WordGirl #9

"Put aside $5 for a reward this week."
I took $5 of my allowance money and put it in an envelope toward a pedicure. I like to pay cash when I get a pedicure and I loved the feeling of being pampered. Not sure when I'll set aside the rest of the money for it . . . I've been spending a bit too liberally lately. (And eating too much, too, but that's a different story.)

WordGirl #30 RAOK

This one was for the week of April 30 - May 6 . . . but I thought I had already done a Random Acts of Kindness thing. Ah, well. I wasn't very random, but I babysat for the Nobles on 5/4 . . . a six-year-old and twin three-year-olds . . . on a school night! I didn't get home and to bed until 11pm.

We also dog-sat for our friends the Culbertsons for two weeks while they were on vacation. Their dog, P'Jem, is about a year old, so that took a lot of energy.

The only really random act of kindness I did was offer the Fedex  guy a cold Coca-Cola when he delivered the replacement pontoon furniture cushion on 5/11 . . . it was a hot day and he appreciated it.

WordGirl Item#21 Sleep

This was for the week of April 23-19. "Get some extra sleep this week." That is actually my main health goal for 2017. I have a chime on my phone that goes off at 8pm on school nights (Sunday through Thursday) so that I get my pajamas on and brush my teeth. I am sometimes asleep by 9pm, but not often. Still, I try to get at least seven hours of sleep each night if I can. I don't do well on low sleep!

Ironically, I got less sleep this week . . . only meeting my goal on two out of seven nights. I value sleep and strive to drink less caffeine and alcohol in general, and especially in the evenings. I usually get up at least once during the night to use the bathroom . . . and I don't fall asleep easily or quickly.

Salad Girl Goes to the Farm

That was an eye-opener.  I went to Sue and Tom's Paradox Farm this weekend for a break.  Did not cut the mustard as a farmer.  They work hard and long!  On the plus side, I handled chickens, a goat smiled at me, I ate nettles, and learned to make a "Dark and Stormy."  Great workout - recommended for all Cuba goers.  AND I got an heirloom tomato for BLT's.

Vegie tip:  Cooking or drying stinging nettles takes out the sting-you take the top tender parts in the spring.  Some people dry them and put them in winter soups.  Actually tastes better than spinach - of course that may be due to Sally (the cow's) butter!

Fruit tip: You haven't lived until you've had a cup of coffee with maple syrup and raw milk WITH corn bread with a banana in it - and of course they grew the corn.

V&F tip: Sure: carrots in the stew, but if it's pork, why not add an apple?  and while you are add it, defrost that shredded zucchini and fry up some sweet onions with it.  You'll barely even know it is there.

Now I am thinking of hazel nuts, grapes, June berries and all manner of things to plant where my trees will be cut down....

veg out people!

WordGirl #1 Week 15 Sort

This was fun! I had a box under the pool table with magazines and other reading material in it . . . almost all of it went straight to the recycle bin! (If it's more than four years old and I've not had time to look at it, it's not likely to happen.) I saved a few things like quilting mags or things torn out of a newspaper to peruse; those went into a more current box of reading material.

Bonus! I found a book from my school media center on grant-writing that I had been looking for and thinking I'd have to pay for! I don't plan on writing any grants, so this one went back to school and got off my checkout record.

The other sort happened when I was filing financial papers from 2016 (now that taxes are done, filed, etc.). I thought we were only saving seven years' worth of info just in case we're ever audited. No, I had bank statements from 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2009! So I emptied a box by getting rid of the oldest paperwork and making the last seven years' worth fit more neatly.

Now we have a "shredding" date tonight to get rid of those papers that we no longer need. There's always more to do!

I had hoped to do even more sorting, but it was good to get cleaning and cooking done for Easter dinner. I may have to have a "greatest hits" of the 52 weeks when I get to summer break . . .

WordGirl Week 14 #6

Item #6 was "Snack on veggies at least one day this week." This is another great one for *every* day of *every* week! That said, I was only successful on 5 out of 7 days . . . it is a great motivator / reminder to snack on yummy, healthy veggies instead of less nutritious options.

I still haven't called the Harveys . . . . which is just getting ridiculous.

Word Girl Item #25 Less Salt!

This was a good one for me . . . at age 50, I have high blood pressure and have already had two small strokes. My cardiologist said I need to eat less salt! It's hard for me, because I would rather eat a bag of Doritoes than a candy bar. I did pretty well on this last week, but I already talked about it in my "catch up" entry. Having the sign on the door is a motivator / reminder for me that helps.

Sadly, I *still* have not called my friends the Harveys. I'm not sure what my problem is . . . except that I think the longer I go without calling them, the harder it gets to pick up the phone. For Heaven's sake, I was going to invite them to the cabin for President's Day weekend! (a month and a half past . . . )

So it's staying on my white board for this week until I make that call!