Thursday February 21, 2019
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Here we are, another day in February. Happy birthday to
anyone celebrating today!! The shortest month of the year is almost over.
Spring is around the corner! Did your Winter months pass by nicely? I would
prefer to be outside more and I know that is my own responsibility so I will! I
should get in some nice evening walks. The evening Winter sky is my favorite.
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I didn’t get outside very much at all this Winter and that’s
okay, but I’ve got a few weeks left now so I better use them wisely. I need a
good pair of boots for snowshoeing. We went shopping for them months ago but
couldn’t find what I wanted. Just a classic, simple, warm, Winter boot is all
I’m looking for and everywhere we went all they had were the type of boots I
could wear from my house to my car to my office where I change into my shoes. I
have no need for those boots, I need sturdy, well insulated, well made cold
weather Winter boots. My dad would take me to Hank’s Sports Shop in
Middleville. It was an old little shop filled with fishing and hunting gear and
it was my dad’s favorite place to go for outdoor apparel and fishing bait. You
know the place, with the bell that rings when you swing open the door and the
old squeaky wood floor that talks to you as you browse the narrow and dimly lit
cluttered paths through the store. Hank’s is closed now. We could drive out to
Gloversville where there’s a small over-packed shoe store we stopped at last
summer. If he’s still open, there’s a chance a pair of Women’s Winter boots are
awaiting me. Until then, I shop online.
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After some internet browsing I finally found what I’ve been
looking for. The classic Sorel Winter boot is just what I need. Anything with
fashion or style just makes me think the quality isn’t as good, so I’ll stick
with the classic. It will be quite a luxury to have a nice pair of winter
boots.
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Its officially sunrise. The sky has brightened to a nice
wintery white/grey and the birds are singing us good morning. You know the
drill, it’s time to get on with the morning! Have a wonderful day all!!
Love,
Jen
Wednesday February 20, 2019
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Good morning and happy Wednesday! Happy birthday to anyone
celebrating today!! Oh February how we love you and your wintery ways. We’ve
gotten a pretty good amount of snow this month along with some really beautiful
sunny days. I’ve taken few walks this winter and two were this month. January
may have been the one bum month that I took no walks outside! I just
contemplated for a moment taking a walk now. It’s 6:45am and the sun may not
show through the clouds but we’re nearing sunrise. It would be a nice time for
a morning walk, I could hear the birds waking up the neighborhood and maybe see
some deer grazing in the mountainside. But…it is cold. I went out earlier to
gather the recyclables on the curb and it is chilling out there. A walk still
might be nice, if I bundle up. I’m nearing toward no…but the more I think it
the more I want to change it to a yes. We saw nearly twenty or more deer
yesterday when we drove to our sunrise spot. We’ve seen deer there before so as
soon as we got there yesterday I turned behind us to the mountain and saw a
group of deer. My excitement grew as the group never ended! I counted 14 in the
first group. For a moment it seemed they were watching the sunrise with us.
It’s 10˚F
and I want to go for a morning walk. That’s how much I love being in nature. I’m
going to pass though. At least now I know I’m ready to get back out there. I
was taking daily morning walks almost all of last year, sometimes afternoon
walks to the Post Office, and one long walk from our house to Treasure
Mountain. I didn’t track the miles but it took me a few hours. It was in autumn
and it was sunset by the time I reached the top of the mountain so it was cold.
I knew I was close, there was no turning back. And man did I have to pee! As
soon as I got on the mine road and out of view of the highway I squatted in the
gravel road peeing to a chilly, yet beautiful sunset. I was at ease for the
rest of my walk.
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Well it’s time to feed the cats. Then off to do yoga and
meditate. Frank suggested doing yoga before breakfast and I thought that was a
great idea! Since we’ve been getting better about our productivity in the
morning it’s an easy transition. My only unchanging request is having breakfast
before 9am. And sometimes we even stretch that a little. But I know with the
sunrises getting earlier it’s going to be easier to fit more into these lovely
morning hours. Off to tend to this beautiful life. Have a wonderful day!
Love,
Jen
Tuesday February 19, 2019
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Hello, Hello. It’s Tuesday. It’s back to work time. I hope
you all had a wonderful weekend! I haven’t left the house since Sunday morning
for the sunrise.
[I’m not going to fake an ending here…it must’ve just been a
busy morning and I’m leaving it as is. Love, Jen]
Monday February 18, 2019
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It’s Monday! And it’s a “holiday”!! Meaning we get another
day off!!! Today is President’s Day, when we honor Presidents of the past I
assume. To me it’s just an extra day off, whatever that may mean to you. For me
it means no Post Office or Bank runs so I can stay home all day if I want. I
used to love to take advantage of my days off by getting out and doing
something. That was when I was working 5-6 days a week, 8+ hours a day. Now,
even though I work from home, all I want to do on days off is stay home! I love
being home. I had many years of being out and about all the time, now is my
time to stay in as much as I want. I don’t have to go to parties, or store
sales, or out for dinner or drinks. I can do all of that and everything else I
want from the comfort of my home.
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I have been on the ball lately. Well at least yesterday, I
was non-stop. After yoga I got started right away with making my chickpea
vegetable soup with kale. Before breakfast I had the chickpeas cooking after
soaking all night and they were done before we started yoga. It was a really
nice and quick 11-minute strengthening practice. Once the soup came to a simmer
and I cleaned up the kitchen it was on to laundry. Got the wash started, then
folded and put away the dry clothes from the rack. I vacuumed the living room,
two staircases, the kitchen, the laundry room, and the bathroom. Then we had a
quick little lunch of soup with bread and butter, and then the wash was done
and it was time to hang the clean clothes. Then I caught up on recording our
expenses. It may have been after that when I finally chilled for a bit. Then
got going on dinner, which was just putting leftovers in the toaster oven.
While that cooked I went up and packed orders, even though the Post isn’t open
until Tuesday it’s good practice to have items packed within a day of the
order, and it’s been a goal of mine to pack orders at night to free up my
daytime hours. Frank helped with dinner by cooking the famous untitled dish of
a vegetable based burger fried in Ghee with melted raw sharp cheddar laid on a
bed of greens and a lightly fried egg seasoned with salt, pepper, and turmeric
tops the burger. This combination is one of the most pleasing experiences my
mouth has ever had. As sides we had Butternut Squash Kitchari and a sweet
potato smothered in ghee and topped with nutritional yeast. This is one of my
all-time favorite meals. I was so satisfied I didn’t even bother with any
dessert. I was done eating for the day. The only thing I left out was a few
dates I ate while having an afternoon cup of coffee, which makes about 4 cups
of coffee for me yesterday. It was a busy day, it was useful. There’s nothing
worse than drinking a bunch of coffee and sitting or standing around. My heart
rate gets too elevated to not get into action.
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The most important thing I forgot to mention about yesterday
was the sunrise! We actually had a clear enough morning to venture up the road
for the sunrise. Maybe that’s part of why I was so productive! It was at 6:55am
and we made it with one minute to spare. We were in awe of how much it had
moved since the last time we came. It is heading back to the northern
hemisphere. We’ve been watching these sunrises since October. I’m hoping to
keep up with it as they get earlier and earlier.
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I got a very early start today seeing as I was incredibly
productive yesterday, even completing the day with washing all the remaining
dishes and cleaning the cat boxes assuring I would have little to tend to this
morning. It’s now 6:02am and I’ve been sitting here on and off for close to an
hour. I’ve had my cup of warm water, that last sip was not warm at all, that’s
what happens when I’m busy. Next it’s on to mouth hygiene and a cup of warm
water with shilajit. It’s going to be a good day today. I can feel it.
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The momentum is continuing. I decided to shower also seeing
as it was as early as it was. It’s now 7:37am. Frank is up, water is spinning
in the revitalizer, the cats have been fed, it’s time to meditate and get to
breakfast! You know the drill!
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We are going to enjoy this snowy Monday in February the best
we can. Without judgment, embracing all moments good or bad, and remembering we
can choose what to think about. Have a wonderful week! Just a few more until
clocks get pushed ahead, and then Spring! Make the best of these final Winter
days.
Love,
Jen
Sunday February 17, 2019
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Happy happy Sunday to you all! Happy Birthday to my Mom!! I
am at it early again today, 5:38am. I had the will to do the dishes last night
so all I had to do upon waking was feed the cats some dry food, change one of
their boxes and neaten the other, and clean up the now wet dry food that Delano
puked up. I’ve got a candle burning in front of me, a cup of warm water, the
brightness on my screen is almost to zero and I’m wearing blue blockers. I’ve
got to take a quick bathroom break and pack a pipe and we’ll see what I come up
with next. 5:44am
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6am and while I was using the bathroom I got to thinking
about the past. It is probably my worst habit. I like to believe I sometimes learn
something from it, but usually it just brings me back to how I felt during that
time. My twenties had a few rough patches, mostly because I just kept trying to
run away instead of face my problems. My only adult role models had the same
kinds of problems. I had no one in my life that could guide me through that,
and maybe I wasn’t in a place of understanding. Guys took up a lot of my mental
space. I’m fortunate to have come out of that. I hadn’t truly realized it until
I was looking at my journals one day and noticed they were all focused on guys,
every entry. I’d write about how things were at work and then boys.
__
My social life had been quite a concern of mine since about
third grade. The fear of embarrassment, which now I know was a fear of judgment,
began to stunt me as soon as I started school. My older sister was really good
at making me feel like I didn’t belong, that may have been her purpose. I was
born six years after her, ending her only child streak. I think she’s been
wanting that back ever since.
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All I wanted was to be like and be liked by the other kids.
As I grew, more and more things kept pushing me away from everyone else, making
me different and weird. I was so skinny and too tall. I had no boobs for like
ever. I thought too much. I didn’t have my first boyfriend until 9th
grade, and he was in 7th, and it lasted two weeks, and we never
spoke until after I dumped him. He had a lot to say then. I love you Fran, oh
yea the last time I saw him he corrected me, it’s Frank now. I love you Frank.
There have been a few of them in my life and I love them all! Honestly I’m
really learning to love everyone.
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It’s easy to think back and look for who to blame. But then
it’s important to remember that all of that led to where I am now. It all had
to happen.
[Another incomplete ending that I’m leaving as is. Love,
Jen]
Saturday February 16, 2019
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Howdy folks. Happy Saturday! Happy birthday to anyone
celebrating today!! It’s 6am and all is well. And quiet. We have less than an
hour to sunrise and after having a clear night, I’m hoping clouds don’t roll in
too thick. What a week we had, lots of snow and lots of sunshine from what I
can remember. We are in our final month of Winter!
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It’s been a while since I’ve gone for a morning walk, afternoon
walks seem to be better suited for this weather and that is just what we did on
Thursday. Since Valentine’s Day is still being celebrated by the masses Frank’s
gym partner took the day off from training to spend the day with his girlfriend
so Frank did the same. We had a wonderful day walking through town. Our first
stop was the Post Office to drop packages and a birthday card for my mom. Then
we made our way up to Bonita’s Sandwich Chef. Frank was tired and sore and I
could tell he didn’t want to do much and to be honest neither did I. I love our
quiet little life. Taking a walk together on a sunny day and getting a little
lunch is the perfect way to spend any day dedicated to love.
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Our lunch there was incredibly delicious. The ONLY thing
that could make this place better (before I get into how great everything was)
would be an espresso machine. I’ll leave it at that. The vegetarian options
were slim, although I’m sure if we asked for anything without meat they would
accommodate, but we settled with the two vegetarian paninis, the Spinach and
the Veggie. And they were delicious. We ordered potato and mac salads as our
sides and we had Snapples, Raspberry and Lemon. For dessert we chose the Lemon
Meringue and the Key Lime pies, and to go we added two pieces of peanut butter
fudge and the one slice of éclair cake. The crusts on those pies were out of
this world. The creamy Key Lime had a sugary graham cracker crust and the tangy
Lemon Meringue had a buttery perfectly baked classic crust. Ooooh boy. When we
got home Frank rolled a big fat joint and we played two games of Battleship
while slowly indulging in our treats. The textures of the peanut butter and the
chocolate in this fudge were different with the peanut butter crumbling with
every bite. I loved it! It really tasted homemade, best fudge ever. We then
attempted watching Lord of the Rings before falling asleep on the couch. Best.
Valentine’s Day. Ever. Haha.
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It’s 6:52am. The sun is rising in five minutes. The sky is
white and I can see some greyish clouds. It’s hard to tell if there are breaks
in the clouds, it could just be a thinner coverage. I don’t think we will be
missing much this morning. I got up at 5am this morning, waking on my own as
far as I know. I spoke my mantra, I’m still in repeating mode it hasn’t sunk in
completely yet. Hey I’m awake! And Hey the Law of Attraction ceased while I was
sleeping. And Hey I messed it up already! This is why I have it as my lock
screen and my home screen on my phone. “Hey I’m awake! And Hey the law of attraction
is beginning again! And Hey while I was slumbering my point of attraction
ceased! And Hey I get to choose what I focus upon! What would be a good thing
for me to focus upon!?”
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It’s 7:03am, I just blew out my candle and the smoke is
billowing right into my face. Well good morning!! Alright, you know it, I’m
off! Off the feed the cats, meditate, get breakfast going, that kind of stuff.
Have a wonderful day and enjoy this beautiful cloudy February weekend.
Love,
Jen
Friday February 15, 2019
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Goooooood Morrrning!!! Whoa I thought it was Thursday! We
had a good day yesterday, so good I forgot it happened! Haha. Happy Friday!
Okay here we go. It’s not quite sunrise yet but there are a few birds sitting
calmly at the feeder. They are quiet. It’s 6:41am, the sunrise is at 6:58am
today. The sky is a little bluer this morning but it still looks like a nice
amount of cloud coverage, a bit too much for a viewable sunrise. Frank is
coming down the stairs now, I’ll see what he thinks.
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I saw four deer crossing a little hill across the street
from our house around 3am. They were moving so slowly. Were they cold, were
they being quiet and cautious? The smaller ones stopped and looked toward our
house. The first one got pushed along by an elder, or so it appeared, and the
second one had nobody behind it. It stood there a bit longer. I whispered to it to go along now, don’t get
too far behind! Oh Jen, of course it’s not going to fall behind! Of course it
can’t see me here sitting in the middle of a bed staring it at, can it?? It
looked ahead at its family. It looked back at me. I smiled with gratitude. It
went on its way. I waited a moment to see if there would be a fifth or sixth
one, and then laid back down. Frank and I saw a group of six of them at another
end of this hill, where we watch the sunrise. I was so enthused, I spent more
time watching them than the sunrise. Deer are definitely a spirit animal for
us. Frank had one eating strawberries out of his hand through his driver side
window one summer on a back street of Old Forge.
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As it gets closer to sunrise the sky is getting whiter.
Clouds and rain in the forecast today. Frank agreed, with ten minutes to get
there it wouldn’t be worth it. I had another late start today, getting up close
to 6am. I gave the cats a little dry food, cleaned the cat boxes, did the
dishes, and sat down to this. It’s now 7:08am, time to give the cats their wet
food meal, then meditate, then get breakfast going! Have a wonderful Friday
everyone!
Thursday February 14, 2019
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Hello, hello! Happy Thursday!! I got a bit of a late start
here today. It’s almost 7am, and yes it’s snowing, no sunrise viewing for us. I
miss it so much! I’ll be honest, I’ve been struggling the past 24 hours with
criticism, judgment, not feeling aligned. Yes, I used the mantra, the power of
intention is beginning again now that I’m awake and I can choose to have good
feeling thoughts. Yea…but it’s tough!
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The birds are chirping, must be close to that sunrise time.
Today is the day, the day the sun rises before 7am. Until March 10th
when many people turn their clocks ahead.
[The first, last, and final incomplete ending that I am
choosing to leave incomplete. Stay tuned. Love, Jen]
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