I'm free, I hope

Morning temp: 61F
Afternoon high: 76F
Tonight's projected low: 56F
Humidity: 88%
Moon: Waxing, 56%
Cloudy this morning but already clearing-up; they say they'll be a West wind at 5 mph, though I haven't seen it yet.

This Morning.

1. So, I've been on Dr. Day's diet for a week now (I think she would prefer the phrase, "new way of eating," as the term "diet" implies a temporary change, and the plan she offers is meant to be permanent), and so far so good. I have been hungry several times, and I've certainly craved foods that are out of bounds. But I've also found solutions to these problems. When I'm really feeling uncomfortable with hunger and/or cravings, I use a method that M taught me - in addition to being a (really hot) Chef and Labor & Delivery Nurse, M is also a yogini, that is, a female yogi; she acquired this training over many years, primarily at a wonderful place called Yogaville, about a hour outside Charlottesville, Virginia (http://www.yogaville.org/) - I stop and say to myself, "This is me hungry, This is me craving X." Whenever I do this, the craving diminishes. I think what happens is that this method pulls me out of the craving in which I've become "lost", and allows me to view it from outside, with some perspective, and make a more rational choice about whether to follow it or not. Of course, I also address the hunger/craving on a physical level. I make sure to drink all the water and do as much of the juicing Dr. Day recommends as is possible. I also have a supply of organic apples on hand.

The results so far are promising. I've lost 10 lbs., down to 215. 175 is my target weight. I'm also on my 2nd day off of all asthma med. For me, this is huge, and real proof that Dr. Day's "new way of eating" is special. Even with our insurance co-pays, we're spending $1,000 or more each year on doctor visits and monthly meds. We've also grown increasingly concerned about the long-term, deleterious effects of steroids such as Advair. While I'm grateful for these meds - they've literally saved my life, and also made the past 25 years worth living (sever asthma symptoms totally suck) - it's time to let them go for good. So, I'm praying and hoping and praying some more that I'll make this transition! Please feel free to picture me in your mind as utterly healthy, and it will assist me along. There's a tsunami of evidence to suggest that consciousness is capable of such non-local effects, but that story's for another day.

2. I'm trying something new today. Several of you have emailed, pointing out that some days we post rather late at night, and you prefer as early a post as is possible. I agree, and apologize for the delays, on most days our work runs right up until sundown. As a solution, I'll be posting Morning, Afternoon and Evening segments whenever possible. We'll see how this works out.

This Afternoon.

1. I mowed a small portion of the lawn. Normally, this is not difficult, though now the pollen and dust stirred up while cutting raise pose a potential challenge. In years past, I simply could not do this work without meds. Today, so far so good. When I came in after about half and hour of work, I drank a large glass of water with lemon and a pinch of cayene pepper, and then a cup of ginger tea, both of which head off and release any inflammation.

2. M and I made a late afternoon visit to Home Depot's Garden Center. Within certain limits, we like to visit these centers at Lowe's and HD. We like the wide range of young vegetable plants, flowers and herbs we can purchase their. While we grow most everything from seed, there remain a few things we like to purchase as young plants, such as Fennel if possible. What we don't care for is the obnoxiously loud music at HD. It's tolerable inside the store, but outdoors it's pumped through cheap loudspeakers, ricochets off of concrete in seemingly every direction, and was blaring so loud it gave M nausea!

This Evening.

1. M and I went out to the Garden about 6:15, when the Sun had gone down into the Pine and Poplar Trees on the West side of the yard. While M planted Cucumbers, Onions, more Peppers and some of the things we purchased at HD, I watered our 9 planted Beds. We have not yet laid down our soaker hoses, so for the moment we're still watering by hand. Once the night time temps stabilize at 60F+, we'll lay down the hoses and mulch the Beds with Straw, this will help to conserve water, diminish the number of weeds that emerge, and help feed our growing plants.