Today is a good day.  

I have soup boiling.  

Both dogs are happy.  

My home is semi-clean.  

     In many ways things are going kind of well..shitty... but for the most part I can see the daily joys and have so much to be grateful for.  I am holding in my heart that all things will be OK and that I am on the right path to bring me to something more.

     I am concentrating on how my life is one of service and how my mission in life is to lift up others from their dark places.  I am doing that in several ways lately.  It is funny though to see how wanting to live a life in service will attract certain unhealthy types of people/situations.  For the most part I see why my life has been drawn several times to working with children.  I see a long line of kids who have benefited from my presence in the way they needed at the time.  I realise now though how my lack of boundaries have prevented me from achieving my best work.  What stands out the most though is how I see my life has not only influenced kids, but families.  I really appreciate taking care of families as a whole and basically just loving people.  Sometimes I do honestly want to get away from people though and all their demands.  Recognising my boundaries now, I am learning to respect these feelings and give myself time to heal and rest from what have been some very hard days.  

     All people come to you perfectly imperfect.  All people come to you as teachers and students.  All people have the opportunity to hurt you or help you.  I wonder about life and if our mission is to be of use to others or to focus on ourselves.  I pondered this with a woman I respect last week.  She added to my life mission the care for my own spirit.  Hmm, that thought gives me the permission to rest and devote some of my time to self care.  That looks different to everyone but overall for me now it means to make and eat health giving foods, invest as much time as possible with my loved ones, to spend parts of my day in prayer and bible study,  mainly to give myself the time to hear answers to my questions.  My most important question is WHAT IS NEXT?  While living in and care-taking this moment, what should I do in the now to give myself the tomorrow that makes the most of my time on earth.

Rom 12:2: Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Christmas Xmas Winter Solstice Bodhi Day Ramadan Hanukkah Kwanzaa Yule

   

     Nearing Christmas...thinking about things which have lead up to Christmas.  What have I learned in my childhood about this time of year, what has the media taught me, what traditions inspire me, and what do I really believe?  Do I need belief?  Overall, at this time of year I see a lot of people running on their conditioning.  I have come to question it for many reasons, mainly my wonder at what we are really celebrating and why.  I was not raised in a religious home so there was no discussion of Christ in Christmas.  I was raised with Santa, gifts, turkey and The Grinch.  So, Christmas for me was about the dependability of traditions, media versions of holiday perfection and a few gifts to play with over the winter break.

       Living in China presented me with a lot of questions.  Everyone wanted to know about God, Jesus, trees, food, all things foreign and I was the go to for my classes.  After all, I am white and so there for Christian and a leader for the "Father Jesus" class.  (They actually meant Santa Claus! haha)  I researched my habits like never before.  How can I explain to a group of desperate and/or doubting persons my irrational beliefs in trees and mangers.  I presented the tree as a tradition that gives us comfort in a dark time of the year.  That I was not a Pagan but I did it for the tradition which originated in Pagan beliefs.  And therefore presented the real tradition of the Holiday Tree which I will share with you just in case you did not know why we have decorated trees.  

     Dating back centuries before Christ (notice the irony of calling this a "Christ"mas tree) Pagans brought evergreen trees, plants, and leaves into their homes upon the arrival of the winter solstice December 21st and 22nd-ish.  People practised slightly differently according to countries and cultures, however, the symbolism was for the most part the same.  To celebrate the return of life at the beginning of winter's decline.  Seems like a logical thing to do when you are dependant on such things as the seasons, weather, farming, etc for survival.  Plus let's face facts, the practical use is also important.  By that time of year the air in your home would stink something fierce and all those fresh tree scents would be a big improvement on the general funk of B.O. and stored foods.  In addition to the trees, Pagans gave us the charming yule log, mistletoe  wreaths, the colours red, green and white.  Other customs include candles/lights, gift-giving, singing, feasting and making resolutions.  Hmm sound familiar?  Also the rituals for this time are personal renewal, world peace and the honouring of family and friends.  

     How did all this make what we know as Christmas?  When I see things like Keep The Christ In Christmas I get angry at people for not examining a little bit of the truth behind what this holiday is.  These same people put up a manger and tree side by side.  This makes me curious as to how much people know about being a Christian as the The Bible indicates that the Lord gave an order  "Do not learn the way of the nations, And do not be terrified by the signs of the heavens Although the nations are terrified by them; For the customs of the peoples are delusion; Because it is wood cut from the forest, The work of the hands of a craftsman with a cutting tool. "They decorate it with silver and with gold; They fasten it with nails and with hammers so that it will not totter."  There are also other passages which make it seem as though celebrating Christmas is idolatry, and inheriting Pagan customs that are against the Christian God.   

      So...where does that leave me?  I set up a tree, had people over, I have received gifts and have given a few,  written cards and wished many people Merry Christmas with a hug.  So I guess you can say I am somewhat undecided.  I like the things that I have been raised with and keeping the traditions gives me comfort.  This year that is enough for me.  Over all though, if you believe in Jesus or not, his messages certainly fit this time of year.

Love your neighbours, help the needy and let your light shine!

As you simplify your life, the laws of the universe will 

be simpler; solitude will not be solitude, poverty will 

not be poverty, nor weakness weakness.

Henry David Thoreau

Examining The Things You Take For Granted

     One very important lesson that I have gained through travel is how you are shaped by your environment.  Our environment includes that which we see others doing, that which we are coached to do and the things that we learned on our own by trial and error.  One aspect of my daily life that I realized I have been brainwashed into is CLEANING!  Western culture is obsessed with CLEAN!  But what is clean?  Do we need it?  Does it really benefit us enough to focus on it as much as we do?  There are necessary times when having a sterile environment is required ( hospitals, surgery, etc) but why are people obsessed with it in their home and on their physical body?  I wonder if there is so much in the world now that frightens people, so many directions pressuring us that to have something controllable which we can work on daily gives us a feeling of autonomy.  Something that gives us a sense of staying on top that which we fear.  However, other than the psychological benefit of control, is it really something that enhances our lives?  Look into who says cleaning is what we think it is, who it really benefits, and if it is in fact good for us.  Having germs in our environment actually makes us stronger.  Having a slightly messy house gives us more time for that which we love, and women (typically) often spend large amounts of time and money on unnecessary things.  Where could we channel this energy to better serve ourself, families and the world.

     I used to coat myself and my surroundings with all kinds of chemicals thinking I was doing what was necessary and right.  That is until I started getting rashes, shortness of breath, dizziness, headaches, and other symptoms that did not seem to have an answer.  Overtime I began to see that I am more sensitive than others.  I get very sick from chemicals in scents and in the environment   Realizing that I would have to relearn to take care of myself my search began.  My new best friends are vinegar, baking soda, borax, washing soda, salt, water, essential oils, dust collecting cleaning cloths, and VERY sparingly green bleach.  Most cleaners seem to have been introduced in the late 1800's and early 1900's.  This was the time of chemical experimentation in the home and in food.  DDT anyone?

     I will not go into all the details of what cleaning products do but  they are killing everything in their path and within the water system.  They are not just expensive to purchase, but also require the re-cleaning of water to make it "safe" for humans to drink.   It is not just the cleaning of our homes that influences us negatively.  For those of you who do not yet know, using those antibacterial hand soaps and gels, you should be aware that they contain Triclosan.  While we may think that chemical reactions are things like rashes and shortness of breath, there is more than that to chemical response.  

     The following is taken from Dr. Mercola's site drmercola.com
Triclosan is a chemical used to help reduce or prevent bacterial contamination, and it's commonly added to antibacterial soaps and body washes, toothpastes and certain cosmetics, as well as furniture, kitchenware, clothing and toys. If you see triclosan on a product label, I suggest putting that product back on the shelf, as this chemical is linked to a number of concerning side effects to human health and the environment.
Triclosan May Cause Hormone Disruption

• Exposure to triclosan disrupts thyroid hormone-associated gene expression  in frogs, even at low levels (triclosan exposure at 0.15 parts per billion was enough to disrupt a hormone-signaling system in frogs)

You may be aware that many girls are now reaching puberty at younger ages, a trend that has been linked back to chemicals that disrupt the human endocrine system and affect your hormones, which control development and other important functions in your body. One such chemical is triclosan, a chlorinated phenolic compound that has been found to have both estrogenic and androgenic activity and has been linked to hormone disruption in animals.

The Toxicological Sciences  study noted above found that triclosan affected estrogen-mediated responses, and chemicals that imitate estrogen are known to increase breast cancer risk. Triclosan also suppressed thyroid hormone in rats, and this is only one study of many showing this chemical to be a potent endocrine disrupter.

     Commercial cleaning products are expensive, harmful, in some cases deadly, and horrible for the environment.  Why did people start using commercial cleaners?  The miracles of science started us in the direction of clean by showing how many illnesses are caused by unclean surroundings and insects.  Enter HYGIENE!  Both personal hygiene and in the home become a focus for all home-makers.  Women as home-makers were targeted and educated as to the "proper" way to keep your home and family safe.  The problem with this as with most things are the companies selling the products are the ones who are doing the education.  

    There is no official ending to this blog, only that I hope you think about what you put in your home (paint, cleaning products, toxic furniture), on your body (toiletries, laundry products), into your body (toothpaste, mouthwash, medicine), etc.  Submitting to the brainwashing of companies who want to profit from your illness both while it is going into your body and for the treatment later when you will be dependant on the pharmaceutical industry for medication and cancer treatment.  Although this all sounds rather hopeless, we are in control and do not need to be fearful.  We can choose to educate ourselves one topic at a time to make more informed and better choices tomorrow.  

Thrift Store Jems And Back Alley Shopping

Thrift store specials!  I love buying things second hand.  I will buy things from regular stores (beds, shoes, etc) but for most things, thrifty or free is the way to go.  Recently I became aware of how strongly some people feel against buying second hand.  I want to share some of my fave finds to inspire you to buy greener, look for free goods and use your creativity to make your home more unique and save major $$$!  :))))

Little Japanese pottery bowls.  Using them for bathroom treasures.
And a steal for .75 cents each. 

Locally made pottery honey pot.  Still had the card attached and this hand made spoon.

Hudson's Bay Tin turned flour bin.

I would rather BE who I am than DO what I should.

Another day off when I was supposed to work, but was let know the day before that there was not enough work to do.  YES!  I have a million things going through my mind about what to do with today.  Recently I watched a fun documentary which went around the world and observed 80 religions, for better or for worse.  One faith practice that took me quite far was from a remote Korean community who started the day with their entire family standing together outside and proclaiming to God that they would do something with that day.  WOW!  How many of us start our day with positive words or thoughts?   Or with people who love us and witness our commitments?!?  Very powerful.

For the most part I am very happy with my life.  It is a good one.  I have good people, family, purpose, and hope.  However, I have had so many thoughts in the last 6 years about the life I am living and how it is not really what I want.  I have allowed other people's ideas and cultural influence direct my path.  I am in the process of breaking those forms of conditioning.  The hardest part of changing is replacing what you do not like with something that you really do!  I have a beautiful home which is spacious, comfortable, warm, dry, some garden space, and good neighbours.  I am so fortunate for what I do have...but...this is not really what I want or rather where I want it.  Growing up I lived in the country.  No grocery stores or shops.  There was a swing-set for all of us kids in the town and not too much else.  My family had an small farm for several years where we had animals.  I did not get to or really want to participate with the farm.  I regret that my parents did not have the understanding of how to engage a young person and give them purpose on a farm.  My mother taught me to work, getting me jobs from the age of 11 to learn self reliance.  I know she wanted to help me but it actually took me far in the other direction!  Had I learned skills where I could be passionate about something or a life skill I think it would have taken me a lot further as a person.  One year of my life stands  out the most.  From age 3-4 I lived on a shared farm in Ontario.  We lived alongside my uncle who had a hobby/self reliant farm.  My job was to collect the eggs.  I would carry one home to give to my mother for my breakfast.  Eggs come warm, not cold right?  I learned that.  I also learned how to keep track of the birds after they were decapitated and how to pull out the inside and clean them.  These are real skills.  In a quickly changing world I know with all my heart that my Mom wanted what was best for me so that I would not be in a dependant situation as an adult woman.  Ironically though, this work a day life is the ultimate in dependence!  I do wonder now about if I had stayed living in Ontario on family land.  How would my life be different?   Would I care about the things I do now?  Would I be so anxious to get back to a farming life if I grew up that way?

So here I am well immersed in my modern life.  Working, material objects, convenience food, a moment here and there with my husband.  The problem is, overall it does nothing to satisfy me.  There is a real emptiness in modern life.  I find that when I get up I am off to another person's idea of what I need to do so that I may afford things that nobody really needs but we take for granted are worth our life.  I have the day off and have a million things I want to do!  I feel very tired so I think maybe the best thing to do would be to take a nap.  However, I have a person with a plum tree who will let me pick it for free. If I was not so tired I would be there in a minute to pick all day long and then can, can, can.  I also have some odd jobs that need doing.  I have several people I should see or respond to email.  Yada, yada, yada....Working a job takes all my energy away from my own wishes.  I think this is common for a lot of people.  They would love to spend REAL time with their family doing something that satisfies the soul.  BUT we are tired so we rent another movie and lay about not talking, connecting, or making real memories.  It is tiring for most of us to even THINK of things we could do with our SPARE time.  This makes me very sad.

I know a lot of Moms.  I am at the age where most of my friends have kids.  I have a friend with eight children, I have a friend with 1 child, and several inbetween.  All are exhausted!  However I do often find that they do not want more rest or time alone.  Most just wish they could give their kids more time.  Real time at home in comfy clothes, eating nice food and watching their kids play and grow.  However many parents I know barely have time to give their kids a cereal bar to eat in the car on the way to whatever activity.  Quick bath when you get home and hit the sack only to get back on the wheel the next day.  I feel so sorry for the way kids are raised now.  I think time with family, people who really love you, accept you, and teach you is more important than anything.  Current demands on parents are overwhelming!  No wonder so many of them are a minute away from a nervous breakdown most days.

So, back to my original thoughts......what to do do do....

Simple Pleasures Served With Complex Thoughts

                Sunflowers from my backyard.

  The highest plant grew to nearly 20 feet tall.

       This week Scott is leaving to go and visit his family for several days without me.  I am sad to be separated from him.  To make up for the lost time together we have tried enjoying one another more this week.  Some of that has been talking over tea or hot chocolate in the cool night air, walking our two dogs, but frankly we for the most part we are tired so we lay on the bed and watch a movie or nod off while still wearing our clothes.  We watched two movies (yes only two but that is a lot of time to devote to a screen).  They actually impacted my thoughts on a deeper level than I planned as my daily thoughts "clicked" with some aspect of the movies.  First we watched The Village, for those of you who have not seen it before, a group of people who reject society become self reliant and ultimately happy...other than some monsters who terrorise them that is.  The second movie  was called Safe and was based on a woman in the 1980's who suddenly rejected her posh and comfortable life (due to chemical reactions to her environment) and found a greater sense of joy living totally out of modern society in a one room pod with not much more than a bed.

Simple meal with some garden items.

      Although these movies are extreme they brought up some good points.  What is real joy and fulfilment and does our current lifestyle as North Americans trying to "live the dream" actually fulfil us?  For myself, I would have to say NO!  The more stuff I have the more claustrophobic I feel.  I do like having basic comforts, however most of the things I own, I do not need.  I use less than 1/2 my home on a daily basis.  I use the same plates, towels, blankets, etc.  The rest of my things are for the company that I am lucky to get one time a year.  SO why do I have so much crap?  Why does anyone have so much crap?

Hazelnuts picked from a friend's yard.

     As far as I can tell over the last 100 years we have jumped on some kind of bandwagon of progress that has given us so little, it is no wonder why more people are starting to question it.  We went very quickly from making our clothes, growing our own food, raising our own animals, living tightly with family, and having a community to be accountable to, to being what we are now.  Working day in day out to give our family what is considered the best of everything but living a lonely depressing existence.  We are seldom afforded the luxury of raising our own children let alone an animal?!?  It is very hard to get out of this lifestyle as it is meant to keep you on the wheel of working to buy and not to live.  If we only bought what we needed then people would probably only work 2 days a week.  However we need bigger houses, vacations, and 20 pairs of shoes per person and so beat goes on...

My "breakfast" picked fresh each morning.

     Basically, the more I do for myself, the more I hear others complain about their self made traps, the more experience I have with self reliance, I FEEL what is the right thing for me and I want out of the dream that has been sold to me since childhood.  

I WANT MORE and I am working towards that.  I do have to say that it is hard to start from scratch when you know nothing about growing your own food or making things for yourself.  In my free time out of the system I try to liberate myself in small ways that allow me to feel the joy of independence while teaching me just enough for that subject.  I am lucky enough to have spent some of my childhood on farms and around simple people.  Not stupid, JUST SIMPLE.  There is a difference.  As an adult, I am trying to surround myself with other healthy people who want the same things so that I may learn from them while being inspired.

     
This week has given me some small but wonderful joys.  All came with lessons.  I am grateful for whatever I can use or consume that I did not acquire by spending money (and therefore my soul) and also for the knowledge that presented itself along with the bounty.

  Fresh from my neighbour's vines. 

       I hope you enjoyed the pictures of my simple but wonderful things.

Theme-What I did for my summer vacation

     Today is my relaxing day, so far I have been spending it thinking, planning, getting supplies and trying to sit for 10 minutes at a time in absolute relaxation.  It is nice.  My sister and her family left after visiting for several days.  The week before that we where lucky enough to have my mother and father in law.  It was the best summer in my whole life in every single way.

     Things are going very well.  The issues I have been struggling with for the last ten years off and on look like they may be getting better.  It has been a journey and here and there I see a glimpse of the reason for the struggles.  

     I am doing well in my job, by well I mean that my life has meaning through this work.  I am excelling even if I am the only one to see it, I do not care.  To protect the privacy of others I will not give details, but I can see that I was brought to this position for a reason and that might be a long term one.  I am very grateful for the way I am treated at work.  I am appreciated, well cared for, and feel good about giving in a job where you have to give give give.  What more can you ask for?  I am also up for a part time volunteer position which is very important to me.  I have been considering a certain career change for a long time now and I think that through the volunteer work I will have the right aspects of my personality tested to see how well I could handle the pressure of the new job.  

     I think that since moving here I had to learn more about flexibility, self care, and patience.  I am trying to hold those things in mind each day so that I can better serve the next time I am called to do so.  I have been on a good dose of a lot of vitamins to compensate for my birth related health issues and have not been sick or hurt myself for a long time.  I think that is a sign that I am getting to where I need to be as months of health issues where trying to show me something!  I also give a lot of credit to my Chiropractor as I could not be where I am physically without his care and encouragement.

     The highlight of my summer has been my yard.  I did not expect that I would care so much about a garden and yard.  I mainly wanted one so that my little pup had her own place to do her business without having to wait for me to get shoes on, find my keys, etc.  But something happened while I was cleaning up the debris left by the last tenants.  I enjoyed it!  I knew that I would like the veggie gardening as it means a lot to me to grow my own food, but creating a space for relaxation, for butterflies, birds, and bees to enjoy brought out a nice place in my heart.  It is hard to be frugal when starting from scratch in any respect, but overall I think I have a good first year.  I did as much as I could from seed with a 50/50 success rate.  My mother brought me some  veggies and flowers that she got from a friend's garden, I found a lot of great deals in places where they order a lot of plants, not care for them and then sell them for .50 cents to clear them out.  I also traded a little here and there with my neighbours.  So overall it was a good year for experimenting.  In my front yard the flowers where not so happy.  Those are my indulgence so it did make me kind of sad to see them struggling.  The potatoes died pretty quickly as well.  I was wasting a lot of water to keep my flowers growing so instead of doing that again next year I just went and bought a whole bunch of end season drought resistant perennials and made a fake pond with rocks that I found in the neighbourhood.  Next year I hope to get a good handle on mulch and compost so that the water will be held in and the plants will get what they need to grow.  It is a work in process and I like having something to look forward to in the new year.  

     

     And so with fall in the air and a few red leaves I begin my plans for the upcoming season.  Canning jars and my new deep freeze will play a big part in that.  Stay tuned for delicious details!

In my secret life...

     Today I am sad.  I am a happy person and do feel that happiness is a choice, that does not mean however that I cannot feel sad sometimes.  Most of my sadness is coming from physical pain and my frustration because of it.  To a certain extent I am without control of my own life.  I have had back problems as long as I have been an adult.  I find it frustrating that I have to live like this.  I am only 30 years old and yet today I could barely stand to wash my dishes and strip my bed.  It took me 3 hours to wash 1 sink of dishes.    I usually do not tell anyone about this if I can help it.  I do not want to dwell on the bad or complain to others.  My husband is the only one who has any idea of what I am going through, but even then, I do not want to complain or cause him more stress and seldom let him see if I have a choice.


    I did not sleep last night as I could not find a comfortable position.  I did not get to fulfil my promise to a friend to help them landscape their yard today.  I am not sure how long I can keep my job, financially contribute to my household, be a good wife, carry home my groceries, even hold a friend's new baby!  I spent the last hour crying and thinking of all the ways my physical form has let me down in the past.  I feel like my mind belongs in another body.  I am not ready to accept this physical form which has limited me from the day I was born with various states of pain.  


     Doing anything physical will always have some repercussion for me.  I am so young and yet my 80 something year old grandfather-in-law is more physically able than I am.  Therefore I am sad.  I see no future for myself as every job that I have had for the last 3 years has ended in my back pain stopping me.  For a person with no qualifications or education, physical jobs are all there are for me.  I need to be able to stand for long periods, lift, move and be depended upon.  I just do not know how much longer I can go on like this.  Over the last 2 years it has been a good day if I am vertical for 6 hours.


     Currently I am being treated by a wonderful Chiropractor who has changed my life beyond measure.  I am so grateful for this in my life.  It is giving me hope but now with this set back and a day spent in helplessness I feel lost again.  I wonder how much longer I will have to live with this pain and restriction?  I am not sure I have the courage to keep trying for a future when the barrier in front of me is something that I cannot triumph over with simple determination.


     Currently I am praying for the lesson to come forward and for the physical healing to finally take place.  

Climb gas prices CLIMB!!!

Lately I have been noticing a common feeling in my daily life.  Frustration!  Over the last two days these feelings have really all come together.  I need to vent it out and you will be my audience.  This might be long and all over the place but I am seeing so much around me that I cannot understand and it becomes harder and harder to let it go as it is ruining the world for others.  I might come across as judgemental and I guess I am.  I just do not see how I can sit by accept that others have the right to damage the planet, cause harm to others, and be cruel to animals.  Why do I have to turn the other cheek?  I need to find some way to change this as I can no longer sit on the sidelines and accept this kind of wilful ignorance.  I was also ignorant, but I let my mind question and be open to another way.  I know that others can too if they just allow it!  Without further adieu, these are at the top of my frustration list that I would love to open other people's eyes to.

Driving, or rather DRIVERS!
Yesterday I did one of the weekly shopping trips.  Scott and I usually shop for what we need several times a week.  This makes the most sense for us as most of the food we prepare is fresh and also this ensures that you can always get the best cost.  I go to at least four different stores and keep a good grasp on the flyers and who has what on sale.  I spent about three hours walking around yesterday to get what I wanted from where I wanted.  That is my choice and I am not complaining about that.  I actually could have got everything from stores that were less than a ten minute walk from my house.  However, it was so sunny and I wanted to stop in and see Scott at work to brighten his day so I planned my errands on the other side of town.  To get to Scott's work you have to walk down Harvey Ave which is also Highway 97.  That is not a big deal, but it is definitely not relaxing in the least.  It could be, but there are the DRIVERS!!  Honking, shouting, showing off, disobeying laws that exist for safety, throwing cigarette butts and garbage out the windows, and just generally making life unpleasant.  I am, of course, not saying all drivers are rude and obnoxious, I hope to be able to actually drive one day but I plan to be considerate.  I will say though that driving seems to bring out some kind of primal response in people and encourage them to act like douche bags (that is the strongest language I have used in a very long time!).  As I carried home my bags I had so many people staring at me and one person even shouted something very rude as they drove past.  Why am I a slut for carrying my bread?  Anyway, I was only doing what is the most natural thing: WALKING! However, in this culture it is considered strange and verbally punishable.

Drivers as a culture are encouraged to be selfish as they are marketed to with huge ARMY style vehicles to enhance their ego.  The most popular driving music is aggressive and violent in lyrics.  There is so much scientific evidence showing how different types of music affect the brain and what hormones are unleashed. Some of the physiological responses that music can evoke are elevated heart rate, blood pressure, brain waves, and muscle contractions. There is also evidence that music effects changes in various biochemicals such as endorphins!  Hello!  What happens to all of that in your system while you are in a huge metal death machine?  You treat it as such!   Terms like "Road Warrior" form a me against them attitude to other drivers and pedestrians.  It is obscene!  I have no solution to this or even some constructive criticism, just pure blind frustration.  I hope that gas climbs so high this year that at least half of the moron drivers on the road cannot afford to drive any more and by necessity have to change their lifestyles.  Yes, I am mean, cruel hearted, but very healthy from all the walking I do!

PS To drivers, besides the health benefits, walking would also do you some good so that you can see what all your litter looks like on the sides of the road.  Tim Horton's coffee cups, cigarette butts, and bits of broken glass from collisions are an abomination in this amazingly beautiful city!

Cell Phones
If another person tells me to call them from outside or text them I am going to scream!  I met up with someone lately who is the perfect example why I hate cell phone culture.  We agreed to meet somewhere at a certain time.  I actually saw them stop their vehicle and try calling or texting me that they were where there.  I was right across the street and looking in their vehicle!  For Pete's sake why are people so addicted to texting obvious crap instead of getting out of their car and either knocking on the door or being the first to arrive and waiting!  I guess it started with courtesy, as a "I am five minutes away, get your jacket on" kind of thing and is now a full blown identity crisis.  It is shameful to be so dependant on a phone!  I am not saying that nobody should have them.  I am just very tired of it being a necessity and expected for you to engage in the world with this piece of cancer causing garbage.   I do not want a cell phone, but if I did get one, it would be turned off unless I actually had a real emergency and needed to contact someone.  They are also a cost that most people cannot actually afford.  We have a home phone with an answering machine for the both of us.  Most weeks we have about 3 calls.  One from each of our family members and maybe one friend.  I like it that way.  Why would we get our own phones to split those 3 calls? haha  I have had a cell before and I was annoyed when it would ring as it usually caused me to be rude to the person I was with at the time (a friend, the person at the check out, or even the strangers on the bus around me).  It is RUDE RUDE RUDE to use your phone inappropriately in public.  Do not even get me started on having to listen to some garbage conversion while someone is shopping beside me!  SHAME!

Blindly throwing money at whatever causes that ask for a donation.
Another thing that I noticed yesterday is a booth set up in from the liquor store collecting to CURE CANCER!  Hello!  Over 90% of the people giving to the cause were obese, going in to buy alcohol, throwing their cigarette butt on the ground beside their high emission gas guzzling tank of a vehicle.  Money to CURE CANCER?!?  What a joke, how about if we take care of ourselves and our planet so that people do not need those treatments which in many people's opinion are worse than the disease!  Good grief!

My last rant is for the animals, mainly dogs and cats.
I will not start on the Vegan topic in this post even though it is tied in, but pets are mistreated by people so often and it is heartbreaking for me to see all these poor animals suffer from human selfishness.  First dogs.  Scott and I would like to get a second dog.  Most people who have a pet do treat them well and I respect that.  The average animal guardian is not the problem.  The people who do bother me are the breeders who irresponsibly torture animals to create pups.  The puppies are sold for very high prices and in some cases then resold very quickly after.  Dogs cost less the older they get as they are no longer cute babies but an actual responsibility to be cared for.  I have seen so many people trying to resell dogs or dump them to be put down that it makes me sick!  How can people accept the responsibility for a living, feeling, caring LOVING animal and then treat it like garbage or abandon it?!?  Scott and I are awesome animal guardians.  No kids so our animals are our life, we care for them 100% and would move into a dump before I gave up my dog!  I want to help another dog who needs a good family but so many people are choosing to keep their pets ( while abusing or neglecting them) to get their original investment on the animal, how can I financially support that?  If for some unknown reason I could not have Rowan any more then I would never take money for her.  Instead I would find her the best home I could and continue to provide for her care which is what I signed on for when she adopted me.  PS She is sticking her tongue out at me in her sleep right now.  She must know I am writing about her. haha

At the park I heard a dog crying and then I saw a man punch his dog twice and then kick it really hard.  Quickly he got it in the car and sped away.  I did not know what to do and am still not even sure what I witnessed.  It broke my heart to look at Rowan beside me skipping (yes she actually skips when happy) and think that might have been her.  What kind of selfishness allows a person to act like that and what kind of sickness has gripped our society that this is how we treat our loyal and loving companions?  Cats do not have it much better as they get passed around a lot.  Most don't go outside, go to the vet, or have one family their whole life.  And sadly they are found tortured to death all the time.  I feel sick even talking about it.


So I guess this post is kind of sad...most people today are spending time with their family, eating, drinking, and lying to children about a mythical rabbit.  What a weird world we live in.  Now, I am going to get dressed and take my pup to a field where we can be alone with each other in a perfect moment of mutual peace and love.  Happy Easter!

“Find something you're 

passionate about and keep 

tremendously interested in it.” 

― Julia Child

Vegan Waffle or Pancake Mix

• What no eggs?  That's right!  These waffles have turned out for me every time and are great when you have no groceries or are in a hurry.
• Combine:
• 3 Cups of flour
• 3 TBSP of sugar or 2 TBSP of Maple syrup
• Sprinkle of salt
• 1 1/2 TSP baking powder

Add:

2 1/2 cups of Almond Milk or water

• Stir together and pour in to pre-warmed lightly oiled waffle iron or frying pan.  Cover with Peaches, strawberries, berries, or other fruits of your choice.
Note: You can make these in roughly 15 minutes, freeze them and then pop them in the toaster for mornings when you are in a hurry.

5 Minute Vegan Peanut Sauce

Many Vegetarians and Vegans miss the robust flavours that can be found in animal based foods.  When I find myself thinking about rich flavours I look to recipes like this one.  It offers you a full taste experience, warms you, and will quickly become a comfort food.  Even my carnivorous friends like this one.

Mix together in a saucepan on medium heat:

1/4 cup of good quality peanut better

1/2 cup of water

1/4 cup of Tamari

Juice of 3 lemons

Sriracha Style Hot Chili Sauce (AKA Cock Sauce) to taste (1- 3 TBSP)

Minced Garlic to taste (1 - 3 cloves)

Salt to taste

Can be used on a bed or rice or pasta.  I cut up veggies such as broccoli, onions, peppers and lightly fry them before adding.

You can also use this as a salad dressing if you need some help eating your greens.

Enjoy!