"Thrifting"

I've been reading this wonderful blog lately, about thrifting and finding great (used or previously-owned) items at thrift stores. And since money is SO tight for us right now, I've been trying to do my christmas shopping at various thrift stores and online home-made craft sites like etsy (www.etsy.com). Thus far I have my brother's gift and I just finished my sister's gift tonight. My step-mothers gift is on order and I am still working on my dad's gift. I found two things today that I'll be giving him but I'd like to give more. I am working out some gifts for co-workers and friends, but it's taking time.

So, what is my sister's gift? What did I make tonight? Well, she and I have both been cursed with very painful periods ever since we started having them several years ago. My mom was the same until she gave birth to all of us. After that, her periods didn't hurt her anymore. But, since my sister and I do not want to be pregnant yet, we've been battling the horrid cramps and aching for years. My boyfriend and one of his ex girfriends discovered that if you apply pressure to the area just above the pubic bone (and/or heat) it makes most of the pain go away. I thought that was ridiculous at first, but he offered to lay with me and put pressure on my stomach. "Maybe it will help," he said. So, I let him and I was amazed when, after mere seconds, my stomach felt so much better. Every time he had to get up, the pain would come back in a wave. So, we searched the house for something heavy to put on my stomach. David came up with the idea of filling a half-gallon jug with warm water; lo and behold the jug was just the right size and weight! Plus, the warm water really helped to relieve the pain as well.

I thought my sister could benefit from this as well so I found an extra half-gallon jug, made up a cutesy label for the front (just for fun), and sewed a fleece cover for it. The cover is made from a child's night shirt that we found at a thrift store for $2. I cut off one of the sleeves and stitched up the bottom, added a drawstring and voila! A yard of fleece fabric at the craft store costs $9 right now... And the material is so cute. It's got little sheep all over it with fences and floating numbers as well as the words "counting sheep." I figured since she'd be going to bed or laying down with it, that was perfect.

Here are a few pictures:







I also found a very nice vase at the thrift store for 50 cents. There were TONS of vases, but I just bought one to see what I could do with it. Turns out it'll make an excellent gift for a co-worker or friend. I saved clippings from one of my larger house plants several months ago and have been growing them in cups on the window sill. They're getting to be a decent size now and are really looking lovely. I took one and put it in the vase with some shiny stones and river rocks. I'm going to hunt down a big bow to go around the neck of the vase, but you can get the general idea here:



I would love to get a gift like that so I'm sure someone else will, too. And it only cost me 50 cents since I already had everything else lying around the house from various other projects.

I found this ADORABLE (hand made!) penguin mug for $2. The other mugs were 50 cents to a dollar, but I love penguin mugs and I had to have it. (My boss got me a really tall penguin mug for christmas last year and it's been my favorite mug ever since. I drink my tea in it and hot coco on special occasions.) I had thought about giving it as a gift, but I don't think I can part with it. Besides, I don't know anyone that likes penguin mugs as much as I do... :)



I also got a giant bag of MEGA blocks for $3. I debated for a while about whether or not it was worth it, but David and I both agreed that it probably was. Turns out we were right. When we got it home and opened it up there were other little toys in there as well. I put everything into a big bucket with a bleach and vinegar solution to kill any germs. All in all we got about 100 giant lego blocks, a full-sized play telephone, some little people and various rattles and random items. That bag is heaven for our Umbrella cockatoo, Snoball. (His blog here .) He'll get to play with everything tomorrow as I'm letting it all soak overnight. I've no idea where that stuff has been and since they were childrens' toys ... well, it's even more scary to think where they might have been. -lol-

Honest Blogger award and Frugal...ness

I have been reading some blogs that discuss living cheaply and being frugal. Because of the economy it's becoming an ever-more-popular subject, but us college kids are experts at this sort of thing. And when I read some of the frugal blogs out there, I read and think, "I'm not even TRYING and I spend less money than that!" So when I went to the grocery store this evening I decided to take stock of what I bought and for how much. Everything pictured above cost me $26 (and 42 cents). That is enough food to feed myself and my boyfriend as well as 4 VERY hungry bunnies for several days. I read blogs where someone will spend $60-$90 on two people for a week. That sounds good at first but when you realize how much that is per month, well, it doesn't seem so great.

To cut costs, we buy stuff when it is on sale - that's a no-brainer. If pasta is on sale 60 boxes for $5 (damn, I wish they had sales like that, huh?) we buy all 60 boxes. There will always be a use for them later. If the Jesus-Christ size Ketchup bottle is on sale, we buy it - even though we RARELY use ketchup. By shopping this way, we ensure that there are always "ingredients" in the house; stuff that we can use to make a meal. All we have to do is buy the fresh ingredients to go with it. Also, we do not eat meat. David will have some occasionally, but it's usually when we go out for special occasions. We don't have to buy it for the house and that saves us a ton of money. Price of a salad from publix: $3 (serves two); price of chicken from publix $7 (serves two). So you see, not eating meat adds up to a lot of savings over time.

The bunnies don't need the freshest, best, most organic produce on the market. Yes, I would LOVE to be able to give that to them, but that's just not feasible right now. They have a warm place to sleep with space to run around and they get fresh hay and green veggies daily. I don't think they mind that it's not organic. ;) I will offer to buy wilting produce at a discount because the buns don't care that it's a day past its prime. If I'm shopping at Whole Foods (which is rare due to driving time and money restrictions) I usually get GREAT bargains this way. I've had the produce manager just GIVE me (for free) an entire basket of withering greens before. I told him it was for the buns and I'd take it off his hands if he gave me a discount - can't sell it that way anyway, right? And he just gave it to me. I was REALLY happy that night. -lol-

The biggest money-saver for us is that we generally don't eat a lot and we generally don't want a lot. Small, simple meals are better for us than large elaborate ones. I read a bumper sticker once that said, "Insatiable is not sustainable." Of course, it was talking about global warming and the environment but I think it also applies to our kitchen and our money. If we were the type to snack mindlessly every night, we'd be spending a LOT more money. Instead, we make a meal together when we're hungry, sit down, eat, enjoy, and relax together.


This was tonight's dinner. Home-made eggplant parm, pasta, and salad. I ended up eating mostly just the salad and giving the rest to David. -lol- I get full easily.




Now then, in other news, this luverly lady right here: http://lovinglifeandlaughing.blogspot.com/ (I don't know how to do nifty hyperlinks) honored me with the "Honest Blogger" award (which I thought was SO cool) because the only other award I can remember getting - EVER - was 2nd place in the elementary school spelling bee. So, here are 5 honest things about me. I will post another 5 at a later date. For now, I gotta be quick because David is waiting on me to watch TV.

1. I have a thing for rabbits. I adore them and have always felt "connected" to them. Being around them just puts me at peace. That's why I have 4 of them, and I struggle on a daily basis to resist the urge to bring home more. All but one of mine were rescues. One was abandoned outside my work in a shoebox, one was being bullied in a petstore and the employees didn't know what to do about it, and the other was found in a box on the side of the road with some little boys.

2. I would like to change careers but I am afraid of the interview process and being rejected, so I have been hesitant to submit applications. Up until today, my low self-esteem has kept me from even trying for the job I'd like. What was different about today you ask? Not much. David inspired me to "just do it." The worst they can do is say no, right?

3. I hate wearing make-up because it makes me feel oily, but I wear it fairly often because I feel ugly without it. Everything I buy is cruelty-free (not tested on or made from animals) which makes it expensive so I wear it sparingly. I cannot live without a decent concealer and some eyeliner.

4. I LOVE plants. It's almost freakish how much I love plants. I am trying so very hard to grow a garden right now, but I am not so good at it. I can start them great and if a plant is already mostly-dead I can bring it back in no time flat. But the in-between is hard for me. I don't understand it. I wish I could fill my house from floor to ceiling with house plants!

5. I want to travel but have never been able to. I want to see Canada and Norway. I want to go to Ireland and all sorts of other exotic places but A- I can't afford it and B- I'm a little afraid of culture/language-barriers. Maybe one day...

Well, right on cue, David is hollering at me from the other room. As I said, 5 more truths will follow later. I wish I could pass the honor on to someone, but the only bloggers I know of that deserve it have already received it one or more times. If I come across a new blog, or if I'm forgetting someone, I'll honor them with it. :)

On "Stuff"

Ok, I readily admit that the room above does not look very "zen" or organized. BUT, I promise you that it is. During the day time the whole room lights up so well, and that cluttered patio becomes a balcony garden with plants all over the place. Couple that with the animals and my apartment is just SO full of LIFE! I love it that way. There are cages (not prisons - more like homes) for the animals everywhere instead of furniture we'd only use if company came over. And we don't have many possessions because most of our money goes to the animals. But I LIKE it this way.

The reason I've brought this up is because my dad asked me today what I wanted for my birthday. I only have one thing I'd like for my birthday and that's a bicycle. Well, there's a perfectly good, old and used bike here. It just needs new tires. So I asked for new tires for this used bike as my birthday gift. "Why don't you just let me buy you your own bike?" my dad asked. - "Because we don't have room for another one, Dad. And this one is perfectly good. It's still in great condition it just needs new tires."

"Well, fine. But what about new clothes? Don't you need shoes or clothes?"

"No, Dad. I have all those things. I only need my two pairs of shoes - work shoes and dress shoes. And all of my old clothes still fit."

"But don't you want new clothes?"

"No, Dad. That's not necessarry. If you REALLY want to get me something more than tires, buy me some toys for the birds or pay for one of the bunnies to get fixed. We've been needing those things recently."

"But that's not for YOU, that's for the animals."

"Yes, but the animals are what make me happy and I can't always afford to give them everything they want all the time. If you buy things for the animals, it will be like buying things for me. It will make me happy."

"Well, why don't you get rid of some of the animals. Then you could afford to buy more things for the ones you keep."

"Dad, you're missing the point."

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As you can see, my dad doesn't seem to understand the idea that I don't want "stuff." I appreciate his thoughtfullness, but I don't want things that are going to take up space in my apartment. I like having "life" in my space, not "things." The animals are like my children and I love taking care of them and spending time with them. Honestly, all I want for my birthday is bicycle tires. And donations sent to Save a Death Row Dog. It's a rescue group that I've been volunteering with lately and they are all so awesome. They have a number where you can call and donate any amount you want - $1, $5, $300 - to the store where they get all of their dog supplies from. I've had a message with the number to the store and an explanation that says if anyone would like to gift me something for my birthday to please donate to the dogs - they need it more than I do - posted on my facebook page for a while now, and so far no one has donated. I don't think people understand that I really DONT want anything for my birthday. Christmas will probably end up going the same way. Every year I go through this with my family. Does anyone else have this problem?

Moscovy Ducks

If you don't live in Florida, you've probably never seen a moscovy duck. You're not missing much. As far as ducks go, people consider them the bottom-of-the-barrel, run-of-the-mill, common, boring duck. Personally, I think they're cute and have character. They always have these tumor-like growths all over their face. It's a genetic thing, not harmful to the duck at all. It's just that extra skin grows on their face. Do a google search, you'll see what I'm talking about. But I like them.

The other day David and I went to Moe's for lunch. It's a southwestern grill type of joint but they have the BEST bean/tofu burritos I've EVER had. Get one. You'll love it. Anyway, we were sitting down eating when I noticed this group of ducks outside. It was a momma duck and 9 youngsters (not babies - slightly older). They knew that when you went IN the door that you had no food, but they also knew that when you came OUT the door ... food was usually involved. So they waited outside to ambush anyone leaving and what an ambush it was. Several people were chased down the sidewalk when they refused to share their doggy bags. The ducks tried to enter the restaurant twice - much to everyone's amusement. David and I decided to help the ducks so we ordered a basket of corn chips and crunched them up into bite-sized pieces. After we'd finished eating we fed the ducks out by the nearby canal. They were so tame they practically sat in our laps! I brought spinach over for them too (we'd come from the farmer's market) but they only wanted the corn chips. I guess they like carbs.

There is also a group of ducks near our apartment that I've been feeding. Ducks seem to suddenly be very involved in my life. I'll have to research what they mean as an animal messenger/totem.

In other news, I have joined a rescue organization called Save a Death Row Dog. I'm not "official" yet but I seem to have a such a strong attachment to the group already. They rescue dogs that still have great potential but are scheduled to be put to sleep (usually due to lack of space in the shelters). Please, if you have $5 or even $10 to spare, donate to this great group. There are over 40 dogs for adoption currently. The adoption price ($100) allows the group to rescue 2 MORE dogs! Each time a dog is adopted, two more get a chance. They're increasing their rescue numbers exponentially. I think it's wonderful. Just search for "Save a Death Row Dog" and all of their various websites should come up. I am going to the ranch tomorrow to help clean kennels and photograph the dogs for posting online. I'll let you know what it's like when I get back. :3

And Sow it Begins

I started the fall sowing today. I made 20 little newspaper pots yesterday for starting seeds and today we went out to get compost and soil mixture. The seed packets pictured above are just a few of the ones we got. We left the store with two handfuls, but only half of them are fall crops. David had to go to work so I cleaned up the patio and got everything finished. We did this in the Spring as well, but with different plants. We tried various lettuces and arugula which started wonderfully and then (I guess) didn't get enough water and withered. We tried basil but that barely got out of the ground before it crashed and burned, and we had some green beans going nicely for a while but they started turning brown without warning and in a matter of days they were reduced to crumpled stalks. The only thing that survived was a tomato plant. Well, it's technically 6 tomato plants that have all grown into one MASSIVE tomato plant. We're talking 2 feet wide by 4 feet high. We have the pot sitting under a metal shelving unit designed for kitchens and the vines are just sprawling all OVER it. Here, why don't I just show you a picture? It looks perpetually droopy, but it already has tomatoes starting so I guess it's just working hard and getting tired. -lol-



These are the newspaper pots I was talking about. You can learn how to make them here (among other places).




David is obsessed with Rosemary so he INSISTED on getting this one at 8". Cost us $10 which is more than I spent on all of my stuff combined! It better be worth it. $10 is a lot as of late...



And, finally, the seeds all snug in their beds. I actually took the time to color and make cute little lables on stakes to stick in the cups but then I remembered I'll be misting inside the container and the paper lables would probably get ruined. So I am saving them for when the seedlings are ready to be repotted. For now, I drew a chart on the outside of the container so we'd know what was what. :)



If there are any seasoned pros out there, please speak up! We need all the help we can get. Oh, and I forgot to mention that most of these will be gifts. The herbs will be given as x-mas presents to friends that like to cook. I have one Swiss Chard plant for each of my rabbits (4). On christmas morning they'll get to go nuts digging up the plants and eating them in their entirety. ;) I also have some flowers growing for some co-workers. It's a gift that "keeps on giving" and they cost me less than $1 each. Plus, they'll be grown with tender loving care - what's not to like?! -lol-

Rat Tumors

Yes, rat tumors. Odd subject, no? -lol- Today was one of those days where it seemed it was "meant to be." And I like days like that so I thought I'd share. David and I were going to take a sample and do a biopsy on this ... thing ... that Dexi has growing on her side. Kahlua has a small one now, too. In the same spot - go figure. So we put them in a carrier and drove to work, where my boss was going to help us with the whole thing.

Well, when we got there, a customer came in who just HAPPENED to breed rats. And he just HAPPENED to notice our rats, and just HAPPENED to have a pet rat going through the same thing. He explained what it was, why it was, how it was, and told us what we could do about it: nothing. He explained that rats often get fatty growths or tumors as they age (which I already knew) and he said that the tumors can sometimes get as large as the rats without causing the rat any harm or pain (which I didn't know). Dexi has a growth the size of an egg on her left side, almost under her armpit. It is growing, but slowly, and it doesn't seem to be hurting or hindering her in the least so I hadn't bothered to rush her to the vet. She still eats like it's nobody's business and runs and plays with her sister without any problems. She doesn't wince or complain when I mess with the growth either, so apparently she's not bothered by it.

In the end, after much discussion and many questions we decided not to even bother taking any tissue samples. We took the girls home, gave them a treat and put them to bed for an afternoon nap. I'd been worrying all night about having to take the tissue sample, and something was telling me I ought not to bother. Meeting this breeder at work was completely by chance but he completely put my mind at ease. I just feel like I was destined to meet him when I did. He said that his rat's tumor is massive - baseball sized he said - but she manages just fine. She's lazy anyway so she just goes about her daily business with no problems. -lol- Geriatric rats - such personalities! :)

Kale

I have decided that I must have kale seeds. The bunnies have been eating it a lot lately, and I love the way it looks in pots/vases/bowls/anything. I just love the ruffly-ness of it. I love kale. It is also, apparently, a fall crop - meaning it will grow during the winter. One site said that kale can withstand up to 10 degrees BELOW zero before it gives up. And with winter at our door, I figured that's PERFECT. I am going to be making little seedling cups out of newspaper, sprouting the seeds indoors, and then transplanting them into larger pots and moving them outdoors when they are larger. We try not to spend a lot of money on things or buy things new so I am looking for unwanted pots right now. If anyone has some they'd like to donate, I'd love it. I'm going to give craigslist a look-see.

Image credit: http://lubell14.deviantart.com/art/Ornamental-Kale-104378506

Keep your temper

I've just had an argument with the boyfriend, and like usual it wasn't anything important. There is now a fist-sized hole in the wall and I am utterly ashamed of myself. I'd gone all day practicing reiki and being very kind to everyone I met. I'd had a very nice day. When I picked up David he was in a horrible mood due to stress from his job. I was sweet to him and tried to make him feel better, and after a while it seemed to work. But when we got home he asked me to listen to some music that he had made.

David insists on blasting the music, so I yanked the headphones away from my ears - way too loud! This made him angry for some reason and insisted that now I had ruined the song. "Calm down. I'll just start it over. It's fine," I said. But he said that it was definitely ruined and there was no point in me listening to it now. I absolutely lost it. I don't know why (and I hate that I did) but I cursed and asked why he had to make such a simple thing so difficult. This, of course, made him angrier and he flew out of the house saying that he "wasn't going to take this." At which point the wall got to feel my fist go through it.

I don't know why I lost my temper with him. I know now that he was just still worked up from his day at work. But he has such a negative attitude about EVERYTHING. It is very difficult to keep my Buddhist beliefs about me when he is describing how he's like to punch people. I try SO hard to just be myself and hopefully be a light for him to follow, but he continually says things like, "I don't understand how anyone could be Buddhist. I could never have compassion or understanding for people. I HATE the human population."

This blog is turning into a rant and I didn't want it to. I guess I'll take a shower and read some. That should help calm me down. I'll probably apologize to David, though I don't know if he'll do the same. I hope so. I have to figure out how to mend the hole in the wall, too. It's unusually large. This isn't the first hole I've added to our walls, but it's definitely the largest. I didn't hit it that hard, but there was nothing behind the drywall and it absolutely crumbled. *sigh*

Image credit: http://nuformz.deviantart.com/art/Argument-5660725

I haven't posted in so long. I always feel guilty when I don't post for a while. I don't know why, since I don't think anyone reads this anyway. I also feel guilty when I don't have anything amazing or substantial to say, and, again, I don't know why.

The above photo was taken at Morikami - Japanese gardens that are in the area. They have regular gardens, water gardens and rock gardens. The day that I went they were also having a koi show so I was floored. I LOVE koi. The fish they had there were 30+ pounds EASY. I have never seen such HUGE fish in my life! I asked the people there how they raised such big fish, and I was told that the man who raised the "grand champion" has a $50,000 pond with at least 12,000 gallons of water. The fish are fed several times a day with automatic feeders and his water quality is always pristine.

Oh, here's a tidbit of info for you: y'know that old wives tale that a fish will only get as big as its tank? Not true. What happens is that fish put out hormones. When their bodies register too many hormones in the water, they stop growing. They get a signal something like, "stop growing! This system can't support you if you get any bigger!" and so they stop. If you keep the water clean all the time, and do not allow those hormones to build up, then your fish will continue to grow no matter how small your tank is. At least, that's what I was told while I was there.

I've found a buddhist group near me that meets every Tuesday for reading groups, walking meditations and regular meditations. I REALLY want to go but I am afraid. I don't do well in group settings, but this is something I really want to try. I'm sure I'll end up forcing myself to go at some point. I HOPE I do. Please, if you read this, leave me some words of encouragement.

Thank you! :)

A stomach ache to end all stomach aches...

The beau and I went out to lunch today. We had some giftcards for Ruby Tuesdays (one of my fave restaurants) that were given to us by someone I cat-sat for. We figured we'd spend the day out, have a free lunch, come home and do a movie night and all would be splendid. Instead, it ended up being a day from hell.

I ordered a salad and a veggie burger and a mango tea - nothing rough on the stomach, nothing fancy. But about 10 minutes or so after I'd finished eating I felt SO sick. I literally had to hobble to the bathroom because I was in so much pain. My stomach was churning like crazy. I almost fainted just trying to get into the stall. I was dripping sweat, dizzy as all get-out, and no matter which way I leaned or how much I bent, moved, or strained, I absolutely could NOT ease the pain in my stomach. The only thing that helped was when I started to Reiki my abdomen. The cramps stopped and I was able to pass a little of what was upsetting me.

I must have sat in the bathroom for a good thirty minutes. One of the waitresses even came in to check on me twice! David was so good and patient with me throughout all of this. When I was finally able to stand (and that was truly a feat) I walked out to him where he practically caught me in the hallway. He had to help me out to the car and kept insisting that I should go to the hospital. The thought had crossed my mind, but I make it a point to listen to my body and go with my gut and my body was telling me that it was just a REALLY bad stomach ache and if I could only get home and lay down, I'd be fine.

So he took me home and got me set up in bed and covered me up and turned on a comedy show for me, thinking that laughter might help ease the pain. I thought for sure it would make things worse - having to use stomach muscles to laugh - but it helped take my mind off the pain. He layed with me and we laughed together and by the time it was over I was feeling so immensely better. He's always so good to me; I'm very lucky to have him in my life.

Right now even he's picking us up some mint chocolate chip ice cream because I wanted something cold (and minty) in my stomach and he wanted something chocolatey. We're going to watch another comedy show when he gets back and try to finish today on a good note. :)

My stomach is always so sensitive and none of my doctors have ever been able to find a reason for it. They always just say it's "IBS" which is really just a catch-all type of diagnonsense. I have stomach problems far too frequently. I am going to see if David's sister (who is very "new age") will do a tarot card reading and see if she gets any clues as to what the problem may be.

For now, I'm going to stick to very simple, mono-meals, which is how I've been eating lately for no particular reason other than that's how my body decided it wanted to eat.

The Rat Maze

David and I decided to get creative and build a system of tunnels for the rats so that they can come and go from their cage without needing someone to let them out. They are gaining weight and although they've been put on a diet, they haven't really lost any weight. With the addition of the maze system, they'll get a lot more exercise. I've found them sleeping in the tunnels as well. :)

That's the best picture I have. The black tunnel extending from the rat cage is just some bendable black tubing that we found at Home Depot for $4/10 feet. We cut it with a hacksaw and used zip ties to attach it to a sink organizer that we found at WalMart for $4. The sink organizer already had a hole in the center to allow food and debris to pass through it and into the drain, and it had verticle bars for holding plates upright in the sink. We replaced the cage's lower door with this sink organizer (again using zip ties) and then attached the black tubign to it. Voila - a permanent entrance to the tunnels.

The rest of the "maze" is made with 3" wide PVC pipe which had pre-cut holes in the pipes. The holes allow for airflow and light, and let the rats peek out of the tunnels and out the window as they go by. For now, the tunnel only goes up and over their cage, behind it along the top of a tv center that's not being used, and down and along the screen windows. It then curves into a turn-around which leads back up and into the cage. When David and I move out and get our own place, we're going to make the tunnels better. We have a lot of left-over PVC (it was also $4 for approx. ten feet) so we're going to keep it stored away for later.

Our other project was to plant a container garden. You can see that here:

At the top left of the photo are three red and black bins. They contain two types of lettuce seeds, tomato, and argula. The arugula is growing strong - sprouted this morning - and one of the lettuce varieties is popping up. Still waiting on the others. The big plant to the right of the containers is a hybiscus plant, which is food for the tortoise in the container to the right of it. (He's hiding in the photo). There are also snake plants and a spider plant. Ironically enough, my patio also houses snakes and spiders:

There is so much life in my house. I love it. I'll have to take some photos of our kitchen. It's kind of like walking into an aquarium because we have bettas and fancy guppies all over the counters. I could probably charge admission to my apartment. We even have prairie dogs:

And the third-largest tortoise in the world, a sulcata. His name is Cecil. He's only two or threes years old right now. Their life span is so long that he will probably out-live us. :)

Anyone want to come over and spend some time with our zoo?! -lol-

A Big Update

I always feel like I'm talking to a great big room with nobody in it when I post my blogs. I have no way of knowing if anyone ever reads this since no one ever comments me. But, I enjoy posting so I guess I'll go on posting - hoping someone's actually reading! -lol-

I talked about my sugar problem in the last post. I am happy to report that I am still eating healthily. We did have a few friends over last night for a videogame and anime night, so I pigged out on some mint flavored oreos. But other than that, it's been lots of fruit and very little else. I realise the fruit has a very high sugar content, but it's far healthier than snack cakes and I've been eating such a wide variety of fruit (everything is so sweet and delicious this time of year!!!) that I'm getting plenty of good stuff for my body. I've also been drinking a lot more water than usual.

Yesterday I went for a two hour rollerblade excursion. I didn't intend to be gone for so long, but as I was skating I just kept taking different paths and sidewalks. I found my way onto a golfcourse that is situated alongside our apartment, and followed the golf cart path until I couldn't go any further. From there I ended up in some nice neighborhoods so I went "house hunting" (just browsing, looking, and daydreaming of what I might someday have) and eventually popped out at a street several roads away from my apartment. I was close to my boyfriend's job so I just skated over to have dinner with him. It was really nice. I was completely flushed red and sweating like crazy. My muscles were burning and my heart was pounding. I really pushed myself and it felt so wonderful because I haven't exercised in SO long. My body really wanted to work, so we did and the result was bliss. :)

I promised to post some photos of the new (fuzzy) family members. Without further ado, the fuzz-butts! The first one is Seraphina - she's a grey and white rex rabbit with GIANT bat ears and super-soft fur. She's really sweet and I've found her sleeping on my pillow with me a couple of times. :)

Then her buddy Mochachino. We rescued him from some kids on the side of the road. They had a box full of baby bunnies and were just trying to get rid of them before their mom made them take them to the pound. He LOVES to do bunny flops. He goes into fits of them and gets Seraphina going too. -lol- He's really hyper and kinda skittish, but he's a good bun. This picture was taken the day we got him. He's slightly bigger now, and he's developed black rings around his eyes, and a little black smudge on his nose.

And, the most recent (and probably the cutest) addition: Gizmo. He's so small he fits in the palm of your hand. We stopped into a Petsupermarket to get some bedding for the other buns, and saw him being picked on by two little dutch bunnies. I guess they were jealous of how cute he is. -lol- We picked him up and carried him for a bit before deciding we had to have him. His ears haven't decided whether they're going to go up or down yet, so they just stick straight out to the side like a little airplane. -lol- Hopefully he'll be the last bunny we add to the family. David has a habit of bringing animals home at random though...

I want to post some photos of the big maze we made for the rats the other night, and the new arrangement on our patio. We also have a new reptillian addition to the family that needs posting. I'm going to add all of that in a separate blog so as not to overload the site, my computer, or myself with too many pictures all at once. :)

I ate raw today

Who'da thunk it, huh? Lately my diet has been worse than ever. Thanks to some new medication, all my body wants is sugar, sugar, sugar! And I'm sorry to say that I've been giving into temptation. Today, however, I made a conscious effort to stop eating so much sugar. This is my new project. My body seems to be cooperating for the moment. All I wanted today was grapes and blueberries. I also had a green smoothie with two handfuls of spinach, 2 kiwi, a cup of pineapple juice, some liquid chlorella, a banana, and two cups of water. It was REALLY good - I definitely recommend it. :)

I'm going to have a tomato for part of dinner. I want something else with it, but I'm not sure what just yet. I have half a watermelon sitting in the fridge. I might have to dig into that... *licks lips*

Anyway, this is a sad excuse for an update or a blog post, but I want to be able to keep track of what I eat in the coming week or so. I need to monitor my sugar intake. I was literally going through a box of snack cakes a day. Not to mention all of the candy and gum and CRAP I was eating throughout as well...

I'm very tired tonight so this isn't very well written, but within the next few days I should have some nice pictures to put up. We have not one, not two, but THREE fluffy new additions to the family that are just beyond cute. They deserve some photo introductions. :)

Am I back?

WOW!! I haven't posted in SO long. Life has been hectic and, to be honest, very difficult lately. My living situation has COMPLETELY changed. Some changes have been for the better, and some have been ... well, in the other direction. Maybe if I start blogging again I'll start to put my life back on track again. Writing down my daily thoughts and getting online to read the inspiring words of others was always such a good motivator. I spent the day doing a house call to bird, cat, and bunny-sit. Then I came home and tended to my own small zoo. It's always an all-day project if I have to clean every cage. Today I focused on three or four and it went much faster. I had the ingenious idea to set the rat cage down into a large storage bin. The result is that the plastic bin keeps anything they might kick out of the cage confined and easy to clean up. I was also able to fill the bottom of the bin with little to absorb any urine or droppings that they might kick out of the cage. Hopefully, it will make cleaning much easier. I'll have to get a picture up. For now, hello to everyone that I haven't spoken to in a while! :)

Image credit: http://media.photobucket.com/image/rats%20as%20pets/pinkdogwoods/dumbo.jpg

Spa day, anyone?

spa + wellness assignment
Originally uploaded by ★ mewot ★

I have been craving a trip to a spa today. I have never ever been in my whole life, but that is what I'm wanting more than anything right now. While I was packing my lunch for tomorrow, I started daydreaming about the perfect spa trip: A hot tub on a warm but breezy summer day on (or near) a beach in Hawaii or somewhere equally as nice. I love sitting in the hot water, enjoying a breeze and admiring a large body of water. The heat from the hot tub combined with the cool breeze is just pure bliss. I don't have the money for a spa trip, but if I did, I would want a hand massage and a back massage - along with my hot tub!! :D

Lunch for tomorrow is a large salad with sesame and garlic dressing, 4 kiwi, a handful of blueberries and grapes mixed together, a mango, 2 bananas, and as a treat some (not-quite-raw-but-pretty-close-so-they're-allowed) flax seed crackers and salsa! Woo hoo! Looking forward to lunch tomorrow. If only I were eating it at a spa...

-lol-

The Blueberry Moon

I wrote something today. I've been wanting to write for SO long but, having no inspiration, I felt like I was constipated. Today, I was inspired to write a short something:

"Imagine that the moon were made of blueberries. Showered in that ethereal light, would all the seas become puddles of jam that we could spread on tea cakes, and, sitting on the sand in our lacy attire, nibble while talking of effervescent rains and the lives of crickets? While the moon is near, the world would be a magical midnight blue and with stars in our eyes, we'd laugh with one another, savoring the moment like sweet honey for the heart and mind. Ah, how enchanting life would be."

Please tell me what you think.

Photo credit: http://o-bluemoon-o.deviantart.com/

The angelfish is still hanging in there.

I keep having dreams that my angelfish is well again. I wake up every morning and go to the tank to check on her, completely believing that she'll be swimming around again. So far, that hasn't happened. But she is still alive and still eating. Tonight she didn't even want to eat off the tongs. She backed up, and then PUSHED herself off the gravel to swim around for a second or two and grab a few flakes. She's determined to live, and apparently she's determined to eat on her own. I love that 'ol girl. I'm so glad she's decided to stick around a little longer. There are a lot of things looming over my head right now - just things that are very likely to go wrong in my life within the next few months. Some of those are major things. But no matter how much crap piles up over my head, just interacting with that one silly little fish just gives me so much pleasure and allows me to forget about all of the negatives in my life. I owe so much to her. She's such a strong spirit. Ironically, when she was younger I named her "strength." I had a group of babies and I named them all after certain attributes or characteristics that I valued. She was strength, and man oh man has she ever earned it!

Keep on keepin' on, girly! <3

Oh, and image credit: http://isabellany.deviantart.com/

Another iguana...

I was late to my exam today because someone ran over an iguana and didn't stop for it. It was still alive, but its back legs were paralyzed. Another girl stopped and got it out of the road, and I happened to have a box in my trunk and a number of a place where she could take it. She didn't have a cell phone so I called and got her directions and she rushed it off to the lizard hospital. It's so sad that people don't have the decency to stop and take responsibility for an animal when they injure it. Yeah, ok, fine - you don't care about animals. That's terrible thinking, but for the sake of argument, fine. That does not, however, excuse you from stopping to care for something when you are responsible for hurting it or taking its life. You intervened in that animal's life, and now you have a responsibility to care for it. I saw a quote somewhere that said, "Man becomes responsible forever for what he has tamed." This maybe doesn't DIRECTLY apply here, but it certainly applies (at the very least) indirectly. Once you play a part in something, you are responsible. End of story.

At least it's still nice to see that there are other caring individuals out there. I gave the girl my e-mail and asked her to e-mail me and tell me what they say. She said she would, and I believed her - she seems like the type that would follow up. :) I hope she is.

The truly sad thing is that iguanas are not native here. I see several of them on the roads, almost daily. They get hurt all the time, and all because "once upon a time" some irresponsible morons let their pets go into the "wild" and now we have a thriving population of non-native iguanas.

I really would like to be able to have more faith in humanity. I truly would. But it is getting increasingly harder to do so...

No pretty picture today

Nope; no pretty picture today. "No cracker?" "No, no cracker." Poor Buttons...

*clears throat* Anyway, it seems the boyfriend and I may have to deal with joblessness in the near future. When I first got the call I was upset over it, but about ten minutes later I had written him an e-mail to tell him everything would be fine. I just wanted to post a small piece from that e-mail because it was surprisingly uplifting and somebody else might benefit from it. (Even though no one ever looks at my blog.)


If you lose your job, trust me, we will find a way to make things work. It's ok to be upset over it. I really would be, too. But you can't let *name removed* get to you. There are going to be tons of people loosing their jobs. TONS. And they're all going to be upset but they're all going to be ok. The only difference is that they'll go through months of misery and depression and probably failed relationships because of it before they realize that everything turns out alright in the end. YOU on the other hand, are smart enough (and you have me to tell you!) to know that it will all be ok.

Just go into this transition knowing that the universe has it all under control. Whatever is meant to be, will be, and whether we like it or not we still have to go with it. We are never given anything in this life that we can't handle. Maybe part of your life's "contract" (I posted on this idea in a previous blog) is that you need to experience joblessness and learn to be thankful for the tiniest of things. Who knows? All I know is that I love you, and I support you, and I hope you will handle whatever happens with dignity and gratefulness.

"A grateful heart does not want." - Be glad for what you have; no matter how small.

We can do that. We'll be fine. <3

I dunno, I found it pretty helpful just writing it. Maybe it will help others. I hope so. I always feel like I can do no good in this world.

I have an exam tonight, for which I do not feel prepared. I never feel prepared for tests unless I've been studying for two weeks. Lately, that is just not possible.

I am on day ... what? 3 now? Of my raw diet. Technically, it's more like day 5 or 6 but those first few days I let myself have a few "cheats" so I'm not counting them. Today I have had a glass of water, some grapes and blackberries (I spilled half of them on the floor and was SO upset. What a waste.) 3 bananas, and a portion of a green smoothie. The boyfriend is already bugging me about dinner and I have NO idea what I'm making. He hasn't been very willing to help me make anything so far. Or clean up afterwards, which is making this diet VERY stressful for me since there can be a lot of prep that goes into big, raw meals. It's been the cause of a few arguments so far. I keep trying to remind myself that he's probably cranky because he's going through a detox, but it's really tough to not just fly off the handle. :( I gotta go meet a friend for lunch (salad and more green smoothie).

Ok, um, bye.

Goin' RAW, baby!!!

What does the snake in this picture have to do with me going raw, you ask? Absolutely nothing. But isn't it a pretty photo? :3

My boyfriend and I "met" with our "raw food coach" today. I say "met" because she's far away, and we had to have the "meeting" over the phone. -lol- BUT, I am totally stoked about it, and I'm hoping very much that this new diet works out for both me and my boyfriend. We took our measurements today to see any progress that we might make (either good or bad!) and I took the bunny's measurements too.

Ears: 3 in.
Feet: 4 in.
Body: 12 in. from nose to tail.

That's exactly one foot of compact cuteness! :D

For my first raw "concoction" I am going to be making what I call, "lemon chewy thingies" because I can't remember what they're actually called. It's a type of cookie recipe, but since I don't yet have a dehydrator (gotta borrow one from my boss) I'm just going to be enjoying the "dough." I'm sure there will be photos!

Also, while I was in Publix today, shopping for what little produce and raw goodies I could find, made the mistake of stopping at the lobster tank. I always make it a point to avoid the meat section and the lobster tank because it just makes my soul hurt. I get so overwhelmed with sadness just thinking about all the suffering and all of the lives that went into that pre-packaged meat. Not to mention all of the natural resources that were consumed, and the toxins put into the environment to produce it. The lobsters get me the most because they have to suffer in that tiny tank, with no food, and no room. They have their claws banded so that they cannot defend themselves, and then some uncaring or unthinking human will come along and boil them alive. Literally. My roommate works at a seafood restaraunt, and she said the lobsters actually scream when they're put in. She's told me a few stories about how the chefs torment the lobsters because they think it's funny. Terrible things, really. It's very sad... Anyway, I was so overwhelmed by all of this that I didn't know what to do for a moment. I didn't want to sit there and look at them suffer anymore, but I knew I couldn't help them. There was no one for me to talk to and nothing I could do. I just didn't know where to go. Then, all at once, something I had read in a Buddhist book came back to me, and it is this piece of wisdom that I wanted to share. I don't remember which book I got it from, and I don't remember the exact wording, but it went something like this:

When you know that something is right, but others do not feel the same way, it is best not to push your beliefs on them. Instead, quietly do what you know is right, and lead by example. They will see how happy and healthy and content you are, and will want to ask what your secret is. Then you can tell them. If you try to push your beliefs on someone who does not want to hear them, you will only hurt yourself because you will be disappointed that you could not change their mind and you will be sad that they are not doing what is right. As Buddhists, it is not our job to take care of every being on this planet. Lead by example, and hope that others are smart enough to follow. Do not torment yourself by trying to "save" everyone; it is simply impossible. Care for yourself, and others will do the same.

Remembering that really helped me to be able to move on. I told myself that I am doing my part to help the lobsters - I do not eat them, and I spread the word when I can. If I try to complain to the guy at the seafood counter, it will get me nowhere because he obviously does not care. If he did, he wouldn't work there. He will find his own way; I have found mine. The lobsters will suffer, but I can only hope that perhaps they are mean, spiteful, harmful souls reincarnated. I read once that we are not reborn until we have agreed to the events which will take place in our life. We agree to undergo events that will make us, in some way, a better being. Perhaps those poor lobsters are souls who needed to know suffering in order to better themselves. And, perhaps when they are reincarnated they will be much better off for the experience.

I can only hope. <3

Blue moon

you saw me standing alone ...

There's a full moon out tonight. Or mostly full; I can never tell a difference. I was also able to see the stars for once. But the sky didn't make me happy like it usually does. Today was another blue day.

Image credit: (That's such a GORGEOUS photo isn't it? I'm in love with it.) http://raneen.deviantart.com/

Loneliness and sadness

That is pretty much how I felt all day today. I don't quite understand why since I've been doing so well lately. But, today I was very self-deprecating. I am very upset over my relationships at work. I've been feeling extremely unwanted. Y'know that feeling you get when you can tell people aren't really listening to you, but are just kind of nodding at you to make you hurry up and finish talking? That's what it feels like when I'm at work. Like they're just waiting for me to finish talking so they can go on with their lives. I can't even go into all of the things that happened today. I spent most of the day in a state of embarrassment and wanting to cry.

I am so disappointed in myself right now. All of my recent hard work to take care of myself should be helping me out of this state, but it's not. I have decided to just go with it, and "live in the moment" and feel the sadness. I just needed to vent... I have no one that I feel like talking to right now.


Photo credit: http://sheanne.deviantart.com/ ...She has some beautiful work.

My stubborn angel

Well, my angelfish has decided she'd like to hang around a little longer. She has been fasting for 7 days now, and when I went to check on her tonight she tried very hard to swim to the top. I took this as a sign that she wanted to eat, so I dropped in a few flakes for her. She tried to eat them, but couldn't swim high enough to get at them because of the swim bladder problems she's been having. So, I cleverly decided to feed her off of my snake tongs. It worked like a charm. I was able to feed her several flakes while she laid on the bottom of the tank. She seemed to perk up a little.

I wanted to write about the experience on my blog, so I got online to find a photo of an angelfish. The above photo was one of the first results on a simple google search. It looks very, very similar to my angel so I clicked it. Wouldn't you know it, the original source of the photo was a website for a "Florida Aquatic Animal Health Program" - a veterinary school for fish! I was able to find three e-mail addresses through the site to vets that specialize in fish. I sent them each an e-mail explaining the situation and asking for help. Everything I have read or heard says that my angel should be dead right now, not trying to start eating again. It's time to talk to the pros. -lol-

I am a strong believer that







so hopefully I will get some answers back from those vets.

I am so pleased that my angel still has the will to live. I hope it's a testament to how well cared for she is. I always worry that my animals aren't happy, though everyone tells me that's the farthest thing from the truth.

A funny story to end the day:

A mother and two little girls came into where I work today (a bird store) carrying a baby bunny *insert appropriate "squee"ing here*. There was another little girl in the store at the time, who I knew had three large birds as pets. She was very curious about the bunny and came over to inspect it. The mother asked if she would like to hold the bunny. Nodding, the little girl extended her finger, expecting the bunny to perch on it like a bird! -lol- All she's ever known is birds, so she expected the bunny to behave like a bird. Everyone was laughing so hysterically. The poor girl didn't understand why we were laughing, and we had to explain to her that bunnies have to be held differently than birds. It was truly priceless.

I wish everyone a happy, healthy evening tonight and the same for tomorrow! :)

All images were found on Google. I know, how boring...

My charity ticker

Well, I was able to get one of those "tickers." It's a cute little tomato in a veggie patch -lol- I still have such a long way to go, but little by little, week by week, that debt will dwindle away and I'll be able to set aside money for charities. I should use the time to compile a list of people I want to donate to.

Also, everyone has been talking about that "word for the year" thing (see here: http://christinekane.com/blog/december-is-all-about-words-whats-yours-gonna-be/). I'm a little behind, but I think it is a great idea so I'm going to meditate on it over the next few days and see what comes to me. Initially, "delight" popped out at me, but I think it was only a momentary connection. Somewhere within me there is a "deeper," more significant word just waiting to be heard. I will be listening. :)

Consumerism

I have written on the subject of consumerism before, and I find myself needing to do it again today. The subject came up twice for me today, once in the hallway at school, and once in a class discussion. When I first went through my Reiki attunements, I "received" the insight that for one day, I should not consume. So, I didn't, and it was absolutely astounding how many things I was tempted to buy over the course of a single day. Any time I had any sort of desire - a hunger pain, thirst, a want for a new notebook, the desire to fill up my gas tank, the want to listen to music or use the internet. Everything involved consuming. Hungry? Buy food - you can get it just about anywhere. Thirsty? Get a drink - thousands of bottled varieties to choose from! Need a notebook? Gasoline? Go to the store, no problem. Internet? Music? Telephone call? Television? It's neverending! And you have to realize that most of that stuff is outsourced. So, by purchasing, you're supporting harsh conditions in third world countries, low pay for US citizens, abuse, poverty, hunger ... need I go on? If you must purchase, (and we all have to some time or other) make sure you are buying items made in the USA and locally grown produce as much as possible.

Did you know that American wages have not really changed since the 1970's? They've gone up and down slightly, but overall they are not much different than the 1970's. However, our needs and our WANTS have gone way UP! So how are we handling it? Credit cards. Americans don't really have savings anymore. For the first time since the Great Depression, we have an average household savings of less than zero. We're all tied up in credit card debt, some of us for life.

I am not at all proud to say that I, too, am guilty of credit card debt. It's not much (less than $500), but I do have to devote a portion of my paycheck to the credit card every two weeks. Someone came up to me in the hallway today, and asked me if I would like to donate money to help feed hungry kids overseas. Sadly, the first thing that jumped to my mind was, "Did I pay the credit card bill yet?" Once I remembered that I had, I jumped at the chance to donate. But, I was upset that I was tied down to a bill, instead of being able to freely give to those who need. So, this has brought me to a resolution:

I am going to be frugal in my spending, and put more towards the credit card each month in order to pay it off as soon as possible. Once it is paid off, I will not use it unless there is an emergency, and will instead donate the money I was putting towards the card each month to a charity.

That will be a fair amount of money going into various charities, and I won't be spending any more than I am used to. It works out perfectly for everyone. :) I think I will see if I can get one of those "ticker" bars to count down until my card is paid off. Hmm... *goes off on a search*

Today I practiced:
humility
GREAT patience (>_<)
respect
honesty
and compassion.

I'm hoping there was more. -lol- I also discovered a love of walnuts that I never realized I possessed.

Photo credit: Google "consumerism" in the images section. ;)

Bunnies, green smoothies, and hard good-byes...

I have four cockatiels, only two of which like each other. Fortunately, my old roommate has two cockatiels, both of which like the two that I have that don't like each other! You following me? So, we decided to have "birdy sleepovers" where we exchange birds so that they can see their friends. When we lived together, they were with their friends 24/7. But, we both moved this year so they don't get to see each other very often. This past week I had one of her birds while she had one of mine. Today was the "trade back" day, and what a rough one it was. None of the birds were happy about the situation. When she brought my Angel back to me, he started biting my face in protest of being pulled from his friend, Chaucer. When my roommate took Phoenix back, Misty flew to the window, trying to follow his friend, calling to him the entire time. It was absolutely heart breaking to see them so distressed. Sometimes I feel the happy time spent with their friends isn't worth the hard good-bye afterwards. It's not a forever good-bye, and they see one another every second week or so. But it's never any easier to force them to part. They will be depressed today, and probably a little bit tomorrow as well. Hopefully they'll be back to their happy, singing selves by the weekend.

On a positive note, I also had a sleepover. :) My best friend came and spent Tuesday evening with me. We put on a Power Yoga DVD and stretched and sweated in my living room, and then did a dance workout (which was not very good). Dinner was delicious - we had tofu cooked in vegetable broth and garlic, with a really gorgeous salad. We decided to watch a movie together, so we made green smoothies to sip while watching our favorite actor, Vin Diesel in his newest film: Babylon A.D. It's kind of sci-fi, and very action-packed so if you're into that sort of thing, (or just into Vin Diesel like we are) then I definitely recommend it. :) We also had a green smoothie and some herbal tea together this morning while we studied. She has already left for class, and I need to go to the grocery store and the book store. But, to keep you all entertained while I'm away, here is photographic evidence that bunnies LOVE green smoothies!









































See the little bit of green smoothie on his chin?! How cute is my Oni-poney? Too cute! -lol- Have a great day!

Photo credit: Hmm... from somewhere in my files. I think it originated on something my Reiki teacher sent out.

Editing, Publishing, and the Lovely Aunt Erma.

"I say, good sir, a pinky in the air adds a touch of class, don't you think?"

*laughing* That's my silly parrot, Rufio, in the photo. He's always doing the weirdest things, but he's so cute! I luffs him. :)

Today was a good day. I have been told by my Reiki teacher that Reiki will begin to affect other areas of my life - not just my physical body - so I am awaiting good things. I think they are already starting because I spoke with my business professor today about getting into editing. She (ironically?) had worked in editing and publishing for several years, and was able to give me first-hand advice on creating my resume. She explained to me that because my work background has nothing to do with editing, I am going to want to play this down as much as possible, something I had never heard before. Instead, she explained that I will want to emphasize my schooling since I have always concentrated on English, writing, and editing in school. I should also get involved in volunteer editing or something similar so that I can get experience in the field. She inspired me to take a walk over to my university's writing center. I spoke with someone who worked there about volunteering, but she explained that all the people there were paid. She did encourage me to submit an application for a job. She said they would be hiring in August and I seemed like I might be right for the job. That's the second time someone from the writing center has asked me to apply for a job, so I think I will this time!

I also convinced my boss to let me edit our company's website. I told him I would do it for free if he would let me put it on my resume as "freelance editing" and give me a good review. He agreed! :D There is so much work to be done on the website. I have been working on it for several hours tonight, and I am still only on the surface-level pages. I still need to go into the sub-pages. He insisted there wouldn't be too many errors, but for some reason he has a habit of capitalizing random words that have no business being capitalized. So, while they are small errors, they take a long time to find and correct because there are so many of them. Never underestimate the power of small errors in large numbers!!! Most of the mistakes on the website could have been prevented by first running the text through a spell checker. I have told him before that I am an English major and want to go into editing. I explained that I would gladly edit anything he wanted me to, just for the experience. Use me, dang it! -lol- But he never has. I am glad to finally have this opportunity. Hopefully, I will get some sort of connection at the writing center as well, and will be able to pull together a good resume by the end of the year.

I am having a visit from Aunt Erma this week (see: metaphors for having your period). In a way, I am glad of it because my body naturally wants to fast when I have the painters in (see: more metaphors for having your period). No food ever sounds good when it's 'that time of the month' and I'm always thirsty. For some strange reason, my body also decides to ALWAYS expel any-and-every-thing that might be sitting in my body the day before I go on the rag. I know, I know, it's gross! I'm sorry! And I have to actually experience it! But, this is the first time I've ever been involved in the fasting/feasting/cleansing community while being on my period so this time around I am recognizing it for the gift that it is. I am irritable, and my boyfriend hates it (what guy doesn't?) but he understands why. I'll only feel crummy for the next three days. Then I'll be back to my normal self. :) I will just be patient and meditative (and thankful for my natural cleanse) until then.

I'm going to continue to use Reiki meditations before bed to try to bring more good energy to myself. It is time I got into things that I WANT to do instead of things it is CONVENIENT to do. I want this shift in my life, and I am ready to receive help from the universe to get 'r done. -lol-

Also, if anyone has anything they need edited - no matter how big or small - please, let me know. I need to start getting some "freelance editing" onto my resume.

Namaste, guys!

Yay! More plants are on the way!

I am so happy tonight. My boyfriend and I decided to go out to eat together for the first time in at least a month. We've had to be so frugal about our spending for the last two or three months because we just moved. This is the first paycheck where we feel like we're in a comfort zone again, so we spent $20 and had a night on the town. Ok, so it wasn't that extravagant. But I did have a really good tofu, beans, and rice burrito. :) And of course, the time spent with him was wonderful. My school loan and scholarship has finally gone through for this semester. Yesterday I owed my school $400. As of today ... I owe them nothing!!! So, I took $20 of that money and ordered some plants online. I'm so excited about them. Here's what I got:

1. A "Dwarf Musa Banana Plant" - mini banana tree! It'll grow to 5 or 6 feet tall, which is perfect for sitting on my sunny patio. If all goes according to plan, I'll be harvesting fruit within 2 years.

2. A "Red Azalea" plant - pretty red flowers! Pretty simple care: morning sun and shade in the afternoons, water infrequently, don't hurt their tiny roots, and that's about it. This is actually the first flowering plant that I've ever really liked. Normally I just like the big, leafy stuff, so we'll see how well I do with this...


3. Spinach seeds. Supposedly they're easy to start, and they can be harvested pretty soon after planting. We eat spinach like it's going out of style here, so I thought this might be a good place to start for my vegetable "garden."

The company is also sending me (for free) a basic plant care guide, a packet of huckleberry seeds, and a packet of ground cherry tomato seeds. The ground cherry tomatoes aren't supposed to do well in my growing zone, but they seem really cool so I guess I'll give them a shot. They're free afterall! The company that I went through is this one: http://www.eburgess.com/index.asp
They were recommended to me, and I highly recommend them to everyone else. I'll definitely let you guys know when the plants get here. Imagine how surprised the office ladies are going to be when a banana plant shows up at the door with my name on it! Hopefully they won't mind when I bring them fresh bananas from it in a few years. -lol-

I'm so thankful for just about everything today. It was a cheerful, happy and productive day - and you should always be thankful for those. I hope everyone else had just as much joy today as I did. :)

Photo sources: all over google.

Starting Kiwi!

Kiwi Explosion
Originally uploaded by OddBall7

Last night I saved the seeds from a kiwi and I've decided to try my hand at sprouting them.I've read that it doesn't always work out well in my area, but some people have great luck with them. So, I figured it was better to try than to not try. -lol- I took pictures along the way of course!


I decided to start the seeds in an old recycled egg carton. This way, when it is time to re-plant them, I can just stick the entire carton into the ground or pot, and it will decompose naturally. I don't risk killing the sprouts this way, since they don't usually take to being uprooted very well.

Then I added some basic, all-purpose potting soil - just a little. I put the seeds into the carton (4-6 in each cup) and covered them with more soil.

I then needed to put the carton into a plastic bag to trap humidity near the seeds. Since the carton wouldn't fit long-ways, I cut it down the middle. This would have been easier to do at the beginning, so if you try it, make that your first step. -lol-

This morning I realized that the top of the carton also needs to come off to allow the seeds to get sunlight. So, I cut that off too! The bag is sitting on a south-east facing window (where I get the most sun) and will be misted every day to every other day, depending on how much moisture is there. I'll be checking it daily for mold, and moving it away from the window sill and closer to the snakes so the seeds can stay warm during the night. Then, in the morning, they'll go back out again.

Kiwi will usually take something close to a month before they begin to sprout. Once they have been established, it will take 2-3 years before the male and female flowers develop. At that point, I need to make sure I have both males and females. If I do, I'll keep them together, and I should have fruit in about 7 years. Yes, 7 years. -lol- Kiwis are a very long-lived plant. If they are well taken care of, they can live to be 50 years old. So when you really think about it, have kids at the age of 7 is still pretty early! -lol-

Anyway, I don't mind the wait. The kiwi plant itself is very pretty, and I can continue to buy kiwi at the market. Then, 7-10 years from now, all the hard work will have paid off and I can enjoy my own kiwi. :)

This is a picture of an adult kiwi plant in bloom:


Kiwi plants, if not pruned regularly, can grow up to 60 feet tall! They are more like a vine than anything, and can be trained to climb a trellis, tree, fence, the roof of your house! The possibilities are endless. What about a living gazebo? Ooh, that would be so nice. Yay! I'm happy thinking about it. Maybe I'll Reiki the little seeds for a while tonight. Want to give them happy thoughts to know it's ok to come out into this world! -lol-