Organically Yours

Fozzy the Frontier Dog

2009-05-31T21:45:00.002-04:00

Shall we ease back into this blogging thing with something a bit light-hearted.

I will assume that you have all met Fozzy, my fuzzy little child; this weekend we traveled to my grandparents' house, were Fozzy demonstrated his homesteading skills. He herded bunnies under a trailer, aerated the field, foraged for greens and mushrooms, went fishing and tried hunting a dear.

Needless to say if I ever get a little homestead out in the country he will adjust just as well as to his slightly more urban hunter gatherer lifestyle.

Speaking of urban hunter gatherers; I had the chance to go to the Farmer's Market with my mother this weekend. This one was very different from the ones down her, far more meat and dairy products, also most every thing was organic as well as local. It was the little revitalizing trip I needed to reenspire this little blog.

Here I Am

2009-05-18T04:59:00.002-04:00

I'm glad you have found the new home of Organically Yours, and I'm glad to have started something new. It has been quiet here lately, but not so quit in the real world; God keeps sending me things that have nothing or little to do with this blog.

Actually this year I haven't planted any seeds or managed to even join a CSA. Really it's been that crazy. Things have yet to quite down, but we will make the best of them. And hopefully I'll be in more of a mood to write, in the comming weeks.

Diet not Dieting

2009-04-02T04:06:00.000-04:00

I think it was about this time last year that I started reading about Nourishing Traditions; I read the book late last spring and have tried a few recipes. But my great traditional diet plan fell through, partly do to my love of boxed cereal and all things baked. And in the time since last year I have gained a bit of weight, part do to diet, part to to Fibro treatments/medications and part to an over worked under producing thyriod. Well the medical issues are more under control so now it's time to focus on the food.

I've decided, thanks to a few blogs I'm reading, to reread NT and see if I implament any of it in my diet. I have read that there is a new cook book out that uses the NT principles and I plan to put it on the to read list as well.

There will also be some regular posts here about it.

Also I owe you all some photos, I forgot my camera last weekend, but will bring it this coming weekend so you can all see my secret new job.

2009-03-23T23:20:00.000-04:00

No I have not forgotten all of you. It has been a bit busy around here and non of it was post worthy. There has been cleaning and applying for jobs. The past few days have given me some post ideas, so I am hoping there will be something new for you to read later this week. I still ow you all a post or two about the Flower Show and there may be some fitness and exercise info coming up. Also I will be revealing my new part-time job, with photo evidence.

Slow Down This Sunday

2009-03-13T19:23:00.000-04:00

When: Sunday March 15 at 7:00 pm
Where: CBS's 60 Minutes
Who: Alice Waters from Slow Food Nation

Yes it seems that mainstream media has picked up on what is going on and has decided to help spread the new. I plan to watch it, and give a brief review for those who don't have televisions (I didn't for years, and that was before You Tube). Stop back on here Sunday Night for more information.

"She's done more to change how we Americans eat, cook and think about food than anyone since Julia Child."
--Lesley Stahl

And the Winner Is...

2009-03-06T03:40:00.000-05:00

Amy Ellen! Who has a most yummy blog that you should all check out. She was the only entry, sadly for me. Well my dear, I will be keeping an eye out for some special southern freindly seeds tomorrow.

Thankful Thursday

2009-03-05T21:45:00.000-05:00

I almost forgot to be thankful!
This week I'd have to say I'm thankful for Spring being on its way and that this weekend I will be getting a little taste of it. Also for the inspiration to be writing more.

I know it's a bit lacking this week, but it's been a very quiet here.

Food Declaration

2009-03-05T17:51:00.000-05:00

I have mentioned the Slow Food movement before; and I have been thinking a bit about it lately. I have fallen off my slow moving bandwagon. I was on their site today and remembered I had never posted the link to the Food Declaration. From the site:

1. Current policy is mired in a 20th century industrial paradigm, where the primary goals are limited to production volume, efficiency of feeding, and ensured profits for commodity producers and those they supply, thereby, benefiting too few.
2. People, ecosystems, and rural economies are becoming less healthy as a direct result of current American policy.
3. The efforts to solve food and agriculture challenges are not being addressed to the degree required by the scale of the problems.
4. The last farm bill cycle confirmed that too few control the debate and they are focused on protecting the status quo rather than aiding the broader population of the nation.

I urge you all to read and sign The Declaration and hope that you also take a stroll through their site and that of Slow food Nation.

For your Viewing Enjoyment

2009-03-03T20:07:00.000-05:00

I have had this song stuck in my head, off and on, since I heard it on A Prairie Home Companion, months ago. It's one of those songs that was written for both children and adults who have a silly side.

Bloggaversary and Giveaway

2009-03-02T12:31:00.000-05:00

In the past months I have seen fellow bloggers reach the one year mark; many of them have fully developed blogs, with regular posts, series on a related topic and many followers and commenters. I think it makes my blog feel a little neglected. It is of course my own fault, I started this project at a time when I had others going on in real life. Ones I didn't want to post about regularly. I mean who wants to read about PT and trying new medications.

So, somethings seem to be getting settled and some positive things seem to be taking off, I am hoping that year two will be far more interesting, educating, green, healthy and post-able if not compost-able. I have tabled my home remedies series, just for a month or so; I have decided to write them all and then release them one a week. I am also hoping to regularly do Thankful Thursday, and maybe get some of you in on it. I think March might see some spring cleaning of the kitchen cupboards and fun ways to get the blood moving. April has a special surprise, a hint it has to do with my new job. Yes I'll be working again, but I am over excited about my new job.

But for now I have, for you, a Give Away! I will be at the Philly Flower Show later this week and plan to start my seeds this coming weekend. I will be buying some special seed packets just for the winner. But I'm going to make you work for it. All you need to do is leave a comment with a question for me or something you would like to see me write about; I also need an email address if you don't have a blog or one listed in your blog, and finally what planting zone you are in. The drawing will be Thursday morning.

Good Luck and I can't wait to hear from all of you,

~Kate

To Health

2009-02-27T03:31:00.000-05:00

It is Thursday and I challenge you all to be thankful.

I am thankful for having a week so filled with health that I have been running around doing things I normally can't (like having nearly all the house clean, sparkling clean, all at once). It has kept me from sitting to actually write, but it has filled me with ideas.

I am thankful that spring is almost here, and that DH and I are going to the Philly Flower Show next week, and that my Mom is planning on coming down to join us.

I am thankful for friends who are willing to get up early and come to brunch to celebrate DH's birthday on Sunday. And that said friends are talented and generous enough to bring things so I don't have to cook it all.

I am thankful for having two job offers.

I am thankful that on Monday I will be having my one year blogaversary, and I am thankful that I will be able to share it with you all by hosting my first giveaway. Come back Monday to find out.

I am thankful for another week to live.

The 'Sick' Word

2009-01-26T01:51:00.000-05:00

On my last post I had a comment that really made me stop and think about how I approach some things...

Hello. I notice that you head your blog "a sick girl" and I wonder if therein lies a good deal of your problems.
I too have many health issues (not only fibromyalgia but other truly debilitating problems) and I don't label myself as 'sick'. Yes I have many problems and life gets hard but they are bodily problems -my mind is healthy. I remain optimistic and have a hopeful and thankful outlook on life. Thankful because however bad I am feeling these are not terminal illnesses - you only need to be in the company of someone worse off than yourself to have your own problems put into perspective.
One thing I would do is change your header - saying you are a sick girl immediately show you to be someone who is dwelling on their illness, even to the extent that you are revelling in it. Sure, life is hard when you have problems but you should look at the bigger picture - you don't have a terminal illness, you get by with less pain than some people have to endure. Try not to be so inward looking and enjoying being sick and I can assure you that people will begin to treat you differently - as a whole person, not someone who classes themselves as 'sick'.
It is easy to fall into the trap of being a 'sick' person, almost to the extent of wallowing in your 'sick' state. I hope this advice will help you and perhaps you could leave a comment in this section about your reaction to these comments.
M-

M-,
Thank you for your comment, I have actually spent much of the weekend mulling it over. I totally understand how you might interpret the word "sick". I try to live a life thankful for what I have, and I don't need to be around someone sicker than myself to realize how worse it could be. But being still a few years away from 30, sick for more than half my life and having a down-turn in health makes a person wholey aware of their health issues. These health issuess and those of both the earth and those on the earth helped spawn the idea of starting this blog. I understand that my focus in writing has not fully come together; but the header is a testament to my daily life. I am sick, I work towards health every day, some days I get there and some days I don't, but regardless I get up the next day (with my bones creaking like an old house) and try all over agian.

I am not reveling in being sick, I am owning something that is part of my life. The people who know me well, my friends and family, don't treat me any less or any different. Except some of my burlier male friends hug me a little gentler than they do my husband, and my friends understand when I have to cancel because I have another infection or have muscle cramps in my legs and can't walk.

Notice that the words "healthy" and "green" also apear in the header. This blog is a daily journey and the reason maybe because of sickness, but the journey is about health. Healthy of the body, the mind, the spirit and the planet.

New Year, New Week, New Post

2009-01-19T10:06:00.000-05:00

In years past I have made New Year's Resolutions; they were broad and vague and usually forgotten by the end of January. But this year is different, this year I vow to make no New Year's Resolutions. I vow to take life month by month, week by week and day by day. I have places where I would like to be in a year and in five years. But as life so frequently needs us to be, I will be flexible and reevaluate my time frames and check lists. My hope is that in being a little bit more Organic in how I style my life, my lifestyle will follow suit. And that with some meditation, a little bit of prayer, and a lot of work, I will be able to meet my goals for this year.This was supposed to be ready for the first Monday of the year; but it was still percolating. See, I'm taking this year week by week.

photo credit: Me at the 2008 Philadelphia Flower Show, take by R (my loving husband)

The Word

2009-01-14T23:15:00.000-05:00

Whether you are a Bible Scholar, Language Buff, Literature Fiend or Religious this site might appeal to you: http://originalbible.com/ . As more than one of the above I am very excited about this project.

There is an ancient Jewish adage regarding translating the Scriptures, “One who translates a verse literally is misrepresenting the text, but one who adds anything of his own is a blasphemer.” This new translation uses transparency, "The basic idea of transparency is that one should be able to “peer through” the English translation, and, to whatever extent possible, see, hear, and even feel, the dynamics of the original text." They hope to better represent the originals use of language, including alliteration, puns and word plays, idioms, rhythms, redundancies, and obscurities, the the reader can better understand some of the nuances for them selves. There is a reason that for centuries both the Catholic and Jewish religious leaders and scholars learned the language of the original texts. I read what has been posted on the site already and it is fare more beautiful than what my Oxford Scholars Bible has in it's pages (and though I do actually own more that one bible, the others were not at hand, I think they were not at hand at the time).

I do look forward to the release of this translation.

photo credit: The Bible 1601 by Allyson Ricketts
and He Inspects the First Sheet of His Bible from Giclee Print

Introspective Medical Post

2008-12-22T21:03:00.000-05:00

Many Anniversaries are happy, some are sad but filled with warm memories; tomorrows is neither. Ten years ago, tomorrow, I got the diagnoses of Fibromyalgia. It was wonderful to know what had been making me so sick for years; but it was disheartening to find that there wasn't a "cure" or a lot of information on symptom management, especially for a Juvenile patient. But I got a good doctor and created a management plan that worked.

But some how, over the coarse of ten years I have gradually gotten worse. For a NON-degenerative disease (syndrome technically), this is not a good thing. I am resentful that I can't manage my health now; I know some of it is my inability, but I know some of it is just my body working against me.

And now nearly ten years to the day I am diagnosed with an additional issue. I was to the endocrinologist today. My Thyroid is still unhappy. I officially have hypothyroidism and have meds for it. Yay, one more pill to take for the rest of my life. He thinks the nodule is because my thyroid is working double time to produce hormones. This is a common and controllable illness; but is yet another item on my almost comical list of medical issues.

Sometimes I think God placed my brain ans spirit in the wrong body.

Once again the year goes out with me wishing and hoping that the next year will bring more good health then then one that has passed.

I hope you are all well.

We Need a Little Christmas

2008-12-16T12:14:00.000-05:00

Yes, I took an unannounced week off. We had a little case of lie here. Things are okay, I just had a number of doctors appointments and things to do.

One of those was working on the Nativity Pageant at Church. I re-wrote the old play, really i used the old play as a guild line for length and form. I am also directing it. This is the first time my work is being preformed and the first time I have directed. I know it's only a Church thing and the children in it have minimal/no experience, but it is still very cool. And I am very excited.

However the house has suffered; it has become very cluttered and I still haven't gotten our decorations up. Today is cleaning, tonight is getting boxes out of the attic and getting our tree. Tommorow is cleaning the kitchen, making soup and decorating the rest of the house.

Hope all is well in your worlds,
Kate

Faith

2008-12-04T21:45:00.000-05:00

Usually when people have a crisis of Faith they find that their Faith is lacking something and that maybe they had Faith in something that isn't really there. This past week I have been finding that I am having the opposite. I am finding that maybe I don't have enough Faith and that maybe I need to close my eyes and just trust and believe. I was raised very Catholic, as a teen with issues and opinion I found that a) the Church didn't support and help me enough and b) I didn't agree with a number of the Church's positions on things. I have learned I don't have to agree with everything. I am also realizing how members of my family find comfort in ritual, tradition, prayer and the idea of there being more.

And through all this and all my wishing, that it was as easy as when I was little and had all the Godly Faith in the world, I still find that I have a block in my path.

picture credit http://www.rosaryaday.com

Home and Hibernating

2008-12-01T11:05:00.000-05:00

I hope everyone had a lovely weekend and Thanksgiving. R. and I were up in Connecticut visiting my family. I really miss them and the state I grew up in. My mother made a wonderful holiday dinner for our small clan; and my grandmother made a warm comfort food dinner for us on Saturday, before we drove home. I was very thankful to be "Home", how ever it was nice to arrive home late on Saturday.

Were I was raised will always be "Home"; Connecticut and my family are a large part of who I am, and who I want to be. But were my bed is will also always be home; it's were I rest my head and live on a daily basis. I can not just occupy a house, I must live in a home.

On Sunday our house went from home to den. After putting on our winter weight over the weekend, R. and I decided to hibernate on Sunday. We were both very worn out and in need of a quite rejuvenating day. We woke up a few times to walk the dog, have some dinner and watch a few Christmas movies; but other than that it was a day of sleeping. It really is a Joy to have a day were you can lounge around in your pajamas with one of your favorite people.

However, this morning began a new week and a new month. R. went off to work and I am here trying to organize the week. There is a lot to be done this week; the laundry is waiting for me and the house needs to be put back to straits and thoroughly cleaned before we decorate for Christmas.

I hope you all have a productive and peaceful week.

Mother Letter

2008-11-23T00:43:00.000-05:00

I found this blog via another blog I read; I love the idea and wrote a letter myself (even thought I am not yet a mother).

Dear Mother,
I am not a Mother yet, and do not have any sage stories or trials of child rearing to share with you. But as a young woman who can still remember her years spent being reared I do have one plea: The rules aren't always right! When I was very young I was diagnoses with a learning disability, and at the time one of the ways for helping children who were LD and ADD was to remove all distractions from their learning area, and environment in general. My parents realizing my creativity did not do this, they just worked a little harder with me. And they gave me the gift of my very own desk; with drawers and cubbies to fill with crayons, paper and other creative distractions. My spelling is still not the strongest; but I later went on to the Talented and Gifted program, a Charter School for the Art and Humanities and a great small highly rated College. I now write poetry and essays, blog, and craft. And though I had many hard years in school, I learned how to focus myself, work at my faults, and were able to keep the things I loved and brought me joy in my life.

Much Luck and Peace,
Kate (a young writer with a rocky start)

Brrrrr

2008-11-20T02:15:00.000-05:00

So far this week has been cold here; colder than most of last winter was. I'm not dealing with the chilly weather as well as I have done in prior years. I'm the girl who would walk around New England with out a coat on, in the dead of winter.

I have also noticed today, that I would really love some plants in the house. The only real problem is that we have one sunny window and it's in the bedroom. Our main living area gets very little sun light. I hope Santa can find me some shade friendly house plants.

Photo: Light Collector by Lori Archer

A Little Box of Sunshine

2008-11-17T01:05:00.000-05:00

Sometimes it really is the simple, little things in life; one of my greatest joys of this in-between season (no longer really Autumn and not quite Christmas) is a clementine, or three. They are so small, bright and juicy; really I could devour a whole box, if they didn't cost so much. So instead, I try to savor each one.

Thankful for Thankfulness

2008-11-16T13:50:00.000-05:00

Sometimes we just need to be thankful that we have the ability to be thankful!
"What a happy holiday it is, how social and pleasant and comfortable and easy! How near and dear all the bright faces gathered around the long table at Thanksgiving-dinner, seen to be. Truly, we should all be thankful that we have a Thanksgiving."
- The Original Girls Handy Book, by Linda Beard and Adelia Belle Beard 1887

Simple Beginnings

2008-11-04T02:18:00.000-05:00

At many times my life could have gone many different ways, and most of those times it was my own choice that shaped things. But in my early years my parents made a series of choices, and though I can't say whether one was better than the other, I do know that my life could have been very different.

When I was born my parents lived in a small pre-war house settled on a long narrow strip of land. It had a lawn to play on, flower beds to hide in, berry patches, vegetable beds and a few fruit trees. My mother made most of my baby clothes, including bibs and bedding, and cooked most of our meals from scratch. She worked part-time and I was cared for by my grandparents or in someone's home with a hand full of other young children. It was the start of the 80's and my parents had a budget to live by and a whole lot of energy for a good life.

I remember playing outside, or in the lower cupboard where the pots and pans were stored, and going to the library. We didn't watch a lot of television and what I do remember watching was on PBS. And my baby sister was my favorite playmate. We never wanted for things, and most of the things we owned were of quality, not quantity. Bedroom furniture was bought from a good store, in a classic style and piece by piece. We still have the high chair, cradle, head boards, dressers and desk that my sister and I shared. What was gifts and what was saved for, I don't know, but it was all saved.

This life, though seen through nostalgic, blurred eyes, is the kind of life that I aim for, for today. Though I loved the later years of living on a child filled cul-du-sac, in a new house, with cable and pretty much anything I wanted. Part of me wonders how my life right now would be different if working at the simpler things had ingrained on me as habit and not just memories.

The sad part, I fear, is that living that life now would cost twice as much as it did then, even after you adjust for inflation. (but that's another day's post)

Watering Can on Chair by Cecile Baird

Good Heavens...

2008-11-03T11:56:00.000-05:00

Has it really been over a month since I last posted? Well, I apologies. Life here has been both hectic and dull. I had a little set back in my health, but am doing better. I have come to the point were I need to add a little structure to my life.

I am thinking of choosing a day of the week to focus on a special topic. Is there something special you want to read or learn more about? Maybe health issues, or green cleaning tips, reciepes or prodjects. I would love to hear your opinions.

Also I think I am going to choose a day to write about daily life. Like I said I need a bit more structure, and a little motivation; and I think this blog, and you Dear Reader, can help with that.

Holiday Help

2008-09-28T04:53:00.000-04:00

For some of you this might not be on your mind yet, and for others it might be to late; but non the less I have a little sharing to do, and if you can't put it to use this year hopefully you can use it next.

I have been one of those people standing in line on Christmas Eve, buying the last minute gift, and my husband has been saddled with expedited shipping costs, and the tension of waiting because he waited to long to order a gift. But no more, not in this house. After last year we decided to implement a new rule: If it's perfect buy it now! I don't care if it was August, but when my favorite shop to buy gifts, back in CT, was having a side walk sale, and I happened to be home visiting, you bet I bought presents for family and friends. Over the summer I have managed to buy for the two trickiest people on my list. Even stocking stuffers can be bought ahead of time; my husband's favorite after-shave goes on sale, or fuzzy socks are on clearance, I'm at a craft fair and find cool wooden toys. It all gets picked up and tucked away.

As items come into the house they go into a big plastic bin and some time right before Thanksgiving I will go into it and take stock, the few people left on the list will get shopped for over the next week or so. I can apply the same principle to birthdays, as those sneak up out of nowhere, but except for kids we tend to do a nice card and a gift certificate or a bottle of wine.

By buying early and/or on sale I have saved money in purchase price and shipping, I have saved worries and stress. Also you avoid going bankrupt; instead of spending $1,000 plus in December, you are spending $20 here and there threw-out the year. My husband and I just don't go to the movies that week, or we spend it out of our “fun/mad money” if we are on vacation when we find it. I spend less on myself as well by doing this. That vacation or craft fair, in the past I would have bought something for myself, but now I think of and buy for others.

Also, another forward thinking thing we do is buy paper and cards after Christmas; the other year we bought a ton at Target on clearance and only used about half last year. Strings of lights, ornaments, hooks, ribbon and the like all need to be sold at the end of the season. And, while what you need is still fresh in your mind, and this years stuff hasn't quite been all but away is the perfect time to stuck up. It saves money and hassle. When everything goes up the following year, you have everything you need.

I am really looking forward to being on top of things for the Holidays this year. I can happily walk around 'main street' and window shop, and I can avoid the mall if I am so inclined. Everything will be at home just waiting for me to do my favorite two things; sit under the tree and wrap gifts and then sit under the tree again while I watch my loved ones unwrap them.

(photos are of family Christmas Trees, top left is my In Law's, middle right is my Parent's, and bottom left is mine, all from 2007)

Wast of Energy

2008-09-25T21:18:00.000-04:00

Today I spent the better part of an hour talking to a neighbor; she had herself in a flutter about what happened to her this weekend. To make it brief, more than one neighbor has made more than one complaint about her to the management. And this is not the first time that I have politely stood and listened too such things.

Living in a small court yard of neighbors who largely have nothing to do (nearly all are retired) has opened my eyes to what excess time and boredom can do. Idleness has led these people to gossip and childish games.

Ladies and Gents, please don't waist your time with soul hurting. There are much better ways to spend ones time, even those who are old or sick can do things. Read a book, call your family and talk about their week, volunteer, start a garden; there are millions of things one can do. But please, people stop wasting your time and burdening your soul with childish gossip and games.

Open your hearts and your minds to your neighbors and be kind not only to their face, but when they have their back turned or their door closed.

Yum

2008-09-12T16:52:00.000-04:00

I love baked goods, especially ones involving fruit. And one of the easiest is Crumble; here are two different flavors that use the same easy topping.

Topping
5 Tbl flour (I used an organic stone ground whole wheat, a GF mix would work well too)
2 Tbl brown sugar
1 stick of cold butter cut up into small pieces

I usually make the crumble while my fruit marinates.
Combine flour and sugar in a bowl, then work in the butter pieces. You are not trying to cream the butter, just turn it into tiny flour covered pieces.

Blackberry Basil
1 1/2 pins blackberries
2 grany smith apples
1-2 Tbl basil based on your fondness for the herb (I used Thai basil, it's a bit more hearty than Italian basil)
sugar to taste (I only used a tea spoon or so, I like tart things)

Peach Ginger
4 large peaches peeled and chopped (I blanched the peaches in order to peal them)
1 pint strawberries, cut into smallish pieces
1 Tbl fresh grated ginger (if you have powdered use that, you may just want to add a bit more)

Combine and let sit for 10 min. (I did this in my pie dish) place crumble on top and bake at 350 until all the butter is melted and the edges are bubbling.

Wee Hours

2008-09-11T03:58:00.000-04:00

Once again I find myself awake in the early hours of Thursday morning. I did not find my pillow restful, even though I am tired. So instead of dream land I tried blog land.

You might find a few things different today; a new title, a new template and a new user pic. Things are a changing! The seasons are shifting and so is my blood. The summer has gone by with little progress on my part. I have felt more of a difference in the past week than all summer. (But my new found sinus infection is not helping)

So as the leaves on the trees go from green to red, orange and yellow; I am going green.

Introducing...

2008-08-06T16:30:00.000-04:00

Sometimes its the small innocent beings in our lives that can effect us the most. I know many women in my life who have had their eyes open to a whole new array of things by there children. I have yet to be blessed with a human child, but a about three weeks ago my husband and I adopted a fuzzy child. Actually so fuzzy that we named him Fozzy. In the past week I have watched the lights on the Delaware River, a robin chirp in the early morning, seen mother duck tend to their ducklings and found were the bunnies who eat my garden live. I have met more neighbors in a week than in the whole prior year of living here. He has been great company for me during the day, and is an eager walking partner. He is definitely what our life needed right now.

Chronic Illness and the Web

2008-08-01T15:02:00.000-04:00

It is no secret that I have chronic health issues and that sometimes it gets the better of me, or at the very least my time. So to break my rut of not posting for fear of complaining too much I would like to share some of my favorite websites for dealing with Chronic Illness.

This site has some great info on integrative and alternative therapies; many people like non-drug options, or just need to help improve there overall wellness and quality of life.
http://www.amfoundation.org/

This is a fun website with articles for the young and spunky who happen to be sick.
http://www.chronicbabe.com/

A great anecdote and lesson to learn by, 'don't use up all your spoons'
http://butyoudontlooksick.com/

This site has some good general health and illness info.
http://www.healthcentral.com/

And because a Lady needs pretty things in her life.
http://www.forgettingthepill.com/
http://www.n-styleid.com/
http://www.fiddledeeids.com/index.php

If any of you have sites you or your friends like, please share.
Enjoy!
~Kate

Cooking with Venison

2008-06-12T01:51:00.000-04:00

As promised two recipes using venison. I multi task, so if you aren't good at doing two things at once, or are new to the kitchen, you might want to do some prep work. Do all of your chopping and measuring first; just line it all up on the counter and things will go smoother. Have fun and I hope you enjoy these dishes. :)

This first one is based on a recipe in "Nourishing Traditions", I adapted it do to what I had on hand.

Venison Stuffer Peppers
4 green peppers
1 pound ground venison
1 small onion
1/4 pasta sauce (tomato paste was called for, and this is what I had)
1/2 cup beef stock (you may need more if u you use tomato paste)
1 cup of brown rice
spices and herbs to taste (I used basic green herbs and a pinch of cinnamon)
olive oil
grated Parmesan cheese

Set rice to cook, per directions on the package, and preheat the oven to 350F. After, start by browning the meat in your trusty skillet, using the olive oil and add desired herbs and spices. While this is going on chop up your onion. Once the meat is ready pushed it to the perimeter of your skillet, you may need to remove it if your skillet is small. Then add a touch more olive oil and put the onions in the center. While they caramelize carefully cut the peppers, I chose to cut them in half, from top to bottom, so they would cook quicker. Greased a Pyrex dish, 9x12, with olive oil and place the peppers in. Once the onions are ready stir them in with the meat and add the tomato sauce, beef stock and rice. Once combined carefully scoop it into the peppers, cover in graded cheese and bake. The baking took about 30 minutes. I server this with a chopped salad.

Onto the next recipe... This time I was basically just trying to clean out the fringe, so feel free to substitute for what you have. Or just get creative.

Venison Chili
1 pound ground venison
1 red pepper, 1 yellow pepper
3 carrots
1 small onion
1 can kidney beans
3 table spoons olive oil
spices and herbs to taste (I used cumin, chili powder and garlic powder)
1/4 red wine vinegar
1/2 beef stock
1/2 cup tomato sauce

Plug in your slow cooker, or put your stock pot on low. Put olive oil and meat in pot and turn it on. Chop peppers, carrots and onions into smallish pieces, and add them to the pot. Add kidney beans, vinegar, beef stock and tomato sauce. Spice to taste; I eye ball it when I add the meat and then go back once it is all cooked and sample. I usually end up adding more spice at the end. I served this with toasted tortillas, just brush them with olive oil and place them on a baking sheet in the oven on low. You may need to experiment with it.

Well that is all for now. There will be more coming. Tomorrow is my last day of work; I'll be on sick leave the rest of the summer, while I heal my body and soul.

What's Up, What's Down

2008-06-05T19:44:00.000-04:00

It's been a while, hasn't it. Things have been quite and busy all at the same time. My health has been poor, still. But it will be doing better. We have answers and we have plans to fix them. However in the mean time this blog will be taking a bit of different turn. Don't worry it's not for the worse.

Actually it may be for the better... The Better Health of All. This summer Healthy Living will be a major focus of this blog. I'm not yet sure if I will be doing any series or not, I guess we will figure that out as I do my research.

Also I will be posting some yummi new receipts, as I experiment with new healthy foods. Actually I have two receipts involving Venison that I need to type up and post for you all :)

So until then, I hope all is well in your worlds and that it continues to be.

Slow Down for Slow Food

2008-05-19T19:34:00.000-04:00

Whether you are a big family or a single person, I believe a myriad of problems can be solved by simply slowing down, cooking a meal at home and enjoying it at the table. And that sentence is far easier said than done. My husband and I both work and I know how hard it is to find the energy to cook when you get home late (and if you are me, are in pain too). But this excuse will suffice no longer. My husband and I have been living off of bought lunches and pre-made meals from the grocery store for weeks now; and though it has been a timesaver the novelty of it has worn off. Eating this way strains our purse strings and encourages unhealthy eating habits. There has been more fried chicken, Chinese food, frozen meals and cookies in this house in the last month than in the last year.

I have read about the Slow Food Movement before and took great interest in it. But today I decided that it is time to implement such an idea into our daily lives. So I am joining the Slow Food Movement. It's about being more than just a consumer of food. The main principles of the SFM is to have a relationship with your food, know where it comes from, and to buy local, organic and fair trade when you can. It's about preparing and sharing your food; have friends over and cook together, or just sit at the table, light some candles and spend an evening with your husband lingering over a home cooked meal.

Now with everything that is going on in my life jumping into this fully may be a bit much for us right now; so I am going to ease into this lifestyle. I am pledging to prepare lunch for my husband and myself every day. I also intend to cook one homemade, from scratch, meal a week. Quick frozen veggie skillet creations don't count. I am talking about cutting, chopping and cooking. And once this has become routine and my health is better or my work situation has improved, I intend on increasing the number of 'from scratch' dinners. I also pledge to post these dinners in my blog, so that I can share with all of you.

Happy Mother's Day!

2008-05-11T22:01:00.000-04:00

Happy Mother's Day to my own mother and mother in law; and to all of you wonderful women who have the wonderful vocation of raising the best of blessings. You all have my greatest admiration. And i hope your day was beautiful.

I apologize for not keeping up in my posts quality or quantity as of late. I have been feeling more for the worse and have been 'convalescing'.

Seeing as I have not been out of my bed, I am posting this image to represent the past two day for my WIFD. I do intend to continue this my week, so that you may all see a full seven days. I really enjoyed looking through others blogs today and through Cheri's blog I have found the blogs of some other Lovely Ladies. I hope next week to do some page layout up dates; and add a side bar so that I may link to the other journal I enjoy reading. As i enter a very difficult week for myself I wish allof you a smooth and blessed week of your own.

~Kate

WIFD days 2 and 3

2008-05-07T20:39:00.000-04:00

And I now return you to your regularly scheduled programming.

This was from yesterday. I'm wearing one of my favorite skirts; it's a wrap skirt with a blue satin under layer and an embroidered black over lay. I love how exotic it looks.

Here is todays, taken at work. I think I forgot to dust myself off first :) This is a great light sundress that I wear at a jumper. When it's really hot I wear a cami under it instead of a blouse.

And a close up of my shoes, you can see the subtle poke-a-dots, I LOVE POKE-A-DOTS

And lastly me cuddling with my faithful cat, my purring fluffy heating pad. There is nothing like the love of a fuzzy child.

Day One

2008-05-05T21:11:00.000-04:00

Hello Dear Ones,

I'm participating in a Week in Feminine Dress. I usually wear dresses and skirts but as of late pants are finding there way into my wardrobe once a week or so, when I don't feel well. My husband prefers me in skirts and dresses. This is not only an exercise in ladylike dressing, but also at having my photo taken and not critiquing myself to death :)

This was taken after running around at work for 9 hours; I've been really ill these past weeks and it shows. I'm wearing a navy cap sleeve dress and pink short sleeve cardigan; also I'm carrying my tin lunch pale. I almost always wear my hair up when I'm not out with Ro (the hubbs), it is a bit messy hear though long hair doesn't always want to stay in place for hours on end. Well it took me 15 mins to get dressed today, tomorrow I hope I'll have more time to put into this.

Have a lovely evening.

Guerilla Gardenging

2008-05-03T20:27:00.000-04:00

This may be illegal; this may be one of those occasions were idealism, principal and the greater good out weight earthly law.

Shock gardening troops attack urban eyesores

By Kate Kelland

LONDON (Reuters) - They work under the cover of night, armed with seed bombs, chemical weapons and pitchforks. Their tactics are anarchistic, their attitude revolutionary. Their aim: to beautify.

An army of self-styled Guerrilla Gardeners is growing across the world, fighting to transform urban wastelands into horticultural havens. To document and encourage their victories, one of the movement's top generals has written a handbook.

"On Guerrilla Gardening", by Richard Reynolds, defines the activity as "the illicit cultivation of someone else's land".

"Our main enemies are neglect and scarcity of land," said Reynolds, a 30-year-old former advertising employee who wrote the book after his website guerrillagardening.org became a global focal point for would-be green-fingered activists.

"Land is a finite resource -- and yet areas like this are not being used. That seems crazy to me," Reynolds told Reuters.

"And if the authorities want to get in the way of that logic, then we will fight them -- but peacefully -- through showing them what we can achieve with plants."

As he spoke, Reynolds and several London-based troops were enthusiastically digging over soil in a rough patch of grass outside a tower block in the south east of the capital.

Defying darkness -- and risking arrest for criminal damage -- they continued their "attack" on the otherwise grim, grey surroundings, forking in a hefty load of compost and planting lavender and Paris daisies for a splash of colour and scent.

"WE WILL FIGHT THEM... WITH PLANTS"

Thousands of "troops" worldwide have now signed up to Reynolds' website -- each with their own troop number -- where they post reports and pictures of their battles, or "troop digs".

For those inspired to follow suit, his book outlines tips and advice on everything from the most suitable clothing and what kind of lighting and communication equipment to use, to how to carry out a "seed bombing" raid.

"Scattering seeds is the easiest way to guerrilla gardening," he writes. "You do not even have to stop moving to do it -- GG (Guerrilla Gardener) 830 Tony releases handfuls of Welsh poppy seeds while driving along the M60 motorway."

Reynolds says he was inspired to write the book after his first nocturnal gardening experience outside his own 1970s concrete tower block in London, when he discovered he was part of a largely secret but worldwide movement.

"I began because I moved to a tower block and had no garden, and yet all around me there were bits of land that nobody was looking after -- so I have made it into my own garden. But it's that one everyone shares and can get involved in," he said.

"I stepped out into the world to cultivate land wherever I liked. The mission was to fight the miserable public flowerbeds around my neighbourhood."

The book charts what it says is a "revolutionary history" of a movement which has its roots in 1970s New York and has since inspired urban dwellers across the world to defy authorities and adopt and cherish neglected public spaces.

GG 3516 Greg, in Zurich in Switzerland, tells of Saturday-night sorties to beautify a traffic island in the city, while GG 158 Luc, in Montreal, Canada, documents a "pavement garden" he has been cultivating for four years.

GG 013 Julia, one of the movement's leading lights, posts pictures and descriptions of significant victories in Berlin, where the Rosa Rose garden in the east of the city has grown out of a vacant lot once covered in rubble and rubbish.

GG 1168 David, and GG Michael 1169, graphic designers in Tokyo, say their motivation was a passion for growing food.

According to Reynolds' book, they began in 2005 by "chucking pumpkin seeds into a vacant lot near David's home" in the city, and, encouraged by the pumpkins' progress, continued with a small guerrilla farm on waste ground in the Kamiyacho district.

"It's about living in an edible jungle," David, who now also grows broccoli and radishes land owned by Tokyo city authorities, says in the book. "Vegetables are best fresh, so I thought they should be grown locally."

"A WIN-WIN WAR"

Guerrilla Gardening is a crime in Britain -- digging up land you do not own is classed as committing criminal damage -- but Reynolds insists it is a victimless one and is clearly unfazed by encounters with police.

"Yes, by law this is criminal damage... but common sense would suggest it is quite the opposite," he said.

He described a recent night-time dig on a large roundabout in central London where dozens of police pulled up, and ordered him and fellow gardeners to down tools or face arrest.

"We reluctantly withdrew," he said, adding with a smile that they returned to finish the job an hour later when the coast was clear.

Reynolds has now largely given up his more mainstream work in advertising and devotes his time to writing about Guerrilla Gardening, maintaining his website and spreading the word.

And while he characterizes the activity as a battle and uses the language of war, he insists there are no losers.

"This a win-win war," he writes. "Take a public place of wasted opportunity and turn it into a garden. In time victory should be clear to everyone, and probably fragrant too."

(Reporting by Kate Kelland; Editing by Sara Ledwith)

Article and photo credit:

http://uk.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUKL292187120080430?pageNumber=1&virtualBrandChannel=0

The Simple Life

2008-04-25T17:11:00.000-04:00

Simplicity and the Simple Life seem to be on the minds of many in past days. I don't know if is a symptom of Spring Fever or a side effect of rising gas and food prices; but it has been on my mind too.

The search for something simple has always been in the plans for my husband and I, and now that we are coming up on our first wedding anniversary and have settled into our life together a little, it has become a goal of ours. However for us is not as easy a goal as we thought. We both work, I mostly full time and him more than full time. This makes convince food and instant gratification an easy way for us to eat at 8pm when we get home from work.

But while we try to work on the bigger issues there are some simple pleasures in our lives. I love to garden and have started growing veggies in pots out in front of our condo, hopefully this summer they will bless us with food at out finger tips. Also one of our favorite "dates" is going to the farmers market or during the winter the indoor Amish Market; my husband and I love to stroll, hold hands and talk to the sellers, it a louse us to feel active in our community and in our food choices.

One of the gifts that we give to each other for birthdays and other special occasions is parties; we throw something into the Crockpot and invite friends over to share the afternoon with us. The memories are fare better than any trinket that could be found hastily at a store. And this year for Christmas Ro got me crayons and paper, we'll sit and draw our dream home or just smiling little cows. Colouring is one of the small joys that adults seem to forget.

Eventually I will raise our own chickens and sheep like his mother does, embroider baby blankets like his grandmother does, bake bread like my mother does and grow bushels of vegetables like my grandmother does. But until that day, we will slowly slow down and begin to find what our Simple Life is.

Falure to Frugal-ize

2008-04-22T01:34:00.000-04:00

I took most of last week off from work as a preemptive strike; more long hours are coming at work and I was still having some residual infection issues and the diet of doom was a disaster. By Friday I was feeling better and to make my week complete Saturday I was surprised with a trip to the day spa. My indulgent and frugal husband found two special offers at the day spa in town; and I got to have a day of guilt free pampering. I had my hair cut and and a lemon grass manicure/pedicure combo. It's been nearly a year since I had either. I felt so refreshed and relaxed. And after a nap he took out for Sashimi, yum. And a little shopping (the only non essential was some terracotta pots). I love my Hubs!

All of this luxury has me thinking. There are two very distinct sides of me. A) the barefoot, organ gardening, save the planet side and B) the Coach shoe/handbag , pearl wearing gourmet food eating side. And I know that somewhere there is a balance between these two halves of a whole, but there is one large wedge between them. Frugality! In many ways both of these things can lend themselves to saving money, and to each other. Turn your lights off when not in the room saves energy and money; buying one high quality purse and using it for 2 or more season is better than buying more than 2 purses and sing them for less than one season. But sill you have to have the money to by the one high quality purse to being with. I'd say you even need the money to keep the lights on, but we are at least safe from that.

My spending habits have improved a lot over the past year and a half. But still, most days I don't think I'm doing enough, and then not long after I think about how I miss seeing the J Crew and Lord and Taylor bags sitting on the floor, after a triumphant day of shopping. Is it possible to ever stop wanting? Seeing that many can't even live of a “six figure” income, I'm not so sure.

Summer Reading List

2008-04-20T13:58:00.000-04:00

It's spring and for me that means it's time to make my summer reading list. Being in the world of Academia for so long means that Fall through Spring was usually filled with required readings, and research readings. So, Summer has always been my fun readings time.

The first book up, which I am actually reading right now is Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon. I have heard great things about it from some lovely Lady Bloggers and my N.D. lives by some of its principles.

Next up will be You the Owners Manual, by Dr. Roizen and Dr. Oz . I'm sure some of it will conflict with NT, but it's been awhile since I took an Anatomy class and it may be interesting.

I also really want to read The Four Fold Path to Healing, by Thomas Cowan. It's from the same publishers as NT and I think it may be filled with info that is truly helpful to me.

If you can't tell yet, there is a theme to all of this reading. It's all about my health. I've been sicker than usual lately and I know there is a connection to my diet and lifestyle. I don't think it's 100% do to how I live, but I know that at the very least there is room for improvement. And at the very least what I do may not be making me sicker, but it not making me healthier either.

I'm hoping that by June I will have gotten through my reading and have implemented some changes for the better. Then I'll get to update the Summer Reading List with some light readings.

Do you Ladies have any good suggestions or recommended reading, for me; what are you currently reading or planning on reading? I'd love to know. :)

Gram and Poppy

2008-04-17T02:42:00.000-04:00

I have not yet mentioned that my Grandparents, Gram and Poppy, are my model for marriage, after all these years they still love each other and still show affection for one another. Poppy calls gram “the Bride” and Gram lets Poppy have his way, most times. They have learned what is worth fighting over, and really I think at this stage in their life they have decided nothing is worth fighting over. They freely give all that they have to their family and have taken more than one of us in when we needed it. Really I think they are my model for life.

Gram and Poppy, aka Bud and Muerial (Muky) as their Cronies call them, have lived their entire lives in H, CT. Poppy was school chums with Gram's older brother and they were High School Sweethearts. Actually there is about 3 years age difference between them, and Poppy spent some of Gram's senior year over seas. During WWII he enlisted in the army and served in Hawaii and other warm Pacific places. After he was discharged they were married on January 26, 1946 (does part of this date look familiar to anyone?) Poppy worked with his father as an independent plumber (and general repairs men) until he passed away, and Poppy took over the business. Gram was a 50's house wife who thought the occasional art or craft class for extra pocket cash; and later after her children finished school became a floral designer, specializing in dried flowers, and silk. They had three children, my father being the eldest, all born at the end of November. Mind you Gram and Poppy's Birthdays are the 7th and 11th of February, just do the math.

Early in their marriage they bout a house on Dixwell Ave, actually for those DSH-ers, its now the yellow hair salon on the other corner to the Keefe Center where practice is held. They lived there and rented part of the house out to others before buying the farm. Mind you the farm house was once not as big as it now is. In fact there were only two bedrooms; upstairs the kids slept in one room, parents int the other and Grams mother took over the small first floor 'parlor' (now the “green room”). When my father was in High school they finally decided to add on to the house, Poppy, Dad and Uncle B, along with some handy friends, built the addition that over doubled the size of the house. The half that now houses all the bedrooms, but mine, the kitchen and formal living room was all built by them. They tried their 1970's best to match the addition to the original 1800's house, owned by the street's name sake. The farm now has 4 acres, with a pump house and an awesome post and beam barn. The large bit of land now owned by the farm next-door was originally part of the property, but sold off at the same time as my grandparents purchase of their parcel.

The farm is no longer really functional, but in my life they used the back few acres as a Christmas tree farm, they always grew their own vegetables, enough for them, my parents and I (ok and M too) and still had enough to share with friends. Also at one point they had ducks. But if they didn't grow it they knew someone who did. The farm next door had chicken and Gram's dried flower provider had goats and sheep.

I have always been closer with Gram and Poppy then with my mother and father. I was born on their Wedding Anniversary and spent a lot of time at their farm when I was younger; and I am the oldest grandchild. Actually they had a large hand in raising me. I joke that my sister (M) is a Daddy's Girl and that I am a Poppy's Girl.

Poppy and Gram have been married for over 60 years, and have known each other and been close for at least 70 years. They have Cronies, people who they have been friends with for years, some they have known since grade school. Many of their Cronies are like Aunts and Uncles to me, they went on the Wedding guest list before any friends outside the Bridal Party did. They have watched me grow up and I have watched them grow old. Some have aged better than others.

The funny thing is that Gram and Poppy, by most modern agencies, do not have a healthy lifestyle. They still eat meat, red meat and pork, regularly, they drink and eat sweets, lots of sweets and few non-root veggies. But these two people in their late 80's are some of the healthiest people I know. Most definitely healthier than me.

Actually my family has a strange distribution of health. Most O'Connell's are good strong healthy people, with robust constitutions, Gram, Poppy, Dad, Aunt K and M are prime examples. But then there is the recessive sicky gene that Uncle B and I both have. We both have low body temps and throat susceptibility, not to mention bodies that like to attack themselves.

But regardless of this; I have found the key to my grandparents' health.

1.They are early to bed and early to rise. Retiring at 9ish and rising between 5 and 6 am. Poppy has taken to getting up in the middle of the night for a bit, but he makes up for it in afternoon naps.
2.They are active. Still very social and giving of their time to charity, they also keep up a large house and 2 of the 4 acres of land the other 2 are now wood with pine treas and grape vines. Poppy is always tinkering with something, and Gram is always moving, rearranging and decorating (or gardening in the warm months).
3.They enjoy themselves. Resting in the afternoons, or going out with friends. They maintain a time share and used to travel a lot with friends, they have however slowed down a bit in the past 3 years. But non the less they are at the Elks club or out to dinner weekly.
4.They are very religious. Going to mass daily; it gives them spirituality, a sense of community and something larger than themselves. And it gives them their moral compass and great compassion. They are the kind of Cradle Catholics who love and except everybody, regardless of sin, persuasion or background.
5.They eat what makes them happy, don't feel guilty over it and they eat at home. They eat sweets but don't eat a lot of things containing high fructose corn syrup. No soda. Their cookies, pastries and cakes are home made by Gram or come from a good Italian Bakery. They don't eat fast food or take out, but instead live off of left over pot roast and meat loaf. They drink beer daily and Gram loves her cocktails. Poppy hates most veggies but will eat all the spinach and carrots if you let him, and Gram will cover most raw veggies in Mayonnaise. When they do go out its to real restaurants, where they sit and linger with friends and family.

There is something in their generation and life style that we are missing. Up until maybe a year or so ago I thought they were going to still be kicking until their late 90's. Sort of like the Queen Mother, minus the cake like hats. But one keep part of their life style is fading away. They are starting to watch their friends, relatives and acquaintance pass on. Many of them were only 10 or 15 years younger then them, yet old by many standards. They people led good lives but were not as fortunate to have Gram and Poppy's health.

It seems that Old Age has become contagious.

On a daily basis I miss Gram and Poppy; I think of when I was younger and they would show me how to do things. And every time I pack Ro's lunch into the black metal lunch box that was Poppy's I do so with a bit of pride.

I am lucky enough to have the Best Grandparents in the world. I have learned a lot from them, and they still have vast amounts to teach me.

Seed Cups

2008-04-13T13:40:00.000-04:00

I have finally started my seedlings; I know it's a bit late in the season and I hope it wont effect them too much. I have not planed seeds in years and this year I decided to try something different. I did not want to use those plastic trays that are bad for the environment and I didn't want to spend a ton of money on eco friendly seed trays... So I made my own!

First I made two boxes to hold all of my individual seed cups. I used the box that a juice flat comes in (I got this from work but if you shop at whole sale clubs they should have some there). First I wrapped it in a layer of cling wrap and them a lay of foil wrap; I covered both the bottom and the inside just in case. I don't want water leaking all over the place.

Next I made the seed cups. I used toilet paper and towel rolls, you could use any sturdy cardboard roll. I cut the toilet paper rolls in half and the towel rolls in thirds. Next I cut four slits, about one inch long, on the bottom of each. I folded the cut end in on themselves and taped them using masking tape, sort of like wrapping a present. Now the little seed cups can stand up on their own, even if some are a little wobbly.

I filled them with soil and them planted my seed like you normally would. I also labeled each cup with the sort of seed I planted in it. When the seedlings are ready to be planted I can just remove the tape and plant them or I can remove the seedling from the cup and then compost the cup (after removing the tape). And the components of the tray I made are all recyclable
too.

I hope this works!

2008-03-24T20:25:00.000-04:00

Just popping in to say; HI!. I hope everyone is doing well and had a restful weekend and joyous Easter. I have been a bit more sick than usual and am catching up on everyone's blogs. I'm doing a bit better, but will be making some lifestyle and health changes starting this week. The main one will be starting a detox and rotation diet. Also with spring here and the weather warming up I will be starting my seeds and shearing the sheep soon. I will be posting about both of these soon.

The Heart of A Marriage

2008-03-10T19:57:00.000-04:00

Our bed is very important to us. My husband and I both love to sleep; and one of our luxuries is our bed. After our wedding we bought a new mattress and antique bed frame, we also received amazing bed linens as wedding gifts. Our bed is were we cuddle in the morning, and giggle late at night. We talk about what is on our mind and we play; its were we rejuvenate our bodies, our spirits and our marriage.

One of my favorite things is Clean Sheet Day. And I have realized that one of the easiest things I can do with the 10 minutes I have to do house work is... Yep; make the bed. My husband was actually still asleep in it when I left this morning, but when I got home from work I went up stairs and made the bed. I love to smooth out the sheets and spray them with lavender water. I pull the covers up and spread out the quilt that was made by a good friend as a gift to my saragget mother, who has passed of cancer. And I put all of our "bed friends" in there place; the porcelain doll I have had since childhood (-R's childhood doll is to fragile to bed on th bed, he lives in my old wicker doll bassinet.) and a three monkeys that were gifts between -R and I, there are also two poppets (hand made dollies with no faces).

So in ending my ramblings. Our marriage bed is more than just a place to sleep. It is a place for US.

What's important in your marriages?

Thankful Thursday

2008-03-06T22:11:00.000-05:00

My job has been a point of upset lately, some days I am even resentful of it. I shouldn't be. So today I decided to be mindful of all the good things about my job, and to give thanks for them.

~I genuinely like all of my co-works, and they not only like me but are concerned for me and give me extra help on my bad health days.

~I work on a college campus and have access to a library, gym and cultural events.

~I get to work book-signings were I hear interesting readings and lectures; and meet fellow writers.

~I have a generous discount and can order books from almost any publisher. I also get to take home snacks that are expired (but still yummy) for free.

~I provide and important serves to students, I'm the one who processes book request and order the books. I help in the educations of many.

Lastly
~my job provides the money we need to cover my medical expenses.

So... Today I am thankful for my job and my awesome co-works.

First Post

2008-03-02T17:35:00.001-05:00

Hi I have had a live journal for years as a way to keep up with daily life among myself and my friends who I don't get to see regularly. This blog's focus is my job as wife and homemaker. I was married in June and moved from Connecticut to Philadelphia. My goal is to meet new friends and share thoughts and experiences of home and life.