it's sassy water not kool-aid

Monday, I am staring the Flat Belly Diet...and this water recipe is part of it. I am considering putting up my before photo, but I don't want to gross everyone out! Here's a clip about this diet that was aired on Good Morning America.

Drink 1 full recipe of Sassy Water each day.
The ingredients in Sassy water aren’t just for flavor: the ginger helps calm and soothe your GI tract. Even more important, the simple act of making this Sassy Water every day will serve as a reminder during the Jumpstart that life is a little bit different and things are going to change.

Sassy Water
2 liters water (about 8 ½ cups)
1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
1 medium cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced
1 medium lemon, thinly sliced
12 small spearmint leaves.

Combine all ingredients in a large pitcher and let flavors blend overnight. Drink the entire pitcher by the end of each day.

No to McCain

“Hillary Clinton, she’s my girl,” that is what my friends have heard me say with pride and affection many times. On the contrary, they also heard me say with passion and disgust, “No way in hell! No-bama-no-way! Not going to happen!” But alas, to my own surprise, it has become crystal clear to me that Barack Obama is the best choice for President over John McCain.

My first choice, Hillary Clinton lost; she didn’t win, and is not running against John McCain for the POTUS. I understand the lingering disappointment, frustrations, and anger over the 2008 Democratic primary. I share those feelings; however, I am enough of a realist to see that voting McCain, just to protest the primary process, the MSM, Barack Obama or the DNC, is akin to drinking poison.

If McCain were to win the general election the Republican Party would remain in power. That in of itself should provide enough reason not to vote for John McCain.

There is not one single segment of the United States that isn’t currently in dire straights: Economy, Iraq, Education, Transportation, Housing, Veterans Affairs, Civil Liberties, Research and Development, Immigration, Healthcare, Homeland Security, Internet Security, Foreign Policy, Trade, etc., you name it! Casting your vote for continued Republican leadership in Washington would be harmful to the USA and the entire world.

Additionally, John McCain strongly disagrees with those who advocate withdrawing American troops from Iraq. John McCain opposes stem cell research and other types of scientific study that involve the use of human embryos. John McCain believes Roe v. Wade is a flawed decision that must be overturned. John McCain believes the institution of marriage is a union between one man and one woman.

One last thought as I close this post…..Imagine, just imagine, what it would be like to have people in power that actually cared about our country? Imagine what it would feel like to have a sense that everything is going to get better, that things will change. A Barack Obama win will place seasoned politicians and intelligent leaders, many of whom we admire, into positions that introduce, shape, and drive policy and solutions. In the end, new leadership, various personnel changes, political appointments, and a restored sense of national pride, will be what delivers the much needed and desired “change.”

Vote Barack Obama, 2008

unwritten partial

Let the sun illuminate the words that you could not find

Reaching for something in the distance

So close you can almost taste it

Release your inhibitions

Feel the rain on your skin

No one else can feel it for you

Only you can let it in

manana is monday

I have to fess up because, well that's just the way I am....I have not gotten anywhere with "War and Peace. " I do not know what I was thinking... but, as you may be able to tell, I love to garden. At any given time, I will gladly pick playing in the dirt outside opposed to , sitting still long enough inside to read.

I have been walking every single day to and from work, and I bike now and then. I am getting much stronger, but not loosing the extra weight. So manana ( Monday yet again), I will be adding the point system for food to my exercise program. Anyone who is familiar with Weight Watchers will know what I am talking about.

There you have it a nutshell. Oops forget to mention we have to move the entire office, we start the wiring manana, and today we will attempt to rid our garage of "stuff." Things are quiet around here for a change, and I like it.

living differently

* example of American waste not my home

I just have become so over-whelmed with the whole idea of too much of everything. Everything cost too much, everything takes too much time and everything goes too fast. So it's time for a fundamental shift in my perspective....which I will admit shouldn't be that difficult since I have virtually everything I could ever want. Nonetheless, it doesn't mean that this will come easy, or that I will succeed, I just want to try. Several articles have started me on this path, along with my Daughter, who told me about "freegans" last year. Freegans are people who purchase almost nothing at all, they dumpster dive and reclaim discarded items. That would be the extreme end of the spectrum for me, if I was younger maybe but I still think it would be too severe.

Another idea is the buy nothing new concept. The Compact, as written about in USA today, is a group of people who take the pledge to not buy anything new. It started out with just a few people and has spread throughout the entire world. I tried a variation on this theme. I said I wouldn't buy anything new, unless I was out of town. It worked for about four months, I didn't take the pledge seriously, but it was fun while it lasted. I have since completely refuse to buy wrapping paper. I wrap gifts using the shopping bags I have acquired and I sometimes use the handles as a decorative bow.

Perfecting the Art of Frugal Living, this is about artists over the age of 62 living in NYC on a very small budget, sometimes under 30,000. per year. I am an artist, so this was of great interest to me. I do not currently make a living from my art, however, I have sold several paintings, and would like to spend a bit more time at it. The article ends on a high note, with a comment that sounded very familiar to me,"The first thing I do when I go out of my building," she says, "I look at the sky, white clouds and a blue sky, my heart goes pitter-pat." In the last month, I told a friend of mine, that I can be happy just looking at the sky.

Here's a twist on the idea of re-using for those who are the of the 5th avenue sort, When Conscience and Closet Collide. It struck me funny , but actually I believe this is very telling and that we may just be on the cusp of a fundamental change in our America. I am a child of Parents who lived in through the depression, they wanted us to have everything they couldn't have. We were raised as consumers. The material girl, the material generation. I am not so sure that the compulsive consumerisms that fuels our economy will continue. I see a difference in my own children who are frugal, they save, they ask for very little and sometimes buy used clothing or used video games. They even quiz me on the price of items I buy. It is as if they are saying to me, in disapproval, " that's not worth that much, you paid what?"

So that's my take for the day. I'll be letting someone else take over my part in the consumer arena. Note: I was raised as a garbage picker, or a treasure hunter, however you like to say it. To this day I still keep my eyes open on trash day, and when I find something - I feel good! It must be in my genes.

Great George Carlin Video about "stuff"

Peace~

day one of work

Cleared out all the debris, removed garden clothe, moved clay(soil), trimmed a tree that doesn't show in the picture. The area against my neighbors white garage is shade all day. I'd like something there with height. Evergreens with Hydrangea in front? I may have to put some sort of trellis up to break up the view. With all the work I did it barely shows. I will be stiff tomorrow. Plus I rode my bike for a short three mile ride, when I got back home, my legs felt like they were made of rubber. (On the right is a mock-up I did with the computer.)

the garden project 2008

This is the before shot, first looking north, next looking south. It's a odd place and difficult to get to as you can see the narrow entrance in the left photo. It's going to take a lot of manual labor. Lucky for me I work for free.

my buhhda with offering : )

Here's my happy Buhhda after a rose petal shower. I don't know why, but it makes me happy just looking at him all covered in rose petals. I guess I am one of those who is just easily amused.

I have a huge nasty garden project coming up, behind our garage. It's uneven, odd shaped, difficult to get to, and full of clay. I think I will show progress on this blog, for any interested, stay tuned. Next post with be the before shot....it's a mess.

namaste~

fat butt walking

Well, I haven't gotten very far with anything, except moving. I suffered a 3-week set back due to a sprained foot, but I have been walking to and from work for the past week and a half. One way is two miles up hill, that's in the morning, and then it's two miles downhill coming home. I can't believe it, but now I look forward to walking in the morning. Like right now, I have this feeling of anticipation, like an excited, "wow, I get to walk tomorrow morning." That thought makes me happy! I used to dread exercise. But I think the idea that I am going somewhere that I have to go, and not just in a circle, has worked wonders for my attitude. Even when I drive places I do to like to back track. I also feel good because I am not using gasoline. We moved the office three years ago from downtown to the suburbs because of the wasted time commuting and increasing crime.
Anyway, I am eating better, drinking more water, drinking "naked juices" those are really good, and feeling much better over-all. I should be losing some of my winter blubber as I continue. Right now, I am just happy being excited to continue....