Habits

I haven't been blogging very regularly... I don't know if it is because I've been obsessed with my diet/exercise program? Or maybe we just haven't been doing much. I used to be in the habit of noticing things and thinking of how I could write about them, but the habit seems to have left me -  time to refocus.

Today I’ll start with listing some idle and not so idle pleasures.  Drinking my morning smoothie - who knew something so healthy could taste so good. Getting on the treadmill has also been a pleasure these days - I find really pushing myself makes it less boring. Watching the world green up - the leaves are slowly getting bigger, so it will be "green day". I would have thought it would have already happened but we've had so much cold and rain that the green explosion has slowed down. Eating oranges - we are still enjoying mandarins or Clementines or other such orange every night. I love how brightly orange the flesh is. I can't forget how much pleasure I get from watching the birds jockeying for mates and nesting sites.

And now I can't help but get back to my obsession... we've been eating really healthily for just over  weeks now. Tons of vegetables, fruit and legumes, very little whole grains, and no dairy or meat (except when we've been out). We have strayed a little, but feel so much better when we stick with the program. The weight has just been siding off me - it is very motivating!

I’ve gotten two new recipe books: “Vive le Vegan”, and “eat, drink & be vegan”, both by Dreena Burton. I’ve been focusing on the first one and have made one recipe so far – “Sunflower Lentil Pie” (pie is used loosely, it is more of a loaf spread out into a pie plate). It was pretty good – a three star – but it wasn’t excellent. I think it was in need of a sauce, which the recipe recommends. It made enough for 2 meals so I’ll make a Dijon spread next time. I can’t really post the recipes (but if you email me I can send you something).

We've been thinking about camping, but the weather hasn't even cooperated enough to get the RV cleaned up from the winter. We haven't been able to de-winterize yet. After that teaser in March we figured we would have had our first trip out already. But no. Maybe next week?

I've been giving a lot of thought to how I can stay happy and healthy with my medication reduction. I think a few key items are taking a large dose of omega 3's (2000-4000 mg). I've been doing this by taking a supplement with fish oil, and also adding flax seed to my smoothie. There have been studies that show a direct correlation between omega 3's and mental health, especially depression.

Secondly I need to keep exercising. Again there is a direct correlation between exercise and mental health. This is easy now when I'm feeling so great, but will be harder to maintain when I'm feeling depressed. I just need to do it anyway. I'll just need to somehow MAKE myself.

The other thing I have been practicing is having a mantra. I have a couple of silly ones, gleaned from B52's lyrics  (live and let live, love and be loved, let the love flow to the top). If I can remember to chant them during times when my thoughts either provoke anxiety or other harmful thoughts, I just may be able to nip things in the bud. And I can't forget the breathing exercises. Of course all these things sound easy now... but when I’m in the thick of it I know it will be harder (and perhaps impossible). But I must try.

It is (was?) Calamity Jane’s birthday today so it fitting to include a quote by her.

By the time we reached Virginia City I was considered a remarkable good shot and a fearless rider for a girl of my age.
Calamity Jane

Honorary Norwegians for a Night

Kari (my aunt) hosted a Norwegian themed party last night – it was going to be in March but hockey changed her plans. She had her house decked out with flags, photos, bunads, trolls, and everything else Norwegian (except I thought they were really missing a Fjord horse!). The guests came in costume, and I have to say that everyone put so much effort into their turnout. Viking hats were everywhere! Thor’s hammers, axes and other weapons of war were brandished about. It was a blast!

Kari served a traditional Norwegian eve supper (or at least traditional for our family), complete with ludefisk, lefse, gytost, and some food for the gringos. She had also made a number of traditional Norwegian cookies. I honestly don’t know where she finds the time or the energy!

We are still having strong winds, but thankfully today it was sunny enough to tempt me out for a good walk with the dogs. We did the normal hay field loop but also headed down into the lower pond paddock. I thought there might be trouble with the chicks, but I kept the dogs from hunting around too much (meatballs in my pocket!). I would have liked to poke around myself, so perhaps I’ll go down there by myself tomorrow. I imagine the chicks have left the nest though.

It is amazing to see how quickly the grass has gone green and growing. Carm’s going to have to get out there with the lawnmower soon.

I beat my record on the treadmill today – 4 miles in 60 minutes with a 500 calorie burn. I really had to push myself (and I mean really), but 3 weeks ago I wouldn’t have had a chance. I feel pretty good!

Kites rise highest against the wind - not with it.
Winston Churchill

Art for Art’s Sake

Thursday noon we picked up Maggie and Abigail from their hotel and headed for the Art Gallery where Carm was dropping us off. If you can believe it I’ve never been to the gallery so was really happy to accompanying the ladies on their visit.

The building is impressive. It has a very fortress like feeling, but with a lightness from the windows overhead. Of course the display rooms are properly lit and not from art destroying windows! We missed the entrance to the Canadian section and ended up in the middle of the Contemporary section. It was interesting, but I’ve got to tell you, I am a philistine when it comes to modern art. Sure it was fun making up stories about what the artist was saying… but it wasn’t long before we were looking for the Canadian art section.

This was more my speed.

The museum has a large collection of Canadian art on display, starting from the earliest aboriginal art to current. Yes, I saw the “Voice of Fire”, the one million dollar commission made several years ago… and was underwhelmed by the experience.

Next on the agenda – the clock exhibit. This was a film made up of thousands of clips of movies showing clocks. The neat thing about it was the clocks were all sync’d to real time.

Catch the Canadian premiere of Christian Marclay's most ambitious video installation to date. The Clock evokes the wonder and illusionism of more than a century of cinema through a captivating 24-hour looped video that plays in real-time. This remarkable production compiles thousands of film references to time and timepieces creating a compelling moving image illustration of the minutes of a passing day. The Clock won a Golden Lion for best artist at the 2011 Venice Art Biennial.  http://www.gallery.ca/en/see/exhibitions/current/details/christian-marclay-the-clock-3408

Our final time at the art gallery was spent in the Early European collection. This was most certainly more my speed. I even recognized some of the author’s (Gainsbourgh, Renoir, Degas, to name a few).

When we were all done Carm picked us up and drove us around the city a bit (past 24 Sussex, we stopped for a walk at the Governer General’s residence, through Rockcliffe), and we ended up at a mall food court for a quick meal before dropping them off at the airport.

 

It was a fun day – one I’d like to repeat some day – perhaps they’ll come back for another visit? I would have loved to show them some of rural Ontario, it is so different from Alberta. And it would have been good if the weather had been better. Maybe some warm sunny days would have made a better impression!

Art is a harmony parallel with nature.
Paul Cezanne