Simple Gifts

Sometimes you have to roll with the wave of your life. No matter where it goes, no matter how fast and furious, sometimes our job is to simply let go and see where it takes us. It isn't necessarily easy or peaceful or sane.

It just is what it is.

Sometimes, for better or worse, life moves that fast. Gratefully, it can't keep up the frenetic pace forever. Which is good, because neither can I.

For as much spirit as I mustered a week ago, by last Friday night, I was beyond exhausted. A "done" sort of exhausted. No spirit left whatsoever, just a deep painful desire to sleep, to heal and to rejuvenate.

"Survival" is a funny word. It speaks of Sisu -- that grim determination. It talks of stamina and will and tenacity. It talks of a fierce unwillingness to give up.

And yet somewhere in there, too, is the energy of surrender. The willingness to let go of what dances on the periphery of our lives, the things we think are important that we normally give so much attention and energy to, and focus single-mindedly on one thing -- what is required of us to get through to the other side.

It's hard not to put all our attention on the future...when will this all be over? It can be painful to be in the moment when it is wrought with intense effort and concentration and struggle. It can be hard to reconcile the thrill of success and pulling off the impossible, with the dire physical, mental -- and sometimes emotional -- costs of the prize.

One thing I was reminded of this past week was that sometimes resistance is just...plain...futile. Unless, of course, you enjoy banging your head against the wall. Which I did plenty of. As recently as this afternoon, as a matter of fact.

If you recall, I'm a bit of a stubborn fool.

I also took away the reminder that being in the present moment -- being in the truth of what is -- requires that we shift what we deem essential to our lives according to our circumstances.

I've written before about the importance of knowing what is essential to us in our lives and acting from that space in our day-to-day. When we slip into survival mode, when we no longer feel that we're even close to bringing the best of ourselves to our daily round, our list of what's essential must be pared back even more than before. Sometimes we're only truly able to focus on our most basic needs, namely food, water and sleep.

Sometimes surrender means letting it all go. Everything. Just for now. With the promise that we can pick up what we come to know really is essential when the time is right. And not one second before.

So that when we pick up the things we are absolutely certain we want and need in our lives, we can treat them with the utmost respect and honor, with a new dedication and commitment than we were able to offer before.

Who knew this place I'm stewing around in was essential??!?

The simple gift for all of us is to recognize that it is only from this most vulnerable place that we are able to really look at our lives and make a change.

The perfect holiday is a figment of my imagination. There, I said it. Whatever "perfect" means. But still, the truth for me is that I've chosen a profession whose busiest season is the busiest season...which just compounds the stress further.

So, what do I expect?

Still, I ask: Is there a way to get through the holidays feeling relatively sane (i.e., not lip-bumblingly-out-of-control)? I continue to hold out hope that this is possible, although I've finally come to realize it won't likely look the way I expect it should.

Hmm...it seems my expectations might just be part of the problem, no?

Certainly, my trying harder to control it will not tame the beast...this much I've learned.

For now, I must be satisfied with having asked the question. With knowing that it is likely less effort than more that will get me closer to solving this riddle. And with having another whole year to work it through.

Perhaps, the answer is in always creating the space to appreciate the true simple gifts in my life:

Good night!//

Settling In

To love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance. ~An Ideal Husband (courtesy of my childhood chum Jane -- thanks, Jane!)


This afternoon at work, my head started to feel swimmy and sounded echoey. By the time I got home I knew my evening plans were best canceled and my biggest priorities were a bath, dinner, and bed...in precisely that order.

It's been a long time since I've been sick and while it isn't anything full-blown at this point, I'm pleasantly surprised by it.

Wha?

I know...it sounds weird. What I mean is: This may just be the first time in my forty-one years that I've started getting sick and haven't even remotely begun to...

1. Calculate exactly what I did or didn't do that "made" me sick and use that to berate and bully myself for inviting the illness,

2. Calculate exactly what I should or shouldn't do to hold it off, sure that if I do every single one of these things -- and only then -- I'll be fine,

3. Fight back with the energy of, well...fighting.

I'm pleasantly surprised because I am experiencing a complete lack of resistance. Trying to control this is simply not in my current thought process. Unbeknownst to me, it seems my old story has been cast aside and my long-held fear of being sick -- and being singly responsible for it -- has dissipated.

Who knew?

So this afternoon, instead of blaming myself for what I did or didn't do this time to make myself sick, a new, crystal clear idea presented itself...even strong, healthy bodies get sick sometimes and it is a completely natural process.

Whoa!

To take it further, I feel in my gut that my one and only job in this scenario is to respond to my needs in this moment and let the rest take care of itself. I'm finding that I'm completely confident that my choices tonight are made out of love and sincere caring for myself...not in an effort to control some outcome.

Huh.

Because maybe I'm not in control of whether or not I get sick, after all. I mean, not really.

Just maybe, in all the years that I thought I had -- or should have had -- control over whether or not I get sick, and set out to wage war against the illness, I've really just been waging war against myself.

There are so many ways we allow our thoughts, and our attachments to them, to wreak havoc with our world -- both inner and outer. The negative energy associated with fighting something with resistance -- by actively pushing away what we don't want to have happen out of fear -- simply sets up a scenario that puts us at war with ourselves. This resistance announces to us and to the world that our experience isn't true...that it isn't valid. By denying our experience and fighting to make it different, we're saying it's wrong...that we're wrong. That our life is wrong.

Meditation and learning to work with our mind, rather than against it, allows us to develop enough space to hear the wisdom of our experience. Creating space through developing the skill of quieting the mind opens the door to let our intuition in...before we can hop right back into the old groove where we tell ourselves that we did something wrong and now it's our job to fight what's happening to us and make it go away.

What if the only way out really is through? What if we trust the experiences we're having and find the strength to let go and ride the wave?

Surrender is a tricky thing. It gets mixed up into something that sounds like giving up, being ambivalent or uncaring. When in fact, it's completely the opposite. It's a softening, an easing in, an honoring of our experience, and a way to develop a complete trust with ourselves -- a trust that says, no matter what we encounter, I'm in.

Sounds a little like marriage vows.

It's the ultimate commitment we can make to any other human being. And is the most loving commitment we can make in our relationship with ourselves.

What if instead of berating ourselves for having done something wrong, we can crawl into the safe cocoon of ourselves and whisper -- it's OK. Everything is as it should be and it's OK. There's nothing else to do but simply...be...here.

When we're not focused on the past or the present, neither of which we can do anything about, we are free to Be wherever we are...and feel in every fiber of our being the peace of being perfectly in our imperfection.

As I settled into the hottest, sweetest smelling bath I could create for myself, I felt exactly that -- a peaceful welcoming in. I felt strongly that whatever my body and I are experiencing is perfect and necessary for no other reason than that I'm experiencing it. I don't have to change it, fight it, or try to make it anything other than what it is.

It doesn't mean it's going to be all fun and games -- let's face it, being sick sucks on any number of levels -- but it doesn't mean it's the enemy either.

Miraculously then, neither am I.//

Many Hands

As the proverb goes, they make light work...

...even if they turn purple after a while.

Nice!

Today was the perfect example of what a team can be at its best. It reminds me of why I love working at the bakery and what a joy it is to get to experience the synergistic energy of a group of people working toward a common goal. And having fun in the process.

Yep, as you might have guessed from some previous posts, today was "200 Gift Box Day".

And the true beauty of it was, it went off without a hitch!

Stacked even taller than me! : )

And the reason it went so smoothly? None of us was in it alone.

Last week I was working through the feelings of anxiety of what this day would be. And the reason I was anxious?

I often forget the I'm not alone part.

A couple years ago I participated in a 10-day silent meditation retreat with about fifteen other people, only one of which I knew. On the final day when we were able to begin talking again, I was surprised to find I had nothing to say. Everyone else spoke about how they were affected positively by other people in the group, about how the energy encouraged them and buoyed them along, supporting them in their most challenging times.

I was shocked.

I realized I had come into that experience as I do many others...feeling like I had to muscle through on my own. Like the only person I could, or ever should depend on is myself. Like my identification with being a strong independent woman depended on my ability do this and do it well. Without fail.

And yet to hear how lovingly everyone spoke of everyone else and their experiences of connection even though we rarely looked at each other and didn't speak to one another for ten days, I realized I had missed something beautiful and precious and deeply important.

None of us is ever alone. Ever.

Whether it is the energy of a group of others, the energy in nature, the divine spark in ourselves -- connection is available to us at all moments, if only we get out of our own way.

I missed the connection at the retreat because I was attached to my story of "alone". There's no doubt I had something to prove. If my story -- my ego's drama that I had built my life on -- said my sense of self-worth was based on how well I could take care of myself and anything that happened to fall within my realm of responsibility without depending on others for anything, I had to know that I could...that I excelled at it above all else.

What I learned that day -- and am reminded of again on days like today -- is that yes, I've proven to myself time and time again that I can do it alone. But gratefully, I don't have to.

None of us have to.

The choice is ours in this life to open up, invite others in, to be part of a team, to be one of the many sets of hands that will make short work of even the most daunting tasks...whether that task is 10 days of silence, a challenging yoga class, 200 gift boxes or getting a good meal in your family on any of many crazy, busy days.

When we do open up, guess what happens?

We get to set that self-imposed burden down. We get to relax. We get to let go and ride the wave. We get to connect and remember we're all in this wild adventure together.

We get to experience joy.

Thanks to my bakery team today for sharing in the work and for the joy of remembering we're all in it together!//

12 Brews of Christmas!
Speaking of us all being in it together, I had a nice surprise when I got home.

T was at Excelsior Vintage this afternoon on a sales call and told Rob -- EV's main dude -- what we were up to. He doesn't normally sell brews by the bottle, but in support of our fun, he let T buy this one.

You may remember Lagunitas from WTF last Tuesday. These guys have a sense of humor and don't take themselves too seriously.

I love that!

(Check out that fine man in the kitchen cooking dinner in the background!!)

For the eleventh brew of Christmas, my true love bought for me...

...the Lagunitas Sucks Holiday Ale. These guys crack me up! The story goes like this: When it came time to brew their favorite holiday brew, BrownShugga' Ale, they realized they didn't have the capacity they needed to do it. So they didn't.

And have been publicly flogging themselves ever since.

They are very clear that they made a mistake. I mean, just look at the name of the beer! And the label...

: )

There's that cute dog again!

So, this beer is the lightest and most interesting so far. And on a whim no less! They call it their "Cereal Medley" consisting of Rye, Wheat, Barley and Oats.

T's first comment was that it tasted sweet. When I said oats he said, mmm...oatmeal. I don't know if I would go quite that far, but it's complex and earthy with all those different grains. Yes, a little sweet, a little hoppy. And refreshing. Different.

So if they have to flog themselves to make something this fun and unique, it must motivate them and we'll let them at it.

I'll just happily drink their mistakes.

What's For Dinner Tonight?
What did my man make me for dinner tonight, you ask?

His old family recipe...

Goulash
1 lb ground beef, browned and drained
1 onion chopped and cooked with the beef
2 stalks celery, chopped and cooked with the beef
1 cup cooked macaroni pasta (or noodle of your choice)
1 small can tomato paste
1 small can of tomato sauce
1 can stewed tomatoes
1/4 tsp dried minced garlic
Italian seasoning to taste
s+p to taste

T serves this with baked beans...makes for a nice sweet/savory combo.

We are breaking out the comfort food all over the place!

What old family recipes do you usually break out this time of year?

Enjoy your night! : )

Reason #264

I've been wondering why the squirrels and birds haven't been around much lately. We've gone through next to no seed in the past couple weeks and now I know why...

 Oh my!

This beauty of a Barred Owl is apparently feasting at my feeders (sorry little dudes!) which is why the critters have been making themselves scarce lately.

In fact, we haven't seen a mouse in many days. Which could be on account of:

1) the peppermint/spearmint mouse-repellent sachets I put throughout the basement (mmm...minty fresh!),

2) the fact that we found a hole where they put the new furnace in two years ago and patched it up,

3) the new kitty...

...nope, probably not Bella, or

4) Mr. Owl.

My vote is for the owl...check out that stare.

He trained that focus on me while I sat on the floor at the patio door taking pictures...

...and the hair on the back of my neck stood up.

Yikes!

According to my favorite regional bird book, the Barred Owl hunts during the day and eats mammals and small birds.

Check, and check.

They are also non-migratory which means he might hang out awhile. Which is actually fine by me. We had a pair of Great Horned Owls (I know, right??!?) when we moved in two years ago and the coolest thing in the world was meditating in the dark of the night and hearing the hoo-hoo-hoo-hooooo. I haven't heard the Barred yet, but I'm turning my ear to the sky.

I love the activity at the feeders and am sad for anyone getting caught unawares, but there's something about consciously being in the middle of the circle of life -- being present and witnessing nature in her own true form. Noticing things change and then learning the reason why.

Reason #264 that I adore where we live. I'm the luckiest girl in the world.

The best part?

I was actually home to see it. What a gift!

In the spirit of self-care and in an effort to get myself organized -- and feel more sane before the runaway train of the next two weeks leaves the station -- I played hooky today.

Positively dreamy!

I meditated, did yoga, wrapped presents,

listened to my favorite Christmas music, worked on a special gift for my sweetie (shhh...don't tell!), opened an Eddie Bauer package for myself,

(hey, nice sweater!) and never got out of my jammies (yep, chili peppers on my pants...I'm stylin'!). I got more done on a personal level in the past nine hours than I have in the past week.

Yahoo!

The sad part?

I probably won't even need to use a second of vacation time to get paid for the day. I mean, that's good and everything but...ah well, 'tis the season.

All of my progress was made without any help from these two rum-bums...

...which just made me wish I had made time for a nap.

I did, however, make time for lunch...a rarity these days. I figured there was no excuse since I was at home.

Quesadilla made with leftover roasted chicken, pinto beans, spinach, cilantro and cheese. Served with my favorite medium MinneSalsa -- locally made, microbrewed salsa. Fantastic!

Hey, who left THIS unwrapped on the counter??!?

It was mocking me...so I ate it.

No, not all of it. But enough to make today's installment of...

The 12 Brews of Christmas!

...taste like peppermint bark. Whoopsie!

Since I was alone all day (you know, minus the snoozing critters), I chose...

 ...Odell Brewing Company's Isolation Ale!

I really liked this one! No, not because of the peppermint finish : ) ...but because of the lighter hops. Burnt butterscotch, a little fruitiness -- is that blackberry? -- and just plain old tasty. Might have to pick up a sixer of this one to have on hand.

You know...just in case.

Mellow evening makes a perfect ending to a perfect day.

What holiday hubbub are you engaging in this evening? No matter what it is, just...remember...to...

BREATHE!//

Button Up

Today the temperature topped out at a whopping 18*F. Brrrrski!

Which made it a busy afternoon at the Marek household.

Our buddy Jake stopped by to help with a long delayed "button up the garage" project. Drywall is his specialty!

The garage gets below freezing during the winter despite the insulation.

And the super crappy non-insulated window. Tried to find a replacement for that this summer with no luck. The drywall is needed so we have an even surface to put up one of those plastic wrap over the window kits. Not sure if the rest of the garage will get drywalled this winter, but it's a start. They sure worked hard!

Me?

I snapped a couple of rogue pictures and ran back into the warm house to do yoga. : )

Yoga today (much overdue) was a free 20 minute class from Yoga Download that I thought I'd try before I sign up. The great part about Yoga Download is you don't stream (although you can) and once you get the class downloaded, it's yours to keep. If you have a yoga background, the audio files are pretty easy to follow although a little strange until you get used to the instructor and their style transitioning from one pose to the next without visual cues to depend on.

This was my first class and it was pretty good. Need to practice the audio file only thing a bit to see if I really like it or not. There are full video files but they're pretty big and take a long time to download. Haven't viewed the one I downloaded yet. I'll let you know when I do!

When they finished their work, they came in and it was time for...

12 Brews of Christmas!

For the sixth brew of Christmas, my true love gave to me...

 ...Sierra Nevada's Celebration Ale! Chosen specifically to celebrate their work and for the picture of the nice cozy house...as ours will be now that we've they've worked on the garage.

Thanks, guys!

Super hoppy in an IPA sort of way. Really tasty with frosted sugar cookies...I mean, it really seemed like it would be good with something sweet, like a frosted sugar cookie.

Not that I'd know.

I imagine it would mellow out the bitter hoppiness a bit. If super hoppy wasn't your thing. Like it isn't so much mine.

Remember when I said I like to pick beers by the label? If I learned to read the labels, I might just pick some that aren't so hoppy-based.

But where would be the fun in that?

T pulled out another one he picked up, one of those really big bottles that you couldn't possibly drink all by yourself but is great to pull out and split with some friends...

Lagunitas' Wilco Tango Foxtrot (WTF!). T said I picked this out at a beer tasting at The Ale Jail last winter but it seems this is a spring seasonal so I think he got it on his own. But had I been there, I think I would have picked it out anyway...

...the dog is so cute!

But really, I just love the name...A Malty, Robust, Jobless Recovery Ale.

Where do they come up with this stuff??!?

Love it!

We wine-tasted it to see what flavors we could get from it...caramel, tobacco, cherrywood, chocolate, woody, malt (caramel was mine...the rest were theirs...fancy pants-ers!). The fun part about tasting like this is that there is no right or wrong answer. Just throw out any association that comes up. Tasty brew #2.

By then, it was dinner time and since we had no plans and Jake was happy hanging out, we ordered a BBQ Chicken pizza from nearby Carbone's. Yummy! And they deliver, too. Bonus. Hungry boys decimated the 'za before pictures could be taken.

Tired of that excuse yet? Me, too! Might need to start eating more often so we're not so hungry all the time!

Tasty sauce, LOTS of chicken, bacon and red onion...and a nice thin crust.

Now for a soak in a steaming hot tub flavored with Rock River Soap Company's bath salts -- Peppermint, Spearmint, Lavender and Grapefruit...one of the combinations Scott came up with for me. Thanks, Scott!

Ahhhhhhh...

How are you spending your evening?//

Hibernation

I rolled out of bed this morning as soon as my alarm went off at 6, loaded up the crock pot with ingredients for a quick soup to simmer all day long and be ready for dinner when we got home. Meditation came easily after feeding the geranimals and packing my own breakfast and lunch. After meditating with a kitten in my face (quite the new challenge), I got ready for work and left the house.

All this by 7am.

The beautiful thing is that I didn't feel rushed. Bing, bing, bing, it was one thing after the other, riding that wave. Was it knowing I was planning ahead that felt so good and effortless? That I was taking care of myself? Whatever it was, it was peaceful and joyful and fulfilling.

After a long day at the bakery, coming home to the smell of dinner ready was a dream -- I was so excited! To know all I had to do was take a shower and eat filled me with such gratitude I could hardly contain myself. What a different feeling than coming home exhausted and knowing dinner prep and cooking and cleanup still needed to take place. It was as if someone lovingly prepared a meal for us and left it on our doorstep for our dining pleasure out of concern that we were terribly busy and needed a hand.

Indeed, someone had...it was me!

Thanks, me! : )

Somehow it makes it much more special. Really. To plan ahead for the care of our own needs means we matter. That I'm a priority. That what I need is important. What a switch!

Guess I do know how to retain some sanity after all. It does require presence and conscious choices and a different kind of focus. But it is so very worth it.

And somehow once I started taking care of myself today, it made it easier to continue as the day went on.

I actually sat down for something to eat this afternoon when I was hungry. I drank plenty of water throughout the day. I did a little stretching, breathed into my five minute routine and even finished my meditation for the night before sitting down to blog.

What a difference a day makes. Especially a day with a little forethought and deliberate intention. Nice!

Even with a couple more hours of work with stuff I brought home this evening, all the self-care made all the work more balanced. And bearable.

This, I can do.

For now, it's time to finish up and get to bed for a long winter's nap night's sleep to prepare for another conscious day tomorrow. In honor of the snuggle fest ahead, complete with a kitten sleeping at my feet (or so was the program last night), I've chosen a special brew for tonight's installment of the...

12 Brews of Christmas!
For the fifth brew of Christmas, my true love poured for me...

...Great Divide Brewing Company's Hibernation Ale!

Yum, and yum!

Malty and hoppy, a little coffee, a little smoke, and some caramel to balance it out. Again, a bit more bitter on the finish than I usually prefer, but this one is so much more balanced than the one yesterday, more subtle flavors that blend into a big tasting beer. Dark, yet not nearly as thick as day two -- in all fairness, that one was a stout. Hearty without heavy, warming and flavorful without being overpowering.

And I LOVE the label.

What can I say? Never underestimate the power of a super cool label.

Only available through December 15th, so strap on your skis and glide on over to The Ale Jail and check it out before it's gone. It's probably available other places, too...I just tell you what I know!

NOTE: No kickback for me from The Ale Jail -- just happens to be my favorite beer shop in town and I love to promote the places that I love!

What's For Dinner Tonight?
A couple weeks ago, I was at my brother's and he had a crock pot full of his version of Chicken Posole going. It was so scrumptious, I made him write down his made-up recipe for me.

And now, I share it with you! (Thanks, Pete!)

Chicken Posole
3/4 roasted chicken, mix of white and dark meat
32 oz. chicken stock
28 oz. can green chile enchilada sauce*
2-10oz cans ro-tel tomatoes (original)
2-15oz cans white hominy
1-7oz can diced green chiles (my addition)
salt to taste, if necessary

*I used 2-8oz pouches of Frontera green enchilada sauce and a cup of water since Frontera is so concentrated. Delicious!

Throw it all in the crock pot and put on low all day long. It was about 10 hours for us and it was fantastic. Chopped up some fresh cilantro and served with sour cream, tortillas...great with any of your favorite fixings.

I never did get any pictures because I was starving and we just plain ate it. Plus, brothy soups are notoriously challenging to photograph well and frankly, it was unessential this evening. But you got the recipe! And trust me, it's awesome! So warm, a little of da spice, comforting and filling.

Perfect ending. Just what the self-care doctor ordered on a cold winter's night.

Did I mention that below freezing temps have arrived on our doorstep and unpacked, expecting to stay awhile??!?

Stay warm and sleep tight!

Thankful, Part Deux

Yep, today we head to Terry's brother's house and do it all again...full on turkey, potatoes, stuffing, cranberries, gravy. Our car will be full with us, T's parents and his aunt, whom we will pick up on the way. Trooper will have to sit this one out.

The big difference this time is a marginally shorter drive and a need to save room for dessert -- I have never liked pumpkin pie so traditional turkey day desserts doesn't phase me. T's sis-in-law's infamous Caramel Apple Pie on the other hand (I'll try to get the recipe for you later!)... I'm sugar-shaking in my boots already just thinking about it!

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday meal, so I don't mind doing it twice. Ha! Actually, this is our third -- the first was with our friend's we hadn't seen in a long time last weekend. It would be unfair to lose count with all the hard work everyone's putting in. Again, so very grateful that we're off the hook this year. For as much as we love to cook, not cooking a holiday spread is pretty nice sometimes, too.

And with all the indulging, comes an even greater need for the elliptical...which still isn't usable yet, but I promise pictures when it is! Not that you haven't seen one before, but I think this one is cool.

Now, you may remember my post last January about joining and then canceling at the gym. About how I had no interest in owning exercise equipment, about how I was happier doing nothing than that kind of contrived exercise. Yes, it's true. It may just be this time of year, staring down the barrel of winter and knowing that while we'll still get outside, having our physical activity weather and daylight dependent is a challenge. So it gets me thinking about what we can do instead.

I'll call it being resourceful.

Yoga, most definitely. AND it's become clear in the past year that unless I am able to commit to a daily yoga asana practice -- which again, my mind loves the thought of but maybe my body not so much -- I need to find more. Cross-training. I am keenly aware of the need to find multiple things I can do that engage me, that I won't get bored with. Maybe the elliptical at home will be different?  Maybe the kind we got will be an improvement over what I've used before at the club. It isn't insanity if we're trying something somewhat new, is it?

Maybe it will be, but who knows...it's worth a try.

I do still agree that contrived exercise is a pain in the tookus. I still agree that I don't want to make my house a full service gym. But, if I have such an aversion to going to the club and being a gerbil on a machine with everyone else, it's worth a different kind of spin on the same old story.

Gotta keep moving.

A moving body is a happy body. Past injuries and ailments aside, there must be something that fits. It's important to keep exploring what works.

To find what works and help it stick. Today, I am more than a little grateful to be in a position to give this angle a go.

What have you found that works best for you?//

What's For Dinner Tonight?
Nothing. I imagine our earlier turkey day feast will be just enough to last all evening long.

What are you having?

A joyful evening to you and yours!

Girl's Best Friend

It's not what you're thinking.  I bet you're expecting I'll say...

...diamonds...or...

...my husband...or...

 ...my dog.

Nope.

This girl's best fried is none other than...

...a neti pot!

A what?

This little allergy sufferer and one who it seemed once-upon-a-time could get sick simply being in the same room with someone with the sniffles, is in love with her neti pot.  Weird, but true.

A neti pot is a small pot that you fill with warm water and a particular amount of non-iodized salt to flush your nasal cavities.  You tilt your head a little to the side, put the spout in one nostril and as you tilt further, the water will simply travel through the naval cavity and out the other nostril. This video demonstrates how to do it.

This practice has been followed for thousands of years, originating with ayurvedic medicine -- yoga's sister science -- and is still widely practiced in India.

Why would you do such a thing??!?

After work at the bakery inhaling flour dust, after a day out in the garden digging in the dirt, when spring is in full bloom, if I'm out and it's really dusty and windy, after I'm with the kiddos during cold and flu season -- or anyone else who's sick for that matter -- I use my neti pot.  Such a simple thing to do. And not only are my allergies next to nothing these days (along with some other natural remedies I'll tell you about some day soon), I haven't had so much as a cold in about two years...interestingly, exactly the amount of time I've been using it.

I don't do it every day...just as needed. And mostly, I let my body tell me when it needs it.

See? I listen!

These days, you can pick a neti pot up at your local drugstore for about $12. This is how I started. After about six months, the plastic one began to irritate me, so I graduated to a ceramic one that I bought at Valley Natural Foods near our house...but you could probably find ceramic ones also at Whole Foods or a health food/vitamin store.

A word to the wise...be careful of wet ceramic, as it is extremely slippery and easy to drop...and break. Which is why I have to admit I'm on my second of the nice ones. Oops!

Between the video and the instructions you'll get in your brand new neti pot (you're going to get one now, aren't you??!?), and a little bit of courage and a sense of adventure on your part, you're good to go.  The trickiest part, in my book, is getting the right amount of salt...it depends on your own pH level so it takes a little time to get the mix just right.

If you're feeling daring -- or are just plain old sick and tired of being sick and tired and sniffly -- and want to give it a try, I'd love to hear how it goes. It's worth it, I promise! And if you have any questions, I'd love to help!

Any other neti pot lovers out there?  Share your story!//

What's For Dinner Tonight?
Our impromptu Friends and Family Week continues...this time with my lazy butt next to T's lazy butt on the couch across the room from Trooper's lazy butt in her bed. Doing something exciting like watching NCIS or DVR'd episodes of Oprah's Lifeclass (OK, I'd be in bed doing that by myself...perhaps with Trooper's lazy butt in bed next to me).

So dinner is the epitome of low-key...rotisserie chicken, the sweet potatoes and baby reds I roasted on Sunday and a salad. Mellow, easy eat-on-the-couch fare. Works for me tonight.

Especially after last night's expedition to Carmelo's, which was TO DIE FOR! Everything about it was awesome. Highly recommended by this bunch!

As discussed yesterday, all is made from scratch at this humble little restaurant on Snelling and St. Clair in St. Paul.

Here are the wines we tasted last night...our friends brought the first and T brought the others. I love places that let you bring your own wine and only charge a small corkage fee!

'Ze menu...

Appetizers of calamari (awesome!)...

...and baked ravioli (awesomer!)

Salad with peppercorn ranch dressing...not sure if they make this themselves but it's really good!

 Her entree: butternut squash ravioli with prosciutto and a sage cream sauce (a.ma.zing!),

and his entree: good old spaghetti and meatballs (now that's a spicy meatball!) Fantastic!

And homemade (what else!!?) tiramisu.  Hold on to your hats for this one!

It's THAT good!

Nighty lazy night one and all!