Wednesday Quote

From class yesterday:

Write, read, or say anytime of the night or day to release stress and increase positive energy power.

I feel that I am a WINNER!!

I believe that I am a WINNER!!

I am a WINNER!!

YOU ARE WHAT YOU BELIEVE YOU ARE.

Our teacher is such a fascinating woman.  An educator and a counselor,  she also has
over 18 years experience as a Specialized Handwriting Analyst and in 1986 was honored as "The Outstanding Counselor"Brooklyn.  She is also a thyroid, breast, colon, liver cancer survivor, who has authored seven books on stress management and is dedicated to sharing, with educators, counselors, therapists.  Going to love this course.  It's just what I need.

School Days are Here Again

Most people are just trying to get through the day. Be committed
to learn to get from the day. Don’t just get through it; get from it.
Learn from it. Let the day teach you. Join the university of life.
What a difference that will make in your future. Commit yourself
to learning. Commit yourself to absorbing. Be like a sponge.
Get it. Don’t miss it.

Jim Rohn

Morning all. It's another humid one for sure, and rain is on its way. Yesterday, boy was I shocked when I stepped outdoors. Seemed like summer was back. The air was so heavy and thick. Ralph had a hard time of it yesterday. Took a short walk and returned right home running for his pump.

I've only one class today. 'Wellness'. In this class we will learn we will learn healthy ways to manage anger, fear and sadness and practice PEP (Positive Energy Power) Aerobics. The latter kind of scares me. LOL!!!

As you see, though, I have chosen classes that go along with my lifelong interest in alternative healing methods. Not that I don't believe there are times we NEED our doctor, but we are also the captains of our own bodies. For many years, I admit, I let stress control my body and look at the results. 70 pound weigh gain, high blood pressure they couldn't even control with medication, thyroid issues, fibromyaligia, pre-diabetes. That's all changing now that I've once again taken control. Lost almost 40 pounds, an occasional flare but less pain on a daily basis, normalized blood pressure, with medication but I hope one day not to need it, thyroid issues stabilized and off medication. Haven't had recent bloodwork so I don't know if I am still pre-diabetic.

So now I am learning all I can. I've said it before, if I had it to do all over again, I'd go into nutrition and healing instead of substance abuse. But everything falls as it is meant to be. And with substance abuse I met many wonderful people and had the opportunity to help some who never had someone care enough before.

I'm awfully chatty this morning. I'm excited that's all. Have a good one.

Monday Morning This and That

Autumn truly is what summer pretends to be: the best of all seasons. It is as glorious as summer is tedious; as subtle as summer is obvious; as refreshing as summer is wearying.

Autumn seems like paradise.

Gregg Easterbrook
 

I bought this plant last year.  I thought it was so pretty and unusual, and for awhile it was.  But, I noticed that not only was it not growing, but the was beginning to die. Tried everything I could to save it, but nothing worked.  It was then I discovered that there were no roots.  The owner of the store had just stuck the pretty leaves in the dirt.  Never went back to that store.  

Good morning everyone.  I had a quiet weekend.  On Saturday I stayed in and did some cooking.  A couple days this week I have class in the afternoon, and I hate to come home and start cooking from scratch so all I will have to do is thaw dinner out, make some veggies, and dish out the plates.  On Sunday I went to church.  It was cool.  First time that I really needed a jacket.  Sunday afternoon was spent reading a short story for Monday morning's class.

Saturday I felt better than I have in a long time.  On Friday night I participated in a distance Reiki healing session.  Woke up with little pain and so much energy.  I felt like my old self again.  Suffice it to say I have felt pretty good since that healing session, and as a result, I am going to look further into Reiki.

This will be a busy week for me.  Classes from Monday through Friday, pick up my meds Friday afternoon, and then food shopping on Saturday.  Won't have a day off until Saturday two weeks from now.  I enjoy keeping busy, though. 

Last week as I took out my broom to sweep my house clean in honor of the coming of fall.   I also chose to sweep away those fair weather friends who do nothing but leave me drained, groups that no longer offer what I needed, and fall clothing that no longer fit my slimmer body.  Felt pretty good when I was finished. A lot freer.  I also took time to work on sweeping away the resentment and bitterness I feel towards my ex's family. I admit, that is going to take  some time, for sure, but I am working on it.  

Well, I'm off to shower and have breakfast.  Have a good one.

Friday Roundup

Autumn

The morns are meeker than they were,
The nuts are getting brown;
The berry's cheek is plumper,
The rose is out of town.

The maple wears a gayer scarf,
The field a scarlet gown.
Lest I should be old-fashioned,
I'll put a trinket on.

Emily Dickinson

 

Good morning all. Well, it's been a heck of a week. The best part of it is Autumn is here, and we have been having some fantastic weather.  Yes, the temperature has been up to 80, but it's not the same 80 as summer.  This I can deal with.  And I am loving the cool mornings.  Used to be the first thing I walked into the living room in the morning was turn on the AC.  Now I just throw open the window.  Awesome.

Had a quiet week.  Only had school on Monday because of the Jewish holidays.  Next week it starts in earnest.  Today I have Tai Chi in the morning and then heading back home and taking tomorrow as a day of rest because once Sunday rolls around I won't have a day of rest for two weeks. Not complaining, though.  I love being busy, and I enjoy learning new things.  I told Ralph the other day that if I had it to do over again, I'd be a nutritionist and not a substance abuse counselor.  I'd still be in a helping profession, but one with a lot less stress.

I had a quiet celebration on Mabon.  Made chicken breasts marinated in rosemary, garlic powder, black pepper, melted butter and lemon juice. Baked in oven.  Served with salad, brocolli,

 2 1/2 cups flour 

 1 tablespoon baking powder

 1/4 teaspoon salt 

 1 egg 

 2 snack size cups of applesauce

 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

 2/3 cup fat free milk 

 2 tablespoons oil 

Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix flour, cinnamon, baking powder and salt in large bowl and set aside.

Beat egg in medium bowl. Stir in applesauce, brown sugar, milk and oil. Add to flour mixture; stir just until moistened. (Batter will be lumpy.) Pour 1/2 of the batter into a loaf pan sprayed with Pam or your choice of non-cooking spray.  Sprinkle 1/2 of cinnamon topping and spread evenly. 

Topping 

1 cup packed brown sugar 

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup  flour
1/4 cup salt free butter (melted)
2 tsp. cinnamon

 Combine ingredients and blend with a fork until crumbly.

Pour the rest of batter into pan and sprinkle  the rest of the cinnamon topping evenly to cover. 

Bake for about 40-45 minutes.

Have a wonderful weekend.

Thursday Photos

There is a beautiful spirit breathing now
Its mellowed richness on the clustered trees,
And, from a beaker full of richest dyes,
Pouring new glory on the autumn woods,
And dipping in warm light the pillared clouds.
Morn on the mountain, like a summer bird,
Lifts up her purple wing, and in the vales
The gentle wind, a sweet and passionate wooer,
Kisses the blushing leaf, and stirs up life
Within the solemn woods of ash deep-crimsoned,
And silver beech, and maple yellow-leaved,
Where Autumn, like a faint old man, sits down
By the wayside a-weary.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Here are some pics of my fall decorating.  Just love this time of the year.

Mabon Blessings to All

Let go a little to have a little peace. Let go a lot to have a lot of peace.

Achaan Chah

This morning I am feeling like a terrible person.  My sister-in-law passed on Tuesday, and I have no feelings. I feel guilty that I cannot mourn.  After all, I am an ordained minister.  I should be able to forgive.  But she was such a miserable person who treated me poorly at least 95 percent of the time.  I'm not going to get into all the hateful things she did to me.  I think those I could forgive.  It's what she did to my sons that tears me apart.  She robbed them of their inheritance and now some strange freeloading man who lived off my sister-in-law and a greedy sister will be getting what is rightfully theirs.

I married into a very strong willed and prejudiced Italian family and was never really accepted.  I wasn't Italian to start with.  For 15 years I put up with physical and emotional abuse by my ex and emotional abuse by his family.  Nothing I ever did was good enough.  So, after 15 years I parted ways with them, not an easy task because by that time they had pretty much beaten me down.  I attended a counseling program for women like myself and never spoke to the family again. Threats had been made, and I took them seriously, but I never said a bad word about the family to my sons.  To this day there are things they don't know, and they worship their father.  I can't take that away from them. 

That was about 23 years ago. There is only one family member left now, a sister living in Florida, greedy as can be, but now is not the time to talk about it.  In 1996 my ex, his father, and his mother all died within 6 months of each other.  My sister-in-law in Florida received cash and the house was divided between the sister-in-law who just passed and my ex under the condition that should something happen to him, his share would go to my sons. Well, somehow she conned my ex into signing his share over to her for the sum of $10. We believe he was under heavy medication at the time.  My boys have tried to legally fight this for many years to no avail.  

But, enough of that for today.  It's Mabon, the fall equinox is here.   This is the day I waited for, the day that seemed so far away when we were in the midst of that hot and humid summer weather.  Do you have any special plans? As important as this day is to me, I must admit I have very little planned.  I'm off to take care of my banking today then stopping at the store to buy a few items for my equinox meal--Rosemary Grilled Chicken, garden salad, broccoli with garlic and oil, some rice and beans for hubby, and homemade applesauce bread (haven't made this in years).  Later, I plan a quiet evening of candles, prayer,  reading of a few Autumn short stories, and honoring those that have passed over.  And of course, I will say a prayer for my sister-in-law that she may find peace.

Have a good one. 

Tuesday Ramblings

The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher
explains. The superior teacher demonstrates.
The great teacher inspires.

William Arthur Ward

Good morning, everyone.  My classes were amazing yesterday.  Well, actually my short story was totally amazing and Nutritional Enlightenment only halfway.  I don't like a professor who doesn't encourage questions or comments and utilizes the class to talk about 'self'.  But, I am there for knowledge so I will overlook that.  Yesterday we discussed, or should I say 'she' discussed the health benefits of legumes and nuts.

The other day I had mentioned zeppoles, and  it never occurred to me that not everyone knew what they were until a few peers on FB and here asked what they are.  Actually, I didn't know what they were either until I married into an Italian family years ago.  Zeppoles are a doughy Italian pastry that is deep fried and coated in powdered sugar.  So good.  

Speaking of food, I brought my sandwich with me and decided it best not to eat on the run, so I got there a bit early and ate my lunch at 10:15.  Not a good idea because despite munching on grapes during class, I was absolutely famished when I got home and ready to eat anything put in front of me. Fortunately, I had roasted a chicken over the weekend with plans to have it tonight.  I sliced a small piece and put it on my 80 calorie Smart Pocket bread and, with a nice glass of water, that tided me over til dinner so I didn't go overboard.

In my process of letting go, I decided it best I let go of My Fitness Pal.  I've been with them for a couple years now, but their tallying of one's daily food intake does not agree with Weight Watchers.  My Fitness Pal is based on calories.  Weight Watchers is based on points.  And the two never match.  If I hit my target points in Weight Watchers, I find that I am far below the calorie count allowed by My Fitness Pal.  So since Weight Watchers I've had to fudge the results by adding foods I didn't really eat.  Sort of defeats the purpose. So, I said good bye to the friends I met there and moved on.  Actually friendships there are just showing support for one another.  "Good job", "well done", "fantastic diary", etc. so it's really not a friendship like I've developed here.  At least in Weigh Watchers I not only have face-to-face support, but I am also held accountable to the scale.  That once a week weigh in keeps you on your toes.

No classes today or tomorrow for Jewish holiday so I plan on squeezing my monthly banking in  a week early as next week is a full week of school and bills are due.  Which day I choose to do it depends on how I feel when I get up in the morning.

Have a good one.  And stay smiling.