Life is a journey. I truly believe this. All little people, each going our way.
Saturday, March 30, 2013
Chip Apparently has a Death Wish
When we lived in the US, Chip had a partner in crime, Cricket. I wouldn’t say that they were partners in crime.... but I would say that they did cause trouble. Enough trouble that they were kenneled when we left them home alone.
So, when he arrived here, it was with reservation that I did not kennel him. He definitely has caused trouble. He figured out how to take advantage of the chairs not being pushed into the table and will jump up at any opportunity to check things out. He has even been known to jump up and poop on the table... Ewww, just ewwwww!
We had determined that he should not have full run of the house when we are not here, but as he proved he could not behave appropriately when given the opportunity, we quickly limited his area of freedom even smaller. He now has access to the kitchen, laundry room and another small room that used to be the kitchen long ago.
He has become a menace again! He has figured out that he can get on the small table in the kitchen and will gladly eat anything that the kids might leave behind. He has also figured out that the chair to my computer desk is also handy. He has been eating anything that remotely smells like food, which includes lotions and vitamins!
He has been very insistent that my expensive lotions are food. Recently he got into a bottle of cuticle oil, took off the top and managed to spill and consume most of the bottle. He managed to take off the lid of an expensive lotion that was made of seaweed extract. His latest was to get into a jar of Vaseline.
As you can see, he is looking a ‘bit’ shamed!
In particular he had me really worried twice. He has eaten both ibuprofen and vitamin D which are both toxic to dogs. Thankfully, in both cases, he did not have enough to make him seriously ill. I had to monitor him very closely though. But it really makes me wonder, does he really hate England that much or does he just have some kind of death wish?
So, when he arrived here, it was with reservation that I did not kennel him. He definitely has caused trouble. He figured out how to take advantage of the chairs not being pushed into the table and will jump up at any opportunity to check things out. He has even been known to jump up and poop on the table... Ewww, just ewwwww!
We had determined that he should not have full run of the house when we are not here, but as he proved he could not behave appropriately when given the opportunity, we quickly limited his area of freedom even smaller. He now has access to the kitchen, laundry room and another small room that used to be the kitchen long ago.
He has become a menace again! He has figured out that he can get on the small table in the kitchen and will gladly eat anything that the kids might leave behind. He has also figured out that the chair to my computer desk is also handy. He has been eating anything that remotely smells like food, which includes lotions and vitamins!
He has been very insistent that my expensive lotions are food. Recently he got into a bottle of cuticle oil, took off the top and managed to spill and consume most of the bottle. He managed to take off the lid of an expensive lotion that was made of seaweed extract. His latest was to get into a jar of Vaseline.
 |
| Warning: When you eat Vaseline, you have to wear a Pull-Up and take numerous baths. |
In particular he had me really worried twice. He has eaten both ibuprofen and vitamin D which are both toxic to dogs. Thankfully, in both cases, he did not have enough to make him seriously ill. I had to monitor him very closely though. But it really makes me wonder, does he really hate England that much or does he just have some kind of death wish?
Friday, March 29, 2013
Hot Cross Buns
Hot cross buns! Hot cross buns!
One a penny two a penny
Hot cross buns!
If you have no daughters, give them to your sons
One a penny two a penny
Hot cross buns!
I think that every parent has heard this song over and over again. I know that I have heard it played many times on my boys recorders. I know that it is also favored by beginning bands as well.
The song is actually about this little bun in the picture below. Thank you to my favorite bakery, Mayfield for providing these most picturesque buns for my picture!
So, here is the history of these little gems!
You can find them in the grocery stores in England all year long, but traditional bakeries start carrying them in their shops Shrove Tuesday (Fat Tuesday) until Easter and they are traditionally eaten through Lent. It’s very popular to eat them for breakfast Good Friday.
So, what are they? They are a spiced, slightly sweet bun containing fruit. Common fruits are raisins, currents, dates, cranberry, chocolate, orange, apple, cinnamon, toffee and lemon poppy seed. They are traditionally eaten toasted during Lent for breakfast.
It is not really known when and where Hot Cross Buns were first created. In 1506, during Elizabethan England, there was a decree forbidding the making, sale of or eating of them except during Christmas, Easter and when someone died.
Originally, they were eaten by the Saxons to honor the goddess Eostre. It was believed that the bun represented the moon and the cross the moon’s quarters. They are also said to be full of Christian symbolism. The bread stands for the communion, the cross on top is a symbol of the crucifixion and the spices in the bun is to symbolize the spices Jesus was wrapped in while buried in the tomb.
It is said that buns baked on Good Friday will never spoil or mold during the rest of the year. If you really want something strange, read this story about this bun that is 192 years old!
Sharing a bun is suppose to be good luck.
"Half for you and half for me, Between us two shall goodwill be”
They were also suppose to be good luck if taken on ship going to sea. If they are hung in the house, it was done to ensure that all breads turn out perfectly and the bun is suppose to protect the home against fire. There is even a superstition that if a piece is given to someone that is ill they will recover.
The buns that are shown in the picture above have lines that are piped on the top. The lines are piped pastry made out of flour and water. Originally, the cross was cut into the bun. They are then glazed with a sweet mixture that gives the bun it’s lovely glow.
We did not follow tradition and eat them on Good Friday morning, but we will have some with our Easter dinner on Sunday.
If you are interested in trying your own, I recommend this recipe.
http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/2066661/hot-cross-buns
We did not follow tradition and eat them on Good Friday morning, but we will have some with our Easter dinner on Sunday.
If you are interested in trying your own, I recommend this recipe.
http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/2066661/hot-cross-buns
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
Happy Heart
I believe the ultimate source of blessings is within us. A good motivation and honesty bring self-confidence, which attracts the trust and respect of others. Therefore the real source of blessings is in our own mind.--Dalai Lama
Yesterday was a good day! Lately with my luck, I am not taking any good day for granted. My heart was very, very glad yesterday!
I talked to the Consumer’s Advice Bureau about my situation and they gave me some great advice. I took that advice and then called the Trader. I was not super excited about how the conversation went, but it could have went much worse. The conversation was very civilized and polite. I don’t want to believe that the Trader sold me a bad car on purpose. I gave the Trader the contact information to talk to the garage--TR Isuzu about the state of the car.
Then, I made two batches of brownies and took them to TR Isuzu. The guys were fantastic. I am such a lucky girl! When I was delivering the brownies and saying thank you, I also explained a bit of the situation, then I asked if the trader had called. It turns out he had and the Very Kind Guy told me that the Trader did a lot of listening. The Trader is now picking up the car from the Very Kind Guy at TR Isuzu.
What that really means? I think that the Trader may be planning to fix the car. I am going to proceed with my plans to write a letter to the Trader asking for a refund.
If you are looking for a really reliable garage, where damsels in distress are given assistance above and beyond expectations. I highly recommend TR Isuzu in Takeley. Good service is so hard to find. If they can be so kind to me, I can only imagine that they do business with a lot of integrity.
They gave me a full, happy heart!
Yesterday was a good day! Lately with my luck, I am not taking any good day for granted. My heart was very, very glad yesterday!
I talked to the Consumer’s Advice Bureau about my situation and they gave me some great advice. I took that advice and then called the Trader. I was not super excited about how the conversation went, but it could have went much worse. The conversation was very civilized and polite. I don’t want to believe that the Trader sold me a bad car on purpose. I gave the Trader the contact information to talk to the garage--TR Isuzu about the state of the car.
Then, I made two batches of brownies and took them to TR Isuzu. The guys were fantastic. I am such a lucky girl! When I was delivering the brownies and saying thank you, I also explained a bit of the situation, then I asked if the trader had called. It turns out he had and the Very Kind Guy told me that the Trader did a lot of listening. The Trader is now picking up the car from the Very Kind Guy at TR Isuzu.
What that really means? I think that the Trader may be planning to fix the car. I am going to proceed with my plans to write a letter to the Trader asking for a refund.
If you are looking for a really reliable garage, where damsels in distress are given assistance above and beyond expectations. I highly recommend TR Isuzu in Takeley. Good service is so hard to find. If they can be so kind to me, I can only imagine that they do business with a lot of integrity.
They gave me a full, happy heart!
Monday, March 25, 2013
Introducing Pepe
I got a new to me car! No kidding! I am not sure what will happen with the last one yet. It has been a crazy week, I am hoping that things settle down for awhile now. I need a break!
Super Handsome relaxed his criteria on the new car. The last ones have had to be diesels and manual transmission. They are hard to find lately. The new one is petrol and manual. We ended up back at the original dealer that we first bought our cars from. I looked there in January, but they did not have anything that met Super Handsome’s criteria. I wish that I would have gotten something from them anyway, they are good people, for sure. Not only are they interested in buying back the cars when we do go to France, but they are also giving me plenty of warranty coverage.
It is a little KIA Picanto. It is small and the boys will be packed tight like sardines. The engine is tiny, 1.1L and I am was not able to get it past 40mpg when I test did the test drive. It gets good gas mileage, has 4 wheels and will get me to where I want to go! Yes!
I am sure that Pepe and I will part friends. He seems like a good little egg already!
Super Handsome relaxed his criteria on the new car. The last ones have had to be diesels and manual transmission. They are hard to find lately. The new one is petrol and manual. We ended up back at the original dealer that we first bought our cars from. I looked there in January, but they did not have anything that met Super Handsome’s criteria. I wish that I would have gotten something from them anyway, they are good people, for sure. Not only are they interested in buying back the cars when we do go to France, but they are also giving me plenty of warranty coverage.
It is a little KIA Picanto. It is small and the boys will be packed tight like sardines. The engine is tiny, 1.1L and I am was not able to get it past 40mpg when I test did the test drive. It gets good gas mileage, has 4 wheels and will get me to where I want to go! Yes!
 |
| Introducing Pepe, he’s really not the peppy, but let’s not tell him that, I don’t want to hurt his feelings! |
I am sure that Pepe and I will part friends. He seems like a good little egg already!
Friday, March 22, 2013
Apparently I Can’t Get A Break
So, Super Handsome came home Wednesday night from working with the Frenchies. We were down to one car and I had a million things to do. Ok, nowhere near a million, but it sounds impressive!
I had Super Handsome drive, we dropped the boys (all but Boy 2 who was home ill for the second day in a row) off to school and then we headed to his work. We switched places and I headed out to get my list of things done.
First, I headed to the petrol station, the car was low on petrol. I pull in and hit the off button on the car... Here I should tell you that his Renault aka The Tank requires a card to start it, no key. It will not start unless it detects that card. As I turned off the car the car started flashing me “card not detected” messages. I instantly had a growing pit of horror in my stomach. I knew beyond a doubt that Super Handsome had not handed the card off to me a few minutes ago. In an attempt to stay calm, I got out and pumped diesel all the while sending him frantic texts and calling his cell phone. I was not getting any answer. Finally, in desperation as I was in line to pay, I called one of his other co-workers. She promptly answered and handed the phone to him, he was standing right next to her. They hopped in her car and headed down to the station.
I paid and explained the situation to the cashier. The kids seemed not to be bothered. I went and sat in the car and whenever a car pulled up behind me I got out and explained the situation to the driver. They were all very kind to me, thankfully. I had a huge pit of anxiety in my stomach. The station was pretty busy to boot. Finally they showed up and all was right with the world.
I did the few other errands that I had and then went home and spent some time doing misc tasks until school pick up time.
We had a busy evening ahead, Boy 3 and 4 had parent evenings. It is a parent/teacher conference.
Going into the school, there had been a pretty bad accident on the road. It had to have occurred awhile before I went through as the injured were gone and there was just one badly damaged vehicle left. Traffic was moving around it. When we were on our way home, they were recovering that vehicle and because of the narrow lanes, they closed down the road. Since we were on a tight schedule, I routed around. As we were routing around, I drove into a rut and ended up with a flat tire.
I had just had it. I called Super Handsome and started to loose it. The tire would not fill with air as it was actually punctured on the side wall. He could not assist since I had his car. The car did not have a spare on it, but thankfully, I had gotten the emergency break down service on our insurance. So, I put a call into them. I was given an hour wait time. I asked Mrs Innuendo of she could come to me and take the kids home for me. She was kind enough to help.
Super Handsome had a problem on his own. He could not rent a car as his copy of his Indiana license is expired. He has a paper copy that he uses to show that it is still valid, but he did not have that with him as well. So, he was forced to sit and wait the whole thing out.
So, I sat and waited. Thankfully, I had my iPhone, so I was able to keep myself occupied. I called the school to let them know that we were not going to be able to make it to parents evening. I was also able to text Super Handsome and my sister in law to keep me sane. I think that technology is awesome! How cool is it that I can iMessage my sister in law that is in the US? Very cool!
The RAC guy showed up after 6pm and did his work. Since all the tire shops were closed, he towed the car to Oak Lodge and parked it. I was lucky again because the work that had closed my lane all week had just completed. If it hadn’t then I am not sure where I would have had him take the car! After he got the car situated, he took me to the nearby airport so I could rent a car. I headed off to get Super Handsome from work.
I am glad that I thought ahead for dinner. I had put a chicken in the crock pot and their were Brussel Sprouts (that Boy 1 somehow managed to burn?). The kids had already ate so we had a quick dinner, tucked the kids into bed and called it a day.....
I am not sure that I should drive a car anymore, because apparently I can’t get a break.
I had Super Handsome drive, we dropped the boys (all but Boy 2 who was home ill for the second day in a row) off to school and then we headed to his work. We switched places and I headed out to get my list of things done.
First, I headed to the petrol station, the car was low on petrol. I pull in and hit the off button on the car... Here I should tell you that his Renault aka The Tank requires a card to start it, no key. It will not start unless it detects that card. As I turned off the car the car started flashing me “card not detected” messages. I instantly had a growing pit of horror in my stomach. I knew beyond a doubt that Super Handsome had not handed the card off to me a few minutes ago. In an attempt to stay calm, I got out and pumped diesel all the while sending him frantic texts and calling his cell phone. I was not getting any answer. Finally, in desperation as I was in line to pay, I called one of his other co-workers. She promptly answered and handed the phone to him, he was standing right next to her. They hopped in her car and headed down to the station.
I paid and explained the situation to the cashier. The kids seemed not to be bothered. I went and sat in the car and whenever a car pulled up behind me I got out and explained the situation to the driver. They were all very kind to me, thankfully. I had a huge pit of anxiety in my stomach. The station was pretty busy to boot. Finally they showed up and all was right with the world.
I did the few other errands that I had and then went home and spent some time doing misc tasks until school pick up time.
We had a busy evening ahead, Boy 3 and 4 had parent evenings. It is a parent/teacher conference.
Going into the school, there had been a pretty bad accident on the road. It had to have occurred awhile before I went through as the injured were gone and there was just one badly damaged vehicle left. Traffic was moving around it. When we were on our way home, they were recovering that vehicle and because of the narrow lanes, they closed down the road. Since we were on a tight schedule, I routed around. As we were routing around, I drove into a rut and ended up with a flat tire.
I had just had it. I called Super Handsome and started to loose it. The tire would not fill with air as it was actually punctured on the side wall. He could not assist since I had his car. The car did not have a spare on it, but thankfully, I had gotten the emergency break down service on our insurance. So, I put a call into them. I was given an hour wait time. I asked Mrs Innuendo of she could come to me and take the kids home for me. She was kind enough to help.
Super Handsome had a problem on his own. He could not rent a car as his copy of his Indiana license is expired. He has a paper copy that he uses to show that it is still valid, but he did not have that with him as well. So, he was forced to sit and wait the whole thing out.
So, I sat and waited. Thankfully, I had my iPhone, so I was able to keep myself occupied. I called the school to let them know that we were not going to be able to make it to parents evening. I was also able to text Super Handsome and my sister in law to keep me sane. I think that technology is awesome! How cool is it that I can iMessage my sister in law that is in the US? Very cool!
The RAC guy showed up after 6pm and did his work. Since all the tire shops were closed, he towed the car to Oak Lodge and parked it. I was lucky again because the work that had closed my lane all week had just completed. If it hadn’t then I am not sure where I would have had him take the car! After he got the car situated, he took me to the nearby airport so I could rent a car. I headed off to get Super Handsome from work.
I am glad that I thought ahead for dinner. I had put a chicken in the crock pot and their were Brussel Sprouts (that Boy 1 somehow managed to burn?). The kids had already ate so we had a quick dinner, tucked the kids into bed and called it a day.....
I am not sure that I should drive a car anymore, because apparently I can’t get a break.
Whiz in My Wheaties
So, let’s see... I left off with the devastating news that my car was now a useless hunk of metal.
Remember, I am a silver lining type of girl. There is a silver lining somewhere, let me find it... We only have 1 car to sell when we move to France. I still have money left over from the first car (that is in checks that I can’t cash because I STILL don’t have a British bank account), we can get a rent a long term hire (rental) car for the remaining four months we will be in the UK, hopefully!
I do feel sorry for Super Handsome. He was in France while all this was happening. Just as it was happening he was emailing to tell me how excited he was as he could go back to wearing jeans at the new workplace. I crushed his happy bubble right away with the direness of my situation. Then, later that day, we had a conversation that went like this:
SH: Maybe your car will magically start working again
Me: Love, when the garage man tells you that it is economically beyond repair, it is not going to magically work again. I wish that it would.
SH:You always Whiz in my wheaties, you know that?
Ok, maybe I don’t feel THAT sorry for him... I am the one without a car again. This time there is no free rentals being offered to me. Looking at the paperwork, I am not sure about having a warranty either. Just to put it all in perspective for you, I bought the 2 Feb and it ran until 20 March.
I had a chat with the trader that I bought it from. He was nice and I am hoping for something positive. I am also going to contact the Citizens Advice Bureau and see what they recommend. They do have consumer protection laws here in the UK, I am hoping that there is something that will help me. I don’t understand them and how they will apply in this situation.
As you know, the garage man told me I needed to just scrap the car. He is currently keeping it for me at the garage while I figure out what to do. I am going to drop off some brownies for him and the guys today or tomorrow. They really came through for this damsel in distress.
I hate buying cars, especially used ones. I tried very hard to do my homework on this one, it came with all of it’s past service history and it seemed to run fine until Tuesday. I don’t think that they purposely sold me a dodgy car. I am still puzzling about the warranty on the car when they apparently offer them (he mumbled something about the low price of the car having something to do with it). I did point out to the guy while chatting with him that I was never offered an extra warranty because if I had been I would have taken it AND paid extra. Let’s face it, I know what kind of luck I have and frankly, I am tired of eating "whiz in my Wheaties".
Remember, I am a silver lining type of girl. There is a silver lining somewhere, let me find it... We only have 1 car to sell when we move to France. I still have money left over from the first car (that is in checks that I can’t cash because I STILL don’t have a British bank account), we can get a rent a long term hire (rental) car for the remaining four months we will be in the UK, hopefully!
I do feel sorry for Super Handsome. He was in France while all this was happening. Just as it was happening he was emailing to tell me how excited he was as he could go back to wearing jeans at the new workplace. I crushed his happy bubble right away with the direness of my situation. Then, later that day, we had a conversation that went like this:
SH: Maybe your car will magically start working again
Me: Love, when the garage man tells you that it is economically beyond repair, it is not going to magically work again. I wish that it would.
SH:You always Whiz in my wheaties, you know that?
Ok, maybe I don’t feel THAT sorry for him... I am the one without a car again. This time there is no free rentals being offered to me. Looking at the paperwork, I am not sure about having a warranty either. Just to put it all in perspective for you, I bought the 2 Feb and it ran until 20 March.
I had a chat with the trader that I bought it from. He was nice and I am hoping for something positive. I am also going to contact the Citizens Advice Bureau and see what they recommend. They do have consumer protection laws here in the UK, I am hoping that there is something that will help me. I don’t understand them and how they will apply in this situation.
As you know, the garage man told me I needed to just scrap the car. He is currently keeping it for me at the garage while I figure out what to do. I am going to drop off some brownies for him and the guys today or tomorrow. They really came through for this damsel in distress.
I hate buying cars, especially used ones. I tried very hard to do my homework on this one, it came with all of it’s past service history and it seemed to run fine until Tuesday. I don’t think that they purposely sold me a dodgy car. I am still puzzling about the warranty on the car when they apparently offer them (he mumbled something about the low price of the car having something to do with it). I did point out to the guy while chatting with him that I was never offered an extra warranty because if I had been I would have taken it AND paid extra. Let’s face it, I know what kind of luck I have and frankly, I am tired of eating "whiz in my Wheaties".
Thursday, March 21, 2013
Beyond Economical Repair
"You guys sure don't do anything the easy way." I'm proud to say we don't even try; it just comes naturally.
Yeah, for reals. This is my life!
Somedays, it is all normal and good. Other days I have to wonder if I am an alien from another planet. The last couple of days have been manic. Sunday night, Super Handsome went to France. Monday was a fantastic day. Lovely, quiet.... I did Pilates with the girls and even managed to get the dog out for a 2.5 miles walk.
Tuesday we had a hiccup. My car died when I was trying to leave the school. I parked it and called my mobile mechanic to come and take a look. I managed to grab a ride home from Mrs Innuendo, so I could use Super Handsomes’ car.
Mobile Mechanic checked the car over and said he couldn’t find anything wrong with it, except for the fact that the engine was so horrendously loud and he was very concerned.
Kid 3 was having difficulties with the Easter bazar. Everyone kept telling me that there was no reason to be stressed or panic. Yet, Kid 3 did not have a plan about what he was going to do. The teacher thought he had a plan, and told him he had a plan and he really did not have a plan. Enter email from Little Miss Champagne about how her said son had been planning his stuff out all week! Prompting me to feel immediately sick to my stomach. There was no plan, we had no candy and I was starting to feel like a nut job. I asked the school for help and they mirrored back that I was being a nut job. But remember.... there was NO PLAN and other kids have been planning this for a WEEK! EEK!
So, after a talk with Kid 3’s teacher and then Kid 3, we got it semi under control and forged ahead with a plan. In the morning as we were getting ready, I asked him "the plan". He gave me a total different plan than what the teacher informed me was “the plan”, so after a quick correction and regrouping, the kids were off to school.
Fast forward to getting my car. Little Miss Champagne kindly dropped me to my car after our morning Pilates. Drum roll... the car would not start. Mobile Mechanic makes a quick stop over and gets car to start! Yeah! But advises me to dump said car quickly, as we are screaming loudly at each other over the din of the engine. He says that those noises are indicative that there is a big problem and hints that it is probably going to cost more to fix then the car is worth. I nod my head vigorously over the din of the motor and jump in the car, hoping to God that I can make it home without an issue.
Guess who made it almost home??? Ok, I’ll tell you. ME! It died in a place that I was able to get it off the road. So, I parked it and locked it. Then I did a short walk to a nearby garage. Let me mention that it was cold (close to freezing) and I had left the house in Yoga clothes and a light coat. Thankfully the walk was short!
They pulled the car in and opened the bonnet. That was followed by some examination time, wild gestures, and serious looks. Then several attempts were made to start the car, more time was spent under the bonnet and more discussion was had. Then the car was pushed to the side and the man that I had spoke with walked my way.
Your car is beyond economical repair. It needs to be scrapped.
Yeah, for reals. This is my life!
Somedays, it is all normal and good. Other days I have to wonder if I am an alien from another planet. The last couple of days have been manic. Sunday night, Super Handsome went to France. Monday was a fantastic day. Lovely, quiet.... I did Pilates with the girls and even managed to get the dog out for a 2.5 miles walk.
Tuesday we had a hiccup. My car died when I was trying to leave the school. I parked it and called my mobile mechanic to come and take a look. I managed to grab a ride home from Mrs Innuendo, so I could use Super Handsomes’ car.
Mobile Mechanic checked the car over and said he couldn’t find anything wrong with it, except for the fact that the engine was so horrendously loud and he was very concerned.
Kid 3 was having difficulties with the Easter bazar. Everyone kept telling me that there was no reason to be stressed or panic. Yet, Kid 3 did not have a plan about what he was going to do. The teacher thought he had a plan, and told him he had a plan and he really did not have a plan. Enter email from Little Miss Champagne about how her said son had been planning his stuff out all week! Prompting me to feel immediately sick to my stomach. There was no plan, we had no candy and I was starting to feel like a nut job. I asked the school for help and they mirrored back that I was being a nut job. But remember.... there was NO PLAN and other kids have been planning this for a WEEK! EEK!
So, after a talk with Kid 3’s teacher and then Kid 3, we got it semi under control and forged ahead with a plan. In the morning as we were getting ready, I asked him "the plan". He gave me a total different plan than what the teacher informed me was “the plan”, so after a quick correction and regrouping, the kids were off to school.
Fast forward to getting my car. Little Miss Champagne kindly dropped me to my car after our morning Pilates. Drum roll... the car would not start. Mobile Mechanic makes a quick stop over and gets car to start! Yeah! But advises me to dump said car quickly, as we are screaming loudly at each other over the din of the engine. He says that those noises are indicative that there is a big problem and hints that it is probably going to cost more to fix then the car is worth. I nod my head vigorously over the din of the motor and jump in the car, hoping to God that I can make it home without an issue.
Guess who made it almost home??? Ok, I’ll tell you. ME! It died in a place that I was able to get it off the road. So, I parked it and locked it. Then I did a short walk to a nearby garage. Let me mention that it was cold (close to freezing) and I had left the house in Yoga clothes and a light coat. Thankfully the walk was short!
They pulled the car in and opened the bonnet. That was followed by some examination time, wild gestures, and serious looks. Then several attempts were made to start the car, more time was spent under the bonnet and more discussion was had. Then the car was pushed to the side and the man that I had spoke with walked my way.
Your car is beyond economical repair. It needs to be scrapped.
Monday, March 18, 2013
Favorite Sayings
I have a collection of favorite sayings. I thought that I would share them.... Gandhi rocks.
"Our culture has accepted two huge lies. The first is if you disagree with someone’s lifestyle you must fear or hate them. The second is to love somebody means you have to agree everything that they believe or do. Both are nonsense.
You don’t have to compromise convictions to be compassionate." --Rick Warren
"Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever."
--Mohandas Gandhi
Let's try it again, with WINE this time-- me
Shame on people for not being able to come to the table and talk like big kids. Playing in the Sandbox 101.-me
To know a person's religion we need not listen to his profession of faith but must find his brand of intolerance.--Eric Hoffer
In politics, stupidity is not a handicap.--Napoleon
Education is a better safeguard of liberty than a standing army.
Edward Everett
Intolerance is itself a form of violence and an obstacle to the growth of a true democratic spirit.
Mohandas Gandhi
Anger and intolerance are the enemies of correct understanding.
Mohandas Gandhi
"I have met thousands and thousands of pro-choice men and women. I have never met anyone who is pro-abortion." Hillary Clinton
"I'm not claiming divinity. I've never claimed purity of soul. I've never claimed to have the answers to life. I only put out songs and answer questions as honestly as I can ... But I still believe in peace, love and understanding."--John Lennon
“All I can do it be as authentic as I can and the rest has to fall into place. -- D. Moxley
You have a world full of people who love you...and, those of us who love you have come to do so by choice because of who you are.--M. Berkland
"Our culture has accepted two huge lies. The first is if you disagree with someone’s lifestyle you must fear or hate them. The second is to love somebody means you have to agree everything that they believe or do. Both are nonsense.
You don’t have to compromise convictions to be compassionate." --Rick Warren
"Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever."
--Mohandas Gandhi
Let's try it again, with WINE this time-- me
Shame on people for not being able to come to the table and talk like big kids. Playing in the Sandbox 101.-me
To know a person's religion we need not listen to his profession of faith but must find his brand of intolerance.--Eric Hoffer
In politics, stupidity is not a handicap.--Napoleon
Education is a better safeguard of liberty than a standing army.
Edward Everett
Intolerance is itself a form of violence and an obstacle to the growth of a true democratic spirit.
Mohandas Gandhi
Anger and intolerance are the enemies of correct understanding.
Mohandas Gandhi
"I have met thousands and thousands of pro-choice men and women. I have never met anyone who is pro-abortion." Hillary Clinton
"I'm not claiming divinity. I've never claimed purity of soul. I've never claimed to have the answers to life. I only put out songs and answer questions as honestly as I can ... But I still believe in peace, love and understanding."--John Lennon
“All I can do it be as authentic as I can and the rest has to fall into place. -- D. Moxley
You have a world full of people who love you...and, those of us who love you have come to do so by choice because of who you are.--M. Berkland
Sunday, March 17, 2013
Corned Beef, no... Irish Stew
Last year for St. Patrick’s Day, I did a look around to find corned beef. All I could find was something that was in the meat for lunches section or something that was in a can near the Spam. Um, no thanks.
I thought, how odd and wondered what in the world was wrong with the British? Did they not eat the traditional Irish meal? Were the Irish disliked that much or what? I don’t remember what I ended up serving for dinner, probably beef stew since I was very unsure about cooking with lamb.
Fast forward to this year... I asked my Facebook friends where I could find corned beef. Let’s just say I got some ‘smart’ answers. It was obvious to me that I was using the incorrect term if that was what they though corned beef was, so I went to my friend wikipedia and read about corned beef.
It turns out that what I really wanted was something that the British call salt beef. It is found at some of the local butcher, not in the grocery store where I had been searching in vain.
It turns out that salt beef is known in many cultures around the world. It got the name corned beef from an old English word. They called any small hard particle or grain, a corn. In the case of corned beef, corn referred to the course salt that was used to cure the beef. The salted beef became known as corned beef. During the Industrial Revolution, the British industrialized the production of salt beef. Because of it’s non-perishable nature it was used by the naval fleets, it was also sold to the British public and the colonies. In the colonies, it was looked upon with disdain as it was widely used in the slave trade and associated with poverty. It was also traded to Spain and France and the English salt beef production made them quite wealthy.
It is a sad tale for the Irish really. The wealthy English lords that owned all the Irish land grazed cows. All the Irish beef was sent to England which served to worsened the effect of the Great Potato Famine.
So, even though most of the beef used was produced in Ireland, the Irish did not eat it, they were to poor. So, It turns out that corned beef is not really a traditional meal in Ireland.
On St. Patrick’s Day in the US it is considered very traditional to eat corned beef and cabbage and to drink green beer. Green beer is another American tradition as well. They don’t drink green beer on St. Patrick’s Day here in the UK or Ireland. The Irish immigrants started eating corned beef and cabbage after they arrived in the US. Corned beef was substituted in the dish for pork (bacon) in the dish probably due to the low cost. In the US it is traditional to prepare it as a boiled dinner, cooking it with cabbage and root vegetables such as carrots and potatoes.
In light of my inability to procure corned or salted beef in time for our St. Patick’s Day celebration, I resorted instead to making an Irish stew with lamb. Happily it turned out well. Unhappily, the Irish soda bread did not. I used a combination of recipes, if you want to know what I did, the recipe is below.
My recipe:
About 1.5 lbs of lamb, cut into pieces
flour
salt
pepper
oil
large chopped onion
4 cups water
Thyme
4 bay leaves
Guinness
Red Wine
Coat the lamb with flour and season with salt and pepper. Oil the bottom of the pan and heat. Brown the lamb in the pan. Take out as browned. When all the lamb is browned, add some more oil to the pan and then saute the onion. When it is almost done, add the water to the pan and scrape off the brown scrapings off the bottom. Add all to the crock pot. Take the thyme and peel the leaves off the stem. Chop and add to the stew. Add the 4 boys leaves. Open a bottle of Guinness beer and add a little (I added about 1/2 cup). Add 1/2 cup of the red wine.
I cooked this all afternoon and then switched the crock pot off overnight. I have been told by many that the stew is better if ate the second day.
Potatoes
Carrots
Parsnips
Parsley (flat leaf)
Oil
3 cups of water
3 bullion cubes
Cut the vegetables into bit sized pieces. Oil the bottom of the pan and cook the vegetables together for about 10 minutes. Then add the water and 3 bullion cubes. If you are in a hurry (I was) cook until the vegetables until the are soft. Add to the rest of the crock pot.
Chop the flat leaf parsley and sprinkle on top. After we had dinner I dumped the rest of the parsley into the crock pot.
I thought, how odd and wondered what in the world was wrong with the British? Did they not eat the traditional Irish meal? Were the Irish disliked that much or what? I don’t remember what I ended up serving for dinner, probably beef stew since I was very unsure about cooking with lamb.
Fast forward to this year... I asked my Facebook friends where I could find corned beef. Let’s just say I got some ‘smart’ answers. It was obvious to me that I was using the incorrect term if that was what they though corned beef was, so I went to my friend wikipedia and read about corned beef.
It turns out that what I really wanted was something that the British call salt beef. It is found at some of the local butcher, not in the grocery store where I had been searching in vain.
It turns out that salt beef is known in many cultures around the world. It got the name corned beef from an old English word. They called any small hard particle or grain, a corn. In the case of corned beef, corn referred to the course salt that was used to cure the beef. The salted beef became known as corned beef. During the Industrial Revolution, the British industrialized the production of salt beef. Because of it’s non-perishable nature it was used by the naval fleets, it was also sold to the British public and the colonies. In the colonies, it was looked upon with disdain as it was widely used in the slave trade and associated with poverty. It was also traded to Spain and France and the English salt beef production made them quite wealthy.
It is a sad tale for the Irish really. The wealthy English lords that owned all the Irish land grazed cows. All the Irish beef was sent to England which served to worsened the effect of the Great Potato Famine.
The Celtic grazing lands of...Ireland had been used to pasture cows for centuries. The British colonized...the Irish, transforming much of their countryside into an extended grazing land to raise cattle for a hungry consumer market at home...The British taste for beef had a devastating impact on the impoverished and disenfranchised people of...Ireland. Pushed off the best pasture land and forced to farm smaller plots of marginal land, the Irish turned to the potato, a crop that could be grown abundantly in less favorable soil. Eventually, cows took over much of Ireland, leaving the native population virtually dependent on the potato for survival.
—Jeremy Rifkin, Beyond Beef[6
So, even though most of the beef used was produced in Ireland, the Irish did not eat it, they were to poor. So, It turns out that corned beef is not really a traditional meal in Ireland.
"In North America corned beef dishes are associated with traditional Irish cuisine. However there is considerable debate about the association of corned beef with Ireland. Mark Kurlansky, in his book Salt, states that the Irish produced a salted beef around the Middle Ages that was the "forerunner of what today is known as Irish corned beef" and in the 17th century the English named the Irish salted beef, corned beef.[7] Some say it was not until the wave of 18th century Irish immigration to the United States that much of the ethnic Irish first began to consume corned beef dishes as seen today. The popularity of corned beef compared to bacon among the immigrant Irish may have been due to corned beef being considered a luxury product in their native land, while it was cheaply and readily available in America.[5]
In Ireland today, the serving of corned beef is geared toward tourist consumption and most Irish in Ireland do not identify the ingredient as native cuisine."
On St. Patrick’s Day in the US it is considered very traditional to eat corned beef and cabbage and to drink green beer. Green beer is another American tradition as well. They don’t drink green beer on St. Patrick’s Day here in the UK or Ireland. The Irish immigrants started eating corned beef and cabbage after they arrived in the US. Corned beef was substituted in the dish for pork (bacon) in the dish probably due to the low cost. In the US it is traditional to prepare it as a boiled dinner, cooking it with cabbage and root vegetables such as carrots and potatoes.
In light of my inability to procure corned or salted beef in time for our St. Patick’s Day celebration, I resorted instead to making an Irish stew with lamb. Happily it turned out well. Unhappily, the Irish soda bread did not. I used a combination of recipes, if you want to know what I did, the recipe is below.
My recipe:
Crock pot Irish Stew
About 1.5 lbs of lamb, cut into pieces
flour
salt
pepper
oil
large chopped onion
4 cups water
Thyme
4 bay leaves
Guinness
Red Wine
Coat the lamb with flour and season with salt and pepper. Oil the bottom of the pan and heat. Brown the lamb in the pan. Take out as browned. When all the lamb is browned, add some more oil to the pan and then saute the onion. When it is almost done, add the water to the pan and scrape off the brown scrapings off the bottom. Add all to the crock pot. Take the thyme and peel the leaves off the stem. Chop and add to the stew. Add the 4 boys leaves. Open a bottle of Guinness beer and add a little (I added about 1/2 cup). Add 1/2 cup of the red wine.
I cooked this all afternoon and then switched the crock pot off overnight. I have been told by many that the stew is better if ate the second day.
Potatoes
Carrots
Parsnips
Parsley (flat leaf)
Oil
3 cups of water
3 bullion cubes
Cut the vegetables into bit sized pieces. Oil the bottom of the pan and cook the vegetables together for about 10 minutes. Then add the water and 3 bullion cubes. If you are in a hurry (I was) cook until the vegetables until the are soft. Add to the rest of the crock pot.
Chop the flat leaf parsley and sprinkle on top. After we had dinner I dumped the rest of the parsley into the crock pot.
Thursday, March 14, 2013
Mayfield Farm Bakery & School
There is the cutest little bakery that I pass twice every day when I am doing my school run.
It is a complete jem of a place. I am serious, it is a diamond.
The bakery is own by a very lovely couple, Nick and Jane Anderson. Nick's family has been in baking since the 1600’s. They have pictures on the wall of some of the stores the family had a long time ago in London.
I went to a lovely baking class, and here is the yumminess that was made!
Last year they opened a lovely cafe. I often enjoy going into the cafe with my kindle. It is a nice way to spend the afternoon.
I will recommend if you are in the area, you should stop in and say hello to Jane, Nick and the bakers if they are around. They are lovely and will be very happy to see you.
Unfortunately, I can’t show pictures of everything. But, I’ll leave you with these delicious scones.
It is a complete jem of a place. I am serious, it is a diamond.
The bakery is own by a very lovely couple, Nick and Jane Anderson. Nick's family has been in baking since the 1600’s. They have pictures on the wall of some of the stores the family had a long time ago in London.
I went to a lovely baking class, and here is the yumminess that was made!
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| Spanish bread, whole grain bread and whole grain bread with dried cranberries and walnuts. |
Sweet Potato soup and their delicious breads.
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| The breakfast is delicious! |
Mayfield as has a wonderful farm shop!
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| Spelt and gluten free items. |
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| Jams |
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Fire
Sometimes it is wonderful how the universe works. Somedays it hands your flowers, other days... well, if one did not have to get out of bed, one probably would not!
As many of you know I bought a pass to hot yoga last September. I had really missed my yoga and even though I detest doing it in a super heated room, I found that the teacher really was a wonderful teacher and I learned from her. She has since left as she was substituting for the regular teacher who recently had a baby.
The teacher ran a fire sequence in class recently. She picks one of four themes (earth, water, fire and air) and runs her classes around them. I only noticed when she had an short talk about fire. She encouraged us all to find or own fires in our lives, our own anger and to let them go. It was a wonderful reminder and seemed especially fitting with some recent events. The universe works in strange ways....
A few years ago, on my own journey to be a better person, I realized something very important about myself. When I was hurt, I did not deal with the hurt that I felt. I did not know how... Instead I sprang instantly and directly into fire or anger. So, I after I realized this, I had to do a lot of thinking, healing, asking for forgiveness and forgiving.
I also had to figure out a way to stop striking out with anger and instead convey my true feelings. It has taken a lot of time to figure out the proper way to do this and I will be honest. I am not perfect, I make mistakes and I sometimes I do revert back to anger. Remember, I am a work in progress!
So, when my yoga instructor asked us to find our anger and let is go, I was happy to say that there was no anger in my life to be found. In my journey, I have also come to realize that hanging onto anger is very draining.
Now, to find a proper way to deal with the hurt....
As many of you know I bought a pass to hot yoga last September. I had really missed my yoga and even though I detest doing it in a super heated room, I found that the teacher really was a wonderful teacher and I learned from her. She has since left as she was substituting for the regular teacher who recently had a baby.
The teacher ran a fire sequence in class recently. She picks one of four themes (earth, water, fire and air) and runs her classes around them. I only noticed when she had an short talk about fire. She encouraged us all to find or own fires in our lives, our own anger and to let them go. It was a wonderful reminder and seemed especially fitting with some recent events. The universe works in strange ways....
A few years ago, on my own journey to be a better person, I realized something very important about myself. When I was hurt, I did not deal with the hurt that I felt. I did not know how... Instead I sprang instantly and directly into fire or anger. So, I after I realized this, I had to do a lot of thinking, healing, asking for forgiveness and forgiving.
I also had to figure out a way to stop striking out with anger and instead convey my true feelings. It has taken a lot of time to figure out the proper way to do this and I will be honest. I am not perfect, I make mistakes and I sometimes I do revert back to anger. Remember, I am a work in progress!
So, when my yoga instructor asked us to find our anger and let is go, I was happy to say that there was no anger in my life to be found. In my journey, I have also come to realize that hanging onto anger is very draining.
Now, to find a proper way to deal with the hurt....
Monday, March 11, 2013
The Crazy American Who Dances on Tables
We recently went into London and celebrated one of our friends birthday. To keep it simple and keep her ID private, I’ll call her Little Miss Champagne. Her husband then has to be Little Mr Champagne which I am promptly shortening to Mr Champagne. Also in the group was my Super Handsome Husband and our friends the Innuendos, again, names changed for privacy.
So, Mrs Innuendo had mentioned that she had been to a restaurant in London called Circus for her birthday a few years ago. Little Miss Champagne and I oohed and ahhhed over her description of the festivities. So, I was super excited when Little Miss Champagne said that she wanted to go down as a group for her birthday! Yay!
We met at the Champagnes' home. They had arranged a driver to take us down into London. After a glass of some bubbly, we headed down for a night of fun. The Champagnes had been to Rome the past weekend. We spent the car ride talking about how lovely Rome was to visit. Mrs Champagne walked Mr Champagne’s feet off, they saw all the amazing sights and it was all good!
We arrived at the restaurant and started out drinking Prosecco. It is Italy’s version of Champagne. Yummy stuff!
So, Mrs Innuendo had mentioned that she had been to a restaurant in London called Circus for her birthday a few years ago. Little Miss Champagne and I oohed and ahhhed over her description of the festivities. So, I was super excited when Little Miss Champagne said that she wanted to go down as a group for her birthday! Yay!
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| No big signage to advertise this place! |
We arrived at the restaurant and started out drinking Prosecco. It is Italy’s version of Champagne. Yummy stuff!
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| Super Handsome Husband and Mr Champagne did not have Prosecco. |
 |
| Sitting at the table, starting from left back: Me, Super Handsome, Mrs Innuendo. Going to the right back, Mr and Mrs Champagne and then Mr Innuendo. |
Then we drank, a lot. We laughed, a lot and we told funny stories! We did manage some dinner in there as well. Mr Champagne had recently been in New York city for his 40th birthday and he shared the now famous handbag story. Let’s just say that it involved a Mulberry handbag, some hung over English blokes and ended with lots and lots of laughter!
Then I decided to WOW my English friends with a funny phrase that required Super Handsome to recount a super hilarious story that caused our English friends to laugh hysterically at our American cluelessness!
Long story short....
You see what she is doing? Well, is has a TOTALLY different meaning in the UK. When I said the phrase we use (as I was shoving a second drink in his hand) Mr. Champgne’s eye almost detached themselves from his head. Since I do keep this blog g-rated.... I will go no further.
We were kicked out of our table after two hours. So, we headed to the bar.
 |
| Here are the girls! |
 |
| Here are the boys! |
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| Everyone but Mr. Champagne |
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| Little Miss Champagne took a picture with one of the performers! |
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| Ooooo! I wanted to as well! |
Then another performance started. Super Handsome was at the bar buying the last round of drinks. I decided to go a little closer to get a good view of what was happening. One of the staff members said “Hey! You can go on stage!” I thought, “WOT!” and guess who ended up on the stage, dancing and pulling up the tight little black dress I had decided to squeeze into that night.
 |
| This is not me, but it was our view of the stage. |
Sorry, there will be no pictures. It was fun and all, but really, no one needs to see the crazy American up on the stage flailing about and hitching up her dress. Mr Champagne kindly ran to tell Super Handsome where I was and he took pictures to prove that I was indeed a crazy American! What can I say, give me a little alcohol and my carefully chained up Mrs Extrovert takes advantage and comes out to play. Unfortunately, that means that the next morning Mrs Introvert comes out to survey the damage. She then has to decides how badly she is going to beat Mrs Extrovert.
We had a fantastic time and laughed like crazy. We are in the process of planning our next night of debauchery. I can’t promise to post about it.... what happens with the crazy Americans sometimes has to stay with the crazy Americans, especially since the American got the craziest!
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| Me and the birthday girl, Little Miss Champagne. |
Notes About France
As many of you are now aware, we have received our next ‘assignment'. We are leaving Merry Ole England sometime in July and headed to that gorgeous woman, Paris. Yes, as in France!
That said, we have a bit more time before this move, versus when we came here. So, I have been listening to podcasts to try and learn some French before we go. I have also been contacting schools, researching, and reading.
Glory days! Paris, f’ing France! Remember how I was pinching myself about being in England? Expect a whole lot of that and more. It seems that the French will present their own set of challenges to this crazy family. So, we (and by we I mean me) can’t wait for more crazy adventures! How are the boys responding? Well, oldest son swears I am ruining his life. Second son hates his French class already and is ambivalent about learning the language. Third son had tears because he misses Fort Wayne. Fourth son has had few complaints, thankfully.
I will be leaving this blog and starting a new one with our new set of adventures. Don’t panic, I promise I’ll let you know where my new blog is going and when...
We still have some time here and more adventures to experience here yet. So, all that research that I am doing is going into a special note book I have named “Noted About France”. Sadly, I can’t post a picture as I have been having horrible problems with iPhoto. You’ll just have to take my word for it that I am taking lots of notes about France in my little notebook!
That said, we have a bit more time before this move, versus when we came here. So, I have been listening to podcasts to try and learn some French before we go. I have also been contacting schools, researching, and reading.
Glory days! Paris, f’ing France! Remember how I was pinching myself about being in England? Expect a whole lot of that and more. It seems that the French will present their own set of challenges to this crazy family. So, we (and by we I mean me) can’t wait for more crazy adventures! How are the boys responding? Well, oldest son swears I am ruining his life. Second son hates his French class already and is ambivalent about learning the language. Third son had tears because he misses Fort Wayne. Fourth son has had few complaints, thankfully.
I will be leaving this blog and starting a new one with our new set of adventures. Don’t panic, I promise I’ll let you know where my new blog is going and when...
We still have some time here and more adventures to experience here yet. So, all that research that I am doing is going into a special note book I have named “Noted About France”. Sadly, I can’t post a picture as I have been having horrible problems with iPhoto. You’ll just have to take my word for it that I am taking lots of notes about France in my little notebook!
Thursday, March 7, 2013
Mouse Olympics
Our house is old.... really old. It was built before America was discovered. I am sure that is on the historical registry as well.
Old houses, even ones with relatively ‘new’ extensions are eccentric. In November, we heard sounds that indicated there were rodents going up to the attic above our room. I let me landlords know and they promptly asked a man to come in and lay down poison. Fantastic! Dead mice. The man assured me that it was not fast acting and that they should be out of the house before they kicked the can. Hmmm, well ok.
We still hear the pesky creatures every once and a while though. I keep assuring my husband that they laid done plenty of poison. They assured me they left a ton in the attic when they were leaving. Great!
Bring on the boiler man. If you remember, we recently had our boiler replaced, during one of the coldest weeks yet this year.... I am still not over THAT trauma! Anyway, he was kind enough (well that maybe a stretch), to let me know that we had a rodent problem as there were a lot of droppings in the little laundry/boiler shed. I reassured myself about the crapload of poison that was in my attic. Surely it was not all eaten yet!?!
Last night, I swear the mice decided that I did not need sleep. Before the birds started singing (and they sing darn early here!) I heard mice or at least one mouse up in the attic. I swear, they were holding their own mousie olympics. I distinctly heard the climbing, running, scratching, scampering, and chewing competitions.
I am fearful that there will be continuing activities tonight. Perhaps all the poison is gone and the participant(s) from last night are telling all their mousie friends.
No sleep tonight friends, Mousie Olympics, right here!
Old houses, even ones with relatively ‘new’ extensions are eccentric. In November, we heard sounds that indicated there were rodents going up to the attic above our room. I let me landlords know and they promptly asked a man to come in and lay down poison. Fantastic! Dead mice. The man assured me that it was not fast acting and that they should be out of the house before they kicked the can. Hmmm, well ok.
 |
| See the little brown door? (Not the front door, the other one!) that s where the little mousies are gaining entrance! |
We still hear the pesky creatures every once and a while though. I keep assuring my husband that they laid done plenty of poison. They assured me they left a ton in the attic when they were leaving. Great!
Bring on the boiler man. If you remember, we recently had our boiler replaced, during one of the coldest weeks yet this year.... I am still not over THAT trauma! Anyway, he was kind enough (well that maybe a stretch), to let me know that we had a rodent problem as there were a lot of droppings in the little laundry/boiler shed. I reassured myself about the crapload of poison that was in my attic. Surely it was not all eaten yet!?!
Last night, I swear the mice decided that I did not need sleep. Before the birds started singing (and they sing darn early here!) I heard mice or at least one mouse up in the attic. I swear, they were holding their own mousie olympics. I distinctly heard the climbing, running, scratching, scampering, and chewing competitions.
I am fearful that there will be continuing activities tonight. Perhaps all the poison is gone and the participant(s) from last night are telling all their mousie friends.
No sleep tonight friends, Mousie Olympics, right here!
Wednesday, March 6, 2013
S.A.D.
No, I am not sad. Well, ok, maybe a little bit. I am not talking about emotion today, I am talking instead about Seasonal Affective Disorder.
What is this, you might be asking? According to the NHS:
Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a type of depression that has a seasonal pattern. The episodes of depression tend to occur at the same time each year, usually during the winter.
When my 10 year old was a baby (wow, it was really that long ago?), I was talking to my good friend at the time. She mentioned that the lack of sunlight really made her feel down. It was new information for me. We also talked about how many of our friends were finding it difficult to cope with just being a mom and were taking anti-depressants. She was taking them at the time and she invested in a light to help her deal with Indiana’s lack of sunlight.
This is a little more about SAD from the NHS:
I stayed busy and thought that I was fine. I exercised regularly as a fitness instructor and I was busy going to school at the time. I was dealing with postpartum depression at the time, but I made it through on my own steam.
Fast forward to 2008. I was finished with school, had four children and was trying to hold down a job, be a mom and a volunteer. It was tough. We headed to Florida for our first trip to Disney. We followed up our trip with a week in the keys. We were blessed with fantastic weather and we hit the beach and basked in the sun. It was glorious and it made the rest of winter bare able. It was soon after that I realized I was definitely a fellow SAD sufferer. It also happened to be when we decided that it was time to move to a sunnier, warmer climate. We had had enough of the midwest with the doom and gloom of winter.
I tested myself and the kids for vitamin D deficient in 2010 and was not surprised that we were all deficient. So, we try to take a supplement when I can a)remember and b) find it. I also try to keep my exercise up, as it helps.
While we live in the sunniest part of the UK, we still have some gloom in the winter. We are also blessed with a short winter, and no big temperature extremes. Being on an island helps, the wind is always moving the clouds around. Usually, we are blessed with a bit of sun everyday.
The past two days have been glorious and filled with sunshine. All three colors of crocus are now out and some of the daffodils that are in full sun are trying to bloom. Spring is such an exciting time!
I am SAD for my friends back home that are have been or are in the process of getting hit with a massive snow storm. I have watched my Facebook account as the storm has crossed the midwest, first hearing things from my Minnesota/Iowa, then Illinois, Indiana and soon to be my east coast friends. Not to rub it in, but yesterday, I had the sunroof open and the sun was lovely. Today, is another gray day as it looks like the rest of the week is destined to be. I can take it, at least it’s not snow!
What is this, you might be asking? According to the NHS:
Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a type of depression that has a seasonal pattern. The episodes of depression tend to occur at the same time each year, usually during the winter.
When my 10 year old was a baby (wow, it was really that long ago?), I was talking to my good friend at the time. She mentioned that the lack of sunlight really made her feel down. It was new information for me. We also talked about how many of our friends were finding it difficult to cope with just being a mom and were taking anti-depressants. She was taking them at the time and she invested in a light to help her deal with Indiana’s lack of sunlight.
This is a little more about SAD from the NHS:
The exact cause of SAD is not fully understood, but it is thought to be linked to reduced exposure to sunlight during the shorter days of the year.
Sunlight can affect some of the brain's chemicals and hormones. However, it is not clear what this effect is. One theory is that light stimulates a part of the brain called the hypothalamus which controls mood, appetite and sleep. These things can affect how you feel.
In people with SAD, a lack of sunlight and a problem with certain brain chemicals stops the hypothalamus working properly. The lack of light is thought to affect:
- the production of the hormone melatonin
- the production of the hormone serotonin
- the body's circadian rhythm (the body's internal clock, which regulates several biological processes during a 24-hour period)
I stayed busy and thought that I was fine. I exercised regularly as a fitness instructor and I was busy going to school at the time. I was dealing with postpartum depression at the time, but I made it through on my own steam.
Fast forward to 2008. I was finished with school, had four children and was trying to hold down a job, be a mom and a volunteer. It was tough. We headed to Florida for our first trip to Disney. We followed up our trip with a week in the keys. We were blessed with fantastic weather and we hit the beach and basked in the sun. It was glorious and it made the rest of winter bare able. It was soon after that I realized I was definitely a fellow SAD sufferer. It also happened to be when we decided that it was time to move to a sunnier, warmer climate. We had had enough of the midwest with the doom and gloom of winter.
I tested myself and the kids for vitamin D deficient in 2010 and was not surprised that we were all deficient. So, we try to take a supplement when I can a)remember and b) find it. I also try to keep my exercise up, as it helps.
While we live in the sunniest part of the UK, we still have some gloom in the winter. We are also blessed with a short winter, and no big temperature extremes. Being on an island helps, the wind is always moving the clouds around. Usually, we are blessed with a bit of sun everyday.
The past two days have been glorious and filled with sunshine. All three colors of crocus are now out and some of the daffodils that are in full sun are trying to bloom. Spring is such an exciting time!
I am SAD for my friends back home that are have been or are in the process of getting hit with a massive snow storm. I have watched my Facebook account as the storm has crossed the midwest, first hearing things from my Minnesota/Iowa, then Illinois, Indiana and soon to be my east coast friends. Not to rub it in, but yesterday, I had the sunroof open and the sun was lovely. Today, is another gray day as it looks like the rest of the week is destined to be. I can take it, at least it’s not snow!
Sunday, March 3, 2013
The Princess
"Change occurs only when we become what we truly are, not when we are trying to be something we are not. Change can't happen when we are trying to escape our true nature”--Lucy Edge
Once upon a time there was a miserable princess who did not realize how miserable she really was... One day she watched two old ladies. One of the ladies was kind and gave her opinions, good and bad with love and kind words, her family loved her and sought her out for her wisdom and kindness. The other old lady gave her opinions with harsh words and sharp tongue, consequently, her family feared to speak to her even though they loved her. The princess knew which woman she was destined to be and it made her sad. So, the princess made a decision that day to make some changes in her own life. She just had no idea where or how to start.
The princess was married to a very handsome, smart prince who saw what others around her did not. He saw how beautiful she was on the inside and how unhappy she was on the outside. He helped her with her wish to change. It was not easy and they often fought. He was a valiant and faithful man and he stuck by her side though the painful struggles.
The princess has always wanted to learn more about Yoga, and one day the she had the opportunity to learn. With the support and mentoring of some very caring people in her life she took many lessons over many years. The Yoga has made a big difference in her life and still continues too. She continues to learn and to further her training.
She then spent some time talking to a counselor. She found it helpful. But times were still tough in her life and she went back to another counselor for more help. She was determined to make some serious changes to her life. She wanted to change. In fact, she still strives to change and to be a better person each and every day. She reads, does Yoga, runs, and listens to the universe and learns from other positive, loving relationships in her life.
The princess slowly but surely eliminated the things in her life in which conflict was greatest. She tried hard to deal with the conflicts that she could not avoid in new ways. Sometimes, that included not talking about specific subjects or even taking a big step away from the situation. She even asked not hear discussion about things that might cause her to go back to her old ways and routine. Most of those that were close around her noticed her changes and she found her relationships with them changing in very positive ways.
Being a human princess, she still makes mistakes. Occasionally she finds herself back in her old cycle and in unhappy situations. Those times are unhappy ones for her even though she still learns something important about herself.
She is happier now as she surrounds herself happy, positive friendships and caring people. Her friends seem very surprised if she mentions a story about how she used to be in the past. Once upon a time, she used to push confrontation, now, she seeks harmony and prefers silence.
The Princess is still working to improve herself and she probably always will. Because life is an amazing journey and she intends to live it that way. Namaste.
"Enlightenment was not a trophy to be lifted high in one triumphant moment, it was about seeing clearly, and choosing wisely in daily life”--Lucy Edge
Once upon a time there was a miserable princess who did not realize how miserable she really was... One day she watched two old ladies. One of the ladies was kind and gave her opinions, good and bad with love and kind words, her family loved her and sought her out for her wisdom and kindness. The other old lady gave her opinions with harsh words and sharp tongue, consequently, her family feared to speak to her even though they loved her. The princess knew which woman she was destined to be and it made her sad. So, the princess made a decision that day to make some changes in her own life. She just had no idea where or how to start.
The princess was married to a very handsome, smart prince who saw what others around her did not. He saw how beautiful she was on the inside and how unhappy she was on the outside. He helped her with her wish to change. It was not easy and they often fought. He was a valiant and faithful man and he stuck by her side though the painful struggles.
The princess has always wanted to learn more about Yoga, and one day the she had the opportunity to learn. With the support and mentoring of some very caring people in her life she took many lessons over many years. The Yoga has made a big difference in her life and still continues too. She continues to learn and to further her training.
She then spent some time talking to a counselor. She found it helpful. But times were still tough in her life and she went back to another counselor for more help. She was determined to make some serious changes to her life. She wanted to change. In fact, she still strives to change and to be a better person each and every day. She reads, does Yoga, runs, and listens to the universe and learns from other positive, loving relationships in her life.
The princess slowly but surely eliminated the things in her life in which conflict was greatest. She tried hard to deal with the conflicts that she could not avoid in new ways. Sometimes, that included not talking about specific subjects or even taking a big step away from the situation. She even asked not hear discussion about things that might cause her to go back to her old ways and routine. Most of those that were close around her noticed her changes and she found her relationships with them changing in very positive ways.
Being a human princess, she still makes mistakes. Occasionally she finds herself back in her old cycle and in unhappy situations. Those times are unhappy ones for her even though she still learns something important about herself.
She is happier now as she surrounds herself happy, positive friendships and caring people. Her friends seem very surprised if she mentions a story about how she used to be in the past. Once upon a time, she used to push confrontation, now, she seeks harmony and prefers silence.
The Princess is still working to improve herself and she probably always will. Because life is an amazing journey and she intends to live it that way. Namaste.
"Enlightenment was not a trophy to be lifted high in one triumphant moment, it was about seeing clearly, and choosing wisely in daily life”--Lucy Edge
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