Author: Terri

Farm Sanctuary: An Inspiration

Terri

I started reading a book last week by the same title as this post, Farm Sanctuary, by Gene Baur. I left some of it to be read after my surgery as I knew I would have a lot of down time and didn’t want to take too many things of value into the hospital. So no ipad traveled to the hospital with me. It’s a book I cannot put down.

The man is impressive with how steadfast he has been in his principles, and it all started with one animals who was considered “downed” at the Lancaster Stockyards. In case you are unfamiliar with this term, it means the animals who are brought to the stockyards and are usually too sick or weak to even get out of the container they’ve been trucked in on. Sometimes it’s a day or days old calf. Sometimes it’s an animal that the food industry considers “past its prime.” Basically, ti’s an animal that no one cares about and thinks it’s too expensive to put out of its misery – you see, the farmer can get more money for an animal that is still alive (even just barely) than one that is dead. And it costs money to euthanize an animal and put it out of its misery. God forbid, right? Wouldn’t want to treat a living creature with any sense of decency…. (Yes, you can tell that that attitude really angers me.)

Gene Baur just kept at what he felt was right.  He used common sense too. He got a degree from Cornell because he knew it would give him more credibility when talking to those in the agribusiness sectors. And it did. When he realized that there was a gentleman who lived close by to their sanctuary who worked in a business that involved the killing of animals, he invited him over for a meal (meatless, of course)  and everyone treated the man with respect. That gentleman didn’t feel threatened at the meal and he saw that they weren’t all a bunch of folks who were not willing to meet someone different from themselves. The man later ended up getting rid of his business.

If you don’t want to take my word for it that he’s a pretty cool guy, then just check out this video of him being interviewed by Jon Stewart. (Hat tip to my good friend DB who alerted me to it.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DCz_-QCxSvU

If you notice in the interview, Jon Stewart mentions that a lot of vegans can be very rough on others who don’t eat the same way they do. I feel like if I were to preach to everyone, oh you should eat this, or don’t eat this, that will just push the person to do the opposite. No one likes to be told what to do after they’ve reached the age of what, 5? But you will also notice that Gene Baur doesn’t act all sanctimonious. (And he actually makes Jon’s day when he tells him that Baco Bits are vegan!)

Gene Baur will now be one of my inspirations for following my dreams and helping out animals. If he could start with basically nothing and persevere, then I can too. I can’t wait to go back to volunteering at the animal shelter once I am allowed to lift more than 8 pounds. That’s why I hope to recover quickly. (I’d like to go back and just socialize with the animals or take care of the chickens. In fact, I think I will do that as long as the shelter staff or my fellow volunteer, Janice, is ok with it.)  There is a lot of work to be done. Like Gene, I know I can’t save them all, but to save even one nor make even one’s life better for the rest of its days on this planet is to do right. As my mom and grandma used to say to me a lot while growing up, you never know if you don’t even try. (And with that, I’m off to continue working on my research paper of how to start a farm sanctuary in NC.)

Is there something you would like to do with your life but have been afraid to take the first steps toward doing?  Has any part of this post touched you? Have you read this book by Gene Baur? (Btw, he has a new book out which I can’t wait to read – it’s called Living the Farm Sanctuary Life.)

If you have liked this post, please hit like or subscribe or drop me a line below. Thank you so much for reading.

 

Healing

Terri

Some of you may know, I had a hysterectomy this past week, so now I’m home for six weeks, recuperating. My mom has come to visit for a week to take care of me. It’s funny, no matter how old you get, you’re always someone’s baby or kid.

I had the hysterectomy because I have a problem common to many women, known as fibroids. They’re basically growths, or tumors, and as long as you are able to have a monthly cycle, well, they can keep coming back over and over again. I had a myomectomy 9 years ago to remove the ones I had then. Much as I wanted to think that was the end of them, nope, it wasn’t. And when I saw the assisting doc at the hospital the day after my surgery, he said my fibroids were HUGE. I write huge in capital letters because that’s how big his eyes got. So now I will just wait until my follow up to find out how huge they really were!   I’m feeling ok right now – some pain and discomfort is expected, but they also gave me percocet and some big ibuprofen pills, and I’m not afraid to take them, so they are definitely helping.

It’s also helping to have my animals all home with me. As usual, Osito is on my right hand side, and Max is on my left. Yesterday, I laid down for a couple of naps and each time I did, I had about 3 or 4 animals on the bed with me. Made me feel loved. They are some of the best medicine I could ask for.

I have a lot of books with me to read over the next several weeks, many about animals. I want to be as knowledgeable about the behavior patterns of animals as I can. And I plan on showing my mom the movie Peaceable Kingdom: The Journey Home to get her thoughts about animals and see if it changes her mind about what she eats.

I’m grateful for this time off for a few reasons. One, my insurance will pay a good portion of it. Second, I have lots of sick time so I figured I might as well use it. So yes, I am getting paid at full pay for this time that I am out. Third, I get to spend a lot of time with my animals and my family. And it will give me some time to finish up my schoolwork for the semester, which includes a short paper on how to set up a farm animal sanctuary in NC. And finally, it gives me time to look into the job market situation down there too and see if I can line something up. Also, since I”m not doing much, I’m saving a bunch of money and it helps that May is a three paycheck month. So, it’s all good when you get right down to it. There are much worse times of year to be out of work than May in Boston. Right now, it’s still a bit chilly for my liking but I am hoping it warms up pretty soon. At least the sun is shining. Can’t complain about that.

I hope you will all have a great weekend. Just wanted to let you know what I’m up to, which, physically, isn’t much. I also wanted to thank all of you who are friends with me on facebook and who sent me so much support and love and friendly, good vibes on the day of my surgery. It really helped my mental outlook, and continues to do so today. So, thank you very much.

And congratulations to my friend Jill of Jill Will Run for finishing the Boston Marathon this past Monday on what had to be such miserable cold weather! (Rain and lots of it, in the 40s. Your pretty basic raw day where you just want to stay inside and have a cup of tea while looking out at the weather.)

Feeling blessed

Terri
Reservoir unfrozen!
Reservoir unfrozen!

Sometimes it’s the simple things that set you up for having a good day and a good mood. For me, this morning, it was running before sunrise. My beloved reservoir has finally completely unfrozen, and if you start running early enough, you can have it all to yourself. On Saturday mornings, I need to open the gym by 8 a.m. so if I’m going to work out before then, it’s going to have to be pretty early! So this morning, I got my butt up and got running by around 5:45. Sunrise was set for about 6:13 a.m. There is just something about being able to run while the moon is still out and the sun is starting to come up.

I run to music but I kept my loudness level down for the first loop around, just so I could hear the geese calling to each other, and also for safety reasons, in case anyone was to sneak up  on me. Right now, the vegetation around the reservoir has yet to fill in (our spring explosion of color has not happened yet, but I suspect it might start this week as the temperatures are slowly starting to creep upward.) It was just a short run – probably about 3.3 or 3.5 miles in total but it was all I knew I had time for and it was just enough to wake me up and feel blessed for being able to run.

I know that after my surgery, I won’t be able to run for about 6 weeks. I’ll only be able to ride a stationary bike or walk which is going to be hard for someone as active as me. I also can’t lift any weights more than 8 pounds for 6 weeks. I usually dumbbell press 30 pounds in each hand right now, so I hope to not lose too much of my fitness. I know this surgery is necessary if I want to get rid of these fibroids and start feeling more like myself when I look in the mirror.

To explain what I mean about my stomach — the doc told me the other day that my uterus is about the size of a woman who is 20 weeks into her pregnancy. So you can imagine how depressing and disheartening it has been for someone who normally works out 4-5 times per week to look in the mirror and see that. However, in the last month as I have changed my diet, I’ve seen the stomach I used to know come back, slowly. Parts of my abs are becoming more defined as I’ve been trying to work them hard in advance of the surgery. The middle bulge is still there, but I know its days are limited and that makes me extremely happy.

Again, I’m not a vain person but I do pride myself on being able to push myself harder than a lot of folks who are my age. I like being the girl dressed in pink at the gym, standing next to the guys in the free weights section and being able to use some of the same size weights as them for some exercises! The hard work pays off as most people think I’m a lot younger than I really am. And the change in my diet to being vegan has also done a great deal for my self-esteem or morale. I used to think of how little will power I had when I would walk by cookies or cakes, etc., and now I can look at something and if it has “milk” or dairy in it, I just think of the animals that have suffered for it, and it’s amazing how that urge goes away.

The sun has started to shine a lot more in the northeast after several days of drizzle and rain. It is so freeing to no longer be a slave to the bus schedule! When I’m riding along in the rain and beginning to feel miserable about the weather, I just think to myself how much money I’m saving by using  my own two legs to get back and forth to places, rather than driving a car. That, and the fact that my rain jacket and rain pants were SO worth the money I spent on them. 🙂

The weather really does affect how I feel about my day to day life, and so I am glad I am going to be someplace warmer by next year. You can see the differences in Bostonian’s faces as the weather warms – we’re still “tough” on the outside, but you can tell people are feeling better with the warmth. During that period of February when we got almost 9 feet of snow, I cannot tell you how miserable and exhausted everyone was, but I’m sure your imagination can fill in the gaps. I’ve never heard so many car horns with so much frequency, and that’s saying something in this town, known for its rude drivers!

I was also able to see a good friend yesterday that I had not seen in a while. She’s part of our animal loving “tribe.” She said that when she came into my apartment she felt like she was looking at one of those pictures that asks “how many cats do you count in this picture?!” She held Osito for a little while and Osito worked her usual magic, licking her hands as her way of giving kisses. It’s impossible to not love that little girl when she does that or plays “hard to catch” and runs back and forth in the living room with me. (I’m telling you, for an almost completely blind dog, she gets around pretty well!)

Anyway, this is all my long-winded way of saying how blessed and grateful I feel on days like today. I know in my heart that I’m on the right path. As I found myself picking out kitchen cabinets the other day, I thought to myself, “wow, this is so surreal.” After so many months of planning, things are starting to fall into place. I watched another movie the other day that had profound effects on me – I’ll write more about it in a separate post, and started reading a book called Farm Sanctuary by Gene Baur. With every page I read, I think my future is becoming clearer and clearer. It’s a great feeling, one I wish for all of you.

Have a great weekend! If you’ve liked this post, please hit like or subscribe or drop me a line below and let me know for what reasons you feel blessed some days!

Setting Priorities and Goals

Terri

I promise this entire post is not about food. But I have clarified a few things in my head over the past few days.

1) Watching the movie Cowspiracy really hit me hard this weekend. Until now, I’ve found it pretty easy to not eat any meat products for the past few years. Whenever I felt like “oh, that meat smells good….” I would then remind myself of why I don’t eat meat. Not because I don’t like the taste, but because I don’t want to be part of anything that involves an animal being slaughtered. But I couldn’t give up the dairy quite so easily. Maybe because I’d been brought up to drink milk as if it was water – literally, we used to go through so many gallons of milk every few days in our house. It was nothing to have a few glasses of milk at dinner time. It didn’t matter what we were eating. Spaghetti with milk? Sure! (I know, gross, right?) And it wasn’t skim milk we were drinking but the whole vitamin D milk. Yep. (Let’s not even talk about the powdered milk we drank when times were tough, money-wise. Eeww.)

Even when I was married, when I went to the store, I would buy skim milk for my husband and whole milk for myself. Eventually, he talked me into trying 2% and I noticed I didn’t have as many stomach issues as I used to have. So I slowly worked myself down to where I was drinking skim milk. And now I only use almond milk or coconut milk and I find that I don’t miss regular cow’s milk.

I believe I have mentioned I have fibroids, and that’s why I will be in surgery just three weeks from today. I didn’t realize until watching that movie over the weekend, that dairy products can contribute to fibroids. Now, while I will be having my fibroids-producing organ removed (ahem, uterus), I still want to continue not drinking cow milk. The movie showed how many acres it can take to feed a vegan per year vs. just a vegetarian. The difference was astounding – .6 acres to feed a vegan, whereas it takes 1.8 acres to feed a vegetarian. Imagine what I might be able to do with my own garden! (By the way, I love gardening, getting out there and getting my hands dirty, watching something grow from my own labor, and that tastes amazing!) So, priority #1 is to no longer bring dairy products into my home (I’m going to probably still eat the chocolate yogurt I have in my fridge until the next grocery day, just because I love chocolate and I already bought it), but after that, no dairy products enter my doorway.

2) Priority #2,  I set over the weekend was to save even more from each of my paychecks. I’ve been putting away $750 out of every paycheck since last summer. Before that, I was definitely saving but not at such a rate, as my focus had been more on paying down my private student loan, whose balance sits at $12,777.97 as of today (just checked.) As of this weekend, I decided I would start trying to save $835 from each paycheck. That may not sound like a lot more – it’s $170 but I’ve already been cutting down my expenses as much as I can. So this means really tightening the grocery budget and keeping the pet expenses in check as well. I have to admit, looking back at what I’ve spent with Chewy.com (a company I can’t recommend enough, and one, who when you call their number, you get a real live person on the other end, imagine!), I’ve been doing pretty good. I’ve been planning budgets for pet food, etc., for about $180 per month and I’ve actually spent more of an average of $130/month, so I was feeling pretty good about that. That’s just for their food and litter, pee pads for Osito, etc., no vet expenses.

My take home after savings is now about $2460 a month. I budget it like this:

  • $1050  – rent
  • $55 – internet service
  • $35 – cell (with Cricket Wireless, I get 2.5 gb of data/month, suits me just fine.)
  • $25 – electricity/gas (this goes up a bit in summer, with the AC, but not too much.)
  • $167 – private student loan
  • $538 – interest only payments on federal student loans (yep, that only keeps the loan from growing, folks)
  • $250 – food
  • $160 – zipcar (this is to get back and forth to volunteering with the livestock animals.)
  • $150 – pet food, etc. (still gonna budget higher because some months, it’s higher than others, etc.)

I totalled this up and it comes to $2430. So as you can see, I need to be frugal and keep an eye on these expenses, as there isn’t much room for error. I’m considering it practice for when my life plans change.  Not drinking coffee, and not eating a lot of processed foods should help a lot with the grocery budget. Plus, soon, I can start riding my bike more regularly and going to my local grocer guy who only takes cash for payment but offers produce at an amazing price, and always with a smile.

And yes, I do plan on including personal care items more and more into the grocery end of the budget, such as toilet paper, the occasional need to buy shampoo and conditioner, get a hair cut, etc.  I buy some things in bulk, like toilet paper, paper towels, pee pads, from amazon, so the cost is defrayed over a few months. I also don’t cut my hair that often (it’s below my shoulders) and when I do color it, it’s done at home by me. I take care of my eyebrows mainly by myself. It’s amazing what you can save when you take care of things on your own rather than paying someone else to do it. (Speaking of, after my surgery, I will continue using instacart for my groceries, but once I’m healed, it’ll be me going to my grocer guy.)

You’ll notice I don’t really have laundry expenses added into all of that. That’s because I use a Manatee portable washing machine for almost all of my laundry (blankets and towels, excepting), and a spin dryer (mine is similar to this one on amazon) and then air dry most of my laundry.I used to spend upwards of $10/week on laundry. The cost of the two portable machines has more than paid me back over the past year or so.  Here’s a video of how to use the Manatee on youtube. I just keep mine in the tub and fill it from the tub directly and then let the drain hose go right into the tub drain.

3) Priority #3  – Don’t let up on the downsizing. I need to sell my scooter which will soon be coming out of storage, and also other items in my apt that generally just take up space. I have some items from my grandmother I will likely sell – I have realized, if my apt were to catch on fire, I wouldn’t rush to save them, but I would rush to save the photos of her I have on my bedroom dresser. That tells me what truly holds meaning for me where she is concerned.

4) Priority #4 – this one is still being defined in my mind but it involves making some changes in this world, becoming more involved with causes I care about. The environment. Animals. When I watched that movie, I saw all these people who were so passionate about a particular subject.  I’m going to start researching groups in my area now and in NC and learning ways to get involved. Start reaching out to people now and learn how I can be of help. See if they need someone to help with preparing any written materials for them, on the web or in some other form of media (especially when I won’t be able to do much physically after my surgery.) So maybe it’s more like a goal right now than a priority as I need to make it clearer in my mind. I’ll keep you updated.

I’m home today trying to get rid of a very stubborn cold that came back with a vengeance this past weekend and is totally pissing me off. I have a doctor’s appointment tomorrow and am going to ask them if I can take an antibiotic of sorts, to get rid of it. I need to be done with it for my surgery! Coughing after abdominal surgery – yeah, not something I want to do!

Anyway, sorry this post has appeared to ramble a bit, but I felt the need or urge to write today and put some of these things out there. I like the accountability aspect.

If you’ve liked this post, please hit like or subscribe or drop me a line below. And thanks, as always, for reading.

Things and People I Find Inspiring

Terri

I got the impression last week that this post helped some people, and just thinking about writing another one this week kept me inspired to find more to share. I just got through watching Cowspiracy so I feel like I need some inspiration too. It takes three times as many acres to feed someone like me, who is a vegetarian, as it does to feed a vegan. Another reason for me to continue transitioning to veganism.

I can’t remember the last time I had a drink of cow’s milk (I drink coconut milk or almond milk, and usually I don’t drink a glass of it but use it in recipes or to make oatmeal for breakfast.)  I haven’t had a cheese slice in probably about a month now, and have only had it in a few pieces of food like pizza. But watching that movie, well, it really makes you think about what you are putting in your body and how it can affect the planet as a whole, if we all keep on eating meat and dairy. I’m not writing any of this to force anyone else to change, but I’m going to do what I think is right for me. I don’t think I will be buying any more dairy products for my house, and right now I’m working on trying to get through all the groceries I do have.

So, anyway, for inspiration, I suggest watching that movie. You can download it for $9.95 and then watch it as many times as you like. So that’s my first suggestion.

Second, I watch a youtube channel called Preston Smiles. This is one of the first videos of his I saw. I just love how he is totally himself in these videos, especially at the end of this one.

Third, another youtube channel I like to watch is with Brittany Taylor: Simple Living and Travel. I really liked this video of hers titled Keep Being Weird.

Fourth, I have just begun reading a book by Rhonda Byrne called The Power. (She’s the same author who wrote The Secret, which I admit, I never read. Not sure why, but just didn’t.)  This link takes you to the amazon listing for it so you can take a sneak preview at it or listen to a part of the audio file.

Finally, but certainly not least, I found out about an animal sanctuary for abused or discarded farm animals called Animal Place. It gives me hope to know places like this exist. I’m going to see what kinds of animal sanctuaries are near me, and if I can’t find work at one, I will most certainly volunteer. I strongly believe all animals are sentient beings – they do feel things, they love things, they hurt and feel sad when separated from their loved ones.

These are just my thoughts and my views on things – you can disagree with them if you choose but if you do so in the comments, please make sure it’s done respectfully. And if you’ve liked this post, or any of it has struck a chord with you, please let me know by dropping a line in the comments, or by hitting like or subscribe. And thanks, as always, for reading.

Awakening

Terri
Four of my inspirations...Bonkers, Osito, HoneyBun, and Callie in the back.
Four of my inspirations…Bonkers, Osito, HoneyBun, and Callie in the back.

When I look back to my life almost 5 years ago, what I see in myself makes me sad. I was sleep walking through life. The only time I think I felt alive is when I was running. And that’s because I was running from a lot of problems, or maybe the better word to use is doubts. Doubts about myself. Doubts about my marriage. About whether or not I wanted to have kids. About whether what I had then was all that there is to be in life. Read more →

Things and People That Inspire Me

Terri
Osito. She inspires me to be a better person.
Osito. She inspires me to be a better person. I just realized I posted this pic in my last blog post too. Clearly, I love it (and her!)

Some days, I just get the urge to write. Like today. Yesterday, I felt the inspiration to get rid of crap in my apartment. So today, I thought I might share with you some of the videos, stories, etc., that inspire me, and hopefully you can take away at least one good thing from this post. And if you like this type of post, let me know. Maybe it’ll become a regular thing? 🙂

I don’t have TV so I only catch up on TV shows on netflix or the internet. I do watch a lot of youtube videos, though, because I feel like I can always learn from other people, whether it be in terms of my attitude, or skills such as fixing the chain on my bike), how to eat better, or how to save money and be better disciplined while doing it. The ways to learn are just endless. And of course, there are the cute animal videos that we all like to see. (If you don’t, well, personally, you might want to go to the doctor because it’s quite possible “you’re dead inside.” LOL)

This morning when I got up and was puttering around the apartment, I went to my Favorites list on youtube, and started listening to some of them and really thinking about why they inspire me. I’ve listed a few below.

Minimalists: Living with Less (from The Feed channel) 

Exploring Alternatives: Going against the Grain Can Be Hard. They also have a blog you can see here. They are a young married couple that have a van all set up to live in full time. They are super down to earth, and the first time I saw this video, I really needed that encouragement. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1DncQjWz_RM

Carrie LeighAnna, What I Eat and How I Meal Plan. She used to overeat, and I have found myself doing that over the past year. No more!  She has inspired me to eat better. 

Becky Schade, who writes the blog Interstellar Orchard. This video really hit home for me. She realized something was wrong in her life and did something about it. And now, she’s written a book which launches in just two days!!  

A friend of mine posted the following story on Facebook earlier today: The Radioactive Man Who Returned to Fukushima to Feed the Animals that Everyone Else Left Behind. How amazing is he?

And sometimes the inspiration comes from an image a friend sends to me:

This is from the Story of Stuff Project page on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/storyofstuff.
This is from the Story of Stuff Project page on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/storyofstuff.

I hope that these inspire you today – please share your thoughts about what inspires you in the comments below, and thanks for reading!

If you’ve liked this post, please hit like or subscribe.

Little Things for Which I am Thankful

Terri
All bundled up for the first walk of spring -a sweater, a jacket and a scarf! I <3 Osito.
All bundled up for the first walk of spring -a sweater, a jacket and a scarf! I ❤ Osito.

My friend Kelvin, over at Going Uncomplicated, recently wrote a post about his trip to Haiti last year. Even though he didn’t write it as a minimalism post, it really made me think. We live in such a world of abundance, and there are so many people out there that have barely anything to their name. Some of them are happy, some aren’t. But I will be that more of us in the “first world” with our “first world problems” are unhappy, even with all of our stuff.

After I read Kelvin’s post, I thought to myself, and here I am – my goal is to pare down my clothes so I only have one dresser, and some in my closet. God, we don’t know how lucky we have it! Anyway….

  1. It snowed this morning. NO, I am not thankful for that, but I have to admit, it makes it seem all the better when the sun shines around here. I’m sincerely hoping it is the end of it, but who knows?
  2. I took Osito out for her first walk of spring. Although we didn’t go that far (she is 14 and we have to build her endurance back up again for our summertime walks/carries), I could tell she was happy and relieved to be outside. Even little ones like to feel the sun on their face, you know?
  3. I’m going to be seeing my best friend and her husband tonight for dinner. I don’t usually go out to dinner, and I don’t get to see her or them often enough, so it’s a definite treat for me. Something to look forward to and motivate me to get some stuff done, like this post.
  4. Some of you are friends with me on facebook so you already know this, but I am thankful that my surgery to have my fibroids removed (and other body parts) has been scheduled. April 21st, I go under the knife. I am happy that it is the day AFTER the Boston Marathon, as I live on the route, and I love to cheer the runners on, elite runners, complete strangers and friends. Also, I’m lucky to have a few people offering to help me out with rides, pet duty, etc.

    Speaking of the Boston Marathon, Jill of Jill Will Run will be staying with me this year. This is HUGE. We have known each other online for 7 years now and we have never met face to face, before now!  I’m really looking forward to taking her around to see the sights of Boston.

  5. I paid my taxes this week. NO, I’m not thankful for the fact that I owed (due to my 1099 work last year), but I am grateful that I had the money saved to pay them.
  6. The snow is melting. Finally! I can even see some of the soft dirt on the path around the reservoir behind my building. I’m hoping to go for a run myself this coming week, as my cold is just about gone. I think will do immeasurable things for my outlook and self-esteem.

Anyway, folks, just a short post today, which Kelvin’s post inspired me to write. (By the way, if you haven’t checked out his blog, you definitely should. He’s a great writer.)

If you’ve liked this post, please hit like or subscribe or drop me a line below!

Little Things for Which I am Thankful

Terri
Max, my diva....sleeps
Max, my diva….sleeps

I know, it’s been a long time since I wrote one of these posts. But there are a few things I would like to talk about, briefly.

  1. Had a doc appointment with the surgeon who will be removing my fibroids, via hysterectomy. Before I left, he said “that bulk you are talking about in your abdomen, that will go away when you have the surgery.” Thank God. I don’t think of myself as a vain person but I (usually) work out a lot, and I push myself to lift heavier, sweat more with cardio, do more miles, etc. So when someone asked me if I was “expecting” about a month or two ago, I was devastated. I was like “my god, has it gotten that bad?!” I called a colleague and asked her to please shoot me. I used to  have a very flat stomach and a six pack, and that’s what I WILL have again. I worked too hard for it the first damn time.

    So why such a drastic step in surgery? Well, fibroids can have side effects, and they will keep coming back until you hit that certain stage in a female’s life where you no longer have to worry about kids. I already know I don’t want kids and hell, I’m 42, so in my opinion, “go ahead, take it all!” In case  you are worried, they will leave my ovaries so I won’t go through all the crap that would otherwise occur, just about immediately. (Sorry, men, if that’s TMI. I know women will totally understand why I mention this.)The surgeon was extremely nice, and I don’t know why, but I was surprised. He is the head of the practice, and he said he himself will do my surgery. He was recommended to me by two doctors I trust, so I feel like I’m in good hands. It still has to be scheduled, but I know I will be out of work for 4-6 weeks. Since I’m in good shape, I’m hoping my recovery won’t be too bad. I already know what to expect in the pain department, so that is an improvement over the first time. I know that it will hurt like hell when I shift from sitting or laying down to standing, and that walking will help a ton. I know it’ll hurt like hell when I cry and when I laugh. But that’s ok, I know it will eventually go away. Fear of the unknown is always worse than the reality. 

My Sebastian....when he sits like that, it's everything I can do to not reach over and poke him in the belly!
My Sebastian….when he sits like that, it’s everything I can do to not reach over and poke him in the belly!

2. Uber and my smart phone. Since the weather has absolutely sucked here in Boston for the past several weeks,  (no exaggeration), I have begun to use Uber via my iphone to get home from work at the gym on Thursday evenings. It just feels so nice to be able to be picked up and make it home within 5-8 minutes, rather than waiting for the bus, which may, or (more likely) not be on time, in the freezing cold, after I’ve worked an 11ish hour day. I know it costs money but I figure it’s worth it to keep my sanity, and it gets me home to the furballs a bit earlier so I can enjoy hanging out with them before I fall asleep for the night. The app is pretty cool because it shows you where “your” car is on a map relative to where you are, and gives you information about what car you will be in, who will be driving and license plate info. I don’t know why, but having that info makes me feel safer.

3. Zipcar, so I can enjoy my Sunday mornings at the shelter in Dedham, working with the farm animals. There is a pair of goats at the shelter who have been very skiddish the entire time that they have been there. But today, while I was cleaning out their pen and leaning over, I realized the male goat had leaned in close to me, and was sniffing around my ear, checking me out. He must have liked what he found because he did it a few more times. That means progress. He knows I’m not there to hurt him. I felt like I had scored a major victory.  I know I have a good way with animals – I think they can sense I mean them no harm, so it just cemented further into my mind the idea of working with animals in some shape or capacity, whether it be at a shelter or on a farm, or at a sanctuary. I’m going to try to keep an open mind about the opportunities out there. I do know I have a lot to learn, and I look forward to that.

My ladies, in their girly pink princess beds. <3
My ladies, in their girly pink princess beds. ❤

4.  I was sick this week, and am still fighting the last stages of my cold. The other morning, I woke up to having five animals in the bed with me. Yes, 5 of 6! (For some reason, I can’t get them all in it at the same time, lol.) Four cats, and of course, Osito, squeezed right next to me. I felt very loved. It may not be the situation I expected to be in at this stage of my life, but it’s one that makes me happy, so it’s alright. Yes, I do get lonely sometimes, not having dated or cared to date in a while, but I have hope that I will find the right person for me at the right time. And one thing I know is that they will LOVE animals. Because, well, these furballs are staying whether or not anyone else likes it.

5. Received some information on the house last week and I think I am going to likely go with the smaller model to keep costs down. I’ve watched and re-watched some of my favorite tiny house videos and it’s reaffirmed in me that I really don’t need that much. Plus, I think back to when I was considering moving all of us into an RV. It’s reminded me to focus on what is truly important and when you do that, it’s very easy to let stuff go.

6. Daylight Savings Time. It may make it harder to get up in the morning but seeing the sunset at night over the Charles again while on my way home, it’s just absolutely beautiful. I know it’s only a matter of time until it’s very bright early in the morning. I know that very soon, (if the snow melts a bit more and stays gone) I will be able to go for my morning runs on the Charles, and I can’t wait.  There is no better feeling than being out there, running along, feeling like nothing can stop you, one foot landing in front of the other, and seeing the sun rise, turning the water a beautiful shade of lavender. Put the crew teams on the water at the same time, and it’s so inspiring. Best way to start the day, in my opinion.

My BonkMan (aka Bonkers) and the diva, Max. They fight when awake, so this picture was particularly endearing to me to capture.
My BonkMan (aka Bonkers) and the diva, Max. They fight when awake, so this picture was particularly endearing to me to capture.

7. Last but not least, while I was home sick last week, I decided to give up coffee. I felt like I was depending on it too much to get going in the mornings, and also, because I don’t like drinking it black, I realized how much extra sugar I was putting into my body. So now, every morning when I wake up, I have a cold glass or two of water with lemon juice. It helps my congestion and also gives me some energy.

Oh, and did I mention it’s snowing AGAIN? Probably not going to amount to much, but the ability to be warm and safe inside, looking out at it, while knowing these furballs are safe and cozy warm with me, well, it’s a good feeling.

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Never Stop Being Amazed

Terri

My grandmother died back in 2002, and she was definitely my best friend and soul mate. I don’t think your soul mate is necessarily the person you find to be with, but can be someone who you just feel a certain connection with, that you can’t put in words. That’s how it was with us.

So, think back to 2002. The internet was not nearly as developed as it is today. I remember trying to explain the concept of email to my grandmother. I think I failed horribly, btw. But it’s pretty amazing to think of all she saw in her lifetime. Born in 1908, she lived through two world wars and a horrible great depression that shaped the way she thought about possessions and money, as well as my mom’s thoughts on the matter, and in turn, mine. During her lifetime, she saw something other than birds take flight for the very first time. She saw a man land on the moon. She saw the Berlin wall come down. She saw this new “thing” called the internet. It makes me wonder what else can be invented by the time I leave this earth. And yes, I cut her a little slack for not understanding my “post office in the air/sky” kind of description to how email works. She had already taken in enough.

Flash forward to today. I think of the internet and I am amazed at how it has changed my life. I’ve met many people online – some through my previous blog, who I still talk to today and have met in person, and hopefully will host a third online friend for the Boston Marathon (Jill Will Run). I’ve met people in online classes via facebook (KEB) and also in person at tiny house workshops (BH) that have introduced me to others (ahem, BSG) (I also wouldn’t have known about the workshop without the internet.) Some online friends have really been helpful in giving me advice about my diet, and simple living. (DBN and JWT) I can’t thank them enough. I’m a total sponge – ready and willing to soak it all up. I will never get to that point in my life where I think I know everything (um, did that when I was a stupid teenager), and if I do ever get to that point, you all have permission to call me on it and kick my butt!

Most recently, I joined an online facebook group of people who live in NC and like tiny houses. Amazing how it has changed my life – through one of them, I found out about a builder in a small town outside of Charlotte, and now that tiny house dream I have been harboring for some time, is finally going to be a reality. In fact, when I was talking to the project manager (LB) over lunch, I found myself thinking “I could be friends with her if I just met her on the street, too.” I really liked her forthrightness.  Another person (QD) introduced herself to me in that group, saying she is from about 45 minutes away from where I live now.  And when I met her in person, I tell you, it seemed like I had known her forever. That’s rare. And a third made a trip to meet me in person to tell me how proud she was of me for what I was doing, making such a big change in my life. (BLL)

I met one person (DO) on youtube, with whom once I started talking, I felt very comfortable.  He always gives me candid advice, as he has no motive to do otherwise or blow sunshine up my butt. And that’s what I really like about him. His honesty. I would never have “met” him without the internet. Hard to believe.

Of course, there are those of you who I have “met” on here, on this blog, and some of those relationships have translated over to things like facebook or email. (JN, CL, RG).  I learn from all of you and I appreciate all the comments and support. I find writing on here to be cathartic. Some days, I start writing in my journal and then I think, no, this is something I need to share with others. I’m not alone in feeling this way.    

This is not to say that I think online friends of mine will replace my in-person friends. To the contrary, I think they just add to my world and I hope I contribute back half as much as I receive. In fact, when I think about moving from this area, I think first of my best friend. She is so much like a sister to me. I knew she felt the same way when her husband said to me “you can’t move…you’re going to be an Auntie this summer!”  (I already knew she did, intuitively, but it still felt good to hear that.)  Her dad asked me the other day how I would feel about leaving the life that I have created for myself in Boston, and she and her family are a HUGE part of that world. But I will always have them in my heart. And I just know, this is what I need to do now, for me. At one point, even the baby bird has to take that first step and see if it can fly.

So, I’m not sure where I am going with this post, but I felt the need to write it. If I have left anyone out, it’s completely not intentional. I will blame my foggy-headiness to my being sick and congested.

How has the internet changed your life? Are there people in it that never would have been without it? 

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