Sustainablitily

We hear this “green” term so much these days.  I’ve been internet crawling for several weekends..and I think I’ve finally figured this out. Sort of…..

The meat we eat is nothing like the meat our forefathers ate.  The beef, pork and poultry is crammed with so many antibiotics and hormones that we have no idea how it would taste without them.  The fruit and vegetables we buy are loaded with insecticides and pesticides….and that’s pretty much all one can taste when you bite into them.

I talked to Steve about having chickens…but I wonder what I would do with them when they quit laying….I don’t think I could “kill” them myself…but if I could take them to someone who could do “it” and give me the meat…..well, I would consider that.  And then, I look at myself and think ….”that is pretty lame”  I should be able to raise an animal that I plan on eating and eat it.  Now, while writing this, I understand that this sounds horrible..but this is what we have been doing for hundreds of years.  Why should I go to the ‘big store” and buy meat that is brutally raised and inoculated with all kinds of poisons?  I could raise a cow, bull, goat, sheep, chicken…that animal could live and be happy during it’s life and then make me happy when I eat.

I think I will start with Chickens.

 

 

OOPS

In my previous post, I didn’t mean to imply that childbirth was an addiction… I think it’s just easy for people to forget what they go through for the greater good.

Have a nice day!

Don’t Judge Me

I’m not sure how it happened….but today..I rationalized my way into buying a pack of cigarettes…and smoking some of them there cigarettes…..

Now, if I weren’t serious about this “quitting smoking” thing, I would have kept this to myself and no one would know the otherwise…..but I would like to shame myself a bit.

NOW…I feel the need to express my disappointment in a few people I have encountered in the past 10 days of this endeavor….

When a person says,  “I quit  _____ so many [hours, days, weeks, months, years] ago”….do not reply with, “I quit cold turkey and I’ve never looked back”….I KNOW you are lying.  You know…it’s kind of like a woman who has given birth….she has her child to look at and forgets the trauma that her body went through in order to incubate and deliver that child.  I don’t believe that anyone who finally rids themself of an addiction did it without some sort of suffering.

Quitting smoking is the most difficult thing I’ve ever done.  I’m not doing it very well, but I’m determined to put it in my past. I’ve felt too good for the past 10 days to NOT quit.

The Polk County Fair is coming up this week and I will be busy….busy is GOOD.  As long as I”m busy, I’m not smoking.

This little dog is driving me insane…but that’s another story…..

A few days early!

Just had to post these pics of my babies!Sorry, this is a little blurry.

There is Steve, trying to make her feel comfortable

So we have a new baby…and I can’t eat a cigarette….

Today, we adopted Maggie.  I picked her up from the Vet’s office after she had her surgery (spaying).  She seems to be quite a sweet little doggie; however, she has thrown up all over the place.  Just water….but throwing up none the less.  As the evening has turned into night time…she seems to be feeling a little better, though she hasn’t touched her food.  We will continue to talk to her…I will take her outside a couple more times.  Tomorrow I hope to see that she is perking up and keeping water down.

As for my not smoking…I’m still not..but today has been terrible!  I feel like I”m gaining weight by the second, which frightens the heck out of me.  But I know I can get rid of the weight as soon as I start walking again (training for the half marathon).  I will begin training on Monday, though the official training doesn’t begin until October.

I go to work this weekend, so there will be no dog tales until Monday.  I am hoping I have wonderfully funny and informative stories to share by then.

REALLY new post – dog/kid to be

The post from earlier was actually written a few days ago…you know…I’m just trying to get up and going on this BLOG thing.
A friend of mine found this little dog last week.  Apparently, this dog didn’t get along with the dog already at home.  SO…the dog went to another friend….that didn’t work out…so…we are meeting tomorrow..with the dog..after she is spayed.  Oh, she’s gonna love US.  She’s going to wake up and there we are going to be, she will have pain and will think we are responsible.

I’m looking forward to having this little booger around….haven’t had a puppy in a long time.  She’s 10-11 months old…I hope she doesn’t destroy our leather sectional.  I’m thinking she will have to stay in our bedroom when we aren’t around.  We’ll see.

Day 5 – Quit smoking

I am doing remarkably terrible this evening. This whole “quit smoking” business is on my last nerve right now…I haven’t smoked since Thursday, and, right now…I think I could scratch up enough dead grass to light fire to and suck into my lungs. Now…that makes me think…the entire concept of “smoking” is the most ridiculous concept ever introduced to mankind.

…****Hey, Joe…let’s roll this stuff into paper and suck smoke into our lungs…that would be awesome!!!!******

OK..now, not to offend anyone, I can understand that thousands of years ago, some people were sitting around a fire and threw some dried cannabis in the flames…next thing you know…they are all giggling and asking grandma to cook up some mammoth steaks while they are having deep, intellectual conversations about the water stain on the side of the cave. That makes a little sense to me…but who the heck determined that a human could suck tobacco smoke into their lungs and think that was any kind of fun? For some reason, I’m thinking the original “peace pipe” didn’t contain tobacco…know what I’m sayin’?

Oh, yes, my friends…I’m pretty ticked off at whoever introduced my lungs to tobacco. I’m mad. Actually, I’m mad because something has that kind of control over me. I’ve not been sleeping very well since Thursday and this rant is secondary to my lack of sleep. I have always had an affinity for addicts. Maybe because I have such an addictive personality myself. Thank GOD my addictions have lead me to places other than the gutter.

Never think your feet are secured to the ground as you tiptoe along the edge of that cliff. And never forget that EVERYONE tiptoes along that cliff!

I WANT a cigarette…but I think I will eat something and go to bed….and pray for strength to get through this!

Hello world!

I’m not really sure why I have decided to begin this blog other than I like to talk…and I spend a lot of time alone which is not conducive to talking.  Well, I talk to myself (and yard critters and inanimate objects) a lot and I think I’m quite brilliant while conversing with myself.

My husband and I have been “host parents” of 5 exchange students…not all at once and not now….but over the years.  Vanessa (Brazil) lived with us in 1997.  Tomo (Japan) lived with us 2003-04.  Cristina (Italy) was here 2004-05.  Julian (Germany) was here  2010-11.  Our last kiddo was Ivan (Spain) 2011-12.  Being a host mom has been a most wonderful experience.  These kids are so special to me in so many ways.

My passions include gardening (both flower and vegetable) and cooking.

As for now…I am quitting smoking.  That is the biggest thing for me to talk about.  I have smoked since I was 16 or thereabout.  I’m hating EVERY minute of this whole quitting thing and I’m going to share it with you!