I was today-years-old when I discovered the 5-minute stay-in-your-car oil change didn't literally mean 5 minutes.
It was a busy day. Over coffee and my GPS map, I planned my route and my stops to the minute. I put on fancy but comfortable clothes to give me a good attitude. Made me feel like I meant business.
So when the 5 minute oil change in fact took nearly 55 minutes, I was bummed. (There were two cars in front of me so should have taken 15 minutes, I'll admit that.)
The stay in your car, stay in your car, stay in your car (!!) signs all over the place kept me in, but I'll tell you I desperately wanted to get out in my serious clothes and clip clop my heels over to give them a good reprimand and let them know I mean business today.
Instead, I took a deep breath. Crossed a few things off my to do list and rerouted my map.
What a refreshing feeling to Let It Go. To not get all upset and huffy puffy. What a way to live, to just go with the flow and cooperate with whatever crosses your path. And even to give a smile to the guy who messed up your plans, who lied to you with the 5-minute promise.
Big smile, "Hi Mr. Liar-Liar-Pants-On-Fire, you can't ruin my day, you are powerless! Have a wonderful day you nasty, wasty skunk."
I shifted gears, slid my shades down and winked at him. B-bye!
I think I'll make it my New Year's resolution to just have a good day. Every day.
I keep returning to the Yonahlossee Outlook on the Blue Ridge Parkway, usually at sunrise. I inch up the parkway in the dark and watch the sky wake up, then speed down the mountain to try to get to work on time.
Now that the kids are grown and out of the house, I've resumed my art and have been surprising myself.
Charcoal portrait of my son.
I joined Sketchbox and get a surprise each month, so that encourages me to try new things -- I drag my feet and need a LOT of encouragement to try new things.
Watercolor of me with my granddaughter, Charlie.
The February 2019 sketchbox contained oil pastels. Ugh. I hate using anything oil. And pastels? Double Ugh. However.... I have to say.... I've come to like them. I actually enjoy using them for certain things. Here are some things I made with oil pastels.
Portrait of Sophia, my granddaugher.
From a view I had in Ireland.
I've discovered that for me, the best thing to do with oil pastels is something HUGE and very colorful.
I recommend Sketchbox. It's a little costly, but so much fun and will push you out of your comfort zone.
This requires some time -- meal planning and prep -- but seems like a pretty healthy way to eat. Intermittent Fasting. I'm learning as I go, but Patti is a GREAT teacher, coach and champion.
Give it a shot!
Patti Holsenback is a pre- and post- natal fitness coach and runs a Strong Core, Strong Mom workshop that is amazing. She also leads the FASTer Way to Fat Loss, too, and maybe a few other things. She's also passed the SC Bar and is a lawyer, but she's a stay at home mom currently.
Columbia, SC - With the push of a button, Richland Library is bringing one, threeand five-minute doses of literary joy to local readers.
Three Short Story Dispensers are now on display at our Main location (1431 Assembly Street), and eventually, these dispensers are making their way to other library locations and designated community spots around Richland County.
How does it work? The dispensers distribute a randomly printed story from a
catalog of thousands, covering a range of genres. Then, people can save their
short stories, share them with family and friends or leave them in places for others to find. Also, keep the stories going by sharing photos, using SetStoriesFree.
Richland Library is one of four libraries to receive Short Story Dispensers
as part of Public Library Association's (PLA) Fostering Creative Community Connections project. The other three libraries are:
Akron - Summit County (OH) Public Library
Free Library of Philadelphia (PA)
Wichita (KS) Public Library
Currently, there are 150 Short Story Dispensers installed or about to be installed with a goal to promote reading, community engagement, library programs and services, and creative expression from diverse writers.
Stay tuned, Richland Library plans to release details in fall 2018 on how local writers can contribute to future content in the Short Story Dispensers. For questions, please contact Emily Stoll at 803-587-3637 or email estoll@richlandlibrary.com.
About Richland Library
Richland Library is a vibrant, contemporary organization that provides resources
and information that advance the Midlands. Offering state-of-the-art technology, a variety of literary and cultural programs and 11 bustling facilities located throughout the county, Richland Library offers a truly customizable, modern library experience for residents and visitors alike.
I've a growing concern about the health damages we incur from increased cell phone and WiFi use, the carcinogenic factors from the RF and EMF radiation. More and more studies are coming in and proving this to be true. Environmental Toxins Information
In this past week's Thriving Child Summit, Dr. Libby Darnell, DC gave us some practical tips for reducing our health risks from. EMFs. I'm going to summarize them below for you. Following that, you can see a video from 2014 wherein Dr. Devra Davis, author of Disconnected, presented the scientific data supporting this claim about wireless radiation. Worst Wireless Products
Baby Monitors. There isn't a safe one on the market. If you really must have one, try to have just audio and not visual which has a stronger signal and keep it as far away from your baby as possible.
Computers. Try to have them wired, not WiFi. If not wired, say on a laptop or chromebook, etc, don't use it when it's plugged in, that makes it worse. When plugged in, you're using a worse type of current. Your cell phone is worse when it's plugged in as well. Using a laptop is safer than using a desktop because desktops have to be plugged in. Using a laptop with WiFi turned off is even better. If you have to use a desktop, there are filters you can buy to clean dirty electricity. Use two filters per desktop.
WiFi. The ideal situation is to have everything wired and skip the WiFi. If you must have WiFi, go to Home Depot or Lowe's and get an outlet timer. Plug your power cord for your WiFi into that timer and set it to be off at night when you're not using it. Give your family a span where it's not transmitting. Also, have the router as far as away as possible, especially away from your kids.
Cell Phones: As much as possible, keep your cell phone in airplane mode with the WiFi turned off, especially for your children. Why do they need a cell phone anyway? The radiation penetrates their brains much deeper, much worse than adult brains. If your kids are playing games on the cell phone, you can have it in airplane mode with the WiFi turned off. Always use head sets, never use Blue Tooth. There are actually warnings deep in your phone's settings about not using your headset. Laws are being drawn up to ensure cell phones must be sold with headsets.
Keep your cell phones away from your body as much as possible. Keep it near a window so every time it looks for a signal, it is not pinging your body. Studies are proving that cell phones stored in a woman's bra have directly led to breast cancer. Studies are proving that cell phones in men's pockets are leading to infertility.
Teenagers seem to be especially difficult to convince to take this issue seriously. As a parent, do what it takes to protect their health. Dr. Libby's advice? Bribery actually works. Monitor their phones. Each time you find it in airplane mode with the WiFi off, you reward them.
If you are pregnant and need to use your cell phone a lot, there is a uterine cover you can purchase
Electric Meters. Most electric companies now use Smart Meters to monitor your electricity usage. These smart meters transfer information a set amount of times and each time it is responding, it is dangerous to your health.
Look at your electric meter.If you have 5 clock looking things, you’re ok, it's still analog.If there’s a number, digital number, you need
to take action. If you have a digital meter, call the electric company.Find out how often that signal is transmitted,
and is it transmitted through space or through wire?Then you can purchase a material, similar to tin foil, to put around the meter, wrap it, look for videos on how to do it
– don’t want to focus it to your neighbors, either, encase the whole thing.Some companies come out and do it.You, legally, aren’t supposed to touch the
meter.
Also, you could call and see if you can opt out,
swap your digital meter for analog, which might require a small fee.I recommend paying the fee to have someone
come out and read it.
Where is that meter located?Do you have a child sleeping next to that wall?Move them away right now.Same thing with major electronics.Fuse boxes and main energy sources, get
kids away from them, a WiFi router – get it away from blasting yourself.Fridges give out a lot of dirty electricity as well.
Light Bulbs. Light bulbs have become an issue for dirty electricity now as well. Just use the old fashioned ones, they are a lot safer. LED Bulbs.
Microwaves. Just don't use them. If you must use one, stand as far away from it as possible while it is in action.
Here are some tips for cleaning yourself from your exposure to EMF and RF radiation. First, test your house and buy filters. Then, take an Epsom bath daily or several times a week. Spend a few minutes each day with your bare feet in the dirt. Spend a few minutes each day simply standing on tin foil. Yes, this works, all that excess energy flows out into the foil. Do it at night while brushing your teeth.
Should you use those expensive grounding mats or grounding sheets?If you're in the US, England or Australia – don’t do it.If you do it, you’ll be bringing IN that
dirty electricity.You’re plugging in a
very expensive fabric covered tin foil.You plug it in, then you’re bringing that electricity into it and then
you lay on it.That dirty electricity
goes through it.If you stand on it NOT
plugged in, it works.But it works just
like tin foil!Just buy tin foil. Check your symptoms of radio wave sickness here.
Once you are protecting your children at home, what should you do about school or the dance studio or wherever they spend a lot of time? Find out where their WiFi routers are located and make sure your child is not near them. Then offer to buy filters for the classroom. Talk to the principal or school superintendent. Arm yourself with research from Stetzer Electric. Once they are aware of this, they may offer to test the rooms for dirty electricity and put filters as needed. Some people get shielding clothing for their children, but this is usually difficult for the children. France has already outlawed dirty electricity and more places are outlawing WiFi in public schools.
The following research is from 2014. I'm sure there is updated information elsewhere, but this can get you started. The labyrinth of YouTube is exhausting to me. Besides, I need to go get my feet in the dirt right now. Love you, mean it!
How are you doing with all your New Years resolutions? Are you participating in my #52Weeks of change? I am still participating, I just haven't been posting about it.
Around the third or fourth week, I added this anti-inflammatory tea to my morning routine. Honestly, I haven't noticed a change in my health yet. Add the following to your cuppa boiling water:
1 tsp. turmeric powder
1/2 tsp. ginger powder
1/4 tsp. black pepper if you can tolerate it, I hate it
juice of 1/2 lemon, I usually add more
2 tsp. raw honey
Google's all over this, so you can easily find alternative recipes. You can use more ginger, but I'm not a fan, so I keep mine minimal. Ditto with the pepper.
If you recall, on week one of my personal #52Weeks, I began Yoga. Well, I'm still doing it, but I haven't improved much because first my son had a burst appendix and I spent a lot of time with him during his 5-day stay at the hospital. Then I was in a bad accident on January 23rd in which I had bruised ribs, a bruised nose (I think maybe broken) and a badly sprained wrist. The doctors thought the wrist was broken in two places and they put it in a cast at first. Then another doctor viewed it differently and put me in a splint. I still have another week in a wrist splint from that. While six of us in the vehicle were injured, one friend died from her injuries five days after the accident. It was an absolutely horrific week and I still can't believe she's gone. It's been a tragic start to the new year for my friends and family.
In addition to the Yoga and turmeric tea, the weekly changes include being deliberate and intentional with love, forgiveness, gratitude, & releasing bitterness. The #52Weeks of change will include abstract changes like these as well as the concrete, physical changes. Go for it! Join me with #52Weeks of change in 2017.
I began with the Tiny House Movement and built a 750 square foot apartment in my husband's enormous shop on our property in which I could live. Unfortunately, I quit blogging in March of 2014 so I could devote my spare time to salvaging the un-salvageable and I did not document my journey into minimalism.
After a tumultuous year in my new habitat, I am loving it!
Basically, I want to own less, maintain less, consume less, spend less.... you get the picture. One day I decided I want to go grocery shopping less. Thanks to my local high school FFA, I have my cucumbers, squash and maters started, I'm not talking about producing my own food though. I mean this: Use what I have. See how long I can live without purchasing groceries.
I challenged myself to empty my fridge, freezer and cabinets without purchasing more stuff.
I'm now down to some weird stuff, probably stuff you'd imagine: a whole box of white rice, a bottle of Lupo's Spiedie Sauce and no meat for it, peanut butter, bread crumbs, a few eggs.
Today's creative meal was so good,
I have to share:
Ignore the hotdog in the very old bun. Although it was good. (Applegate Farm's organic, nitrate-free, grass fed,etc.)
This is the good stuff: I made some minute rice and topped it with sauteed onions, green beans and broccoli. (with Happy Cow butter) The best part: I sprinkled half a lime and half a lemon over it and that turned it into something crazy good.
It's the small things that make life so grand.
Live Small.
I've recently been concerned about the everyday products I ingest through the air or through my skin everyday such as makeup, lotions, hair products, air fresheners, candles, etc. Things we don't usually think much about, but use repeatedly. Trying to buy smarter is challenging. It takes a chemist to interpret ingredients listed on a label. It takes a lobbyist or activist to interpret a company's environmental stance.
Not anymore! Try the GoodGuide App. This app has all the product information you want with the touch of a button.
I just downloaded the GoodGuide app and scanned my Crest Toothpaste.....
Today's Tasty Tuesday recipe isn't so tasty. In fact, it's quite un-tasty.
But your liver and gallbladder will love you for it and you'll feel much better all around.
Cleansing your liver of gallstones will dramatically improve your digestion. Often when the gallbladder is scanned, nothing is seen, as was my case. But the abdominal discomfort and pain remained. Many gallstones are too little to be caught on x-ray or simply are not in the gallbladder and instead are hidden in the biliary tubing.
With gallstones, much less cholesterol leaves the body and much more bacteria and parasites stay in the body.
Since I found great relief by doing this cleanse, many of you have asked for the recipe......
