Little things I am noticing, everywhere. They bring great comfort to me that I can appreciate them. For example, look at the little friends in the photo above. Do you see anything, any pattern?
They are all letters of the alphabet.
Hmmmmm.
Yesterday I cooked bacon for breakfast on a new double-burner griddle. I had one from All Clad since 2003, and loved it to death. On the new stove, something black stuck on the non-stick, (it's the only one I had in the house with teflon)--and it lost it's non-stickiness. The new one looks the same, has a different coating, and is a little lighter in weight. Sometimes you just need to replace things even if they are very well-loved.
I also took care of the bokashi and compost. I've learned real bokashi, that's live, gets a white mold on it in the bin. The other one didn't. It was reading the comments on amazon that helped me to learn it. It takes a long time for the stuff to decompose. I have four buckets now, and rotate them. With my compost, I am composting everything possible. Just like in the YouTube videos. You can even compost old cotton clothing, hair from the hairbrush, and lint from the dryer. I added Harry's wasted seeds to the pile. It is very empowering to give back to the earth.
I also have planted things in the garden. Anthony helped me with the hole digger thing for tulips, so I could plant the garlic. Garlic, mint, oregano, basil--are strong natural pest deterrents. They have a total wall of that stuff around the strawberries on the organic farm I toured recently. I planted a mulberry tree, baby okra plants, and cilantro too. And a tiny lemon verbena. I plant my garden on top of the compost pile. The cabbages need lots of nutrients, and they can get them just like that. I learned about planting on top of compost from the organic farm too.
It felt good to be in the soil, working with my hands.
I also assembled some log holders, and kept a fire going all day. If you haven't burned wood, you'd be surprised how much time it takes to keep the fire going. You have to watch it, and pay attention. I burned almond, oak and eucalyptus. While I was slicing up the cardboard box for the shredder, I found a new use for cardboard! You can use the strips for kindling. Several times the fire almost burned out, and I stuck a little cardboard in there, and it caught the logs aflame once more.
I feel very strongly about being in harmony with nature, everywhere you go. The more in harmony with the earth we are, the more we are in alignment with Spirit, and this helps us in our daily interactions with others.
I heard/read somewhere that the perception of being loved from every interaction with another is the experience of bliss. I forget who said it. And I also read a very important quote--be the person who makes people believe that people are still good.
Yesterday I cried. I cried for Hawaii. I was looking at my sister's photos and it was incredibly healing. She's in Maui at the very same exact hotel I first took Anthony in 2009. Except for his playing hide and go seek with me--without telling me first--at the pool when he was three, it was lots of fun. We saw whales. And his first teppan meal was at the same place my niece's was in Lahaina. But I was sobbing, absolutely sobbing, with homesickness for there. I go about once a year. I missed the last conference for anesthesia because of Anthony's school. I don't want to leave him alone, he can't miss school and fall behind...it's tough. But seeing and hearing the birds and waves in her videos helped me a lot to connect to the land I love.
Trust your intuition. My boss wanted me to work today. I said only until eleven a.m. because I had things to do and I'd be post-call for call 2. Well, as I explained yesterday, I had the day off. But it worked out. Someone else offered. And here's something I'll share more--Anthony has a basketball game (he doesn't play he sits out), and his dad can't drive him.
Here's the more...Spirit said to give the girlfriend and icicle bracelet so I did, I gave it to Jared when he picked Anthony up. He's still in that same souped up car that they had the accident in. You know about that. Well, Anthony called me last night. He has a routine, his dad wanted to change it (Fridays he relaxes, Saturday and Sunday he does homework). He was upset. But then as I told him, 'when in Rome, honey...just go along with it...' I learned his dad's car broke down. Again. So I get to give our son a ride to the game. Not the dad, he has to coordinate the car repairs. Anthony was convinced it was Ross. And Ross is smiling like a sphinx and not saying anything!
Have fun! That's what Ross told me right when I was waking up. He also suggested a place for breakfast that would have more protein for Anthony. Someplace we don't often go. Yesterday, I enjoyed the fire. I enjoyed the fresh air and the sunshine. I enjoyed the time alone. I went through the old videos and blue ray discs. Some movies are really fun and bring back memories. Some are like, what was I thinking? and totally ready for trash.
I stopped by an Estate sale yesterday. It was a hoarder. I've never seen so many Barbie dolls in boxes. And the things, her treasures in life, were so cheap--things bought on sale at outlet stores. It filled up a garage and an entire over-sized driveway. Anthony stayed in the car. I felt sick with her energy. It was someone who had a hard life, didn't like being alive, and kind of bought way too much stuff. It hit close to home. It was a valuable lesson for me about what gets left behind. Better to keep things manageable and in order the whole time. There was a son/seller who was really kind of creepy with a cash box. A little too excited about money. The home has a nice view. I would have liked to gone inside but I didn't feel welcome to do so. Ross gave me a priceless message, and instead of buying the thing with the message on it, I'll take it to heart...as I face my next life lessons!
clap! clap!
Ross is happy and reminding me to get ready to pick Anthony up.
Aloha and Mahalos,
Namaste,
Peace,
Ross and Carla
The Twins
