What I'm doing

What I’m doing now: I’m sitting and re-watching season 2 of “Outlander”….just because. I’ve read all the books (more than once, truth be told) and am eagerly awaiting season 3. It looks like my wait may be long since there’s no release date yet. So, season 2 will have to do. Drinking a cup of good coffee with cream. The coffee is shade grown and locally ground, it’s good stuff. Sitting in a comfortable lazy boy chair with the sun streaming in the window.

Listening to: Scottish, British and French accents. The drip of snow melting from the roof outside the window.

Clothing myself in: Black leggings, wool socks and a cozy plaid tunic. And a hydrating face mask. My skin has not been behaving lately. It’s dry and flaky. Hopefully this helps. The mask is made by Ole Henriksen called “blue/black berry enzyme mask”.

Reading: I just finished “The Girls” by Emma Cline which was an interesting imagining of what it was like being part of Charles Manson’s “family”. Names are changed but it’s obvious what the author is writing about. At the moment, I’m reading “Living the Good Life” by Linda Cockburn and “The Nine of US: Growing Up Kennedy” by Jean Kennedy Smith. The former is writing by a woman documenting her family’s 6 months of living sustainably on an Australian suburban block. Taken to the extreme it’s pretty interesting. The second book is written by the last surviving child of Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy and Joseph P Kennedy. IT offers a great peek into what it was like when she and her siblings were young. It’s a small book but fascinating to anyone who has an interest in the Kennedy family.

Creating by hand: I had almost finished my first ribbed sock when I realized that I had made a major mistake. Of course, it was back in the beginning of the pattern! So I took it apart and put it away for the time being, thoroughly disgusted. Instead of continuing with socks I drove to the yarn store and bought a beautiful blue yarn to make a cardigan. It’s intended to be a Christmas gift. Getting these projects underway early gives me a feeling of control and makes things a whole lot easier come December.

Crafting in the kitchen: I need to up my prepping game. I’m feeling pretty uninspired when it comes to meals. I’m not sure whether this is because it’s a lot of work making unprocessed meals all the time. To be honest, there are times when I just don’t eat because there’s nothing truly easy available. I feel that if I prepped properly this could be avoided. I used to be so good at that! However, that was when there was a houseful of people to cook for. It’s a lot different cooking for two. So this week, I’ll prep….

To be fit and happy: A few minutes of yoga a day is about all I’m doing at the moment. I’ve been sick, I’m still feeling weak, I hate the cold….the excuses are never ending. But the truth is I’ve gotten out of the habit of doing more. My meditation time has gone by the wayside as well. So, instead of big changes I’m just going to:

1) add 5 Sun Salutations to the morning yoga I’m already doing.

2) a little core work. My back has been bothering me more and more lately, which is always a sign that my core muscles are weakening. So I’m digging out my physio exercises and adding them to the routine.

3) 5 minutes of meditation in the evening. Right before bed. I may end up falling asleep halfway through but I can at least get the habit back.

Unprocessed week 2: Despite my whining I did manage to eat some good meals last week. A baked sweet potato topped with taco meat and a sprinkle of cheese, side salad. Lemon chicken thighs and green beans with roasted cherry tomatoes. Gluten free pasta and a meat sauce full of vegetables. Tuna salad wrapped in lettuce leaves. Steak loaded with mushrooms and green beans. And I made a delicious loaf of hearty spelt bread from the cookbook “Savor” by Ilona Oppenheim (chock full of delicious looking unprocessed recipes).

Giving thanks: So grateful for all the wonderful and supportive people in my life. My family, friends and this online community fill me up. I’m still feeling fragile since my breakdown last January. I’m still fighting the black dogs of depression and anxiety. There are still days when I just want to give up. But I haven’t. I’m still here. A big part of the reason for that is all of you….so thank you.

C   xo