Green Tip Tuesday: Being Green While You Sleep

Image from Gaiam.com

Today the Gaiam sale catalog arrived in the mail.  Now y'all know how inspired I get from my catalogs and Gaiam is my Green inspiration that's for sure.  Looking at the gorgeous organic sheet sets (on sale!) has inspired me to make quality, organic bedding a priority.

Sleeping is meant to be a time for healing, rejuvenation, renewal, and rest.  None of those things feel compatible with inhaling toxins, absorbing chemicals, irritating the immune system, or creating allergies but that's exactly what can happen night after night if we sleep is poorly ventilated rooms with chemical-filled bedding.

Imagine if you will a more peaceful scenario: you climb into bed, a bed softened with 250-thread-count organic cotton percale sheets.  Your skin is not going to absorb any dyes or chemicals from the sheets because none were used.  Your window and your door are both open, just slightly, for proper ventilation.  Your mattress is softened and protected  by a pure wool mattress topper or pad.  Your pajamas, if you choose to wear them, are loose, cotton, and chemical free.  Aren't you feeling more relaxed already?

Wool mattress topper from Gaiam.com

My bedroom is not all organic.  My bed is wood and veneers with plenty of glue, varnish, and other toxins I'm sure.  My blankets aren't organic cotton.  My mattress happens to be organic cotton only because we had to buy a new one last year and it wasn't any more expensive than a regular kind.  I don't have the money to replace all my furniture and bedding with chemical-free options and frankly, I'm not sure I need to.  As long as my room is ventilated throughout the day and while I sleep the toxins leaching from my bed don't have a chance to build up and I don't actually touch my bedframe while sleeping.  The only thing touching my skin at night are my pajamas and my sheets (and Steve against whom a pretty good arguement could be made that with all those pizza rolls in his system he is also a source of toxins, but I digress) and since I really need to buy some new sheets anyway, why not make them organic?

It was my Gaiam catalog with any size sheets set on sale for $39.99 (http://www.gaiam.com/) that inspired me, but I've also noticed places like Target, WalMart, Lands End, LLBean, and Pottery Barn carrying organic sheet sets.  My goal is to replace my sheets with an organic option, wash them in eco-friendly detergent, and perhaps, over time, invest in some organic cotton T-shirts and boxers for sleeping. 

A restful night.  Giving my body the opportunity to rejuvenate.  Less pesticides being used on our planet.  Less dyes and chemicals being put into our drinking water, soil, and bodies.  One small step that if we all take together adds up to one big step.

Now go get a good night's sleep.

What would you do if you weren't afraid to do it?

What would you do if you weren't afraid to do it?  Would you publish a book?  Open a restaurant?  Produce a movie?  Cure a disease?  Invent something?  Did you ever set a goal that seemed like maybe you were reaching a little too high but you couldn't help yourself, you decided to reach anyway?

I did.  I do.  And I did it.  I reached.

I'd like to invite you to come along with me as I embark on my next adventure that combines 2 of my passions: reading books and talking with friends.  I'd like to invite you to listen to my podcast.

That's right, podcast.  Debbie and I have a podcast.  If you are a podcast virgin let me give you a little more information: podcasts are audio or video blogs.  Debbie and I decided to create an audio podcast where we will review books, blogs, authors, basically anything written down.  Our inaugral podcast is now live and can be found on our blog http://www.undercoverwithdebandbeth.blogspot.com/ or downloaded from iTunes.  Just type deb and beth in the search bar.

In our first podcast we review the Stephanie Plum series written by Janet Evanovich.  For our next podcast we're planning to discuss the combined works from author Stacey Ballis.  Our style is casual, the audio mix a bit amateur, the intro music probably a little dated, yet I am so proud of the overall product that I am just about bursting.  I'd love to have you listen along.  Download the podcast (it's free) and even better subscribe so you get our regular updates.

And while you're listening to us, think about your dream.  And then reach.

Green Tip Tuesday: Let's Talk about Toothbrushes

Oops, it looks like Green Tip Tuesday is once again being held on a Wednesday.  Sorry!  My last days of summer are kind of running together a bit.  Anyway, let's talk about toothbrushes!  If you're listening to your dentist you are throwing away your old toothbrush every six months or anytime you get sick.  That could add up to a lot of waste.   Luckily, there are some greener solutions.

Powered toothbrushes only replace the toothbrush head

The first solution is to use a rechargeable powered toothbrush.  These kinds of toothbrushes have a base that can be used for years with only the toothbrush head needing to be replaced.  I use an Oral B rechargeable and absolutely love it.  My teeth feel cleaner, I know I am brushing long enough because it has a self timer that tells me when 2 minutes is up, and because I am actually brushing for 2 minutes (instead of what feels like 2 minutes!) I am more apt to do a complete job.  You do have to be careful not to press too hard on your gums or you can cause sensitivity and pain.  The toothbrush head that gets replaced still generates waste, it simply generates less waste because of its size and the fact that a complete toothbrush doesn't have to be manufactured.  Of course my toothbrush base does get plugged into the wall so there is still a carbon footprint.  Also, it can be very hard to find eco-friendly replacement heads that fit the toothbrush.

These wooden toothbrushes are natural but not made from sustainable wood sources

Recycled yogurt containers make up these toothbrushes

Another solution is to buy a toothbrush made from recycled material.  There is an eco-friendly toothbrush manufactured by Recycline, Inc. in Waltham, Massachusetts.  The toothbrush base is made from recycled yogurt containers that are supplied by Stoneyfield Farm Yogurt.  It's a great option for manual toothbrush users because you are already re-using what has been re-cycled and re-purposed.  Pristineplanet.com carries a line of eco-friendly toothbrushes that are BPA free and phthalate free.  There is only one problem that I have with these toothbrushes: price. 

As you well know from my organic butter ($4.99/lb) I definitely pay a premium for what I consider to be superior products.  HOWEVER, at roughly $7.99 per toothbrush, if you have a bad winter of colds and flu you could bankrupt yourself just buying toothbrushes.  Not to mention that these toothbrushes are not widely available in stores and so you may encounter shipping costs when buying online.  Yikes!

Having said all that, you may want to make the toothbrush investment and here is why: most toothbrushes contain BPA, acrylic, nylon, and phthlalate.  Add to this a nice toxic chemical like fluoride that will help these substances to break down and you have your average teeth brushing experience.  If you're having problems with bleeding gums, mouth sores or ulcers, any kind of mouth, throat, or lip cancers, or have a suppressed immune system it may be worthwhile to consider a natural toothbrush.  Now I suppose the argument can be made that if you're having all those above listed problems you probably want to make a lot of lifestyle changes and your toothbrush may be the least of your concerns, but why add toxins, right?

For the Average Joe who doesn't have bleeding mouth ulcers there is something else to consider: if you have a toddler that likes to chew on toothbrushes invest in an eco-friendly toothbrush.  Wash it regularly to preserve it as long as possible and don't replace it until it is gnawed completely but don't let your babies ingest all those toxins.  Why bother to invest in the BPA free water bottle and then give your baby a toothbrush to chew on?

Whatever type of toothbrush you use the really important thing is to use it regularly.  Having a clean mouth reduces air pollution and that my friends, is Green.

Green Tip Tuesday: Surprising Areas of Waste & How to Be Greener

Being smug is fun, isn't it?  I'll admit it: as I walk around my house on freshly washed-with-vinegar floors wearing organic cotton socks that will later be washed with Earth-friendly detergent sometimes I just can't help but let that smug little smirk creep onto my face.  Oh yeah, I'm sooo much better than all those Mop-N-Glo-using-synthetic-sock-wearing-folks!  Right?  So my smug-little-self decides to take out the trash (of course a very small bag since environmental smugness and recycling go hand-in-hand) and would you looky here...Plastic baggies with zipper top, batteries, single use Keurig cups, banana peels, a peach pit, and a styrofoam meat tray all getting ready to go to the landfill.  And all completely unnecessary waste.  Perhaps I'm just a mere mortal after all...

So what are the options?  Well, what about trying this:

Most plastic bags can be recycled but they may have to go to a "special" recycling center which can be a pain to find.  I found out that the same recycling bin at my grocery store that will take the plastic grocery bags will also take sandwich style bags as long as the zipper is cut off.  I also know that some people wash and reuse their baggies.  I am  not a huge fan of this option because these bags were not made to be washed and reused.  Aside from the potential for harmful bacterial growth is the fact that the bags are breaking down with use leaching their petrochemicals into whatever you have in the bag.  The best option is to forego the bag completely and find a reusable container that will fit your needs.  This can be super challenging because who is going to pack a glass bowl in their child's lunch, right?  I have found that the reusable bags from snacktaxi (http://www.snacktaxi.com/) are a good option, as well as using recyclable plastic containers for dry goods (get a thermos if you're packing anything hot,like soup).

I keep meaning to make the investment in rechargeable batteries.  The problem is that when I remember I need batteries for something tends to be at the checkout when that conveniently placed little package of Duracells jogs my memory.   Despite all my good intentions those old batteries end up in the trash where they get to leach some good ol' heavy metals like mercury and nickel cadmium into the soil.   So if, like me, that rechargeable battery purchase hasn't materialized, be assured that it's actually getting easier to recycle batteries.  A lot of office supply stores are creating drop boxes for battery recycling, as well as bigger chain stores like WalMart.  The best information on how to recycle the battery may come from the packaging itself which frequently gives a website to go to for information.  My plan: hang a bag under the sink, label it 'Batteries', throw all the batteries in there instead of in the trash.  When the bag is full (which will take some time in most households) find a recycling center and take it there.  (Yes that solution did combine two of my favorite things: procrastinating and recycling!)

I'm guilty, guilty, guilty.  We even have the reusable Keurig insert that enables us to put coffee, tea, whatever, into the machine without using the single-use cup.  I don't believe we've ever used it.  Those little cups are so cute, convenient, have great flavors, I can't find my green chai tea in bulk, I've got dozens of reasons why I don't use the reusable cup.  None of them are Green.  The only option is for me to change my wicked ways and use the reusable filter giving the K-cup manufacturers time to develop recylable packaging.  In order to get the green chai tea I love I'm going to have to make it myself.  Here is the recipe:

1/3 c loose green tea
1 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. cloves
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. cardamom

Mix the ingredients together.  If using K-cup reusable filter, put 1 TBSP into the filter, store the remainder in an airtight (glass!) container.  I like to add rice or soy milk to my brewed cup, but that's just me.  Enjoy!

Banana peels and peach pits.  If I had a compost pile these would be excellent candidates to go on that pile.  In the past I haven't felt too bad about throwing away things that will naturally break down because, well, they naturally break down.  They don't clog up landfills for years and years, they self-compost.  Unfortunately this thinking is pretty flawed.  First of all they do clog up landfills because it's not like they break down instantly, it takes time.  Secondly that plastic bag they are stored in isn't exactly breaking down quickly (if at all) either so what good does it do to have some quality compost trapped in plastic for the next millenium?  My quick fix has been to throw a lot of my peels and pits over my deck and into the woods behind my house.  (Note, I own the part I'm using as a personal landfill so no neighbors' rights are being infringed upon).  However creating a heap of rotting food in my backyard isn't exactly composting, so again, not ideal.  I looked it up and composting is actually easy!  Here's what to do:

Choose a shady spot.  Put down your green compost (coffee grounds, fruit and veggie waste,  grass clippings).  Now add your browns (twigs, branches, etc.).  Now add a little water to moisten.  Keep doing this.  Keep a shovel or pitchfork nearby to mix things up every once in a while and make sure to keep it moist.  Your compost will be ready in a few months.  Note: don't let your pile get too large or get too much sun.

Now this is rudimentary composting, at best, but it will work (according to the EPA website) and so I'm going to give it a shot.

Finally the styrofoam meat tray.  The solution to this one is easy: get your meat from the meat counter instead of what's already been packaged and put on the shelf.  You'll get exactly the amount you want, the cut you want, it's fresher, and it will be wrapped in recyclable paper, not stored in styrofoam.

See how easy it is to be Green?  (And think how unbearably smug I can be once I have accomplished all this Greenness!)

My Summer Top 10 List

This summer has been chock full of wonderful experiences.  I seem to be in a "gratitude place" lately because I am noticing that every little thing seems to bring me joy.  Perhaps I am finally feeling at home, at peace, and settled here in Massachusetts.

I've been thinking lately about a Top 10 list: what are my 10 favorite things to do/experience this summer.  Here's what I have come up with so far:

10.  The way my house smells first thing in the morning when the windows have been open all night long and the air is still cool.

9.  Sipping Simply Lemonade.  With plenty of ice.  (Fresh squeezed would only be better if someone else was willing to squeeze it for me...)

8.  Scrunching my toes in the sand.  Not being a native New Englander, I had no idea that there were so many types of sand on beaches.  York beach in York, Maine has a course, brown sandy beach.  Hampton Beach in Hampton, New Hampshire has a soft, yellow sand.  Ogunquit Beach in Ogunquit, Maine has a soft, light brown sand.  Marblehead Beach in Salem, Massachusetts has a very rocky beach with not much sand at all.  Whatever their type, I like all beaches and scrunching my toes in all kinds of sand.

7.  Seeing the bees really working the flowers in front my house.  The previous owner planted lavendar and the bees just go crazy over the stuff.  Every day, without fail they show up to work.  I don't know much about bees but I think these bees are honey bees.  They are big and fat and can barely squeeze their bee-bodies into each flower.  They don't seem bothered by me trying to weed the area around the lavendar and other flowers and to my amazement, even with hundreds of bees around me, I've never been stung.  Thanks, bees!

6.  Freshly painted hot-pink toenails.  I rarely paint my fingernails but in the summer I like to have my toes looking cute.  Hot pink is my choice this summer.  Probably it's weird but glancing down at my cute-hot-pink-toes set against my tanned foot makes me smile.

5.  The smell of Hawaiian Tropic suntain lotion.  Probably laden with chemicals and extra artificial ingredients to make that wonderful, trademark smell, Hawaiian Tropic has it right: it just smells like summer.

4.  Eating cherries on the back deck.  Having a pit-spitting contest with my daughter to see who can spit their pit the farthest into the woods.

3.  Grilled corn on the cob.  Purchased fresh that day from the farmer's market.  With butter and salt.

2.  The sound of the ocean.  Be it crashing waves, screaming gulls, the blowing wind, or the dull roar of the surf, I find the complex sounds of the ocean to be at times calming, at times stimulating and always awe-inspiring.

1.  The smell of my daughter's hair in the summer: a potpourri of chlorine, shampoo, and sun.  I could just breathe that child in forever.  She's 11 now, so time spent hugging mom whilst I smell her hair is both short and met with horror ("Mo-om!  Why are you so weird???").  No matter.  I know what's important.


So there it is.  My Top 10 Summer Pleasures.  Any of those pleasures resonate with you?  Any pleasures to add?

If I was filthy stinkin' rich...

What if money were no object?

Our family likes to play a game sometimes where we imagine what kind of outrageous, wonderful, quirky, and expensive items we would own if we were filthy stinkin' rich.  My daughter frequently chooses things like an iceberg complete with penguins that would swim around in our basement.  My husband likes to imagine things like our own parking garage filled with a different car for every mood.  I seem to always envision outdoor stuff like a waterfall that cascades into our multi-level inground pool.

What would you dream if you had a million dollars to spend?  A billion?  A trillion?

There was recently a man in our town who won a large lottery.  He was just a regular guy, working a regular job, and now he gets $50,000 a year for 30 years.  Not bad for a single scratch lotto ticket.  His story got me to thinking again about how much money I'd love to have if I could have any amount.  I have decided I would like to have 3 million dollars.  Here's what I'd do with the money:

I'd take the first million and pay off my home mortgage and the mortgages of my parents, brothers, sister, and in-laws.

I'd take the second million and establish education trust funds for my daughter and her 3 cousins.  These wouldn't be just college funds, they'd be education funds that would carry them from whenever their education begins to whenever it ends.  I'd give whatever was left after the funds were established as donations to schools that need it in our area.

I'd take the third million and bank it.  Invest it.  Use its interest to travel and create new experiences for myself and my family.

That's it, just 3 million.  If I won a lottery of $10 million I would still do my $3 million plan, I'd just donate more money to charity.  I wouldn't quit my very-part-time-job at the local college bookstore.  I doubt Steve would quit his job either.  We love our jobs.  We love what we do.  I wouldn't re-decorate my house or build on another wing (though I would hire professional exterior painters in a heartbeat!).  I wouldn't even change my car, though I'm sure Steve would want another car, not to replace his, but just for fun.  I wouldn't change my daughter's school, where we live, or our grocery budget.

I'd travel to see my friends and family a lot more.

I'd make sure that all of the children in my school district were eating healthy meals at school for breakfast and/or lunch.

I'd probably spend more getting my hair highlighted.

But I like my life.  While I would love to have the financial serenity of having my house paid for and a healthy chunk in the bank, I wouldn't want to actually have a different life.

What about you?  What amount would you like to have?  What would you do with your dream-money?

Green Tip Tuesday: Don't Track Those Muddy Shoes in my House!

Shoes really do belong outside

It turns out Mom was right: it really is a bad idea to track muddy, or really any kinds of shoes, into the house.  The Asian cultures have known this for centuries and have always insisted that shoes be left at the door, but it's kind of a new phenomenon here in the west. 

There are a lot of pollutants that get stuck on the soles of our shoes: dirt, pesticides, fecal matter, and dust (which provides a wonderful biosphere environment for dust mites, mold, viruses, and germs to breed) all ride in with us whenever we walk in the door.  It's especially bad if you have carpeting which acts like a gigantic doormat sucking up all the pollutants it can from your shoes.  The problem isn't so much the gunk we track in, it's the chemicals we're forced to use to get it back out.  Carpet cleaners, bleaches, harsh chemicals, and dry cleaning (for winter coats) are regularly used throughout our homes as we try to combat all the dirt that has been drug in.

Keeping your house clean can be as simple as removing your shoes as soon as, or right before, you walk in the door.  Now for me this is a bit of a challenge.  Our home doesn't really have a foyer.  Or a mud room.  Or a convenient place to leave shoes.  We usually enter from the garage so our shoes get taken off as soon as we enter the house through the dining room.  This means that our dining room always has an empty shoe tray with 4 or 5 pairs of shoes scattered around it.  And the shoe tray always has a nice layer of sand, cut grass, and dust to make it look especially appealing, being as it's in a dining room and all.

I'd be happy if the shoes would just make it on the tray!

We have shoe racks in the hall closet but that closet is on the other side of the dining room in the non-existent foyer and so the shoes have never made the journey quite that far.  I personally have been lobbying to do away with our formal dining room and turn that space into a proper mudroom.  Since the garage and the basement both open into the dining room it's already kind of an awkward arrangement. 

My husband is not yet convinced.

This is my vision: The dining room is a perfect square so we put a big comfy chair with ottoman angled in one corner.  (We already have the chair, it lives in the basement waiting to be rediscovered).  That provides a perfect spot for putting on/taking off shoes.  Then we line the back wall with those gorgeous cubbies from Pottery Barn (or a knock off from Target, you know how I love Target), add a round rug in the center of the room and call it a day.

Is it just me or is this anyone else's idea of perfection?

My husband is not yet convinced.

I like the idea of a proper place to put all our shoes.  I like the idea of coats, backpacks, purses, umbrellas, briefcases, and lunch bags having a permanent home as well.  All of those "outdoor" items that get tossed on the floor, drug across the classroom, dropped on the floor of the car, and thrown into the corner of the office pick up a lot of dirt and germs.  Finding a spot, preferably close to where you enter your house, for these items to live means containing a lot of dirt and germs, which makes cleaning a lot easier.  It also means less wear and tear on your carpet.  Which means you'll replace your carpet less frequently.  Which means less waste going into a landfill.  Which is green.  Or you can use gentler cleaners on your hardwood floors.  Like good old vinegar and hot water.  Which is green.  And y'all know how much I like to be green!

Need relaxation therapy? Try a Pottery Barn catalog

A few days ago I went out to check the mail.  Life had been unexpectedly busy and stressful and my house was reflecting it: dishes needing to be loaded in the dishwasher, throw blankets...well...thrown about, papers on the floor where the wind had blown them, shoes absolutely everywhere but in the shoe bin, beds unmade, laundry unfolded, a life in chaos.

I wasn't so much checking the mailbox as I was fleeing the scene.

When I opened the mailbox it was there.  Nestled in among the Redplum coupons, the grocery store ads, and the oil bill.  A Pottery Barn catalog.  Just for a moment I heard the angels sing.  I pulled out the mail, tossing most of it into the recycle bin as I walked into the house.  But not the Pottery Barn catalog.  Nope, no recycling bin for you yet, my pretty.  You, my little book of magic, are going to provide me some much needed therapy.

Isn't this a peaceful scene?

I walked into the kitchen and placed the catalog in the center of the island.  I quickly unloaded the dishwasher, put away the clean dishes, then loaded it again with the dirty.  I wiped off counters and tables (being careful not to get my prized catalog wet!) and took the catalog with me to the family room.  I placed the catalog on the coffee table and went to work: I picked up the wind-strewn papers, folded the throw blankets, put the pillows and cushions back where they belong and straightened the rug.

Then Pottery Barn and I went upstairs where I quickly made beds, put dirty laundry into hampers, threw in a load, and gazed longingly at the cover of the catalog while I folded laundry.  I put the laundry away, made a cup of Bigelow's Chai Green Tea (in my beloved Keurig, of course) and then sat down to relax.  Just me and Pottery Barn.

 I enjoyed it just as much as I thought I would.  Each page filled with beautifully photographed, beautifully layered, accessorized, and clean roooms.   Pottery Barn catalog inspires me.  Just knowing those beautiful images awaited me gave me the push I needed to set my own house to rights.  After perusing through Pottery Barn I find myself looking at collections of candles and glassware in new ways.  I will arrange pillows and blankets in different groupings, mixing patterns in a way I hadn't thought of before.  I have painted picture frames, printed out my photos in black and white, covered scraps of wood with chalkboard paint or fabric, all because of things I've seen in Pottery Barn magazine.  I don't actually own a lot of Pottery Barn "stuff."  I have a few accessories, my daughter has a lot of their bedding and a desk hutch, and many, many of my paint colors through the years have been taken directly from the Benjamin Moore Pottery Barn paint deck, but for most part it is the lifestyle they are selling that I am buying, not the actual product.  (Which is probably not music to Pottery Barn's ears but I'm just tellin' the truth here).

After 30 minutes spent in my now-clean-house, sipping chai green tea and flipping through the catalog I was completely relaxed.  I got up, actually set the table for dinner, as opposed to simply putting out plates.  I used napkin rings, brought in a centerpiece of a glass bowl filled with sand, white candles, sea glass, and shells (except for the candles all found objects from the ocean).  We had a pleasant dinner, enjoyed some dumb game shows as a family, and went to bed. 

The next day I was still inspired to move some throw pillows around from different rooms when making my bed.  The day after that I hung a shelf in my bathroom that I'd been meaning to hang.  Just this morning I grouped some picture frames differently.

I spent 30 minutes with a catalog and I didn't buy anything.  But I did get a new attitude.

What inspires yet relaxes you?

Green Tip Tuesday: Hosting a "Green" Cookout

I love grilling out!

I love grilling out.  I love the smell.  I love how the food tastes.  I love the excitement that I can't help but feel about the whole process.  Until I learned a little more about cooking out I was (mistakenly) thinking that it wasn't a very "green" option.  It turns out, cooking out can be quite environmentally friendly.

This is how we used to grill out

Most important is the choice of grill.  We have a gas grill.  Up until last year we had a charcoal grill.  I thought the charcoal grill was "greener" because charcoal is a renewable resource but unfortunately the emissions are so high from burning charcoal that it apparently cancels out all the potential good.  I read here a pretty good arguement for gas grilling.  There are also electric grills.  Sadly these grills tend to not be very efficient, especially when grilling multiple food items, thus the good done by their reduced emissions is negated by the amount of energy it takes to completely cook a meal.  Finally there is lump charcoal.  Lump charcoal is free of the additives found in traditional charcoal that create the noxious emissions but it is not readily available from local sources creating the need to ship it great distances.  The transportation emissions far exceed the "good" done by using this type of energy.

Gas grilling is more environmentally friendly than charcoal grilling

The point is that unless you are choosing a raw-food-lifestyle you're going to be cooking your food in some form or fashion.  The smallest carbon footprint comes from gas grilling.  Something about grilling seems to inspire us to invite our friends and families to join us, thus making for an even greener cooking experience as more people are fed from the same amount of energy consumed.  Heating up a grill is far greener than heating up an oven.

I love veggie kabobs, especially marinated with a little Italian dressing!

Finally it's important to note the types of food being grilled.  You could go for the heart attack special: steaks, brats, burgers, hot dogs,  mayonnaise-laden potatoe salad, macaroni salad, jello "salad", some creamy cole slaw all topped off with s'mores for dessert.  You could eat that way.  I certainly have in the past.  Now I choose black bean burgers, grilled vegetables, vegetable kabobs, grilled portabella mushrooms, and grilled corn-on-the-cob.  And s'mores.  It's best not to "char" food when grilling, in fact the shorter cooking time for veggies, the better because many nutrients are destroyed by heat. 

Pineapples and apples grill up nicely

Grilling food is an excellent opportunity to try out new foods.  Not sure if you like summer squash?  What about adding it to your kabob? Haven't ever tried grilled fruit?  Well peaches are in season and they grill up beautifully, as do blueberries, blackberries, and pears.  You could even go for more nutrients and eat the fruit raw, like in strawberry shortcake.

Who am I kidding?  Grilled fruit?

I still eat the s'mores.

I grew up with only one television set in our house.  That TV was black&white until 1980 when my parents proudly brought home a big cabinet-style color TV.  That day was cause for much celebration in my childhood home!

Remember when this was the height of fashion?

We only had 3 channels and those 3 channels only broadcast from 6 a.m. until 1 or 2 a.m.  No cable TV for me, no VCR (until 1987), no premium channels, no movies on demand, no hulu tv on the internet, nothing that we mostly take for granted today as an ability to watch pretty much whatever we want whenever we want to watch it.

All of the choices today and the easy availability of constant entertainment have some experts arguing that TV is too important, too much a part of our daily routine than is good for us, and certainly more than it was 20 years ago.  I'm not going to dispute whether that is true for everyone I'm simply making the statement that's it's not true for me even though I make use of just about every single technological advance available for TV viewing.  Here's why:

Back in the 'old days' I'd be outside playing with my friends.  We'd all be involved in a game of kickball.  Or pickle.  Or Smear the Queer (because political correctness was not yet a soundbite in the '70s).  Suddenly doors would open all over the neighborhood as mothers called their children to come inside because the Charlie Brown special was starting in 5 minutes.  The kickballs, softballs, and baseballs would all be abandoned as each child stopped playing to go inside and watch television.  In the old days if you missed a show when it was aired you had to wait a whole year, or possibly longer, for the show to be aired again.  Not so these days, my friends.  My daughter frequently asks "Will you TiVo that show for me?" regarding some Disney special, ABC Family movie, or Nickolodeon premiere that she wants to watch.  "Sure," I say, "I'll make sure it records for you."  I program TiVo and then we both forget about it until one day when we are sitting down to watch TV and the desired program magically appears in our TiVo To Do List.  Our children don't have to stop playing in order to see a desired program.  They don't have to schedule their lives based upon the TV schedule.

I think the technology also helps me better screen the choices available to my daughter.  Before the advent of the internet a parent had to go by the 1 or 2 reviews of a movie that we published in the newspaper.  They may have gotten some word-of-mouth reviews from other parents who had seen the movie, but there wasn't an easily accessible, wide variety of information and opinions about any given movie.  Now if I want to decide if the Twilight series is appropriate for my 11 year old (my vote is NO, not for my 11 year old!) I can read thousands of book reviews, thousands of movie reviews, and see enough trailers to feel like I have a handle on the movie content.  When I was 11 my parents let me go to the theater and see Poltergeist a movie I had absolutely no business seeing and a movie that my mother was appalled that I had seen when she finally saw it herself.

It's no secret that I am a huge fan of technology.  I believe that the latest advances relegate TV viewing to a lesser importance than 30 years ago because it can be at our convenience, with informed consent, and doesn't have to interfere with any 'real life' activities.

What do you think?

The Dawn Chorus

A chorus member in action?

The sun rises early on the East Coast.  During the summer when my windows are open at night I am awoken each morning, usually between 4-5 a.m. to an amazing concert.  A glorious cacaphony.  I am awoken by the singing of hundreds of birds.

I'll admit that last year when we first moved to this house and I got to experience this early morning wake up call I wasn't too pleased.  "Really?"  I thought.  "It's 4:30 in the morning!"  I have since changed my attitude about the birds' song.  I have decided that those little guys really have their priorities straight.

Every single morning the birds greet the rising sun with incredible joy.  They sing out their joy, their thanks, their appreciation for each dawning day.  They don't drag themselves out of the nest, grumpy and bleary eyed.  They don't curse the rising sun.  They don't instantly begin complaining about all of the "stuff" they have to do today. 

They sing. 

Hundreds, maybe thousands of birds live in the trees behind my house.  Now when I am awoken by their morning song I lie in bed and listen.  I smile.  I thank God that I am alive, for the rising sun, for the gift of this new day.  Steve and I now leave our shades open at night so we can see our mountain view first thing each morning and be awed all over again at the magnificence of the display.

The same powerful force that forged that mountain, grew those thousands of trees, conceived of each different kind of bird, and created the rising sun created me.  I don't need to worry, stress, fear, or bemoan the new day, no matter what ills I imagine it may bring.  The birds don't, and surely I'm smarter than a bird, right?

The birds are brilliant.  They know a good thing when they see it.  They know what to do when faced with the gift of life, the anticipation of a new day, the magnificence of a rising sun.

They sing.

Green Tip Tuesday: Repair or Replace?

Yesterday I was talking with my friend Chellie and she was telling me the story of her camera falling off its hook and breaking.  I began immediately asking her questions about how she was going to replace it.  "We may replace it," she said "if we can get one on eBay for the same amount or cheaper than it costs to repair it."

Repair it?  I felt embarrassed because I hadn't even considered trying to repair it.  The fact is we live in a throw-away society where frequently, replacing something rather than repairing it, is cheaper, easier, and more exciting.  I can remember when my grandmother's vaccuum cleaner broke and I rode along with her to take it to get repaired.  I remember my mom had Sears come out to repair something gone awry with her Lady Kenmore washing machine and dryer that she had for nearly 20 years.  I am stunned to realize that I have gone through 4 vaccuum cleaners in the 20 years I've lived on my own and not once did I even consider repairing one when it stopped working.

I just bought something new.  Something better.  Something with bells, whistles, lights, and sounds.

My father-in-law has an entire cottage industry going in his garage: finding lawn mowers people put out in their trash, repairing them, and then selling them at the flea market.   He reduces, reuses, recycles, and makes money all in one.

So, as with all things I blog about, I decided to try out this phenomenom first.  I have a sewing maching that hasn't worked in years.  I have been seriously considering asking for a new sewing maching for Christmas but now I am going to try repairing this one first.

I went down to the basement.  Unboxed the broken machine, got out the manual and began following the maintenance instructions and troubleshooting guide.

I took it apart.  I oiled it.  I put it back together and tightened all the screws. 

I plugged it in and held my breath.  Maybe I'll have to call in a professional, I thought, but at least I'm trying.  I slid a remnant under the presser foot, turned on the machine, and voila!  It worked!  I have left that poor machine in a box for 4 years with the intention to replace it and all it needed was oil and its screws tightened!

Sometimes items need to be replaced.  Sometimes it's just time for something new and the old can be recycled.

But sometimes a little elbow grease will save money and reduce waste too.  Now that's what I call Green.

General Housekeeping

Summer has been good to me thus far: I have taken a fantastic trip to Ohio and back, I have gone to a new-to-me beach in York, Maine, I have had many wonderful meals shared with family and friends, I have played a lot, worked a lot, and most importantly, laughed a lot.

Here are some general housekeeping updates.

1.  American Express came through for us by refunding the $169 we requested due to unauthorized charges dating back to 2007.  Good job American Express, now how about we don't do that again, eh?

2.  TMPP continues though very slowly.  Massive heat waves followed by rain, followed by more massive heat waves defnitely have slowed the process.  I thought we'd be on the finishing touches by now, but then I am an unfailing optimist who is also blessed with an ability to underestimate the scope of any project while vastly overestimating my ability to get said project completed.  It's a gift.

Having said that we are at another decision making point in the project.  We are considering replacing the shutters (don't worry, I'll donate my old shutters to a recycle center like Habitat for Humanity) that were on the house previously.  They are dark green louver style shutters.  We are thinking about black raised panel style shutters.  Care to cast your vote for a style?  We know the color will be black, the style is still up for debate.

We currently have this style

We are thinking of putting on this style.  In black.

3.  Just a teaser: Debbie and I are hatching a new blogging project together that will be like music to your ears...

Debbie and I hope to launch 'Project X' at the end of July...

4.  I have been reading, reading, reading.  Long days spent on the beach (I know, my life, right??) have yielded plenty of reading time and I besides I have been doing research for my new blogging project...

5.  Always in search of something new to drink that is water, but not just water, I have found that mixing carbonated water with any fruit juice is just about the most refreshing thing on the planet.  My friend Chellie gave me the idea and I have taken it and run.  Add crushed ice and enjoy.

6.  While contemplating my neverending exterior paint project from inside my house because of the rain I have decided upon a new color for the interior of my home: Benjamin Moore's Rainforest Dew will be adorning my walls this fall, stay tuned for photos.

Don't let this neutral fool you, it's not gray, not green, not beige...I think it's going to pop!

Whew, getting all of that housekeeping out of the way feels great.  Now I can go back to enjoying my summer.    I hope you are having a great summer too!

Green Tip Tuesday: Staying Cool yet Staying Green

We're having a heat wave, a tropical heat wave...

Record high temps in Massachusetts and around the country have me thinking about ways to stay cool in environmentally friendly ways.  I don't have central air conditioning in my home (a fact much bemoaned by my poor husband) so I'm not going to go on and on about turning the air conditioner temp up just a degree or two, or running the air conditioning only at certain hours, etc., etc.  We've heard those things before and frankly, in this heat, people are going to run that air conditioner as hard as they can, I would too if I had one!

I found some great tips for keeping your body cool by eating.  Yes, eating.  There are actually cooling foods: any high water content food helps to keep you hydrated and a hydrated body runs more efficiently and therefore cooler.  You probably knew that.  But did you know that high water content and raw foods actually use less digestive "fire" and thus keep you cooler in that way too?

I feel cooler just looking at this picture

Foods like watermelon, cantaloupe, grapes, berries, cucumber, celery, carrots, lettuce, green peppers, tomatoes, all citrus fruits, and processed foods like yogurt and ice cream contain a lot of water.  Unlike cooked foods which need a lot of enzymes to be broken down and digested, raw, high water content foods contain their own enzymes.  Less work digesting means more available energy for doing things like...say...regulating your core temperature.  Less work digesting also means less heat being generated internally.  Less work digesting also means more available quick energy so that you'll have energy even when the heat and humidity are oppressive.

Mint, lemon, plenty of ice...mmmm

There are "cooling" waters you can make too: herbs like mint added to water actually produce a cooling sensation.  Adding lemon to water is so refreshing that it may also be perceived as cooling.  Days like this are a great time to experiment with flavoring waters, using cookie cutters to make fun melon shapes, peeling grapes, and making your own popsicles with juice, an ice cube tray, and toothpicks.

Think shade, think lots of water, and think cool.  Mother Nature will provide the rest.

What if we gave our country a birthday present?

Happy Birthday America!

We all recently celebrated our country's birthday.  It also happens to be my dad's and older brother's birthdays.  With all these birthdays around me I started thinking about what kind of gifts our country could use.

What if, just this month to honor our country, we recycled every plastic bottle we saw?

What if, just one time this month, we contributed to the American Red Cross?

What if we hung an American flag from our homes?

What if we smiled and welcomed every person we encounter this month, even if they are not citizens or do not speak English as their first language?

What if we all said just one good thing about this country this month?

What if we thanked a veteran?

What if we all planted just one tree?

What if we picked up the garbage in just one tiny spot in this country?

What if we shopped, just once, at a local Farmer's Market for our produce?

What if we all registered to vote?

What if we unplugged just one item in our homes?

What if we all mowed our grass after 5 p.m., just once this month?

I wonder how our country would be a year from now if we all just did one thing on the What If list?  I wonder how our country would be if we all did all of the things on the What If list?

Happy Birthday America, I hope you have a great year.

Post Travel Stress Disorder

I think that Post-Traumatic-Stress-Disorder has a little known but oft-experienced cousin known as post-travel-stress-disorder.  After 2000 miles in six days, all of them travelled in the car, I am defnitely suffering post travel stress.

It all began as one of those great ideas you have late on a Friday night when you are snug in your own home, safe, missing faraway friends and family, and full of optimism.  My mother-in-law was coming to stay for a week.  She was flying from Ohio to Massachusetts.  Wouldn't it be a great idea to take Grandma back to Ohio, stopping to visit friends and family along the way?  Yes!  I say!  No!   Says Steve.  So it's decided: my daughter and I are making the trip, Steve is staying home.  Sounded great on the couch that evening.  Sounded great on the phone when I got to be the hero for coming to Ohio again for the 3rd time in the less than 2 years we've lived in Massachusetts.  It sounded great to my daughter who envisioned a week's worth of endless sleepovers with her Ohio friends.

It was great.  Things were humming along beautifully until...until it was time for me to get back in the car to drive home.  Suddenly the enormity of the task I'd set before myself seemed overwhelming.  I'm the only adult in the car!  I'm the only driver!  It's 14 hours to go back home!  What have I done???

We left at 7a.m.  The first 4 hours were a breeze: we snacked on fruit provided by my mom, my daughter watched a movie, I listened a bit but mostly just enjoyed my own thoughts, the beautiful morning, the time with my daughter, and concentrated on navigating morning rush hour traffic through Columbus, Ohio.

11 a.m.  The fruit is gone.  We've moved on to the sandwiches provided by my mom.  The newness and excitement and adrenaline I had at 7a.m. have drained away into a road-weary sameness.  We're in Pennsylvania which feels like progress until I realize I have New York and Connecticut still to go.

1 p.m.  We've stopped for the bathroom, we've stopped for gas, I can think of no other reason to stop but I am completely restless.  My legs hurt, my back hurts.  I am trying to be extremely careful about what I eat so I stay hydrated and my blood sugar stays constant and I don't experience any blood sugar induced fatigue.  I've listened to all my podcasts.  I am beginning to think of Pennsylvania as a continuous loop of scenery:  didn't I just see that tree?  The drive has taken on a Twilight Zone quality.

4 p.m.  We're in New York.  It looks just like Pennsylvania.  I am thankful for cruise control and air conditioning.  I have a new respect for anyone who does this kind of driving regularly.  I am numb.  The traffic is rushing by and I am keeping up but I can feel my stress level climbing as more and more cars join me and as speeds increase.  I am not usually a nervous driver, but I'm tired and the road is unfamiliar, and I'm probably driving faster than I should be.

6 p.m.  I-84 in Connecticut is at a complete standstill.  Occasionally we get to creep a few feet forward only to stop again.  My foot is cramping from hovering over the gas then over the brake then over the gas again.  We pass a highway patrol with a radar gun.  I find myself laughing a bit hysterically thinking who are you going to stop?   A jogger?  No one in a car is going faster than 5 mph and that's if we're lucky!  My daughter has been watching movies for 12 solid hours.  I don't even have the energy to persuade her to stop. I'm jealous, I wish I could check out for awhile too.

6:30 p.m.  Haven't even gone a mile.

6:45 p.m.  I am thinking horrible hateful thoughts about Connecticut.  I have completely abandoned the idea of stable blood sugar and am consuming anything my daughter can find in the cooler.

7:00 p.m.  Traffic is finally moving again.  The speed limit through Connecticut is 50 miles per hour.  My fellow travellers and I are treating that as a suggestion, not a law.  My hypochondria is in full swing.  I wonder if I can get a blood clot from sitting so long in one position.  I feel a blood sugar crash coming on.  Steve is urging me to just get a hotel but I'm so close to home that I just want to get there.  My left leg is aching from being tensed.  My right arm is tingling and my fingers feel stiff.

8:15 p.m.  Massachusetts state line!  I have renewed energy, I can do this!  I'm almost there.

8:45 p.m. HOME.  I nearly collapse getting out of the car.  My legs are shaking and muscles in my back are spasming.  I feel like crying with relief. 

10:00 p.m.  I am exhausted, I should be sleeping but I can't.  My leg muscles are trembling.  I keep having mini flashbacks of being stuck in Connecticut.  Steve can't believe I am this stressed from driving and honestly I am surprised at myself too but I know it wasn't just the drive: it was being soley responsible for our daughter's safety in the car and the entirely self-imposed pressure to do the drive all in one day.

I did some research and discovered that a lot of serious conditions such as heart attacks, strokes, and embolisms occur or are discovered while people are on vacation or shortly after they return home.  No kidding.  I get it.

I learned a lot about myself on this trip.  I'm glad I did it.  I won't do it that way again, but that's all part of the learning curve.  For me it was the length of the drive.   For my husband it's air travel.  For a friend of mine it's staying in beds not her own.  For another friend it's constantly having to eat out.

What about you?   Any travel traumas to report?

Green Tip Tuesday: Alternatives to the car

Yesterday we took my visiting mother-in-law into "the city" (I mean Boston, of course!) for the day.  We did what many people do when they go into Boston: we parked our car at the Alewife garage and took the subway the rest of the way.  We walked poor Grandma's legs off as we went on the Freedom Trail, to Faneuil Hall, on a Duck Tour, to the public garden, to Boston Commons, the Prudential Center, to the North End for a fabulous Italian Dinner, and finally back to Alewife.

If you know anything about Boston you know that we criss-crossed that entire city.  We walked a lot of it, but we also took a lot of subways, in fact we took all the subway lines except the silver line which only goes to the airport.  Even our Boston Duck Boat was retro-fitted to run on vegetable oil.  It was a Green Day.

Now as a Midwestern girl up until 2 years ago, I didn't even know mass transit like this existed except on TV.  I didn't know anything about subways, trains, or buses.  In fact my only experience with the public bus was getting on the wrong one to go home from the mall when I was 12 and ending up in the "wrong part of town", trying to find a pay phone, and having a tearful conversation with my mom as I begged her to come get me.  Since I've moved to Massachusetts it's a whole different story. 

First of all I live in town which means I can walk or bike to the library, post office, dry cleaner, pretty much anywhere I want except the grocery store which is too far away and on a wicked busy street.

Secondly I now regularly go into a big city with an advanced, practical, easy, cheap, and reliable mass transit system.

Thirdly I live in an area of teeny tiny little towns that have to be self sufficient because they are so small and so scattered and so walking and biking is more common as opposed to the midwestern suburban sprawl I was used to.

All of this has me wondering if all of this dependance upon mass transit, my own legs, or my bike are a result of my new geography or of a growing shift in perception about the way we travel?

What do you think? In your area are there viable alternatives to your car?  Have you considered alternatives to your car in the past, oh say 2 years or so?  If you have considered alternatives, is it because of gas prices?  Car prices?  The environment?  All of the above?

My legs are t-i-r-e-d tired from yesterday's jaunt, but my heart is happy.  We spent 10 hours traipsing around Boston leaving lots of footprints on the old bricks.  But our carbon footprint?  Pretty small.

Too much time on bleachers means I need to get out the castor oil!

This is not my idea of comfortable seating

Softball season is finally over.  20 games.  Each game lasted about 2 hours.  20 practices.  Each practice lasted 2.5-3 hours.  I spent nearly 100 hours this spring sitting on bleachers.  This would not have been such a problem had I been faithfully practicing yoga and therefore stretching my hamstrings, lower back, and shoulders appropriately.  Unfortunately the words "faithful" and "yoga" cannot be used in the same sentence right now.  "Sporadic" and "rushed" are more accurate descriptions which is why I'm paying for it now with a sore lower back, hamstring pain, and shoulder pain.  The hours spent sitting hunched forward, hands on knees and neck craned upward have really taken their toll and now I'm having to play catch-up to stretch my muscles.

Castor oil can be found in most pharmacies and all natural food stores

So that brings me to castor oil... (I really do have strange segues, don't I?)  I love castor oil packs to relieve sore muscles.  Castor oil combined with heat will increase circulation, relieve pain, and reduce inflammation.  I learned this technique from the naturopathic doctor I consulted to help me heal after brain surgery.  This is what you do: soak a piece of flannel (I used a scrap from an old pair of pajamas) in castor oil and place it on your skin where you need pain relief.  Cover the flannel with a towel and then put a heat source over the towel (I use a heated up sock filled with rice, but you can use a heating pad, hot water bottle, whatever).  Keep this compress in place for 20 minutes.  The great thing is that you can place the castor oil soaked flannel wherever you need it, it works quickly and lasts a long time, it's dirt cheap to make, it's completely "green", you can't possibly overdose on it, and it's safe for children and pets.  You can even re-use the flannel again and again if you put it in the refrigerator between uses!  (In addition to lemon peels and cream of tartar in odd places around the house my family has also gotten used to strange objects wrapped in wax paper in our refrigerator...you may want to warn your family should you choose to do this).

After you remove the pack your skin may be a little red from increased circulation and heat and it will definitely smell like castor oil so you may want to gently wash the area with cool water.  Use this treatment as many times as needed and I guarantee you will feel relief.  I've read a couple of places that pregnant women should consult a doctor before doing this so you may want to check with your physician if you're not sure if you qualify as a pregnant woman (ha ha ha I crack myself up, I really do!)  Remember: I'm not a doctor (though I did play one once at the gym, but that's a whole 'nother story...)

I'm experimenting with rubbing a little eucalyptus essential oil mixed with almond oil on sore muscles and will let you know how that works once I have the amounts figured out.

Green Tip Tuesday: Snack TAXI

School is out, the sun is actually shining today and the air is warm!  For this Midwestern girl turned New Englander this change of season can mean only one thing: it's BEACH TIME!  Most of the beaches we tend to frequent do not have boardwalks so I spend a lot of time packing up a cooler so we can stay for the day.  Recently my friend Chellie turned me on to snack TAXI, a Massachusetts based company that makes adorable reusable bags for sandwiches and snacks.

Okay, how cute are these bags??

A sandwich bag with happy veggies?  Adorable!

Their sports-themed sandwich bags are sure to be a hit

Snack TAXI meets all of my criteria for being "green": they use local labor and materials, the bags are washable made of 100% cotton on the outside and phthalate-free nylon on the inside, and the aim of the company is to reduce waste produced by millions of baggies each year by producing a safe, viable alternative.  The bags are now being carried at many retailers around the U.S. or you can order online at http://www.snacktaxi.com/.

I like them because they are a great alternative to (petroleum based!) baggies, they are sturdy enough to keep your sandwich from being mushed but flexible enough to fit in a lunch box (unlike rigid-petroleum-based-plastic containers), and they are so darn cute even my what-will-my-friends-think? 11 yr old will use them. 

As always, my opinion is completely my own and I have not been compensated by snack TAXI in any way. 

Reduce your exposure to petroleum, your waste, and up the cuteness factor all in one bag, what a great way to go green this summer!

What it's like to have a brain tumor

Recently a friend of mine suggested that I blog about what it's like to have a brain tumor.  She was suggesting this because I was telling her that the most frequent question I am asked by anyone who discovers my medical history is "how did you know you had  a tumor?  What were your symptoms?"  I completely understand this line of questioning because let's face it, if I say "well I had a weird blue rash on my stomach" we all know that every single person will look at their stomach for a blue rash as soon as they can.  It's human nature.

I try not to dwell on "the tumor" in this blog because I (hopefully) have a lot more dimension to me than just a 5 yr old diagnosis but I certainly don't mind talking about it, so here goes.

Five years ago my left eye began to twitch.  The twitch didn't go away after a week or a month or even 2 months.   Steve and I thought it was stress.  Finally it was bugging me so much that I went to a neurologist who prescribed 5 mg of valium to see if the twitch would decrease or even go away.  I took the valium for 3 days.  During those 3 days the twitch didn't stop.  In fact I was starting to feel an odd "pulling" sensation on the left side of my face, as if the muscles were pulled down just for a second and then released.  The neurologist ordered an MRI for the following week.  By the time the MRI came around I was experiencing a "zapping" sensation in my face.  Have you ever walked across carpet in socks and then gotten a shock when you touched a light switch or another person?  It felt exactly like that.

The MRI revealed a squash-shaped mass that was wrapped all around my brain stem and extending toward my left ear.  They gave me an injection of dye to check for cancer.  The center of the tumor lit up with the dye (which is bad) so my initial diagnosis was of an inoperable cancerous mass surrounded by necrotic (dead) brain tissue.

That was not a good day.

Later testing and evaluation revealed that what was originally thought to be cancer was actually an artery that had been completely surrounded by the tumor.  The tumor was thought to be benign and the diagnosis was an epidermoid brain tumor.  Very rare.  No known cure.  Surgery is best treatment.  Because I was exhibiting symptoms but was in overall excellent health I was considered an excellent candidate for surgery.  I had a brain tumor, but at least it was benign!

That was a good day.

By this time the left side of my face was mostly paralyzed.  It took massive effort on my part to talk, blink, eat, drink, and swallow.  Our family took a trip to Chicago and we ate at the Cheesecake Factory restaurant.  The paralysis was so bad I was unable to chew my food because I couldn't make my mouth work properly and the food kept falling out.  I was embarrassed, scared, sad, and angry.

That was not a good day.

Three months after diagnosis the decision to have surgery was made and the date set.  I was terrified because I knew going in that the surgeon wouldn't be able to remove the tumor, just "deflate" it because of its proximity to and wrapping around of the brain stem and a major artery.  At that time I wasn't worried about living with the tumor long term, I was just worried about surviving the surgery.

That was not a good day either (I threw up a lot from the anesthesia, which is hard to do while not moving your head).

Well survive I did and so here I am today with what you could call a chronic condition.  I believe that I have complete control over whether or not the tumor grows because I believe that diet and exercise play a significant part in abnormal cell division and our bodies' abilities to control cellular overgrowth (which is all a tumor is when you think about it).  I have not yet met a brain surgeon who agrees with me about this, but I know deep in my bones that I am right.  When I discovered the "cure" for everything is a mixture of diet, exercise, and attitude I felt empowered.  Strong.  Able to defeat all obstacles.

That was a good day.

Life is made up of many days, however, so sometimes my diet is pristine and I am a model for healthy eating, exercise, and stress management.  Sometimes my diet is a mess (as you well know), exercise is sporadic, and stress is managed by consuming sugar.  I have to be very careful to limit the bad times because I don't want to promote abnormal cell growth.

So what is it like to have a brain tumor?  Well, it's like life always is: there are good days and bad days.  I feel a strong sense of being on the right path and have tremendous faith in my game plan: research what causes abnormal cell growth (ummm...SUGAR causes abnormal cell growth), limit my exposure to as much junk food, chemicals, toxins as possible, and exercise to keep the lymph circulating and my overall level of health high.  But isn't that life?  Call it a brain tumor or high blood pressure or diabetes or a heart murmur or arthritis or depression or whatever else ails you.  Everybody has something that scares them, challenges them, reminds them that life is precious, sacred, and brief.

So much of what you read in this blog is my continual search for balance, health, laughter, and love and I know how critical the search is because I remember how I felt in those early days after diagnosis when I thought my life would be numbered in months, not years.

I love my life.  I wouldn't change a single thing, not even the brain tumor because I have learned so much from the experience and it continually grounds me, helps me to re-focus on what is really important.  I recently celebrated my 40th birthday, a milestone I didn't think I'd make just a few short years ago.  Along the way I think I'm gaining a little wisdom:

Every day that I am alive, my family and friends are alive, the sun rises and the stars shine is a good day.

My wish for you: Have a great day! 
With Love, Beth