Birthday Wishes

Happy Birthday to my cousins, Lindsay and Ryan!  I love and miss you!  Raise a glass of red for me!

Sixteen Days and Counting

Through my years, at least through my adult years, I have been lucky to have a fit having a healthy body, inside and out with my daily activities.  That is until I returned to school.  The first year was havoc on my body and mind, then I found yoga!  The year following remained the same, then the yoga bug got inside me, I chained it to a wall so it wouldn't go anywhere and adored it daily.  I woke each day with full intention to practice!   Then...sadly I lost so much; all the changes I was going through, all the emotional grief and moving there and here.  Now as I am approaching 40 years of age, I look in the mirror and I am not the person I once was.  

One day, glancing in the mirror I said to myself, "This is not my body."  Then again a few days later I find another mirror and stare at the person looking back, and say, "This is not me."  Finally on the third glance another day, more of a stare, I knew it was me but definitely not who I think I should be.  You know, a smart, fit, energized woman.  

Then it truly hit me, my god, I am going to turn 40 looking like this!  Hell no!  I am taking back my energy, taking back my fit self and conquering the world.  Running, walking and trying to focus on yoga!  Yes, trying...my mind jumps from one thought to one memory to another thought to another...yada yada yada.   Crazy to think of where my mind is today and where it was years ago; I know I will be there again.  Sure I am not giving myself enough time to see the changes in sixteen more days, but my body and mind are already feeling it and loving it!  

To health and love! 

Surrounded by Aspens

Thousands of Aspen trees surround an unpaved path with one visible pine tree ahead in the distance.  The perfect dark, brown knots and knobs line each white bark with no particular pattern.  Known for their slender and tall shape, they are grouped by their masses, as if they have grown their own armies and will withstand any fight.  Some white bark trees are leaning toward another; are they seeking support of those nearby or do they know how strong they are and are pushing their limits for greater strength?  Some are leaning into the air, with no tree close by for support.  Are they strong enough to withstand a wind storm and keep from falling into the deep fluffy snow below?  Or will their light bodies crack and fall to the cold and dark floor and be lost 

hiding in the depths until late spring when the snow has melted and new growth surrounding it?  

I want to reach out and touch the Aspen before me, his smooth white bark, brown fragile limbs, rooted knots.  His small fragile arms reaching to the left as if to confuse me to walk in that direction when it is the lone pine I seek straight ahead.        

Standing in the crowd of Aspens, there is enough light from the white snow and the white barks keeping my journey light, yet up ahead the natural light looks  dimmer.  But is it really?  With one full, deep inhale, filling my lungs with fresh mountain air, it is clear to me that the light here is just as light as it is further up.  With a long  exhale, clearing my lungs, making room for more crisp mountain air, I am eager to continue one step at a time to journey further into the unpaved path and closer to the lone pine knowing there are many more pines visible from the crowded mass of Aspens surrounding me.  

This path is bright and fulfilling,  as I dance around the Aspens and skip through their unparallel  pattern, keeping my eyes on the lone pine.  My journey now and tomorrow are just I plan it, to be in the middle of thousands of Aspens, looking ahead to one pine anticipating the glory of seeing thousands more.    

Clerical Error

The weeks, days, hours, and agony of researching who wanted my identity led to the resolution that the medical center made a "clerical error".  Really?  How can you mix my social security number and my previous name with a child with the same name?  A child.  The parents must have filled out a patient record for their child before the two doctors saw her on two different dates; so how did the medical center mix one social with the other?  

However it happened is no longer an issue, and better not be an issue in the future; the medical center contacted me, apologized and begged for me to sign a non-disclosure form since my investigation has drawn up so much information; I agreed  because it seems no one has stolen my identity or my social security number.

Remaining in contact with the detective...sounds cool, right?  Detective.  Anyway, talking with her every couple days eased my anxiety quite a bit because she truly seemed she cared about my identity being stolen; when we both confirmed closing my case was the only thing to do, she sounded a little sad...quite a bit sad.

Now I wait again, wait for the credit bureau to receive the documents stating it was a clerical error, wait for them to take this collection off my credit report, and wait for my credit score to rise (significantly).  This could take up to 90 days!  Yikes, I just want my name and reputation to be back to where it was, where it is!

Something I have not ordered in YEARS!

Many of you will never believe what I did last night!  I had my first steak in about seven years.  Yes, a juicy, medium temperature filet mignon.  Oh my was it delicious.  Last week I went on a cleanse diet, eating nothing but vegetables and little fruit.  By Thursday I was hungry and pissed, I needed food, not just food but protein.  Yet, cheese was not sounding good, black beans didn't sound too bad, but what I really was craving was a steak!

Greg came back from being in Seattle all week on Friday and I tell him this, that I am ready to eat red meat.  He says, "Great, we will go to a steakhouse tomorrow...but you have to order a steak."  No hesitation, I say, "Okay, I will!"

Saturday night came and we went to a nearby steakhouse and I did it, I ordered a filet mignon.  I was unsure if I liked my steaks medium rare or medium in the past; I ordered it medium and was not disappointed.  A juicy steak, merlot and the best thing that has walked into my life, Greg!  A wonderful night.    

Can I still call myself a vegetarian?  I do not eat chicken and of course never a dirty pig or a cute lamb or...

Roosters and Hens

A couple new roosters, Kenny Powers and Little Dude, are at Greg's, both young and beautiful!  The hens, Dee Dee and Crystal, have taken to Kenny quite easily while the smaller rooster, Little Dude, has made better friends with their neighbors chickens.  The hens take shelter high in the barn so the foxes can not easily reach them, Kenny got the idea and has been sleeping not quite as high but out of reach of foxes, Little Dude on the other hand likes to sleep on a couple rungs up on a ladder...bad idea, easy food for the foxes.

Dee Dee and Crystal have been raised together since their young age so it is odd to see Dee Dee hanging down with Kenny Powers and leaving Crystal alone higher in the barn.