Share Your World – Week 20

Lately, Share Your World is about the only thing that gets me to my blog!  I’m in the midst of my super busy time of year and I’m super tired and scattered to boot. Although there are many things to love about May – the occasional warm sunny day, the way everything is green and fresh, the flowers, the singing birds and frogs and the scent of flowers drifting on the air – it’s a challenging month for me. Whatever pollen is floating around out there in full force this month makes me very, very tired and very, very achy. Combine that with the very, very busy schedule of baseball season and life in general and I feel like the beautiful month of May is a gauntlet I have to get through, with every day packed with challenges that I’m just not up for. But I’ll make it through. I always do, although not without some whining and a few temper tantrums along the way.

As usual, Cee‘s questions are a fun way to get me back to my blog to do a little bit of writing.  Thank you for hosting Share Your World, Cee!

Do you like winter, or not, and why? Although our winters are dull and dreary here, I’m grateful for winter. I like the slower pace of winter, the shorter days, the longer hours of darkness that fall like a veil to separate me from the frantic pace of the rest of the world. As an introverted, introspective kind of person, I need that hibernation time. The long, gray, boring days of rain can get old but I love the few cold, clear winter days we get. I love frosty mornings and seeing the sun weakly shining on barren tree branches. I love the winter birds, especially those darling little Juncos that winter in my yard.

But I also love when winter is over. Just looking at the fluffy canopy of fresh green leaves makes me smile. Even though it’s almost dark now, I can see those lovely leaves blowing in the wind and it makes me happy.

Are you a listener or talker?  This may be surprising because of my long-winded posts, but I’m more of a listener. Once I know someone and feel comfortable with them, I talk more but I’m a terrible conversationalist when I’m with people I don’t know well. Sometimes I just can’t think of a single thing to say.

What is your favorite juice or fruit drink?  I’m a fan of Synergy Kombucha drinks, which are a combination of fermented kombucha and fruit juices. My favorites are the Passionberry Bliss and the Guava Goddess.

What do you have to be so happy about?  I am very blessed. I have a husband that I’m still in love with after almost twenty years together, two healthy sons who are great people, a home, a very special dog and three loving cats. My parents and Don’s parents are still alive, as are our siblings. I have friends who I value, even though I don’t call or see them nearly enough. Each one of these people (well, beings since they aren’t all human) are a blessing that I am grateful for.

 

Share Your World – Week 19

It seems we skipped spring and went right into summer.Yesterday was in the low 80′s, breaking a past record high. And I finally got to do some yard work.  Three days of it, in fact. Friday afternoon I helped Michael with his lawn-mowing job and then Don and I spent all weekend working in our backyard. It went from being scary and embarrassing to good enough for this neighborhood. And I went from having energy to having none. But it was worth it and, even though I’m tired, I feel better in a way. Better but foggy. So please excuse any grammar or punctuation errors I made in answering Cee’s questions.

On a vacation what you would require in any place that you would stay?  My first, and most important, requirement is cleanliness. Second is thick enough walls to block out the sound of other people’s TVs. Beyond that, a refrigerator so I could bring some of my own food and a comfy bed. For anything longer than a weekend, I prefer to stay in a condo for the privacy and the access to a full kitchen. I can only do so much eating out and I’d give up the fancy pools and all that for quiet and privacy any day.

If you were or are a writer do you prefer writing short stories, poems or novels?  I prefer writing novels although I have a hard time maintaining focus on one project for that long. So far, I’ve written two middle-grade novels, one of about 20,000 words and the other 50,000 words. I started a young adult novel but quickly got lost somewhere in between all the sub-plots. I’m thinking about simplifying that story and writing it as a middle-grade. Or maybe I just need to outline better. I don’t know. I really haven’t found my way as a writer yet.

What’s your favorite song of the moment?  I don’t have a favorite song at the moment.  My favorite a few months ago was Begin Again by Taylor Swift. Usually her music sounds too young for me to connect with but there was just something about that song that I loved. The most played song in my iTunes library is a native american drumming song – A Path With Heart – by David and Steven Gordon. It’s my favorite mini meditation song.

If you were to buy a new house/apartment what is the top items on your wish list?  I don’t like my current house so this is something I like to dream about. At the top of my list of must-haves would be:

~ A view of the mountains

~ No neighbors close enough to hear the base from their stereo. (That drives me up the wall!)

~ A big, detached shop for Don and a nice, well-lit studio/office for me

~ A big kitchen with an island and lots of cupboards

~ A big, sunny backyard so I can have a garden

~ A rambler – stairs are difficult for our old dog and some days they’re difficult for us too

I’d prefer all this in a drier, sunnier climate but I don’t see that happening.

Lost in the Fog

One of the main benefits I’ve noticed from my gluten, corn, dairy and refined sugar-free diet is a clearer mind. My episodes of brain fog have been fewer and much less severe than in the past. For the most part, I’ve been able to drive without forgetting how everything on my dashboard works (except for the in Lexus, but that’s another story), I’ve gotten dressed every morning without getting confused about which articles of clothing go on first (pants before underwear just does not work!) and I’ve remembered how to operate the dishwasher, sink, stove, and shower. Believe it or not, this is a huge improvement! Gone are (or, sadly were) the days when I’d stand at the sink, turning the faucet on and off a dozen times, all the while trying to figure out why that wasn’t making the dishwasher come on.

Having my brain return to almost normal function is worth every pastry, piece of bread or slice of cheese that I’ve given up over the last sixteen months. I really thought I had this thing pretty well figured out and that I’d never again experience those terrifying moments of not remembering how to do the things I’ve been doing on a daily basis for most of my life.

But I forgot about the trees.

While it’s fairly easy to avoid gluten, corn, dairy and refined sugar, it’s impossible to avoid trees here in Western Washington where we are surrounded by the beautiful, pollen-spewing things. And, unfortunately for me, my neighborhood is populated with many alder and cottonwoods, both of which I’ve been allergic to since I was a kid.

The trouble started about two weeks ago. I woke up feeling stiff and achy and, worse, like my brain was swollen, the cells filled with cotton or some kind of gunk that made the cells not communicate with each other. It took me forever to get going in the morning and I found the day slipping away and I had no idea how I spent it. I blamed it on the cheese I ate the day before but I think that may have just been coincidence because the stiff, slow, achy, tired, foggy days have continued. I feel dizzy much of the time, especially when I move very fast (or, what passes for fast for me). I bump into things. I perceive things differently than they really are. (Just for a second this morning, Baby Dog’s teddy bear was our long-dead cat. That gave me a fright!). I feel disconnected, from everyone, from life, from myself.

Since I don’t have traditional allergy symptoms, I don’t see what good taking an allergy medication would do. Most of the side effects are similar to the symptoms I’m experiencing and the ones I’ve tried – Benadryl and Claritin – seem to aggravate my nervous system, which is already on the fritz.

I’m researching natural options and a few sound somewhat promising. But I can’t seem to get out the door to go buy them, which may be a good thing since I probably shouldn’t be driving anyway.

While I am disappointed that I’ve spiraled back down into the fog and dysfunction, I need to remember that I do feel better than in years past. The changes I’ve made have helped.

And this too shall pass.

 

Share Your World – Week 18

What is your favorite animal?  I would have to say a squirrel. Those cute little critters have really captured my heart in the almost twelve years that we’ve lived here in a high squirrel population area. They’re so fun to watch and many of them are very friendly as well. I don’t care if they nibble my crocus, steal my tulip bulbs, eat all the bird seed and make a mess on my deck. I love them and wouldn’t trade them for anything.

What is your favorite comfort snack food?  Right now I’m loving, craving and and trying to resist the plain, lightly salted Kettle brand chips dipped in Sabra pine nut hummus. (I’ve tried dipping celery in the hummus and it’s just not quite as satisfying!) Potato chips are definitely my biggest diet downfall. *hangs head in shame*

What subject would you like to study in depth, if given the time to do so?  This could be a long list for me! Every year I decide on a new topic to learn more about. This year it’s aromatherapy. I’m so interested by what I’ve learned so far, I want to find and take a course to become a certified aromatherapist.

What object do you always have with you when traveling and why?  I never leave home without a tube of Bert’s Bees tinted lip balm. It used to be just because I liked the pepperminty flavor and I disliked having chapped lips. Both of those things are still true, but I now also have this dark spot on my lip that looks like I have a dab of chocolate smeared on my mouth. I make light of it and call it The Perpetual Dab of Chocolate but I like to keep it covered up when I’m out in public because, as fond as I am of chocolate, I’d rather not look like I have it smeared on my face all the time.

Share Your World – Week 17

The sun is out here in Western Washington! I hope to get out and enjoy it for a little while but today is one of those days that I have a bunch of pesky items on my to-do list. I wish they could wait until the clouds return tomorrow but I don’t think my husband should go without his medication and probably doesn’t want to go without milk for his cereal. Plus, my cell phone won’t work because it says its member number is not active. And do they give you a number or email to contact them for customer service? No! Of course, not! So, I have to go in to the Verizon Store. Again. Grrrrr. Have I mentioned how much I hate phones?

Anyway, onto Cee’s questions for this week.

When writing by hand do you prefer to use a pencil or pen?  I definitely like pens better, especially for cursive.  But it can’t be just any pen, it has to be a good pen. A long pen. I don’t like short ones. And don’t even hand me a junky pen with a company logo on the side or one that is missing the cap. I  won’t use it unless I absolutely have to. I’m the same way with pencils, which I don’t mind using for printing. They have to be in pretty good shape or I’ll go looking for a better one. I secretly agreed with Daniel’s teacher when she threatened to give him an infraction because his pencil was too short.

Would you rather be given $10,000 for your own use or $100,000 to give anonymously to strangers?  This is a tough one. As much as I’d like to give $100,00 away to support many worthy causes, I have people I know that I would like to help. If we could pay off the loan we had to take out for Don’s medical expenses, we would be in a much better position to help family members. I could say no to the $100,000 for me, but I don’t know if I could say no to it on behalf of other members of my family, some of whom really need help. So my answer is: I don’t know!

Would you rather take pictures or be in pictures?  Definitely take pictures. I hate 99% of pictures of myself.

As a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?  On my 8th grade graduation program, I said that I wanted to become an archeologist or get married. I chose the latter. It took less math.

Share Your World – Week 16

I’m late with Share Your World. Again. This week it’s because life has kicked into that faster paced spring mode that I’m always too slow for. And that dang brain fog that I thought was because of the piece of cheese I ate? Well, it’s still hanging around, slowing me down even more. I feel like the tortoise trying to live in the hare’s world!

Anyway, before I fall into griping about the multitude of things that are irritating me, I’ll get going with this week’s questions.

Are you awake before dawn?  Or are you awake before noon?  When we’re on a trip, I love to be up before dawn. There’s something magical about the time just before and just after sunrise. However, when I’m at home, I can’t drag myself out of bed until sometime between 7-8. There are several reasons for this.

1. At home, I wake up to the never-ending chores that need to be done and I’m never in a hurry to get going with that.

2. My muscles are extremely stiff when I wake up and moving is very painful for the first thirty minutes to hour that I’m up. So, I lay there, postponing the inevitable.

3. I love drifting in that dreamlike theta state that comes between sleeping and waking and between five and seven a.m. seems to be the time I experience the most of  that. Lately, I’ve been hanging out with my (deceased) grandparents in those  just-before-waking dreams  and I don’t want to wake up because I know I’ll have to leave them.

4. The first few hours of sunrise at my house looks like this:

 

See the little dot of sun just a little above and right of the center of the photo? That’s all I see of the sun for the first couple of hours. If it’s a clear day, which is only about a third of the time. The rest of the time it’s cloudy, which could be my #5 reason for not wanting to get up to face the day.

Are you usually late, early, or right on time?  It depends on where I’m going. If it’s a family thing, we’re always late because no one wants to stop what they’re doing to get ready. For most other things, I shoot for just on time, which occasionally leads to being a few minutes late.

For your potato chips do you prefer ridged or flat ones?  I like flat chips the best. Kettle brand salt-n-vinegar is my favorite, of the chips that I can eat.

If you could inherit a vacation home anywhere in the world in which you could spend two months a year, where would it be?  I haven’t been enough places to make that call yet! Although I love Maui, I would have to go to Iceland, Nova Scotia, Scotland, Sedona, Arizona (and surrounding region) and travel the Rocky Mountains before I could decide if I like Maui the best. All those places are calling me.

Share Your World – Week 15

I am really late with Share Your World this week! I had to do some grocery shopping on Monday and then I met up with friends on Tuesday and Wednesday and, apparently, that was all just too much for me. I got overtired and mentally overstimulated and was unable to do much of anything Wednesday evening or yesterday. Plus, I made the bad decision to eat a cheeseburger Tuesday afternoon and I’ve had a major case of brain fog ever since. The way I felt Wednesday morning – unfocused and staggering around, not remembering how to do basic, everyday things – confirmed what I suspected: dairy gives me brain fog.  

So, anyway, here are the Week 15 questions:

What is one of your quirky traits? 

I think most people that know me probably see this as a flaw rather than just a quirk but,  I am not attached to my cell phone and I can’t keep track of the darn thing. I leave it upstairs when I go downstairs and downstairs when I go upstairs. I don’t remember to check it and can have multiple voicemails and messages and have absolutely no idea. Sometimes Frequently, I forget to charge it and will carry it around with me while it’s turned off and of no use. 

And I hate to break it to everyone who gets frustrated trying to get a hold of me, but I doubt this will ever change. You see, I hate phones. I hate making calls, I hate talking on phones, I hate holding them to my ear and I hate hearing them ring. 

Sorry. It’s just a quirk of mine.

What has surprised you about blogging?

It’s surprised me how much I look forward to reading about the lives of people from around the world and how I would love to actually meet some of them. 

I’m also surprised by how hard it is to write a post every day and how so many dedicated bloggers do it anyway. Kudos to you regular posters! You have my respect. 

Which do you prefer sweet or salty?  Or both at the same time?  

I like things that are a little sweet and I like salty foods but both at the same time is the absolute BEST. One of my favorite snack foods is kettle corn which, sadly, I can’t eat anymore. I feel so much better since I gave up corn, gluten, dairy and refined sugar, which leaves me without a sweet and salty snack favorite at the moment. But I’m still looking!