I’ve decided to stop the Cleanse. Today was the 1st day without the ‘stuff’…although I did have some Metamucil in my morning OJ this morning. I plan on starting up with Greens again…I figure this is probably the better route for me. Now. I’m not saying Colonix is a bad program but I don’t feel it’s the program for me, at this stage in my life. I felt clear-headed today, not as sluggish or tired and I can’t help but wonder if it has ANYTHING to do with no Colonix. This is my body, my mind and I have to do what’s right FOR ME. So here I go…

My Guy is making one of his amazing pizza’s loaded with mushrooms, feta, olives, red onion, tofurkey Italian sausage and red pepper….waiting for us to press play is the movie Sunshine Cleaning with cutie Amy Adams…went to the library today and filled up on new books- so life is good. Real good.

I’m planning on working my knee a bit harder this week; I can walk about 20 blocks without much pain. While I’m not setting as brisk a pace as I’d like, it’s definitely a step in the right direction. I will get moving and I will burning the cardio soon…..*sigh*

How are YOU getting active??

So My Guy made this soup last week…or was it 2 weeks ago now? Regardless of when it was, it was freaking delish! Even 7-year old Moops gobbled it up and proclaimed, after nodding vigorously, it was EXCELLENT. My 2 cents? Make it the day before you plan on eating it so the flavors, particularly the roasted garlic, have time to mellow and blend. Oh yeah the recipe was taken from an amazing book called ‘A Beautiful Bowl of Soup: The Best Vegetarian Recipes” by Paulette Mitchell.

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup (with toasted walnuts) –> we used pecans….

1 butternut squash, quartered lengthwise and seeded

1 large yellow onion (prefer the sweet ones)

2 carrots, halved horizontally

Olive oil for brushing over the veggies

1 whole garlic bulb

3 cups Vegetable stock

1 tsp curry powder

1/4 cup dry sherry (we had to omit this due to fact we had NONE!)

1 tbsp packed light brown sugar

pepper to taste

2 tsps minced fresh oregano or 1/2 tsp dried

1/8 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 cup milk or half and half (we cut the calories and used milk)

salt to taste

How to prepare:

-Preheat Oven to 350 F and line a baking sheet with foil

-Place squash segments skin side up, onion and carrots on foil. Brush all surfaces with olive oil.

-Remove papery skin from garlic bulb, trim stem, cut 1/4inch of bulb to expose the cloves – but leave them intact- brush with oil and wrap in foil. Place alongside the veggies.

-Roast in oven for about 40 minutes or until VERY tender. Set aside until cool enough to handle.

-Squeeze the garlic cloves out of the bulb and scrape the flesh from the squash.

-Add equal amounts of roasted vegs/garlic and stock to blender and puree until smooth (this may take several batches to get right consistency. Of course use a food processor if you have….we don’t)

-Heat 1 tbsp of oil in saucepan and add curry powder; stir for about 30 seconds. Pour pureed soup into the pan and stir in any remaining stock, sherry (if you use), brown sugar, pepper, oregano and cinnamon. Cover and simmer, stirring every once in awhile for about 10-15 minutes.

-Add the milk and stir until heated through. (may need to use hand processor at this point if you want smoother! We did….)

-Garnish with walnuts. The actual recipe calls for a garnish with creme fraiche but we’re saving the calories…

Let this sit overnight and holy man IT IS GOOOOOOD.

Enjoy….

So many things to write about today; where to begin? As I settle down to write, I have CNN on in the background as they prepare to rescue the first of the 33 trapped miners in Chile. I can’t help but marvel at the strength of the human spirit in times of struggle and of all the countries to endure yet another test of faith and hope, it falls to the Chileans to show us again how strong they truly are.

While I rejoice in that story and keep an ear tuned to my TV for the first sounds of the siren…I’m thinking also of how truly inconsiderate and rude mankind can be. It’s quite the opposite feeling from the joy of a rescue, to the realization that not everyone out there thinks in the same terms as myself, and My Guy. We had an experience today that reinforced this and it’s challenge to not take it personally. My Guy is looking for a new car, right? He finds one he’s interested in, calls the owner (private sale) and expresses relief at getting through to them after busy signal and that the car advertised is EXACTLY what he’s looking for. The Car-Seller seems eager too, happy to hear from a prospective buyer and expresses empathy that they too, know how hard buying a car is! A time was agreed upon to meet and My Guy and I hopped in my car to drive out to The Valley (not exactly a short ride away either) to see this car. We’re not even half way there and we get a call…the Car-Seller has sold the car. “It just happened” she reported to us. I can only imagine: a gun was held to her head and she was forced to sell the car, it just happened….yes….poor soul.

I guess we believe in handling things a little differently. My Guy believes in honoring a prior commitment and that as the 1st person to express interest in the car, he should have at least been able to see it. But to get a phone call half way to the meeting point, only to be told “I’m sorry, it just happened, it sold..” is pretty damn lame. So this is one little story about how people really need to think about their actions, beliefs and how they affect others. Sometimes I just wonder, why can’t we all just get along?? Is someone, somewhere, watching the Human Race, and smirking at the fine mess we’ve made of day to day issues?

Treat others with the same courtesy and respect you expect. Simple. Nothing more to it.

On a different note, it’s day 12 of my Cleanse. So far, so good…I don’t have anything HUGE to report. Things are….ahem, errr, “moving” along so to speak. I find the tea EXTREMELY effective and am taking every 2nd or 3rd evening now. In keeping it real, I haven’t lost any drastic amounts of weight yet, I don’t feel things are going that much differently now except for the fact I’m beginning to feel more ‘regular’ and have less bloating pain. I am well aware however that is only Day 12 in a 90 day Cleanse so I’m perfectly content to keep going.

If you are interested in Colonix and try to live a healthy lifestyle, than I think you’ll be impressed with how ‘natural’ this product is. I’m not overwhelmed with harsh medicines or chemicals and I don’t feel like I’m doing harm to my body. I can understand every single ingredient listed on the 3 products and better yet, I can even pronounce them!

2nd Physio appointment today. My knee is STILL too inflamed to really do much. I know it’s getting better because the degree of pain is definitely decreasing each day…but not enough I guess. I have some stretches to do as my quad muscle on the injured leg is under some serious strain and tighter than it should be….BUT here’s the catch, to really work out that quad, it strains my knee and I can’t put any extra pressure on it. I AM GOING OUT OF MY MIND. I’m trying to stay positive but I seriously feel like a hugely fat, bloated creature who has her ass glued to the couch (or a chair, you get the picture) and never far from her ice pack. It’s a hot image…not…More than anything I just want to get out and at least, WALK…I seem to think I’m a Super Hero though, and attempt to walk more than I should, and end up a block from home snivelling and shuffling towards the front steps…

I will get there. Slowly but surely. Knee injuries, tendon and ligament tears are not to be taken lightly.

Today marked Day 5 of my cleanse. So far so good. I do love the taste of the tea that you drink at night….(although only every night for first 5 days and then it changes a bit..). If you like herbal teas like chamomile or fennel based blends, then this won’t be unpleasant to you at all. I find it very soothing. Since it has only been five days and my Doctor did say, after seeing recent x-rays, that I’m looking better but still not great up in the ‘ol colon…it’s really too soon for me to tell. I’m doing OK with the directions on the cleanse, the steps etc, and I do feel like it is *helping*. More to come!

My knee pain used to be 15/10 for pain; or off the charts. Now I’d say it’s about an 9/10. Progress! I’m still taking Advil, still wearing the sleeve to compress it because frankly, it just feels better…

Day 3 of my Cleanse today….so far so good but because this is a 3-part cleanse, I personally struggle with remembering to take the tea in the evening. My Guy suggested I set the alarm on my cell phone to remind me every night around 9 pm. He’s so smart!! As I took my capsules this morning, I thought “Oh no! I forgot the tea last night!” It seems high maintenance but I understand the need for the 3 parts and until I do it a bit more, I probably will struggle to remember.

As My Guy reminded me this morning, “You have trouble remembering to shoot your cat…” My cat is a diabetic…and yes, I am guilty of forgetting the odd shot. But back to the Cleanse. If you’re considering Colonix, one thing to know is the powder you mix into a drink daily, is NOT some fancy-schmancy fruit flavored concoction. It tastes herbally (is that even a word?) and tastes ‘green’. When I say green I mean no taste of chemicals, preservatives or over-processed ingredients. If you’ve ever followed the advice of a Naturpath, and taken supplements in the form of brownish colored capsules, it’s reminiscent of that…

I mix mine into OJ and while it doesn’t mix up to a super smooth consistency, I find the taste  palatable. There is a slight fennel taste for sure…and not something I dread drinking.

So far my bowels are the same, but it IS only Day 3. I have several readers, and friends, who are eagerly awaiting the outcome of this Cleanse…

Now I must enjoy my Sunday Relaxing….

Don't do it alone...

So I’ve given myself an hour to write tonight…I’m not 100% comfortable still in my ‘writing’ area but it’s shaping up slowly. A work in progress if you will…

I mentioned I’ve gained some weight back lately and My Guy and I decided to work together more vigorously at getting out and working up a sweat. (mind out of the gutter please!) Just knowing I have his support makes a world of difference. I don’t know if the average person, like my co-workers for example, can tell I’ve gained weight but I certainly can and that’s the issue. I’m not totally happy in this body in it’s current shape- so I need to fix that. It’s so much better to have a support system, and have that person you can go out and do things with. If you’re struggling to lose weight, or to even start on a fitness regime- grab a buddy. I can’t stress how hard it is to do this on your own…

When I lost over 50 lbs several years ago, at the beginning of my journey…I started alone. I had just left a relationship, moved to a new neighborhood and was depressed at the recent changes in my life. I felt I had nobody to ask to help me, and so I struggled through alone. I won’t lie…it was hard. Looking back I feel pride I did it yes…but I remember alot of loneliness during that time. There were people I could have asked but I didn’t want to ‘burden’ anyone. I know now, a true friend would NEVER think it a burden to help someone on a path to being more happy and healthy.

Having My Guy to come home to, and walk with or run with just gives me that added little kick-in-the-butt I need. After all, us BOTH getting out and moving only makes our relationship stronger….right?

I’m back to marking on my calendar with a funky little sticker, when I do get out and get my heart racing and blood flowing. I suggested this a few years back when I needed any little thing to keep me going…and I still stick to it. Looking at the calendar covered in smiley faces and seeing my effort laid right out in front of me really makes me feel good. Life is short and we gotta take care of the little things that make us feel GOOD. Plain and simple…

Grab a buddy, get out, get moving and feel how good it can be. Remember baby steps and go at your OWN PACE…

Love CM

Love seeing kids putting their thoughts to video…great parody, loved every second of it! (I’m serious) Now this probably will only appeal to those who know the North Shore…

I’ve lived in quite a few cities…it’s not like I just moved from town to town…ok well maybe I did…but hey, I got to discover my country. I lived in several of our wonderful provinces, but I never for one moment, lost sight that British Columbia was my Home. I always knew deep down my travels would lead me back here, to the Island or the Mainland- that wasn’t the issue, it was just the ‘coming home’ part of it.

In all the cities I’ve lived in, I never hated any of them; they each had a certain charm…but there was this invisible string that somehow kept me connected to BC, to Vancouver in particular, so that I never felt far from home.

I can say with 100% honesty and clarity today, I love where I am and where I live. I wouldn’t trade living in Vancouver for anything….this city has the best of everything and, it’s unbelievably gorgeous to be in. It may rain alot, and our winters are often ‘green’, not white…but to any Vancouverite, that’s part the charm. If we want ‘white’, we can go up any of the many mountains and ski hills that are on the North Shore.

The cuisine is varied and eclectic, the neighborhoods diverse and the range of entertainment available- astounding. Vancouver truly is a world class city. I’ve moved to the suburbs and to the Valley over my years back home and never was I as happy and fulfilled, as I was when I lived IN the city itself. I’m relishing a move back now, into the trendy Main Street area and My Guy and I are lapping up all this funky neighborhood has to offer. Just walking down the the street awards us with endless heritage homes, one-of-a-kind cafes, fascinating characters and the tantalizing aromas of local patios offering up lunch…

I’m happy where I am. My Guy and I are about to begin an exercise regime that will take us both walking/running up into a local park…we have both made a promise to support one another in this…and just the simple act of walking through my new neighborhood brings a smile to my face. This is what I’ve talked about people; loving where you are NOW and making the most of it. Get up and move! Get out and see! What is outside your door, is literally there for you to walk into and discover.

If you don’t like where you are, or what you see when you look out the door- how can you change it? What steps can you take to get to where you need to be?

Answer me that. Wait, no…you owe yourself the answer to that…

Love CM

Sometimes I feel like a utter and complete wreck. If it’s not my bowels bothering me, it’s my head…which pounded for 3 days and I went to the doctor at My Guy’s insistence. I grumbled, “I’m not a SICKIE!” but my doc said I’ve got an ear infection…in both ears. I wish at times I could rip these hunks of flesh off my head and chuck them in the ocean for all the grief my ears have caused me over the years. This was one more little thing to add on to make me feel just a little bit crappy…I’m on different antibiotic drops (with a steroid in it) and it’s only day 2 but I have high hopes. So to those who know me and work with me, just speak a little louder because I swear, I’m not ignoring you!

The new digs are great but there are some problems in the name of Aslan, the cat. He’s keeping us up at night, every night, with his meowing, batting at the pulls on the blinds, beating up his brother, swatting My Guy’s alarm clock off his bed-side table at 4 am….the list goes on. I thought maybe it’s just because we’re in a new place and surely he’ll calm down…but no, not so far and we’re both getting grumpy. Shutting the bedroom door does no good because Aslan just throws his big body against the door and howls in rage…then the other cat gets all agitated…and the madness never stops…See this vicious cycle?

On the bright side, everything I need is within walking distance now. Technically it was before but I had to wade through Suburbia-Hell to get to it, so I always hopped in my car to get where I needed to go that much faster. Now it’s different. I WANT to walk along Main…I want to walk to my doctors and take Cambie back or explore a new little street and discover a tucked away little family grocer I never knew existed.

I’m standing here on this invisible line; one step in front of me is this new life and I’m so eager to jump head first into it. It’s one step at a time, one day at a time and all these little obstacles (like my ears and Aslans night-time antics) are just little bumps along the way. Life is a collection of these little things and we should be in tune to them.

Before I leave, let me leave you with one little story…it happened this morning at 7 am. I decided to walk out with My Guy as he left for work, a little kiss on the back porch, you know how it is. As I’m standing there watching him walk off in the pouring rain, I see some of the items we haven’t really found a home for yet, getting wet so I think “I should go move those out of the rain.” I reach behind me and pull the door closed so the crazy cats don’t escape…little do I know My Guy has locked the door (the bottom twisty-type lock). I go about my business and move some stuff and decide it was a dumb idea, too cold and want to go back inside…BAM! I walk into the door as I attempt to turn the handle. It’s locked! It’s 7 am, and I’m in a robe and slippers…the more I hesitate the farther down the street towards the bus stop, is My Guy. I hitch up my robe, kick off my slippers and run down the side of house bellowing his name…he can’t hear me! It’s raining and he’s probably running for the bus…I bellow more for good measure though.

I had to admit defeat and thought long and hard about the possibilities of crawling through the barred windows (albeit the bars are quite decorative and all) while the 2 cats stared at me. No doubt they were wondering what the hell I was doing on the wrong side of the window when there was breakfast to be dished out…

Hundreds of thoughts flew through my head: ‘Yay I can take the day off, but wait how will I call in? And wait, what kind of day off will it be in the rain?’ Sigh. The landlords live 2 streets up the road so again, I hike up my robe, clutch my slippers to my chest and head out into the rain. It’s pouring- hard, typical Vancouver rain. Unrelenting. (Turns out the radio announced it was the wettest day today…but I digress) I run up the street in my bare feet, the cool water feels kind of nice actually and it’s liberating to fly by morning commuters in your robe; a flash of my fuchsia nightie lending me a touch of mystery (or so I like to think…).

I rounded the hedge to landlords house, and there He was. On the porch, face to face with a drenched mad-woman, no doubt homeless in a robe with wet slippers in her hand…I had nothing to say but ‘Um hi. I locked myself out…’ and he laughed. I laughed too.

…I ran home with the spare keys clutched in my fingers, the cool wetness no longer feeling that great because my feet felt raw….but I got in to the warmth and to my hungry cats!

That my friends, was a helluva way to wake up…and all before my coffee!

Here's one guy who deserves HIS label!

I get this all the time…I ask servers in restaurants if they have any vegetarian specials (usually after they spend 2 minutes telling me about the fantastic steak deal that’s on…) and they point to the menu and say, “Of course! We have chicken and fish and…” At this point they usually stop in mid-sentence because I’m banging my head against the table muttering something like, “Vegetarians do not eat fish or chicken! Vegetarians do not eat fish or chicken!” I look up from the table to see the innocent, wide-eyed look of a deer caught in the headlights. The poor souls haven’t a clue.

I don’t eat fish or chicken. I do however partake in the occasional dairy product and I say ‘occasionally’ because to do so more, hurts my tummy. Alot. I don’t call myself a Vegan because I eat eggs, and I eat cheese (sure one could say Lacto-Ovo)…a Vegan eats NO ANIMAL PRODUCTS WHATSOEVER. Being a Vegan is a very strict practice and it’s one I tried to stick to, but alas, I didn’t make it. I’m happy with my choices now…I’m just not happy with all these silly labels floating around out there.

If you are eating LESS meat than you used to, fabulous. I’m ecstatic for you that you’ve made that decision, but do you really need to call yourself a Flexitarian of all things? So this would mean practicing Catholics, who have long since abstained from eating meat on Fridays, are Flexitarians too? Hmmm. Opens up a whole other chapter doesn’t it? I love that people are practicing eating less meat, but does there have to be a name for it?

I have even heard this gem thrown around: West Coast Vegetarian (they eat fish). Call me crazy but in my dictionary, that type of person is usually referred to as a Pescatarian. I’m not sure if it’s cool to have a label to identify what you eat or if people think maybe we Vegetarians are lonely and need the company?

I’m usually not this rigid….but lately this one has been really, really bugging me. I’m trying to relax about it…in the meantime, go see what all the fuss is about over Meatless Mondays and see if you can incorporate it into YOUR lifestyle.

But for heavens sake, don’t make up some loony label for it!