Psyching Up For a December Whole 30 Graduates

[LadyLisbette]

We are still giving Spooky CBD tincture every day. I mix it into her morning pate, and because these days it might take her all day to finish it, I put in a double dose; it's hard to say if it's working or not, but we figure it can't hurt. I have been refilling the mama-cat-pheromone plug-ins, but I swear, the thing she most obviously favors is the scent of our shoes. We keep our every-day work shoes on the hall rug, and she uses them as a pillow. The rest of our shoes are in the nearby coat closet, and she is always sniffing under there, and looks for opportunities to go in there. I hope the CBD treats work for Squeaky! I should look for those. Our girl stopped eating the vitamin B treats, and doesn't always want her hairball treats, either, which she used to scarf down as the bowl was hitting the floor. Your tea sounds amazing! And the bath salts, too. I bought some peppermint and eucalyptus shampoo/conditioner, and bath salts for the store, and it smells *heavenly* but I haven't tried it yet. It gave me the idea of making a peppermint eucalyptus face wash for the morning to wake me up - I guess I'll find out if that's a good idea or not, and if I don't like it, I'll use it on my feet, or in the bath. Fingers crossed the tincture helps you sleep! The thing that is working for me lately, though trying to only use it when I am desperate, is 4 valerian root caps with 1 CBD capsule - that gives me a very sound, dreamy sleep. 

I know, dealing with the scorpions was a rite of initiation to this area. In the early days I mentally struck a deal with them that all parties would keep a distance and do no harm. This worked for a couple of years. But the more I saw them in the house (baby scorps freaked me out, knowing they were breeding in the house, and I never found a nest - eeek!!) I became curious and anxious about what a sting would feel like (I heard mixed tales), figuring it was inevitable and I decided I wanted to be stung and get it over with so I wouldn't be afraid. That sting came on cue the next morning, ha! But it was no big deal, like a splinter with a charge behind it. Since them I was stung about 5 times, and only once it hurt, I think because the little guy had been trapped in a folder for over a week (I was tutoring then, and the kid unzipped her trapper folder, and it ran across the table into my lap. Yeah. Ouch, and it left a mark. I took it outside!)  So these days, I just don't go barefoot in the house, and I don't worry about it!

Oh! The house looks so nice with new paint - we are very pleased with the work, and the super nice guys who did it. What color is your place? Does it get much sun exposure? Our house is on stilts on the front side, and the sloping angle makes it really hard to get up to the third floor, but they were champs. It's really cheered me up. I'm having a very productive day cleaning and will put the container garden at the entrance back together, and get a bunch of things boxed up for the garage that had been in our screened in porch that had to be removed for the power washing - it needed to be done, and so now I'm in high gear....I will get that screened in porch the way I want it, and my desk, and lots of chores done to enjoy the long weekend together with minimum drudgery. I'm going to make egg salad for hubs, and I got some dill pickles for that instead of the sweet relish I used to use -- and I also got the fixings to make him Sunday bagels and lox with the works. I'll also make wonton meatballs, and next up a pot of chili, so there's lots of meat thawing right now. I'm going to be on the lookout for fermented pickles - that sounds awesome, especially since I've never gotten into the habit of doing my own fermenting - thanks for the tip!

On 8/28/2019 at 7:13 AM, hollysmokes said:

....overwhelmed and can't figure out what to do, I just start doing some little thing so I feel like I'm chipping away at the bigger picture.

That's it - bravo! Even the most organized and efficient, hard working person has their limits. At a certain point we have to sleep.

I was wondering, can you get that cobweb that's bugging you from the roof? 

Sweet day!

[hollysmokes]

Somebody might be able to get that cobweb from the roof but it's not me! Three stories high and our roof has a 45% pitch. Those windows are a mess anyway from all of the construction last fall so I just need to bite the bullet and get window washers out to work their magic. Our house is grey like the color of weathered wood and the doors are barn red. We still haven't repainted the deck but it will be the color the house was supposed to be which is just a slightly darker shade of grey. That treated wood has to sit for a minimum of six months before you can paint it and by then it was too hot to even think about it. Like your house, most of the deck is on stilts so it's going to be awful to paint the outside of it. There's not a safe way to put a ladder there either since the hill is so steep so we (who am I kidding- I) will have to reach through the uprights in the deck railing to get paint on the outside. I really want to get it done but, realistically, it needs to wait a little longer until we get produce production under control. I'm trying to think positive thoughts about it because I start getting overwhelmed by the size of the job so I just think about all of the wonderful moving, stretching and reaching it will involve! Yay!

I think I'm going to have to crush those CBD cat treats up. They're really, really crunchy and he just kinda crunched on them and spit them out yesterday. After this, I'm going to do what you're doing and just add a couple of drops of tincture to his food. Yesterday was the 14th anniversary of Katrina and we always considered that to be Maybelle's birthday since we don't really know when she was born but she was a Katrina rescue kitty. We brought her ashes to the top of our hill yesterday evening and sprinkled them by a giant rock where we like to sit. And Squeaky came with us! Tomorrow I'm going to put the last little bit of her ashes by her two favorite perches on the side of the hill and she will be all set. 

All of your food plans are making me hungry. We made a quick foray into Costco and Publix yesterday (they take styrofoam recycling and you reminded me that I needed to drop mine off-thanks) so we won't have to fight the crowds on a holiday weekend. I grabbed another pack of the wild caught salmon so I think salmon cakes will be on the menu at some point this weekend. Egg salad and curry turkey patties, too. And that duck sausage that I keep putting off. Other than that, I'm just going to wing it! The weather is supposed to be great all weekend- upper 60's in the mornings!!!!- so I think we'll tear out the tomatoes; they're looking really sad.

I'm looking forward to three days at home even though I know it's going to fly by. Enjoy your home time and your hikes, too!

 

[LadyLisbette]

I love it that you rescued Maybelle after Katrina. How perfect that you put her ashes up on the hill on her bday/the anniversary of Katrina, and that Squeaky followed you. I'll bet he says, "of course I did!" Do you have an impersonation voice for your Maybelle and Squeaky like we do for Spooky? Also, so fitting to put her ashes at her favorite spots, who could ask for more? Ah Maybelle....

Spooky will no longer eat the food that has the CBD oil in it - drats. I hate to see her not eat, so for now we are foregoing the CBD...I'll try again another day, and maybe bring home some fresh cream, which we stopped giving her a few weeks ago. Maybe that will be more appetizing. Maybe variety? Who knows?? Was Squeaky already in residence when you brought Maybelle home? DId they take to each other readily?

I sympathize with your home partially on stilts! I admire you so much for doing it yourself - I don't think we could have done that, and were happy to find a team to do it for us. I got sweaty hearing how they did the 3rd floor veranda - like your place, it cannot be reached with a ladder. I thought they would do it by coming out from the inside (it's off our bedroom) on one of the days I was there, but they reached it from the side yard with a ladder. They put two planks beneath the bottom, toe-level rung, and the big guy stood on the planks from the inside, while they smaller one put another board across the two on the outside to make a platform, and that's where he stood to paint the outside of the veranda. Good Lord, I'm glad I didn't see that with my own eyes, it would have scared the poop out of me. The guy on the outside was rigged up with ropes for safety "just in case". I love them and would hire them again, but if all goes well we won't need paint again for at least 7-8 years, hopefully more.

We had a really nice long weekend - I busted my butt on Wednesday and Thursday cleaning, organizing, and a little cooking, and it paid off with a nice blend of relaxed together-time resting and doing a few home improvement type things but nothing exhausting. It was perfect. And yesterday we took a good, long day hike to a magnificent high mountain valley, to a hidden lake, that did me good on every level. It was only seven miles, which is not really a big deal after all but that I have not trained at ALL all season, and it was also a 2.200 foot elevation gain all together - 500 feet more than we thought! My hubby stuck with me at my snail's pace, which made me very happy, and we arrived at the sleepy little lake in good shape, had a snack while watching the fish jump, and came back down the mountain as the sun was setting, delighting in the alpenglow on the huge mountains. I felt a much-needed boost in my enthusiasm for hiking (how could I forget how much I love it) and in my self regard. I've still got it! It's still hot, but it's TIME to get back to the hill sprints. Part of the mid-week efforts included emptying out and deep-cleaning the screened in porch off the kitchen that still had some boxes in it that needed sorting and storing out in the garage. It was really dirty from the tree that was removed right next to it, and then the power washing - yuck. Now it's empty and clean, and I hung some art in there, and also some tall candle sconces with battery pillar candles, and I'm going to try it out as a yoga room. In the winter and spring it will be nice to sit out there when it's raining.

I've discovered that in a pinch I can live for days off of cold stuff like turkey wrapped cucumber spears and cole slaw, olives, salami, raw nuts....that's what I've done for two days because I didn't feel like cooking (plus the 3 lb. package of ground turkey was spoiled). Fortunately I don't suffer from food boredom, unless I don't care for the dish to begin with. Hubs enjoyed the egg salad, salmon burgers, coleslaw, and bagels with lox etc, and mostly the significant time I spent doing chores was more cat clean up. I have learned that if I factor in 60-90 min. every day of sweeping/vacuuming/mopping I am happier than when I rush it and wait until I can't stand it...because that puts me in a bad mood. Better to spend the time every day and enjoy it not ever getting to where I can't stand it. This won't last forever....I guess I'm getting used to it.

All that's left now is to organize my desk and a few admin things....I'll eat a salmon burger and steamed veg for breakfast tomorrow and make chicken chili before zooming off for work - a short week! Did you enjoy your days off? What is the garden giving you now? 

[hollysmokes]

It sounds like you were much more successful that I was about adding some fun time and not using the extra day to just do more work. We did manage to venture out every day and, since the weather was nice, took the motorcycle instead of 4 wheels. We tried a new (to us) spot on Saturday and had a great bunless burger while people and dog watching- fun! Then we went home and hung out on the deck until way past dark. It was a beautiful night! So I guess we weren't all work and no play but it was still more work than play! The tomatoes are gone  We ripped them out Saturday morning, pulled out all of the stakes and cleaned and stacked all of the cages behind the shed. I don't know who's more disappointed, us or the neighbors. We have new neighbors right below us and they have a little girl so we told them to, please, bring her into the garden to pick tomatoes and flowers. They were planning on picking Monday and were surprised to find the plants totally gone. Then another neighbor stopped to chat with my husband and asked if we minded if he picked a couple of tomatoes every now and then. He had to tell him that would be fine- next year! I don't know what I'm going to eat once my last few tomatoes are gone! I've been bringing cherry tomatoes plus a container of big slices every day and I'm going to really miss them.

We got our last 15 qt pot of tomatoes cooking. I'm going to tally up how many gallons we started with and what the final yield was, complete with pics. It's a lot! I spent yesterday cooking all of the meat that I either defrosted or bought so now I have lots of "cakes". The salmon cakes came out really good and I've already frozen all of them except the one I brought for lunch today. I got my egg salad made and it's making a good combo with the curried turkey patties. I never got around to picking up a sweet potato for those so I used a carrot and an apple plus I subbed frozen spinach for kale because it's what I had. They're good and it made eight big patties out of one lb of meat. The duck sausage is put together but not stuffed or smoked yet and I FINALLY made that fermented green tomato relish I've been wanting to get going- it smells really good. Aaand I had enough ripe poblano peppers to put in the dehydrator to make our first batch of ancho chile powder. Now we are moving from "all things tomato" to "all things peppers".

We have the first of our four September shows tonight so I won't get much done tonight and I'm sure I'll be dragging tomorrow after a long night tonight (and crappy sleep last night) so I'm not sure how much I'll get done then either. Usually, if I just tell myself I'm going to just do one little thing, I feel better about taking a night off so that's the plan. Having a short week helps, though, doesn't it? I'm having a hard time getting my head in the work groove and I didn't get my morning stretching/mobility/yoga session in this morning so I'm feeling pretty stiff. Your hike up to the lake sounds wonderful but 7 miles AND all of that elevation gain would have kicked my butt! Good for you and good for your husband keeping pace. That was nice.

Like you, I don't suffer from food boredom either and have no problem having the same thing for breakfast M-F or leftovers a couple of days for lunch. I'm all over whatever is easiest. Yesterday we ran into a couple of guys we know and they're on Day 10 of their first W30. Cool! They said they were trying to keep things simple and weren't struggling too much. I highly recommended nomnom and MJ to them. I was hoping they might get on the forum but they didn't seem too interested.

I love the sound of your screened in porch/yoga room. There is a place under our deck that is almost like a second deck. We have a plan for sprucing it up and putting either a swing or a glider there so we can sit out there and enjoy the rain. It's on the list. It'll happen. Eventually. 

[LadyLisbette]

Sweet about the neighbor girl...are there flowers left to pick? I'll bet your place is legendary, and everyone will be ready with better timing next year. I'm thinking about that expression, "leave them laughing", and you have left them salivating and dreaming of home-grown goodness.

This has to be quick so I'm all over the place, but the egg salad with curry patties sounds dreamy....we both liked having egg salad on hand so much that I think I'm going to make another batch. It lasts and lasts, so it's less cooking for me to do for hubs...also coleslaw is in the rotation, too, as I think I have a dressing down that I really like. I used to doctor it up with odd things, and I'm liking it simple, and my spouse agrees.

I LOVE my new yoga room. I did a lap up and down the hill this morning, then spent some time in there, and it's perfect. I feel enclosed and no one can see me, but there is fresh, moving air, and I can enjoy the trees and the birds, and the ambient sound of the river and the highway. I realize that living so close to the highway is not ideal, but the soft droning sound is not unpleasant, and anyway I'm going with it in the spirit of be-here-now. = ) I feel like I'm getting my mojo back after months of sub-optimal movement.

Oh yes, having a short week helps. I'm sorry you're not sleeping - that is the pits -- the CBD is not working? Hm... This morning it occured to me that the W30 has given me new life skills and good new habits that are passing the test of time not, withstanding the fact of my jeans size remaining as it is. The fellows that you know who are doing their first round, it sounds like they have each other for support. But you never know, at some point they might have questions or concerns and mosey on over to this forum for the wealth that it is. But since you mention it, it does seem like there are more women here than men. That's true at the support group I facilitate, too, of course that is for caregivers, and although plenty of men wear a caregiver hat, it seems like the men-folk are more reluctant to engage in support type set-ups. The men who do come to group are such jewels, and have become good friends.

Oh! Enjoy your show tonight!!!

[hollysmokes]

Mark Knopfler was a-mazing and, of course, he has an incredibly talented bunch of musicians (10!) with him. They dimmed the lights between songs and switched out instruments so it was a surprise every time to see who was playing what. He commented that he "only" plays one instrument but the other guys in the band play 49! Lots of different stringed instruments and, the most unusual, Uilleann (Irish) Pipes. Very cool and worth getting to bed way later than usual but I slept really well so don't feel terrible.

We live close to a busy road, too, but it's easy to ignore and it's not visibly in our face. You can see it from our deck but if you look a little further into the distance, you see the Cumberland River. So cool that your yoga room feels so good! I got my movement in this morning and it really felt good. I'm thinking about taking it down to the basement where my yoga mat resides. I've just been using the magic carpet on the landing outside of our bedroom and my knees are starting to look like I've been on them scrubbing floors or something. I have an old cheapie yoga mat but I put it on a carpet runner for extra padding so I'm thinking it might be time to transition. That's where the dumb bells, foam roller and stability ball are anyway so that might help me bump up my morning movement time.

I have a bit of a motivation nudge now, too. I've been without a primary care physician for a couple of years and was FINALLY able to find one that's not a resident that will be leaving as soon as their residency is over. My appointment is in a month and I would very much like to get rid of some of the weight that has been creeping on. I've been being pretty compliant but portion control is part of the problem and I maaaay be being a bit too generous with a "serving" of fat. My off-roading was becoming more frequent, too- pizza on Saturday or fried catfish w fries. The excuse was exhaustion and tomatoes. So, I've been off-roading less, being more mindful and, even though I'm not W30-ing with the September group, I'm trying to stay motivated by them. We threw some poblano peppers, broc, cauli and onion in the grill pan and grilled pork chops before the show last night and I stopped eating before I was stuffed. Didn't eat out, didn't stop for a cocktail or have a glass of wine at the show and had a delicious, compliant dinner that was really easy to do! 

18 hours ago, LadyLisbette said:

This morning it occurred to me that the W30 has given me new life skills and good new habits that are passing the test of time

Yes, indeed! I think about that every morning when I add collagen peptides to my coffee. 

[LadyLisbette]

The Mark Knopfler show sounds amazing! Gasp. So happy for you, wish I had been there, too! Well, Monterey Jazz Fest is right around the corner in three weeks or so, so September will be a good music month for all. More Christian McBride, and Snarky Puppy, too! (okay, I've got some Mark K going now in another tab. Always reminds me of a dear friend who died a few years ago. We listened to Mark a lot, on cassette in the car. His laugh sounded like Mark's fingers sliding over guitar strings.)

Today surprised us, and the parched ground, with rain! Ah the smell of rain. While my car got serviced in the early morning I enjoyed some loaf around time at the coffee shop, and really savored that, not having to do anything or be anywhere. I looked forward to sitting outside under a patio umbrella with a book and journal, even though it was kind of damp and blowy. But the lavender/lemon verbena infusion I have all over my skin drew bees. I tried to just sit there and trust they wouldn't sting but that didn't work. Inside was not a bad way to pass the hour.

I challenged myself at the coffee shop, after two weeks, with coffee and half and half. Yum. On the subject of this two-week fast from eggs, coffee, and kombucha, I have been feeling really good. Like you, though I'm not W30'ing, I have been more careful, less off-roading, more aware, and I'm pretty much back to IF'ing, too. Feeling really good. Feeling that wonderfully good omen feeling of less inflamed, and Tiger Blood. Yippee. One thing I have learned is that eating a lot of raw food such as B.A.Salads every day is NOT hard on my stomach, as I thought. It's something else. So today I'll find out if it's coffee. And this weekend I'll find out if it's eggs. I have plans to eat eggs, because...

Yesterday I got a proper cook-up going. Egg salad (18 eggs) tweaked for pleasure (less crunchy stuff), bison chili, and a 4 lb batch of chicken apple/cinnamon  sliders, which I never thought could be improved upon, but this time, inspired by our conversations, I added 2.5 TBSP of garam masala. Guess what? It's divine if I may say so. 

I thought about streaming the CNN climate debate while I cooked, but why interrupt the peaceful groove with worldly worries? = ) It was a lot of fun....and that egg salad is something I'm really looking forward to. More will be revealed. I know two weeks is not a lot of time for a dietary elimination, but it has been very smooth sailing, and I can't wait anymore.

Your honesty about weight speaks to me. I'm really glad you are getting in with a primary care doc. Do you have other concerns besides the weight? I relate to your honesty about portions of fat, and off-roading. It occurs to me that we could team up on a month of strict fat portions and limited off roading...that might help me. These days I'm eating food that has a hard-to-account-for amount of fat like the coleslaw and now egg salad. The template, I think, is two thumbs including the mount of Venus., at every meal. Right? That is quite a bit of fat. I wonder if the off-roading is the greater transgression? In my case, this may be...I do have a too-frequent candy habit (Saturdays when I'm alone at work). I'm getting better about getting back on program, back on the bike, but still...at any rate, let me know what you discover and what your plan is, because I am with you. (of course) About 3 times now I've sat with hubs and fasted as he ate at the Mexican place and I have refrained from chips. Especially since the two week elimination started. A few weeks ago, I was feeling like a stuffed sausage in my clothes, and was/am unwilling to buy a bigger size, and already they are feeling better, but I can do so much better, I know, and I know we can do this. Talk about slaying a dragon, that's what it feels like - we can conquer it. What is the it? That's the question. W30 ways are the way, I'm sure, we just have to fine tune it and dig deep to find a solution. 

Thumbs up on a more-cushioned yoga mat. I'm adding a big fluffy towel to the top of my mat because of sweat, but it also adds a lot of cushion. Your hard-working knees deserve some support, too, yes.

I'm feeling very guarded about not filling in small spots of free time, and not taking on new projects because I have to take care of myself, and like the way I eat, it's a habit I need to break. It occurs to me that the brain work of W30 experience means we are adaptable and can roll the way we choose. This is huge, and I am so grateful. Re-reading this little paragraph, I'm also thinking about the taoist idea of leaving room (in the belly) for thought. 

 

[hollysmokes]

Ahhh having some extra cushion on my knees felt mahvelous this morning. I was very closely supervised by a very bossy big cat so I think I did it right, too! Child's pose is one of the poses that I use to work on my messed up shoulder but having a 17-lb cat lying on your arms while you do it makes it even more interesting. 

I am trying not to take on any new projects either and have been working on tying up the loose ends on some old ones so I don't have that feeling of something always hanging over my head. It's all small stuff but it seems like there's a ton of it. So yesterday evening I had the house to myself and was planning on finishing up some tomato business. After I packed up my breakfast & lunch stuff for today and did some other little things I do so I don't have to think first thing in the morning, I realized that I really wanted to do nothing. So I did. Sort of. I experimented with "fried" eggplant in the air fryer and called that dinner (meh), massaged some nice lotion into my peeling knees and painted my toes a lovely purple color. For dessert I had some raisins, coconut flakes and almonds with some turmeric/chamomile/CBD tea. Not template by any means but not bad (except for the handful of chocolate covered raisins that I had when I got home). It felt good and made me realize how much I really need to work on not creating more projects for a while. It's hard, though. I'll look at a giant cabbage and think about all of the different krauts I want to make then my meat guy will put pork butts on sale and I think sausage and all of a sudden I have a fridge full of projects! And they all have expiration dates because everything will go bad if I don't get it done.

I hope your egg reintroduction goes well. I had the last of my egg salad for breakfast this morning; it was so good. I love the crunchies in it. Even though I can't stand celery in a green salad (not sure why cuz I like it any other way but yuck), it's a must-have in egg, tuna or chicken salad along with lots of pickles. Other than that, I keep it pretty simple. My slaw, too. It's just cabbage, mayo, a splash of red wine vinegar, s&p and a tiny bit of onion just like my grandmother and my dad made it.  If I want to get fancy, I might add a little dill or some jalapeno paste I keep in the freezer but plain is best. Sounds like I'm making slaw this weekend! You had quite the cook-up! Garam masala sounds really good in the sliders. I'll have to do that and it's perfect for my breakfasts because I don't think my husband would go for it. I really like adding a bunch of vegetables to those curry turkey patties last week. It stretched them out and I got extra servings of vegetables out of it. Darn it! Every time I write veg or veggies, I think of your husband  and have to go back and change it!

Yay for rain! We're getting pretty dry and not expecting any rain for at least the next 10 days. We'd like to get some cover crop seeds thrown into the garden but, unless there's rain to get them to germinate, they're just fodder for the little critters. So we wait! Speaking of the garden, I think we're going to go to the biodynamic conference this year. Yipee! We haven't been able to go the last couple of years because it's the weekend before Hoedown and I really want to go. It's a camping weekend but it's pretty easy because food is included and there's lots of wonderful people with enormously great energy and music and delicious food and learning, and, and...you get it! It makes me feel peaceful and happy just thinking about it. I just found out yesterday that our friend that hosts it is now a certified hemp grower in TN so he has biodynamic hemp. I want to recreate that tea I had last night because I can't make a habit of $5 tea bags! Hmmm...that would be another project, wouldn't it?

On 9/5/2019 at 12:10 PM, LadyLisbette said:

leaving room (in the belly) for thought

Always.

Thank you.

[LadyLisbette]

Oh, I wish I had a big cat, or a small person to sit on my low back in child's pose. That feels so good! Squeaky is a very good helper, I see!

That's hilarious about correcting veg to vegetables. Having read your post this morning, today over lunch at the Mexican place (I had chicken fajitas and skipped the rice and tortillas, and no chips) I said veggies on purpose, which I haven't done in years, and the look on hubs' face made me cackle, and it was hard to stop. He threw a chip in my plate in protest. That's the biggest fight we've had in an age, all in jest. Ha ha! Feel free to veg it up here all you like, we both know it's forbidden, therefore, desirable. 

Cooking does not sound like doing nothing, although experimenting is fun, even if the eggplant wasn't what you hoped for. Lotioning, and purple nail polish, and dessert all does sound divine, though! Isn't it nice to have the house to yourself once in a while? Hubs is outside with his telescope tonight, so I kinda have the house to myself for a while. I had a big project to finish at work so I worked late on that, and didn't have time to clean, so I'll go back tomorrow morning to knock that out in daylight. Tomorrow evening we'll join friends at their house for a jazz documentary in their outdoor theater. Socializing, a novel concept, and on a school night, too, wooo hoo!

I was going to ask you about your coleslaw, I knew it would be something special I had never tried, so I will try that. Do you use red onion, or yellow, or? I have just been using mayo, ACV, garlic and onion powder, and loads of s&p, and pickles...but the real onion, and something sweet, maybe like a sweet onion, sounds really good! As for the egg salad, I will have to try more finely chopping, or even mincing the celery b/c I do love celery, but the last batch was a tad too crunchy. When I have celery in the house I like to stuff it with almond butter, and I realize that I've cut wayyy back on nut butters in the last year, which is good - a food w/o brakes for me. About jalapeno paste, is it roasted and then pureed? Wow. That sounds amazing. You always teach me things I've never heard of.

Your biodynamic conference sounds wonderful, right up your alley. And you will be fed, instead of cooking for others! That sounds good. Oh my gosh, $5 tea serving is steep, that had better be worth the money! Is it? Uh oh, making your own sounds like a project...of course there are big projects, and smaller projects...and worth it projects. Will your friend cut you a deal or even gift you some hemp for your tea? Can we go back to hunter gatherer days, with plenty of time for dreaming and playing? Sigh. I've been thinking lately about the phase in late teens when one is yearning for leaving home and passing over the threshold of becoming an adult. I absolutely feel a similar inclination now, yearning for free time to spend as I wish - time to be at home and in the garden, to do as I please -  the threshold of becoming a retired person. I mean, I will always work and be purposeful, unlike my husband who wishes to never have to speak to anyone unless he wants to (poor guy!) but the pace of this life is insane. I think that half-time work sounds great.

It seems I'm sleeping better by just adding a little more activity, eating a more W30-ish diet, and getting to bed early. I'm dream journaling again, too, which is very satisfying - self therapy! If I'm rested, I don't mind getting up early with the dream journal, and even enjoy it. Of course, that cuts in to exercise time...I haven't yet been able to do both, or do it all...the pressure I put on myself! The clock! The commitments! Argh!

There's a ton of egg salad and chili in the fridge, but I will next make wonton meatballs, and then another batch of the garam masala/apple sliders, maybe with mushrooms and minced onions and kale to pack some more veggies in there 

[hollysmokes]

OK, what happened to this week??!! I've been crazy busy at work and taking it a little easier at home but this week just went by in a blur. I've cooked a little, read a little and moved a little. I'm sleeping better but it's hard to tell sometimes because of a large black cat that thinks the middle of the night is cuddle time and time to wash my face  It's so odd that he's so clingy at night and in the morning when I'm trying to stretch but then he's Mr. Independence the rest of the time.

How was that jazz documentary? It sounds like so much fun. We're off to see The Mavericks tonight so that'll be fun then my husband leaves for a short trip to Talledega on Thursday and won't be back until Sunday. I usually enjoy having some "me" time but I'm struggling with it this time because the house still has that empty feeling. I'm trying to come up with some nice activities but can't really think of anything to get excited about. Maybe it will just be a "go with the flow" time.

So how did your egg reintro go? Great idea on the garam masala! I made a hash with ground pork, collards, 'shrooms onions and poblano peppers then seasoned it up with the garam masala and topped it with some scrambled eggs and fermented peppers and onions. I think I'm going to do a similar thing next week. My pepper puree was born out of desperation! We had an overabundance of green jalapenos and I had already done everything I could think of with them so I just threw a bunch of them in the blender, put the puree in a ziplock and froze it flat so I could just break off a chunk when I wanted it. It actually turned out to be a good idea!

Tomato time is officially over. I am eating the very last one at lunch today and that's it! There are no more hiding in the fridge, ripening on the counter or cooking down waiting to be canned. I haven't done the final tally yet but our starting volumes were four 20 qt pots and three 15 qt pots full. That's over 30 gallons and doesn't count all of the ones we ate and cooked with! Time to move on to peppers now. It's been really dry and hot so everything is getting that end of the season baked look to it. Now  that it's almost fall, we're getting our summer heat wave. I guess that's the price we pay for having such civilized temperatures all summer! 

I dream about working part-time or even just switching to four 10-hour days. I like to think I'd love not working but I really think that as soon as the novelty wore off, I'd be craving it. A billion years ago I left the healthcare world for a couple of years to work for my mom in her restaurant and found I really wanted to get back to the science again. Even though it's a hard, tough business, it didn't challenge my brain in the same way that science does and what I'm doing now is more challenging than ever. Speaking of which, I'd better get back to it. Not sure what's in store for this weekend but today is Friday the 13th, Bill Monroe's birthday and Ayrton Senna Racing Day all rolled into one! Make it a good one!

 

 

[LadyLisbette]

Last week was a busy one for me too, especially in regard to all the socializing I did, starting with the jazz documentary. That was super fun, in their outdoor theater. The moon rose, a couple of dogs were hanging out with us, the hosts served ice cream and fancy French cookies - the stars got brighter through the trees, and the film was a really good one - score. Later in the week I played cards with friends at a restaurant before our dinner was served...it was a game I had never played before, and the "real" night of cards was Friday night with a bunch of women I know, so the first night was in preparation for the second night...I was called in as a substitute for this group who play regularly....not sure I would want to do that ALL the time, but I do like the idea of a group of women meeting regularly. It's been on my mind for a long time to create or become a part of such a group. My game is backgammon...and Taboo. While I can't always socialize three times per week, I must say, it did my soul good.

And because it cut into clean-up-the house- and-after-the cat time a little bit, I think it enlightened my hubby about how much I do, and he pitched in more than usual...so that was good.

Cats are so mysterious! I'm charmed by Squeaky's contradictory ways. My late Guinevere was a slobber on your face when you're sleeping sort of cat. It only takes me a split second to conjure up the vibration of her purring. Sigh! It's been so long since I've had a cat or dog in the bed, I wonder how I would like that again. Sometimes I feel very selfish and want to not have any pets moving forward, and sometimes I want to get a cat or 2 AND a dog and just give in to the process for all that critter love. I guess I don't have to decide right now. The interruption of sleep is a big deal, though...I'm sending Squeaky a telepathic message about how cozy the foot of the bed is. 

I'm at a loss to understand what's going on with eggs. Egg salad was ok. Fried eggs were ok. But on Sunday, eggs and bacon were not ok. And so far, coffee IS ok. I'm thinking there must be combinations that are the problem, though doing a program that studies combinations feels daunting to me right now. The good news is that with the cooler weather, I'm back to morning hikes this week. It's a great opportunity to practice self compassion, as I can really feel the loss of fitness. However, I know that I can recover it, and I'm celebrating being back out there. In just two days, I've learned to take a backpack weighted down with things I might or might not need, but the extra weight is comforting on my back, and gives me a little extra challenge for my efforts. It's buggy, so I'm wearing my bug net - can't bug me now. 

Do you have more music coming up? We have Jazz Fest in 10 days...we're thinking Spooky Cat is in good enough shape to have our kind neighbor drop in and clean the box etc while we're gone. I hope we don't regret that, but we're taking a gamble, and don't want to miss our annual pilgrimage. She does well with a hefty dose of CBD in fresh cream morning and night. I refreshed the mama-cat plug ins, and who knows, but that may all explain the fact of less blood. More will be revealed, right?

I'm all over the place with food right now - yesterday and today I've been back to my old runner's breakfast of half an almond butter sandwich with honey or half a banana and coffee. So far so good with my joints, but I need to get some paleo cooking going soon.

Sweet day, sweet Holly xo

[hollysmokes]

Snarky Puppy tonight!! Woohoo! The opening act looks interesting, too: House of Waters, a three piece with percussion, a six-string bass and a hammered dulcimer(!!!). I have dinner planned and almost ready to go- chicken enchilada-stuffed peppers based off of a paleurunningmama recipe that kirbz mentioned. I was hoping that Spooky would be in a good enough place so you could go to Jazz Fest so I'm glad to hear it! 

I've been a bit all over the place with food, too. I've been mostly compliant but made some delicious succotash with the last of the summer corn and fresh limas and had to have some. I need to put the leftovers in the freezer, though. I indulge in really good corn a few times during the summer and want to incorporate beans here and there but I've had succotash twice since I made it and that's enough. I spent all of last night getting stuff into the freezer but that one didn't make it yet. I didn't realize how much I had cooked up that was freezer ready but I'm starting to feel like my freezer is on its way to being well stocked again-yay. When I was cleaning out the fridge, I noticed one lone flour tortilla in there so I had a quesadilla with the leftover taco meat that was going in the freezer . It was gooey, cheesy good but I'm back on track today and had my new fermented green tomato relish with my hash this morning. I really, really like it but I wanted it to be a little spicy and our jalapenos are being really wimpy. When I put it all together to start fermenting I minced up fresh stevia leaves in it to balance some of the acid and it worked really well. It's not sweet but I think it mellowed it out a bit. I'm guessing that would not be compliant, though, even though I'm using it in the same way that dates are approved for use.

I wish it was cooling down here; we've been hitting triple digits (barely) every day but early mornings and late evenings have been nice. My husband will leave town before I get home tomorrow and won't be back until Saturday night or Sunday and I'm determined to spend time every day moving above and beyond what I've been doing. My morning mobility has (mostly) increased to 20 minutes and I've added more core into it, which I need desperately. It felt good to have some sore abs last weekend! I'm trying to be brave enough to go on a short solo hike but it's not a hike I've done before so I don't know if that's the smartest thing to do. I should probably just take advantage of our hill. I'm trying get chore-type things done this week so I have extra time for myself this weekend. I'm trying to think of simple things to cook that I wouldn't normally eat because my husband isn't a fan. So far, scallops come to mind. 

Fitness trivia for the day: did you know that your armpits are like your arches? They are formed by muscles rather than being an actual structure like a kneecap. If you don't have a "pit" in your armpit, it's because of lack of muscle, not due to fat (which is what I thought). I've worked on my feet a lot so now I guess I need to work on my armpits! It makes sense that I have less of an armpit on my left side, my injured side.

Time to get my head back to work. Have a beautiful, joyful day! xo to you too!

 

[LadyLisbette]

How was Snarky Puppy? I looked at and listened to a little House of Waters, on good 'ole YouTube, and I can see the complementary nature of the groups. The hammered dulcimer!!! I am a big fan of Lisa Gerrard and her Chinese hammered dulcimer, so magical. 

I'll have to look into that recipe that Kirbz recommended. This forum is amazing for sharing such things! Sounds yummy. I'm in a bit of a rut, but I know I will pass through this phase. I went hiking again this morning, and stretched afterwards. But now I need to focus on an earlier start, and catch the sunrise!

Your succotash sounds great, and all that good "money in the bank" freezer fare. Good job!! I wish you a peaceful and enjoyable house-to-yourself. Since you have been so productive and so busy after harvest season - though you may be still harvesting peppers? - and also so busy at work lately, I imagine you may be due for some serious down time in between the extended conscious movement sessions. I am reading a book that is more science-ey than what I usually read, and I am getting an idea of the rigour that science as a profession can be. Do you write and publish papers for your work? As for cuisine, are you pursuing scallops while hubbie is gone? I love scallops...

I didn't know any of that great stuff about armpits! Ha! Stands to reason that your left armpit reflects the injury on the left side, certainly...a new thing to focus on! I am slowly but surely getting myself settled at home in terms of where to do my floor work, and movement. I found my free weights, and I think I'll take it all downstairs so that the yoga porch can be the movement space. The incline bench should get moved from the garage to that spot, too, or actually to the nearby closet so I can take it out easily when I need it. One day I might re-claim the living room but for now I gladly surrender it to Spooky. Thanks for your enthusiasm about our going to MJF. The count down is on.

I experienced some amusing serendipity on the trail this morning. I usually don't bring my phone to the trail, but since I'm carrying a backpack, I figured I might as well, and I snapped a few pictures, including a self portrait of my shadow as it resembled the old Robert Crumb "Keep on Truckin"". So for a few minutes that was my mantra, keep on truckin'...and soon I noticed that I was approached by an old man and his walking stick, and his little black dog, who I had spied in the distance a few days ago. He was wearing the "actual" iconic image of Keep on Truckin' on a tee-shirt. AND he turned out to be the owner of the house we just moved out of. Ha. We struck a lovely rapport, and I imagine I'll be bumping into him again. Now HE has easy access to this trail, that rascal. Meanwhile, I get used to the 7 minute commute, which is no big deal after all. = )

[hollysmokes]

Snarky Puppy was great and House of Waters was, too. My husband hasn't listened to  much SP and wasn't sure what to expect but he really enjoyed the show, too. So fun! That was our last show. We've been looking forward to all of the music we had scheduled for September but also dreading it. It all worked out and only two of the four shows were on a school night so we weren't too sleep deprived. I was tired enough yesterday that, by the time I got home, I was ready for some down time and wasn't feeling very ambitious. I stopped to pick up a couple of storage containers, got my meals together for today, bottled some muscadine kombucha that is amazing and fixed myself some lamb chops and cauli for dinner then called it quits. I was tired enough that I didn't even care that I had a sink full of dirty dishes! I slept pretty well last night and did my dishes this morning so I'm off to a pretty good start today. I'm picking up scallops on the way home and planning on having them with a side of roasted asparagus wrapped in prosciutto.

Now that I have a food plan, I need a movement plan. I'm thinking Katie Bowman videos this afternoon and a couple of trips up the hill tomorrow morning before it gets too hot. I have a few things bouncing around in my head that I'd like to accomplish this weekend but I'm trying not to have a to-do list. We'll see how that goes. I've been trying to wind up the loose ends of projects and get some things organized so if I can keep that going, it'll give me a good sense of "getting stuff done" without turning into a major work-a-thon. I'll run a couple of errands this afternoon, including stopping by my favorite used bookstore, so I don't have to leave the hill tomorrow unless I want to. 

Even though I'm going to be listed as an author on an upcoming journal article, I don't write professional articles. I give researchers the cells they need to figure out how to stop people from dying of hematological malignancies and then they publish, giving credit to my biorepository and, of course, the grants that support it. Right now I'm trying to solve some technical problems I'm having with a cell counter and am evaluating a different counter. It's making me dredge up chemistry stuff that I haven't used in eons so, even though it's annoying to have to do it, it's good for my brain. 

Keep on truckin'! 

 

 

[LadyLisbette]

The lists! That was the other thing that brought you to my mind while reading this book https://www.amazon.com/Search-Canary-Tree-Scientist-Changing/dp/154169712X 

I'm reading it as part of a kind of community book club - and book clubs are something that I don't usually feel drawn to AT ALL - but it's put on by our local Friends of Library, the books are free, meant to share, and there are a bunch of programs around it including some Native locals who will talk about local trees, and a visit from the author. I'm reading it on the author's promise that it contains hope for the future re climate change. And she is big into Lists, like you = ) Nice work, I'm proud of you for what you do at work.

Great that you sailed through all the great live music, even on school nights! Is the movement program, and/or the CBD helping you sleep well? I don't know if I mentioned it but I'm on a cocktail of valerian root capsules and CBD together, which is really helping me more than one of those things in isolation. And as if I didn't already know I'm sleeping soundly, my mate is reporting that I'm snoring like a lumber mill (blush). I'm not sorry, though. 

Your recent cooking and menu plan sound really good. I like your plan to set yourself up so you don't have to leave the hill. Will you pamper yourself? Will there be time to lounge and read, it sounds like? Sounds good! I have a 2 lb bag of shrimp in the freezer and I think I will make lemon garlic shrimp with it, as it may be easier than making shrimp cakes as I usually do. I'm still winging it with elements of paleo fare, and off-roading, but I'm reigning myself in gradually with the help of 5 days in a row of morning hikes. This is a good feeling, and I'm gathering back in some self regard. I've been in a place of throwing out the rules and letting myself off the hook for so much cooking...though I am craving the benefit of that effort and investment of time. Not sure where I'm going with this, but it feels good to relax the rules, and self-expectations. 

Speaking of food, Spooky has been gradually eating and drinking less in recent days, and is no longer interested in the fresh cream. She is also surprising us with extra LOUD purring and meowing in morning greeting. So robust. I'm making an effort to spend quality time on the floor with her, even if I don't think I have time. Though she's not a lap cat, her affection is there, and I know she has needs for closeness as she so often purrs when we are nearby. I guess the road goes up and down as it gradually goes down...and every down slope one wonders if this is it, and so far she has proven "no" this isn't it yet. 

 

[LadyLisbette]

Spooky has gone over to the other side. She was purring one moment, and 30 minutes later she was gone. I was at work, and Hubs was in the other room, but when he found her she was still warm.  If she struggled, we didn't see it. She had her chin resting on Hubs' shoes as per usual in recent months.

R.I.P Spooky, and look for Maybelle in the happy hunting grounds.

[hollysmokes]

Tears for both of our girls. I'm glad your husband was home with her. How is he doing? And how are you? Much love to you both.

[LadyLisbette]

"Fortune presents gifts not according to the book"...and so I experienced the surprise of my taking it much harder than I thought...and I don't know what I expected of my husband who I have not known to experience grief before, but he is taking it better than I thought, and showed/shows such love and tenderness. I think I love him even more now. Oh, we are both missing her so much. It seems like there is part of the brain that doesn't get the memo. And so my husband's pick of a grave site is comforting - right out the dining room window we can see the corner of the garden bed where she is. We put some of Mom's garden art deer to look over her. It will take a long time. It's a wonder that anyone ever gets a second pet after losing the first one, isn't it?

Hubs has said that it couldn't have gone better. Like Maybelle, no stranger danger. And he quoted back to me a hospice truism that people tend to die the way they lived: and so Spooky got her beloved solitude...she liked her affections brief, in between copious alone time. I'm sure you will relate to this, but it's so weird, every time you come home, leave home, go to bed, get out of bed...that absence is so wrong. We think we'll get a couple of cats in the not too distant future, but I need a break...I haven't even finished the cleaning yet, but it will wait until after jazz. Oh, and indoor/outdoor with a cat door like yours, one that we can lock at night. We like this idea.

Also after jazz I need to clean up my act with food. Thank you in advance for being here for that big hot mess. I've been eating sandwiches, and I'm starting to sense a bit of inflammation.

Hey, how was your home-alone weekend? Did you get to chill? Katy Bowman movement sessions? Scallops?

[hollysmokes]

Weekend before last my husband went up to the top of our hill and, since we haven't had any rain in forever, Maybelle's ashes were still visible where we sprinkled them. He had already mentioned that he was surprised at how hard it was/is for him and was pretty choked up when he came back down. How nice that you can see where she is from the house. The previous owners of our house had a fairly well populated pet cemetery behind the house and we didn't want Maybelle there. We were also worried about not being able to make her grave deep enough because we're on rock and certainly didn't want anything to disturb her. There was a wonderful, kind man that ran the crematory where we brought her so that made it a little easier but it was so strange to think that she was alive that morning and I was picking up her ashes before lunchtime.

 When I met my husband, he had an awesome black Chow. She loved being around people and was very friendly and playful but didn't like being hugged on for more than a second or two. He used to say that she liked being admired from afar. That sounds like Spooky's attitude as well. I like that they both died the way they lived. The cleaning was hard and it's still hard to see where her litter box was but she left me a little surprise. We had to replace the ceiling light in the kitchen in the basement and it was a two-person/two-ladder job. When I got up on the ladder and looked down at the top of the refrigerator, there were lots of little kitty footprints in the dust. Of course, I had to take pictures of it and now the top of that fridge will probably never get wiped off.

My home alone weekend wound up being a non-starter. My husband finished what he was doing early and was home by noon on Saturday. No KB movement but I did have scallops- yum. Costco has them refrigerated and I looked at them and got super grossed out. They were floating in this milky, white liquid that just looked so disgusting there was no way I could eat them. I was so disappointed but then I found some in the freezer section and the only ingredient was scallops. I probably should have been more imaginative but I just sauteed them in brown butter ghee and they were delicious. I finally finished putting my chicken enchilada stuffed poblano peppers last night. I wasn't very enthusiastic about them because I had eaten the chicken filling for lunch every day last week and was sick of it but, by the time I put it in the peppers and topped it with the sauce and a little cheese, they were delicious. I've been slacking off of cooking for the last week or so and didn't even do a breakfast cook-up this weekend. I think we're eating leftovers tonight. I guess I need to get out of this rut and plan something for tomorrow night.

I know coming home will be hard but enjoy MJF. Be kind to yourself and just enjoy it.

xo

[LadyLisbette]

I must say I wondered about (in our case unidentified) pet burials, myself...did you know about the pet cemetery because of grave markers, or verbal disclosure? In truth, we are all walking over all kinds of remains all the time, aren't we. I'm so glad for the kind man who took care of you at the crematorium - that makes such a big difference. Maybelle's paw prints on the refrigerator! Oh! That is the most charming thing ever, and I would never remove them, either. What a beautiful, ghostly reminder. There is a name for this kind of reminder...I'll have to noodle on it and get back to you...I was just reading about this...like the paw prints that remain, or a voice on a recording...fingerprints, photos, a stray hair, etc...

Turns out we have very rocky land here, too, which should not have been a surprise but it was in our stunned state. Hubs spent a lot of time and labor digging that grave. I tried to take a shift but didn't have the grit to dig out the granite rocks. Instead I brought whisky. We didn't get quite as much depth as we wanted, but carefully put the rocks back and we feel she is well-protected from any curious beasts. Sigh. I sympathize with your you and your husband! Do you remember when we lost power in December, and it got so cold, and after two days, and my husband fighting on the phone with the power company, the cat began trembling with cold.  Just as I suggested that we should start looking for a pet-friendly hotel the power came back on. Cold as she was, she wouldn't let me hold her for very long, that's why she had the red blanket on her in the photo i sent you, and we buried her in it. 

It feels comforting to share about it with you. I know you get it with immediacy. And yes, S. sounds so much like your sweet black Chow! These creatures teach us that it's okay to have limits! (Still, I do love and crave a snuggle bunny cat...I guess I should be careful what I wish for.)

Your weekend: the best laid plans, right? Do you feel that it was better that way? The cooking sounds good. Sometimes the simplest/fewest ingredient preparation can be so very delicious. Have you been cooking less because work has kept you busier and more occupied than usual? Don't let me be a bad influence on you! (I know, it's not all about me...) I'm psyching myself for this "relaxed" period to be part of my overall education, and since I posted here last, I realized I don't have to wait until after MJF to get my act together! A girl does need green things in the fridge, though....

So tonight I will prep and marinate chicken thighs in some gyros-type seasonings, and tomorrow night I will fire up the BBQ for the first time in ages. After S. died, Hubs moved a large Amazon delivery box that we had been using to block her way to a corner of the room...and lo and behold, among other things there were my flat-edged BBQ skewers that I had lost track of. So I think I'm going to like these skewers. I'll pick up enough veg to get us through the week and just keep it simple. Thank you for the words of wisdom about enjoying the weekend...and you are right -- it's the homecoming that will be hard. If I'm honest, I thought she would go this week and never need the pet-sitter...I just didn't think it would be so soon.

[hollysmokes]

There were quite a few grave markers right outside of the house but they were very small and we thought that perhaps their young son had made them. We were hoping that they were for fish or something small like that but we don't really know. It bothered me so one day I quietly went out there and removed the markers. Over the years, my Dad and his wife buried three big dogs next to their house and got small granite markers made for them. Of course it's a lot easier to dig in south Louisiana than it is here or where you are. We'd need dynamite. We have Ling Ling's (the Chow) ashes in a beautiful handmade urn next to our fireplace. Her ashes were one of the few things that I packed in my car as we left the house before Katrina, not knowing if it would even be there when we came back. They put Maybelle's ashes in a pretty little wooden box but I couldn't stand looking at it and thinking about her cooped up in that tiny space so I set her free and nestled the box at the bottom of a tree thinking that maybe some little critter on the hill might make it their home.

I do remember your big power outage. She looks good in red. I was so worried that she would go while you were gone. You know that's my job, right? To worry about things that I have absolutely no control over? But I was worried for you anyway. I like your idea of getting a couple of cats...later. My knee jerk reaction was to get a pair fairly quickly but I think letting Squeaky be a solo kitty is the right thing for him. I've always liked to have my animals overlapping so there is continuity. I feel like one generation learns from the other and there's a part of the ones who have passed on still present in the younger generation. That is not to be this time.

I think I've been cooking less because I'm tomato-tired. It was nice to have something freshly cooked and different last night, though. I've had a wretched day at work today so now I'm thankful for leftovers for tonight. I've been enjoying puttering around the house tying up loose ends and decluttering.

Oh, and we have a snake IN THE HOUSE!

[LadyLisbette]

Whaat? What kind of a snake is it? YIKES!  Is it something "the cat dragged in"? Details, please.

Tomato tired. Oh, that makes sense! Well the weekend is almost here again (whoosh) - hope you can get some good rest!

Good that your brought Ling Ling with you! I realize that there are many different things that one can do with ashes, and there is no right or wrong, really. My dear stepdad really has a hard time letting go, and he still has the ashes of the two family dogs at the end of his marriage with my mom (before I took over her care), Mom'sashes, and her father's ashes...Mom used to keep Grandad's ashes in the car and talk to him when she missed him = ) I used to think it was "wrong" to hold on to ashes...and always wished we could release them as a family. Then I met a woman in hospice care and she talked about relations inheriting ashes down through generations, and I let it all my "shoulds" go...for my own purposes I would like to lovingly scatter Mom's ashes according to her wishes, but it's a very sensitive subject with her ex, and I would rather let him have his way....hopefully I will get to outlive my stepdad and these things will fall into place. In Patti Smith's book Just Kids she talked about handling her best friend's ashes and described the texture, and I think she even tasted them...and it strikes me as very intimate and brave.

It's kind of nice to have a friend who worries over my affairs. I know it's your nature, and I don't wish you any anguish or suffering, but it is endearing xo I do so like the idea of generations of cats overlapping. What have you found to work well when introducing cats to each other? Does age seem to matter, or personality? Do you play it by ear? I fancy the SPCA's recommendation of letting them smell and sense each other through a closed door so that when the door is opened they are already acquainted, but I don't have any actual practice in that area.

A local woman who I am thinking of working with in therapy is a Jungian and we have talked some about dreams, as I am looking for a therapist who can help me sort through my dreams. I'm rather like a developmental five year old, and tend to interpret things literally, though I am learning to branch out from that place. She said that her pets sometimes come to her in dreams first, "I met my Shadow in a dream"...she was referring to a dog LOL!

In other news, nothing like trying on new clothes to face the music of one's weight. Yeah, I'm back to best practices!

[hollysmokes]

Crazy, crazy day and I just have a second. I wasn't sure when you were heading to MJF and wanted to wish you happy travels and wonderful music. I'll have to dig it out but, somewhere I have a great quote from Tim O'Brien about the power of art. Gotta fly! 

Be safe and enjoy!

[LadyLisbette]

Hiya Holly! Another MJF...it was a good one. I'll re-cap some of the highlights, but first a story from when we were leaving town on Friday.

We stopped for lunch at the gourmet sub shop as usual. In the week since Spooky died, I've had swimming in my head that  "your pet finds you" and "find your pet in your dreams first" stuff I've heard just doesn't happen to me. Or it's been so long I can't recall how this magic works. Then as soon as we sat down for lunch outside behind the sub shop, a young calico cat came strutting right across the yard area, right. to. ME. We saw her coming. I couldn't believe my eyes. She jumped right on the bench next to me and purred and rubbed at me. Time stopped for a second!!!! Of course she wanted the chicken in my sandwich. Of course. But she came to ME! The owner remarked that everyone falls in love with her, but no one wants to take her from her nursing kittens. We named her Patches, and remarked about her all weekend. There's a bunch of feral cats there, but for some reason she is tame. We've thought about bringing her home with some kittens when they are old enough, or waiting until after she is pregnant again and bringing her home at that time, and having a house full of cats, then getting her fixed. 

She's kind of long haired, and has the sweetest white paws which seem disproportionately large compared to her petite body. I wonder if early pregnancy stunted her growth, and if she'll grow again when kittens are weaned.

We're not making any decisions, but we want to visit her again, and any move we make will have to be with the blessing of the sub shop folks, I think....be still my heart. = )

This week I'm back to good food and fitness, mark my words!!!

[hollysmokes]

How wonderful! She sounds like a sweetie and taking her kittens would give you double karma bonus points! Getting her fixed before she gets knocked up again would be such a good thing. I would have loved to re-adopt right after Maybelle. I looked for some babies that fit the bill but I think it would have been good for me; maybe not so good for Squeaky.

Food and fitnessI've done neither. I've been eating junk (in between good, compliant meals) and my movement has decreased partly because I've been so busy at work and chained to my computer but also because I haven't been motivated the rest of the time. I'm really discouraged with my weight and have slid into a what-the-hell mode. Maybe after I get lectured at my new doctor appointment tomorrow, I'll get on my bike and quit feeling sorry for myself.

You go!