Project Water

Saw my ND yesterday – had a wonderful 30 minute session of acupuncture.      She treated my adrenals and kidneys, as well as my liver and gallbladder.    Further, she also put one of those needles in my forehead to help in creating a calm, quiet and peaceful mind.     I think it worked.

One thing she told me was that “we” (the royal we, the universal we, you and me – we), should be drinking 2 to 3 liters of water A DAY!!     That’s allota watah!!!.     So, since I was working from home yesterday, I got my 4-cup measuring cup out (this is 1 litre for those who didn’t know), and I got my Brita (oh, more on that too), and I started pouring.     And drinking.      And I kept track – my aim was to drink 3 litres of water.      And I did it.    Not that bad.     And you know what?     I wasn’t at all hungry – I felt full, the whole day.   Unintentional, imagine!!     Ahh, so what they say may be true, if you want to lose weight, drink water.      A-HA.

She also shared her thoughts on Brita filters.    She explained to me that while our municipal water is treated, it is NOT treated for hormones in the water - hormones that are excreted from women on birth control pills, HRT, men on testosterone HRT, etc.    This gets into our water.       However, a charcoal filter, aka Brita, does the trick about 90%.   

So, today is Saturday, am planning on another 3-litre day.      I want to continue to assess  if this excessive water ‘thing’ has any merit with regards to how different I feel, ie. less tired, more energy, less hungry, better digestion, , etc.

In the meantime, it’s Halloween Eve.    Thought this was pretty cute - complements of Martha Stewart:



Off to a Yin class – Ommmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm…….

Yoga. Love. Inspired.

I just got home from my yoga class.      I went to a Yin class at Santosha Yoga  in Westboro.   I am so pleased with my class.   I LOVE Yin Yoga.    It’s exactly what I always thought yoga was, or should be.    I can’t wait to do it again.     And the instructor was amazing – Markus Sanchez.       If you can catch his class, highly recommend you take it.

As I was walking home, I stopped into a home decor store, and got the decorating bug.    And now, as I write this, I am watching Sarah Richardson.

I’m finding wallpaper more and more appealing.    Now, I know it’s been all-the-go, for a few years, but it’s just really hit me.      I’m itchy to decorate.     Am planning a trip up Merivale Road to a fabric store as soon as I sign off.   Good thing to do on a rainy Saturday I think.

In the meantime, some inspiration:



Love this room by Sarah Richardson.


Dining room by Sarah Richardson.

Off to the fabric store – how I love fabric.      And wallpaper, apparently.

Happy rainy Saturday afternoon.

Blank Screen

Been a few days since I’ve written – no reason really.      Just feeling a little “input-less”.       My new word.
Have  had a bit of a tough week, well 6 days actually, am expecting tomorrow to be FANTASTIC though, so I am hereby declaring my slump (funk?) over!!     Hear me universe??!!!!

So, Halloween is coming up, we’re in a new house, we are in a kid friendly zone, guess we better go get some chocolate.     OK, so this makes me happy.    God darnnit, what is not to love about mini chocolate bars!!???

I’ve decided that for the next few days I will search for a costume for Layla.     She loves to dress up and she loves to have her picture taken whilst dressed up (sounds a bit internet worthy doesn’t it?)  :)
Here is our Layla, posing so proudly for the papparazzi.        More of the same expected for Sunday!.


Rudolph in disguise.


A bumblebee, of course!!!


And again, but oh so proud this time.


A Chilean miner, with all due respect.


Ready to go to the party!

Happy week o’chocolate fest!!!!

Project Natural - how are can it be?

Happy Saturday!       Week is over, blew off a little steam with some friends last night – uncorked some (organic!) wine, put a fire on, ordered in some Italian food.  (for Ottawa people, Fratellis does take-out!)  All goood.    Except, that my hub is gone hunting with all his brothers.    Miss him already :(

So, I have a new project:    Project Natural.     As I mentioned in earlier posts, am working on my health holistically.    Have some hormone issues, a little adrenal burnout, you know, nothing that “y-o-g-a” can’t fix.  :)    (which reminds me I must find a class to go to today – argggh)

I got thinking:    we, as a society work so hard (we do, right?)  to eat well, get enough of the good things we need to take care of our bodies, avoid (we do, right? :)) the things we shouldn’t have – so much is focused on what we put into our bodies.     But what about what we put ON our bodies?

For the last 2 weeks I have been researching, googling, talking, debating, asking, uncovering as much data as I can about our every day products.      I challenged myself to go all natural from head to toe.

Here’s the net of the net of it:     it’s fairly easy (once the research is done).     Loblaws now carries so much in their Natural section that I really didn’t have to go anywhere else – although I did (more below).
I share my list of all natural products with you and where I found them, in hopes that it may make it easier for anyone interested in this type of project (OK, maybe you don’t call this a ‘project’)
Laundry Detergent:    Martha Stewart Clean (Loblaws)

(Note:  this was my first product that I bought, I still didn’t understand all the chemicals and what they mean, so admittedly I bought it because of what it claimed on the label – I know, not good, but it did say, phosphate free and paraben free, so it made sense at the time.    Now I know what chemical/ingredients to look for.    Likely will not buy again due to the price.   But I do love the pump – will reuse the bottle.     Works well.)


Dishwasher liquid:   again Martha Stewart (see above Note) (Loblaws)
Works well but likely won’t buy again due to price.


Dishsoap:  Nature Clean (Loblaws)
Love it!



Shampoo and Conditioner:     http://www.giovanni.co.nz/products.htm  (Loblaws)
I use the Golden Wheat Shampoo and the 50/50 Balanced Hair Moisturizer.    Works great.

Body soap/wash:    Nature Clean All Natural Body Wash - Orange and Seaweed (Loblaws).
Lathers great, nice smell, feel clean after using.    All good here.



Facial Cleanser:   Dessert Essence “Thoroughly Clean Face Wash”  (Loblaws)
So far I love it – and I have cantankerous skin.



Moisturizer:    Evan Healy Light Moisturizer (Rainbow Foods, Ottawa)
https://www.evanhealy.com/products/show/50

This product is new in the last 2 days.  So far I like, but I’ll get back to you on what my skin thinks.    Like the feel, it’s light and clean smelling with no chemical fragrance.     Check out the website – feel good.

Acne treatment (yes, I have acne at 43!):   Simply Natural Blemish Formula (Rainbow Foods, Ottawa)
http://www.simplynatural.ca/face-cream/blemish-formula.php
My skin is LOVING this product.    Use it at night, but I think you could use it in the day too.      Love.



Makeup:   Zuii Organic Makeup (Rainbow Foods, Ottawa)
https://www.zuiiorganic.com/products/Certified-Organic-Flora-Liquid-Foundation.html
Not sure about this product yet – only 2 days in, well actually only 1 (yesterday).     It’s Saturday morning, no makeup yet (if at all).     Good texture.    Light but still gives nice even coverage.



Toothpaste:    http://www.tomsofmaine.com/products  (Rainbow Foods, but you can get this product at Loblaws.    Warning – it’s gross!).     Be careful here though, as some of their toothpastes do contain SLS, others don’t, so read the ingredients.

So that’s it my friends.     Stay tuned for “Project Natural” Part 2 – this will be cleaning supplies.      More on this another day.

In the meantime, here is a list of chemicals to watch out for in your products:

cleansers: sodium lauryl sulfate, sodium laureth sulfate, sodium myreth sulfate
petrochemicals: petrolatum, mineral oil, parrafin
preservatives: parabens (all of them), DMDM hydantoin
chemical sunscreens: oxybenzone, avobenzone, octinoxate
moisturizers: propylene glycol, butylene glycol, polyisbutene

Happy and healthy Saturday!!

Project Yoga - working?

I didn’t get a chance to write yesterday, life was busy, but am so pleased to report that it ended with a yoga class.    Yup, so that means Yoga on Tuesday morning AND Wednesday night, and the week’s not over yet!     (oh and I should mention I also worked out Monday morning and Wednesday morning at the gym).   So far so good on the yoga front.

So, I’m not sure about you, but am feeling a little tilt in the universe.     Like a correction or shift of some kind.     Kinda like a correction in the stock market or the real estate market.   I can’t explain it, but weird things are happening in my relationships – thankfully not with my husband or immediate fam – but more with friends, work colleagues etc.

Have you ever felt that a strange force takes over your world, and hits you over the head hard enough that it makes you sit up and pay attention?    You may not know why, or what the message is.    But somehow you know that if you wait long enough the answer will come.

Maybe it’s Project Yoga, I like to think so (yes I know I’ve only taken 2 classes) but for the first time in my life, I am able roll with ‘ it’.       For the first time,  am able to not attach to ‘it’, not make ‘it’ mine just because someone has tried to project on to me, not own ‘it’ when it’s not mine, and certainly not stew on ‘it’.     How empowering this is, I gotta say.

Could it be yoga?  You know, being centered, and one with the divine light?     I’m going with it.    I like it.    It feels right.

In the meantime, I’ve decided to focus on what feels good, and things that matter.     



This is on my sister’s facebook, and coincidently I stumbled upon it tonight, so I figure it’s been put in my path for a reason.

Enjoy – hope it means something to you.

Time's there a changin'

Well, what a day this has been!!    What is the date today exactly?!     October 19th.    This one’s gotta be documented.    I’m tired - thought about not writing, but seriously, this one’s gotta be captured.

So, after going to to bed at 7:00 pm last night, with lights out at 7:30, I awoke at my typical 5:15 AM(!) to my alarm waking me for a work out.        Yes, I went to bed at 7:00 last night, and yes, it’s because I was up till (only?) midnight two nights in a row, and yes, this completely does me in and forces me to go to bed at 7:00 p.m.    Ok, so that’s covered.

So, I decided yesterday, that today was the first day of “Project Yoga”.    OK, no I didn’t make it to yoga on Sunday.  Why?    because I was up till midnight on Saturday night (see above), and I fell asleep on Sunday afternoon, and didn’t make it.     Covered. 

So, I found a class at 6:30 a.m. this morning, as I’m not an evening person (clearly [see above paragraph]) .   I am beginning to think that maybe yoga is best done in the a.m.     I hear that of a great studio, and I set out to attend a Kundalini 6:30 class.

So, feeling all rested (10 hours of sleep afterall), I arrive at the studio, and expressively explain I am there for Kundalini.       She asks me if I’ve ever attended such a class, to which I reply, ‘no’.      Her reply:    “Ohhhhh, okaaaaaay…….no problem”.      Hmmmmm, I wonder.       I begin to look around and realize that everyone who is funneling in to the studio is wearing white, and some have these turbin type things on their heads.     Me:   a purple (a nice colour for the record) Nike T-Shirt, yoga pants (at least they weren’t sweats), and my sweat socks.     I whisper to the woman, “why is everyone in white?”    She explains, it’s the Kundalini practice, and that it’s a spiritual thing.     Oh dear.    My athletic self is feeling very intimidated, or…..definitely in the wrong place.

                                    

So, I fight that off, and up I go to the “Soul Room”.     I am there with 5 other “students”.     The yogi approaches me in her ‘healing’ way, and explains the practice.       I’m OK, I’m good.    All good, not to worry.     Yeh, good to go.

And so we begin.    Chanting,     And lots of it.     I have to read off of a piece of paper, which surely, in my mind, defeats the whole purpose of the chant.    But I gotta ask, what’s up with the chanting?     I get that it’s a prayer in Sanskrit, but if it means nothing to you, is it really a prayer?     Reminds me  of going to Saturday night mass as a kid, at a french church in Quebec  (we’re anglo’s), not understanding a word, but by God, we were there.     What does it really mean?

So, I made it through, shorter than I expected (note:  no clock on the wall to watch).      Different.     And an……… experience.    Am feeling pretty good, Project Yoga has been kick started.
The day at work was an average day.     I’ll skip past that.

After work, I met my most favoured and reliable hair stylist.      She took me from from cougar- blond (my made up label just now) to 5-year old brunette (yes, I brought a picture of me when I was five - I had good hair then, so leave it!).      Fairly happy here.

Oh, no, the day is not over.     Next, I meet my old and very dear friend, Louise  at a wonderful wine bar in The Glebe.

                                   
(this is Louise – nothing she does is mainstream [in a good way])

She is an amazing woman whom I love and cherish.    She is one of those friends that is just so comfortable to be with, it makes my heart open wide to be in her company.  ;)

We share some wine and some delicious Food.     All the while, ‘LouLou’ is probing, and prompting, and pushing me on my fitness level.       I explain to her that while my hormones are wacked, I’m feeling pretty strong physically.       She asks me how many (men’s) push-ups I can do.    I tell her.    She’s impressed.      We pay our bill, we leave, and she is still talking about these push-ups.     End-result:  there we both are, doing push-up’s on Fourth Avenue in the Glebe.     Leslie, you’d be proud.  

I remind her how times have changed.     We used to be in the Market at 2:00 a.m., eating street meet, smoking cigarettes, trying to hail a cab ‘cause we can’t drive.    Now, we’ve had minimal wine, good food, it’s 9:00 p.m. and we’re doing men’s pushups in the middle of the road ‘cause we’re so proud :).   
Oh, the time’s they are a changin’ (or I should say, “have changed" in this case).

My challenge to you:      aim to do 3 sets of 12 men’s push-ups 3 x week.      And, just to add to that, reconnect with an old friend – perhaps you can do the push-up’s together .

Love you Lou Lou!!!    Never a dull moment!

Easy like Sunday morning....

It’s Sunday morning, it’s 9:37 am, and I am still lying in bed.    Ahhhhhhh….   We’ve been awake since 6:30 (pretty early considering we had a party last night and went to bed at midnight).       We’ve been up a few times for coffee, some eats, to make more coffee, and to get more reading material.

I’m liking this I gotta say.     If this is what my ND had in mind by ‘filling the tank’, then I’m down with it.
Noooo, JK.    I am heading to a yoga class at 2:00 this afternoon.     AND I AM GOING TO LOVE IT!!     Ashley from Calmly and Chaotic tells me that PranaShanti here in Ottawa is like going to a beautiful spa.       I like beautiful spas.     I like doing yoga in beautiful spa like settings.  Yes, yes, I do.


This is the “Body Room” at PranaShanti.

Tonight we are off to see the one and only Roger Waters.    For those of you younger than I, he was the bassist in Pink Floyd.    My husband is pumped, I………am the support wife.      I think I am more looking forward to Marshie’s chicken wings before hand.

Ah well……a good rockin’ concert is good for the soul, some (?) say.
Here's to “another brick in the wall”……….Happy easy Sunday.

Time - I love you.

Having a dinner party tonight – having two of my girlfriends over with their hub’s.    I am proud to say, this is the first dinner party in…..maybe ever…..where I have tons of time left.      It’s currently 3:45, I am fully prepared, I’ve read the new People magazine, I’ve had a nap, I’m now writing here, and guests don’t arrive till 6:00.  
 
A-ha!!!!!     Do not cram as much as possible into one day, when one is having a dinner party.    A-ha (#2), perhaps cramming as much into any day, is just not all that fun.      A-ha (#3), one does not need to run mock-2 in order to live life to the fullest.

Perhaps this is me slowing down to somewhat normal speeds.

In the meantime, I have a new project (well it’s been an ongoing project).    I am “doing” our bedroom.      I have yet to get this room to a place where I sigh with love every time I walk in.   This is a must, especially for a bedroom.   I have love for almost every other room in my house (well almost).    So the first step, is the headboard.


Ohhhh, I love black and cream!!    I may re-create this.


This is a very cool idea.   I have not seen this before.   Love the band of contrasting fabric.


Love the monochromatic feel to this room.   Do love stripes.  And certainly love cream.


Black and white again – I love this fabric.
  
I think this will be tomorrow’s project.    After all, I have all the time in the world.    Hand me the staple gun!

Back at it...........NOT

I had my appointment with my ND today.     The ‘long and the short of it’ is – no more running for me for awhile.  Boooo.

Turns out my “M” symptoms are due to simply being out of gas.      Yup, I have the dreaded “adrenal burnout”.       The adrenals give us our fight or flight, and when there’s no fuel, you’re just out of steam.   Period.

Running uses adrenalin which essentially is the wonderful euphoria we feel after our runs, aka runner’s high.     Adrenalin comes from the adrenals, I’m told.   This makes sense, I mean, where else would it come from right? 
  
So continuing to run would only tap me out completely.

My project (if I choose to take it):      learn to fill the tank back up.   How you ask?  (I wish I’d never asked ).     Yoga.    TaiChi.    Qu’Gong.     

So, I’m on a mission to love yoga -a journey to find a fun yoga class.    Lord, is there such a thing?

Hormone Balancing Project

So, I mentioned a few weeks back that I have an ongoing “hormone balancing project” going on in my life right now.      My hormones are…..a little wacked out, let’s just say.     What does that mean exactly?   

Well, it’s more than a little grumpiness on the last week of my cycle, it’s more than craving chocolate, and it’s more than feeling a little annoyed.       Really, it’s like having another personality.    As the month progresses, I can feel the other person getting bigger and angrier.      Try as I must, I can’t stop her.     I try and reason with her, but somehow I lose.    (She knows I’m writing this right now, perhaps she’ll read it in a week or two and take some pity :)).

I’ve been to a gynecologist who tested me on day 21 of my cycle.    Low and behold, my progesterone was so low, she said I needed bio-identical hormones to bring them up to an acceptable level.   This, she explained, was why I was feeling so crappy.     In fact, she told me I should be feeling worse, based on the test results.     LOVELY!

I tried the bio-identical progesterone, and it did seem to help.    But still, I couldn’t help but ask myself, WHY my hormones were so…….wacked (I just can’t think of a better word).   
To me, applying progesterone cream on my forearm, was nothing more than applying a band aid.     I”m OK with that, as along as I’ve done all the research.     I mean, really, I’m only 43, should I have wacked hormones?

Fast forward to my earlier post regarding my ND.    I decided to tackle it naturally.       The liver and the adrenal system are supporters of balanced hormones.    When these two organs are taxed, then hormones can fall out of line.     And hence, my liver cleanse (which is going very well by the way).

But wait!   There’s more.     While I knew bits and pieces of this, I have been researching the affects of “xenoestrogens” on hormones (also known as estrogen mimickers)   What are xenoestrogens you ask?      They play a large roll  in how much fat we carry and how high our risk for hormonally related cancers is  . “Xenoestrogens come from a large group (tens of thousands) of foreign compounds derived from synthetic materials like pesticides, plastics, body creams, detergents, food supplies and our environment.”     Things like laundry detergents, deodorants, creams, make-up.

When I think about it – we put bio-identical hormones on our skin to alter our current state, why wouldn’t these estrogen mimickers, which touch our skin, not do the same?    Now this makes sense to me.
OK, so the good news:    tonight, I bought eco-friendly laundry detergent (paraben and SLA free), eco-friendly dish detergent and dish washer soap, and Paraben-free Acne Treatment (because yes, yes, I have adult acne).    I already use all-natural deodorant (for the most part).

So, Step 1:    cleanse my liver, and get it clean and healthy.     Step 2: remove the chemicals from my life (as much as I have the power to).     Step 3:    ND appointment tomorrow (can’t wait!)

So, I encourage everyone do a little research on the following terms:    “xenoestrogens”, SLS (sodium lauryl sulfate), paraben’s, and really understand the affect of these things on our bodies.
(Sorry for the long post, but this is important stuff).

Gratitude for gratitude

So, we headed out of town this weekend, making the trek up to the "Gateway to the North",  North Bay, to spend time with my sister's fam.    We picked up my sis and my Mom Saturday morning and away we went.   The drive was just lovely, with all the autumn colours, rich blue skies and navy blue waters.     And as the four of us made our way north, we contiuously pointed to the vistas ahead of us, and really, all around us (not much up there other than trees :)).      Our road trip was filled with gratitude and wonder, without us really even realizing it.

Let's get to the food!!      Thanksgiving dinner was, once again, truly amazing.     My sister is a great cook - I think we all have a natural flair for it (thanks to Mom Sally). 



Dinner consisted of turkey (of course), our signature roasted garlic, gratin and chive mashed potatoes (OMG, message me if you want this recipe!), turnips, and the most scrumptious stuffing, which will be a keeper at my house.



And of course, pumpkin pie, which I am still thinking about.     YUMBO - is all I have to say.     Am thinking about heading out to M&M's to pick one up for home here.     And possibly the fake whipped cream in the can.    Ahhhhh.




As I finish off this post, I think about how fortunate we are to have amazing food, the means by which to put on such an amazing and elaborate spread for our families, and the health by which to enjoy it. 

But most of all, I am thankful for the  feeling of thankfulness.     I wonder sometimes, if we get halfway - meaning, we are thankful, we have gratitude, but then don't stop and feel how good it feels to be thankful.      My project for today (amongst many others) is to carry this feeling through the whole day - gratitude for gratitude - afterall, today is Thanksgiving.

Listen and/or learn

Today was a tough day.     First, I gotta say, dark mornings AND dark evenings are bit much on the psyche.    When the heck does the time go back?   Someone, please tell me.     I need one or the other:   bright mornings and dark evenings, or vice versa.  But not both!     Went to work this morning when it was dark and came home when it was dark.     Arggghhh.

More important in the day, I found out that individuals who I thought were friends, perhaps felt differently about me.     Ouch.      Very disappointing to say the least.      But, in hindsight, as I reflect back, I think the signs where there.    My instinct was telling me all along that maybe this wasn’t the right relationship for me. 
Instinct is a gift we all have, and yet is so tough to listen to.   Sometimes it whispers and other times it screams.      All the same, no matter how much we practice listening, there are times we still don’t get it right.       

I’ve decided that the times we don’t get it right, is because we had something to learn.    Yes, we realize we have to listen better.   But more importantly, it forces us to look at ourselves and ask, what would I have done differently, and what am I going to do about it now.     You know, choose  your attitude.      Now that’s an invaluable skill – choosing your attitude.    Practice it, it’ll take you a long way.

So onward and upward.     I’ve decided to brush it off -  leave it behind .     But, I am definitely in reflection mode as I look forward.

Live, LISTEN, and learn.

And besides, I just had a bowl of ice cream – life IS good.

The perfect day after a perfect night

                                                
Saw the amazing Diana Krall last night at Ottawa’s National Arts Center with our friends, Nat and Al.      While we were late for the cocktail party, arriving just as the lights were flickering, we easily managed to have an awesome night.       Diana Krall is totally amazing, I gotta say.    And while my husband rarely swoons  over  famous women (even though we have the “he/she’s on the list agreement” that every couple seems to have), we both remained starry eyed and speechless through the whole hour, even with very little appreciation for jazz.       She is humble, and kind, and sweet, and shy, almost introverted, which made her even more captivating.      Says alot, doesn’t it?
                                                           
Then, woke up feeling great this morning.       It felt like crazy, angry hormones were somewhat in check (maybe they too were softened with the awe of Diana Krall :))    Or maybe……one day of my liver cleanse straightened them out.   You know, sorta showed them who’s boss.      All to say, woke up feeling happy and optimistic, which is a first for me in awhile.        So optimistic, I turned to my husband and suggested we head to the Gatineau Park for a hike.     And away we went.     First a stop at Bridgehead for coffee and we headed for the border.     Our 1-hour hike turned into 3 hours – who knew?    We are now a little behind in our Sunday duties, but what the hell. 
I’d rather 3 hours of fall sunshine and fresh air, than cleaning closets.      Now time for a much needed, and much earned Sunday afternoon nap.

The joy in the alternative

Yesterday I had the good fortune of being introduced to one of the most loveliest women I’ve ever met.       She was kind, attentive, gentle, compassionate, warm, and had the most beautiful energy.      Being in her presence instilled immediate optimism.

She was an  N.D.    Yup, that’s right a Naturopathic Doctor.       Admittedly, this is a form of medicine I knew(know) nothing about.    My mom was a nurse, and hence Western medicine was the only way of thinking in our house.     I always thought that anything other than Western Medicine was a little airy-fairy and did not, and could not, carry its weight.

We spent 90 minutes discussing my health, my hobbies, my interests, my physical fitness, my nutrition, stress levels, happiness levels – you name it.   You see, in Naturopathic medicine all of these things are inter-related.   It’s a holistic approach.  

As suspected, and one of the key reasons I was was there, my hormones are wacked out, my adrenals are taxed and my liver is working overtime (could it be the red wine habit I have, I wonder?),    So while Western medicine would, and has, explained my feelings as depression, or low seratonin levels, this amazing woman quickly realized that it’s more than that.    She explained that it goes deeper than that, and her job is to find the cause and address the cause, rather than treat the symptom.    I buy that!   I buy that 100%.
So my journey of Naturopathic medicine starts with a Liver cleanse.      Most important to hormone balance is a healthy liver, she says.     I’m good with that.    I appreciate a healthy liver as much as the next person.        When I asked her if I had to forego my occasional (OK, maybe more than occasional) glass of red wine, she replied, “not required.”    YES!!!!!

Here’s to a healthy liver, calm hormones, and a nice glass of Malbec.

                                 

Like going swimming......

You know, I’ve been working on setting up this blog for about…….2 weeks.      Inching a little closer and a little closer, but still, hesitation.        “Why?”  I ask myself.     “Why are you just not plunging in?”     And then I realized, being the cottage kid that I am  (I say “am” [present tense] - ‘cause once a cottage kid always a cottage kid) that this feels a lot like the first swim of summer.  I know I want to, I know I’m going to love it, but I just can’t bring myself to dive in.     So I walk out a little deeper, and a  little deeper still.
Ohhhhh, diving into water when it’s so hot outside, and the sand feels so hot, is just soooo AMAZING.     GAWD what’s not to love?

Well, this is me, standing hip deep in the cool (OK, freakin’ freezing) water DIVING IN!!!!

Wooooooooohooo – so refreshing and new – IT FEELS FANTASTIC!

Welcome to my blog, and my very first post.   Thanks for diving in with me!
(just hit “post”!!)