This morning I saw this little game on my daughters blog.
Hers answers were much more interesting than mine. If you do this, you go to Google and type in "your name" followed by the word needs, then run a search.
Here's what I need.
1. Barb needs to leap ~ trying to do this this year.
2. Barb needs to be fed a variety of foods including vegetables as well as meaty foods ~ hey where's the sweet stuff.
3. Barb needs some positive vibes ~ always.
4. Barb needs to only hear your voice clearly ~ I'm going to interpret this to my being a good listener to each and every person in my life.
5. Barb’s Needs. Meds. Meds. Meds. Water. Water. Water. Food. Food. Food. Bianca. Bianca. Bianca. Toilet ~ yes, yes yes and definitely yes to the toilet after all that water.
6. Barb needs healing vibes ~ again always.
7. Barb needs to be eliminated ~ don't think I care for this one too much. LOL
Another friends needs "an orgasm". I would rather that than #7. Oh well, we can't have everything we want can we??
Let me know if you decide to try this. Come on you know you want to do it ~ it really is fun!
Friday, February 27, 2009
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Resolutions
How are you doing with your New Year's Resolutions?
Have they fallen by the wayside ..... are you sticking with them ..... or are you telling everyone that you're sticking with them but really just keeping up a facade?
Well, I'm telling you today that my resolutions posted in January, are still first and foremost in my mind. I will not say that I have successfully completed them, but I am in the ongoing process of running towards that finish line.
I resolved to "take back my life" and make this the year of Barb and that is exactly what I have been doing.
Along the way, I have been firm in my decisions ~ no fence sitting for this girl. When I make a decision to move forward ~ I do.
One major decision I made was to remove the resentment, bitterness and anger from my mind. I realize that my family is as it has always been ~ I am NOT the problem, so it has been quite simple for me to remove myself from the equation. This I did for ME, not for anyone else. I had to come to the realization that the resentment, bitterness and anger was hurting me and no one else.
Due to the upheaval not only in my life but my home as well, my attention to my physical condition went by the wayside. So, how did I correct this you ask?
I spent about one week in the basement cleaning, throwing out a lot of stored unnecessary items and rearranging and I now have my exercise area set up again with a treadmill and recumbent bike and I have faithfully walked or rode every morning for 12-15 minutes for about 6 weeks now. I'll never be ready for a triathlon but I do feel more energetic because of this particular attention to one part of my life.
I also resolved to spend one day a week with my grand babies and I have given them back Thursdays. Now having said this, I have missed a few here and there, due to illness, chauffering my mom to appointments, but I thoroughly enjoy spending time with them, giving them me in whatever ways they want ~ game playing ... movie watching ... singing ... talking or just loving each other.
Don and I have started to go out without mom, leaving the guilt feelings here at home and not allowing them to fester while we are out together. Every time I leave the house, I cannot allow her to overwhelm me with feelings of guilt because I am not taking her with me. Before my dad passed away I certainly didn't take her with me each and every time I went out, so why did I feel I had to when she moved in.
So as you can see I am overcoming quite a few of the obstacles that had been stumbling blocks to my happiness in life.
Mom too has started to make a few changes herself ~ she has gone back to church on Sundays which gives Don and I a couple of hours to ourselves. She is talking about going to visit her sister in April. Not only will that be good for her but it will give us a break too.
And I'm back to crafting regularly ~ knitting, quilting, baking, painting, etc...
So as you can see, I'm well on my way to reclaiming me.
As I write this post, I have just completed the finishing touches on an angel food cake with fresh whipped cream & raspberriess and shaved dark chocolate curls. As well I have had a lovely pot of marinara sauce simmering for hours filling the house with wonderful aromas and I'm sipping a deliciously fruity glass of sangria. Why all these specialities today. These are for my sister Fran who is coming here today for her birthday dinner a little later as her birthday was last Friday ~ but better late than never.
So salute to your resolutions ~ keeping them ~ and succeeding in your determination to follow them through to completion.
Have they fallen by the wayside ..... are you sticking with them ..... or are you telling everyone that you're sticking with them but really just keeping up a facade?
Well, I'm telling you today that my resolutions posted in January, are still first and foremost in my mind. I will not say that I have successfully completed them, but I am in the ongoing process of running towards that finish line.
I resolved to "take back my life" and make this the year of Barb and that is exactly what I have been doing.
Along the way, I have been firm in my decisions ~ no fence sitting for this girl. When I make a decision to move forward ~ I do.
One major decision I made was to remove the resentment, bitterness and anger from my mind. I realize that my family is as it has always been ~ I am NOT the problem, so it has been quite simple for me to remove myself from the equation. This I did for ME, not for anyone else. I had to come to the realization that the resentment, bitterness and anger was hurting me and no one else.
Due to the upheaval not only in my life but my home as well, my attention to my physical condition went by the wayside. So, how did I correct this you ask?
I spent about one week in the basement cleaning, throwing out a lot of stored unnecessary items and rearranging and I now have my exercise area set up again with a treadmill and recumbent bike and I have faithfully walked or rode every morning for 12-15 minutes for about 6 weeks now. I'll never be ready for a triathlon but I do feel more energetic because of this particular attention to one part of my life.
I also resolved to spend one day a week with my grand babies and I have given them back Thursdays. Now having said this, I have missed a few here and there, due to illness, chauffering my mom to appointments, but I thoroughly enjoy spending time with them, giving them me in whatever ways they want ~ game playing ... movie watching ... singing ... talking or just loving each other.
Don and I have started to go out without mom, leaving the guilt feelings here at home and not allowing them to fester while we are out together. Every time I leave the house, I cannot allow her to overwhelm me with feelings of guilt because I am not taking her with me. Before my dad passed away I certainly didn't take her with me each and every time I went out, so why did I feel I had to when she moved in.
So as you can see I am overcoming quite a few of the obstacles that had been stumbling blocks to my happiness in life.
Mom too has started to make a few changes herself ~ she has gone back to church on Sundays which gives Don and I a couple of hours to ourselves. She is talking about going to visit her sister in April. Not only will that be good for her but it will give us a break too.
And I'm back to crafting regularly ~ knitting, quilting, baking, painting, etc...
So as you can see, I'm well on my way to reclaiming me.
As I write this post, I have just completed the finishing touches on an angel food cake with fresh whipped cream & raspberriess and shaved dark chocolate curls. As well I have had a lovely pot of marinara sauce simmering for hours filling the house with wonderful aromas and I'm sipping a deliciously fruity glass of sangria. Why all these specialities today. These are for my sister Fran who is coming here today for her birthday dinner a little later as her birthday was last Friday ~ but better late than never.
So salute to your resolutions ~ keeping them ~ and succeeding in your determination to follow them through to completion.
What Would You Pay For a Pet????
Recently, I came across an article about this new breed of cat which I found quite interesting, although I cannot imagine spending this kind of money on a pet. It would seem to me that this cat would be a status symbol for the up crust population of our society.
A new hybrid breed with Asian leopard blood, the Ashera, is slightly more eye-catching, than the Bengal.
They stand 4 feet tall on their hind legs. At $22,000, they’re certainly a very expensive breed of cat. The Ashera weighs around 30 lbs and lives for 25 years. Despite their hefty price, they’re actually fairly low maintenance, though they do prefer to sleep on heated beds.
The reason the Ashera is such an expensive cat breed is that each one is guaranteed to have the same coloring and appearance. These traits are bred, from the African Serval, an undisclosed domestic breed and the aforementioned Asian leopard cat, by British entrepreneur Simon Brodie of Lifestyle Pets.
The is a picture of an Ashera GD kitten at six months of age.
Brodie also developed another expensive cat, the hypoallergenic cat. These cats notably do not possess the gene that causes them to produce the Feld 1 glycoprotein, the major cat allergen. This allows cat lovers whose families include one or more persons with feline allergies, or who have feline allergies themselves, to still keep a feline friend around the house. Lifestyle Pets are even planning on introducing a hypoallergenic Ashera in the coming year. These cats range in expense from the Allerca GD’s $5,950 price tag to the Ashera GD’s $28,000 price tag.
Any of these cats may provide a (feline) lifetime of entertainment and companionship for their owners. However, a new Lexus convertible and a cat from the SPCA might be a better way to spend your money than $40,000+ for the most expensive cat.
They stand 4 feet tall on their hind legs. At $22,000, they’re certainly a very expensive breed of cat. The Ashera weighs around 30 lbs and lives for 25 years. Despite their hefty price, they’re actually fairly low maintenance, though they do prefer to sleep on heated beds.
The reason the Ashera is such an expensive cat breed is that each one is guaranteed to have the same coloring and appearance. These traits are bred, from the African Serval, an undisclosed domestic breed and the aforementioned Asian leopard cat, by British entrepreneur Simon Brodie of Lifestyle Pets.
The is a picture of an Ashera GD kitten at six months of age.Brodie also developed another expensive cat, the hypoallergenic cat. These cats notably do not possess the gene that causes them to produce the Feld 1 glycoprotein, the major cat allergen. This allows cat lovers whose families include one or more persons with feline allergies, or who have feline allergies themselves, to still keep a feline friend around the house. Lifestyle Pets are even planning on introducing a hypoallergenic Ashera in the coming year. These cats range in expense from the Allerca GD’s $5,950 price tag to the Ashera GD’s $28,000 price tag.
Any of these cats may provide a (feline) lifetime of entertainment and companionship for their owners. However, a new Lexus convertible and a cat from the SPCA might be a better way to spend your money than $40,000+ for the most expensive cat.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
What I Love About Winter!
When it's so cold outside that there are feathers on the windows.
When it's so cold outside that the snow cracks when you walk on it.
When the sun shines brilliantly on the snow and it glitters like diamonds.
When I go for a walk in the ravine and hear the trees crack.
When the ice crystallizes around stones, tree limbs, anything laying in the creek where the water swirls its' icy fingers around each object.
When the cold permeates our home creating the need to wrap up in lots of warm & cozy blankets.
The dazzling colours of a blue sky against the blinding white of the snow.
Going out, turning on the heat in the car seat to warm the leather and then gradually feeling the warmth work itself into my body.
A cafe latte.
The stillness .......
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Make A Perfectly Luxurious Bed
Start with your mattress.
Do you need a new mattress?
Do you need a new mattress pad?
Or maybe just a little extra comfort is in order.
If that's the case, try an inexpensive foam topper. Or if money is no object go for a 2 - 4" piece of memory foam or a feather bed. It really makes a difference. I sleep on memory foam and it is absolutely delicious. There are no pressure points and the foam really does mould itself to your body.
Now for the sheets. Don't skimp here. Quality sheets really are much nicer to sleep on ~ the higher the thread count ~ the softer and more durable the sheets will be. Thread count refers to the number of threads, both vertical and horizontal, in a one-inch square of fabric. A good thread count is about 400 - 500. When choosing fabric content a Supima or Egyptian cotton is superb.
After placing the mattress topper of your choice on top of the mattress ~ place the fitted sheet over both.
Now the flat sheet goes on with a nice, deep fold back on the top sheet ~ at least 12 inches. Don't forget the hospital corners. After tucking in the bottom of the sheet, lift up the overhanging side about 12" back from the bottom ~ making a triangular shape. Now just tuck in the bottom of the triangle. Lay the side back down and you have a perfect hospital corner.
Did you know that tightly tucked hospital corners where used to protect patients from falling out of bed before the side rail came into use.
Top the flat sheet with a light, quilted coverlet and matching shams. Then, add a duvet with cover, folded at the end of the bed. It's nice to match the duvet cover to the sheeting.
Now for the pillows.Choose a pillow suitable for your sleeping habits. Select a soft pillow if you sleep on your stomach ~ a medium pillow if you sleep on your back ~ a firm pillow if you sleep on your side.
Pillow fill is a personal choice and can be polyester, foam, goose down or a combination of feathers and down. Down is usually more expensive. It's very soft and is easy to shape or mold to your head and body. Polyester, which is less expensive, is comfortable too, depending on the quality, but it won't fluff up the way down does. Check the amount of fill in the pillow (how full it is). The more fill, the firmer the pillow.
Now for pillow placement.
Sleeping pillows in the back, shams that match the coverlet in front of that, then decorative pillows in front of the shams. A chic hotel style of placing the pillows is to lay the sleeping pillow with the sham laying flat on top of it.The decorative pillows look best if you choose another fabric or texture different from the duvet and coverlet. A good size for the decorative pillows is a 22" square. And then perhaps a small rectangle pillow in the very front.
For a king size bed use three euro pillows across, for queens use two across. However, don't go overboard with the pillows. Do what is comfortable for you, as too many pillows can just be a hassle. There should definitely be some space between the folded duvet cover and the pillows.
Finally, make your bed every morning. Our mothers were right - it really does make a difference in how the room appears and how the sheets feel to get back in at night!
Friday, February 20, 2009
What Am I Working On Now You Ask??
My craft room seems to have inspired my creativity lately and I just can't seem to sit still without something in my hands.
About a month ago Sebrina and I spent a day together for her birthday. While we were out we popped into a fabric store. They have just started to carry a small collection of yarn. While I was going through the yarns and free patterns, I saw this pattern for a poncho. The yarn is a wool bamboo mix made by Moda Dea.
I didn't care for the colour combination shown on the pattern to the left ~ it felt a little wintry to me .... so I decided to purchase a lovely natural off white colour and make it.
Fingers crossed I'll have it completed by spring so I can throw it on over a pair of jeans when the weather is a little cool, but too warm for a coat.
One side is completed and I'm about 1/3 of the way up the other side.
Here's how the pattern is shaping up so far.
I'm just loving the texture. It is quite an easy pattern but very boring. A two stitch cable every three stitches which switches from front to back every other row.
Stay tuned ~ I'll post it when it's finished ~ hopefully in the next week or two.
Here's a closeup showing the pattern and texture.
About a month ago Sebrina and I spent a day together for her birthday. While we were out we popped into a fabric store. They have just started to carry a small collection of yarn. While I was going through the yarns and free patterns, I saw this pattern for a poncho. The yarn is a wool bamboo mix made by Moda Dea.
I didn't care for the colour combination shown on the pattern to the left ~ it felt a little wintry to me .... so I decided to purchase a lovely natural off white colour and make it.
Fingers crossed I'll have it completed by spring so I can throw it on over a pair of jeans when the weather is a little cool, but too warm for a coat.
One side is completed and I'm about 1/3 of the way up the other side.
Here's how the pattern is shaping up so far.I'm just loving the texture. It is quite an easy pattern but very boring. A two stitch cable every three stitches which switches from front to back every other row.
Stay tuned ~ I'll post it when it's finished ~ hopefully in the next week or two.
Here's a closeup showing the pattern and texture.Food Week
Although I'm not participating in "Food Week" this week I have thoroughly enjoyed some of the yummy recipes shared by the participants. You can see whose participating here.
In my effort to try to calm down whatever is going on with my digestive tract, I've been eating less and less meat, so last night at dinner I made a vegetarian dinner for myself. My mom and Don also ate these dishes but had chicken pot pie with it.
Here's what I had and let me tell you it was yummy!
I pan fried onions & garlic in a little olive oil until the onions were translucent. Drop in about 20 grape tomatoes cut in half. Then top it all off with a bunch of chopped swiss chard and continue cooking wilted. After it was done I sprinkled it all over with Herbamare® Provencale Aromatic Sea Salt (made by A. Vogel).
The other dish we enjoyed was yams cooked until tender, mashed with a little butter and Herbamare. Mash half an avocado with a little lemon juice, cumin a sprinkle or two of Herbamare. Top off the yams with a big spoonful of the guacamole.
The other half of avocado I scooped out and chopped with tomato, feta, red onion & a little lime juice drizzled over top. Fill up the avocado skin with the mix and enjoy!
Sorry no pictures, you'll just have to imagine how delicious this was and the best part for me was no tummy problems afterward.
In my effort to try to calm down whatever is going on with my digestive tract, I've been eating less and less meat, so last night at dinner I made a vegetarian dinner for myself. My mom and Don also ate these dishes but had chicken pot pie with it.
Here's what I had and let me tell you it was yummy!
I pan fried onions & garlic in a little olive oil until the onions were translucent. Drop in about 20 grape tomatoes cut in half. Then top it all off with a bunch of chopped swiss chard and continue cooking wilted. After it was done I sprinkled it all over with Herbamare® Provencale Aromatic Sea Salt (made by A. Vogel).
The other dish we enjoyed was yams cooked until tender, mashed with a little butter and Herbamare. Mash half an avocado with a little lemon juice, cumin a sprinkle or two of Herbamare. Top off the yams with a big spoonful of the guacamole.
The other half of avocado I scooped out and chopped with tomato, feta, red onion & a little lime juice drizzled over top. Fill up the avocado skin with the mix and enjoy!
Sorry no pictures, you'll just have to imagine how delicious this was and the best part for me was no tummy problems afterward.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
A Thought
"When we create harmony in our minds and hearts, we will find it in our lives.
The inner creates the outer.
Always .....
Louise Hay
The inner creates the outer.
Always .....
Louise Hay
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
A Rose By Any Other Name Would Smell As Sweet
How gorgeous & creative is this beautiful photograph my daughter took.
She considers herself an "amateur" photographer, but I am constantly stunned by the breathtaking beauty of her pictures.
Water droplets full of reflections from what is surrounding her at that precise moment .... water droplets in mid drop as they rush earthward to meet the object of their affection .... beautiful bokeh .... fabulous action shots of her children .... imaginative textures and layers over images .... beautiful natural shots of seagulls, swans & geese in all their frosty winter beauty .... food & drink shots that make my mouth water.
She captures such perfect moments in time ~ moments that once passed are forgotten save for her magnificent images.
She recently opened an online shop to sell some of her photos after much encouragement from friends and family.
Please drop by her shop and check out some of her pictures.
You can also view all of her photographs on her photostream on Flickr.
She considers herself an "amateur" photographer, but I am constantly stunned by the breathtaking beauty of her pictures.
Water droplets full of reflections from what is surrounding her at that precise moment .... water droplets in mid drop as they rush earthward to meet the object of their affection .... beautiful bokeh .... fabulous action shots of her children .... imaginative textures and layers over images .... beautiful natural shots of seagulls, swans & geese in all their frosty winter beauty .... food & drink shots that make my mouth water.
She captures such perfect moments in time ~ moments that once passed are forgotten save for her magnificent images.
She recently opened an online shop to sell some of her photos after much encouragement from friends and family.
Please drop by her shop and check out some of her pictures.
You can also view all of her photographs on her photostream on Flickr.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
What The Heck Is My Problem?
I haven't been doing too much blogging lately or even visiting my favourite blogs to read or leave comments because well ~ here I go again with more health issues ~ digestive and stomach problems.
A while back I posted that I had a pet gallstone 4mm to be exact. I have nursed this little guy for quite a few years, but last year due to stomach pain my doctor sent me for an ultrasound. No inflammation, but my pet is still in residence.
I struggle with a yeast overgrowth in my gut which I constantly must be wary of, watching sugar intakes and using a product to keep the overgrowth down to a manageable level.
Over the past couple of years, it seems that no matter what passes my lips causes me some type of digestive distress ~ pain ... bloating ... distention ... gas ... a feeling of always having eaten too much, yet a constant gnawing feeling in my abdomen, gastric reflux, heartburn ... etc... And these problems flare my asthma which just add to the cacophony of issues I'm dealing with by impairing my breathing.
So in my quest to try to discover just exactly what the heck is my problem, I have researched Celiac's disease and tried eliminating gluten from my diet. I definitely had some success with this, the bloating and subsequent gas was easier to cope with.
I've questioned ~ could it be IBS, could it be diverticulitis, could it be leaky gut syndrome, could it be a gallbladder attack, could it be gastritis, could it be colitis ~ the list goes on and on. Symptoms will subside for a bit, but then come back with a vengeance. At this point after quite a few months of pain, I am nervous whenever I pick up something to eat. Will it cause me pain? Will it make me bloat? Worse yet will it give me gas and cause me embarrassment?
I've been in crisis for the past few weeks with this pain and am now unable to determine just what foods are causing this discomfort. All my symptoms seem to point to my gallbladder and knowing that I have a large pet stone, it seems quite reasonable to me that this is what it could be.
I must interrupt my rant here to mention that I recently had a consultation with a gastroenterologist who has me scheduled for an endoscopy on March 26th (Happy Birthday to me). He is planning to take a biopsy from my stomach and small intestine. His opinion from my symptoms is that I have a problem with my stomach muscles not naturally contracting. Apparently there is a condition called Gastroparesis where the stomach muscles are paralyzed due to the stomach not getting nerve impulses from the vagus nerve. His recommendation in the interim is to eat more and smaller meals. I've been doing this for about 10 days now, but even a few bites this week are causing me great discomfort.
So my quandary at this point is do I just sit and wait until March 26th for the endoscopy, or do I trundle off to the emergency room at my nearest hospital with this problem where I know I could have the on call specialist most likely pursue some immediate testing to determine the cause of this pain.
A while back I posted that I had a pet gallstone 4mm to be exact. I have nursed this little guy for quite a few years, but last year due to stomach pain my doctor sent me for an ultrasound. No inflammation, but my pet is still in residence.
I struggle with a yeast overgrowth in my gut which I constantly must be wary of, watching sugar intakes and using a product to keep the overgrowth down to a manageable level.
Over the past couple of years, it seems that no matter what passes my lips causes me some type of digestive distress ~ pain ... bloating ... distention ... gas ... a feeling of always having eaten too much, yet a constant gnawing feeling in my abdomen, gastric reflux, heartburn ... etc... And these problems flare my asthma which just add to the cacophony of issues I'm dealing with by impairing my breathing.
So in my quest to try to discover just exactly what the heck is my problem, I have researched Celiac's disease and tried eliminating gluten from my diet. I definitely had some success with this, the bloating and subsequent gas was easier to cope with.
I've questioned ~ could it be IBS, could it be diverticulitis, could it be leaky gut syndrome, could it be a gallbladder attack, could it be gastritis, could it be colitis ~ the list goes on and on. Symptoms will subside for a bit, but then come back with a vengeance. At this point after quite a few months of pain, I am nervous whenever I pick up something to eat. Will it cause me pain? Will it make me bloat? Worse yet will it give me gas and cause me embarrassment?
I've been in crisis for the past few weeks with this pain and am now unable to determine just what foods are causing this discomfort. All my symptoms seem to point to my gallbladder and knowing that I have a large pet stone, it seems quite reasonable to me that this is what it could be.
I must interrupt my rant here to mention that I recently had a consultation with a gastroenterologist who has me scheduled for an endoscopy on March 26th (Happy Birthday to me). He is planning to take a biopsy from my stomach and small intestine. His opinion from my symptoms is that I have a problem with my stomach muscles not naturally contracting. Apparently there is a condition called Gastroparesis where the stomach muscles are paralyzed due to the stomach not getting nerve impulses from the vagus nerve. His recommendation in the interim is to eat more and smaller meals. I've been doing this for about 10 days now, but even a few bites this week are causing me great discomfort.
So my quandary at this point is do I just sit and wait until March 26th for the endoscopy, or do I trundle off to the emergency room at my nearest hospital with this problem where I know I could have the on call specialist most likely pursue some immediate testing to determine the cause of this pain.
This week is probably the worst it has ever been ~ I have lost nearly 6 pounds due to cutting my caloric intake by half. I continue to drink my aloe vera juice and take my diglicerized licorice (DGL) to sooth my digestive tract but with little success. I've resorted to chewing on Gaviscon tablets which do help a little, but I don't want to continue this for too long due to the aluminum content in this product.
Well, the silver lining in this cloud is the weight loss. I've been wanting to lose weight for years, but just can't seem to get it off ~ severe lack of will power, not to mention a husband who seems to love me just as I am.
So here's to stomach problems that last long enough for me to knock off about 30 pounds!
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Ding ~ Ding ~ Round Two
Well, just when I thought I was well on my way to recovery ~ two days of no snot, blowing, coughing, head pain, etc.... I've received a knock out blow ~ only this time I think it might be influenza.
Last night I woke up every 30-45 minutes feeling quite nauseous. This was followed by a few quick trips to the bathroom for rather violent eliminations, followed closely by another.
Now this morning, I'm quite dizzy, achy and with a tight chest, so my guess ~ this is the flu. Thanks goodness, I'm not normally a puker, so, so far no upchucking. Keep my fingers crossed on that one.
So, my question is whose to blame? I am ~ that's who.
All of the stress I have subjected my body to during the adjustment of having my mom move in, has I am sure played a huge role. I know that I have been under a great deal of stress as we three have worked towards adjusting to this new situation.
My concern now is that my mother is exposed to me and as well I visited with my grand babies yesterday, exchanged hugs and kisses which exposed them to this bug as well. So Seb, forwarned is forarmed.
I did a little research to see just how much of a role stress plays in our overall well being.
"When an individual is faced with stress, his body mobilizes for action in what is called a fight or flight reaction. During a fight or flight reaction, the heart rate increases, breathing is accelerated, and the muscles tense up as if in preparation to throw something like a rock (fight) or to run away.
If stress persists after the initial fight or flight reaction, the body's reaction enters a second stage. During this stage, the activity of the sympathetic nervous system declines and epinephrine secretion is lessened, but corticosteroid secretion continues at above normal levels.
Finally, if the stress continues and the body is unable to cope, there is likely to be breakdown of bodily resources. It is in this stage that there may be a reduction of the levels of epinephrine and nor-epinephrine in the brain, a state related to depression. Stressful life events are related to the risk of infected individuals developing an illness. Traumatic stressful events may trigger either behavioral or biological processes that contribute to the onset of disease. Chronic stress has been associated with increased reports of illness. Long-term exposure to chronic stress may facilitate the development of illness during exposure to stress. Exposure to chronic stress may results in permanent or at the very least long-term psychological, biological, or behavioral responses that alter the progression of illness. Those who had either a work related or interpersonal chronic stressors (defined as stress lasting one month or longer) had an increased risk of developing colds compared to those who had no chronic stressor. In addition, the longer the stress endured, the more likely a person was to become ill.
Psychological stress predicted a greater expression of illness and a greater production of interleukin-6 in response to an upper respiratory infection. Life experiences are significantly related with energy level."
So my advice ~ stay well ~ stop and smell the roses and try not to obsess over anything in life ~ because, you will pay for it with your health. I'm learning ~ if I can't change a situation, then learn to live with it without obsessivly stressing about it. Stress breeds stress and as I said in an earlier post, the tension in our home has been so thick we could have chewed through it and we have passed it around from person to person.
Last night I woke up every 30-45 minutes feeling quite nauseous. This was followed by a few quick trips to the bathroom for rather violent eliminations, followed closely by another.
Now this morning, I'm quite dizzy, achy and with a tight chest, so my guess ~ this is the flu. Thanks goodness, I'm not normally a puker, so, so far no upchucking. Keep my fingers crossed on that one.
So, my question is whose to blame? I am ~ that's who.
All of the stress I have subjected my body to during the adjustment of having my mom move in, has I am sure played a huge role. I know that I have been under a great deal of stress as we three have worked towards adjusting to this new situation.
My concern now is that my mother is exposed to me and as well I visited with my grand babies yesterday, exchanged hugs and kisses which exposed them to this bug as well. So Seb, forwarned is forarmed.
I did a little research to see just how much of a role stress plays in our overall well being.
"When an individual is faced with stress, his body mobilizes for action in what is called a fight or flight reaction. During a fight or flight reaction, the heart rate increases, breathing is accelerated, and the muscles tense up as if in preparation to throw something like a rock (fight) or to run away.
If stress persists after the initial fight or flight reaction, the body's reaction enters a second stage. During this stage, the activity of the sympathetic nervous system declines and epinephrine secretion is lessened, but corticosteroid secretion continues at above normal levels.
Finally, if the stress continues and the body is unable to cope, there is likely to be breakdown of bodily resources. It is in this stage that there may be a reduction of the levels of epinephrine and nor-epinephrine in the brain, a state related to depression. Stressful life events are related to the risk of infected individuals developing an illness. Traumatic stressful events may trigger either behavioral or biological processes that contribute to the onset of disease. Chronic stress has been associated with increased reports of illness. Long-term exposure to chronic stress may facilitate the development of illness during exposure to stress. Exposure to chronic stress may results in permanent or at the very least long-term psychological, biological, or behavioral responses that alter the progression of illness. Those who had either a work related or interpersonal chronic stressors (defined as stress lasting one month or longer) had an increased risk of developing colds compared to those who had no chronic stressor. In addition, the longer the stress endured, the more likely a person was to become ill.
Psychological stress predicted a greater expression of illness and a greater production of interleukin-6 in response to an upper respiratory infection. Life experiences are significantly related with energy level."
So my advice ~ stay well ~ stop and smell the roses and try not to obsess over anything in life ~ because, you will pay for it with your health. I'm learning ~ if I can't change a situation, then learn to live with it without obsessivly stressing about it. Stress breeds stress and as I said in an earlier post, the tension in our home has been so thick we could have chewed through it and we have passed it around from person to person.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
It's Done!
Here's my quilt that I started a couple of weeks ago using the Amy Butler pattern. You can get to the free pattern here.
Not too big ~ just enough to throw over my lap if I feel a little chilly.
I quilted the entire piece by hand. After quilting a couple of seams on the sewing machine, I wasn't too crazy about the finish, thus the hand quilting. I really like the way hand quilting looks especially after the first wash and dry when it puckers it up so nicely.
I quilted using a stitch-in-the-ditch technique on every seam and then bound the edges with the blue & white toille pattern.
I'm very happy with the result.
Julie, you might be interested to know ~ I just couldn't master sewing the binding on with the sewing machine. This, even after looking at instructions on line and also the pictoral instructions in my Kaffe Fassett quilting book, so I cut and sewed the strips by machine and then hand sewed the entire binding onto the quilt by hand. Got the corners bang on by hand.
Not too big ~ just enough to throw over my lap if I feel a little chilly.
I quilted the entire piece by hand. After quilting a couple of seams on the sewing machine, I wasn't too crazy about the finish, thus the hand quilting. I really like the way hand quilting looks especially after the first wash and dry when it puckers it up so nicely.
I quilted using a stitch-in-the-ditch technique on every seam and then bound the edges with the blue & white toille pattern.
I'm very happy with the result.
Julie, you might be interested to know ~ I just couldn't master sewing the binding on with the sewing machine. This, even after looking at instructions on line and also the pictoral instructions in my Kaffe Fassett quilting book, so I cut and sewed the strips by machine and then hand sewed the entire binding onto the quilt by hand. Got the corners bang on by hand.
Monday, February 9, 2009
An Inconvenient Truth
Yesterday, I finally sat and watched "An Inconvenient Truth" by Al Gore. This DVD was quite an eye opener on how emissions of C02 are rising and destroying our atmosphere. The catastrophic effects of this destruction are mind boggling.
If you haven't seen this documentary yet ~ my recommendation ~ run don't walk to your nearest store and pick up a copy ~ you must watch it.
I have for years tried to conserve as much as possible ~ mainly because my utility bills are kept low by conserving. After watching this DVD, yes I still like my low utility bills, but my focus will definitely expand to include my contribution to helping heal our planet.
I watch my consumption and try to leave as small a footprint as possible by reducing, re-using and re-cycling. When I hear the facts that were presented on this documentary, it pains me to think what we have done to our home and what we may or may not be leaving for future generations.
An Inconvenient Truth is a documentary hosted by Al Gore in which he discusses the scientific facts behind global warming, explains how it has already begun to affect our environment, talks about the disastrous consequences if the world's governments and citizens do not act, and shares what each individual can do to help protect the Earth for this and future generations.
It is a very interesting and informative documentary to watch.
Have you signed up yet for your contribution to "One Million Acts of Green"?
Did you participate last year in Earth Hour by turning out your lights for one hour. I did and I've signed up again.
It's happening this year on March 28th at 8:30. Show your support and love for your home and go here to sign up for 2009.
WHAT IS GLOBAL WARMING?
Carbon dioxide and other gases warm the surface of the planet naturally by trapping solar heat in the atmosphere. This is a good thing because it keeps our planet habitable. However, by burning fossil fuels such as coal, gas and oil and clearing forests we have dramatically increased the amount of carbon dioxide in the Earth’s atmosphere and temperatures are rising.
The vast majority of scientists agree that global warming is real, it’s already happening and that it is the result of our activities and not a natural occurrence. The evidence is overwhelming and undeniable.
We’re already seeing changes. Glaciers are melting, plants and animals are being forced from their habitat, and the number of severe storms and droughts is increasing.
The number of Category 4 and 5 hurricanes has almost doubled in the last 30 years.
Malaria has spread to higher altitudes in places like the Colombian Andes, 7,000 feet above sea level.
The flow of ice from glaciers in Greenland has more than doubled over the past decade.
At least 279 species of plants and animals are already responding to global warming, moving closer to the poles.
If the warming continues, we can expect catastrophic consequences
Deaths from global warming will double in just 25 years -- to 300,000 people a year.
Global sea levels could rise by more than 20 feet with the loss of shelf ice in Greenland and Antarctica, devastating coastal areas worldwide. Netherlands, Manhattan, British Isles, one half of the Florida coastline and many other land masses would be underwater from this catastrophe.
Heat waves will be more frequent and more intense.
Droughts and wildfires will occur more often. Right now Australia is suffering from wild fire made more intense from the catastrophic heat wave they are experiencing. Click on Australia to read about how climate change is responsible for this occurrence.
The Arctic Ocean could be ice free in summer by 2050.
More than a million species worldwide could be driven to extinction by 2050.
If you haven't seen this documentary yet ~ my recommendation ~ run don't walk to your nearest store and pick up a copy ~ you must watch it.
I have for years tried to conserve as much as possible ~ mainly because my utility bills are kept low by conserving. After watching this DVD, yes I still like my low utility bills, but my focus will definitely expand to include my contribution to helping heal our planet.
I watch my consumption and try to leave as small a footprint as possible by reducing, re-using and re-cycling. When I hear the facts that were presented on this documentary, it pains me to think what we have done to our home and what we may or may not be leaving for future generations.
An Inconvenient Truth is a documentary hosted by Al Gore in which he discusses the scientific facts behind global warming, explains how it has already begun to affect our environment, talks about the disastrous consequences if the world's governments and citizens do not act, and shares what each individual can do to help protect the Earth for this and future generations.
It is a very interesting and informative documentary to watch.
Have you signed up yet for your contribution to "One Million Acts of Green"?
Did you participate last year in Earth Hour by turning out your lights for one hour. I did and I've signed up again.
It's happening this year on March 28th at 8:30. Show your support and love for your home and go here to sign up for 2009.
WHAT IS GLOBAL WARMING?
Carbon dioxide and other gases warm the surface of the planet naturally by trapping solar heat in the atmosphere. This is a good thing because it keeps our planet habitable. However, by burning fossil fuels such as coal, gas and oil and clearing forests we have dramatically increased the amount of carbon dioxide in the Earth’s atmosphere and temperatures are rising.
The vast majority of scientists agree that global warming is real, it’s already happening and that it is the result of our activities and not a natural occurrence. The evidence is overwhelming and undeniable.
We’re already seeing changes. Glaciers are melting, plants and animals are being forced from their habitat, and the number of severe storms and droughts is increasing.
The number of Category 4 and 5 hurricanes has almost doubled in the last 30 years.
Malaria has spread to higher altitudes in places like the Colombian Andes, 7,000 feet above sea level.
The flow of ice from glaciers in Greenland has more than doubled over the past decade.
At least 279 species of plants and animals are already responding to global warming, moving closer to the poles.If the warming continues, we can expect catastrophic consequences
Deaths from global warming will double in just 25 years -- to 300,000 people a year.
Global sea levels could rise by more than 20 feet with the loss of shelf ice in Greenland and Antarctica, devastating coastal areas worldwide. Netherlands, Manhattan, British Isles, one half of the Florida coastline and many other land masses would be underwater from this catastrophe.
Heat waves will be more frequent and more intense.
Droughts and wildfires will occur more often. Right now Australia is suffering from wild fire made more intense from the catastrophic heat wave they are experiencing. Click on Australia to read about how climate change is responsible for this occurrence.
The Arctic Ocean could be ice free in summer by 2050.
More than a million species worldwide could be driven to extinction by 2050.
Friday, February 6, 2009
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Let's Freshen Up
My family room fireplace was feeling very grey, very cold and very ugly to me. It really needed a shot in the arm.Ever since we purchased this home, I have wanted to build a wood mantle and surround for the fireplace, but alas, in five years it still has not come to fruition.
So in the picture on the left, when we first moved in, I whitewashed the lavender ~ yes that's right LAVENDER bricks. Unfortunately it made them look grey and I have done my best to ignore how awful they looked for nearly five years.
This morning while I had my coffee I thought to myself ~ why don't I get out the Benjamin Moore Cloud White semi-gloss paint and paint over the whole darn thing, mortar, brick & stone mantle included.
Here below is the result. I had fun moving the pictures around in the room and re-stylizing the mantle as well. As you can see I went with a collection of mercury glass with a nod to a primitive feel on the left. I switched the original picture with an African flavoured painting and set a brass handmade singing bowl beside it. This will have to do until I actually start the DIY project and get that mantle and surround built.
All in all, I'm quite happy with the look and the room suddenly feels like the sun is shining in it.
What Do Dreams Mean?
Do you dream?
Do you believe that dreams have a meaning for your life?
My dream life seems to have provided a doorway to those in my life that have passed away. I have lost a grandfather I adored .... a sister I loved .... a brother-in-law who was a dear friend ... and very recently my father.
Following the death of my adored grandfather, I grieved for many, many months and especially because I had scheduled a visit to see him on the very weekend he passed away, so I did not get to see him before he died.
I struggled with his death and loss of time spent with him prior to his death for 3-4 months. Then one night, I had the most vivid dream of him. We had our visit .... he reassured me that he was happy, that he loved me, that he missed me and then he was gone. But following that dream, I had such a peace in my soul which washed over me providing a calm acceptance of his death.
So I remember wondering about the possibilities ............
Then when my sister died, I was fortunate to have many, many dreams of her and I spending time together, having tea, lovely conversations, which all served to give me a sense of peace in accepting her death.
When my brother-in-law passed away 1 1/2 years ago, Don & I received an upsetting phone call from his fiance to please come to their apartment. When we arrived the paramedics were still working on him, although it was clear they were not going to bring him back. I found myself tortured by the very painful night he died, my memories of sitting on the floor beside him, holding his hand all the while knowing he had slipped away before I had had the chance to say ~ "I love you", missing him and our wonderful conversations, the unexpected visits and great meals prepared by him after my sister died. We were great friends and I truly loved him. Every time I drive by his apartment, I feel the pull to stop and have a coffee and conversation with him.
But then last night I dreamed of John. We talked and visited, had a wonderful meal, expressed our love for one another. I remember standing with my arms around John, my head on his shoulder and feeling his very tight bear hug. I can still hear his voice and remember the words we spoke.
I wonder now will I still feel that pull to stop and have a coffee when I drive by his apartment in the future?
Do you believe that dreams have a meaning for your life?
My dream life seems to have provided a doorway to those in my life that have passed away. I have lost a grandfather I adored .... a sister I loved .... a brother-in-law who was a dear friend ... and very recently my father.
Following the death of my adored grandfather, I grieved for many, many months and especially because I had scheduled a visit to see him on the very weekend he passed away, so I did not get to see him before he died.
I struggled with his death and loss of time spent with him prior to his death for 3-4 months. Then one night, I had the most vivid dream of him. We had our visit .... he reassured me that he was happy, that he loved me, that he missed me and then he was gone. But following that dream, I had such a peace in my soul which washed over me providing a calm acceptance of his death.
So I remember wondering about the possibilities ............
Then when my sister died, I was fortunate to have many, many dreams of her and I spending time together, having tea, lovely conversations, which all served to give me a sense of peace in accepting her death.
When my brother-in-law passed away 1 1/2 years ago, Don & I received an upsetting phone call from his fiance to please come to their apartment. When we arrived the paramedics were still working on him, although it was clear they were not going to bring him back. I found myself tortured by the very painful night he died, my memories of sitting on the floor beside him, holding his hand all the while knowing he had slipped away before I had had the chance to say ~ "I love you", missing him and our wonderful conversations, the unexpected visits and great meals prepared by him after my sister died. We were great friends and I truly loved him. Every time I drive by his apartment, I feel the pull to stop and have a coffee and conversation with him.
But then last night I dreamed of John. We talked and visited, had a wonderful meal, expressed our love for one another. I remember standing with my arms around John, my head on his shoulder and feeling his very tight bear hug. I can still hear his voice and remember the words we spoke.
I wonder now will I still feel that pull to stop and have a coffee when I drive by his apartment in the future?
Monday, February 2, 2009
A Little Fun
I've come to the conclusion that I really must be sick, since I've been sitting here for about one hour amusing myself with layering different textures over a photograph.But I must say it was fun to see how the picture changed each time I applied a different techniques.
This one is a poster overlay.
This one is a pencil sketch.
This one I exploded the pixels.
And this one is a neon overlay using 13 colours.Okay, I'm done now ~ going to have a nap and sleep off the drugs before I attempt to cook dinner on the gas stove.
Sneeze, Cough, Blow, Cough, Sniff, Sneeze
Well, it has finally happened to MOI.
MOI ~ who never gets colds, flu, infections ~ finally succumbed and have a whopper of a cold. It's in my chest, in my eyes, in my sinuses ~ I'm not positive but I think it might be in my toenails too!
I'm sure this is my punishment for being so cocky for years about never getting sick. I really cannot remember the last time I was sick from a virus.
It started with a very sore throat for three days. I immediately increased my Echinacea, Vitamin C and garlic thinking I could beat it. After three days I thought that a sore throat was it and would soon be over.
Then we went out for dinner Saturday night to our daughters. Within about an hour of being there I started to have what I thought was one of the worst allergic reactions to their four cats & one dog I've ever had. But alas no ~ it was not to be ~ by the time we got home, my eyes along with various other orifices on my head were running keeping me awake all night along with coughing, blowing, sneezing, etc....
So for the last few days, I have been living in a drug induced stupor ..... trying various concoctions to alleviate all these symptoms .... sinus pain, sinus congestion, dripping eyes & nose, tight chest, dry cough, chest congestion, popping ears with sloshing liquid, slight fever.
So yesterday morning I send wonderful husband to the drug store. He comes home with bags full of different remedies. I say I can't take them all, but he says he wasn't sure which one was best so he thought I should try a different one every four hours in order to determine which one worked best for me.
So here is what was in the bag.
Benylin All-In-One Day/Night
DayQuil/NyQuil
SinuTab
Advil Cold and Sinus
Ricola Cough Drops
Cold-FX
And then there's the increase in immune boosting supplements .... extra Vitamin C, Garlic, Echinacea and for good measure I doubled my Greens Plus. I made a big pot of chicken soup from a chicken breast (bone in) and I'm drinking that. So I'm into day three and hoping that things start to ease up soon.
So here is my report of what products are doing the trick.
I have to say that nothing is getting rid of all the symptoms, but that NyQuil sure does make me sleep. One little dose and ~ lights out. Maybe I should take this all day too, so I can sleep right through this virus. LOL! The SinuTab eliminates the sinus pain best, but the DayQuil works best for the all the other symptoms.
Now I have a very well stocked medicine cabinet for the next cold virus that hits our home.
And, I promise to never, never, never again say that I don't get sick. The "Virus Gods" must have heard me and decided to teach me a lesson in not being quite so cocky in the future.
MOI ~ who never gets colds, flu, infections ~ finally succumbed and have a whopper of a cold. It's in my chest, in my eyes, in my sinuses ~ I'm not positive but I think it might be in my toenails too!
I'm sure this is my punishment for being so cocky for years about never getting sick. I really cannot remember the last time I was sick from a virus.
It started with a very sore throat for three days. I immediately increased my Echinacea, Vitamin C and garlic thinking I could beat it. After three days I thought that a sore throat was it and would soon be over.
Then we went out for dinner Saturday night to our daughters. Within about an hour of being there I started to have what I thought was one of the worst allergic reactions to their four cats & one dog I've ever had. But alas no ~ it was not to be ~ by the time we got home, my eyes along with various other orifices on my head were running keeping me awake all night along with coughing, blowing, sneezing, etc....
So for the last few days, I have been living in a drug induced stupor ..... trying various concoctions to alleviate all these symptoms .... sinus pain, sinus congestion, dripping eyes & nose, tight chest, dry cough, chest congestion, popping ears with sloshing liquid, slight fever.
So yesterday morning I send wonderful husband to the drug store. He comes home with bags full of different remedies. I say I can't take them all, but he says he wasn't sure which one was best so he thought I should try a different one every four hours in order to determine which one worked best for me.
So here is what was in the bag.
Benylin All-In-One Day/Night
DayQuil/NyQuil
SinuTab
Advil Cold and Sinus
Ricola Cough Drops
Cold-FX
And then there's the increase in immune boosting supplements .... extra Vitamin C, Garlic, Echinacea and for good measure I doubled my Greens Plus. I made a big pot of chicken soup from a chicken breast (bone in) and I'm drinking that. So I'm into day three and hoping that things start to ease up soon.
So here is my report of what products are doing the trick.
I have to say that nothing is getting rid of all the symptoms, but that NyQuil sure does make me sleep. One little dose and ~ lights out. Maybe I should take this all day too, so I can sleep right through this virus. LOL! The SinuTab eliminates the sinus pain best, but the DayQuil works best for the all the other symptoms.
Now I have a very well stocked medicine cabinet for the next cold virus that hits our home.
And, I promise to never, never, never again say that I don't get sick. The "Virus Gods" must have heard me and decided to teach me a lesson in not being quite so cocky in the future.
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