse things to eat than air-popped organic popcorn. Still, I think that even during a VERY busy day, it's still possible (and actually quite easy) to maintain a raw diet, with very little preparation. All I did in the morning was through the bananas and cherries in the cooler and make up 2 blenders-full of green smoothie, which took less than 20 minutes, easily. I made the sandwich in the evening, at the end of the day.
We've been eating POUNDS of organic yellow plums lately. The kids a few doors over are selling them, and really, we eat a LOT (*I* eat a lot, LMAO). The other day I ate no less than 16 plums. No kidding. Hey, they're in season and wonderfully delicious. And no, I didn't have any *ill* effects from eating that many. LMAO
Oh, and before I forget, dh & I are celebrating our 12th anniversary today. We'll be taking the kids with us out for dinner later, after ds's sports class tonight. 12 yrs married, and together for 14. Wow! ;) 12 yrs ago, it was 31 degrees here (~92 F) and today? It's POURING rain and foggy. (But we desperately need the rain, so no complaints). Amazing difference in weather. The other crazy difference is that I tried my wedding dress on this morning (dd LOVES all things sparkly!) and it literally HANGS on me. It's about 6 sizes too big for me!!! I can't BELIEVE how big it is on me. Wowzers.
Which reminds me, our winter veggies have sprouted fantastically! The kids' garden is full of little teeny collard sprouts, kohlrabi sprouts, and two kinds of beet sprouts as well as lettuce mix. I have more to plant: kale, spinach, peas, more lettuce.... I don't think it's possible to have too many dark leafy greens. Besides, I'm thinking ahead and pondering doing a juice feast this fall, so I want to have my own greens. 2 lbs a day gets expensive to buy (I found out last year). Although I JUST found out that we can now get local organic food delivered to our door!!! (And cases of celery and cucumbers and apples and ginger.... just THINK of the JUICES!!!!!!) Yummers.
Oh geez, I was already hungry and now all this talk of food. Must go and make *something* to munch on. :)
Namaste,
~n~
OH! And we raised $619 for the fundraising project to bring a security sensor light to the hall parking lot. I'm chairing the committee and am hoping to raise $3000 and have the project complete by mid-November at the latest. The actual work will only take about a week, but it's the fundraising $3,000 in a small community (of 400!) that will take longer... possibly. After this day of rest, I'll tackle that.
Nonetheless, I still lay awake from 3:30 until 5:30 this morning, rehashing the day and all its events, wondering how to get people more interested in the family fun run and walk to promote healthy communities (prizes?), wondering how to get more of our neighbours interested in attending the day's events (beer garden, says dh?), wondering how to get more volunteers, which are always desperately needed (highschool students that need volunteer credits to graduate?). DH & I put in a nearly 12 hour day, with 2 young children & puppy in tow. Surprisingly, all went well, but GOODNESS are we tired today!!
Oh, and as far as raw food, I managed to subsist quite easily yesterday on:
a banana very early in the morning
3L of green smoothie throughout the day
a few veggies that came with my son's spanakopita and hummus that he got from the concession
1 lb of org cherries
another banana (or two?) throughout the day
some water, but not nearly enough
a sandwich in the evening with raw black sesame bread (ani phyo's recipe), miso, alfalfa sprouts, a tomato and a couple black olives sliced on it.
Oh, I did enjoy a little air-popped popcorn with the kids. We hardly ever make popcorn, and popcorn's not my favourite snack (I have very tight spaces between my teeth so I end up having to floss after popcorn), but the kids really like it, and we get organic bulk popcorn from the food co-op. And let's face it, there's a lot worse things to eat than air-popped organic popcorn. Still, I think that even during a VERY busy day, it's still possible (and actually quite easy) to maintain a raw diet, with very little preparation. All I did in the morning was through the bananas and cherries in the cooler and make up 2 blenders-full of green smoothie, which took less than 20 minutes, easily. I made the sandwich in the evening, at the end of the day.
We've been eating POUNDS of organic yellow plums lately. The kids a few doors over are selling them, and really, we eat a LOT (*I* eat a lot, LMAO). The other day I ate no less than 16 plums. No kidding. Hey, they're in season and wonderfully delicious. And no, I didn't have any *ill* effects from eating that many. LMAO
Oh, and before I forget, dh & I are celebrating our 12th anniversary today. We'll be taking the kids with us out for dinner later, after ds's sports class tonight. 12 yrs married, and together for 14. Wow! ;) 12 yrs ago, it was 31 degrees here (~92 F) and today? It's POURING rain and foggy. (But we desperately need the rain, so no complaints). Amazing difference in weather. The other crazy difference is that I tried my wedding dress on this morning (dd LOVES all things sparkly!) and it literally HANGS on me. It's about 6 sizes too big for me!!! I can't BELIEVE how big it is on me. Wowzers.
Which reminds me, our winter veggies have sprouted fantastically! The kids' garden is full of little teeny collard sprouts, kohlrabi sprouts, and two kinds of beet sprouts as well as lettuce mix. I have more to plant: kale, spinach, peas, more lettuce.... I don't think it's possible to have too many dark leafy greens. Besides, I'm thinking ahead and pondering doing a juice feast this fall, so I want to have my own greens. 2 lbs a day gets expensive to buy (I found out last year). Although I JUST found out that we can now get local organic food delivered to our door!!! (And cases of celery and cucumbers and apples and ginger.... just THINK of the JUICES!!!!!!) Yummers.
Oh geez, I was already hungry and now all this talk of food. Must go and make *something* to munch on. :)
Namaste,
~n~
08 August 2009
Entering Pre-Party Panic
Our local community annual fun fair is this Sunday and once again, I'm on the organizing committee. Every year we tweak something a little... two years ago we added a 4 km family fun run/walk in the morning. Included in your registration was a t-shirt and free pancake breakfast. Last year we added a salmon bar-be-que at the end of the day. This year, my dh volunteered to make all the midway games (ohh, we're such Aquarians!!). He has spent his past 15 days off working on these games. (What enthusiasm he has!!!) He has to work the 4 days prior to the event, so he's been emailing me multiple times each day with reminders about things that need to be finished off on the games. My to-do list is about 20 items long at the moment!! LOL Hence, I'm on the computer at 12:30 in the morning. LMAO Really, this year this event feels like a wedding. All the planning and organizing... between dh & I we have surely spent more than 30 full days getting ready for this. Our conversations center around it. Nearly all communication is related to it. It's driving me BONKERS!!! Yes, I desperately want it to be a great success, but I also kinda want it over with so we can just RELAX a little. Although dh's already talking of adding a beer garden next year, and taking on the advertising, as well as tweaking the games and adding more!! It's amazing to see how many volunteer hours go into pulling an event like this off... with that kind of loving intention, we're sure to have a successful day!!
Not only are we revamping the midway this year, but we're also unveiling a new fundraising project, which I got suckered in (oops, I mean VOLUNTEERED) to chair the committee of. We are seeking to raise $3,000 to install a sensor security light in our community hall's parking lot, to have an electrical outlet installed on the community association park's pavilion and to have a Christmas Tree lighting project happen. $3,000 pales in comparison to the MASSIVE fundraising projects my sister spearheads over at Costco for the Children's Hospital. I am such a better minion than I am a leader, even though my name apparently means "Leader of the People". LOL I much prefer taking direction from someone else - just tell me what needs to be done... exactly... and I'll do it. But leave something completely up to me to organize? I'd rather you didn't. ha ha ha
So if you wonder why I haven't posted in a while, things should return to "normal" (and I use that term loosely, LMAO) by Tuesday. :)
But right now, I'd better get some sleep. No doubt puppy will wake me at 5:45!!
Oh, this'll no doubt be your laugh, your ROTFL, for the day: Out of the blue, over dinner (9 yr old) ds says to me, "Have you been neutered, Mom?" I laughed so hard. (Puppy went in for her 12 wk shots today) We had a conversation about neutering and spaying and the similar procedures for humans. Good grief, I laughed so hard when he asked though. Made my sides ache.
Not only are we revamping the midway this year, but we're also unveiling a new fundraising project, which I got suckered in (oops, I mean VOLUNTEERED) to chair the committee of. We are seeking to raise $3,000 to install a sensor security light in our community hall's parking lot, to have an electrical outlet installed on the community association park's pavilion and to have a Christmas Tree lighting project happen. $3,000 pales in comparison to the MASSIVE fundraising projects my sister spearheads over at Costco for the Children's Hospital. I am such a better minion than I am a leader, even though my name apparently means "Leader of the People". LOL I much prefer taking direction from someone else - just tell me what needs to be done... exactly... and I'll do it. But leave something completely up to me to organize? I'd rather you didn't. ha ha ha
So if you wonder why I haven't posted in a while, things should return to "normal" (and I use that term loosely, LMAO) by Tuesday. :)
But right now, I'd better get some sleep. No doubt puppy will wake me at 5:45!!
Oh, this'll no doubt be your laugh, your ROTFL, for the day: Out of the blue, over dinner (9 yr old) ds says to me, "Have you been neutered, Mom?" I laughed so hard. (Puppy went in for her 12 wk shots today) We had a conversation about neutering and spaying and the similar procedures for humans. Good grief, I laughed so hard when he asked though. Made my sides ache.
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