It's hard work, losing weight, because it's not about one choice (to lose weight), it's about a million little choices. Not just what to have for breakfast, but how much to have, and some of this, but not that, and these but not those, and this treat, but not that one.
I did okay today. I was craving hamburgers fresh from the grill today - 70 degrees out! - but made some decent choices about them. I made my own hamburger buns using 100% whole wheat. I measured out the meat into 1/4 pound patties (4 ounces). I chose lean meat. Everyone else had cheese, but I did not. I made a potato salad recipe that had a vinegrette dressing instead of mayo (and delicious - lots of fresh herbs, reduced wine, whole grain mustard...). I made salad and had extra portions.
A million little choices. Only a tiny bit of mayo on the burger, no second helping of potato salad, go for an extra green salad instead....
I'm going to lose weight by a million little choices at a time,a dn this is what I need to keep reminding myself. I've now been on WW for a week, and so tomorrow morning I will weigh myself, fingers crossed for good results. I will attend my first meeting on Wednesday night,a nd they'll log my weight there, too.
Bit by bit, inch by inch....
Sunday, April 05, 2009
Care
I think that one of the things that I love best about gardening ....
Wait a minute. I said that last sentence without thinking, but I'm realizing that it's wholeheartedly true. I'm learning to love gardening! Me, who two years ago could barely be bothered to stick a tomato in a pot (I rarely got a harvest because I'd kill the tomatoes first) is suddenly A Gardener. Well, whaddayaknow.
Anyway.
One of the things that I love best about gardening is that I feel the care of it. Nurture, care, guardianship. I'm caring for our home - the whole home, not just the indoors. I'm caring for our family. I'm caring for my body (gardening isn't all picking flowers). I'm caring for the neighborhood. I'm tending to the earth in my own small way. I'm caring for Tessa's connection to earth. I'm even caring for our pocketbooks - food grown at home is a LOT cheaper than store-bought food.
Care. I think that care is highly underrated in our society. It seems to me that society all about rushing and accumulation and multitasking, not stopping to nurture.
Gardening has its own schedule. I just put potatoes in the ground, and if they grow the way they're supposed to, I"ll get to harvest them in "late summer." The carrot bed that I planted (under a rosebush - do you suppose that carrots and roses can co-exist peacefully?) doesn't look like a bed of carrots, it looks like dirt. (Fresh black dirt, I might add. I added rich vermicompost to it.) But I have visions of Tessa's friends coming over to pull a carrot for a snack, just like they did last year, only this year I won't have to say "just one please because there aren't that many" (or at least I hope not). Last year we got perhaps a dozen total blueberries - we knew that we wouldn't get much of a crop for a few years. Looking at our yard now, with only small buds on the trees, and bare patches in teh grass, and gardens that look like sticks and dirt, it's hard to imagine any sort of bounty coming from it....but if to everything there is a season, today is the time to plant.
I am tucking vegetables all over the place, trying to care for this planet. Every vegetable that I grow is that much less packaging, that much less travel - even Farmer's Market produce arrives to me in a truck (though a couple of hundred of miles is much better than a couple of thousand). It tastes better, too, but it's better for the planet. (Especially now that I'm making my own compost; I'm not buying anything chemical to put on the beds. I'm still using a little organic fertilizer, but I'm trying to buy as little of that kind of thing as possible and make it all myself. All those kitchen scraps and raked up leaves are going to good use....and one of the benefits of pony lessons is free manure.) So, I feel like I'm caring for the earth.
And I'm caring for my family. Today we're out back, Tessa flying on the swings, then jumping down to examine a worm, and asking me questions about things in the garden, and occassionally doing a bit of her own gardening. Ryan hasn't been feeling well so he's doing comfort stuff - tending to his bike, of course. (This was a compromise; he wanted to ride all day but definitely wasn't up to it.) Tessa has her own ideas about the garden, and what she likes best, and what she wants to do.
And out in front, other neighbors are busy in their gardens, too, planting and tending and planning. We chat with one another, care for one another, connect with one another.
I feel more connected to the earth than ever before. I've always been a nature girl, but nature was often something that I visited to admire. This isn't wilderness, but it is just as much a part of nature. Humankind has been participating in agriculture for about eleven thousand years, and I feel that connection when I get my hands dirty. Tessa and I have picked up "Farmer Boy," the Laura Ingalls Wilder book that is third in her series, and Tessa and I understand so much more of what they're talking about now. It makes me think that, while I'm grateful for computers and blogging and iPods and bread machines and washing machines and indoor plumbing and medicine and all kinds of other modern inventions, humankind was meant to get down in the dirt. I find it shocking that I'm nearly forty years old and I can't really picture what a potato plant looks like, even though I've eaten potatoes my whole life. When I think about it, I can't picture many things that I eat unless I'm picturing them in a plastic sack or in a bin at the grocery store. Well, no more....I'm learning, and I feel the connection of that learning.
It's a quiet way to live, but it feels very full and boisterous, too. "Care" isn't a sexy life philosophy, really, but I don't find it dull.
And I'm hoping that all of these delicious vegetables and fruits that I'm growing will nourish me, and that the work that I do in the garden will tone me, and perhaps THAT will make me feel a little sexier.
Right now, I don't see much of a down side. My aching body even feels good, because my aches are not surgically induced in this case, but brought about by good, hard work.
Nice.
Wait a minute. I said that last sentence without thinking, but I'm realizing that it's wholeheartedly true. I'm learning to love gardening! Me, who two years ago could barely be bothered to stick a tomato in a pot (I rarely got a harvest because I'd kill the tomatoes first) is suddenly A Gardener. Well, whaddayaknow.
Anyway.
One of the things that I love best about gardening is that I feel the care of it. Nurture, care, guardianship. I'm caring for our home - the whole home, not just the indoors. I'm caring for our family. I'm caring for my body (gardening isn't all picking flowers). I'm caring for the neighborhood. I'm tending to the earth in my own small way. I'm caring for Tessa's connection to earth. I'm even caring for our pocketbooks - food grown at home is a LOT cheaper than store-bought food.
Care. I think that care is highly underrated in our society. It seems to me that society all about rushing and accumulation and multitasking, not stopping to nurture.
Gardening has its own schedule. I just put potatoes in the ground, and if they grow the way they're supposed to, I"ll get to harvest them in "late summer." The carrot bed that I planted (under a rosebush - do you suppose that carrots and roses can co-exist peacefully?) doesn't look like a bed of carrots, it looks like dirt. (Fresh black dirt, I might add. I added rich vermicompost to it.) But I have visions of Tessa's friends coming over to pull a carrot for a snack, just like they did last year, only this year I won't have to say "just one please because there aren't that many" (or at least I hope not). Last year we got perhaps a dozen total blueberries - we knew that we wouldn't get much of a crop for a few years. Looking at our yard now, with only small buds on the trees, and bare patches in teh grass, and gardens that look like sticks and dirt, it's hard to imagine any sort of bounty coming from it....but if to everything there is a season, today is the time to plant.
I am tucking vegetables all over the place, trying to care for this planet. Every vegetable that I grow is that much less packaging, that much less travel - even Farmer's Market produce arrives to me in a truck (though a couple of hundred of miles is much better than a couple of thousand). It tastes better, too, but it's better for the planet. (Especially now that I'm making my own compost; I'm not buying anything chemical to put on the beds. I'm still using a little organic fertilizer, but I'm trying to buy as little of that kind of thing as possible and make it all myself. All those kitchen scraps and raked up leaves are going to good use....and one of the benefits of pony lessons is free manure.) So, I feel like I'm caring for the earth.
And I'm caring for my family. Today we're out back, Tessa flying on the swings, then jumping down to examine a worm, and asking me questions about things in the garden, and occassionally doing a bit of her own gardening. Ryan hasn't been feeling well so he's doing comfort stuff - tending to his bike, of course. (This was a compromise; he wanted to ride all day but definitely wasn't up to it.) Tessa has her own ideas about the garden, and what she likes best, and what she wants to do.
And out in front, other neighbors are busy in their gardens, too, planting and tending and planning. We chat with one another, care for one another, connect with one another.
I feel more connected to the earth than ever before. I've always been a nature girl, but nature was often something that I visited to admire. This isn't wilderness, but it is just as much a part of nature. Humankind has been participating in agriculture for about eleven thousand years, and I feel that connection when I get my hands dirty. Tessa and I have picked up "Farmer Boy," the Laura Ingalls Wilder book that is third in her series, and Tessa and I understand so much more of what they're talking about now. It makes me think that, while I'm grateful for computers and blogging and iPods and bread machines and washing machines and indoor plumbing and medicine and all kinds of other modern inventions, humankind was meant to get down in the dirt. I find it shocking that I'm nearly forty years old and I can't really picture what a potato plant looks like, even though I've eaten potatoes my whole life. When I think about it, I can't picture many things that I eat unless I'm picturing them in a plastic sack or in a bin at the grocery store. Well, no more....I'm learning, and I feel the connection of that learning.
It's a quiet way to live, but it feels very full and boisterous, too. "Care" isn't a sexy life philosophy, really, but I don't find it dull.
And I'm hoping that all of these delicious vegetables and fruits that I'm growing will nourish me, and that the work that I do in the garden will tone me, and perhaps THAT will make me feel a little sexier.
Right now, I don't see much of a down side. My aching body even feels good, because my aches are not surgically induced in this case, but brought about by good, hard work.
Nice.
Refusing to rush
We stayed home from church this morning. We just weren't up to the rush; Ryan is all stuffed up, and we haven't been home together in a week really Ryan was gone for six days) and we just feel the need to move slowly this morning.
I've been reading "Mother Earth News," and Ryan is finishing the last few pages of his book. Tessa is reading some Easter stories to herself - we keep them up in the attic and just brought them down, along with the 'egg tree' that is now on our dining room table - and we're drinking coffee by the gallon. Sarah McLachlan's "Ordinary Miracle" is our church music this morning, and I'll read from Mark Nero's affirmations for Ryan and I. We will walk to the Farmer's Market, we will work on the garden.
Next week we will go to church. But today, we needed this quiet family time.
I've been reading "Mother Earth News," and Ryan is finishing the last few pages of his book. Tessa is reading some Easter stories to herself - we keep them up in the attic and just brought them down, along with the 'egg tree' that is now on our dining room table - and we're drinking coffee by the gallon. Sarah McLachlan's "Ordinary Miracle" is our church music this morning, and I'll read from Mark Nero's affirmations for Ryan and I. We will walk to the Farmer's Market, we will work on the garden.
Next week we will go to church. But today, we needed this quiet family time.
Saturday, April 04, 2009
The Parent Trap
Tonight Ryan isn't feeling well - it is the sinus infection that has attacked each of us - so he's laying low, Tessa and I are having Chinese (chicken and broccoli for me - low points and boring if I may say so myself) and we're watching The Parent Trap.
Remember it? Hayley Mills - times two - at camp. Lots of shenanigans. Lots of laughter - and Tessa is enjoying it just as much as I did when I was young.
I love having a daughter.
Remember it? Hayley Mills - times two - at camp. Lots of shenanigans. Lots of laughter - and Tessa is enjoying it just as much as I did when I was young.
I love having a daughter.
Gardening
I think it's a bit of an addiction.
This afternoon we spent a few hours tidying up the back yard. Planted three raspberries (bringing us to five total; the other two are out front), a lovely lupine (one of my all time favorite flowers) and a red columbine. I set up the beginnings of a potting bench and stocked it with old pots, cleaned up leaves, pulled weeds out of the grass, filled in a hole Shep and friend had dug and reseeded the grass...
A whole bunch of nothin' important, in other words. But it feels SO good to be outside, to get my hands in the dirt, to add to the compost, to grow things....
This afternoon we spent a few hours tidying up the back yard. Planted three raspberries (bringing us to five total; the other two are out front), a lovely lupine (one of my all time favorite flowers) and a red columbine. I set up the beginnings of a potting bench and stocked it with old pots, cleaned up leaves, pulled weeds out of the grass, filled in a hole Shep and friend had dug and reseeded the grass...
A whole bunch of nothin' important, in other words. But it feels SO good to be outside, to get my hands in the dirt, to add to the compost, to grow things....
Friday, April 03, 2009
Home from the cabin
A lovely time with Katie, Jessie and Emma.
I counted WW points the whole time, managed some treats (Katie's home made scones and a glass of wine) and didn't go over. Very nice.
My pants still don't fit and I still feel fat - different than looking fat, but I *feel* fat in the way my body wears my clothes and feels lethargic - but I am on plan. Change will happen!
Now we're waiting for Ryan to arrive, hopefully in the next hour. We've missed him this week, and it will be great to have our little family back at home together.
I counted WW points the whole time, managed some treats (Katie's home made scones and a glass of wine) and didn't go over. Very nice.
My pants still don't fit and I still feel fat - different than looking fat, but I *feel* fat in the way my body wears my clothes and feels lethargic - but I am on plan. Change will happen!
Now we're waiting for Ryan to arrive, hopefully in the next hour. We've missed him this week, and it will be great to have our little family back at home together.
Wednesday, April 01, 2009
Only a little bit evil
Sometimes, I get very invasive questions about why I only have one child and aren't I going to give her a brother or sister etc.
I always start with the polite answer, "We're very happy with the size of our family, and couldn't ask for more. We're content."
But if people keep asking, I can't resist adding "Well, I had to have my ovaries and uterus removed because of my cancer treatment so I can't have more children."
That usually ends the conversation.
It's a little bit evil but I can't stop myself. We only wanted one to begin with, but if someone is going to go on and on and on, well, this does tend to end the conversation.
I always start with the polite answer, "We're very happy with the size of our family, and couldn't ask for more. We're content."
But if people keep asking, I can't resist adding "Well, I had to have my ovaries and uterus removed because of my cancer treatment so I can't have more children."
That usually ends the conversation.
It's a little bit evil but I can't stop myself. We only wanted one to begin with, but if someone is going to go on and on and on, well, this does tend to end the conversation.
A new day
I emailed my boss to postpone our next meeting about the book. I'm annoyed that I had to do so, but I just haven't been able to accomplish as much as I had hoped.
Drat.
Tessa and I will be heading up to Crystal Mountain with friends tomorrow morning for a quick trip, and I can't wait. We won't ski, but we'll play in the snow, sled, and have a great time. I'm certainly looking forward to it.
And planning meals. Yes, this is a part of WW that I must adjust to. I need to plan for success, and if I'm not careful then I'll play in the snow for a few hours, work up a huge appetite, and then go inside and consume mammoth quantities of chips, salsa, and sour cream. Ack! But no, I won't do it. Instead, I'll go to the store today, and I'll pick up some more fruit, and I'll make some little snack containers. Today I think I'll make hummus - with carrots, I find it a near perfect snack. I also volunteered to make dinner, and received a request for tacos. No problem - I can do that! I will use whole grain tortillas (though I'll bring the "regular" kind too), I'll skip the cheese, and I'll go heavy on the veggies. I'll bring fresh lime juice to garnish mine, even as others pile on the cheese and sour cream.
I can do this. (And really, I'm telling myself that, not you, gentle reader.)
Today I woke up to weather that was nearly snowing; cold sleet was falling. Brrr. However, it seems to have stopped now, so I think it's time to get Shep some exercise. I will bundle up!
Drat.
Tessa and I will be heading up to Crystal Mountain with friends tomorrow morning for a quick trip, and I can't wait. We won't ski, but we'll play in the snow, sled, and have a great time. I'm certainly looking forward to it.
And planning meals. Yes, this is a part of WW that I must adjust to. I need to plan for success, and if I'm not careful then I'll play in the snow for a few hours, work up a huge appetite, and then go inside and consume mammoth quantities of chips, salsa, and sour cream. Ack! But no, I won't do it. Instead, I'll go to the store today, and I'll pick up some more fruit, and I'll make some little snack containers. Today I think I'll make hummus - with carrots, I find it a near perfect snack. I also volunteered to make dinner, and received a request for tacos. No problem - I can do that! I will use whole grain tortillas (though I'll bring the "regular" kind too), I'll skip the cheese, and I'll go heavy on the veggies. I'll bring fresh lime juice to garnish mine, even as others pile on the cheese and sour cream.
I can do this. (And really, I'm telling myself that, not you, gentle reader.)
Today I woke up to weather that was nearly snowing; cold sleet was falling. Brrr. However, it seems to have stopped now, so I think it's time to get Shep some exercise. I will bundle up!
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Shakespeare
Had to look it up, and do the same game but just for Shakespeare:
Works
Comedies
Main article: Shakespearean comedy
All's Well That Ends Well‡ X
As You Like It
The Comedy of Errors
Love's Labour's Lost
Measure for Measure‡
The Merchant of Venice X
The Merry Wives of Windsor
A Midsummer Night's Dream X
Much Ado About Nothing X
Pericles, Prince of Tyre*†[d]
The Taming of the Shrew X
The Tempest* X
Twelfth Night, or What You Will X
The Two Gentlemen of Verona
The Two Noble Kinsmen*†[e]
The Winter's Tale*
Histories
Main article: Shakespearean history
King John
Richard II X
Henry IV, part 1 X
Henry IV, part 2 X
Henry V X
Henry VI, part 1† [f]
Henry VI, part 2
Henry VI, part 3
Richard III
Henry VIII†[g]
Tragedies
Main article: Shakespearean tragedy
Romeo and Juliet X
Coriolanus
Titus Andronicus†[h]
Timon of Athens†[i]
Julius Caesar X
Macbeth† [j] X
Hamlet X
Troilus and Cressida‡ X
King Lear
Othello X
Antony and Cleopatra
Cymbeline*
Poems
Shakespeare's Sonnets X
Venus and Adonis
The Rape of Lucrece
The Passionate Pilgrim[k]
The Phoenix and the Turtle
A Lover's Complaint
Lost plays
Love's Labour's Won
Cardenio†[l]
Only 18 or so. So I lied, unintentionally. Not even half! Well, that's something to look forward to. I hope to read them all....with the notable exception of the histories. Don't enjoy them in the slightest. The only reason I read what I have of the histories is brilliant college professors forced me. (Thank you, Prof. Webster.)
Works
Comedies
Main article: Shakespearean comedy
All's Well That Ends Well‡ X
As You Like It
The Comedy of Errors
Love's Labour's Lost
Measure for Measure‡
The Merchant of Venice X
The Merry Wives of Windsor
A Midsummer Night's Dream X
Much Ado About Nothing X
Pericles, Prince of Tyre*†[d]
The Taming of the Shrew X
The Tempest* X
Twelfth Night, or What You Will X
The Two Gentlemen of Verona
The Two Noble Kinsmen*†[e]
The Winter's Tale*
Histories
Main article: Shakespearean history
King John
Richard II X
Henry IV, part 1 X
Henry IV, part 2 X
Henry V X
Henry VI, part 1† [f]
Henry VI, part 2
Henry VI, part 3
Richard III
Henry VIII†[g]
Tragedies
Main article: Shakespearean tragedy
Romeo and Juliet X
Coriolanus
Titus Andronicus†[h]
Timon of Athens†[i]
Julius Caesar X
Macbeth† [j] X
Hamlet X
Troilus and Cressida‡ X
King Lear
Othello X
Antony and Cleopatra
Cymbeline*
Poems
Shakespeare's Sonnets X
Venus and Adonis
The Rape of Lucrece
The Passionate Pilgrim[k]
The Phoenix and the Turtle
A Lover's Complaint
Lost plays
Love's Labour's Won
Cardenio†[l]
Only 18 or so. So I lied, unintentionally. Not even half! Well, that's something to look forward to. I hope to read them all....with the notable exception of the histories. Don't enjoy them in the slightest. The only reason I read what I have of the histories is brilliant college professors forced me. (Thank you, Prof. Webster.)
The definition of procrastination
According to the BBC, most people will have only read 6 of the 100 books here.
Instructions:
1) Look at the list and put an 'x' after those you have read.
2) Add a '+' to the ones you love.
3) Star (*) those you plan on reading.
4) Tally your total at the bottom.
5) Put in a note with your total in the subject
1 Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen X +
2 The Lord of the Rings - JRR Tolkien X
3 Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte X +
4 Harry Potter series - JK Rowling X (okay I didn't finish the series)
5. To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee X+
6 The Bible - X
7 Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte X
8 Nineteen Eighty Four - George Orwell X
9 His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman
10 Great Expectations - Charles Dickens X
11 Little Women - Louisa M Alcott X +
12 Tess of the D’Urbervilles - Thomas Hardy X (NOT the role model for Tessa!)
13 Catch 22 - Joseph Heller X
14 Complete Works of Shakespeare X + (but admittedly read MOST not ALL) *
15 Rebecca - Daphne Du Maurier
16 The Hobbit - JRR Tolkien X
17 Birdsong - Sebastian Faulk
18 Catcher in the Rye - JD Salinger X
19 The Time Traveller’s Wife - Audrey Niffenegger X
20 Middlemarch - George Eliot X
21 Gone With The Wind - Margaret Mitchell *
22 The Great Gatsby - F Scott Fitzgerald X
23 Bleak House - Charles Dickens
24 War and Peace - Leo Tolstoy
25 The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams *
26 Brideshead Revisited - Evelyn Waugh
27 Crime and Punishment - Fyodor Dostoyevsky X
28 Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck X
29 Alice in Wonderland - Lewis Carroll X
30 The Wind in the Willows - Kenneth Grahame X+
31 Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy X
32 David Copperfield - Charles Dickens
33 Chronicles of Narnia - CS Lewis X
34 Emma - Jane Austen X +
35 Persuasion - Jane Austen X +
36 The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe - CS Lewis X
37 The Kite Runner - Khaled Hossein
38 Captain Corelli’s Mandolin - Louis De Bernieres
39 Memoirs of a Geisha - Arthur Golden X
40 Winnie the Pooh - AA Milne X +
41 Animal Farm - George Orwell X
42 The Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown X
43 One Hundred Years of Solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez X
44 A Prayer for Owen Meany - John Irving *
45 The Woman in White - Wilkie Collins
46 Anne of Green Gables - LM Montgomery X +
47 Far From The Madding Crowd - Thomas Hardy X
48 The Handmaid’s Tale - Margaret Atwood X +
49 Lord of the Flies - William Golding X
50 Atonement - Ian McEwan X
51 Life of Pi - Yann Martel X
52 Dune - Frank Herbert *
53 Cold Comfort Farm - Stella Gibbons *
54 Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austen X +
55 A Suitable Boy - Vikram Seth
56 The Shadow of the Wind - Carlos Ruiz Zafon X
57 A Tale Of Two Cities - Charles Dickens
58 Brave New World - Aldous Huxley X
59 The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time - Mark Haddon X +
60 Love In The Time Of Cholera - Gabriel Garcia Marquez X
61 Of Mice and Men - John Steinbeck X
62 Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov
63 The Secret History - Donna Tartt
64 The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold X
65 Count of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas
66 On The Road - Jack Kerouac X
67 Jude the Obscure - Thomas Hardy X
68 Bridget Jones’s Diary - Helen Fielding (saw the movie, don't htink that counts)
69 Midnight’s Children - Salman Rushdie *
70 Moby Dick - Herman Melville X (I'm counting it even though I didn't finish it!!!)
71 Oliver Twist - Charles Dickens X
72 Dracula - Bram Stoker
73 The Secret Garden - Frances Hodgson Burnett X +
74 Notes From A Small Island - Bill Bryson *
75 Ulysses - James Joyce X
76 The Bell Jar - Sylvia Plath X
77 Swallows and Amazons - Arthur Ransome
78 Germinal - Emile Zola
79 Vanity Fair - William Makepeace Thackeray
80 Possession - AS Byatt X
81 A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens X
82 Cloud Atlas - David Mitchell
83 The Color Purple - Alice Walker X
84 The Remains of the Day - Kazuo Ishiguro *
85 Madame Bovary - Gustave Flaubert X
86 A Fine Balance - Rohinton Mistry
87 Charlotte’s Web - EB White X +
88 The Five People You Meet In Heaven - Mitch Albom
89 Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
90 The Faraway Tree Collection - Enid Blyton
91 Heart of Darkness - Joseph Conrad *
92 The Little Prince - Antoine De Saint Exupery *
93 The Wasp Factory - Iain Banks
94 Watership Down - Richard Adams
95 A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole
96 A Town Like Alice - Nevil Shute
97 The Three Musketeers - Alexandre Dumas
98 Hamlet - William Shakespeare X
99 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Roald Dahl X
100 Les Miserables - Victor Hugo (saw the musical...!)
-----------------
If I can count Xs, I've read 59 of the above. What about you?
Instructions:
1) Look at the list and put an 'x' after those you have read.
2) Add a '+' to the ones you love.
3) Star (*) those you plan on reading.
4) Tally your total at the bottom.
5) Put in a note with your total in the subject
1 Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen X +
2 The Lord of the Rings - JRR Tolkien X
3 Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte X +
4 Harry Potter series - JK Rowling X (okay I didn't finish the series)
5. To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee X+
6 The Bible - X
7 Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte X
8 Nineteen Eighty Four - George Orwell X
9 His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman
10 Great Expectations - Charles Dickens X
11 Little Women - Louisa M Alcott X +
12 Tess of the D’Urbervilles - Thomas Hardy X (NOT the role model for Tessa!)
13 Catch 22 - Joseph Heller X
14 Complete Works of Shakespeare X + (but admittedly read MOST not ALL) *
15 Rebecca - Daphne Du Maurier
16 The Hobbit - JRR Tolkien X
17 Birdsong - Sebastian Faulk
18 Catcher in the Rye - JD Salinger X
19 The Time Traveller’s Wife - Audrey Niffenegger X
20 Middlemarch - George Eliot X
21 Gone With The Wind - Margaret Mitchell *
22 The Great Gatsby - F Scott Fitzgerald X
23 Bleak House - Charles Dickens
24 War and Peace - Leo Tolstoy
25 The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams *
26 Brideshead Revisited - Evelyn Waugh
27 Crime and Punishment - Fyodor Dostoyevsky X
28 Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck X
29 Alice in Wonderland - Lewis Carroll X
30 The Wind in the Willows - Kenneth Grahame X+
31 Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy X
32 David Copperfield - Charles Dickens
33 Chronicles of Narnia - CS Lewis X
34 Emma - Jane Austen X +
35 Persuasion - Jane Austen X +
36 The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe - CS Lewis X
37 The Kite Runner - Khaled Hossein
38 Captain Corelli’s Mandolin - Louis De Bernieres
39 Memoirs of a Geisha - Arthur Golden X
40 Winnie the Pooh - AA Milne X +
41 Animal Farm - George Orwell X
42 The Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown X
43 One Hundred Years of Solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez X
44 A Prayer for Owen Meany - John Irving *
45 The Woman in White - Wilkie Collins
46 Anne of Green Gables - LM Montgomery X +
47 Far From The Madding Crowd - Thomas Hardy X
48 The Handmaid’s Tale - Margaret Atwood X +
49 Lord of the Flies - William Golding X
50 Atonement - Ian McEwan X
51 Life of Pi - Yann Martel X
52 Dune - Frank Herbert *
53 Cold Comfort Farm - Stella Gibbons *
54 Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austen X +
55 A Suitable Boy - Vikram Seth
56 The Shadow of the Wind - Carlos Ruiz Zafon X
57 A Tale Of Two Cities - Charles Dickens
58 Brave New World - Aldous Huxley X
59 The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time - Mark Haddon X +
60 Love In The Time Of Cholera - Gabriel Garcia Marquez X
61 Of Mice and Men - John Steinbeck X
62 Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov
63 The Secret History - Donna Tartt
64 The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold X
65 Count of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas
66 On The Road - Jack Kerouac X
67 Jude the Obscure - Thomas Hardy X
68 Bridget Jones’s Diary - Helen Fielding (saw the movie, don't htink that counts)
69 Midnight’s Children - Salman Rushdie *
70 Moby Dick - Herman Melville X (I'm counting it even though I didn't finish it!!!)
71 Oliver Twist - Charles Dickens X
72 Dracula - Bram Stoker
73 The Secret Garden - Frances Hodgson Burnett X +
74 Notes From A Small Island - Bill Bryson *
75 Ulysses - James Joyce X
76 The Bell Jar - Sylvia Plath X
77 Swallows and Amazons - Arthur Ransome
78 Germinal - Emile Zola
79 Vanity Fair - William Makepeace Thackeray
80 Possession - AS Byatt X
81 A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens X
82 Cloud Atlas - David Mitchell
83 The Color Purple - Alice Walker X
84 The Remains of the Day - Kazuo Ishiguro *
85 Madame Bovary - Gustave Flaubert X
86 A Fine Balance - Rohinton Mistry
87 Charlotte’s Web - EB White X +
88 The Five People You Meet In Heaven - Mitch Albom
89 Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
90 The Faraway Tree Collection - Enid Blyton
91 Heart of Darkness - Joseph Conrad *
92 The Little Prince - Antoine De Saint Exupery *
93 The Wasp Factory - Iain Banks
94 Watership Down - Richard Adams
95 A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole
96 A Town Like Alice - Nevil Shute
97 The Three Musketeers - Alexandre Dumas
98 Hamlet - William Shakespeare X
99 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Roald Dahl X
100 Les Miserables - Victor Hugo (saw the musical...!)
-----------------
If I can count Xs, I've read 59 of the above. What about you?
Monkey mind
I've got major monkey mind. (A Buddhist expression, if I recall correctly. When meditating, it refers to the inability to be still and think on a single subject or mantra, and to have one's mind scattered and picking up on every little idea that pops in.) When I read "Eat, Pray, Love" by Elizabeth Gilbert, I laughed out loud for a few minutes, giggling, as I read her own descriptor of monkey mind, and thought "That's it! That's me!" (She tries to imagine a placid lake, but ends up being annoyed by the jetskis on her imaginary lake.....but read the book, because it's so much more than that.)
Anyway, today I have several objectives:
1) Write book. Research, write, organize.
2) Stay on track for WW.
3) Enjoy the solitude of my house.
Nowhere on that list does it say "do laundry" (one load is in the wash, another in the dryer), or "write blog post" or "surf web" but that is what I've been doing. Oh dear.
Time to get this monkey mind on track. C'mere, little monkey. I won't hurt you. Come here.....let me pet you....here you go. I'll take care of you. You can do this....
PS I am actually excited about WW. Excited! Susan and Carolyn and I are having a mutual 40th birthday celebration at the end of May and I'm imagining how I will look then, two months from now. And I'm going to look good. And this summer? I will be the girl in shorts and a bikini top, building sand castles with Tessa. But most of all? I will be the girl who fits her own clothes!!!! I am so tired of the one pair of "fat jeans" that I'm wearing every day, or of the major muffin top created by my too-small-clothes. Today, I'm on track and lovin' it.
Anyway, today I have several objectives:
1) Write book. Research, write, organize.
2) Stay on track for WW.
3) Enjoy the solitude of my house.
Nowhere on that list does it say "do laundry" (one load is in the wash, another in the dryer), or "write blog post" or "surf web" but that is what I've been doing. Oh dear.
Time to get this monkey mind on track. C'mere, little monkey. I won't hurt you. Come here.....let me pet you....here you go. I'll take care of you. You can do this....
PS I am actually excited about WW. Excited! Susan and Carolyn and I are having a mutual 40th birthday celebration at the end of May and I'm imagining how I will look then, two months from now. And I'm going to look good. And this summer? I will be the girl in shorts and a bikini top, building sand castles with Tessa. But most of all? I will be the girl who fits her own clothes!!!! I am so tired of the one pair of "fat jeans" that I'm wearing every day, or of the major muffin top created by my too-small-clothes. Today, I'm on track and lovin' it.
Monday, March 30, 2009
Weight Watchers, Day I
I haven't signed up for meetings yet (still researching that pesky money issue), but I've started back on Weight Watchers.
I learned that my most favorite breakfast is 5 points. (2 points worth of oatmeal, one of plain nonfat yogurt, 1 of berries, and 1 of maple syrup, which isn't so healthy but makes the rest taste so good, and 0 for coffee in quantity.) I learned that the fish tacos that I enjoy are 7 points. I learned that in mid-afternoon everything is a danger zone because I wanted pastries and more. (I got a banana instead, 2 points.)
And I had to laugh at the food messages surrounding me. Right before I ate the banana, as I left PCC, the car was facing the McDonald's across the street. I don't like McDonalds - it doesn't speak to my values - but suddenly I thought "mmmm cheeseburger." No no no! The banana came straight out of the bag of groceries at that point....phew, saved.
And I was listening to short stories on the iPod (PRI "Selected Shorts" - check it out) and one talked about glazed donuts and the other talked about coconut macaroons that were small and golden and had toasted almonds on the top.....
Thank goodness I gave away all of the tea party leftovers (except the chicken sandwich filling, which despite a small amount of mayonnaise is really yummy and healthy) or I would have come home and devoured them.
Victory, one (not eaten) baked good at a time.
And on another note....
Tessa is at Grammy & Grandpa's so that I can work on the book. Today (I just got home, so it's really this evening) I will whip the house into shape so that I can concentrate on my writing; I just don't do a good job working when things are cluttered.
And Tessa was so excited to see Grammy and Grandpa, and to go swimming, and to eat Grandpa's whipped cream (he sprays it on her finger and lets her lick it off - yuck! and she loves it), and to have Grammy take her to riding lessons, and to perhaps see her cousins. I am grateful for this extended family of mine.
And the entire house to myself, with just Shep and Mo for company. Wow that's a trip!
Now, off to get busy.
I learned that my most favorite breakfast is 5 points. (2 points worth of oatmeal, one of plain nonfat yogurt, 1 of berries, and 1 of maple syrup, which isn't so healthy but makes the rest taste so good, and 0 for coffee in quantity.) I learned that the fish tacos that I enjoy are 7 points. I learned that in mid-afternoon everything is a danger zone because I wanted pastries and more. (I got a banana instead, 2 points.)
And I had to laugh at the food messages surrounding me. Right before I ate the banana, as I left PCC, the car was facing the McDonald's across the street. I don't like McDonalds - it doesn't speak to my values - but suddenly I thought "mmmm cheeseburger." No no no! The banana came straight out of the bag of groceries at that point....phew, saved.
And I was listening to short stories on the iPod (PRI "Selected Shorts" - check it out) and one talked about glazed donuts and the other talked about coconut macaroons that were small and golden and had toasted almonds on the top.....
Thank goodness I gave away all of the tea party leftovers (except the chicken sandwich filling, which despite a small amount of mayonnaise is really yummy and healthy) or I would have come home and devoured them.
Victory, one (not eaten) baked good at a time.
And on another note....
Tessa is at Grammy & Grandpa's so that I can work on the book. Today (I just got home, so it's really this evening) I will whip the house into shape so that I can concentrate on my writing; I just don't do a good job working when things are cluttered.
And Tessa was so excited to see Grammy and Grandpa, and to go swimming, and to eat Grandpa's whipped cream (he sprays it on her finger and lets her lick it off - yuck! and she loves it), and to have Grammy take her to riding lessons, and to perhaps see her cousins. I am grateful for this extended family of mine.
And the entire house to myself, with just Shep and Mo for company. Wow that's a trip!
Now, off to get busy.
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Time to make a commitment
My pants don't fit.
My lovely 6, 6, 1, 1 plan isn't working.
I think it's time to go back to Weight Watchers. It works for a reason.
Now, I just need to cough up some cash. Cough, cough - hmmm, nothing. I'll look elsewhere.
But seriously, I really need to do something about this, and NOW.
I think I'm ready to recommit.
My lovely 6, 6, 1, 1 plan isn't working.
I think it's time to go back to Weight Watchers. It works for a reason.
Now, I just need to cough up some cash. Cough, cough - hmmm, nothing. I'll look elsewhere.
But seriously, I really need to do something about this, and NOW.
I think I'm ready to recommit.
Grateful
I spent the evening with Family Promise. The recipients of Family Promise's help are some lovely, lovely families, and they are deserving of our thoughts, prayers, assistance, and care. Deeply deserving, actually.
I came home filled with gratitude for my life. I am grateful, in no particular order, for the following:
1) My home. It is my haven, my refuge, my sanctuary, my shelter.
2) My extended family. With their combined resources, I think I will never be homeless.
3) My education. Should I become homeless, I have many avenues to work.
4) My healthcare and health insurance. These families have experienced suffering that makes me ache and makes some of my problems look so small.
5) The peacefulness of American soil. I know, it's so far from perfect, and there is so much pain. But I do not know what a bomb sounds like except from TV. I have never held a gun. I have never experienced war. And for these things, I'm extraordinarily grateful.
There are so many more things, big and small, on my gratitude list, but these are the top. And tonight I go to bed more grateful than when I started this day, that is for certain.
I came home filled with gratitude for my life. I am grateful, in no particular order, for the following:
1) My home. It is my haven, my refuge, my sanctuary, my shelter.
2) My extended family. With their combined resources, I think I will never be homeless.
3) My education. Should I become homeless, I have many avenues to work.
4) My healthcare and health insurance. These families have experienced suffering that makes me ache and makes some of my problems look so small.
5) The peacefulness of American soil. I know, it's so far from perfect, and there is so much pain. But I do not know what a bomb sounds like except from TV. I have never held a gun. I have never experienced war. And for these things, I'm extraordinarily grateful.
There are so many more things, big and small, on my gratitude list, but these are the top. And tonight I go to bed more grateful than when I started this day, that is for certain.
Favorite Bible Verse
Today at church I got a favorite Bible verse.
Luke 6:36 (spoken by Jesus): Be compassionate as God is compassionate.
I looked it up in Ryan's "Revised standard version" and it uses the word "merciful" in place of "compassionate;" and I looked it up in Ryan's"The New English Bible" and it said "Be compassionate as your Father is compassionate;" and I looked it up in my old "Good News for Modern Man" Bible and it said, "Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful." "The Way" says, "Try to show as much compassion as your Father does." The NIV version says "Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful" with a footnote that says "God's perfection should be our example and goal."
(Yes, we identify as UUs. But UUs have many sources of wisdom, including "Jewish and Christian teachings." Ryan and I each have the Bibles of our childhoods...plus a few more. They sit on a shelf in "Grandpa's bookcase" in the middle of our home, next to writings by the Dalai Lama, Pema Chodron, Thoreau, Emerson, and a handful of poets including Mary Oliver, Blake, Wordsworth, and Kahlil Gibran, as well as other spiritual writings. )
For a woman who loves language, the differences in the different Bibles are fascinating, for mercy and compassion mean slightly different things with important distinctions.
Still, the version that strikes me is the simple, "Be compassionate as God is compassionate." To me, it's an excellent summary of all that is best about Christianity, and it resonated deeply with me.
I attended the Dalai Lama Seeds of Compassion event about a year ago, and I am truly trying to bring compassion into my life. I'm grateful to have another verse to meditate with.
Luke 6:36 (spoken by Jesus): Be compassionate as God is compassionate.
I looked it up in Ryan's "Revised standard version" and it uses the word "merciful" in place of "compassionate;" and I looked it up in Ryan's"The New English Bible" and it said "Be compassionate as your Father is compassionate;" and I looked it up in my old "Good News for Modern Man" Bible and it said, "Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful." "The Way" says, "Try to show as much compassion as your Father does." The NIV version says "Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful" with a footnote that says "God's perfection should be our example and goal."
(Yes, we identify as UUs. But UUs have many sources of wisdom, including "Jewish and Christian teachings." Ryan and I each have the Bibles of our childhoods...plus a few more. They sit on a shelf in "Grandpa's bookcase" in the middle of our home, next to writings by the Dalai Lama, Pema Chodron, Thoreau, Emerson, and a handful of poets including Mary Oliver, Blake, Wordsworth, and Kahlil Gibran, as well as other spiritual writings. )
For a woman who loves language, the differences in the different Bibles are fascinating, for mercy and compassion mean slightly different things with important distinctions.
Still, the version that strikes me is the simple, "Be compassionate as God is compassionate." To me, it's an excellent summary of all that is best about Christianity, and it resonated deeply with me.
I attended the Dalai Lama Seeds of Compassion event about a year ago, and I am truly trying to bring compassion into my life. I'm grateful to have another verse to meditate with.
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Tea party success
Everything was wonderful. Altogether, there were ten of us, and there was talk and laughter and lots and lots and lots of food.
I'm exhausted. It's the happy kind of exhausted, but I'm wiped out. The sinus infection plus all the hubbub and I will be going to bed when Tessa does!
Still, the dishes are put away, the linens are soaking, and I have a big box of sweet treats to contribute to the coffee hour at church tomorrow.
A lovely day. Maybe I'll do it again next year!
I'm exhausted. It's the happy kind of exhausted, but I'm wiped out. The sinus infection plus all the hubbub and I will be going to bed when Tessa does!
Still, the dishes are put away, the linens are soaking, and I have a big box of sweet treats to contribute to the coffee hour at church tomorrow.
A lovely day. Maybe I'll do it again next year!
PS Mom S, your apron was a hit! I have requests to see if you'll sell them. :-) I love it and it gets so much use...and today it got an audience, too.
Friday, March 27, 2009
Tea Party
Our church holds an annual auction as a fundraiser, and of course asks for donations. I decided to donate a tea party, and the auction sold tickets. Today I've been preparing...for tomorrow is the big day!
I have taken great joy in bringing out Aunt Helen's pink Limoge china, the lacy napkins made by my Great Grandmother Brown (my mother's mother's mother), wedding china, and all fo the silly collected items that I've picked up at thrift shops. I say "silly" because who really needs pink and gold china items - but I love every bit of it.
There is something so incredibly restful about a tea party. Women gathered together to relax in the middle of the day - ahhhh. Delicious things to eat (including curried mango chicken salad sandwiches, cucumber dill sandwiches, creme freshe with lox....and sweets such as chocolate vanilla cupcakes, brownies, and blueberry lemon tea bread; and no tea is complete without scones with lemon curd, preserves, and cream....) with piping hot tea.
And the teapot that Grandpa Goddard gave me goes so delightfully with the tablecloth he gave me. And the sofa that we sit on every day is just so "right" for a tea party. Did Grandpa have this in mind when he gifted me these items?
I have taken great joy in bringing out Aunt Helen's pink Limoge china, the lacy napkins made by my Great Grandmother Brown (my mother's mother's mother), wedding china, and all fo the silly collected items that I've picked up at thrift shops. I say "silly" because who really needs pink and gold china items - but I love every bit of it.
There is something so incredibly restful about a tea party. Women gathered together to relax in the middle of the day - ahhhh. Delicious things to eat (including curried mango chicken salad sandwiches, cucumber dill sandwiches, creme freshe with lox....and sweets such as chocolate vanilla cupcakes, brownies, and blueberry lemon tea bread; and no tea is complete without scones with lemon curd, preserves, and cream....) with piping hot tea.
And the teapot that Grandpa Goddard gave me goes so delightfully with the tablecloth he gave me. And the sofa that we sit on every day is just so "right" for a tea party. Did Grandpa have this in mind when he gifted me these items?
The timing is terrible because I don't feel great, but it's okay, because I do love a good tea party. All this baking (and cleaning!) wears me out, but tomorrow will be the reward of enjoying the effects of my labors.
Really hopeful
I have been chewing on the idea that my fatigue and memory issues are not cancer treatment related.
Suddenly, I am filled with optimism. Perhaps the real me will return! Perhaps I am not stuck in this body, but this body can change (for the better). Perhaps I will get more energy, perhaps I will have a working mind....
Please oh please oh please. I am so very tired (bad pun) of all of this.
So today I'm hopeful. Maybe a tune-up and I'll be good to go again!
In a sadder note, unrelated to myself....
Today I logged on to the YSC to find out that a single mom was diagnosed with mets. She's coming up three years since diagnosis, and her lungs "lit up like a Christmas tree" on her last scan. I hate cancer. Please put her in your thoughts or prayers. Please include her young son in those thoughts and prayers.
Suddenly, I am filled with optimism. Perhaps the real me will return! Perhaps I am not stuck in this body, but this body can change (for the better). Perhaps I will get more energy, perhaps I will have a working mind....
Please oh please oh please. I am so very tired (bad pun) of all of this.
So today I'm hopeful. Maybe a tune-up and I'll be good to go again!
In a sadder note, unrelated to myself....
Today I logged on to the YSC to find out that a single mom was diagnosed with mets. She's coming up three years since diagnosis, and her lungs "lit up like a Christmas tree" on her last scan. I hate cancer. Please put her in your thoughts or prayers. Please include her young son in those thoughts and prayers.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Not an overactive imagination
The bad news: I have a sinus infection, and a "quite large" polyp extruding from my sinuses. (Google "sinus polyp" if you'd like to see some disgusting pics.) This is apparently a sign that the infection is pretty bad, has been ongoing, and may need further attention. We're not talking surgery yet, but left untreated that's what happens to polyps.
(I have had three sinus surgeries. Prior to this whole breast cancer business, my sinuses were my worst physical problem. I was operated on at age 13, age 15, and age not-quite-21, and the last surgery corrected lots of things by removing bone and tissue and other nasty stuff.)
So I'm on some kind of nose spray, and antibiotics, and saline rinses, and I have to follow up with the doc in a few weeks.
My thyroid hormones are "off," and I got another blood test today to see how much.
I thought that I was just dealing with fatigue from the last few years, but the doc said he didn't think so. He thinks I've got a few things going on that might be correctable, adn that, when corrected, my energy will rise. Now wouldn't that be nice?!
In the short term, I feel crummy. (Checked my blog, and I've been coughing for over six weeks. Yuck.)
In the longer term, I'm hopeful that this is not how I will feel forever.
Can I take a nap now?
(I have had three sinus surgeries. Prior to this whole breast cancer business, my sinuses were my worst physical problem. I was operated on at age 13, age 15, and age not-quite-21, and the last surgery corrected lots of things by removing bone and tissue and other nasty stuff.)
So I'm on some kind of nose spray, and antibiotics, and saline rinses, and I have to follow up with the doc in a few weeks.
My thyroid hormones are "off," and I got another blood test today to see how much.
I thought that I was just dealing with fatigue from the last few years, but the doc said he didn't think so. He thinks I've got a few things going on that might be correctable, adn that, when corrected, my energy will rise. Now wouldn't that be nice?!
In the short term, I feel crummy. (Checked my blog, and I've been coughing for over six weeks. Yuck.)
In the longer term, I'm hopeful that this is not how I will feel forever.
Can I take a nap now?
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Ode to the Library
I have been falling in love with the library almost daily lately.
I owned a copy of Sarah McLachlan's 'Surfacing' album, but somehow ended up with just the empty case and liner notes. So, I got it from the library.
I was looking for a good read, and stumbled into The Art of Racing in the Rain -which I finished last night, with sighs of contentment. (Disclaimer: I skipped the entire section where the mom's illness overtakes her and she dies. Just couldn't do it.)
I've been doing yoga videos from the library, and loving it, because some of them are great and some stink, so I can learn which one I want to buy by test driving them. On hold right now is Yoga for stress relief .
Tessa requests "Saddle Club" videos, Ryan reads sci-fi and historical fiction, and I read, well, just about everything else.
Go check it out.
I owned a copy of Sarah McLachlan's 'Surfacing' album, but somehow ended up with just the empty case and liner notes. So, I got it from the library.
I was looking for a good read, and stumbled into The Art of Racing in the Rain -which I finished last night, with sighs of contentment. (Disclaimer: I skipped the entire section where the mom's illness overtakes her and she dies. Just couldn't do it.)
I've been doing yoga videos from the library, and loving it, because some of them are great and some stink, so I can learn which one I want to buy by test driving them. On hold right now is Yoga for stress relief .
Tessa requests "Saddle Club" videos, Ryan reads sci-fi and historical fiction, and I read, well, just about everything else.
Go check it out.
Internal Debate
I have an opportunity to take on a volunteer position for Alki that would commit me at least 5 hours per week, plus meetings. (This equates to one day per week while Tessa is at school, plus some.)
Pros:
Involves writing. Involvement in Tessa's school.
Cons:
Big time commitment.
I'm not writing as much as I want to, I'm not bringing in as much income as I want to, and I'm certainly not exercising as much as I want to.
Sigh. I want to do it all. But can I? Should I?
Pros:
Involves writing. Involvement in Tessa's school.
Cons:
Big time commitment.
I'm not writing as much as I want to, I'm not bringing in as much income as I want to, and I'm certainly not exercising as much as I want to.
Sigh. I want to do it all. But can I? Should I?
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Lovely words to chew on
This came to my email today from the Blue Mountain Center of Meditation, and I loved it enough to share. (Anything that quotes Wordsworth is likely to get my approval, but this in particular I like.)
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Eknath Easwaran’s Thought for the Day
March 25
The little unremembered acts of kindness and love are the best of a good man’s life. – William Wordsworth
Our lives affect others, whether directly, through the environment, or by the force of our example.
For instance, we could say that smoking shows a lack of love. First, our capacity for love is actually caught in the compulsion to smoke. But more than that, the example tells even casual passersby, “Don’t worry about what your doctor says. Don’t worry about the consequences. If it feels good, do it!”
Pele, the Brazilian soccer star, was in a position to command a king’s ransom for endorsing commercial products. He never gave his endorsement to any cigarette, putting the reason in simple words: “I love kids.” That is a perfect choice of words. He does love kids. He knows that in most of the world they will buy anything with his name on it. Therefore, though he came from a poor family, no amount of money can tempt him to do something that will mislead young people or injure their health.
To love is to be responsible like this in everything: the work we do, the things we buy, the food we eat, the people we look up to, the movies we see, the words we use, every choice we make from morning till night. That is the real measure of love; it is a wonderfully demanding responsibility.
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Eknath Easwaran’s Thought for the Day
March 25
The little unremembered acts of kindness and love are the best of a good man’s life. – William Wordsworth
Our lives affect others, whether directly, through the environment, or by the force of our example.
For instance, we could say that smoking shows a lack of love. First, our capacity for love is actually caught in the compulsion to smoke. But more than that, the example tells even casual passersby, “Don’t worry about what your doctor says. Don’t worry about the consequences. If it feels good, do it!”
Pele, the Brazilian soccer star, was in a position to command a king’s ransom for endorsing commercial products. He never gave his endorsement to any cigarette, putting the reason in simple words: “I love kids.” That is a perfect choice of words. He does love kids. He knows that in most of the world they will buy anything with his name on it. Therefore, though he came from a poor family, no amount of money can tempt him to do something that will mislead young people or injure their health.
To love is to be responsible like this in everything: the work we do, the things we buy, the food we eat, the people we look up to, the movies we see, the words we use, every choice we make from morning till night. That is the real measure of love; it is a wonderfully demanding responsibility.
Too scheduled
Today is one of those days that runs and doesn't stop.
Oops. I planned it that way, didn't I?
Six minutes between one activity and the next. Now, ready, set, GO! again.
Oops. I planned it that way, didn't I?
Six minutes between one activity and the next. Now, ready, set, GO! again.
Monday, March 23, 2009
Velveeta
There is no plastic cheese in my house.
You can find cheese from the Farmer's Market, you can find Tillamook cheddar, you can find Manchengo and parmesan, but you will not find Kraft Singles in my refrigerator.
But you already knew that.
Tessa brings her lunch to school with her most days. Last week, she came home and said that her lunch was "the best." "What did I pack again?" I asked, forgetful as usual. She told me, but then added, "I didn't like it, though, so I went to the sharing table. I got a sandwich and it was SOOOO good!"
She had actually brought part of the sandwich home, so I asked to see it. I even took a nibble so that I could verify.
Yup. White bread with fake cheese, grilled with margarine.
As a part of my parenting philosophy, I said, "I'm glad you liked it honey." When she said, "Will you make that for me?" I said "I'll make you grilled cheese, sure!" When she said, "Just like this one?" I had to say, "No." I added that what other people did was their own business, of course, and she could share her friends' food....but I don't use that kind of cheese.
Too funny (to me, anyway). This granola organic locavore mom is going to raise a Kraft mac-n-cheese girl who adores Top Ramen, Velveeta, and cake from boxes. Ah well, I'm trying!
You can find cheese from the Farmer's Market, you can find Tillamook cheddar, you can find Manchengo and parmesan, but you will not find Kraft Singles in my refrigerator.
But you already knew that.
Tessa brings her lunch to school with her most days. Last week, she came home and said that her lunch was "the best." "What did I pack again?" I asked, forgetful as usual. She told me, but then added, "I didn't like it, though, so I went to the sharing table. I got a sandwich and it was SOOOO good!"
She had actually brought part of the sandwich home, so I asked to see it. I even took a nibble so that I could verify.
Yup. White bread with fake cheese, grilled with margarine.
As a part of my parenting philosophy, I said, "I'm glad you liked it honey." When she said, "Will you make that for me?" I said "I'll make you grilled cheese, sure!" When she said, "Just like this one?" I had to say, "No." I added that what other people did was their own business, of course, and she could share her friends' food....but I don't use that kind of cheese.
Too funny (to me, anyway). This granola organic locavore mom is going to raise a Kraft mac-n-cheese girl who adores Top Ramen, Velveeta, and cake from boxes. Ah well, I'm trying!
To engrave upon my heart
Be kind, for everyone you know is facing a great battle.—Philo of Alexandria
The world is too much with us; late and soon,
Getting and spending, we lay waste our powers;
Little we see in Nature that is ours;
We have given our hearts away, a sordid boon!
This Sea that bares her bosom to the moon,
The winds that will be howling at all hours,
And are up-gathered now like sleeping flowers,
For this, for everything, we are out of tune;
It moves us not.--Great God! I'd rather be
A Pagan suckled in a creed outworn; (1)
So might I, standing on this pleasant lea, (2)
Have glimpses that would make me less forlorn;
Have sight of Proteus (3) rising from the sea;
Or hear old Triton (4) blow his wreathed horn.
- William Wordsworth
You must be the change you wish to see in the world.
- Mahatma Gandhi
Live simply that others might simply live.
- Mahatma Gandhi
What is it you plan to do
with your one wild and precious life?
- Mary Oliver
Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it.
- Goethe
Go confidently in the direction of your dreams! Live the life you've imagined. As you simplify your life, the laws of the universe will be simpler.
Henry David Thoreau
Our life is frittered away by detail. Simplify, simplify.
Henry David Thoreau
Just a few quotes that I wanted to collect into one place....these are driving forces in my life right now.
The world is too much with us; late and soon,
Getting and spending, we lay waste our powers;
Little we see in Nature that is ours;
We have given our hearts away, a sordid boon!
This Sea that bares her bosom to the moon,
The winds that will be howling at all hours,
And are up-gathered now like sleeping flowers,
For this, for everything, we are out of tune;
It moves us not.--Great God! I'd rather be
A Pagan suckled in a creed outworn; (1)
So might I, standing on this pleasant lea, (2)
Have glimpses that would make me less forlorn;
Have sight of Proteus (3) rising from the sea;
Or hear old Triton (4) blow his wreathed horn.
- William Wordsworth
You must be the change you wish to see in the world.
- Mahatma Gandhi
Live simply that others might simply live.
- Mahatma Gandhi
What is it you plan to do
with your one wild and precious life?
- Mary Oliver
Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it.
- Goethe
Go confidently in the direction of your dreams! Live the life you've imagined. As you simplify your life, the laws of the universe will be simpler.
Henry David Thoreau
Our life is frittered away by detail. Simplify, simplify.
Henry David Thoreau
Just a few quotes that I wanted to collect into one place....these are driving forces in my life right now.
Waste not, want not
I'm getting more old fashioned by the minute. Old slogans from my Granny Goddard are making more and more sense to me. I may not be a modern woman at all, because I like this new, old fashioned version of myself. (But please don't take away my iPod or make me stop blogging.)
I still remember being a young girl and taking the kitchen scraps out to the back garden with Grandpa Goddard at their Sechelt home. And I remember hanging clothes on the line with Granny. And I remember having Sunday ham dinners, and then making something (beans, soup) with the ham bone. Apparently Granny and Grandpa were way, way ahead of their time, because now I'm trying to learn how to be like them.
This morning I'm making dinner in my new* crockpot/slow cooker. I did inventory of the cupboard stores, and I found a recipe using what we already had. Onions, cumin, cayenne, cloves (yes, cloves), garlic, and chicken drumsticks are at the bottom of the pot. Beans are on the stovetop, plumping up. And next to the beans, the bag of kitchen scraps from the freezer - broccoli ends, carrot tops, chicken bones, and the like - are simmering in a pot with water and salt. When the timer beeps, I'll strain them and add their broth to my chili, and add the beans on top of that.
The recipe called for skinless drumsticks. I pulled the skin off, and threw it into the stock. The beans came in a plastic PCC bag from the bulk bins, and I'll save that for my next trip to the store (I'm out of white beans now). The recipe also calls for canned chilis, which I don't have. I've decided to walk Shep to the store (we both need the exercise) and we'll buy fresh chilis and quickly roast them before throwing them into the pot. That way we won't get BPA from cans, we won't have to throw away or recycle a can (recycling still uses lots of energy and resources), and we'll have fresher food.
This is an entirely new way of cooking for me. A few differences:
1) Using chicken with bones. I used to only buy boneless, skinless chicken breasts. I stopped that habit because it's the most expensive way to buy chicken, but I'm realizing how much I'd given up by doing that. For one, the bones and skin make great chicken stock. For another, it's so much more expensive. For yet another, the slightly darker meat of the other parts of the chicken has great flavor and is more tender. (The extra fat is minimal, especially when you consider that we're eating much less meat per serving than usual - I'd rather have extra tasty meat in smaller quantities.)
2) Beans. My family has not enjoyed beans at all, ever. Then, delightful Ms. McChesney, Tessa's PE teacher, started to teach the kids about the health benefits of beans, and Tessa came home absolutely indignant because I didn't cook beans and "they're healthy, you know!" Ryan is also opening up to certain types of beans, because he wants to be healthful, too. And they're so much better for the environment than meat. I know, I know, this recipe has chicken in it....but I've cut the meat by half, and we'll still get plenty of protein from the beans, and it is a huge step in the right direction.
3) Reduction of packaged things like chilis and tomatoes and stock. I've been a scratch-cook for some time (at least a decade), but I hadn't thought about cans and boxes a bit. I'm thinking of it now.
4) Every part of the food is, well, food. The inedible (to humans) bits make great compost (which gets converted back into edible food in our veggie garden), or worm food (which also returns to us in the veggie garden), or stock (those bones and broccoli ends). I used to throw a lot away that now finds an alternate use.
So I'm learning. With all of these changes, I don't find myself wanting the old stuff, and I'm learning how to cook in such a way that I don't add a lot of cooking time by going the long route. (Throw the stock ingredients in a pot before chopping the onion for the chili....by the time I want it, it will be ready. Of course, I'm making a quick stock, not a rich one, but I think I could manage that, too. It's just a different way of thinking.)
* My old crockpot died, because I accidentally killed it by pinching the cord between the hot pot and the crockery insert, causing it to melt and (briefly) flame. I didn't want to throw it in a landfill, so I called around to find a place to repair it. The cost of the repair would have been $20, which is $14 for labor and $6 for the new cord. The only problem is that it wasn't the greatest crockpot in the world, and I was able to get a brand new, nice one that came with a small "bonus" crockpot suitable for things like spinach dip, that had a better design than the first one, on sale for $27.99. For $8 difference, I got a major upgrade. I really wish it had been more cost effective to keep the old one, but I did get a new one. I saved the crockery insert and I'm planning on using it as a garden planter, at least. :-)
I still remember being a young girl and taking the kitchen scraps out to the back garden with Grandpa Goddard at their Sechelt home. And I remember hanging clothes on the line with Granny. And I remember having Sunday ham dinners, and then making something (beans, soup) with the ham bone. Apparently Granny and Grandpa were way, way ahead of their time, because now I'm trying to learn how to be like them.
This morning I'm making dinner in my new* crockpot/slow cooker. I did inventory of the cupboard stores, and I found a recipe using what we already had. Onions, cumin, cayenne, cloves (yes, cloves), garlic, and chicken drumsticks are at the bottom of the pot. Beans are on the stovetop, plumping up. And next to the beans, the bag of kitchen scraps from the freezer - broccoli ends, carrot tops, chicken bones, and the like - are simmering in a pot with water and salt. When the timer beeps, I'll strain them and add their broth to my chili, and add the beans on top of that.
The recipe called for skinless drumsticks. I pulled the skin off, and threw it into the stock. The beans came in a plastic PCC bag from the bulk bins, and I'll save that for my next trip to the store (I'm out of white beans now). The recipe also calls for canned chilis, which I don't have. I've decided to walk Shep to the store (we both need the exercise) and we'll buy fresh chilis and quickly roast them before throwing them into the pot. That way we won't get BPA from cans, we won't have to throw away or recycle a can (recycling still uses lots of energy and resources), and we'll have fresher food.
This is an entirely new way of cooking for me. A few differences:
1) Using chicken with bones. I used to only buy boneless, skinless chicken breasts. I stopped that habit because it's the most expensive way to buy chicken, but I'm realizing how much I'd given up by doing that. For one, the bones and skin make great chicken stock. For another, it's so much more expensive. For yet another, the slightly darker meat of the other parts of the chicken has great flavor and is more tender. (The extra fat is minimal, especially when you consider that we're eating much less meat per serving than usual - I'd rather have extra tasty meat in smaller quantities.)
2) Beans. My family has not enjoyed beans at all, ever. Then, delightful Ms. McChesney, Tessa's PE teacher, started to teach the kids about the health benefits of beans, and Tessa came home absolutely indignant because I didn't cook beans and "they're healthy, you know!" Ryan is also opening up to certain types of beans, because he wants to be healthful, too. And they're so much better for the environment than meat. I know, I know, this recipe has chicken in it....but I've cut the meat by half, and we'll still get plenty of protein from the beans, and it is a huge step in the right direction.
3) Reduction of packaged things like chilis and tomatoes and stock. I've been a scratch-cook for some time (at least a decade), but I hadn't thought about cans and boxes a bit. I'm thinking of it now.
4) Every part of the food is, well, food. The inedible (to humans) bits make great compost (which gets converted back into edible food in our veggie garden), or worm food (which also returns to us in the veggie garden), or stock (those bones and broccoli ends). I used to throw a lot away that now finds an alternate use.
So I'm learning. With all of these changes, I don't find myself wanting the old stuff, and I'm learning how to cook in such a way that I don't add a lot of cooking time by going the long route. (Throw the stock ingredients in a pot before chopping the onion for the chili....by the time I want it, it will be ready. Of course, I'm making a quick stock, not a rich one, but I think I could manage that, too. It's just a different way of thinking.)
* My old crockpot died, because I accidentally killed it by pinching the cord between the hot pot and the crockery insert, causing it to melt and (briefly) flame. I didn't want to throw it in a landfill, so I called around to find a place to repair it. The cost of the repair would have been $20, which is $14 for labor and $6 for the new cord. The only problem is that it wasn't the greatest crockpot in the world, and I was able to get a brand new, nice one that came with a small "bonus" crockpot suitable for things like spinach dip, that had a better design than the first one, on sale for $27.99. For $8 difference, I got a major upgrade. I really wish it had been more cost effective to keep the old one, but I did get a new one. I saved the crockery insert and I'm planning on using it as a garden planter, at least. :-)
Monday mumbles
It was a good weekend, quiet in a lovely way. On Friday night we headed to see BobCat Bob at C&P, and again felt our good fortune at living where we do. On Saturday we again went to C&P - I hadn't been there in weeks and it was great to hang out - and laughed over the crossword puzzle, talked to friends, and drank buckets of coffee. Then it was gardening time, and we gardenend until we were hobbled. We did take-out for dinner - the first time in a long time - and got Buddha Ruksa Thai food, which was delicious. Sunday Ryan went for a ride while I did a few chores and Tessa did art, and then we all went to church where we got to hear Jim Scott (the composer of serveral UU hymns that I already knew) preach and play guitar and sing. Farmer's Market, more gardening, and then Michele, Dave, and kiddos for dinner.
See? A good weekend.
At the Farmer's Market they had organic starts, and I bought a little flat of veggies. It made me happy just to see them there - so exciting, because it means that spring really is here. I bought (and planted) three kinds of lettuce (12 plants total), two kinds of chard, yellow onions, cabbage, spinach (from seeds), fava beans (seeds), sugar snap peas (seeds), leeks and parsley (last year's parsley seeds didn't get past the slugs; I'm hoping that by doing starts this early, before the slugs really get going, they'll be thriving by warm slug season). These are all cool weather crops, and the entire side garden (last year's garden bed) is full! (There were already strawberries, raspberries, and garlic planted.) It' hard to believe that we've already put in the equivalent of last year's crop, and we've barely gotten started. Next weekend I have plans to put in potatoes in the back yard's raised bed, and if we can work through some of the soil from the new bed then I'm dying to get carrots in. (I actually would like to have a huge carrot section - some of them can overwinter and we eat tons of carrots, so they wouldn't go to waste; plus, they are the perfect children's vegetable, and all the kids who come over just love picking and then eating them).
Ryan has dug up about a quarter of our front lawn - I think of the section he's finished with as the tomato section, because it's the section with the least amount of shade and tomatoes love and need heat.
When I planned the garden in my head, it seemed like it was going to be so large that I could plant whatever I wanted. If only that were the case! Despite its growth, I'm going to have to be judicious in what I plant, because space IS limited. Fortunately, with what I'm learning about crop rotation, I can do some spring crops and then some fall crops in the same place in the garden, doubling the output....
So I'm happily puttering along. Frugal (well, there are start-up costs but in the end it definitely works out to our favor), very green, very healthy. I have aches and pains like I can't believe today but I'm proud of them because they mean I've been working my muscles, and I won't complain if I get some toning out of this.
Today is writing day. Tessa will be at school and then has a playdate, so I'll even get a chance to get in some exercise. Ahhhh.
And on that - I'm off! Time for the morning rush.
See? A good weekend.
At the Farmer's Market they had organic starts, and I bought a little flat of veggies. It made me happy just to see them there - so exciting, because it means that spring really is here. I bought (and planted) three kinds of lettuce (12 plants total), two kinds of chard, yellow onions, cabbage, spinach (from seeds), fava beans (seeds), sugar snap peas (seeds), leeks and parsley (last year's parsley seeds didn't get past the slugs; I'm hoping that by doing starts this early, before the slugs really get going, they'll be thriving by warm slug season). These are all cool weather crops, and the entire side garden (last year's garden bed) is full! (There were already strawberries, raspberries, and garlic planted.) It' hard to believe that we've already put in the equivalent of last year's crop, and we've barely gotten started. Next weekend I have plans to put in potatoes in the back yard's raised bed, and if we can work through some of the soil from the new bed then I'm dying to get carrots in. (I actually would like to have a huge carrot section - some of them can overwinter and we eat tons of carrots, so they wouldn't go to waste; plus, they are the perfect children's vegetable, and all the kids who come over just love picking and then eating them).
Ryan has dug up about a quarter of our front lawn - I think of the section he's finished with as the tomato section, because it's the section with the least amount of shade and tomatoes love and need heat.
When I planned the garden in my head, it seemed like it was going to be so large that I could plant whatever I wanted. If only that were the case! Despite its growth, I'm going to have to be judicious in what I plant, because space IS limited. Fortunately, with what I'm learning about crop rotation, I can do some spring crops and then some fall crops in the same place in the garden, doubling the output....
So I'm happily puttering along. Frugal (well, there are start-up costs but in the end it definitely works out to our favor), very green, very healthy. I have aches and pains like I can't believe today but I'm proud of them because they mean I've been working my muscles, and I won't complain if I get some toning out of this.
Today is writing day. Tessa will be at school and then has a playdate, so I'll even get a chance to get in some exercise. Ahhhh.
And on that - I'm off! Time for the morning rush.
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Missing: PhD in gardening
I have been studying up for the past couple of hours. Some of what I'm studying is a refresher course, and some of it feels brand new. After flipping through the Maritime Gardener guide put out by Seattle Tilth, and thumbing my organic gardening book, and reading the information on the seed packets, and drawing up charts of what I want to plant and what month it should be planted in....I'm overwhelmed. There is so much information to be had!
This is a far cry from digging up the soil, throwing in seeds, and watching them grow.
I'm currently studying about:
- compost and composting methods
- fertilizers
- lawn care (the back yard will remain a lawn, as we love to hang out there with friends and it's Tessa and Shep's play space)
- crop rotation
- cover crops
- irrigation (how ARE we going to water the whole front yard?)
I'm trying to do mostly heirloom, all organic gardening. I prefer perrenials to annuals because in this case I'm cheap and lazy. I want vibrant color (uh oh annuals are good for that) in my flowers, I want interesting textures, I want them to be low maintainance, I'd like native plants, drought resistant.....
I have a lot to learn.
I also have to figure out how to build the path through our new garden beds. Gravel? I'd love slate, but it's too expensive. Any suggestions for inexpensive (free would be good) pathways?
This is a far cry from digging up the soil, throwing in seeds, and watching them grow.
I'm currently studying about:
- compost and composting methods
- fertilizers
- lawn care (the back yard will remain a lawn, as we love to hang out there with friends and it's Tessa and Shep's play space)
- crop rotation
- cover crops
- irrigation (how ARE we going to water the whole front yard?)
I'm trying to do mostly heirloom, all organic gardening. I prefer perrenials to annuals because in this case I'm cheap and lazy. I want vibrant color (uh oh annuals are good for that) in my flowers, I want interesting textures, I want them to be low maintainance, I'd like native plants, drought resistant.....
I have a lot to learn.
I also have to figure out how to build the path through our new garden beds. Gravel? I'd love slate, but it's too expensive. Any suggestions for inexpensive (free would be good) pathways?
Gardening Season Begins!
It's official at our house: gardening season is here.
Of course, this means that it hurts to move right now, because half a day in the garden and I am fully aware of a) how much work it is, and b) how out of shape I am. Never mind, the more work I do, the better it becomes on both counts.
Ryan has begun turning the sod on the remainder of our front lawn, and is finding it more painstaking than he'd remembered, so it's going slower than he'd hoped, but we have genuine progress and I'm really excited about that. The first step is to dig a trench, then we add compost and a handful of fertilizer, and then he replaces the sod, but it's turned upside-down with at least six inches of dirt on top. He does this row by row until the yard is done, working in sections. It's hard going! This worked last year, though, and has many benefits, not least of which is that we don't have to pay to dispose of the "sod." ("Sod" instead of just sod because it's made up of a lot of weeds. This method worked on the equally weedy section on the other side of the walk last year.) It's all done by hand, so it's a good workout (ha!) and it doesn't create greenhouse gases. (Of course, I wouldn't mind if Ryan insisted on the rototiller, but he's insistent that he does it all himself, with just shovels and garden forks and a lot of labor.)
While Ryan was doing this, Tessa and I got busy weeding last year's garden patch, which is just dirt at this time of year. We discovered, though, that the garlic that didn't appear successful last year is thriving now, so we've got garlic in the ground. We separated it and replanted, and we're hoping that our attention didn't kill it. Our neighbor Charlie saw our work and offered us some of his raspberry canes, and we gratefully accepted them, too, and got them in the ground. We cleaned up old dead leaves, cut down an azelea that had died, and then weeded all around it (hmmm wonder if the weeds killed it?!) in preparation for planting flowers in that particular section.
And we worked on our compost - not "just" the worm bins, which we have more or less mastered, but the regular compost bin that sits, neglected, beside the compost. Fortunately for us, it had been neglected long enough to yield a couple of small yard waste bins worth of rich, clean compost in addition to a thick layer of brambles. The brambles were removed and placed in the yard waste where they belonged, and the compost took it's place in the garden.
To be continued....dinner time!
Post dinner...
The compost is strangely exciting to me, because it's another sign that I'm getting it. I'm trying to create the full circle (without waste) of food production, and the compost is comprised of lots of food scraps (and leaves etc.) that are being returned to the earth. This is how it seems like it is supposed to be. Instead of food bits being taken away by big trucks, they are being returned to the earth. The soil in the garden bed from last year looks rich and dark, and though we used commercial compost last year I can start to see how this all comes together. The earth is lush and loose, dark and sweet.
If I can get excited about soil, I can get excited about anything, I suppose. But I feel like I'm reconnecting with the earth, and with parts of nature. I'm working with nature, not against it, and I feel my place on the earth just a little bit more.
I put pansies (my Grandma Goddard's favorite flower) in pots on the porch, and tomorrow I hope to plant some veggies and flower seeds suitable for "early spring planting." We are not past the danger of frost - as evidenced by this morning's white crystals - but some things go well in the ground before frost.
I haven't mapped out the whole garden yet, but I will. Like the Obamas, I'm planting nasturcium and zinna borders, and I'll add in some marigolds, and some other things. I loved our sunflowers last year (though I placed them horribly; I'll do a better job of that this year). Our bulbs from years gone past are coming up; the crocuses are fading, the few remaining daffodils are bobbing their tight yellow heads, and the tulips are leafing. The lavendar looks old and solid, and I can't wait to inhale its scent. (And this year I'm going to dry some, too.)
Fertilize the lawn, cut back the ferns, learn about rhodie care (ours are looking sad)....
Spring must really be here. Hurrah!
Of course, this means that it hurts to move right now, because half a day in the garden and I am fully aware of a) how much work it is, and b) how out of shape I am. Never mind, the more work I do, the better it becomes on both counts.
Ryan has begun turning the sod on the remainder of our front lawn, and is finding it more painstaking than he'd remembered, so it's going slower than he'd hoped, but we have genuine progress and I'm really excited about that. The first step is to dig a trench, then we add compost and a handful of fertilizer, and then he replaces the sod, but it's turned upside-down with at least six inches of dirt on top. He does this row by row until the yard is done, working in sections. It's hard going! This worked last year, though, and has many benefits, not least of which is that we don't have to pay to dispose of the "sod." ("Sod" instead of just sod because it's made up of a lot of weeds. This method worked on the equally weedy section on the other side of the walk last year.) It's all done by hand, so it's a good workout (ha!) and it doesn't create greenhouse gases. (Of course, I wouldn't mind if Ryan insisted on the rototiller, but he's insistent that he does it all himself, with just shovels and garden forks and a lot of labor.)
While Ryan was doing this, Tessa and I got busy weeding last year's garden patch, which is just dirt at this time of year. We discovered, though, that the garlic that didn't appear successful last year is thriving now, so we've got garlic in the ground. We separated it and replanted, and we're hoping that our attention didn't kill it. Our neighbor Charlie saw our work and offered us some of his raspberry canes, and we gratefully accepted them, too, and got them in the ground. We cleaned up old dead leaves, cut down an azelea that had died, and then weeded all around it (hmmm wonder if the weeds killed it?!) in preparation for planting flowers in that particular section.
And we worked on our compost - not "just" the worm bins, which we have more or less mastered, but the regular compost bin that sits, neglected, beside the compost. Fortunately for us, it had been neglected long enough to yield a couple of small yard waste bins worth of rich, clean compost in addition to a thick layer of brambles. The brambles were removed and placed in the yard waste where they belonged, and the compost took it's place in the garden.
To be continued....dinner time!
Post dinner...
The compost is strangely exciting to me, because it's another sign that I'm getting it. I'm trying to create the full circle (without waste) of food production, and the compost is comprised of lots of food scraps (and leaves etc.) that are being returned to the earth. This is how it seems like it is supposed to be. Instead of food bits being taken away by big trucks, they are being returned to the earth. The soil in the garden bed from last year looks rich and dark, and though we used commercial compost last year I can start to see how this all comes together. The earth is lush and loose, dark and sweet.
If I can get excited about soil, I can get excited about anything, I suppose. But I feel like I'm reconnecting with the earth, and with parts of nature. I'm working with nature, not against it, and I feel my place on the earth just a little bit more.
I put pansies (my Grandma Goddard's favorite flower) in pots on the porch, and tomorrow I hope to plant some veggies and flower seeds suitable for "early spring planting." We are not past the danger of frost - as evidenced by this morning's white crystals - but some things go well in the ground before frost.
I haven't mapped out the whole garden yet, but I will. Like the Obamas, I'm planting nasturcium and zinna borders, and I'll add in some marigolds, and some other things. I loved our sunflowers last year (though I placed them horribly; I'll do a better job of that this year). Our bulbs from years gone past are coming up; the crocuses are fading, the few remaining daffodils are bobbing their tight yellow heads, and the tulips are leafing. The lavendar looks old and solid, and I can't wait to inhale its scent. (And this year I'm going to dry some, too.)
Fertilize the lawn, cut back the ferns, learn about rhodie care (ours are looking sad)....
Spring must really be here. Hurrah!
Thursday, March 19, 2009
White House Vegetable Garden!
They're really doing it! They really are!
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/19/dining/19garden-web.html?hp
With war, financial chaos, and so much else going on in politics and the world, I am quite grateful that the Obama family is choosing to pay attention to this cause. Organic, healthy food - cheap! I hope that other Americans follow suit.
(I just finished one of Michael Pollan's early books, Second Nature, and per his advice signed up to receive a number of seed company catalogs. I'm a bit late to the game on that, but I look forward to planning which heirloom varieties to get.)
This weekend we'll break ground on the "new" garden - which means that Ryan will be doing some heavy labor. Tessa and I will tend the ground where the old garden was, pulling weeds, and MAYBE even finding some hardy peas and such to plant. It's garden time!
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/19/dining/19garden-web.html?hp
With war, financial chaos, and so much else going on in politics and the world, I am quite grateful that the Obama family is choosing to pay attention to this cause. Organic, healthy food - cheap! I hope that other Americans follow suit.
(I just finished one of Michael Pollan's early books, Second Nature, and per his advice signed up to receive a number of seed company catalogs. I'm a bit late to the game on that, but I look forward to planning which heirloom varieties to get.)
This weekend we'll break ground on the "new" garden - which means that Ryan will be doing some heavy labor. Tessa and I will tend the ground where the old garden was, pulling weeds, and MAYBE even finding some hardy peas and such to plant. It's garden time!
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Tessa-isms
Warning: cute kid stories follow.
Tessa couldn't find Bear - that is, Special Bear, the one that Uncle Paul bought her when I was in labor with her, the one that she has slept with EVERY SINGLE NIGHT OF HER LIFE - the other day. I wasn't concerned - he had to be somewhere close by, since she'd had him in bed the night before and we are careful not to take him anywhere he might get lost. So, I sent her back into her room to look harder. She looked, she didn't find. She looked more. She got worried, so I joined her in her looking. We started running out of places to look....
And Tessa started packing her bags, putting in small blankets and a pillow, along with other necessities. "What are you doing?" I asked. Tearfully, she responded, "I just can't stay here without Special Bear. I just can't stay." We talked it over further, and she explained how sad she was, and how she had to go. "But I'd miss you!" I told her. We agreed that she could go stay in the back yard, because then I could visit her. But before she could go, I said she had to clean her room.
She's six, so this seemed logical enough to her. We cleaned together.
And we found Special Bear. Fortunately, I am pleased to announce that Tessa still lives INSIDE our house.
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Tessa has started receiving regular allowance. We agreed that she would spend some, save some, and give some away (charity) each week, as we hope to teach her basic financial principles. I am proud to say that she chose "Guest At Your Table" for her first charity; she collected her dollars and then brought them to WSUU for distribution.
http://www.uusc.org/blog/2006/12/guest-at-your-table.html
She is thinking about donating to Family Promise (the homeless shelter we help out with) or "an animal charity" next.
I am very, very proud of the way my daughter so willingly, and excitedly, shares what she has to make the world a better place. I am even proud of the pride she has in this activity.
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Yesterday, Tessa and her friend Jessie worked very hard, and made Leprechaun Traps. The idea was to trap a leprachaun, be nice to him, then demand all of his gold. (They decided that the leprechaun could keep one piece, and they'd get the rest.) Tessa was very excited to check the traps, but alas, no leprechauns were to be found.
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Tessa is writing phonetically with greater and greater frequency. Hurrah! Sometimes it's darling - I enjoy reading her stories that begin "I lik to ryd hosis." (Say it, you'll hear what it is.) Right now, there is a sign on her door that reads "No pepl LD in vis roon." Not exactly friendly but I don't have the heart to erase it (it's in dry erase) yet. (The sign was written when a playdate brought along her younger, very active, sister.)
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We've been having daily tea parties, which basically consist of peppermint tea with lots of sugar and cream, poured out of my "nice" teapot and using pink china cups. What a pleasure.
------------
Tessa is doing more chores. She has learned to fold napkins (we use all cloth) like a pro, and takes pride in her work. Putting her pajamas in the hamper without reminding, well, that's not as fun....but she is helping around the house and proud of it.
------------
Tessa likes "Mamma Mia" and it's music even more than I do. I get the giggles when I hear her singing, "Honey honey, how you thrill me a-ha, honey, honey...."
-----------
Tessa's going to whip me into shape....with jump roping. She's getting good! If I join her maybe my belly will stop jiggling. (sigh)
-----------
And best of all (for me): Tessa has taken to telling me her own "special words." Some time during my cancer treatment, in the depths of the darkness, I came up with "special words" that I tell Tessa every night. It started because of sadness - I wanted to nail down the memory of how much I love her, so that if I died, she's have that memory to hold. I say, "Of all the girls, in all the world, I'm so glad that you belong to me and that I belong to you, because we belong together. I love you so much! Thank you for being my daughter." Tessa often replies, "I love you too, Mama. Thank you for being my mother," which I find awfully sweet. But in the last couple of weeks, she sweetened it even more. Tessa has her own version of "special words" and then she's been giving me (and Ryan, too) lists of things that she loves about us. My list included "I love you because you drive me to school," and "I love you because you tuck me in" and "I love you because you read me stories," and "I love you because you are kind and gentle and good" and "You're a perfect mama, Mama." (I cried a bit on that one. I am so far from perfect, but I want so deeply to be the best mama for her..... I am grateful that she forgives me my flaws.)
--------------
Shoes. What is it about this kid and putting on shoes?! It can take her 10 minutes to decide which ones, and 10 more minutes to put them on. This is leading to me shrieking like a crazy person....not my finest moments. (NOT perfect.) I am actually trying to build in time for shoe-putting-on in the mornings, because this is becoming a big deal. Deep breaths. She will grow out of this. Deep breaths....
--------------
Tessa's art is becoming more interesting and more creative, more filled with stories....
------------
I love my daughter deeply. I pray that I am around to tell her even when SHE is old, and I'm just a little old wrinkled thing of a woman. I am blessed with an amazing child.
Tessa couldn't find Bear - that is, Special Bear, the one that Uncle Paul bought her when I was in labor with her, the one that she has slept with EVERY SINGLE NIGHT OF HER LIFE - the other day. I wasn't concerned - he had to be somewhere close by, since she'd had him in bed the night before and we are careful not to take him anywhere he might get lost. So, I sent her back into her room to look harder. She looked, she didn't find. She looked more. She got worried, so I joined her in her looking. We started running out of places to look....
And Tessa started packing her bags, putting in small blankets and a pillow, along with other necessities. "What are you doing?" I asked. Tearfully, she responded, "I just can't stay here without Special Bear. I just can't stay." We talked it over further, and she explained how sad she was, and how she had to go. "But I'd miss you!" I told her. We agreed that she could go stay in the back yard, because then I could visit her. But before she could go, I said she had to clean her room.
She's six, so this seemed logical enough to her. We cleaned together.
And we found Special Bear. Fortunately, I am pleased to announce that Tessa still lives INSIDE our house.
------------
Tessa has started receiving regular allowance. We agreed that she would spend some, save some, and give some away (charity) each week, as we hope to teach her basic financial principles. I am proud to say that she chose "Guest At Your Table" for her first charity; she collected her dollars and then brought them to WSUU for distribution.
http://www.uusc.org/blog/2006/12/guest-at-your-table.html
She is thinking about donating to Family Promise (the homeless shelter we help out with) or "an animal charity" next.
I am very, very proud of the way my daughter so willingly, and excitedly, shares what she has to make the world a better place. I am even proud of the pride she has in this activity.
------------
Yesterday, Tessa and her friend Jessie worked very hard, and made Leprechaun Traps. The idea was to trap a leprachaun, be nice to him, then demand all of his gold. (They decided that the leprechaun could keep one piece, and they'd get the rest.) Tessa was very excited to check the traps, but alas, no leprechauns were to be found.
------------
Tessa is writing phonetically with greater and greater frequency. Hurrah! Sometimes it's darling - I enjoy reading her stories that begin "I lik to ryd hosis." (Say it, you'll hear what it is.) Right now, there is a sign on her door that reads "No pepl LD in vis roon." Not exactly friendly but I don't have the heart to erase it (it's in dry erase) yet. (The sign was written when a playdate brought along her younger, very active, sister.)
------------
We've been having daily tea parties, which basically consist of peppermint tea with lots of sugar and cream, poured out of my "nice" teapot and using pink china cups. What a pleasure.
------------
Tessa is doing more chores. She has learned to fold napkins (we use all cloth) like a pro, and takes pride in her work. Putting her pajamas in the hamper without reminding, well, that's not as fun....but she is helping around the house and proud of it.
------------
Tessa likes "Mamma Mia" and it's music even more than I do. I get the giggles when I hear her singing, "Honey honey, how you thrill me a-ha, honey, honey...."
-----------
Tessa's going to whip me into shape....with jump roping. She's getting good! If I join her maybe my belly will stop jiggling. (sigh)
-----------
And best of all (for me): Tessa has taken to telling me her own "special words." Some time during my cancer treatment, in the depths of the darkness, I came up with "special words" that I tell Tessa every night. It started because of sadness - I wanted to nail down the memory of how much I love her, so that if I died, she's have that memory to hold. I say, "Of all the girls, in all the world, I'm so glad that you belong to me and that I belong to you, because we belong together. I love you so much! Thank you for being my daughter." Tessa often replies, "I love you too, Mama. Thank you for being my mother," which I find awfully sweet. But in the last couple of weeks, she sweetened it even more. Tessa has her own version of "special words" and then she's been giving me (and Ryan, too) lists of things that she loves about us. My list included "I love you because you drive me to school," and "I love you because you tuck me in" and "I love you because you read me stories," and "I love you because you are kind and gentle and good" and "You're a perfect mama, Mama." (I cried a bit on that one. I am so far from perfect, but I want so deeply to be the best mama for her..... I am grateful that she forgives me my flaws.)
--------------
Shoes. What is it about this kid and putting on shoes?! It can take her 10 minutes to decide which ones, and 10 more minutes to put them on. This is leading to me shrieking like a crazy person....not my finest moments. (NOT perfect.) I am actually trying to build in time for shoe-putting-on in the mornings, because this is becoming a big deal. Deep breaths. She will grow out of this. Deep breaths....
--------------
Tessa's art is becoming more interesting and more creative, more filled with stories....
------------
I love my daughter deeply. I pray that I am around to tell her even when SHE is old, and I'm just a little old wrinkled thing of a woman. I am blessed with an amazing child.
Writer Day
On Monday I did not stick to the writing schedule, because I had a girl at home, sick. Today, after a brief "Sound Partners" training at Alki (to learn tutoring techniques for my volunteer time in the classroom), Shep and I will get a little exercise, and then it's write, write, write.
Yawn. Even though I'm having a hard time waking up today - the morning aches and pains (**** Aromasin) are getting worse by the day, I swear - I'm determined to get in some exercise. Maybe it will loosen up my knees. (Maybe it will help my jeans to zip.)
Yawn. Even though I'm having a hard time waking up today - the morning aches and pains (**** Aromasin) are getting worse by the day, I swear - I'm determined to get in some exercise. Maybe it will loosen up my knees. (Maybe it will help my jeans to zip.)
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
More Craigslist free
Today I got a free haircut at Seven - a salon in Pacific Place. (They needed a hair model for a long layered cut with straight hair. Hey, that's me!)
Really, check out Craigslist Free. Good stuff.
Really, check out Craigslist Free. Good stuff.
Monday, March 16, 2009
Craigslist Free
I love Craigslist Free.
Tonight I picked up a few boxes of women's clothing, size small (some fits me now....some will have to wait until I run off some weight). Tomorrow morning I'm picking up a bookcase to put in our attic for storage.
Free is good - check it out!
Tonight I picked up a few boxes of women's clothing, size small (some fits me now....some will have to wait until I run off some weight). Tomorrow morning I'm picking up a bookcase to put in our attic for storage.
Free is good - check it out!
23 years of friendship
Carolyn and I met in highschool, when I was five years old (as you can see, I'm 29).
Okay, we did meet in high school, but today is Carolyn's 40th birthday and my 40th isn't that far away, either. And despite the fact that I can barely remember what it felt like to be 29 - the year I got married! - I am glad to be approaching 40. I predict good things for our 40s....good things indeed.
So today, I'm sending so much love down to California, where I'm hoping that Carolyn is having a wonderful time celebrating with friends and family, and that she's feeling the love that I'm sending her way. I hope that 40 brings light, laughter, promise, joy, and love to Carolyn's life. I hope that some of her burdens ease, and that her laughter is tenfold. I hope that she continues to find great health, and that those she loves are able to hold on to health. I hope that her struggles are small, that her joys are large. I hope for at LEAST another 23 years of friendship (but more, I hope for about 60 years of friendship, though I'd settle for 55).
I love you, Carolyn. You have been there for me, through thick and thin, since I moved to Woodinville in 1987. I love you dearly, and can't imagine my life without you in it. The miles are long when lives are busy and full, but not a day goes by that I don't think of you, even though we don't talk as much as we'd like.
Some times in our lives,
we all have pain,
we all have sorrow,
but if we are wise
we know that there's
always tomorrow....
Lean on me,
when you're not strong,
I'll be your friend,
I'll help you carry on...
I have leaned on Carolyn many times. Carolyn is stronger than I am, but I am there for her, too.
Happy birthday, my dear friend.
Okay, we did meet in high school, but today is Carolyn's 40th birthday and my 40th isn't that far away, either. And despite the fact that I can barely remember what it felt like to be 29 - the year I got married! - I am glad to be approaching 40. I predict good things for our 40s....good things indeed.
So today, I'm sending so much love down to California, where I'm hoping that Carolyn is having a wonderful time celebrating with friends and family, and that she's feeling the love that I'm sending her way. I hope that 40 brings light, laughter, promise, joy, and love to Carolyn's life. I hope that some of her burdens ease, and that her laughter is tenfold. I hope that she continues to find great health, and that those she loves are able to hold on to health. I hope that her struggles are small, that her joys are large. I hope for at LEAST another 23 years of friendship (but more, I hope for about 60 years of friendship, though I'd settle for 55).
I love you, Carolyn. You have been there for me, through thick and thin, since I moved to Woodinville in 1987. I love you dearly, and can't imagine my life without you in it. The miles are long when lives are busy and full, but not a day goes by that I don't think of you, even though we don't talk as much as we'd like.
Some times in our lives,
we all have pain,
we all have sorrow,
but if we are wise
we know that there's
always tomorrow....
Lean on me,
when you're not strong,
I'll be your friend,
I'll help you carry on...
I have leaned on Carolyn many times. Carolyn is stronger than I am, but I am there for her, too.
Happy birthday, my dear friend.
Green Bathrooms
I don't blog consistently about anything (there is a message in there somewhere...hmmm) but I keep trying to be green and to get greener. This post is about greening up your bathroom - that is, removing toxins from the bathroom and replacing them with products that are good for the earth, good for your body, and (because I want to be frugal) won't break the bank.
Cleaning:
The cleaning products that I use in the rest of the house get used in the bathroom, too.
- A water and vinegar mix cleans up all kinds of things;
- I also use Trader Joe's all purpose cleaner (which is touted as biodegradable, etc., and comes in under $4 as I recall).
- I cleaned the tub yesterday with baking soda - I buy a giant bag now, in addition to the little box that I keep in the cupboard for baking. It did a good job on that nasty ring that develops after one really playful little girl has spent some time running around the back yard with no shoes on in the winter, scooping up piles of sticks and leaves, and then hugging the dog. (You get the picture.)
- Meyer's glass cleaner does a decent job. Not my favorite, but decent.
- Seventh Generation toilet bowl cleaner.
- Trader Joe's Next to Godliness Air Freshener: uses essential oils, non-aerosol, cheap, lasts a long time (a little goes a long way)
I try to clean with rags when possible, not paper towels, and I don't use disposable cleaning stuff like Swiffer products or those things that substitute for old fashioned toilet bowl brushes. (And the water in my toilet is water, not blue chemicals.)
Even more importantly is what we put on our bodies. Did you know that common ingredients in shampoos are linked to cancer, or are endocrine disrupters? To get information about safety in cosmetics (defined as anything we put on our skin) I visit the Environmental Working Group website; they have a cosmetics safety database that you can visit at:
http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/
It's really easy to use. All you do is type in the name of the product you want to check on, and it gives you a score of 0-9, where 0 is very safe and 9 is toxic. You can look at ingredients lists and see why the score was given, or you can take it at face value...you decide.
Using this database, we discovered that Ryan's favorite hair product - Nexxus Humectrus - received a toxic score of 9. Twenty-five years of putting toxins next to his brain....my poor dear. Time to find a new product, needless to say! We also discovered that the tried-and-true Johnson & Johnson's baby wash received a score of 4, a "moderate" score, but pointed out the warning "Keep away from young children." Ack! Other J&J baby products (we used several) got nasty scores of 7; so did Baby Magic and other baby products. I'm so sad that I used these "gentle" products with the belief that they were best, but I was wrong.
But enough of what doesn't work: here is what is working for me right now.
Deodorant: Tom's of Maine lavendar; score =2. (I was using the honeysuckle rose scent, and it was a score of 4. What?! Anyway, switching back to lavendar was no big deal.)
Toothpaste: Tom's of Maine spearmint (Ryan and I) and strawberry (Tessa); score = 3. When our current tubes run out we're going to try Burt's Bees toothpastes (they have adult and kid versions); score = 1.
Shampoo & Conditioner: I have tried Alba and Jason products, but they scored in the 5 range, so we have switched again, this time to Burt's Bees. Guess what? I made a mistake. I went in to the store to buy the grapefruit and sugar beet shampoo and conditioner (score = 2), and they didn't stock it, but they had raspberry and brazil nut shampoo and conditioner, so I picked that instead. ARGH! Grapefruit score = 1; Raspberry score = 4. You've gotta be kidding me....but there it is.
Are you getting the message that scent changes everything? Same product, different flavor....different score.
Soap (for shower): Kiss My Face pure olive oil soap; score = 0. Note: add fragrance and the score goes up to 4. Plain is good.
Hand Soap: Pears. Except it's not in the database. Anyone have info on this one? It's a glycerine soap (good).... A note on hand soap: bar soaps come in cardboard boxes; liquid soaps come in plastic containers. Bar soaps are better!
Lip Balm: Burt's Bees Beeswax Lip Balm; score = 2; for color I've been using Alba but it gets a 3 or 4 depending on color
Sunscreen (well, I keep mine in the bathroom): Alba Botanical Minerals SPF 18; score = 2. However, not all Alba products score this well, and one of the children's sunscreens that we had scored a nasty 7. Ugh! Kiss My Face sunscreens (which I had opportunity to sample thanks to the generousity of their VP who read a previous blog entry in which I complained about them) score well, and I like them: Kiss My Face 100% Paraben Free Sunscreen with Oat Protein SPF 30; score =2. Their Face Factor Paraben Free SPF 30 also scores a 2.
For face lotion I haven't found one I'm in love with. I've tried Jason and Alba; these were to get away from the Neutrogena products that I'd loved for years but scored 4-7 (remember, one small change to the formula and the whole score can change). I'd like to try Burt's Bees unscented shea butter body and face lotion (score = 2) but I'm looking for recommendations.
Acne treatment: Dessert Essence Tea Tree Oil; score = 0. (available at Trader Joe's)
Facial Wash: Dessert Essence Thoroughly Clean Face Wash with Tea Tree Oil and Awapuhi; score = 0 (available at Trader Joe's)
For scrubbing my body I stopped using a plastic "pouf" and switched to loofahs. The pouf will sit in a landfill forever; the loufah is a natural sponge and will biodegrade. (I wonder if I could put it in my compost when it starts falling apart, if I ran it through the dishwasher first?)
Anyway, there is a post I wish I'd found earlier in my process to point me in the right direction, because there is a lot of trial and error and I'm not willing to spend a lot of money so if I buy something I need to use it up unless it's really bad. Maybe this will help someone - and maybe people can add comments about products that they have found that do the trick, aren't tough on the pocketbook, and are kind to bodies and earth....
And remember, it's important to look it up if you're trying a new scent or formulation, because a small name change can signify a totally different health perspective.
PHEW! That took longer than I expected it would.
Refinance
Hurrah - we're all done except the final signing, and that should happen tomorrow!
4.875% on a 30 year fixed means that our mortgage payment falls and our debt snowball goes even faster. We'll take the difference between what we paid before and the new mortgage payment and apply it to debt, moving up the date when we can say "We're debt free!"
I really want to be debt free. Really, really. And this will make it easier.
If anybody wants a referral to a mortgage guy, I'll pass along the number. We're pleased with the rate and the fees, and the process has been relatively painless (okay, we did have to put together 31 pages to fax, but that's just how it goes.....nobody is taking any chances and we had to prove just about everything we said with a couple years of W2s, insurance papers, checking account statements, and the like). It lowers our payment by $200 - hurrah!
And due to some weird thing, we skip a mortgage payment as a result of the refi, and that money will get applied to our porch, which is in dire need of replacement. I wish we could do it for cosmetic purposes, but we just need it to be done so that it's not rotten. River rock columns will happen some other time, but right now we just need it to be safe. (Hopefully it will be prettier, too. The porch is the face of the house and it could use a little facelift.)
4.875% on a 30 year fixed means that our mortgage payment falls and our debt snowball goes even faster. We'll take the difference between what we paid before and the new mortgage payment and apply it to debt, moving up the date when we can say "We're debt free!"
I really want to be debt free. Really, really. And this will make it easier.
If anybody wants a referral to a mortgage guy, I'll pass along the number. We're pleased with the rate and the fees, and the process has been relatively painless (okay, we did have to put together 31 pages to fax, but that's just how it goes.....nobody is taking any chances and we had to prove just about everything we said with a couple years of W2s, insurance papers, checking account statements, and the like). It lowers our payment by $200 - hurrah!
And due to some weird thing, we skip a mortgage payment as a result of the refi, and that money will get applied to our porch, which is in dire need of replacement. I wish we could do it for cosmetic purposes, but we just need it to be done so that it's not rotten. River rock columns will happen some other time, but right now we just need it to be safe. (Hopefully it will be prettier, too. The porch is the face of the house and it could use a little facelift.)
Monday - better?
Tessa woke up today and appears to be feeling much better than last night. I won't risk it and send her to school because yesterday she didn't eat dinner and went to bed shivering (we piled on blankets and gave her a hot water bottle to snuggle) and I don't want her to take a turn for the worse while she's at school....but my fingers are crossed that we have crossed the line and that we're back on the way to wellness at this house.
Today is writing day for the book....that will get bumped to tomorrow. Today will be filled with reading and small chores around the house, I guess. Quiet days, and I don't mind that if Tessa's feeling better.
Today is writing day for the book....that will get bumped to tomorrow. Today will be filled with reading and small chores around the house, I guess. Quiet days, and I don't mind that if Tessa's feeling better.
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Quiet Sunday
We've been having a family snuggle this Sunday morning - all five of us have been perched in our queen bed, Ryan and I flanking Tessa and the animals curled up at our feet, as we watch the snow (yes, snow) falling outside the window. Simple pleasures - togetherness, warmth, morning chit chat....and lots of coffee, of course.
Tessa had a pretty restful night after the horribleness of the evening - I guess her body had something to get rid of and once she tossed her cookies she appeared to feel a bit better. It's now 9:36 and she's dressed, had a small breakfast (a few bites of oatmeal - we don't want to push it), and she has fallen asleep again, lying here next to me. Poor kid - I really wish she could shake this awful bug.
Ryan's a bit sad because he had planned a group ride this morning (some organized ride whose name I've already forgotten) and he'd prepped his bike and gear last night....let's just say that waking to snow was NOT his idea of a good time.
So Ryan's taking an hour at the coffee shop, and I'll take a few hours to myself later today, and Tessa will snuggle with either or both of us, and we'll read books and watch movies and cross our fingers that there will be no more throwing up and that she will quickly mend.
Tessa had a pretty restful night after the horribleness of the evening - I guess her body had something to get rid of and once she tossed her cookies she appeared to feel a bit better. It's now 9:36 and she's dressed, had a small breakfast (a few bites of oatmeal - we don't want to push it), and she has fallen asleep again, lying here next to me. Poor kid - I really wish she could shake this awful bug.
Ryan's a bit sad because he had planned a group ride this morning (some organized ride whose name I've already forgotten) and he'd prepped his bike and gear last night....let's just say that waking to snow was NOT his idea of a good time.
So Ryan's taking an hour at the coffee shop, and I'll take a few hours to myself later today, and Tessa will snuggle with either or both of us, and we'll read books and watch movies and cross our fingers that there will be no more throwing up and that she will quickly mend.
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Okay, that's gross
Tessa's bug has grown to include vomiting.
I'll spare you the details, but nobody is happy about it. Our poor girl!
I'll spare you the details, but nobody is happy about it. Our poor girl!
Back to the doctor
Yesterday at about 4pm Tessa started saying "Mommy, I don't feel well." She fell asleep at dinner.
She's asleep right now, actually.
We went to the doctor again today and she got an influenze test - negative. The doctor (this is twice in one week) said that she's caught yet another bug, despite the fact that she was on antibiotics. Since the azithromycin (sp?) stays in her system for 10 days (today is day 5) the doc didn't want to double up.....so we're in wait and see mode. If she worsens, or is still feverish on Monday, back to the doc we go.
No hanging out with friends. No church tomorrow. Sad!
I hate it when she's sick and I'm powerless to help her feel better. I can buy her a treat from Bakery Nouveau, I can take her to the doctor, I can read her stories, I can clean her room (quite a project!) while she rests in bed and watches me....but I can't make her feel better.
She's asleep right now, actually.
We went to the doctor again today and she got an influenze test - negative. The doctor (this is twice in one week) said that she's caught yet another bug, despite the fact that she was on antibiotics. Since the azithromycin (sp?) stays in her system for 10 days (today is day 5) the doc didn't want to double up.....so we're in wait and see mode. If she worsens, or is still feverish on Monday, back to the doc we go.
No hanging out with friends. No church tomorrow. Sad!
I hate it when she's sick and I'm powerless to help her feel better. I can buy her a treat from Bakery Nouveau, I can take her to the doctor, I can read her stories, I can clean her room (quite a project!) while she rests in bed and watches me....but I can't make her feel better.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
6,6,1,1
I am not happy with my care of self these days. When I catch a glimpse of myself in a reflection, I think "is that me?" because I had gotten used to a slender self. These days, lumps and bumps are back. I can get into my pants....but it hurts. Things are hard to zip. I'm limited to a much smaller section of my wardrobe. And I'm not happy about it.
I'm having horrible, horrible hot flashes at night these days, too, and I wonder if it's related. And I have such low energy....and I'm so tired.
And yet, I just don't feel up to doing Weight Watchers. It doesn't feel right - or is that an excuse? I don't want to be food-centric, and I don't want to feel like I'm dieting. (I know, it's a lifestyle, not a diet. But it felt like dieting.)
So I've come up with a plan; one that has been fermenting in my mind for a while, and this is it:
6 fruits or vegetables per day
6am alarm
1 treat per day
1 outdoor activity per day
Here's my logic. If I eat fruits and vegetables in quantity, I'll be filling up on them instead of filling up on other (less healthy) items. And I get a treat - but just one, because some days I've had more than one and I can see where that got me. So, a piece of chocolate, or a dessert, or a glass of wine.....wine treat per day. And I must get up earlier, despite the fact that it's harder than just about anything, because if I start my day caught-up rather than rushing, I think I'll have a head start. Plus, that will give me some time to occassionally do a workout video or walk Shep before the day really gets going. And the outdoor activity? Well, the more time I spend outdoors the more active I am, and the better I feel.
So that's it: 6, 6, 1, 1. I'll have to pay attention to what I eat, but hopefully I won't have to obsess to see results. Time will tell, but today I tried and it was successful: just to get in veggies, I made a late afternoon snack (which I always end up eating anyway) of hummus and carrots. I put the snack dish on the island in the kitchen, and I found Tessa happily snacking away, too....for which I am glad. So, I had berries in my oatmeal, double portion of veggies in vegetable soup, apple, carrots, and green beans. I walked Shep at Alki. I'm about to have a chocolate dessert and enjoy every bite.
The 6am thing I'll try tomorrow, and dread it.....but I like the idea of being less rushed in the morning.
(Tessa went back to school today; she's feeling much better. Hallelujah antibiotics!)
I'm having horrible, horrible hot flashes at night these days, too, and I wonder if it's related. And I have such low energy....and I'm so tired.
And yet, I just don't feel up to doing Weight Watchers. It doesn't feel right - or is that an excuse? I don't want to be food-centric, and I don't want to feel like I'm dieting. (I know, it's a lifestyle, not a diet. But it felt like dieting.)
So I've come up with a plan; one that has been fermenting in my mind for a while, and this is it:
6 fruits or vegetables per day
6am alarm
1 treat per day
1 outdoor activity per day
Here's my logic. If I eat fruits and vegetables in quantity, I'll be filling up on them instead of filling up on other (less healthy) items. And I get a treat - but just one, because some days I've had more than one and I can see where that got me. So, a piece of chocolate, or a dessert, or a glass of wine.....wine treat per day. And I must get up earlier, despite the fact that it's harder than just about anything, because if I start my day caught-up rather than rushing, I think I'll have a head start. Plus, that will give me some time to occassionally do a workout video or walk Shep before the day really gets going. And the outdoor activity? Well, the more time I spend outdoors the more active I am, and the better I feel.
So that's it: 6, 6, 1, 1. I'll have to pay attention to what I eat, but hopefully I won't have to obsess to see results. Time will tell, but today I tried and it was successful: just to get in veggies, I made a late afternoon snack (which I always end up eating anyway) of hummus and carrots. I put the snack dish on the island in the kitchen, and I found Tessa happily snacking away, too....for which I am glad. So, I had berries in my oatmeal, double portion of veggies in vegetable soup, apple, carrots, and green beans. I walked Shep at Alki. I'm about to have a chocolate dessert and enjoy every bite.
The 6am thing I'll try tomorrow, and dread it.....but I like the idea of being less rushed in the morning.
(Tessa went back to school today; she's feeling much better. Hallelujah antibiotics!)
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Not romantic
I have romantic versions of things. (No surprise to those who know me.)
I read a book by Alexandra Stoddard years ago that said that if you felt yourself coming down with a bug, it would be a good idea to stop at the store and pick up your favorite magazines, tea, and fresh flowers for yourself. Before you crawled into bed, you should change your sheets and put on your favorite pajamas, put out the flowers, and make the tea. Then, revel in the downtime. Take care of yourself, and enjoy yourself despite the illness.
I like this. I liked it then, and I like it now. It doesn't fix things, and it doesn't cure illness, but it does help in general.
Today Tessa is feeling crummy, and tonight she's feeling even crummier. She took a nap this afternoon, and we know that really means something for our active girl. She is beside herself, she feels so blue. It's not romantic, not at all. I can soothe her, give her medicine, read to her (not enough....sigh), watch Mamma Mia with her, snuggle with her, play with her bear with her....but it's not enough. She just wants to feel better.
Even though this is just a little illness - probably a sinus infection - and not life threatening, I feel so protective of my sweet daughter. I did enjoy our time together today, and the slowness of it all....but it's not enough. I want her well, and I want her well NOW.
I read a book by Alexandra Stoddard years ago that said that if you felt yourself coming down with a bug, it would be a good idea to stop at the store and pick up your favorite magazines, tea, and fresh flowers for yourself. Before you crawled into bed, you should change your sheets and put on your favorite pajamas, put out the flowers, and make the tea. Then, revel in the downtime. Take care of yourself, and enjoy yourself despite the illness.
I like this. I liked it then, and I like it now. It doesn't fix things, and it doesn't cure illness, but it does help in general.
Today Tessa is feeling crummy, and tonight she's feeling even crummier. She took a nap this afternoon, and we know that really means something for our active girl. She is beside herself, she feels so blue. It's not romantic, not at all. I can soothe her, give her medicine, read to her (not enough....sigh), watch Mamma Mia with her, snuggle with her, play with her bear with her....but it's not enough. She just wants to feel better.
Even though this is just a little illness - probably a sinus infection - and not life threatening, I feel so protective of my sweet daughter. I did enjoy our time together today, and the slowness of it all....but it's not enough. I want her well, and I want her well NOW.
Frugal/healthy/green/easy?!
Okay, I have one tip that falls into the frugal, healthy, AND green categories....and this one doesn't require excess time or patience.
Home made stock (broth).
Anyone who cooks with fresh vegetables knows that there are lots of 'unusable' bits - the top of the carrot, the bottom of the celery, the stems of the herbs, vegetable peel (potato, sweet potato, squash, carrot, etc.) In the past, I've put these items solely into my worm bin or compost....which is good, but I can go one better.
Now I have a bag in my freezer that I save scraps for, including chicken bones. I peel carrots and put vegetable scraps into a bowl on the counter, and then when I'm done, I dump it into my freezer bag. When the bag is full, I'm ready to make stock.
So - next time you're making soup....
To make this easy-peasy stock, you simply saute an onion and maybe some carrots in olive oil. Then, while they're cooking, begin making your soup. You'll probably end up with some vegetable scraps as you prep the soup, so save them, too. When the onion is sauteed, add your vegetable scraps and saute a little more (maybe five minutes). As they saute, keep prepping your soup.
Add water to cover, and a liberal dose of salt, and a handful of whatever fresh herbs you have around that suit you (parsley is good in just about everything, but not the dry flakes that add little specks of color but not much else). Keep this simmering for about 20 minutes. At the end of 20 minutes, use a slotted spoon or a colander to remove the veggies and chicken bones. The liquid that is left is your broth - voila!
No waste. Healthy. Prevents another container from going into a landfill. And all from ingredients on hand!
YES it's easy. I promise. (If you are a cook. If you eat at McDonald's most nights, then I agree, this isn't for you.)
Home made stock (broth).
Anyone who cooks with fresh vegetables knows that there are lots of 'unusable' bits - the top of the carrot, the bottom of the celery, the stems of the herbs, vegetable peel (potato, sweet potato, squash, carrot, etc.) In the past, I've put these items solely into my worm bin or compost....which is good, but I can go one better.
Now I have a bag in my freezer that I save scraps for, including chicken bones. I peel carrots and put vegetable scraps into a bowl on the counter, and then when I'm done, I dump it into my freezer bag. When the bag is full, I'm ready to make stock.
So - next time you're making soup....
To make this easy-peasy stock, you simply saute an onion and maybe some carrots in olive oil. Then, while they're cooking, begin making your soup. You'll probably end up with some vegetable scraps as you prep the soup, so save them, too. When the onion is sauteed, add your vegetable scraps and saute a little more (maybe five minutes). As they saute, keep prepping your soup.
Add water to cover, and a liberal dose of salt, and a handful of whatever fresh herbs you have around that suit you (parsley is good in just about everything, but not the dry flakes that add little specks of color but not much else). Keep this simmering for about 20 minutes. At the end of 20 minutes, use a slotted spoon or a colander to remove the veggies and chicken bones. The liquid that is left is your broth - voila!
No waste. Healthy. Prevents another container from going into a landfill. And all from ingredients on hand!
YES it's easy. I promise. (If you are a cook. If you eat at McDonald's most nights, then I agree, this isn't for you.)
Can it last?
I've read a few articles lately about the frugality brought about by the recent economic downturn that have said, basically, that as soon as people have money back in their pockets, they will return to their old ways.
It does bear asking, of course. As a nation, I truly wonder where we're headed...but as an individual, I wonder even more so.
I make no mistake: frugal living is hard, often boring, and a LOT of hard work. Think that I don't know how much easier it is to just buy the tub of hummus instead of soaking beans overnight, then using them the next day, peeling garlic, squeezing lemons, etc? It takes twice as long on the bus to get downtown - but then you don't have to pay for parking (or wear and tear on the car, etc.). Getting movies and books and CDs from the library means that I have to wait until my turn, and that I have to return them sometimes before I'm done, and I can't keep them for later reference. It is a lot easier to go to an expensive resturant for a nice date than to come up with some creative low cost option; it is much simpler to shop for the perfect pair of pants at stores that carry one of everything in each size (instead of a "take it or leave it" that you get at thrift stores).
And I really wish I could spend more money on gifts for people. I'd really like to be able to do that, more than I can say.
And travel. I do love travel, even budget travel, but right now travel is completely off the table.
But here is the thing....
I actually believe that I can keep this up. Of course, it would be nice to not be SO frugal, but I still want to take what I'm learning and keep applying it. I think that my life is better for frugality, and I am grateful for that.
For instance?
I am living according to my values, and that is such a burden lifted. I don't feel guilt over woulda-shoulda-coulda for financial stuff, because I'm on a path and I'm staying there (imperfectly, but still...).
Time I used to spend shopping with girlfriends is now spent just talking to girlfriends.
I'm eating healthier food: junk food is out, resturants are out, I'm eating more grains and less meat.
I'm learning the difference between wants and needs.
But I just want to maintain the stability that frugality gives. I want to live below my means so that I can sleep at night.
I want to focus on what matters in my life. I want to focus on family, friends, health. I want to read, I want to spend time outdoors. I want to work hard at my spirituality, making it a central part of my life and not something peripheral.
Sure, you can do all of these things and spend a ton of money....but I think that spending beyond ones means ultimately leads people away from their "real" goals, not towards them.
I'm learning.
It does bear asking, of course. As a nation, I truly wonder where we're headed...but as an individual, I wonder even more so.
I make no mistake: frugal living is hard, often boring, and a LOT of hard work. Think that I don't know how much easier it is to just buy the tub of hummus instead of soaking beans overnight, then using them the next day, peeling garlic, squeezing lemons, etc? It takes twice as long on the bus to get downtown - but then you don't have to pay for parking (or wear and tear on the car, etc.). Getting movies and books and CDs from the library means that I have to wait until my turn, and that I have to return them sometimes before I'm done, and I can't keep them for later reference. It is a lot easier to go to an expensive resturant for a nice date than to come up with some creative low cost option; it is much simpler to shop for the perfect pair of pants at stores that carry one of everything in each size (instead of a "take it or leave it" that you get at thrift stores).
And I really wish I could spend more money on gifts for people. I'd really like to be able to do that, more than I can say.
And travel. I do love travel, even budget travel, but right now travel is completely off the table.
But here is the thing....
I actually believe that I can keep this up. Of course, it would be nice to not be SO frugal, but I still want to take what I'm learning and keep applying it. I think that my life is better for frugality, and I am grateful for that.
For instance?
I am living according to my values, and that is such a burden lifted. I don't feel guilt over woulda-shoulda-coulda for financial stuff, because I'm on a path and I'm staying there (imperfectly, but still...).
Time I used to spend shopping with girlfriends is now spent just talking to girlfriends.
I'm eating healthier food: junk food is out, resturants are out, I'm eating more grains and less meat.
I'm learning the difference between wants and needs.
But I just want to maintain the stability that frugality gives. I want to live below my means so that I can sleep at night.
I want to focus on what matters in my life. I want to focus on family, friends, health. I want to read, I want to spend time outdoors. I want to work hard at my spirituality, making it a central part of my life and not something peripheral.
Sure, you can do all of these things and spend a ton of money....but I think that spending beyond ones means ultimately leads people away from their "real" goals, not towards them.
I'm learning.
Frugality on the NYT
http://roomfordebate.blogs.nytimes.com/
Frugality is all the rage now, of course, and the NYT says so. I found the comments following the article as interesting as the article itself - why not check it out and add your own $0.02?
(I'm #209.)
Frugality is all the rage now, of course, and the NYT says so. I found the comments following the article as interesting as the article itself - why not check it out and add your own $0.02?
(I'm #209.)
Alternate plans
At about 1am, that cough that has followed Tessa for weeks caught up with her. It came with hacking, a fever, aches and a headache. Poor kid! We soothed her, gave her coughdrops, brought her into our bed....
I am exhausted. Tessa is faring better today - at home, of course - but Ryan and I are only alive due to the miracle of coffee.
I brought Tessa to the doctor today, and she agreed that it was time for antibiotics. Tessa took her first dose today, and we should have a full recovery by Monday. If not, back to the doc we go.
So now we're home, and Mamma Mia is on (Tessa loves it as much as I do), we're drinking peppermint tea (milk and sugar for Tessa; plain for me), we've stocked up on Ricola cough drops and tissues (in the pink floral box, of course), and all is well for the moment.
I am exhausted. Tessa is faring better today - at home, of course - but Ryan and I are only alive due to the miracle of coffee.
I brought Tessa to the doctor today, and she agreed that it was time for antibiotics. Tessa took her first dose today, and we should have a full recovery by Monday. If not, back to the doc we go.
So now we're home, and Mamma Mia is on (Tessa loves it as much as I do), we're drinking peppermint tea (milk and sugar for Tessa; plain for me), we've stocked up on Ricola cough drops and tissues (in the pink floral box, of course), and all is well for the moment.
Monday, March 09, 2009
Frugality and Ohhhh I want that!
So, some days, being frugal is easy. I am smug as I soak my beans overnight in preparation for use the next day; I smile to myself as I smell bread baking. I carpool, and I enjoy the conversation it provides. I go to the library and I don't have to limit myself, not even a little bit, and I just read books, books, and more books. I sit in my comfortable home, and I soak up the beauty of candles, books, sunlight (or, in the case of today, a snowstorm) through the windows, and I think "how lucky I am."
And some days, I think 'blah blah blah ENOUGH already!'
Guess which kind of day today is?
Today, I've had enough of reminding myself that I have enough. I don't want to be a creative cook, I want to go out for dinner (made it through that hurdle, and I did feed the family a home cooked meal). I do not want to save money to build a porch in a frugal way, I want to hire someone to do it NOW and just the way I want it, not cutting corners. And the list goes on, and on, and on.
Today, the frugal plan looks like it's going to take a very, very long time, and I'm sick and tired of it.
I promised you honesty, didn't I? Well, this is as honest as it gets.
I will get through it. I will shift my mindset. I will hunker down and do what needs doing.
But just for today, I say "bah humbug!"
And some days, I think 'blah blah blah ENOUGH already!'
Guess which kind of day today is?
Today, I've had enough of reminding myself that I have enough. I don't want to be a creative cook, I want to go out for dinner (made it through that hurdle, and I did feed the family a home cooked meal). I do not want to save money to build a porch in a frugal way, I want to hire someone to do it NOW and just the way I want it, not cutting corners. And the list goes on, and on, and on.
Today, the frugal plan looks like it's going to take a very, very long time, and I'm sick and tired of it.
I promised you honesty, didn't I? Well, this is as honest as it gets.
I will get through it. I will shift my mindset. I will hunker down and do what needs doing.
But just for today, I say "bah humbug!"
Monday musings
First, in the news:
http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/03/09/portrait-of-shakespeare-unveiled-399-years-late/?hp
I really wish that all news was more like this. A portrait of Shakespeare painted in his lifetime? Now that's something I can get excited about. I find it significantly harder to get excited about bail-outs, crime, unemployment, and the like. We live in interesting times.
We did have a good weekend, though it was perhaps too busy. Time was spent with friends, I did some cooking, Tessa had playdates, and we even got some chores done around the house.
It's funny to me how the little chores just make my life so much more pleasant. Ryan hung a cabinet (removed from the kitchenette downstairs) in the laundry room, and the whole laundry room is brighter as a result. I cleaned up the attic, and we're creating a meditation room up there....and I just love it.
Sometimes, physical housecleaning leads to mental housecleaning, and that is the best part. A friend was in need, and so I sent off a giant box of prosthetic breasts and bras with pockets in them. I did it to help her, but suddenly I feel a burden lifted from myself, as well. Why was I holding on to them? Was I just waiting to need them again? Well, whatever the reason, I am so grateful to have them OUT OF MY LIFE. I'm enjoying putting my house in order, both because I enjoy the orderliness of the aesthetics, but mostly because it clears my mind.
Today I'm feeling cluttered and disjointed, but I'm working through it. I received a number of materials on Hunts Point to go through, and I'm doing that. I've got laundry going. I'm working on the book instead of finishing up the attic project.....
Speaking of disjointed, this blog post is disjointed. I'll sign off, then, and blog for real some other time.
Happy Monday, everyone!
http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/03/09/portrait-of-shakespeare-unveiled-399-years-late/?hp
I really wish that all news was more like this. A portrait of Shakespeare painted in his lifetime? Now that's something I can get excited about. I find it significantly harder to get excited about bail-outs, crime, unemployment, and the like. We live in interesting times.
We did have a good weekend, though it was perhaps too busy. Time was spent with friends, I did some cooking, Tessa had playdates, and we even got some chores done around the house.
It's funny to me how the little chores just make my life so much more pleasant. Ryan hung a cabinet (removed from the kitchenette downstairs) in the laundry room, and the whole laundry room is brighter as a result. I cleaned up the attic, and we're creating a meditation room up there....and I just love it.
Sometimes, physical housecleaning leads to mental housecleaning, and that is the best part. A friend was in need, and so I sent off a giant box of prosthetic breasts and bras with pockets in them. I did it to help her, but suddenly I feel a burden lifted from myself, as well. Why was I holding on to them? Was I just waiting to need them again? Well, whatever the reason, I am so grateful to have them OUT OF MY LIFE. I'm enjoying putting my house in order, both because I enjoy the orderliness of the aesthetics, but mostly because it clears my mind.
Today I'm feeling cluttered and disjointed, but I'm working through it. I received a number of materials on Hunts Point to go through, and I'm doing that. I've got laundry going. I'm working on the book instead of finishing up the attic project.....
Speaking of disjointed, this blog post is disjointed. I'll sign off, then, and blog for real some other time.
Happy Monday, everyone!
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