Breaking Down and Building Up

Even though we have sprung forward, I never seem to miss the lost hour.  Having gotten out of bed at 5 this morning, it should have felt like 4, but instead it felt like 6.  Go figure.  What we lost in an hour, we make up EVERY SINGLE day when the sun is still shining in the evening, giving us much more of a day….especially for the 9-5ers.  Last night it was definitely a grilling night, specifically so we could be cooking outside when it would have been dark, just the evening before.   Mitch and I did a lot of bonding with mother nature this weekend, and even enjoyed our first lettuce, tomato, carrot and fresh herb salad from our garden!  Though at this point we were only able to reap one salad to share, it was quite rewarding and quite obviously fresh.  I also started (finally) a compost bin, which Derek has been encouraging me to start again.  We had one almost 20 years ago in our old house, when the kids were very young, and it was successful.  Not sure why we never started a new one in this house, but this weekend was the time to get it going.  I used a simple Rubbermaid garbage pail with a secure lid, drilled holes in the bottom, top and side and layered it with browns,  (leaves and twigs) greens (grass clippings, freshly clipped shrubbery) and then added some things from the kitchen like fruit and veggie scraps and coffee grinds, a layer of soil, some water and hopefully it should start decomposing in just a couple of weeks. I am NOT adding my own worms, but hoping what needs to get in there, will, via the holes I made. Since composting makes THE most nutritious soil, I am anxious to feed our gardens with our own soil some day in the not so far off future.  Carole, thanks for sending the info in comment this weekend.  As I said, you Californians are so way ahead of the curve!  In all the talk last week about Paul Braggs, I forgot to mention that he is from Santa Barbara…And speaking of Braggs, I am now drinking the apple cider vinegar (ACV) twice a day.  I tried a tablespoon in the hot water with some honey and it IS rather enjoyable that way!  I will mix up drinking it warm and cold, depending on the time of day and my mood BUT I WILL DEFINITELY continue drinking it daily.  According to everything I read (and thank you, Rita, for bringing me that booklet all about it) it sounds like it is the magic potion that we all need…for just about everything and anything that does or might ail us!  It seems the key to the ACV is the potassium it supplies and apparently many of us might need an extra shot of potassium.  It makes total sense to me, that I would, given the amount of exercise I do daily and weekly.  If you are considering trying the ACV, make sure it is of great quality.  Braggs certainly is!  You want to make sure the pulp (or “Mother”) is included.

Did you know that just 7 minutes a day of meditation can help you curb your food cravings?  Visualizing yourself saying NO to those no-no foods, or seeing yourself as you will be 10 pounds thinner, or just taking the 7 minutes to BE can all aid in helping to say NO when cravings arise.  I had several great opportunities to meditate this weekend, once at the beach, which was absolutely beautiful and another while I was picking leaves out of the white rock in front of the house, while Mitch was laying down fresh mulch.  It’s amazing how much you can clear your head while sitting and doing something TOTALLY mindless.

Mitch won tickets to this past Saturday’s Miami Heat game and that was fun.  I have always enjoyed the fact that basketball is a NON violent sport.  Ok, I also think the players have THE best arms and shoulders in the world.  I say for those that are looking for that strong, ripped and cut look in the upper arms and shoulders, dribble, dribble, shoot and repeat…

Because quite a few of my students have asked for more of the peaceful yoga, I am considering doing a master-class one Friday night, soon, at Tamarac Fitness Center.  I am mulling around something like 6-7:15 ish.  It would be a “stretch and stress reduction,” type class.  No challenging athletic poses.  Lots of breathing and definitely some meditation.  There would have to be a fee, but I would keep it as low as possible.  Members who pay in advance would get the lowest rate I could possibly offer.  I need to run this by Ron, but let me know if you might be interested…I would like to give it a try in the next couple of weeks.  This might be something we can think about doing as a once a month as a way to unwind our bodies and minds and connect with our spirituality.  We can all use that.

The further along I get in the book When Things Fall Apart, the more I am certain that all things are easier and better with love, compassion and acceptance.  While much of the book is very vague, and more of a concept than anything very concrete, I just started a chapter about opinions.  It suggests that we simply become aware of our opinions…that we recognize that an opinion is JUST that.  OUR idea of what is right or wrong.  It’s not fact, not even close to fact, just opinion.  While I am very close to the end of the book, this is the first chapter that literally slapped me in the face.  Just being aware of my opinions.  I am going to focus a lot on that.  I tend to be way too opinionated, and really, who the hell am I to be?  Awareness is ALWAYS the first step towards change, so I am excited to now be focused in on that change.

The sun is just making it’s way up and it’s already past 7.  If you drive to work in the morning dark, please be extra careful.  Happy spring break to those that are enjoying it this week, as I know many, at least here in Broward County, are.   Get in a little extra peace…and fitness.

 

 

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