Blessings Today: Spiritual and Store-Bought

A quick list.

1. My new Peanuts notebook from the Moleskine store in Moynihan Train Hall, up the escalator on the second floor. I love it. I made a list this morning of tasks for Life and for Work and found it helpful. I was productive. Dan usually doesn't read my blog, so I will say that I got him one, too (he loves Peanuts!!!!) for Father's Day. His set (shown above) includes 4 iconic Blackwing for Moleskine pencils. The following legends loved their Blackwings: John Steinbeck, Truman Capote, E.B. White, Aaron Copeland, Leonard Bernstein, Stephen Sondheim, Eugene O'Neill. You had me at Capote and White.
2. Restore & Release Yoga class tonight with Krystal at Yoga Mechanics in Montclair. "People say 'take up space,'" she said near the end. "You don't take up space, you fill the space you're given." I hope I got her wise words right. Also, lovely music and a drop of moon oil at the end, so beautiful.
3. Jones Road The Nail Polish Kit from Montclair resident Bobbi Brown. I brushed on Poppy tonight, her signature red. It feels modern and clean, went on smoothly, dried quickly. The kit includes a bottle that doubles as base and top coat. Yay. 
   
   
   
4. The New York Times cookbook, No-Recipe Recipes by Sam Sifton. I bought the crimson, cloth-covered book at Friends NYC shop in Bushwick, Brooklyn on Saturday on a fun weekend with Kim, Liz and Nan. Already made the savory French toast with torn basil and tomatoes and the pasta with puttanesca sauce. Empowering and stylish book. I take it with me to the supermarket.
5. Wednesday interactions with Figgy. My niece Leah, up in Maine. My sister. My garden.

Good night.

Mothering: Turning Fears Upside-Down

Image from RUN MOTO RUN. 

I'm trying hard over here to practice acceptance and to stand tall, or at least calmly stand by, in the face of fear and worry. To stay grounded. 

There's so much I want to put down, blank page and kind reader, about the cold, hard fears in our family....but that would be a violation of privacy on the public page, no matter how much it would be a release for my heart, mind, body and soul. I know you would help carry it.

For now, I will lighten my load by giving alternate names to the fears. For instance, let's say I had a motorcycle fear, because one of my two daughters was riding one. Then I could change that name here to something positive that the fear could maybe morph into one day, with the grace of God and a basket of luck. No matter how long it may take......days, decades, a lifetime (mother's or daughter's).

The motorcycle fear could become road map. Maybe the girl would grow to explore beautiful paths and places, arriving on her beast*.

If tattoos worried me (they don't, they are the least of my fears, though one daughter is prone to infections and pain from amateur applications), maybe the word switch would be: tattoo to body love. God knows they both like ink.

Right off, I listed 40 fears and dreads I have as a mother at this moment in time. To be fair, they almost all apply to just one girl. Many are just that, fears, and have not materialized. Many have. (Notice they are not in the context of wife, sister or friend, though maybe that's an oversight.) Here are my code phrases, turning my fears upside-down at 7:08 p.m. in my home office. You won't see the cold, hard fears, just the soft, turnaround wishes.

1. Floppy red roses, and the sweet scent of baby powder.
2. Compassion.
3. Self-esteem.
4. Readiness and wisdom.
5. Resilience.
6. Faith.
7. Success.
8. Skills.
9. Ice water or tea.
10. Rose-colored glasses.
11. Friend circles.
12. Kindness.
13. Pause.
14. Self-soothing.
15. Peacemaking.
16. Her own uniform.
17. Calling home.
18. Yoga teacher.
19. Walks by the sea.
20. Self-care.
21. Inner compass.
22. No place like home.
23. Ownership.
24. Freedom.
25. Long-term beauty.
26. Hands off.
27. Little white plastic fudge knife. 
28. Dates.
29. Truths.
30. Romance.
31. Integrity.
32. Openness.
33. Understanding.
34. Tolerance.
35. Inclusivity.
36. Softball (not speeding hardball) conversations.
37. Respect, inward and outward.
38. Independence.
39. Confidence.
40. Trust.

Going to Restore & Release: Restorative Yoga classes on Monday and Wednesday nights this week gave me great perspective. I love the gift of calm, quiet strength and self-care. So grateful for teachers Annette and Krystal. And the rain pouring on the studio roof last night. Perfect, just perfect. Rhythmic and real. But we were safe, warm and nurtured inside those walls, with our props for support (bolsters, blocks, blankets, straps and, of course, mats). Even luscious peppermint oil from Krystal at the end. Heady and helpful.

Revision: I thought of more fears/dreads and code word switches this morning, Friday. The last is a bit superficial, but still. 

• Bank account.
• Generosity.
• God-given eyelashes, and a clear eye on the world.

Saturday: I think this list of 43 says more about me than the young woman. How heavy my worries. Neurotic. Enough, enough.

*Bike: An acceptable term for almost any motorcycle , which is also often called a ride, sled, beast, the old lady, sweetheart, my precious, That Broken Down Old Piece of … and so on. Usage: “Sweet ride. How long have you owned it?” Big twin: Any large displacement Harley-Davidson. Fromhttps://www.themanual.com/auto/motorcycle-slang-lingo-terms-terminology-dictionary/ Oct 16, 2023

A Dream About My Mother on Her Wedding Day

I dabbed on Dream Anointing Oil last night at bedtime, the same magical formula that Krystal puts in the center of our palms at the end of Wednesday night Restorative Yoga. (The studio had six little bottles for sale.) The intoxicating floral blend is meant to enhance dream life.

It did. I had a very detailed dream about my mother and father on their wedding day (1951). I talked to them. I learned some things. I'm going to take notes for a short story or essay.

Last night I reread T. Capote's short story "Miriam" from 1945. It's haunting and like all of his best work, closely observed. He sold it to Mademoiselle, the June 1945 issue*.

Hope you have a good day. I have to jot before I forget about the fur stole my mother had on over her white wedding gown....and other details, like how it was to see Dad as a handsome young 28-year-old from the Bronx.

Only 28? That's Figgy's age....

*Per Wikipedia: Carson McCullers' sister, Rita Smith, who worked as an editor's assistant at Mademoiselle, recommended Capote's story "Miriam." She assisted George Davis, who gave Truman his first start in being published.^[3]

Restorative Yoga at Night, with Dream Oil

This oil smells so lovely and the makers say it helps us dream better.

I went to my restorative yoga class tonight, led by lovely Krystal at Yoga Mechanics on Forest Street. It was relaxing, the music was beautiful, my body was at rest, I put my stress down. I was restored.

One of my favorite parts is when Krystal goes around the room at the end when we are in Shavasana, the final resting pose on the floor ("corpse pose"), and dabs a little dream anointing oil on us. 

"If you want the oil, put your hands by your side. If you put your hands on your belly, I will know you don't want it," she says.

As she put a few precious drops of the intoxicating, fragrant oil in my right palm, she said, "Alice, the world is lucky to have you." So life-affirming and touching. She does that for everyone. "Bernadette, the world is lucky to have you," and so on.

The yoga studio sells some magical products from Dolly Moo, a brand run by two sisters whose retail home base is in an adorable little shop in town. Yoga Mechanics is getting the dream oil this week. But I already purchased a bottle* a few weeks ago. I love the fragrance, made from a blend of flowers.

What I have to learn, though, is how to be better organized about dinner when I take a late class like this. I got home about 8:50 p.m., and there was continued family drama, and I grabbed some foods I had not planned to eat. I'm grateful that I see that and that I intend to strategize. 

Good night.

*The bottle is small, and has a roll-on top. I want to see if I can remove that top, because I don't get enough of the oil with it.

The Gift of Restorative Yoga

Lily of the valley image from Longfield Gardens in Lakewood, New Jersey.

I asked Dan to get me five classes to the beautiful studio Yoga Mechanics for my birthday, January 21.

“You know, that’s a hundred and twenty-five dollars,” he said. “I could get you something that lasts, like a piece of jewelry or something, for that amount of money.”

I said something like “I know, and you have given me such pretty jewelry over the years. But these classes really help me."

It has taken me til now--February 22--to use the first one. Life, bad behavior/stress in the house, which threw me off course, or wintry weather kept intervening. Or low Uber funds, since Dan and Punch drive to a DBT adolescent group therapy program Wednesday evenings, and I have to Uber to the yoga studio, then Dan picks me up. (Tonight, the ride cost $9.94 plus $2 tip.) 

My favorite class is Wednesday night Restorative Yoga, taught by Krystal. It runs from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m., so I didn’t eat dinner until about 8:45. I don’t like doing yoga after a full meal.

I loved the music. Krystal told me it’s her “Restore” playlist on Spotify. I found it and am playing it, especially “Be Here Now.”

I am very grateful that I got to class tonight. It was indeed restorative. I used a bolster, two blocks, a strap and two blankets for extra support.

Good night.

P.S. One more reason I love this yoga studio: co-owners Hana and Annette. You know me, I like to style watch in life. Hana is not only smart and lovely but her hair looked SO GREAT that I asked her where she got it done. Boho Hair Salon, "Chrystina with a y,” she said. (Boho also has an attached cafe.) So now I try to go there every few months for investment highlights.

Feast or Famine

One of my freelance writing paychecks was delayed....so glad it came Thursday, so I could pay dr. bill and also! Get 15 yoga classes on sale for $285. That is a big chunk to spend, but I have 8 months to use them and hope to go at least weekly. The 5-class card is $125, so $25 per class. With this sale, $19 per class. Big savings.

TCOY

1. Ground some of my Irving Farm beans, made French press coffee.
2. Joe's 8 a.m. yoga class. Down dogs, stretches, tree poses, lunges, cat/cows--and of course, my favorite, shavasana [resting pose at end]. So glad I got there.
3. Sidestepped world's best donuts at Montclair Bread Co. and got breakfast sandwich on wheat roll and cold brew coffee, served with coffee ice cubes.
4. Walked to women's group meeting. It was nurturing and important. Went wrong way, so got longer walk in.

$ MONEY SPENT OUT OF POCKET

• Uber to yoga, plus tip, $10.61.
• Yoga Mechanics, 15-class card sale plus $1 charity donation, $286. Investment in my sanity, posture, grace and strength.
• Montclair Bread Company, $10.85.
• Tip for delivery at women's group, $4.
• Uber from town plus tip, $9.80.
• CVS, went for Rx, got other things, you know the story by now. Including Cooking Light special smoothies issue [the chocolate and coffee smoothies look so good!]; Aveeno stress relief shower wash; 2 Clif Bars; dog food; and 2 Endangered Species 72 percent dark chocolate bars, $49.89.
• Sandwich Theory, Avocado Dream sandwich to bring Fig at work but without the excellent Provolone and pesto, since she is vegan. With tip, $9.73.
• Maggie's Organics, best and softest clothing from company in Michigan, much of it on sale, plus something for Dan, with free shipping, $106.60. This includes a skirt, pink ruched top, espresso colored scoop-neck top and Dan gift. 

TOTAL DAILY SPEND: $487.48.

RUNNING TOTAL FOR MONTH AS OF JUNE 15: $2,466.68.

AVERAGE DAILY SPEND: $164.44.

MONEY THOUGHTS: Big June spends include LillyPulitzer.com dress, tech sleeve 
for laptop, market tote, $154; Vamp salon cut, color and shampoo product, $271; 
gift, $80; Ubers while our only car was in shop for 4 days; 
Joyist, school morning, $37; teachers' toasts tickets, $74; 
teachers' gift contribution, $40; Aerin sale at Williams-Sonoma, $78; blowout 
June 14, $45; 15-class yoga pass, $285; Maggie's Organics, 3 items clothing plus Dan,
$107; Local Coffee, beans plus etc., $31; CVS good sunscreen sale plus, $79; Aveda
lipstick, $24.

KEEPING AN EYE ON PAST MONTHS

MAY TOTAL SPEND: $2,348.24.

MAY AVERAGE DAILY SPEND: $75.75. 

APRIL TOTAL SPEND: $3,634.28.

APRIL AVERAGE DAILY SPEND: $121.14.

Sunday Dollars

Doing pretty well with my spending so far. Things will get challenging this week, when I have two big [for me] payments coming in. The money is earmarked to pay some bills, including therapist and monthly payment plan for staggering dental bill. We are taking a bite out of that one, though.

But if I had extra money today, I would have been tempted to get high-end Christmas stuff [50 to 75 percent off at Pink Bungalow], though I know I did not need that Santa cheese plate with the little silver knife. It was a jolly, retro image of the big guy, so nostalgic. I love Santa dishes. And then there was the new plant store next to Java Love on Bellevue Avenue, where the weathered clay pots with that moss-covered look were so pretty. Our friend, his boys, Punch and I meandered in and out of four shops in town.

I do not need another designer pot for houseplants; I have acquired beautiful ones already from a store in Maine and Howell in Montclair.

Just had a very clear thought: I don't have a big house with a potting shed, like Martha Stewart might. I'm carrying around extra weight that I want to drop. Yet I still reach for household and fashion items as if I have a spacious house with ample shelves for flowering African violets, and a body that is slim and ready to style. So if my house is my body and my body is my house, it might be nice for me to get both in order a bit more before bringing in more stuff to adorn them.

MONEY SPENT OUT OF POCKET [$MSOOP]: $25.45

• After Mass, Punch and I walked to the bagel shop with some friends we know from church, a sweet Dad and his sweet little boys, one in preschool and one almost 2 years old. They treated Punch to a bagel once in the past, so I wanted to treat today. The total bill was $19.45 plus $1 for tip jar. This was for a rainbow bagel; a cinnamon-raisin bagel; an egg bagel w cream cheese; an iced coffee; a small boxed Horizon chocolate milk; and my reuben on rye. [I was trying to avoid too many carbs in bagel.]
• Punch wanted some green matcha tea iced drink from Starbucks. I let her walk over alone from the bagel place, and she got a venti. $4.96 and four pennies in the tip box.
• I went to yoga but am not paying class by class, so won't list here. I got an introductory special at Juniper Yoga, one month unlimited for $39.

TCOY

1. Sang some hymns at Mass.
2. Short walk with Sug around grassy island.
3. Bath with lavender bubbles.

I didn't put money in the basket at church, and should have. Good night to you.

Sunday Good/Bad/Ugly

GOOD
Finally got back to Joe’s restorative yoga class today. It was a gift, from the massage oil I rubbed into my inner wrists and temples to the wonderful resting poses with bolster, blocks and blankets—as the afternoon rain pelted the roof. We were safe inside. I haven’t purchased a block of classes in a while; I bought a set of five today. Get back, get back, get back to where you once belonged.
BAD
Our garbage disposal in the sink is broken, yet again. This often causes our dishwasher to overflow. Good times.
UGLY
A lovely child, in innocence, asked me ‘“Why is your belly so big?”  I’m struggling mightily. Here I am trying to replace sweets with fruit, white bread with Ezekiel. I walked into the Little Daisy Bake Shop today and didn’t get a sample or a sweet, just a coffee to bring Figgy at work and a cute pack of Valentine hot cocoa mix for Punchy, to go with the Little Daisy little cup and red spoon I got her the other day. Sigh. Help?

Signing off, Gnite

TCOY

1. Made it to Kat's yoga class this morning. 
2. Went to Juice Culture for my Dina Bowl!
3. My family had lunch with Sis today.
4. We walked both Sugar and Butter. [Sis's dog, Buttercup, arrived for a 2-week visit today.]
5. Dan made broccoli rabe and fettuccine.
6. Cool bath with bath oil and bubbles. Felt so good.
7. Remembering: Be the change you wish to see. 

Working Hard, Doing My Best

Haven't been to yoga for a few weeks between Don's death, trip to Cape, Dan's work schedule, etc. But I am going to be at 8 a.m. restorative class tomorrow.

Lifting my water cup to that!

Good night.

TCOY

1. Planted pretty dwarf snapdragons and nasturtium seeds in pots. I love snapdragons.
2. Trying to fence in my food choices. Doing ok. Making progress with gates and such. Still much more room for improvement.

Yoga, Yes

....thanks to my nice friend Jean, who [along w her husband and two lovely twenty-something daughters] watched Punch so I could make 6 p.m. class. H., Fig and my good sitter, Elaine, were all working. Plus: I had kale salad, chicken breast, broccoli, brown rice and a walk w Sug. I even raked and bagged leaves in the sun for 30 min and worked productively at my desk. [Let's not talk about way too many pretzels, crème fraîche and the last lonely spoonfuls of the little ice cream cup Punch left in the freezer.] Aiming for 8 a.m. yoga class tomorrow. Have also been moving through self-help workbook. Good night.

Warm Bath & Good Night

My friend Jane drove me to 6 p.m. yoga class w Joe. It was hard but, as always, a gift. Especially the last part, in candlelight.

Good night.

TCOY

1. Made PB banana smoothie w unsweetened cocoa.
2. Had leftover black beans and rice for lunch.
3. Made a Cooking Light recipe, Greek nachos w chicken--and romaine, tomatoes, feta, cucumber, fresh mozzarella. Made some without chicken for H. And a separate pan w vegan cheese for Fig. You toast whole wheat pita triangles in the oven.
4. Walked around block.
5. Talked to my friend.
6. Good music to sing by.

Sweet Yoga Deal

Today I rose early and bundled up--it was frigid!!!--to drive across town for Joe's 8 a.m. Restorative Yoga class. Sweet sugar plum deal all December at Yoga Montclair on Forest Street: Buy one month unlimited yoga for $54 if you sign up for automatic monthly payments thereafter of $105 for unlimited classes.

This is excellent, because a single class is $22 and lately, I paid that because I couldn't scrape the funds together for a 5 or 10 class series. But once I could, I dove for this unlimited package.

I also thank my friend Jane, who got me into going to Joe's Monday 6 p.m. class. Nighttime classes are a little tricky, because you can't have dinner before and end up eating late.

Big Christmas gift to my health and peace. I hope to go 3 or more times per week as long as someone is here to watch Punchy! And that someone can handle mornings or homework, dinner, etc.

Good night.

TCOY

1. Grateful for my new Alta Fitbit. I topped 10,000 steps both yesterday and today. I was without a Fitbit for weeks and really missed the constant reminder to move--and the sporty fashion accessory.
2. Good dental care.
3. Wrapped a couple gifts and they look very pretty. Not from Santa, so leaving them out in dining room.

Joga!

This is Joe!

Joga is code in town for yoga taught on Forest Street by Joe Gandarillas, a wildly popular teacher whose classes are generally standing room only, even in a spacious studio.

I'm proud to say I was one of Joe's first students, maybe 10 years ago. He taught the VERY early sunrise yoga class back when Yoga Montclair was located behind Talbots.

He is charming, insightful, funny, inspirational, blue-eyed and handsome. He is gifted. I love his classes but have gotten lazy about getting to them, since they are often at 8 a.m. But I am going back! I went to his monthly Restorative Yoga class Sunday afternoon and the 8 a.m. class his morning. As long as H. isn't traveling, I can go and he can get Punch off to school. Joe also has an 8 a.m. Saturday class. He is a diamond in our midst.

So grateful that I got there this morning. It's a gift. Also ate some healthy foods, like steamed asparagus and the Giada pesto I made, with handfuls of arugula and baby spinach in it. [At first the recipe seemed odd, but now I like it. Didn't use the jalapeño.]

Got my pie ingredients--butter, ground cinnamon, red apples, green apples, canned pumpkin, evaporated milk, eggs--plan to make dough and 3 pies tomorrow, plus perhaps a vegan apple pastry purse for Figgy. Just made up that name, but like it. Apple Pastry Purse. Pie meets fashion. Good night, sweet dreams.

TCOY

1. Blowout by Brian at Salon 212; $25. You can get that rate on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
2. Private Benjamin.
3. Bubble bath.
4. Dr. appt.

TCOY

1. Went to gentle yoga class. Felt really stiff and stressed; needed to stretch. Love my teacher, Tonia. Did my best at these poses, not in this order: lunge, triangle, warrior 1, warrior 2, tree, cobra, half moon, child's, uttanasana, plank, "shower" pose against the wall, shavasana.

2. Went to Private Benjamin. Found that therapy appt helpful.

3. Faced and finished another round of work deadlines. Thank goodness for gymnastics camp [9 to 3 p.m.] for Punchy, plus the help of my Tuesday sitter/friend, Elaine.

4. Made PB banana smoothie in a.m, and green beans at dinner.

Candle Lit Yoga & Lavender Cream

My friend Sue told me about a Candle Lit Yoga class in nearby Verona. I went tonight at 8 and loved it! What a gift. At the end, the teacher went around and massaged our feet with lavender lotion. Gift, gift. Check Star Seed Yoga, but it has a new owner and will be closed for two weeks to freshen up. So grateful Sue told me. This could be life-changing.

TCOY

1. Boot camp; lots of weight training. Liked it.

2. Figgy and I both downloaded the Positivitea app on our phones. And our instant reward was a free organic tea. Fig got hot, I got iced, but we both chose white pomegranate. So good! Then we each got a black bean jr. burger. I love the rewards program. Buy 10 sandwiches, get 11th free. Our fridge is still broken; groceries out in snow. Repairman coming Friday. Can't wait.

3. Me being me, I asked yoga teacher Nina about the brand of lavender lotion and she said Avalon. I went right to Whole Foods to find some. And also bought a great-looking, hot pink raw food cookbook there.

4. Walked Sug around block.

Feelings

I had a productive writing workday until 3 p.m., when I had to get Punch for the doctor, but here I am again, dragging my heels about blogging. I can't go into all of the issues with Punchy--her story is her story--but suffice it to say that I as the Mom figure in this house am caught between a rock and a hard place. This small girl has her birth mom in her life and The Powers That Be feel it's vital that she see Mom monthly for an overnight.

This creates a dichotomy for a young child and makes things very difficult around here. Defiance. Logistics. Anxiety. Stress. Divided loyalties. Divided love. The considerable contrast between us as mother figures. The behavioral bump we hit when Punch returns here. Also, the relief. That little heart and brain has to work pretty hard.

Did you see the "Steve Jobs" movie yet? That brilliant man was still grappling with being given up for adoption and then being returned, when he was a month old, because it didn't work out. 

We carry all of this with us, as my Sis said. I was not adopted, or raised by court-appointed legal guardians, so truly, I can't understand Punchmeister's predicament. I had a mother who beamed when I opened my Madame Alexander doll on Christmas morning, who walked me to kindergarten, who made dinner every night. She wasn't perfect, but she was there. I try to empathize, I try and try, but after a while it feels so heavy. We have started with a new therapist for Punchy and I am hopeful that we can find building blocks for a happy balance/happy home. 

FEELINGS

I went to 8 a.m. yoga & meditation today and I think the quiet meditation stirs up feelings that I process after class. Such as:

• Mother load. My heart was physically heavy with sadness when I drove by the creperie on Park Street--a dark-haired teen boy hunched over his phone while his mother looked on helplessly, unable to reach him. I have known her pain, her sense of sitting there with nothing to offer. Then, near the orthodontist's office, where two blonde beauties walked ahead, their overweight mom lagged behind, no doubt worried about the steep bills. I've walked in her worn shoes, too. And at the Japanese restaurant, when Punchy & I were seated next to a 20ish daughter and her mom--that was the best scenario. I tried not to eavesdrop but the tables were close.The mom was listening, really listening, and the daughter was sharing her feelings. This is an honest rapport I hope to emulate. [Fig and I have it to a slim degree.]
• Capability.  I felt can-do at my keyboard. I honed sentences, distilled descriptions, researched facts and stitched together colorful images and quotes. Felt proud.
• Shame. Maybe it was ill-advised to go to the bakery so Punch could choose her Baptism cake for Saturday--we had just been at the dr's office for 1.5 hours. Punch was rude and insulting, said she didn't like the bake shop [in front of the owner], etc. etc. The shame part is, why is my girl acting like this? Why am I a bad mother with a spoiled girl? 
• Fear. There is much I cannot control in my life--especially the life of my young adult child. And my response to that is to jump 10 spaces ahead on the board to fear, paralyzing fear. It's a chair with open arms, always ready to take me in. But I would rather stand on my own two feet and face life's journey as it comes. Face it squarely and bravely. Be flexible and open.

Good night to you.

TCOY

1. The yoga class. [Thank you, teacher Julie Harris.]
2. Had green tea with dinner.
3. Lots of ice water.
4. About to take bath.

Day 2, No Sugar, It's OK

My 8 a.m. yoga class was cancelled, so I went to Julie's very good/very hard 9:30 to 11 class. At the end of the class, when we were resting in Shavasana, Julie came around, as our instructors sometimes do, and massaged our necks with lavender oil.

If you don't want me to massage you with oil, place your hand on your belly, and then I'll know, she said.

Being a shopper, and also the legal guardian of a little girl who resists sleep even after hours of activity, I took Julie's tip and headed to Whole Foods after class to get a small bottle of lavender oil. Will dab a bit on Punch tonight.

But then I kind of ate too much for lunch, like a cup of heavy mac and cheese from the hot bar at Whole Foods....

Oh well, on the horse again.

Good night.

TCOY

1. That yoga class. I liked Julie's words and wisdom.
2. Got my Rx at CVS. Had to wait a while. Pain in neck.
3. Warm bath with salts.
4. Private Benjamin. Kind of a difficult and emotional session, but gets me thinking. Tears for fears.
5. Made simple tomato sauce with a big can of San Marzano crushed tomatoes, salt, pepper, olive oil, garlic and a couple shakes of Parmesan.

Peter, Paul and Mary

Their music has been keeping me company. Love to slip the CD into my laptop while I work. Especially inspired by "Weave Me the Sunshine."

Good night.

TCOY

1. Made it to 8 a.m. yoga and meditation class taught by my friend Julie. She had us do a 20-minute "Automatic Writing" exercise. She said it's another form of meditation. The task was not to pause the pen, not to stop writing the entire time. The 20 minutes went fast. The opening prompt was: At this point in my life, what is my perspective on meditation? But believe me, it went to some important thoughts and insights.
2. Biked to town for salon blowout and bank, to make mortgage payment.
3. Had some healthy food today: black bean burger with avocado; salmon and salad. But I can do much, much better, trust me.

One Foot in Front of the Other

I got up and went to Joe's 8 a.m. yoga class today! Enjoyed his wise words, and felt good to move my body that way.

Met some nice moms at the Nishuane School vs. Hillside School Dads' football game this morning.

Saw my friend Jane for nourishing soup and salad.

Good night to you.