Week in Review

Thank you for your kind words and advice. My arthritis pain is getting a little better each day, and I have found a couple of ways to deal with the pain. The weather has been also getting better each day which does so much to help a body! Here are the highs from my week:

• The yummiest, gluten-free banana bread! It's made with oat flour (which you zip up yourself in the food processor). I added 1/2 cup of chopped mixed nuts and seeds as well as a few chopped chocolate chunks.  It has a light banana flavor with a slight crumbly/nutty texture. It's sweetened with maple syrup (& honey), so is not overly sweet. Perfect!   

     

• Fresh, local, greenhouse kale and chard. I steam my chard and have it with a sprinkle of vinegar and lashings of butter! Yum. And look at those gorgeous multi-color/multi-size eggs! They have brightest yellow yokes and are so tasty!

• 
  Yubuchobap (Korean) or Inari sushi (Japanese). These are sweet, chewy tofu pockets that you fill with rice that's been mixed with a sweet vinegar and dried vegetables. I picked up the package from the freezer section; and it's one of my favorite, very addictive snacks. Thank goodness it's kinda healthy! 

• 
  Free7 Mix - a carbonated pineapple/coconut flavoured drink that I bought from the international foods section of my local supermarket. I'm not sure if it's supposed to be mixed with alcohol; but as I don't imbibe much these days, I drank it as is and icy cold. It was delicious! Kind of like an alcohol-free, fizzy Pina Colada. They also had a strawberry flavor that was nice as well. 

But the biggest highlight of my week was being able to walk in the woods again. Sunday was my daughter's birthday, so we enjoyed a sunny but cool meander through the forest. 

We had a snack by the brookside and just soaked in the sound of the stream and the birdsong. We scooched under fallen trees, held branches away from each other's face, and warned each other to step around evidence of last fall's visiting moose.

Forest bathing or Shinrin-yoku! 

Sure is good for the spirit and the soul. 

It was a good week. I hope yours was too.

Namaste y'all!

Managing Pain

Spring has finally come to western Newfoundland! The snow has melted around town and is slowly leaving the forest and mountains. With any luck, I can actually walk my favorite brookside path today. The other morning, I bundled up and sat outside with my coffee, and I had some new visitors from a nearby house. (One must now be more careful where one walks!)

For the past two weeks, I've been dealing with debilitating arthritis pain in my right hand, arm and shoulder. (It seems as if now that I've retired, my body thinks it should break down and point out all my ailments immediately! Scheesch!) My doctor just yesterday prescribed Tylenol 3 (which I will take sparingly) and sent me for an x-ray on my hand so we can be sure that it is arthritis and perhaps determine what kind. 

In the meantime, I'll keep to my own pain routine: I'm still trying to eat an anti-inflammatory diet at least 80% of the time, and I'm a huge proponent of cannabis which is, thank goodness, legal in Canada. With my sensitivity to prescription drugs, it is the only thing I've found that will alleviate most of the pain and has no side effects.  Finding CBD only (no psychoactive effects) is difficult here; I do have CBD gummies and I use an infused cream. But CBD alone has not as effective as weed with THC. Moderation in everything has always been one of my personal tenets! But aging is a new adventure that I find I must take on a daily basis: some days will be better than others, I guess, and I must adjust accordingly.  

Any suggestions you might have on dealing with arthritis pain would be more than welcome.

• Drinking green tea? 
• Applying an onion poltice? 
• Dancing (not naked) round my fire pot at midnight?

 I'll try it all! In the meantime, the sun is coming out ...... and I can hear the forest calling. 

Namaste y'all!

Happy Easter

 When I lived in areas where I could get into the woods in winter, on Ash Wednesday, I would cut a branch of an alder tree, sit it in a jug of water, and by Easter weekend, the leaves would be budding, bringing joy and live-greenery into my home. Alas, the snow is much too deep here to venture into the forest, so I simply picked up a tree branch that I found while walking. No greenery, but still a good prop for my homemade Easter decorations. I only have a couple left that were made by my children (20+ years old); but my Asian students enjoyed the craft, and it makes me so happy to have those mementos.

 

After the month long muscle tension followed by a head cold, I decided to adopt an anti-inflamatory diet. And after a few weeks, my morning head felt clearer and my arthritis eased up a little. But I'm a realist, so I'm looking to eat clean MOST of the time. I mean, a girl needs a good latte and a piece of carrot cake every now and then, right? So last week, I took myself to Deer Lake for a leisurely breakfast followed by thrifting and a visit to my favorite Dollarama Store. I was pleased with my 2 new-to-me polka-dot t-shirts and an Old Navy  maxi-dress that I found. But my favorite find of the day were these freeze-dried strawberries; 80 calories a bag at $1.25 Cdn each. 

(These are not the whole bag)

Initially I bought 3 bags as I didn't know if they'd be any good. But the next day I went for groceries in the city and went to both  Dollaramas where I bought as many as I could without being an inconsiderate shopper; it was difficult, but I left plenty for others. Those stores also had bags of apples and a strawberry/banana combo. 

They are delicious! Crunchy, melt-in-your-mouth texture with a deep strawberry flavor. I often accompany these with a few pieces of 75% dark chocolate. Yummy!

Easter will be spent at my daughter's, and we're doing ham and scalloped potatoes this year. I'm responsible for a nice green salad. And with any luck, someone else will bring a dessert worthy of my tossing my anti-inflamatory notions out the window again that day.

I hope your Easter is one of peace for you and some good food.

Namaste!

Mending, Sneezing and Childhood Heroines

My muscle pain is finally on the mend. But Wednesday morning, I awoke with a head cold (compliments of my darling little grandson whom I'd visited last Thursday). Thank goodness for containers of frozen soup, oranges, and daughters who drop off emergency tissues! One of the soups that I most enjoyed is Moroccan chicken soup: it's thick, rich and filling and has just enough heat to clear your stuffy nose. 

While resting, I began watching Anne with an E on Netflix. I've watched and loved many renditions of the  "Anne of Green Gables" books by Lucy Maud Mongomery. But besides the beautiful artwork and stunning scenery, this TV series has brought Anne into the 21st century with many of her stories having a modern twist and dealing with modern issues. (As well, the theme music is the Tragically Hip's Ahead by a Century, and a bittersweet reminder  of Canada's long lost treasure, Gord Downie.)

I was Anne's age when my family vacationed on PEI, visited the Anne of Green Gables sight and bought the 1st book. I immediately saw myself in Anne: not that I was an orphan, unloved and growing up in harsh circumstances; but rather that in a home full of criticism, I felt ugly, and I longed for any kind of tangible demonstration of my parents love.  Like Anne, I also felt a deep connection to nature, a fondness for big words, and a dramatic flare which was often ridiculed. Anne quickly became my heroine! I knew that we were kindred spirits! It was the 60's, and growing up as the eldest girl in my noisy family of 5 kids, there were expectations when it came to chores, help with child care, and, as mentioned, a lot of criticism from my Mom. Even though I know it wasn't true, at that age, I felt unloved and invisible. Anne's optimism, joy in simple things, and determination to make the best of life gave me a different perspective and a focus. Realistically, there are no parents who can meet all the needs of their children; my parents did the best they could with what they knew, just as I did the best I could with what I knew. We all made mistakes.

But sometimes, children can find enough of what is lacking in their lives in other places or in other people that it can make a huge difference. It makes me so sad to hear of what's happening in some parts of the U.S. with the banning of certain children's book. Never doubt the difference a good book can have on a child's life. It's my belief that Anne of Green Gables saved mine. And rewatching this rendition of my most beloved book has once again brought me comfort, joy and gratitude for my ability to look past the negative. It's also reminded me of all the good things my Mom instilled in me, one of them being a love of reading. 

In spite of what I felt as a 13 year old, and in reflection of 68 years on this earth, my life was not a graveyard of buried hopes. I have been most fortunate to have walked down many white ways of delight, sailed on many lakes of shining waters, and am delighted to have found many other kindred spirits. And I am eternally grateful for the reminder that tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes yet. 

(She also reminds me to ignore the snow that's recently fallen!)

What childhood books have made a difference in your life? I'd love to hear. 

Happy Saint Paddy's Day

Tomorrow is St Paddy's Day, but the only green in my diet will be my tea and the greenhouse Chard I purchased this week, steamed with a splash of vinegar and lashings of melted butter! Life has been pretty slow for me here. I still haven't recovered from the side effects of that medication -- still waking each day with excruciating back and left leg pain as well as tummy ache. But one must soldier on. I still walk daily and stretch. So, fingers crossed!

NL Jam-jams!

Because of this discomfort, going out for IWD on March 8th proved very taxing: I was so glad to spend the next day relaxing at home with my new book. And I was also glad that I brought my dessert home with me to enjoy with a hot cuppa. A tradition in NL, "Jam-jams" are made with strawberry, raspberry or NL partridgeberry jam (lingonberry in Europe) sandwiched between 2 soft, light-molasses cookies. Absolutely delicious.

Last Sunday, I went to lunch with an elementary school friend, Rod, that I hadn't seen in roughly 50 years! Like so many of us in the 60's, I attended a small local elementary school, going from Kindergarten to Grade 8 with the same group of friends. There were about 8 of us that played together after school: lots of tree gardens, as we called them, in which to play cops and robbers: lots of hills and fields in which to play softball ... as long as someone had a ball and someone else found a fence picket. 

Rod's pet collie, Kerry, often joined us. I remember when we were about 9 or 10, Kerry died, and we decided to have a funeral. The boys were pall bearers, the girls mourners, and because I had my Gideons New Testament in my book bag, I was named officiant. We were all very sad about it. I read the 23rd Psalm, the girls were crying, the boys picked up the box containing Kerry and began to walk up the slight incline to the open grave. Suddenly, the bottom of the box gave way, and dear Kerry rolled down the hill! Oops! After some guilty laugher, we carried on in a more sober manner. My neighbourhood landscape was littered with pet graves and little popsicle stick crosses. 

Since last Saturday, I've been following an anti-inflamatory diet to give my body an extra bit of help to heal. I allow myself yogurt & green tea, but bread and coffee are strictly off the menu. Sob sob! And since I moved in December, I've been frequenting our little library and reading once again. "Still Life with Crows" was a great read: good writing and a host of lovely, quirky characters. I was delighted to find that this book is one in the middle of approximately 10 others written around eccentric FBI Special Agent Pendergast. So, now I have read them all.

This week's read is a light mystery. The setting is a beautiful old mansion/hotel in the mountains; an eclectic mix of 13 characters stuck in the middle of a ice storm with no internet connection and the power's been lost. The perfect setting for a murder or two. 

We enjoyed 4 days of sunshine weekend past which thankfully took some of our snow. But true to our usual weather, it will snow tonight and tomorrow. Spring will eventually come; and hopefully, it will bring better health for me.

Namaste y'all! I love seeing your spring posts as they help me hold on. Hahaha!

Happy International Women's Day 2023

 

In spite of the ever on-going war against women and those who identify as female (or male for that matter), we must continue to fight for equality. 

Don't forget to use your voice and your votes!

Happy International Women's Day 2023!

A Break in the Polar Vortex

I'm slowing healing from my sister's recent death. She's the first of 5 siblings to die, so it really makes you realize your own mortality. But people have been so kind, and old friends and schoolmates have come out of the woodwork and bring fond memories to fill some of the emptiness. 

My doctor had recently prescribed some muscle relaxants for my chronic back pain. I hadn't used them, but with the tension and grief last week, I took half tablets for 3 nights in a row. I'm a super-sensitive person when it comes to medications; and sure enough! Come Friday morning, what I thought was a flu bug had manifested into my barely being able to move around my home as well as barely being able to stay awake. After a wee search, I realized it was side effects from the medication so stopped taking it immediately. This morning, 4 days later, I'm almost back to just my normal chronic pain. Hahaha! There is no other alternative but to laugh ..... plus laughing helps relax those painful muscles. 

My middle daughter and I ventured out the weekend before last to Corner Brook's first multi-cultural food fest. We are a small town, but India, Ukraine, Mexico were represented (in my tummy) and several other nationalities that I didn't have room to sample. My favorite treat was this delicious meringue cake with almonds and pistachios and this wonderfully light fluffy filling. 

Mummering

Besides the good food and music, the Mummers visited! Mummering or Janneying (click on the photo caption for further explanation) is an old Newfoundland/Irish tradition that's usually practiced at Xmas. But here in NL, the Mummers also show up for tourists and, in this instance, for winter carnival. I've never done it, but my older brother used to mummer every Xmas up until a couple of years ago.

In spite of my pain last week, I did get out for my daily walk, even if it was only a bone-chilling 15 minutes in -23 C (-10 F) weather. On one of my early evening walks, the moon was peeping through the clouds in a magical sort-of way. And for two evenings in a row, I also got to see the two planets, Venus and Jupiter, in the night sky. 

This week, the weather has improved: today it's only -3 C (26 F). And every now and then, I can see the sun shining. So, if you'll excuse me, I'll go for my daily walk.

Namaste y'all! 

Stay warm ... and cultivate peace in your life.