#for every hour I spend in ACV I have to go spend 2 in GoT

[ilikedetectives]

hey mate! how is AC Valhalla so far?? I haven't bought it yet because I really liked AC Odyssey and I've seen a few changes not for the better in early access playthroughs on youtube etc. what you do think of it?

I’m only 1 hour in so far (gameplay, not including photomode-ing), but my suggestion is wait for the game to go on sale like ~$30 w/ season pass included, especially if your only concern about the game is fem!Eivor. After playing Ghost of Tsushima, AC Valhalla is miles and years behind. If you like Odyssey, I can’t say if you’ll like Valhalla. Pls go buy GoT this Black Friday instead.

The game is BUGGY rn (save files corruption, players can’t continue quests, navigation icons disappearing, etc.) I get it they release the game a week early to avoid CP2077 so they’ll probably need a few weeks to fix some game-breaking bugs.

Melee combat is worse than Origins now that they add stamina, horse has stamina too btw (lmao). Finishing moves are awesome, but in order to get there to watch that animation, get ready to suffer through 2015 combat mechanics. I have to go play GoT MP to cleanse myself afterwards (also cuz its combat mechanic is addicting and fun af, yet challenging).

I heard they add stealth but I don’t play as a Viking to do stealth. If I wanna play as a badass assassin, I’ll go play GoT Legends mode, even they got stealth right and not just combat. But I’ll probably resort to use stealth because the combat is unbearable.

You have to manually pick berries and fish to heal yourself, no medicine shop and no auto heal once you’re out of combat.

The skill tree is the worst I’ve seen. Expect to have like 200+ ability points or something because they don’t want to stress you with level, but you need 200 “power” instead lololol.

The story doesn’t hold my attention. I snooze whenever they talk about the cREeD. It’s good they are returning to their roots, I personally don’t care enough about AC to follow their ‘assassin’ story, lost interest after the Ezio trilogy. I play this game for one purpose: badass Viking lass, that’s it.

THERE ARE FEWER OUTFITS, probably around 11 or something excluding the Helix ones (which don’t seem to even have 1080p textures, talk about cross-gen title with mtx). No transmog (hopefully they’ll add it in later). Meanwhile, GoT outfits, oof! Also tattoos are great but they’re 720p at best (if you don’t take photos, this shouldn’t be a concern).

The navigation system is the worst among all the AC games I’ve played (Ezio, IV, Unity, Syndicate, Origins, Odyssey). Marking a location on the map doesn’t do shit! I have to glue my eyes on the tiny ass compass on the top of the screen to see where I’m going. The bird is also useless, don’t bother using it except for photomode.

Your side quests aren’t tracked (yes, really, get ready to forget what side quest ya have cuz I don’t even know if I accept one or how many I have)

I don’t even know if I completely clear a location, the game doesn’t tell me

[rusticrevivals]

This one will be quick and painless, promises the dentist.  But no, it will, because I MUST do some basic housework and get back outside to major weeding.  I am only in for a mid-morning break for about an hour, which I am sure our minister would say I ought to be spending in church.  We just keep slogging away here, though, rarely knowing what day of the week it actually is!

Mom/Joy and I are the ones weeding. Mom does about 2 hours per day on the veg garden and it’s looking pretty great right now – something showing in all 52 rows!  I do about 20 min. weeding per day in the veg garden and 30 minutes every 3rd day or so on the flowers for the wedding.  In addition, I water for an hour and a half every 2nd or 3rd day when there is no rain called for. But still, it’s mostly thanks to Mom that the vegetables are coming along (Ontario and the u.k. won’t think this is ‘coming along’ in the first week of July, but considering the dry and cold spring and the HEAT WAVE of the last week, we think this isn’t too bad).

Since Richard has been working hard on the Rustic Revivals cabin/shop, expecting it will be used as a backdrop for some wedding photos, I’ve been mostly trying to keep the animals organized all day and into the long evenings.  They are spoiled, because we cater to them – it started last year when Cammie and Chevy both came to us very ill and it took most of last summer for Chevy at least to fully recover.  Thus we are always letting them out, letting them in, changing their pastures, giving them fresh water and soaked beet pulp, scattering scratch or compost for the chickens despite them being ‘free range’,

and in last week’s heat wave, giving Chevy several hose-pipe baths. We even bought them a fan for the long afternoons when they are standing around inside because the type of barn we unfortunately have (quonset) is not at all like the old bank barns I’m used to having, where half of it is under a hill and there’s always a hay loft above for insulating, thus keeping the animals cool in summer. So the chickens stay outside all day, finding shade where they can, and even recently learning to fly a bit and to land in unexpected places. Mom just saw this one ‘experimenting’ in the orchard:

Meanwhile, the kids spend the nights and the early morning hours with their mother, and then we separate them for the rest of the day so I can milk Cammie in the evenings:

The twins are getting big and very curious, happily leaving their frantic mother for long periods of time, which drives her nuts. (We have had to tie her again because she was caught eating wedding flowers earlier this week and I was furious. The floral situation isn’t doing as well as I’d hoped in the first place, but I certainly didn’t need a big stubborn goat to come along an top the blossoms off 11 plants in one foul swoop!)  We’ve also had a number of neighbours come to visit the animals.  Greta, (age93) just up the hill from us, was wheeled down just a few days out of hospital to spend some time with the cuddliest:

When the weather is very hot, Chevy leads the livestock parade back to the barn where he likes to lie down in the stall (he does this more in summer than he did all winter!) Meanwhile Cammie takes the twins on a tour of other places she isn’t allowed!

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The milking hasn’t been going terribly well. First Cammie kicked and hollered and carried on, so we read up on different methods of preventing or at least decreasing this (ie: more food, soft-hobbling, letting one kid out in view, etc).  She’s finally stopped the ‘freaking out’ and putting her foot into my sterile bucket of milk, but she only allows us to have so much milk and then she ‘closes up’ and ‘keeps back’ the rest for her twins for later.  The milking in the morning was stopped because no one (incl. Chevy and the chickens) were getting any rest in the night hours of separation. But the evening milking means they aren’t ‘off her’ for as long, so the milk situation is minimal at the moment. I did, however, manage to make cheese one morning this week.  Here are the various stages of “Quick Goat’s Milk Cheese” – just bring to 180 degrees, add lemon juice to make it curdle, strain in cheese cloth for an hour and VOILA!  Delicious, but it only lasted the one meal on our spinach salad (from our garden. Sad to say, though – even those eggs aren’t from our own chickens yet!) Click to enlarge if desired:

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I also tried to make mint jelly again this week, as we have such a large mint patch. Two years ago when I made it it turned out beautifully, but for some reason – perhaps the heat wave? Perhaps my Certo was too old? – it hasn’t set properly.  I was experimenting with little jars which, as ‘lime green’ is one of the two colours for Carriann and Matt’s wedding, might end up on the reception tables for people to help themselves to little spoonfuls of, on the side of their meatballs (delicious!)  (To make it less bright green, I just added some yellow food colouring to the regular green). I bought new Certo and will try this all again on a cooler day:

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Also these last few weeks, besides the regular bread and cookie-baking, iced-tea and lemonade-making (and just regular meal-making which I’m getting sick of doing – why can’t I just be a genie and blink my eyes and have those done?),  I did more dog biscuits and some purple and green mints for the wedding. I’ve mentioned how to do the homemade dog biscuits before – just put a lot of meat and egg-based leftovers on a big tray with some oil and lots of flour sprinkled over it and bake the heck out of it until it’s crisp!  (If you’re really interested in how I do this because you want to make your own and save a LOT of money, just contact me and I’ll give you my step-by-step ‘recipe’).

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The buttercream mints turned out quite well, I think – I made enough for the wedding guests to have about 10 each, if they so wish!  There are lots of recipes and Youtube directions on these online, so no need for me to say more other than:

Something else I have to ‘brew up’ quite regularly is bug spray – both for we mammals, and for the veg plants in the garden.  The latter one is Dawn dishsoap ( a spoonful) with vinegar and baking soda and has seemed to work fairly well. I use my own homemade apple cider vinegar – what’s left from last year, anyway (And believe me, I HATE all this plastic, but at least all the jugs are recycled from something else – or WILL be recycled into something else!)

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Our bug spray for us and Chevy (and Cammie when she’s willing, which isn’t often. Besides, I don’t want her milk to taste like vinegar!) is veg oil, Dawn and the ACV. So, the same as for the garden but without the baking soda. It and our masks/facenets keep the blackflies at bay a little better, but Chevy is eaten alive by horseflies and deerflies also, so I had to break down this week and buy some chemically-enhanced equine spray which has helped him not come in with great bloody sores, poor guy! So much for being purely organic around here, then!  (Also, I’m going to have to ‘dust’ the broccoli, I’m afraid! And there’s some weird bugs on one of our crabapple trees…grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr….)

Richard was hard at work on the cabin at the back of the barn these past weeks, but he also finally got a garden gate on the chicken wire fence we erected around the vegetables. Nice and rustic, this:

But most rustic and lovely of all is the fabulous work he’s done re-siding the Rustic Revivals new shop (opening – ? maybe in the autumn! The inside needs a lot of work done on it still…) We used the strapping that was under the metal siding to make trim, which I protected with urethane yesterday so it will hopefully stay the contrasting colour. Here’s the ‘before’:

And here are the lovely ‘afters’.  Sooooo in love with this, and there’s lots more trim and decorating I’ll be playing with on the front, you can bet! The door is so wonderfully ‘shabby chic’ with chippy-paint that I’m leaving it as is for now. I just need to get some really white birch sticks for in the barrels, rather than the less-white poplar that are in there at the moment, and it will tie the white from the door in so much more!

The two sides had lovely cedar shakes under the metal, so we didn’t even have to do much to them. Look carefully and EWE may even see I’m not ‘kidding’ around!

This one will be quick and painless, promises the dentist.  But no, it will, because I MUST do some basic housework and get back outside to major weeding. 

[arielleyoga-blog1]

Dusty Marie

If you know me, or follow me on instagram, then you know I am the type of dog mom that truly believes she couldn’t possibly love her future human children as much as she loves her pug. 

Dusty and my journey started out a little bumpy: I was 7 days into grieving the sudden and traumatic loss of my 10month old puppy when I came home and found my mom on the couch with this tiny pug face looking out at me. Y’all...most of you probably would have been SO happy. But I was SO heartbroken and in the middle of deep grief...that was NOT what I wanted at that time. I did not bond with her, I didn’t even love her at first, and if I’m being totally honest: I tried to see if we could give her back. But then this little part of me knew I was being horrible and this sweet little baby didn’t know about my loss, it wasn’t her fault. So, I decided to make her as different from Cosette as possible, and bring her by my side as my buddy. I don’t know how or when, but she went from my buddy to my baby, and I mean it when I say I don’t know where my soul begins and where her’s ends. I don’t know what life was before her, and I start to completely sob if I consider that there could be life after her.

For all the joy she brings me, all the joy her sweet face and cute little pug butt brings others: she deserves to feel as good as she can. To be doted upon, to get snuggles and treats, and to live a healthy long life. She has come with a fair share of health issues over her lifetime, and so I have done EXTENSIVE research on things she can take regularly to help with the chronic issues she has, as well as any that may arise as she is about to turn 10.

Just like I take supplements and use Arbonne, just like I give my husband vitamins every day. Just like I personally ensure I’m putting pure things in and on my body: I feel the same for my little girl! 

I find a lot of other dog parents struggle with some of the same issues, or don’t realize something will be an issue later on: and so I wanted to write a post with what Dusty gets every day, and why!

1. RAW FOOD

Now, first let me say she does get 1/4 cup of dry kibble we order through Chewey.com from our vet. But I hated the idea of her on some crap kibble through Science Diet, so I decided to do a lot of digging and find a happy medium. The reason she has the 1/4 cup of the vet prescribed food is because when she was a puppy we discovered her body doesn’t break down fat well: and causes extreme digestive distress, which as a baby made her bleed while she went #2 and THERE IS NOTHING MORE UPSETTING THAN YOUR TINY BABY PUPPY LOOKING AT YOU WITH SAD PUG EYES POOPING BLOOD! So, after speaking with our vet: we put her on this kibble and it helped IMMEDIATELY. She has a VERY sensitive digestive system (someday my husband will figure that out and stop sharing his whipped cream with her lol) and because of that, I make sure what she eats and the supplements she gets with her meals are things that help keep her digestive system functioning properly. (Quick shout out because I care about my pug’s gut health as much as my own and my client’s which is why I think every human needs to do my 28 day detox program!)

I tried companies that like MAKE FOOD FOR YOUR DOG, and I even tried making food myself: but listen, mama works...mama can’t be like having customized meals sent to the house. Plus: some of the stuff used isn’t best for HER. And so, the kibble she has benefitted the most from I get at The Healthy Spot and it’s Primal Pronto. Every time time she’s out I switch flavors. We stick to Chicken or Turkey and Sardine because she had responses to the other ones that were’t favorable: again, she’s sensitive like her mama. But they say to swap each time because it helps their body function better. And I agree!

It wasn’t hard for me to decide on raw food being the majority of her diet: I mean, she’s a dog...they can’t cook unfortunately,  and kibble is human-made. Just like I don’t eat spam or other weird processed stuff: Dusty shouldn’t either! PLUS Primal raw food is free of antibiotics, steroids, preservatives and added hormones AND their stuff is responsibly sourced from sustainable ranchers in the United States, New Zealand, Australia and Europe. 

She has benefited greatly since going on the raw diet: so I highly suggest that to all pet parents.

2. Apple Cider Vinegar

Originally, I started adding just a capful to her breakfast because ACV actually helps dogs when they have diarrhea OR when they’re constipated. Again, always been obsessed with my dog’s gut health! But then I started doing even more research and the benefits are insane: It’s a natural flea and tic repellant, it aids with hot spots, helps arthritis by breaking down calcium deposits that form around older dog’s joints, and literally so much more! 

Dusty, and most pugs, have VERY sensitive skin. And so one thing I didn’t want to do was constantly have to give her little steroid pills or get shots to help with the itching she would experience with seasonal changes or heat waves. Now that she’s 9, the benefits ACV has for joints and a plethora of other issues is what keeps me giving it to her every single morning with her breakfast. And no...she doesn’t mind the. Sweet little Dusty Marie is a pug...she eats so fast I don’t think she can even taste her food! 

3. Goat’s Milk

That sensitive skin, again! It was recommended to me to try goat’s milk to help her with the reactions she kept having on her skin years ago. AND it also turns out, goats milk helps with digestion! Talk about two birds with one stone! Just like with ACV, there are A TON of benefits of Goat’s milk for dogs. Again, I shop regularly at The Healthy Spot: they’re a fantastic store and they have so many locations. We were suggested A+ Answers Goat’s Milk, and used that for a while. THEN! Pronto came out with one and so I tried that one...and she threw up more than she’s ever thrown up in her ENTIRE life. So, Healthy Spot took it back no problem and let me know this probably means she’s allergic to turmeric as that’s the only difference in ingredients. There was a period of time that she was off of goats milk: and the itchy skin returned with a vengeance. I went to get a supplement to help, and upon talking to the staff they urged me to first get her back on the goats milk before spending tons of money on more supplements/powders and the such. And guess what? Within 2 days she was back to normal! So, I make sure we NEVER run out! 

4. Juvinate K9

This I got within the last year because for a few days I noticed her randomly limping, sometimes it was subtle, and a few times it was really dramatic. And I FREAKED OUT! I did hours of online research and found this supplement that she now gets with breakfast and dinner. 

It is a unique supplement for dogs containing the state-of-the-art Ayurvedic extract blend Crominex® 3+  for the support of healthy joints, circulatory support and weight management.  It supports healthy circulation, which is important for the delivery of nutrients throughout the body, and can be an important supplement for overweight dogs, supporting healthy blood glucose and a healthy lipid profile.  The reviews were nothing but positive: and since starting her on Juvinate K9, I haven’t seen her limp more than twice: and it’s been over 6 months!

5. Dope Dog CBD

CBD is ALL the rage now a days, and since I have experienced TONS of benefits from it: why not Dusty!?  There are so many brands out there, but I found Dope Dog to be the highest quality and they’re a company that truly CARES about dogs! Dusty get’s their CBD drops at both meals, and gets their CBD treats when she’s extra cute ;) 

CBD has endless benefits, but as I mentioned above: I got this specifically for the limping. She’s approaching 10 and I plan on her living to 83 human years because I truly cannot even fathom what life would be without her. 

The other benefit of this product: is it is SO clean and high quality you can use it too! Sometimes I throw a little in my Arbonne breakfast smoothie :)

She also gets their treats as rewards when she’s extra good...or when she’s extra cute and I feel guilty cuz I have to leave for clients or a class lol

6. Fish Oil

This is a supplement I haven’t been as consistent about giving her: again, it’s benefits for skin and joints are amazing. And it also is helpful for her circulatory system. I notice her coat instantly benefits when I squeeze a little in her breakfast!  You can 100% go to a pet store and get a fish oil for dogs. OR what I like to do is go to Trader Joes, get their Salmon Oil, pierce a capsule and squeeze it in her food. Sometimes I miss, so never wear a shirt you like because a little fish oil can really mess up your morning. But knowing she’s getting a high quality fish oil with breakfast versus spending MORE on a “dog” fish oil keeps me from getting too upset when I get a little salmon oil on my PJs. 

Let me know if you have any questions! This is what a day in the life of Dusty Marie’s food bowl looks like: Breakfast:

Kibble: dry and Pronto raw

1 capful ACV

1 scoop Juvinate

1 capsule salmon oil

.25 Dope Dog

Dinner:

Kibble: dry and Pronto raw

1 scoop Juvinate

.25 Dope Dog

1/4 ish cup A+ Answers Goat’s Milk