House closing done. So now what?

It's a good thing, this move.  Out of the city, into a better neighborhood with less traffic, noise, BS.  And one's expectations must be realistic, so I'm told.  No neighborhood is perfect.  All over the world people have to deal with neighbors, wandering pets and/or barking dogs, etc., etc.  But this is going to be SOOOOO much more peaceful.

But what about my LIFE?  How exactly do I bring more peace into my LIFE as a whole?

I can figure this out, but I'm far to isolated here in this part of Alabama.  And I thought I was isolated in Mobile!  This is a whole new level of isolation.  I'm in another world here.

There is something missing here.  I can't put my finger on it exactly.  But something.   If I weren't so tired today I would write more about it.  Or maybe I've just not sorted it all out in my mind just yet.  I don't know, really.  I can't talk to my BF.  After her stroke in 2013 she can't handle any heavy talk at all, and her conversations must be kept very short and simple.  I'm left blogging this information and, frankly, that's just not enough.  Most likely because I don't really get to the point when it comes to the really sticky stuff.

I should.  But I don't.  At least not yet.  And I've come SO close to doing that a few times.  I can be such a coward with talking about the important stuff here these days.  Used to be that I would just let it all out, let it sit a bit... then, after a while just delete it if it were too personal.

I've no idea what I'm talking about right now...

It's not something you feel. It's something you DO.

Love.

I listen to the stories of others and feel their confusion.  Their pain.  Their bewilderment.  The despair threaded through the last decaying blooms of hope.  And I recognize so much of what they're going through.  I'm powerless to help, but I can listen, and I can tell them what I learned.

When it happens to someone close, a family member, someone going through health issues, it's 100 times more heartbreaking.  And my fierce protectiveness rises up and I feel like a protective warrior willing to take the pain, the wounds, every emotional hit and bleed until I'm spent.  But it never really happens like that, does it?  Dammit.  But I would.  Oh, but I would.

I see the signs and recognize the hateful phrases and hurtful behaviors in her.  I'm glad he's tough, and I'm glad to see his self-esteem isn't trashed like mine was, and still is in many ways.  I raised my sons to be strong inside, yet gentle and kind, respectful.  I suppose those are the ones who end up getting the worst of it sometimes.

I don't get in the middle of their marriage and never will.  It's not my place.  I don't treat her badly, because that's wrong.  But if she abuses him further.. I won't remain quiet for much longer.  I keep my peace for his sake.  High blood pressure and an ulcer at such a young age is telling, and the erratic, crazy behavior, the uncaring attitude she displays... isn't going to bode well for her.

I did warn him to day to protect his health and his life, because this is not the same thing as taking a bullet to save your child or loved one.  You simply don't risk a heart attack or stroke or bleeding ulcer (or worse if it doesn't heal!) by staying with someone who isn't on board with your getting healthy!

He said she gets angry if his stomach is painful and he chooses not to go out do something she wants to do.  She gets angry because he has to eat a low-sodium diet and doesn't eat pizza or something else that will harm his health.  When he does things to take care of his health, when he chooses to eat right, not eat or drink things that will harm his health... she gets angry and tells him.. "It's always about you!"  I mean, what the actual hell??!!

And... she's taken to yelling at him for, of all things, paying his child support!

One of his friends works on a pipeline and is possibly being promoted soon.  If that happens, he will be putting a crew together, and he stated my son would be perfect for his crew.  This would mean traveling for work for my son.

I hope my son gets this job.

Well, tomorrow is it....

The house closing is tomorrow and...I'm super excited to be moving out of the city.  It's busy here, and I guess I've grown far to used to the serenity of the neighborhood I lived in while in Mobile, AL. I miss that neighborhood so much, having lived there about 10 years.  Hopefully this little private drive will be just as peaceful.  No through traffic, one way in/out... and not that many houses.  And, the house sits on a bluff.  No, I'm not bluffing.

In the summertime it's covered in kudzu... something that I believe is taking over the south (lol), and in the Winter... it withers and opens up the view even more.  Basically, the landscaped backyard comes to a halt at one point, and needless to say.. it's not a place you want to wander out drunk, especially in the dark! lol  I wouldn't advise wandering out there in the dark sober either. haha  That's one SERIOUS drop, folks! ;p

The deck will be refinished over the next few weeks, as the paint and a few other things get done.  But I honestly can't wait to get hold of that sunroom!!!!  That will be a topic for another day.

This is one of the back corners of the 'back yard' as far as one can take a photo without falling off into that abyss. lol (again, just a photo from the listing). going to be my oasis, my place where all the decompression happens.

And I love the way the deck wraps around the sunroom so that there's a little deck on one side, and a larger deck on the other side (showing in the photo to the left.

I'm loving this already. :)

Last but not least... the bedroom set for the master bedroom was ordered this past weekend. :D  Headboard/footboard, dresser w/mirror, 2 nightstands, and 2 lamps you see in the photo.  Already have the contractor trying to match the paint on the walls in the photo, and I've been looking for the 'natural' look curtains....  yeah, I'm somewhat trying to recreate this room.  Almost.  Almost. :)

And my bedroom set, also pretty but in dark wood.. will go in one of the other two bedrooms. Most likely the one that will be my workspace/office/art/photography room.  We have to have places for family to sleep when they come to visit, so now we will have beds in all 3 rooms.  Yay!

What's not showing here is the view from the breakfast nook (from the back of the house), and the master bedroom.. also at the back of the house.  Unbeatable.  As they say... location, location, location!  There were other houses.. often placed in crowded neighborhoods or on barren, stripped lots.  Oh they were GORGEOUS inside with new everything, etc...  but when you walk outside... barren suburbia.

My thinking on things like this is simple---there are things you can change, and things you can't change.  You can make your house look like a palace, but if you build it in the middle of a landfill... it doesn't much matter if it's a palace.

No matter what house was seen, walked through, oooohed and awed at... it always came back to this one house.  It was difficult to forget the view, the privacy, the way the front yard was outlined in trees all the way to the driveway so that it is literally secluded.

Well, it's difficult to put into words, and most houses aren't at their best in the Winter with all the trees stripped of leaves, the shrubs appearing like nothing more but twigs and woody bones, the grass a pallid yellow.  I guess you just have to see its potential through something other than just your eyes.  And of course, photos from another season certainly helps. ;)

Such erratic behavior!!!!! ;p

 Nothing to worry about.  Just uncomfortable.  VERY uncomfortable.  And I'm hoping it will be also short-lived, though I supposed there is a better way to word that given what the issue is.  The feeling of my heart speeding up out of nowhere and staying elevated.  The erratic beats and resulting anxiety, that isn't emotional but physical in nature, and it waking me up, and keeping me up at night.  The weird pressure in my throat...  all I could very well do without.  It's what's kept me absent from here for a few days (for the most part).

It's the salt, I think.  Having given it up for the most part, except for the occasional smidge added here  and there in a salad or something prior to this (except during juicing), I've maintained a low-sodium diet.  But.. I fell off the rails on that over the past couple of weeks, and REALLY derailed completely over the past week.  Yeah.  Not one of my brighter moves.

Still hurts, though.  Not bad.  Just so uncomfortable.  At least it's not lasting, these episodes.  They come and go.  Not terribly persistent, except they've been happening now for a couple of days.  I'm worn out.  Thought I was done with this brand of fatigue.  Body feels heavy, a little dizzy, arms aching... that sort of thing.  I'll get through it.

The above image was at one point today.. 137 bpm.  Ugh.   Haven't seen that in a while, and certainly not much since my ablations (for AFib, Atrial Flutter, and SVT.. for those who don't know).  And not at all in a few months.  But again, these are thankfully short-lived as far as duration.  Now if they would just stop.  That would be nice.

A cough.  A lump in the throat..that feeling like there's something stuck in your esophagus or just at the back of your throat, maybe a lump in the upper part of your chest... just a few of the fun things that go along with arrhythmia(s).  Not 'everyone' gets these, but they are super common.

The pic to the left...this was my heart, I guess, trying to get itself back into NSR.  Slowly but surely.  Down to 101 at this point.  Still looking erratic.

These episodes make me cough, too... which I don't like.  Not long coughing fits mind, you.  It's usually when my heart converts there's just enough pressure to make me cough like once.

This definitely puts a damper on things, I have to admit.

I'm using this time to drink more water and use a lot less salt and just take it easy.  Our house closing is this week and we have a bit to do in and around that--need to get a couple of estimates on getting the deck refinished, the floor of the sunroom included, most of the rooms painted, and possibly the carpet removed from the hallway and master bedroom removed and replaced with wood flooring.  Nothing wrong with the carpet, we just don't LIKE carpet.  We'll leave the other two bedrooms and the formal dining area carpeted for now.  The breakfast nook and kitchen have ceramic tile, and the living room has wood flooring so those are good.  And there are a couple of other things. Then there's the new bedroom set to be delivered in about 5 weeks.  But packing and such... oh boy.  I really need my strength to deal with that.

The pic at the left is when it came back into NSR (normal sinus rhythm), and boy was I glad.  Thing is, after these episodes... I still feel spent and achy.  Even the short bursts take so much out of me.

So anyone who prays, say a little prayer for me that this resolves soon. :)    It will.  I just want it resolved NOW... because it sucks.

Anyone reading who has an arrhythmia, or anyone who's had an ablation... please go easy on the salt if you're not already!  I'm pretty sure this is my issue.  "Could" be my MVP is getting worse, sure, but.. I think it's the salt.

It's worth it to cut back.  Salt makes things taste good, but really... not THAT good! lol

Be well everyone.  I'll post more 'interesting' things soon.... ;p

I need to just "be."

Ichetucknee Springs State Park, USA.  Looks like something out of a dream.  Fort White, FL.  Why wouldn't I want to see this, be there, experience this?  I want to, but I want to alone?

Is it my age?  Is it just something I need without any explanation?  I have to admit, there isn't any explanation.  No real explanation other than I need this for my soul.  I just do.

I'm sure this can happen.  I'm sure I can do this with a friend, someone who won't make any demands on me, manipulate my time, who will simply respect my need to ... simply just... be.

I can do this if I recharge my spirit.  I can re-learn to just "be" in my own skin and feel reconnected to everything again.

I can feel myself edging towards completely letting go with all my thoughts.  It's going to happen eventually, and it's going to spill over into everything here.  I'm just not sure that others can handle it, those who know me.

But then, this journal is about....

Low-carb weirdness, or is my subconscious mindf*cking me?

Day 3 on Atkins and am having a little of the carb withdrawal.  Could be worse, but thankfully I'm not withdrawing from grains/wheat, processed food, caffein, sugar, etc.  Still, I know this feeling well and it should pass.  Still, WTF is going on with all this other bizzwax?

That low-carb lull isn't surprising, but this craziness with my dreams at night are really getting on my nerves now.  It's not like I haven't brought this up before, and I'm not sure I want to go into the details about who and what is in my dreams or why.  Hell, some of it is hella fun!  Like the drag racing in last night's dream!  THAT was awesome! lol  But, this common theme is really unsettling, to say the least.  Some of it I get.  I really, really get.  And I know my subconscious is telling me to get a freaking life.  No, not telling me, but demanding I get a freaking life.  It's beyond obvious.

I am out-of-my-mind restless now.  Something's going to give.  Correction, something IS giving.  Question is, WTH am I going to do about it?

Simple answer... get a freaking life!

Oh if I only had the cojones to just spell it out here in great bloody detail.  But I don't.  Not right now.  Not even sure I get what it's all about or what I'm going to do about it, to tell you the truth.  But those damn dreams....

Why do I have the dreams I have?  Why are the people in them IN them?  I don't understand.  I wake up and can't make any sense of it all, and yes... the dreams are profound enough that they do follow me about the rest of the day.  And there are times the dreams haunt me for a few days.  Maybe it's because I don't get why some people are in them and why some are not, or why things happen in them or why I don't understand MY role in them.

Blah.  Blah.  Blah.

I could talk to a girlfriend about this, but it's just not that easy, especially when everyone is out of state or hours away.  A phone call often just doesn't cut it.  And when you hang up the phone...you still feel isolated.  Neighbors here are either WAY too old or WAY too young, and the one or two my age I've met just want to get drunk or party etc.  Not my thing.  And I've not gotten out much recently because of the health issues.  So that's changing, but it's taking time to undo the damage from the medications.  One step at a time.

But those dang dreams.  And this dang feeling of needing a road trip.  Not just a road trip but one just for me, to reset everything and find my muse again.  Me, my car, my camera, good tunes, a destination...

Life.

How to starve to death on a vegan diet and make your private parts fall off

No, wait WHAT??  Yeah, everyone knows that if you're vegan or vegetarian you're going to starve to death because, what the hell are you going to eat if you're not going to eat meat?  Right?

Seeds and twigs and grass.  Right?  I mean, who wants to live off of rabbit food when you can just eat the rabbit?  OMG, no!  And if you starve yourself your muscles will be used for protein and..and..and..isn't just about everything made up of muscle?...and what about my, you know, "stuff?"  You know, 'the important stuff'?

What?  You think if you don't eat meat then your muscles will waste away and your junk will fall off, right?

So, to make things easy, and without going through the myriad of facts and such, and without restating the bazillian things listed in abundance on the internet already regarding how you will ultimately starve to death on a vegan diet... let me just skip right to it and give you the horrifying visual of all the grim and non-palatable ways you'll starve.

Brace yourself.  This shit is about to get real.

It's not meat.  I LOOKS like meat.  Ooooh, but it's not!  THIS is how they trick you! 

I'm not falling for this!

And this, this is another way "they" lure you into the vegan trap!  yeah, just take a gander (oops, did I just say that!?!) at this heaping pot of vegan chili!  Non-meat!  It has to be an illusion, filled with visual and culinary impossibilities.  It's a trap.  Just don't go there!

Oh, now we're talking!  THIS looks like some kind of salad!  HA!!!  Gotchya!

But then there's all this creamy stuff, and then some walnuts.  Some herbs and fruit... chickpeas I guess...  I don't trust this.

I simply don't trust this.  Best to steer clear.  I'm sure it's definitely a trap.

I know I see cheese in this stuff.  Right?  Cheese?  No cheese, you say?  WTF???  I KNOW I'M SEEING CHEESE!

Cauliflower?  That's not freaking cauliflower, dude! You're out of your f***ing mind!  Cauliflower that looks like cheese.  You're crazy.

Well I'M not going to eat it!  I don't recognize one single thing there!  Okay, maybe TWO things.  But I'm not eating it, because I don't know what it is.

And where's the chicken?

So this looks okay, but I'm going to have to hit McDonald's after this.  You know that, right?  I mean, where's the beef??!!  Nothing there to eat?!  I'm going to starve!!!

Aaaaahhhhh!!!  A hamburger!!!!!

What do you mean it's not a "hamburger."  I know a hamburger when I see one, and that is a f***ing hamburger!

Mushrooms, my a$$!  And what the hell is a quinoa??!!



Yeah.  I've heard it all, read it all, and at times... thought it all.  But it's all vegan.  Some are main courses, and some are side dishes.  MY thing right now is that I have to combine both vegan/vegetarian with gluten-free.  That is a given.  Though there is one thing that is going to somewhat hinder that from being 100% and that's my cookware.

In order to have a COMPLETELY GLUTEN-FREE DIET you have to replace all of your cookware!  Yep.  And my cookware is an expensive, professional quality set that I'm not about to replace.  Maybe one day.  But not right now.  I've invested in two juicers, so that's enough investing at this time.

Another thing you need to know if you go gluten-free is this:  If you suspect celiac do NOT go on a gluten-free diet, because that will hinder a diagnosis!!!  Get your doctor to get the tests done prior to doing any gluten-free diet, because you don't want to go through that biopsy for no reason!  I doubt I have celiac, so I'm willing to take the risk.

So here's me kicking off my next phase in health, weight loss, and keeping my private parts from falling off!

And yes, there will be some new entries about other things such as how I'm feeling, if my girly bits are still intact (just kidding!), how I feel about the price of tea in England.... or whatever happens to be floating or sinking my boat.

Like I said... This shit is about to get real.

OH. MY. GOURD!! It cost HOW much??!!

Day 17 and it's the end.  Yes, the end.  But not completely the end.  But don't break out the tissues and start playing Taps just yet!  Let me explain what made me decide to change up the fabric of what I'm doing...

No worries about juicing itself, because everything was fine.  It's a great experience that I am continuing, but not 100% as a juice fast!  And there's a damn good reason for this choice.

Cost.  Plain and simple.

At the beginning of this journey the cost was estimated to be somewhere around $120/week, roughly.  In that estimate certain factors were considered such as what was in season, not in season, local purchases (which would make things less expensive), and buying organic (which means more expensive).  All T's were crossed and all I's were dotted.  But what we didn't consider were shortages, and for any such shortages to include one of the main staples of juicing---kale.

Well damn!

While doing a bit of research yesterday I discovered a few threads on folks who had given up their juice fasts due to cost.  And I found as many discussions on those who chose to suck it up and continue despite the cost.  While this whole cost thing concerned me I wasn't all THAT worried.  But then, T insisted on doing the shopping since he wanted to use his credit card that gave this awesome cash back incentive for shopping at grocery stores.  Okay.  I'm down with that.  And what this translates to is this....

I had NO idea what juicing was costing us until last night!

OH.  MY.  GOURD!

So, how bad could it be, you ask?  $180.00 to $200.00 per week!  YES!!  I know!!!  OMG!

I asked, "WHY didn't you tell me it was costing this much??!!!"  And T's reply was... "I didn't want you to worry, and I knew it was helping you."  *sigh*  Super sweet, yes?  Of course it is.  Still, we have a lot going on and really, a Reboot doesn't HAVE to last 30 days to receive great benefit from all the micronutrients you take in!

I said... "It's time to Transition out."  And so last night I had lentil & veggie soup (vegan, gluten free, organic), and began my transition back into solid foods, and I feel great about my decision.  :)

I had 17 awesome days where my body was flooded with pure, fresh vegetable and fruit juice, free from packaged food, fried food, sugar, gluten, and any other form of garbage that most of us humans put into our systems on a regular basis.

I sleep better than I have since I don't know when, my hair is growing faster, my nails as well, and my skin looks great!  And... I don't crave junk food or sweets!  And trust me, I used to LOOOOOVE sweets.  Not that I wouldn't eat desserts, mind you.  They're just not a temptation anymore.  Also, the allergies that have plagued me over the past two years are GONE!!!  I couldn't breathe before this cleanse, and now I can breathe normally!

And it took only 17 days.  Actually, it took less than that, but I continued my cleanse for 17 days.

What's next?  My next goal is to go vegetarian/vegan.  I didn't grow up this way, and I didn't have this environment ever in my life.  So it's not going to be a "cold turkey" situation (no pun intended).  At least I don't think so.  I still have weight to lose as the prednisone monster and subsequent effects will take some time to correct, but it's okay.  I've come this far and have lost 17 lbs during my Reboot.  :)  I'm good.

So this is really where the fun actually starts!  Phase two is where the works begins, and "the work" IS the fun part, because the journey is going to be fun...  because nothing's really changes, has it?  I mean, all we really want is to look good naked, so... having said that... let's get to work!

W. E. I. R. D. as K. C. U. F.

Day 17 and I'm past the half-way point in this juicing journey and counting down to Transitioning-IN.  And I'm feeling weird and having weird dreams and having weird needs and it's just FREAKING WEIRD.  Not bad.  Weird.

There's a difference.  I say that a lot lately.

Maybe I'm just rediscovering a few things I've lost along the way and have NO freaking idea what to do with these "things," whatever they are.  Or maybe I've just lost my damn mind.  *snort*  Now that I can actually deal with.  But there are the dreams and the strangeness with that, and the odd way I can't really wrap my head around how I FEEL about anything anymore.  I mean, WTF is up with THAT???

Now that I'm not wandering around in a gluten and sugar-induced fog I seem to be a bit overcome and overwhelmed by all of this.  Damn, what do I do with it all?

I've discovered an intense need to see something else, somewhere else.  I need stimulation of the 6 senses, all freaking six of them!  Could it be that I'm having my own personal 'Eat, Pray, Love' moment?  Though I don't have any intentions on visiting other countries to find love and get fat! lol  On the contrary!  But, I do so very much need to just get the hell out of Dodge and DRIVE.

To see, to drive, to smell, to taste, to FEEL ALIVE!!

It's a moral imperative.

So the question is now... where do I go?  And do I go alone, or if not, who do I go with?

Because it's fun, that's why

Every now and then I love to share the music that stirs my spirit... often times this means what I play when I'm at home, what I hear when I plug in the headphones when I can't sleep at night, and in this case... what is a must when I'm driving!  ;p

Weird, Random, Post out of nowhere... and Midnight Menu?

Odd, but this post originally was started about a week ago and ended up somehow in draft. Oh well, no biggie.  I don't have but a moment, so I'm just jotting a quick entry about a few life tidbits since I really wanted to get this photo up of my happy little Marley.

So far so good on the new house.  There will be a few things done before we move in, and the seller has to fix a couple of things before the final contract is done.  House is still under contract, but there was a contingency in place for any findings during the inspection.  Just 'stuff' we have to deal with, and should be well finished before closing date.

We're having some indoor painting done (I reeeeeaally don't like bright yellow on the inside walls! lol), and the deck out back we've decided to get refinished.  Just a few things done here and there.  In time we will remodel the bathrooms because, well, they REALLY need it. lol  but they're livable and doable in the meantime, so no giant rush at all.  Part of the house is wood flooring, part is semi-white carpeting (which we don't really care for that much), so in time we will put wood flooring in eventually.  And the screened sunroom that divides two portions of the deck (hard to explain, but very cool) we haven't decided what we want done in that room yet.  All pretty much fun stuff.  :)

I'm pretty cold today... and.. the last two nights I've dreamed about eating! haha Guess I should've expected that, but it's still a little funny and surprising.  Let's see, last night I had a large, fried chicken patty, and the night before I had deep fried broccoli.  I know!  Seriously, what's THAT all about!?!  I've never eaten deep friend broccoli before. lol

I'm beginning to wonder if this is going to be an every night occurrence. ;p  And still so incredibly strange when you think about it, especially when I wasn't in the habit of frying food, and then in my dreams everything is fried.  Go figure.

Oh well.  Maybe my body is trying to talk me into eating, not sure.  But I'm not ready to call it quits, and I'm going to stick with this as long as I possibly can!  My minimum is 30 days, and if I can go longer, then I will.  If I go the 30 days, then I'm going back to the vegan & gluten-free Transition eating I was doing before I began the Reboot, because I was losing some 3 lbs per week.  Then after about a month, I will start another Reboot.  I will play it by ear.

Maybe I'll start a daily post and call it.. "Midnight Menu." lol

Day 14 - Wake Up, Kick Ass, Repeat

Day 14 -  I tried standing like that and I think I pulled something and scared my family.  And my dog.  But the good news is that I've lost 14 lbs so far and I'm one day away from my first 30 day goal!  30 days of juicing, and I'm half way there!  Yay!

Funny ad, but I have to say there's a little truth in it.  These days people are shallow, and unless your significant other truly loves you, he/she will hit the dusty cow pie trail and you'll be left in a fatigue-laden, dust-clouded aloneness.  But then, maybe that's for the best.  Either way, this goofy ad speaks about a "vegetable compound," so there IS a little truth in this advertising, after all.  They just didn't tell the whole truth.  Of course, they were just trying to sell something.

Juicing is still the best way to get an abundance of the good stuff into your body.  Plain and simply put.  And... you'll be peppy too, for yourself, your family, your LIFE!

Life.  My life.  That's really what it's all about anyway.  I have to wake up every day and face myself, who I am, where I am, no matter what, and tell myself that I am okay!  :)  Now, if you're like me you may know you're a bit on the 'not-so-normal side,' and that's even better!  ha!  So go with it. I do, and I plan to keep doing so.

I embrace my not-so-normalness!;p

So today I got out of bed and I told myself that I'm going to take it easier than I did the last few days.  I over extended myself a bit and now I'm paying the price.  But that's not a bad thing, because it just means that my energy is up and that my body is in a state of "WTF??!" lol

Now it's just about taking it a step back and easing into things a little bit at a time and deciding not to conquer the world in one day.  Dang it.  I was so hoping to do that in a day, too!

Another thing I need to remember is to stop being so impersonal about things when I'm making my entries here.  As I was typing I realized I was going down the road of disassociating myself, personally, from my entries (for the most part) and had to go back and change some wording, phrasing, etc.  Old habits, I guess, not wanting to expose myself too much.

Bad habits are meant to be broken, and I'm going to make that one my bitch.

So, what bad habit are you going to make your bitch today?

Noodles!

Day 13 - Big Girl Panties OR Action Pants! Which are you?

Day 13 - and not one f**k shall be given today.  Ha!  Did I just say that? ;)  Yes I most certainly did, and I save that kind of talk for special occasions, honey! lol

Bad mood?  No way!  Just feeling ornery is all.  I do find myself wondering how many more layers of 'skin' I have to grow to be able to handle the smell of cooking food and all those spices!  I still don't have cravings, and I'm not ravenous.  But I miss spices.  I really do.

My tongue is unhappy.

Then... I look at the juices I have to make for tomorrow and see the dreaded.. "Celery Root" recipe!  EGHADS!  NOOOOOOOO!  Seriously, that stuff leaves an aftertaste in my mouth like... oh trust me.. you really don't want me to say that word.  Do you?

I'm not kidding.  And I won't use that word, because I'm really not sure who can or cannot handle it.  I don't know who's wearing their big girl panties, or if any guy who stumbles upon this is wearing his "Action Pants." lol

I mean, 16-20oz of ice cold after-taste of "THAT" in my mouth was too much for me to take, my friends... and it was ALL I could do to gag it down.  ((( shivers )))  Some things should not be cold or in that large of a quantity when you swallow it.  That is all I will say on the matter.

Needless to say I promptly set about looking for an alternative for that particular juice.  Luckily, so far I've come across only two I've disliked.  And "dislike" is far to weak a statement to fully explain my, er, distaste for that particular recipe.

So now what is one to do after learning of that particular unpleasant experience?  Well, my dears, you simple go out and juice yourself a glass and taste it for yourself. lol

Enjoy! ;p

till next time!

Noodles!

Doesn't matter what it is - Shake It Off

Painful lump on a rib causing major issues?  Well, SHAKE IT OFF! LOL







But seriously.... this thing I thought was gallbladder issues turned out to not be.  Okay.  Juicing and going gluten-free, meat-free, whatever-free, has taken care of the digestive issues, but yesterday I discovered a nasty lump on my rib.  Painful as hell, too.  I guess the digestion coupled with the right upper quadrant pain.. coursing through to my back under my shoulder blade... was just masking each other into looking like something it wasn't.  Ok.



Have to make another call to the Dr... to probably have tests again.  Maybe.  I don't know what he'll do, if anything.  I just know this hurts.  A LOT.  I thought it had stopped.



But... I can still watch this crazy video and listen to this fun song and crack up.  Right?  Right!  And hey... I'm 12 days into my juice fast and going strong!  Woot!



:D

Day 11 - Driving - Driving - Driving - GONE!

No..NOT really.  ;)  But it doesn't mean that I don't dream of just pointing my car in one direction and imagine a gas tank, wallet, and tummy that never empties so I can just drive and keep going...

Meanwhile, back on planet earth...

Most days are filled with music.  Some days are awash in it.  Some days are filtered through it.  But every day has to have it, even if it means just one song.  I replaced my old Bose dock with a Bose SoundTouch.. something VERY different and fun.  It works via WIFI and you control it using your iPhone, iPad, MacBook Pro (in my case), or other smartphone non-i thingy.  :-)  Pandora, iTunes music library, other internet radio station, etc. SO much fun... and it has a radio and Cd changer.  I opted for just a single changer to save money because most of my music library is on my devices anyway.

But back to the real subject matter....

Driving/Cars... Old car.  New car.  Fun car.  Not-so-fun car.  I've always loved it.  Slow cars.  Fast cars.  Had them at both ends of the spectrum.  Reneaux Le Car (remember those? lol).. not exactly the fastest car on the planet and what I learned to drive in. '72 Mustang Mach 1... throw you in the back seat on take-off if you're not careful (and some cars you just don't want to be careful on takeoff... in SAFE circumstances, of course).  '66 Mustang... still freaking fun to drive but only had a radio. STILL rocked out in that one all the same.  Have had a few others along the way over the years, none of them brand new.. Turismo, Scirocco, Acura, Nissan Sentra, Datsun something-or-other-I-can't-remember, Z28 (miss that car), Saturn.  Currently a Liquid Yellow 2005 Mini Cooper Dinan S ("Marley")... and waiting on my Volcanic Orange 2015 Mini Cooper S ("Captain Kumquat" aka "Julius") which is awaiting transport as we speak. :D  "Julius" is my first ever new car!  I'm super excited!!

So here's the deal with music and cars... they simply go hand-in-hand for me.  Not to say there aren't times I don't really need the peace of just driving without anything but the sound of the road.  I do need that on occasion.  But it's the music + driving that really gets my blood flowing, and there are certain songs that I just NEED to hear when I drive, because music changes my mood, lifts me, invigorates me... and the one below is one such song.  This is one that I HAVE to listen to.

There is a stretch of road here in Alabama that is on my route when I drive to Daphne (town in south AL) where I queue this song at the beginning of that route.  I exit I-65, stop at the stop sign, and prepare for that exhilarating and curvy little route that takes me to my destination.  Or, it at least takes me most of the way.  Queue, turn left, cross the bridge, say a prayer that no one will be in my way to slow me down, and with only one stop sign and once crossing the railroad tracks... it's off the beaten path curves and music the whole way in my Mini. :)  And if there should be other cars ahead to slow me down, no biggie.  It's still fun, and still a beautiful drive, and I still have my Mini and my music.  I often see other Minis on that stretch of road, so others do love to go there and play.  Beautiful!

So here it is, Conjure One's "Still Holding On," the song that gets my blood flowing and makes me dream...