A lot of TMI health news under the cut. Squickky.

Give me ten more crunches!!
( Good News )
Give me ten more crunches!
( Bad News )
Still taking tramadol and piroxicam and my vitamins (multi with Fe, B with folic, C, Ca with D) and probiotic.

I let Rh know that I am going to China next month. It changed his treatment plan.

Overall, though, I feel pretty good. I'm doing what I am able to do and making progress.

Picture Post
( under here )

Sister K and I will be heading to Pere Marquette State Park tomorrow. We will be staying at the Lodge or in Grafton, IL on Tuesday night. On Wednesday, we will take the convertible onto the Golden Eagle Ferry across the Mississippi River to MO-94 and then south to St. Charles. I would expect ETA to be around 1 pm on Wednesday.

Pictures follow.

Sister K is here for a visit.

Homegrown!

Herb Mayonnaise: Mayo, thyme, basil & cracked pepper

Jerk spice: allspice, clove, cardamom, pepper

Local chicken grilled last night

Thinly sliced - radish, red onion, lettuce

Assembled on toasted organic ciabatta roll.

Voila!

Looks like the rain is clearing and I'll be able to host the BBQ as planned around 5 pm.

Edit (6:00 pm): Okay, not really. Still raining and wet. My garage looks like a one bedroom apartment party at grad school. Everyone still came. Food was delicious.

On this day, I remember that I am free.

Free to
Move across the nation temporarily or permanently
Leave the country entirely
Worship as my conscious dictates
Read and Write
Change professions if I wish
Have children or no children
Associate with groups publicly or in private
Redress wrongs done to me in a legal system
Have laws applied consistently
Elect leaders that share my values
Own a home (or not)
Make transportation choices
Eat from a plentiful food supply


Free to Laugh, Love and Live!

Tonight, I accepted an invitation, spontaneously, to go out and play darts with some new friends. It was 8:30pm and I am usually getting ready for bed. All the excuses flew through my head but my mouth said, "yes." So I went and had a great time. I didn't turn into a pumpkin. Yes, it's late for me, and I'm ready for bed but tomorrow is holiday so I can sleep in. (reminder: one of my 2009 goals was to find a new circle of friends not predicated on work or alcohol)

I'm feeling strangely awake this morning - early. I didn't sleep well - waking up every 2 hours or so, but it wasn't like my normal bouts of insomnia. Strange. I wonder if it's related to the aforementioned zombie apocalypse?

...your friend starts out a sentence with "After the zombie apocalypse, I'll be able to..." and you don't even bat an eyelash?

Second. Why does it seem that everyone is referencing the zombie apocalypse today? Did I miss an important announcement?

Sweat equity is one of the greatest satisfactions in my life.

I awoke at 5:30 am, stretched, took my meds and then felt dizzy and lay down again for 2 hours in a whirling, floating daze.

whoa.

I spied a striking beauty amoung the oranges, yellows and reds:



she wasn't there last year.



Oh Joy. Oh Rapture unforseen!

Today, I had a breakthrough.
( and I cried )
Money well spent.

Spent the Solstice weekend at the Monastery helping put in a garden at a transitional housing site (Habitat for Humanity).

The Monastery at beautiful daybreak.


The garden after we finished....


taking out a pile of rocks....



and when you have rocks, you must balance them

Solstice!!

First thing in the morning, I'll head up to the Monastery and the good Sisters of Benedict. We are working at a Habitat for Humanity house - putting in a small vegetable garden. I turn the phone off and may not blog until Sunday night. I'll take the camera for some pictures.

Have a great Solstice!

It's going well.

I've lost another 2lbs so 5 total in 3 weeks

( nutrition )
This week is putting in exercise routines for: gym, home, travel.

I had a dream early this morning where Tigger the Wonderful Thing jumped up into my arms, patted my cheek with her paw, and then I snuggled my face into her fur. I woke up with my arms empty. I guess she was checking up on me with a visit.

how does your garden grow?
( ..with lady bells all in a row )
Tasty Tasty!!

I could read these books again and again without getting bored.

Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert Heinlein
Time Enough for Love by Robert Heinlein
Daughter/Servant/Mistress of the Empire (trilogy) by Raymond Feist & Janny Wurst
Matt Helm series by Donald Hamilton

Control Theory by Willam Glasser
The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle
Boundless Energy by Deepak Chopra

Your Money of Your Life by Joe Dominguez & Vicki Robin
Nine Steps to Financial Freedom by Suze Orman
The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan
Wisdom: Living the Rule of Benedict by Joan Chittister

5 Weeks to Winning Bridge by Alfred Sheinwold

The Essays of Ralph Waldo Emerson

Betty Crocker Cookbook

***

I didn't add commentary to the above, but if curiosity is keeping you up at night, please leave me a comment and I'll give further information into how my mind works.