Easy like Saturday mornings

If you are anything like me, your favourite times of day are early mornings and early evenings. I like the fresh, unspoiled air of early morning, the way the sun, not yet reached full strength, casts buttery shadows up over the trees and through the many windows that wall-to-wall my new apartment.

After waking, I often spend the first few minutes puttering around the place, in the kitchen, putting away the clean dishes from the night before. The wall behind my kitchen sink is actually a full window to the ceiling and I often people-watch the morning dog-walkers that frequent the quiet neighbourhood of starter families and elderly couples in stately homes. This comfortably-moneyed area is a world away from the bustle and chaos of Chinatown and its visiting prostitutes, kind enough to camp out below my bedroom windows and wake me at 4 A.M. on weekends.

If threatening weather approaches, TAKE IMMEDIATE SAFETY PRECAUTIONS

Tonight’s wild weather forecast is rather illustrative of my current emotional state: threat of thunderstorms, lashing hail and damaging winds may be on the agenda, and that’s fine with me. I rather feel like tucking in and curling up under the covers with a glass of wine, some feisty, herbed crackers, and a wheel of creamy cheese, with my lover’s heat warming the pillows piled up next to me.

There is so much going on in the whirlwind of my life right now and this is the first time I’m writing about it publicly (I’m still writing every day, just on paper to spare my wrists the aggravation). I am leaving my cushy, comfortable government job on July 4, taking the summer off and traveling (to Victoria/Vancouver with my mom to visit my sister for close to 3 weeks and perhaps a trip to PEI with the boy, if I can swing it), with a return to school planned for September to study Environmental Studies/Geography and Law, if I’m lucky. I am all at once excited, nervous that this might not work out, anxious about taking on more student loans and the ongoing legal battle over my broken arms, thrilled about the possible opportunities, and worried that I might not have enough money saved up to last the summer, while maintaining a quality of life to which I have become accustomed. But that can always be adjusted. I am so passionate about the environment, almost as much as I am about food, and I think that I will be ultimately happier in this field, although the money may indeed take its sweet time coming. It’s a lot to swallow right now. Whew!

baby steps, followed by explosives

“You can share my pole with me.”

Contrary to what you’re thinking right now, I’m not referring to anything even remotely naughty. Rather, it’s an offering I heard one woman give to another, late one night back in November, when I was coming home around from the office. The bus was jam-packed—probably twenty to thirty people over capacity—with people stepping on others’ toes, backpacks slamming into people’s chests, heads, hips. I remember thinking: too often this bus is packed with civil servants, who are often too self-serving to even smile at their neighbour sitting next to them on their way home, and what a refreshing change for someone to so graciously share a pole that would support and steady them both for the bumpy ride to the station.

Déja vu all over again

Sorry for the lack of posting of late but for the past few weeks I have been ridiculously busy with both my day job and a virtual torrent of freelance work–fortunately it pays muchos dineros, but it also seems to leave me with little time for life. Add that to insurance junk, the madness of Hallowe’en and costumed fools, and being plum tired out, and I haven’t had much free time. 

This is really just a quick note… to say… I have THE best boyfriend in the universe. I am reminded of that little, but very pertinent, salient fact every day. I only hope he knows how much I adore him.

More news to come on the weekend when I can finally spare a moment to update and return to the world of the sane.

Food for Thought

“The doctor of the future will give no medicine but will interest his patients in the care of the human frame, in diet, and in the cause and prevention of disease.”

- Thomas A. Edison

Going Buffalo

It is widely known that many of the production farm-raised pigs, cows and chickens we ingest in the Western world may be contaminated with toxins that include antibiotics, pesticides, fertilizers, the result of the methods and conditions in which these animals are raised in many farm environments. They may be injected with hormones to make chickens grow faster or reproduce more frequently, to increase milk yields in cows, to increase feed efficiency (so animals require less feed, thereby decreasing “production” costs). That’s a pretty loaded statement, I know, especially given that it comes with repercussions that are as equally worrisome.

This week, as I lamented this now widespread stituation in the mainstream meat market, my insightful, brilliant and environmentally-cool friend Bella suggested I stop by an organic meat butcher.

Up Against Another Medicine Cabinet Wall

 

Have you ever had a PAP and felt like you were on display in the middle of a Shoppers Drug Mart?

That’s the feeling when the walls of the medical clinic are parchment-thin and you can heard every.single.word exchanged between the nurse practioner, assisting medical students, doctors and other patients.

How.uncomfortable.

However, my relative embarrassment was mitigated by the fact that I finally convinced a doctor (after 3 unsuccessful tries with my family physician/s) to order a full battery of blood work including glucose, creatinine, sodium, potassium, chloride, WBC, STsh, free T4 and free T3, ferritin, vit B12, calcium, magnesium, albumin, and cortisol for my hair and other symptoms of some kind of a health problem.

Hopefully, these tests will rule out an underactive thyroid for the second time in a year and maybe point me in the right direction of a concrete condition… a mineral or vitamin deficiency, perhaps? Perhaps a lack of EFAs? Easier to treat, me thinks. I’ll be getting results back from my kidney/liver tests in August on Friday to rule out causes related to “bone problems” following my accident.

Coconut & Carrot Jewel Cakes

Oh wow, am I ever glad I found the time to make some carrot muffins this weekend!

These ‘muffins’, taken from a recipe on the Joy of Muffins site, are more cake-like than anything and are generously studded with toasted walnuts and coconut. The carrot and apple chunks give the muffins a very moist texture.

I omitted the cream cheese frosting (though I’m sure it would have been
scrumptious!) and did a few minor substitutions in the name of a healthier ’cake’.

I substituted 1 cup of the all-purpose flour for a 1/2 cup of whole wheat flour and a 1/2 cup of rolled oats.

I traded 1/2 cup white sugar for brown sugar, which gave the cakes a deeper flavour, and tossed in extra nutmeg for a bit of kick. Other than that, I followed the recipe to the letter.

I used my new, extra-large silicone muffin cups to bake up these beauties. Had to cook them a few minutes extra (8) but they slipped right out and there was virtually no clean-up! Can’t beat it when silicone’s a breeze!

Here’s the original recipe, for your interest.