Oh how I wish you guys could see me and my Beloved sitting here, looking our absolute best worst dorkiest most original. Happy Pants, ratty old sweatshirts, horribly unfashionable (but new!) all cotton knitted cap (that would be me, he just finished two of them, per my particularly specific specifications, and I keep jamming them onto my head at random intervals), in socks and scuffy slippers (him this time, not me). No, there will NOT be pictures. Just imagine him yanking his hood up over his disastrously messy hair and grinning, “oh is THIS what we’re doing now?!” making sure we both look as incredibly SPECIAL as is physically possible.
We went for a winter wander earlier today and are now in the process of settling in and warming up . (Trudged a bit more than 4 and a half miles, in the periodic rain and intermittent windy gusts.) It wasn’t actually cold (stayed around 50 degrees) but the grabby breezes were almost frosty feeling, and the constant dampness sort of soaks in after nearly two hours. (We were dressed appropriately, as best we could be.)
We wax poetic for blocks at a time, examining the terrain, topography, and entertaining architecture, when we are not speculating about our neighbors or making up entirely fictitious story lines to explain our observations (like this time out, a woman in the kitchen we can see through the window, crap stacked in the side yard, uber creative fencing, or yard art like the picture below).
There is a flamingo in that shot, in this yard there are several of them. I’ve tried to capture this house’s intriguing sensibility maybe three or four times, I WANT to be photographing it nearly every time I go by, but there is always some reason it doesn’t work. Mostly there’s people in the yard, or the angle is wrong, or I’m driving and there’s some antsy ass behind me, or in the case of the last few attempts, my flash messed me up. (If I HAVE successfully shared this before, pretend I haven’t.)
We headed uphill this afternoon and went off into another part of our area that we’ve not walked together before. He’s run up that way and I’ve driven it lots over the years, but we’ve never hiked those streets in this configuration prior to today. It sparked many more conversations and of course, some very judgemental declarations (kind-heartedly though, because we aren’t just mean).
As best as I can type a startled choking sound made low in the throat, here is precisely what Dan said as we came upon the rental home in the above view, “aungh! HOLY SHIT that’s an ugly house!” I couldn’t argue with him, but that might be due to the fact that I was laughing so hard. He just BURSTS out with crap like this, and over 30 years later, I’m still surprised. And then morbidly delighted.
He and I do have serious moments, and this last shot was one of them. As we went along, we noticed some weather-related damage (minor, entirely minor, in comparison to what’s happening around the county and farther afield in the rest of our soggy state). This was a tree that had come down because it was dead and the ground around the roots was flood-level saturated. It spanned that ditch and crashed all the way across the street, the debris was evident farther past the curb and sidewalk even.
We do joke a lot (a LOT), but it’s sobering when we see places like this, not too many blocks from The Burrow (just up from Charlemagne Immersion/Fox Hollow Elementary School, for those of you interested in that type of local information and details). Yes, it rains here, and often the ground simply can not soak up any more. Trees die, trees get blown over, trees fall into roads and on top of houses. Life is dangerous, that’s a fact we all live with. It’s also something that both of us are never unaware of. Maybe that’s WHY we laugh so much. (Or, we just ARE that ridiculous.)
We only saw one Foreign License Plate, but it was a great one. (Ready Megan & Co and Karen B?) It was New Jersey! And here’s the best part, I can spot those bastards from a week away now. I saw it way ahead of us, and I KNEW, before I could even read the letters.
One more vital order of business, then we’ll get to our message from the Universe. It’s a well documented fact that I’m a big-time water drinker (I have TWO bottles with me every second of the day, except for the sleeping and outdoor movement hours). Since starting the EasyWeigh, I’ve noticed that the number of times I’m refilling my containers has dropped off significantly. One of the “food packages” that Allen feels is most important is fruit. I’ve been eating more fruit than I had been before I read the book, but not THAT much more. I don’t know what this means, I’m just reporting in.
Our daily draw is from the same category as the last one in this deck, and nearly all the rest we’ve seen lately. (Theme theme theme!)
“Creatures Of The Air:
Eagle, Raven, Owl, Humming Bird, Parrot, Peacock, Butterfly, Bat, Spider, and Bee.
By different means all these creatures escape the confines of earth. They soar above material cares and worries and counsel that it is time to let go of our cares, to leave the past firmly behind you where it belongs, and to look for a new future where anything is possible. Spider uniquely makes her gossamer home in the air, connected to earth by silken threads almost too fine to perceive. She counsels that as you go forward in life you should remain attached to your past, but not be dominated by it.”
“Spider ~
Travel will open up new possibilities and one special connection.
Spider flies on silken strands through azure skies and brooding storms, and know that the time has come to expand your horizons. Travel, be it to faraway lands or a flower-strewn meadow, and see the world through new eyes, with the deep understanding that nothing is impossible.
Spider sees her world through touch, not light, translating vibration into knowledge. Take wisdom from what you cannot see and if the fleeting touch of another affects you, acknowledge that connection and allow it to flourish.”
Today’s Deck:
Animal Messages – Seek Inspiration From Your Animal Guides by Susie Green
No one has commented yet? I like spiders in the abstract, that web of connections all around us, not so much in the reality and I really hate walking into a web. Ewwww!
Once upon a time the man and I were house hunting and looked at a bi-level house like the one you depicted. Later, telling dad about it, (have to say dad is rather quiet, rarely says anything negative) he bursts out with “Bi-level houses are an abomination!” It’s that walking in the front door you have to go up or down bit that’s so weird with them. And those colors are pretty ugly too!
To make you feel better about your outfit – currently wearing grey sweatpants with hole in unfortunate spot, t-shirt covered by zippered blue hooded sweatshirt with stains, socks worn thin in spots, and covered by one green blanket and one blue, white and red blanket. And the bed head was especially interesting this morning.
I feel very much the same about spiders, excellent in the mythical sense, otherwise I mostly ignore them. (Except when I have to “release” them and save Dan’s life.)
Oh thank you for the fashion report. That was fabulous!
See! “Beware of trees!”
We are in the thick of planning a trip to Yellowstone this summer, so Spider reminded me of some details I need to sew up.
Stay safe on your adventures!
Lol, you are right about the Beware!
What is it about spiders that strikes fear in so many people?
I am one of them and up until a few years ago when I made a truce with them they really terrified me. I do love the intricacies of their webs (outside). I like today’s message.
The webs are so beautiful, aren’t they? I don’t mind them as much as SOME people (Dan!) but I very often think more about Spider in the (as I just said to Karen) mythical sense, than within the scope of reality.
Re the less water: 1) Fruit contains more fluids that you would think. 2) You’re probably consuming less sodium/salt. 3) It’s cooler, you’re not sweating buckets everyday. 4) Your body gets more efficient as you get in better shape. (Though, as a result, you may find yourself breaking into a sweat much more quickly than normal as your body anticipates heat generating activity.) I wouldn’t worry about it. Jusy saying.
For the most part, I will tolerate the spiders. We do catch and release around here. However, I do have one type of spider that sets up shop in my house every fall and makes my house look like a haunted house ride. On my ‘to do’ list for my children is ‘vacuum spiders once a week’. I feel bad, but the webs they make hang all over the place, and unlike other spiders, they don’t cut their old ones down. So they catch all the hair and the dust. It can get creepy in here. But I liked the message on the card!
‘Jusy’? Really? I know I didn’t type that….
Oh, hell. I guess it is me. I typed ‘that’ instead of ‘than’. Can I go back to bed?
1. Allen talks about how we get a great deal of our needed fluids in fruit, which I already knew.
2. Oh good point there.
3. This was what I was thinking about when my edema was so bad, but now, in these weather conditions, hard to say.
4. Right, that one I hadn’t thought about.
Not concerned, just an interesting (I thought) observation in relation to the new eating habits.
When it’s summer and we end up with flying bugs indoors, I love to suck them up in the vacuum!
No worries about the typos, I don’t mind them in the least. (Unless they are mine!) But thank you for addressing them.
Spiders creep me out because of the way the move. I confess. However, I make the hubby put them outside instead of killing them because 1) they are good bug removers and 2) they don’t deserve to die for being creepy.
I really MUST check out EasyWeigh.
That’s a good point. Maybe it’s the way they move that bothers so many people?
Nothing better than sitting around in comfy clothes, being silly and grinning. Easy Weigh is out of stock here. Pout!
Don’t order it yet, we can discuss when you get here next month!
That is an ugly house. Ask him about the purple house on Blue Jay Lp. I like spider’s message. She doesn’t get to live long inside. Outside is OK.
I DID ask, and he said “oh yeah, that’s an ugly house!” (Now I want to go see it though.)
I was listening to CDs on my drive back from Dallas and one of the CDs I brought was one of my (four) Monkees CDs. One of the songs talks about not being tied to the past. Okay, okay, I’m getting the message!
Oops, and you’ll kinda get some more of it in tonight’s post.
Spiders! Ick! Don’t like them. But okay, at least the message is good. : )
The message is good, and in the sense of folklore and signs, always welcome.
I feel obligated to point out that I am fundamentally opposed to everything in the Easy Weigh concept. It is anecdotally-based pseudoscience of the highest order. Flim-flam and nonsense, masquerading as an educated study of human health. Baseless extrapolations from nonsensical, unrelated data points.
It is new-age snake oil.
But, Mom already knows that that’s what I think, because she witnessed me very nearly having an aneurism as I literally started shaking with rage when she and Dad were explaining it to me. And, you know, if the actual concepts are at best useless and at worst actively harmful, it’s also virtually impossible to follow all of the tenants as laid out, and it does appear that the modified version Mom is using works for her. Which I support.
Just please, please, don’t actually believe any of the ludicrous claims made without double or triple checking them with actual science and facts. God knows I also think actual “nutritionists” are full of crap most of the time, but at least they don’t usually ignore large bodies of biological knowledge wholesale in order to make their observations match their pre-conclusions.
Your obligation has now been fulfilled. As always, I truly appreciate your support, it means a lot to me. A. Lot.
Also, very good that you are feeling better. Better enough to chime in with this. Your (well educated) opinion is now duly noted.
I’m late to this, but I agree like a billion times with JD.
Seriously, there is no gimmick. There is no way to “easy way” to lose weight without eating more real food, eating fewer calories, and moving more. Obviously, eating more whole/fresh/real food is best for your body, so EasyWeigh does sort of touch on that. But the idea of unrestricted “good” foods is ludicrous, and the vagueness and lack of credibility of this book is some seriously suspect stuff. If I turned in an article with as few citations as this book has, I would be fired and banned from writing professionally.
There are plenty of studies that tout the benefits of eating food that’s close to its natural state, and of eating fewer preservatives, etc. And whole grains require the body to do more work, which means they’re used more effectively. But cross-checking this book is highly, highly recommended.
General rule of thumb: never believe a diet book with “Easy” in the title.
Unless the “Easy” is written by Allen, and then, no matter what the subject, it could actually BE easy.
Not for everyone!
But for some of us. Like me. Not kidding. Easy to no longer smoke after reading his book and easy to turn my eating habits in a healthier direction after reading his book.
Whoa! JD isn’t what you’d call shy or anything about expressing his opinion, is he!
As my brother would say, so get off the fence and tell us how you really feel. (Try to read that in as sarcastic a tone as possible).
And I know that all sounded snarky, but it really wasn’t. I was amused and touched by his vehemence.
So was I. I think it’s terrific that he can and will honestly state his opinion and his thoughts, and that he cares enough to do so.
JD, you rock it.
Except that one doesn’t use a hyphen after an -ly word. The -ly is what stands for the hyphen. Correctly stated, the phrase should be “anecdotally based.”
You, pedant, you!! (I love that word; it sound kinda kinky)
I told the Captain about your results with EasyWeigh so he told me to order it for him. But when I started to read the reviews I hesitated, because it seemed as if one would need to be open to receiving the message. A little like hynosis.
After reading JD’s comment, I know I was correct to wait. Not because it doesn’t work, but because the Captain is a lot like JD in all his thought processes. I’m pretty sure that when he flies out to Seattle, he may drive down, take JD for a beer, and discuss life’s vagaries in a linear and scientific fashion.
Those reviews were pretty scary, I’m glad I read the book before I saw them. It appears as though I’ll need to address some of this in a post.
Seriously, please let us know when he’s going to be over on this side! (J.D. now has a new favorite bar in Seattle.)
I wonder if it is the same favorite bar oldest son loves in Seattle.
I’m going to assume you’re talking about Canon? Or possibly Vito’s. Though either one is just about EVERYONE’S favorite bar in Seattle because they are the best.
No clue, was hoping he’d jump in here and tell us what it was. The one with over-priced scotch perhaps?
Unlike the rest of the world I love spiders. I don’t think her message is for me, though, as I arrived late, again.
No. And no. Plus, no somemore. “Late” has nothing to do with it. We see the messages when we need to. You read about Spider and remarked on her. You acknowledged your connection and shared it. The timing was perfect.
The card’s definition message may not be specific to you in that respect, but the seeing and reading and thinking about, are also messages.