Eating? Reading? And Two Important Announcements!
Okay, I’m going to start with the most important thing- ELISABETH IS BACK!!! She has an incredible new blog. Phew! We’ve been deprived of her blog posts long enough. And speaking of Elisabeth, let’s start with food. I’m still working on my project of eliminating harmful oils from my diet, and guess what foods contain these oils? Basically, everything. Of course that’s an exaggeration, but so many of my old standbys are now off the table. Elisabeth sent me this recipe for protein balls, and I made them today: I like to joke that I can “ruin” any recipe, and this was no exception. I left out the maple syrup and chocolate chips, and used a little stevia instead. They are still delicious!!! Now I have something to reach for when I want a snack, other than pretzels or chips. Oh, here’s the second announcement- we have two new family members! (Warning… the following photos contain rodents in case you’re not a fan.) Yes, we finally got our rats. They are very friendly and affectionate! This was my daughter’s idea, and our new girls have been a good bonding experience for us… which we desperately needed. It’s not that my daughter and I fight, or argue all the time. It’s more that we just don’t understand each other. We’re very different people, and it’s hard. Nicole shared this poem, “On Children” the other day: You may give them your love but not your thoughts, For they have their own thoughts… So many times I’ve felt this would all be easier if I could just put my thoughts in my daughter’s head! Unfortunately it doesn’t work that way. Anyway, I’ve been feeling the need for some Buddhist wisdom so I’m re-reading this book: I love Pema Chodron- she’s a Buddhist nun, and her writings are profound, yet clear and easy to understand. Our aim is to fully awaken our heart and mind, not just for our own greater well-being but also to bring benefit, solace, and wisdom to other living beings. What motivation could top that? Do you have pets?- Now we have two cats (Muffin and Charlotte), two guinea pigs (Nutmeg and Cinnamon), and our rats, Kris and Lucy. I feel bad for my husband- he’s living in a house with eight girls!