Have you ever gotten up in the morning and thought, “today would be a great day to start a juice fast?” Me either, until Wednesday. I have been feeling bloated and just blah. With vacation eating and lunch meetings, I had strayed from my low gluten and lactose diet for the past few weeks.
I have a new security force. These motion sensor frogs welcome guests as they enter. I was looking for something for work. All of the products seemed overpriced and required drilling. Then, I came across these little guys. The talking frogs can be a little annoying and only work when the light is on. I guess I may actually have to use my alarm system if I want an alert at night.
A year ago, there was a prankster that liked to knock on my bedroom window in the middle of the night.
Image found: http://ayyyy.com/category/athletes/
I love tennis balls and I do not play tennis. My favorite use for them is to use them for massage. I can rub my foot over them to help with plantar fasciitis or just for fun. I also place one on the muscles between the spine and shoulder blade and lean against a wall.Then, doing mini-squats rolls out the muscle. For more intense pressure on the back, I place 2 in a sock and lay down on them. The gap in the middle keeps pressure off the spine while the muscles on either side relax into the pressure. Racquetballs can also work. Golf balls are okay for the foot massage.
Other uses for tennis balls:
Two days, two sore calves, and two great, new workouts…
1) Yesterday I had two firsts: using Groupon and paddleboarding. Both went really well. I never even fell in the water! We pushed off from shore in the swollen river. It had rained so much that the normally clear water was murky and over its banks. With the calm of the morning, it had turned to a black mirror. Our paddles broke ripples to shore and my instructor pondered aloud, “The alligators usually sit on the banks that the water has risen over. I wonder where they are now?” Um, okay, let’s hope not swimming. We paddled on with new motivation not to fall in. Another thought that came out, “Because the water is so murky, it is hard to see where the fallen trees are, so if you feel something under your board, that is probably it.” Better to be overturned by a tree than a gator. I followed his path. We make it to the turnaround point. Here is where a natural spring merges with the river. There is an area where we can see to the bottom. I kneel down to take a break and to dip my toes in the cool water. Most newbies, and I am no exception, tend to have foot and toe pain from awkward balancing technique. Mine had gone numb by this point so the rest and cool water was very soothing and relaxing. In one swift motion, my fearless instructor moves from sitting to kneeling and starts towards me. “Is that a snake or a turtle?”, he asks.
A song I learned in the Brownies (mini Girl Scouts) was:
Make new friends, but keep the old, one is silver and the other gold.
My old friend met one of my new friends this weekend. They seemed to take to each other. She would ask about him and he would serenade her.
Fred hangs out on my window to watch the sunrise. He likes to sing to me, especially when it rains.
I am likely late to the party, but this moved me and I wished to share it.
Maybe music can unite the world?!
http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=GBaHPND2QJg&feature=youtu.be
Having Wednesday off made Thursday feel like a Monday. It also felt like there were two weeks, not one. Why does a Monday sometimes feel like a Friday? Why do some days go quickly and some seem to drag on forever? Maybe I should stop thinking that I never have enough time, because it is all in my head!
I am so lucky to have a great shop near me with organic produce and so much more. I have alluded to it in the past but, as requested, here is the rest of the story (Paul Harvey’s voice here).
Sustain Natural Market has been open for a couple of years. There was a coffee shop there previously and they tried to use as much of the material as possible in building out their space. Sustain is not just a name, it is their way. One of the most impressive features of this store is that the products and their sources are researched. If you are ever there, feel free to ask about a product and they will tell you with pride where it comes from.
I started shopping here shortly after I started juicing. It is a relatively small shop, compared to the mega stores, and it shows in all the good ways. There is always at least one person nearby to offer help and answer questions. I must talk to at least three people each time I visit. I do experiment and try other products but I go because of the produce. This photo was from back in April and, I believe, everything in the picture was from this store. When I venture Continue reading
The not so annual event resulted in 3 giant trash bags and sore hamstrings. Three bags is actually a light load. My last ‘get rid of stuff and organize’ marathon extended over 3 weekends and resulted in 15 bags for donation or trash.
What I found in stuffapalooza 2012:
Real Woman's Health 