Genuine July - 2016

[Lavande]

Pauly - I just saw this:

Claims have been made that aspartame is related to health effects ranging from mild problems such as headache, dizziness, digestive symptoms, and changes in mood, to more serious health issues such as Alzheimer disease, birth defects, diabetes, Gulf War syndrome, attention deficit disorders, Parkinson disease, lupus....

I stopped the diet coke 15 years ago -

[treegirl]

Morning all -

Lav, I hope that you had a good day outside! We had rain here on and off for most of the day, but that was welcome, we needed it. Then just as evening came it cleared up and was beautiful - less humid, and such pretty light. Did that recipe call for soy milk? I didn't even notice - I don't do soy either, I just switch between coconut milk, hemp milk (my current fav), almond or whatever else I can find that doesn't contain carageenan. Enjoy those blueberries! I remember when you planted some - I wish I had done that years ago, now I would be harvesting my own. Do the bushes need a lot of sun?

Pauly - oh dear, not diet coke!!! I have read all that stuff about it - now they just call aspartame a 'neurotoxin'. Eeeek! Good luck finding another 'pick-me-up' for your afternoon. I have been trying a little stretching and some deep breathing to get rid of the afternoon 'fog'. Hang in there and keep cool!

Star - How are you doing? Has your backyard plan started yet? Are you back to work today?

Dill - ditto - I hope all is going well -I bet you were outside this weekend too. Any new blackberry jam?

Wishing all a great start to the week - Happy AF Monday -

[dill]

Good morning friends, sorry I was MIA yesterday. Little gdaughter decided to stay a second night so I remained wrapped up with that. I find it hard to get computer time with her here. Even if I do get online, she tends to interrupt my train of thought. She wants me to come see something or help with something. She is only here for a little bit of time so she gets my undivided attention. She kind of needs it, not having a mother in her life. Anyway, yesterday her delights were a toad she captured and a grasshopper she captured. She enjoyed their presence all day in her two little specimen boxes. Then in the evening we had a 'release ceremony'. She also loves the garden, picking vegetables and giving them to friends. All the simple things that make life good.

Lav, I've kept the tv to a bare minimum here lately too. The media takes too much enjoyment in perpetuating the sensational aspects of events. They are part of the problem, IMO. It's all so senseless and depressing. That's why focusing on the little joys in life is so important. How is Maxie doing? I hope you are getting better sleep and that she is improving.

Cyn, I think it is wonderful that your presentation went so well! I hope lots of business comes from it. I know you are an independent business woman but I was wondering if there is an 'association' of organizers that you could join. Thank you for the link to the quinoa recipe. It sounds delicious! I was wondering with all this talk of berries and food lately: how is SD doing on her diet? It is so hard to lose weight and so easy to become disheartened. Is she doing ok? No new jam yet, but still in picking mode! I can't do a project like jam with gdaughter here. Hopefully this week...

Pauly, I was wondering if it could simply be the caffeine in the coke? I know that makes me feel very weird if I have too much of it. I'm not ruling out the aspartame. That could be it, too. I'm just saying, caffeine can really mess with your head too! LOL! I can't drink anything with caffeine in it after noon. I drink it in the morning to get me up and going, but beyond that, it just gives me the jitters or makes me feel very odd and spacey. So, you freeze your berries too, eh? They do freeze well. I have the same problem with fruit as you. If I buy too much, it goes bad before we eat it. I often freeze apples. I peel and slice them and dip them in fruit fresh. They freeze well enough to use in pies or crock pot 'fried' apples.

Star, I'm glad you are enjoying your time off! Is Mr. Star off this week too, or you on your own?

Happy AF Monday everyone!

[paulywogg]

Morning friends,Dill,glad you enjoyed granddaughter time,they really brighten up our lives don't they, yesterday Louie said "Nan,I love you" just out of the blue while watching his YouTube paw patrol,it made me feel happy I don't think its the caffeine cuz I can drink coffee and I'm fine (unless I add sugar) I had quit the sodas awhile ago and felt better but I guess I just "forgot" probably the same forgetting we do with the grog,Cyn,how come so many people avoid soy? Is it cuz of hormonal effects? I accidentally bought some cuz the container looks like the almond milk one,hubs like the dark chocolate and they're identical,Lav,I'm jealous of your blueberries! Gotta be my favorite fruit,hello Star,hope we all have a great Monday

[Lavande]

Good afternoon friends

Sunny & 81 here but it feels a lot hotter in the sun

Bad night with Maxie again - she got me up at 3:45 this morning & couldn't settle down until after 5 am. Then she was up again by 6, ugh. She's napping now, I'm not!

Cyn, blueberries do like full sun. The fruit farm nearby still has blueberries to pick, I may head over
Glad you got your needed rain & clearing afterward.

Dill, your granddaughter is lucky to have you in her life :hug:
Does she ever ask for her mother? That would be difficult to hear. My grandmom lived with us when I was growing up & I was really grateful for her company.
I am thinking about picking up a giant basket of green beans from our Amish neighbor. Our plants are being devastated by bunny rabbits & I want to get some veggies in our new freezer.

Pauly, did you get your bloodwork results? I can't remember.
When I want to cut down on caffeine I switch over to a mixture of decaf green & chai tea. I use no sweetener & just enjoy the spiciness of the chai. Give it a try.

Hello Star!

Have a great rest of the day AF everyone!

Lav

[SnoopyC]

Good morning...

Back home a day early and drama. First, I checked my email yesterday morning and the landscaping service let me know they were starting a week early, yesterday. They emailed me after 8 pm which was weird. So, I was not comfortable with a project like this starting and out of town. We left, drove home, and started putting our stuff away, when I noticed I was hot. Yes, our air conditioner was out, $500.00 later in the afternoon, and we were again cooling off. Very grateful I was able to find someone to come out right away. So, hope they get this project done by next week, what a bonus!!!

Cyn, really great to hear that your presentation went so well! Hope you get some declutter jobs soon. I love hearing your descriptions of the weather and agree that we will all benefit if we focus on peace and realizing we are all connected and hate is a waste of time. I go back to work on Thurday, so have a few more days off, which is a great thing for me. I can get some things done around here and relax too. I love vacations, but after a few days want to be home, and this time it worked out.

Lav, your poor dog, and how exhausting to be up all night. I would love to pick some blueberries and freeze them, maybe next summer. It is really hot here, feels like the 90s and humid, so keeping cool is priority to me!

Dill, how great to spend time with your granddaughter, I know what you mean about getting on the computer if they are up, it is really hard to type and focus. My husband is off this week too, and we are enjoying having time together and hopefully today, getting some things done around the house.

Pauly, hope you feel better, I don't really drink any type of milk on a regular basis, not soy, cow, almond, or coconut. I like greek yogurt with fruit though, and try to get calcium from veggies. Hope you feel better.

Have a great Tuesday, AF.

[treegirl]

Morning all -

Star - welcome home! It was good to see your post! I am just like you -after a few days away I just want to be home. How nice that your HB is off this week too and you can have some Home Time together. I am crossing fingers that your whole project goes beautifully, can't wait to hear about it.

Lav - oh dear, so sorry for your night-time doggy woes. I totally get it... good luck getting through today. I'm still thinking about where I could put those blueberry plants... Is late summer too late to put them in? I had big plans to move a bunch of plants around and create a 'sun' garden, but since the PI, I haven't had the heart to get anything done. Hopefully after I'm back from the west in mid-August I'll have some more 'gumption'.

Dill - Your granddaughter really is SO lucky to have you in her life. I know a lot of people (even those with 2 involved parents) whose grandmothers had the biggest influence in their lives. What incredible memories your little gal will have for the rest of her life! RE: profession. I am in a nation-wide professional association, in fact I'm a Golden Circle member, and I was the Marketing person for the chapter when I was in the desert. But there isn't much that comes from that except a presence on the website, and the ability to get help from the other members, which is great. There aren't too many professional organizers in this neck of the woods, which is fine by me!

Pauly - I started with soy a long time ago when I stopped drinking cow's milk. But it made me just as mucous-y as real milk, so I moved on to Almond milk when that became available. So glad that Lou gives voice to his love for you - that is very sweet.

Well, I am once again in get-ready-to-leave mode; cooking dog vegies ahead, going to clean the house today, do the laundry, the dog laundry, etc etc. I do have some business things to take care of, but so far no one is needing my services right away. That is actually good, since I'm away for a long weekend now (to see HB in CA), then home for 6 days, then away again for 3 weeks to work at HB's festival out west. Hard to build a client base this way, but what am I going to do? I did get another engagement to speak in September, so the word's getting out. My head is already in mid-August!

Let's focus on the beautiful things, nature - the joy and wonder of toads and grasshoppers - and send love and support to all who are suffering. Good AF Tuesday, all --

[paulywogg]

Morning friends, Cyn,I thought of Orange blossoms last night and of all the fruit trees that are so wonderous and beautiful so I am thinking along with you trying ,trying,to avoid negative thoughts, I dunno but I pray everyday for,health, happiness, safety and strength and to be a better person towards people but yet I'm still bitchy,maybe I'm asking my God for too much I just don't know,I ask these things for my family and I know it's not gonna magically appear but hopefully I can get some strength to make changes,hey at least I'm not praying for a jackpot when I gamble like my mom used to haha(she really did!) I want blackberries now for some reason they're popping up all over in various areas as a wonder food,I shall pick some up,hello Lav,Dill and Star hope this day is great for us all

[Lavande]

Greetings friends

I have been on the run all morning & am not quite done yet. The grandma taxi service has been busy, ha ha! I need to pick up my younger grandson at noon from his day camp. A half day for 5 year olds is good. The older guy stays at his until 3:30 pm.

Cyn, thanks for the info/help for Maxie & me
I hope all of your plans work out perfectly.
Planting bluberries in late August should be fine. Water them well for the first few weeks & mulch them, they should be fine.

Star, always a drama when you're a home owner!!! Been there & done all that!!!
I hope the yard job goes well & turns out just the way you want.
When the tree guys were here yesterday YB talked them into doing a little more work than initially planned but it all worked out. I gave one of the guys the info he wanted about getting a chicken flock started at his house, ha ha!

Pauly, sometimes we just need to force ourselves to let go of all the sh*t that clutters our minds & choose to be happy. We really do not need to control & manage everything. That was a difficult concept for me but an important one for my peace of mind.

Hello to Dill, hope your day is going well.

Wishing everyone a great AF day!!

Lav

[SnoopyC]

Good morning...

Busy day yesterday around the house. Lots to do today too, then back to work tomorrow. It has been HOT and humid, hard to be outside for long. Hope everyone is doing well. Have a good one.

[treegirl]

Morning all -

Lav - my girl and I were up at 4:45 this morning - I hope you weren't! Thanks for the reminder to give up the illusion of control... I forget now and then, and stepping back in this moment, I see that I've been more invested in that idea than I need to be! Just do what we can do, stay positive, and let go of the rest, right?

Pauly - you sound like you are making really good strides to stay positive! Keep at it - it's a habit just like everything else, and it takes time and practice. I have to keep reminding myself that our 'old brain' is naturally wary and negative... (I guess that kept us safe when we living in caves!) but now we have the choice to stay positive. It's a lot of work to change that way of thinking, but SO worth it -- I congratulate you on doing the work!

Star - sending good wishes for all the house stuff. I guess staying inside is the way to go with all this heat. Try not to wear yourself out --

Dill - hope all is well -

I'm pretty set with all the dog stuff, now will finish up finances and house things to get ready to leave early AM tomorrow. Driving to JFK was already really making me nervous; rush hour morning traffic, sigh. But I see that the traffic is nothing that I can control, for sure! So I will just leave extra-early and hope for the best. I'm off to the Auto parts store to get what I need to replace the sparkplug in the mower - it quit just now when I need to cut the dog area. It's always something, right?

Well, I am concentrating on this beautiful, cool morning and a girl dog that seems to be feeling better. Both perfect things to be grateful for! Happy AF Hump Day!

[dill]

Hello Friends,

Star, I can't believe it's back to work for you tomorrow! It seems to me that time went really fast while you were off. I'm glad you could get your AC serviced and back up and running so quickly the other day. This is the hottest time of the season and being without AC would be the pits! What a bonus that your landscaping is getting started early, too.

Cyn, good for you that there aren't too many professional organizers in your area of the country. I hope you can get your business up and running. It takes time, but it will happen. I thank you for the reminder to focus on the positive and on all the miraculous beauty that abounds around us. The other day while sitting on my deck I watched a hummingbird seeking nectar from the nasturtium I have in a pot there. Those flowers are the most brilliant orange! It lifts my spirits just looking at them.

Pauly, You pray for the same things that I do mostly. I always have my family in my prayers. But I think it is admirable that you pray for strength to 'be a better person' I'm going to focus on that too. There are lots of things I could do to improve and it will be good to ask for help in those areas.

Lav, you sound busy as ever! I think it is exciting that YB is putting up a green house. Will he be starting veggie plants for your garden next year? Will that be something you two do together or will it be pretty much just his thing? Mr. D runs the greenhouse here. He will start particular flowers for me if I request it, but usually I just let him go at it. I haelp him transplant to the garden when it's time tho. We have a really nice cut flower garden that delights the granddaughter. She loves picking flowers for a bouquet. It's so funny how 4 yo's pick if they are not supervised. She will come to me with a flower, absolutely no stem! LOL!

Well, it's hump day and it's Mr. D's birthday. We are going to spend the day on the lake. Let's all keep focusing on the positive!

[Lavande]

Good afternoon friends,

Somehow this shole day has gotten away from me.

Star, I hope your return to work is not too painful, ugh.
We are expecting storms here then some serious heat & humidity will be moving in for a few days. Swell

Cyn, I'm happy to say Maxie has slept the past two nights so she probably will be up tonight. That's just the way it seems to work with her. Sorry you had another rough night.
I am so over trying to manage people & events in my life. I just don't have the energy anymore, you know? My DIL texted me this afternoon in a small panic. She has been getting attitude problems from the regular babysitter & needs to stop using her. I just want to see the boys (and their parents) happy so YES I will be watching the boys more often.... Less drama that way, right?
I hope everyone goes well for you tomorrow

Dill, the greenhouse is YB's project so I am going to stay out of it until the thrill has worn off, ha ha!
I did use the greenhouse he built at our old house after a while so I will do the same here. He never keeps interest in znything for very long.
I like to let the kids gather whatever flowers they want. That makes for good memories

Hey Pauly, how are you today?

I need to toss something together for dinner. Fortunately I have a roasted chicken sitting in the fridge, yay!
Have a peaceful AF evening everyone!

Lav

[SnoopyC]

Good morning...

Everyone sounds busy and living good AF lives, dealing with challenges that come our way. Back to work today, but a short week, so that is good. Rained to the tune to about 2-3 inches last night, my son came over as his electric went out. More work today on the yard project, hope they can proceed with all the rain we had.

Lav, how cool to have a greenhouse, I would love that. Sweet of you to babysit more, it is scary to have a babysitter with a poor attitude, good grandma you!

Cyn, have a great trip, you are a real traveler, or maybe this has just been a busy year for you? Thanks for the reminder to enjoy the outdoors. I did not get a chance to until this time off, first I was sick, then our backyard has been ugly, so hopefully after next week, I will be outside more often. Safe travels to you!

Dill, what a great way to spend a birthday, on a lake, have so much fun.

Pauly, hope your week is going well.

Have a good one, AF.

[Lavande]

Good morning friends, happy Thursday to all!

It's a whooping 95% humidity here - can you say YUCK? Ha ha!!!
The masonry guy showed up just after 7 this morning with the bigger digger. They are out there digging a hole for the greenhouse foundation right now.

Star, I hope your brief week at work goes well. We never got any rain yesterday but I know it rained in surrounding areas, weird.

Dill, I hope you & Mr D had a nice day on the lake

Cyn, wishing you happy & safe travels!

Pauly, I hope you are keeping your chin up & focusing on what's good for you!

Have a great AF day everyone!

Lav