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hexenmond · 2 months ago

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Note after writing: this has turned into a whole essay, whoops 😂 I do hope some of this can be helpful to you! Under the cut because of length.

Whenever that happens to me, I take a more holistic view. If I can’t write because my brain just won’t cooperate, it means my overall energy levels are very low. And that doesn’t just affect my writing (or other hobbies), it means I fundamentally can’t enjoy life fully. I am also self employed and I know from experience that my work, and in short order my bank account, will also suffer, and these days I try to avoid the resulting super concrete problems, so I aim to not even let myself get that bad.

Over the years I have learned what things help me keep my energy levels high, and what things will help me raise them. Those are not always the same because if my energy levels are low already, things that are good for me may well be inaccessible. Writing is actually a good example of that! It’ll boost my mood and raise my energy, but on low energy I can’t do it.

I believe people differ in what is still doable at low energy levels and what becomes hard to do earlier. The latter are like canaries in a coal mine – for example, when life seems to be “normal” but I find myself avoiding a phone call, I now take note, since I have at times in my life managed to get my energy levels to a point where even phone calls were not an issue at all, so I know that’s possible for me.

I keep a daily habit tracker which I review weekly (well, ideally), with all the things I want to make habits of (like writing, drawing, language study, tidying) and all the things I know I need to keep up in order to be able to do that (go for walks, regular meals, sleep schedule, meditation). I currently notice that my evening routine isn’t working very well, so I put some extra effort into getting back on track with that. This is a fairly regular occurrence. If I notice my morning routine getting wobbly however, that’s a clear sign that I need to pull some brakes because I’m usually very good with that.

Okay, so all this to say that I think it’s not just about your writing, and it’s hard to fix just this. It’s merely the point where you notice you’re not feeling your best and it’s bothering you. And I don’t know you well enough to hazard a guess about what are the things you can still do at low energy levels that’ll help raise them – for me it’s movement. Ever since I realised how much even a short walk around the block boosts my mood, it doesn’t feel like ‘a waste of time’ any more, and it’s easy enough for me to just do even with brain fog or a bad case of the grumpies.

Food is also helpful for me, and while I am currently unable to cook regularly, I make do with some instant meals and frozen pizza that I choose with care and gratitude that they exist, as well as a fairly healthy banana bread which I bake about once a week and then eat a slice of whenever I’m in a hurry in the morning (sometimes in the evenings) but still in need of breakfast. Even just being really clear on my feeding times helps me not miss too many of them too badly. It’s really good for me to stick to that schedule because I absolutely WILL start trembling and shaking if I miss even one meal. I also keep emergency flapjacks in my bag at all times.

So these are just some examples of what works for me and how I try to meet my most essential needs even when it’s hard for me. Maybe try these steps for yourself:

Define your most essential needs (to get you started, consider sleep, food, movement, shelter, connection/touch/physical comfort, sunlight).

Get clear on their relative importance to you. Does a night of sleeping badly fuck you up more quickly or severely than missing a meal? Does a cluttered environment bother you more than no social connection for a few days? What are your pain points?

Get clear on your strengths and difficulties. Which of these are hard for you to meet your needs? Which are working out okay? Which are maybe actually easy?

Consider easy remedies: What ‘little’ things lift your mood disproportionately? Some incense, playing certain music, quickly clearing your desk, making the bed? (These may or may not be easy for you of course, they’re just examples!)

What would be good and helpful, but is currently out of reach for you? These are your mid to long team aims. (For example, for me it’s going to bed on time – that is ridiculously hard for me, and has been all my life.)

Can you do some of those things with a little help? I have been getting increasingly creative with this, and it’s amazing what just setting a simple alarm can help me do! (Not go to bed, unfortunately, but it does work for other things.) Some tools I am using include my indispensable habit tracker (I do that on paper) and all sorts of apps.

Maybe the most helpful thing which I am also utilising more and more: teaming up with other people. Like a really hard thing for me is decluttering, and I have made so much progress since I asked a friend to come over once a month to not necessarily even help (although she sometimes does), but just to sit and talk to me and denote decluttering time. I’ve even managed to make quite a dent in some piles without her, because the impetus is there and I am starting to really feel the positive effects it has on me. Another good example is my bookkeeping appointment. Bookkeeping is something I can actually do on my own regularly without issue, but another self employed friend of mine was having difficulties. So I said, well I’m doing it every Friday at eleven anyway, how about we meet online and do it together, and now we’re two to four people every Friday tackling bookkeeping and other hard blocks together for two to three pomodoros. Works like a charm, and I am trying to establish more support groups like that in my life.

Okay so, uh. I hope this is readable and clear to you and maybe a little bit helpful! The most essential thing I’m trying to get across here is maybe this: Find out how to improve your overall state of being to a point where writing can flow and be easy again, instead of only fixing a symptom. Make sense?

Sending you lots of love and well wishes 🥰

life's been crazy busy and then last week I was traveling and I want to be writing but I'm feeling uncreative and drained even when I do have time... it's really more like I want to want to be writing, but instead I just want to curl up and conserve my energy...

second verse, same as the first. I feel like I make some version of this post every couple of months!

what do you do when the words aren't coming and you're having a hard time just summoning the desire to be creative? I honestly think it would help me to be doing some writing, but how to convince my brain that that's a more attractive option than endless scrolling and falling asleep in my comfy chair?

#witch moon ramblings #energy #spoon management #raising energy levels

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aphrodisiaac · 2 years ago

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Manifestations🪷

This month I will cultivate a few things for myself to nurture my spirit and sense of self. These goals will be achieved to the best of my ability, and my life will flourish. I attract only the best of people, experiences, opportunities, and resources. Let us begin the attraction and manifestation of all things we wish to obtain and become. ~

💕 I lost 10-15 pounds. I did this in a healthy, forgiving way. I do this for my health and my own self love, and for nobody else. I love my body, and how strong and capable it is.

💕 I registered my car, and learned to drive stick shift regularly. Im able to take myself to and from work, and I love the new independence I have. I can go around the town as I please, and I can indulge whatever interests or opportunities come my way.

💕 I love putting myself out there and hanging out with new people, and I connect with my coworkers very well. We all get along, and we have lots of fun during our shifts.

💕 I love the way I look, and I know I’ve come a long way in accepting who I am. I have very interesting features, and I glow everywhere I go. People turn their heads to look at me, and I receive help and love easily. I am visually and spiritually like an angel. I am ephemeral, elegant, mysterious, and aloof. I give off an aura of otherworldly wisdom and beauty.

💕 I am focusing hard on school and my success. I love to get good grades and build my academic portfolio. I also love to learn things, and I feel more worldly with every new subject I study. I spend lots of time on projects, and truly connect with the material.

💕 I love going out and enjoying the world around me. Whether it’s going for a hike, visiting the library, or socializing at a club, I love to get out and meet new people/see the world. I trust that beautiful people and opportunities will meet with my energy.

💕 I am able to stand up for myself and what I desire. I am able to readily and confidently speak my mind, even if what I say may not be pleasing to the other person. Honesty is the best policy, and I show my true and authentic self to everyone I meet. Every vulnerability is a step to forgiving myself- and loving myself fully because of that forgiveness.

💕 I love and trust my boyfriend, and I am convinced that he loves me dearly. He goes out of his way constantly for me, and never hesitates to show his unwavering affection. I believe in his love, just as much as I believe in my love for him. 🥰

💕 I am a jack of all trades, and I enjoy giving my attention to multiple hobbies and skills at a time. I enjoy pole dancing for exercise, as well as yoga. Both endeavors have helped me with my flexibility. I love to sew, and recently I finished my first original embroidery. I am learning French, and am fairly intermediate. I draw, and make videos on a regular basis. I even love culinary arts, and I practice baking and cooking very often. I just made my first French boule bread loaf last month. I don’t limit myself to one hobby or passion, because I am limitless in my capacities.

💖 I am capable of healing, improving, and progressing with my life. My trauma does not define me, and has never defined me. I am a beautiful person, who contains multitudes. I have done bad things as everyone else has, and good things as well. I am neither a good nor bad person, but a person who simply tries to do what they think is best every day. I cant be perfect, but I can forgive myself for my mistakes. I can keep going, and keep trying everyday to be the best version of myself. I have done everything I could, and I trust myself to do the right thing.

I hope you take an opportunity today to affirm yourself, or write manifestations for yourself. To write a clear goal and intention can sometimes be all it takes to make a positive change. Everyone is capable of growth, but manifestation can lead to the outlook necessary to make real change. Take good care, and receive all that you deserve.

~ yours, one of the many daughters of Aphrodite 🪷

#aphrodite devotee #aphrodite #spells #witchcraft #manifestation #manifesting #affirmations #positive #self love #trauma #growth #ptsd #Wicca #hellenic paganism #positivity

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vands38 · 4 years ago

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things i wish someone told me about coeliac disease (UK edition)

apparently some doctors are still not telling coeliacs what they actually need to know so here’s some fun facts --

*coeliac disease is likely to go undiagnosed if you don’t have digestive symptoms. for a lot of folks, their first symptoms are odd things like weight loss, bloating, mouth ulcers etc that take ages for doctors to correctly diagnose as coeliac disease. I know someone whose only sign was tingling in her fingers (nerve problems are a Thing sometimes). I don’t wanna freak folks out but check this list of symptoms and if you’re worried, ask your doc for a blood test to check for coeliac disease. I went in and out of my docs for years with various symptoms (mostly from the anaemia) and no one caught it until I was finally having noticeable digestive trouble.

* coeliac disease an autoimmune disease. not an allergy. not an intolerance. when you eat gluten, your gut just screams NOPE and throws everything out of there.

* this means if you keep eating gluten you will have serious long-term health problems because your gut can't absorb shit

* as I mentioned, anaemia is one of these associated health problems. a lot of people have this at diagnosis b/c your gut hasn’t been absorbing the nutrients it needs. it leaves you very weak and tired, and the longer it goes on, the worse it gets.

* long-term anaemia / malnutrition causes so many fucking health problems I can't list them all. basically, if your body sucks, there's a good chance it's a side-effect of your coeliac disease going undiagnosed. I got shitty joints and a shitty heart and shitty bones and godknowswhatelse and every time my doc is like "hey, guess what? it’s coeliac disease!"

* you know what a common side effect is? LACTOSE INTOLERANCE. this is because, once again, your gut hates you from all that gluten you've been killing it with, so it starts to muck around and kick out other things too. but good news! most of the time this is reversible!!! lay off any lactose for a couple of months, reintroduce it to your diet slowly, and you -- like me -- might be a-ok

*some folks with coeliac disease can’t digest oats either as they contain a similar protein. I found that I was kinda squiffy with them at first but as soon as my gut had calmed down I was a-ok with GF oats (this is good b/c 99% of good GF biscuits are made with oat flour, RIP to everyone that can’t eat them)

* so... your bones are probably fucked. if you were diagnosed early and your doctors are on it, you might be okay but for a lot of people it means osteopenia, and further down the line, osteoporosis (meaning it's v easy to break bones). you need to be eating, like, double the regular amount of calcium every day. most people are put on calcium tablets with combined vitamin D (to help absorb the calcium) but even on top of that, you need to be getting a lot in your diet. If you're still lactose intolerant then switch to lacto-free versions of dairy products or eat tofu like there's no tomorrow. It's super important that you get enough.

* relatedly, bone health!!! You should be doing MODERATE impact exercises like jogging to strengthen the bones but nothing high-impact like tennis. load-bearing exercises are good too. here’s some examples (in detail) given to me by the rheumatology dept

* people have different sensitivity levels. in the UK, certified gluten-free products have to be 20 parts per million or less, but in the US this is 100! marmite lives somewhere between these two and can cause some coeliacs to have a reaction. please be aware when you eat international gluten-free foods that they might have more parts per million than your body is used to

* because you're super sensitive to gluten, not only do you need to check the bold allergens on the ingredients, but the small print too. it might say "made in a factory that handles gluten" or "may contain traces of gluten" and that’s a no-go

* similarly, be careful in restaurants. Apparently it's still perfectly legal for restaurants to say a dish is "gluten free" and then put your nice GF bread in the same fucking toaster as regular bread and have you shitting your pants for days. Just because the ingredients are GF doesn't mean they're cooking it in an allergen-conscious manner. If its not a Coeliac UK certified restaurant, always ask about their methods. Is that milkshake made in a GF blender? Is your fry-up cooked in a separate pan? The first time I got glutened after my diagnosis it was because my GF naan bread shared a tray with a regular one. A lot of places won't even fucking think about this stuff.

* if you're in a gluten-eating household, you've got a big expense coming up. you need to buy a GF toaster at the very least and I would recommend also a separate baking tray (because pizzas, garlic breads etc stick to that shit like no tomorrow) and a saucepan (or anything else that regularly contains pasta/noodles/etc). You'll also need a separate bread knife and board. Separate butter. Separate strainer if you're the type to drain your pasta. Line anything suspicious (e.g.your sandwich toaster, a communal baking tray) with baking parchment. Don’t use bare rungs in your oven or hob. And buy separate spreads and condiments, unless your household is very well trained in not dipping their crumb-covered knives into those things. I've even got separate plates, kitchen utensils, and cutlery. It seems extreme but I haven't had a cross-contamination incident since. Just think: has gluten touched this? And if so, do your best to minimise the risk.

* living GF is expensive long-term too. GF bread costs twice as much as regular bread. Restaurants often charge extra for GF alternatives. I had to switch from having toast in the morning to cereal because it's much more reasonably priced. I eat more fruit than I ever have before just because GF snacks cost so much. I used to have breakfast bars lol say goodbye to that shit unless you wanna be broke

* things I didn't realise I couldn't eat: crisps (a lot of your standard crisps are made with ??? production methods), candied nuts (most of these are made in factories that handle gluten), soy sauce, strawberry laces and a whole bunch of fave sweets (contain wheat starch to bind them - check this list for safe sweets), marmite (you can buy a GF yeast extract that is only 50% worse than the original)

*good food you actually can eat: most cadburys but not most nestle, GF beer which tastes exactly the same, schar pretzels are actually the shit, so are their BBQ pringles and those little chocolate bars with hazelnuts, Morrisons free from frozen mini hash browns will cure your depression, M&S do these bacon tortilla rolls which... OH BOY. Quiche alternatives are pretty damn good but I've yet to find a pizza that doesn't make me want to cry.

*speaking of supermarkets... Morrisons stock a good range of stuff and tend to have everything in one aisle, M&S have many yummy (and expensive) treats, Sainsbury's has good own brand things including bread, Tesco's are fairly decent and stock a lot of baking things, ASDA are the king of GF cake, if you're still lacto-free then Waitrose sell LF cheese including halloumi, and check your your local hippy food store because I found the best goddamn bread in mine (Incredible Bakery Company - you are £4.50 a loaf but I have no regrets)

*party risks: if there's a BBQ, insist that your things go first or have a separate BBQ, or, if worse comes to worse, just eat cold snacks. (Beware of sausages! Many aren't GF!) If its a chip and dip situation, either everything has to be GF (easily done) or have your own dip. BUFFETS ARE LITERALLY OUR WORST NIGHTMARE. the amount of coeliacs I know that have been glutened at one are INSANE. even if those tasty treats are labelled 'gluten free' they've probably be contaminated. everything at a goddamn buffet is contaminated. Dinner party? Well meaning friends will want to cook for you but unless their kitchen is set up as above, it's safer to bring your own food -- if you're very lucky, you will have friends who take the time to learn about allergens and will clean every item in their kitchen before cooking and serving an entire GF meal. these friends are to be treasured -- nay, worshipped.

*fast food. there’s no good way to put this but you’re never having that guilty pleasure 2am burger again. mcdonalds fries are miraculously GF though. (a lot of takeaways recycle oil so even if the ingredients are GF it’s often not safe but mcdonalds always use a separate fryer for chips). indian takeaway is great as most dishes don’t contain gluten. on the flip side, you’ll only be able to have about 5 items on the chinese menu (soy sauce is in everything, yo) so be prepared to learn those 5 items by heart. dominoes do Coeliac UK certified GF pizza!!! (buuuuut not during covid). chains like pizza express have got our back and will even serve you GF doughballs

*coeliac UK are your best friend! most of the things I’ve mentioned are described in detail on their website. they also have a barcode scanner app that will tell you if foods are safe, and they have a restaurant guide, and useful things like translation guides for when you go abroad.

That's all I've got right now but hmu with any questions or corrections. Take care of yourself, folks. <3

#coeliac disease #celiac disease #gluten free #info post #allergens #i just could not see another incorrect comment on the coeliac uk facebook page without doing something #i'm sorry #i'm well aware this is of interest to approx three followers #but #someone might need to hear all this #because my god i definitely did when i got diagnosed #long post

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imnotcameraready · 6 years ago

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If Villains Baked Cookies — Ch 1

A/N: hey!! since a few people asked about it, and I had some ideas floating around already, I’m making the story from this post into a longer Thing™. I can’t promise regular updates or anything, since writers block is very good at beating me down, and since I’m very much in the middle of semester at uni, but I CAN promise that I’ll be thinking about this story near constantly. chapter 2′s already in the works lol

also gonna tag @rebelrewriter since you asked about if this would b coming out! i hope you like it ^^

read it here on AO3!

Warnings: Sympathetic Deceit, a curse, cursing, violent threats (no actual violence in this one) — also to note is that this is written as dialogue! it’s all dialogue! all of it!!

Words: 2842

Pairings: some real light platonic moceit? other than that, uh, none. none in this whole story. its just Big FamILY time

Characters: Patton patton and more patton, Deceit, a bit of Virgil, mentions of Logan and Roman

hope you enjoy!

If Patton Hart were considering all of the factors, then he’d be able to trace all of these problems back to gardening. He hadn’t been raised a farmer — his parents had him apprenticed to a healer, which he thoroughly enjoyed, but found much more stressful than he could enjoy. And the grief after having a patient die on his table…. At the ripe old age of 22, he decided to retire from healing and moved out to a smaller village, near the kingdom’s outskirts, and began a farm.

He hadn’t expected it to be so challenging. The village he moved to was a farming village, with his closest neighbors being a few hours’ horseride away, and a royal liason coming to collect the village’s surplus foods every fortnight.

There was a blacksmith, doctor, tavern, city hall, and a small cell block in the village’s center. A few blocks away (closer to Patton’s actual house than the village) was a library, but he hadn’t seen anyone enter or exit it since he’d moved in. In fact, he never saw the lights on, either, and no one ever talked about it.

Farming was hard. The animals listened to him, thankfully, but nothing would ever grow. And he could only live off of animal products for so long (and god knows he would never kill them). Responses from those in the village ranged from sympathetically helpful to sarcastic rudeness, but all pointed toward the soil in his land plot being less than ideal for crop growing. Or something. There were a lot of reasons and Patton had stopped keeping track.

Other people in his little village were farming, though, so he thought that there was something wrong with his methods. Maybe he was using too much water? Maybe he should purchase a different type of fertilizer?

Patton was more of a people person, so his first instinct was to ask his neighbors for help.

Looking back, he wasn’t sure why he thought they would help. His neighbors had been passive-aggressively bullying him for a month, since he arrived. They laughed at him, scorned him for thinking arming may be easy, and refused to help.

Don’t think about them, Patton. They’re not long gone by now. Assholes.

He knew that. But Patton’s a nostalgic guy. And stop swearing! We have children in the house, now.

His second instinct was to go to the library. Sure, he didn’t know if it was open or even functioning, but any sort of help would be welcome, even just one book on farming.

When he went to the library (it was a spur of the moment decision) it was dark.

Patton lifted his lantern a little higher, casting light on the entirety of the high-ceiling-ed room. The library had two floors, as could be seen from the outside, but inside he noted that the second floor had an open balcony down to the first floor. There were a cluster of tables in the center of the room but every wall on both floors was covered in bookshelves, from ceiling to floor. Along with that, there were mismatched shelves between the center and walls, nearly as tall as the walls themselves, all full of books.

There must be something in here that could help, he’d thought, so Patton began looking.

Books were never his strong suit, but he did his best with searching for the right topics. Even just any key words. He scoured the shelves for two days and found….nothing. No books related to farming at all.

On the third day, because Patton was stubborn as an ox, he finally found something on the second floor. Tucked away in the lower-most corner of the farthest shelf against the wall to the left was a book titled “Gardening with Snakes.”

Despite not knowing much about farming, Patton was fairly certain from the beginning that snakes had little to nothing to do with gardening. He knew some snakes lived in gardens —

I don’t happen to do a lot of gardening.

This isn’t about you, yet, shush.

It was late in the day when he found the book, too, so Patton deemed it best to take the book home for reading.

A few pages in and it was clear that this was a book about using magic to garden.

Patton hadn’t considered using magic. As far as he knew, the only people in the kingdom who used magic worked directly with the royal family, and someone had to pass rigorous ritualistic tests to be considered for an apprenticeship.

But here this book was, almost like a “Magic for Fools,” something even he could digest despite not having any experience with the subject. And it looked like most of the magic in the book was actually aimed at gardening. There were spells on improving soil fertility, how to bless water to heal ones’ crops, how to protect farm animals from illnesses….

Patton was absolutely charmed.

Ugh….

It may have been an unconventional means of farming, but he’d lowered his standards for “conventional” fairly far. At this point Patton was ready to try anything.

So, within mere days, this book had him spellbound.

I don’t hate you.

I know you love me.

The first round of crops, using a simple-seeming soil fertility spell, grew wonderfully. The corn stocks were strong and sturdy, and in only one month they had shot up to his height. His spinach actually gave crop in only 2 weeks!

Patton celebrated all night and had a wonderfully fresh salad with a cheese-based sauce.

He didn’t know enough about gardening to know that his corn had grown at half the speed it would regularly, or that his spinach had grown thrice as fast. How would he? The whole point of his plight was that he didn’t know anything about gardening.

And, after the corn began producing after only three months and during the winter, his neighbors began to whisper.

He continued to study the gardening magic book, however, and began planting more crops completely out of season, and yet they grew. The wheat grew tall, the spinach produced plentifully, the green beans thrived….sometimes while covered in snow. There must be some form of witchcraft involved, the neighbors whispered.

And as soon as Patton realized he had a surplus, he began to bring his crops into the market at a nearby town. There was no way he could sell them at the high prices his neighbors would — he was always distraught when he went to the market and found himself a dollar coin or two short of even a loaf of bread. So he slashed his own prices. What need did he have for money, other than the occasional gifts and coins to send to his parents, or for paying for services every so often? People need to eat!

People flocked to his booth, drawn by his low prices and charming personality.

Patton, you’ve never been a people person.

Oh, I have been?

I thought you weren’t doing a story point of view thing.

Fiddlesticks! Don’t make fun of me, Dee, you made me break it!

Anyway.

His neighbors were once again aghast. Within a few weeks, they were up in arms. Not only was Patton drawing customers away from them, he was attracting the attention of the crown.

Now, unknown to Patton at this time, the royal family was well aware of the famine threatening to sweep the country. Access to food was scarce, so much so that most farmers in the nation were gaining less crops every harvest, therefore selling them at higher prices.

In order to secure a surplus of foods for the royal family, the King had ordered for 76% of all crops to be brought to the capital, at a slashed fee. It was like highway robbery!

It wasn’t highway robbery.

I’ve been trying to clarify my metaphors, Dee, it makes Logan feel better. Anyway, the King would send a collector every two weeks, and Patton knew that, but he didn’t realize how much was being taken.

First his neighbors confronted him about his prices. Of course, Patton felt bad for his neighbors, but he also pleaded with them to lower their own prices. People shouldn’t have to save up for a week to buy only one loaf of bread! The food is in plenty, and everyone needs to eat!

Then they warned him. He didn’t know what to think. They’d just been threatening him, threatening to burn down his barn, kill his animals, burn his crops….now they wanted him to be safe?

They said the King would come to his doorstep. Not actually the King but a liason, a squire or some sort of lord or something, to make sure Patton fell in line with the King’s “policy.” And if Patton didn’t, then the King would make sure his farm died with him.

Of course, Patton was more than a little worried either way. He didn’t think being a farmer would make him on the run from the law, but what can you do? He didn’t expect these sorts of problems to just

Crop up.

Ugh. I’m not leaving.

Fine, fine, no more puns! Stay!

One more pun and I’m not going to get Logan to finish the story. I fully care that he doesn’t know what happens.

Alright….

He noted it, dully, and continued with his farming. But, true to what his neighbors said, there was a proceeding of lords who visited his house the very next day.

They told him about the patriotism he’d be donating the food to, how it was for the good of the country. But Patton was good at seeing through lies at this point. But more on that in a bit!

He didn’t know how he knew they were lying, but he knew. So he said no. No, he wouldn’t be giving the King any of the surplus food. All of it should be given to the people, because if the King was getting food from everyone else, then he should be having plenty! And how much was he going to be paying for it? The King had a lot of money. Why should he get such a steep discount compared to the market price?

It didn't make sense to Patton, so he said no. And the lords threatened him with everything his neighbors warned him with. They said the King would retaliate.

So, in a moment that Patton didn’t understand for a while, he responded “I sure hope he does.”

That is the dumbest thing I have ever done. I’ve done a lot of dumb things, but I still think this takes the cake!

Oh, finally giving up on the narration?

You know what, Dee. I think I will. I think everyone should hear me scream about my life from my own voice, with my own name, because DANG NABIT it was hard!

You’re not valid, but it is not fun to listen to you refer to yourself in the third person.

Well….thanks, Dee. Alright. I’ll keep it up then!

That was also not the dumbest thing you’ve done, I disagree.

It was dumb, but you helped. D’you want to explain that or should I?

I think I would tell it better.

Okay, okay, I’ll explain. So, rolling back a bit to the magic book. The magic book Patton found was actually related to a specific deity. Not a negative or positive one, but just a deity of illusions and growth. Because of the growth part, he was one of the many small-time deities who were called upon in help for the harvest.

Since magic had been hoarded amongst the upper-class, very specific deities were picked to be worshipped and, well, taught about to the people. Patton didn’t even know about the deity his book was based around.

At first, he thought it was fake, but the more he used the book’s knowledge in his farming, the more he attracted the deity’s attention. It was the first time a human had called upon his specific teachings in hundreds of years. And then he had to watch this human be threatened by people who were supposedly representing his best interests.

That night, the deity showed himself to Patton. He said he’d been intrigued. Well. Technically he said he hadn’t been intrigued.

This deity, since he was the deity of illusions first and foremost, lied in every sentence. He’d actually been cursed to, by another god! At first it was confusing, but that was just how he spoke, ya know? Nothing he could do about that, and nothing Patton could do!

He said he’d been intrigued by Patton’s use of his magic, because it’d been outlawed years and years ago. Patton, surprised, offered the deity a drink and some dinner.

That wasn’t adorable. A human has always offered me food and beverage.

Look, Deceit! I’d never been faced with a god before! How was I supposed to know what to do?

Fair enough. Please stop.

We had dinner, the deity and….Patton. And they discussed.

Patton wasn’t particularly interested in learning more magic, but the deity promised to teach him all he knew about gardening. But to earn that, the deity also had to teach him other forms of magic. Patton had heard the kingdom’s histories with magic, how the kingdom villainized all mischievous forms of magic in favor of more powerful or controllable forms, but this deity claimed that the kingdom did this by casting away and levying laws against certain other magics and, ergo, certain other gods.

Do you want to explain this part?

Me? Um, well, I think I could definitely do a good job of being understood. And because the story is not yours, I fully believe I could do it justice in telling it. Plus I just want to say it.

Well, alrighty then! Another thing about this deity is that he was lonely. That’s putting it kinda blunt. This deity in particular was mad, mad that he’d been abandoned, mad that he’d been locked away, so he had an ulterior plan. If he could corrupt this one human farmer and make him carry out his bidding, then this god could level the kingdom and kill everyone who put him in ethereal exile!

But he was more lonely than he was letting himself admit, and so was the human. So when the deity showed up every night to teach the human magic, the human would cook up a dinner with whatever foods they had on hand. Soon the tutoring lessons stretched longer, and then the deity just started….gosh, was there even a grace period before you just started living at my house?

I believe there was. I completely remember when I began staying at your house, but after you built me a whole room, well, how could I refuse?

That’s true, I guess! And you cooked a little, too!

Aren’t I just the best house guest?

Good use of sarcasm.

I hate loopholes in the lying curse.

Loopholes are the best! Alright, so then….wait, where was I?

I don’t remember, you weren’t talking about the first King’s messenger.

Oh, right! After Patton took that threat in accidental stride, the messenger….probably went back to the castle and told the King! And I imagine he was furious, because within a week, uh….

Gosh, yeah, that did happen….

Do you want me to tell this part?

Well….

I won’t tell it—

“Hey, Patton?”

Ah—yes, Virgil?

“Um, Logan, uh-he messed up a spell and, um. Roman’s stuck in a wall.”

....He’s….he’s stuck in a wall?

“Yeah, uh, Logan was practicing a portal spell and Roman followed him through it, the portal, but L said he didn’t know, so, uh. It closed. And Roman’s stuck in the wall now, and the extra concrete’s sitting on the ground outside the wall and he’s kinda screaming at Logan. Lo can’t figure out how to get him out, either.”

I….Well, let’s go. Deceit, can you finish telling the story?

“Telling the story? Ah, shit, did I—shoot, I meant shoot. Did I interrupt something?”

Nothing too big! Dee was going to take over for me, anyway! I just figured I should talk about how our big ole’ family came together! Like an oral history?

“.....Yeah.”

And I don’t really want Logan, um, accidentally closing the rest of the portal while Roman’s halfway through it. That would be….wall-ful.

“....”

….

You’re right, that wasn’t my best.

“Pat, I think Roman’s crying by now, and that pun’s about to make me start crying.”

I cannot take over, Patton, you don’t need to deal with that. Tell Logan he’s not an idiot for trying a portal spell this early in his magic career.

He’s not an idiot! He’s still learning!

Yes, indeed, because you also nearly killed yourself while learning.

Hah! You know I did! So that was a truth! Loop those holes, Dee, loop ‘em!

“Patton, can we go?”

You’re right, Virge, you’re right — let’s go.

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everlarkficexchange · 7 years ago

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Feast Your Eyes - Chapter 2

by @lovely-tothe-bone

Written by: @savvylark @lovely-tothe-bone @ra3lynn3

Prompt 91: Peeta as the tatted, ex-rocker owner of bakery chain (like in in DC-Balto area called dangerously delicious pies). Katniss is an attached (engaged or otherwise unavailable) food critic or reporter doing a piece on him but she and P can’t deny the attraction. Angst and such ensue. [submitted by Anonymous]

Rating: M; later change to E Warnings: Vague references to child abuse, sexual innuendos, eventual smut

A/N: ICYMI Chapter 1

Thank you to @javistg and @xerxia31 for running EFE!

Ch 2 is actually broken in two parts though you won’t have to wait too long for Ch 3. Are ya’ll ready for some Everlark Meet Ugly?

The exposed worn brick walls and concrete floor were offset by wood and steel everywhere. She admired the double length farm table displaying every bread imaginable beneath pendant lights. A circular steel staircase led to an upper level lounge area. She was surprised that not only was it fairly busy, the crowd itself was eclectic. Katniss glanced at her phone, it read 3:00. “Right on time,” she thought as she approached the counter.

Katniss appraised the pastries, cookies, and cakes. She was a food critic yet she had always been drawn to baked goods. Her mouth watered at the display, in just a few minutes she would get to try a little of everything.

“Good afternoon! Is this your first time with us at Decadent?” The peppy cashier greeted her.

Katniss cleared her throat, “Uh, yes, I’m actually here for a meeting with Mr. Mellark.”

The girl’s eyes lit up with excitement, “Oh! You’re the reporter?” The young blonde asked, eyeing Katniss. “You don’t look like a reporter, especially one that gets to eat all the time.”

Katniss’s eyes widened then quickly narrowed, “Actually I’m a writer and I do not-”

“Ok Delly! Why don’t you go clean the lobby!” A man’s voice cut through.

“Sorry about that Miss Everdeen, Delly is enthusiastic,” The man explained carefully. “Sometimes she doesn’t think before she speaks. Messalla, Decadent manager.” He reached across the counter to shake her hand. “Peeta’s running a little behind today. Can I make you a drink while you wait?” He gestured to the far-right side of the menu.

Katniss briefly studied it, noting aloud, “You have six kinds of hot chocolate?” She scoffed.

Messalla chuckled with a shrug, “Yeah, Peeta’s a bit of a big kid, always coming up with crazy concoctions.”

Katniss glanced at her phone and scowled, 3:12, she thought his punctuality matched that of a child.

“Just a classic hot chocolate please,” she ordered.

He nodded, “I’ll come find you when it’s ready.”

Katniss wandered through the lobby, taking in the rest of the shop. Even with all the dark and steel accents there was a softness to the bakery. Natural light flooded the space. Plush cushions on chairs and pillows of every size were scattered along the bench seating. A shelf of board games just waiting to be played sat in the corner. A sweet reading nook with a rainbow of board books available for the tiniest of customers. Katniss had never seen anything quite like it; there really was something for everyone.

The manager brought the hot chocolate just as Katniss slid into the empty bench space near the back. He reaffirmed that Peeta would arrive soon.

Katniss gazed out the window, lost in thoughts about what the last few days meant for her relationship. She was not being dramatic when she told Johanna she didn’t know what to feel. Unable to wrap her mind around how quickly things had spiraled, Katniss began racking her memories for more red flags she may have missed in the last nine months. She was always so careful. Before Thom she never bothered to invest in a relationship. When she met Thom, she took her time in accepting what he appeared to be; dependable, practical, rational. Katniss knew she could love him because he was steady, so she allowed herself to get comfortable.

An escalating roar pulled Katniss back to reality, her vision settling on a motorcyclist that cruised past several open spaces before gliding up the curb cut on to the sidewalk. He kicked the stand down and let the bike rest before hauling his leg over to dismount. Katniss crossed her arms, “How cliché,” she muttered. She made a face, “Motorcycle, tattoos, unruly hair, monochrome outfit, leather jacket. So original.” She snorted, wondering if he was trying to compensate for something. However, once she caught sight of the figure’s backside Katniss repeatedly found herself averting her gaze as he removed his gloves, jacket, and helmet.

Katniss checked the time, 3:32. Her jaw tensed and she dropped her head into her hands taking a couple deep breaths. “This guy has five minutes to show,” she growled internally.

A moment later the doorbell chimed and the bakery’s lulling buzz of voices swelled with catcalls and a smattering of applause. Katniss swept her braid back as she leaned across the table. Her jaw dropped ever so slightly, her hands clutched the table, and her heart rate doubled. There stood the motorcyclist and his front side was just as delicious as his back side. The riotous ashy blonde curls she had mocked fell softly above brilliant blue eyes. The tattoos were striking against the backdrop of his creamy skin. His broad shoulders and chest held his gray shirt taut. He flashed a dazzling grin, causing two deceiving dimples to appear, then flourished a wave as he strutted up to the counter.

A giggling pair of curvy blondes in volleyball gear sauntered into his path. Katniss looked on as the co-eds cooed and fawned over him. They tousled their hair, stroked his arm, bit and licked their lips, leaning in as they spoke softly. Her lip curled up, nose wrinkling, she had no idea who this guy was but wanted to vomit at the display.

Once the flirt fest broke up and the mysterious motorcyclist disappeared she began to make her way out, fed up with waiting. As she pushed on the door, a hand caught her elbow.

“Miss Everdeen, Peeta just arrived. Let me show you to his office.” Messalla said.

“Uh, sure, lead the way.” Katniss released the door to follow him.

She must have missed him coming in with all the ruckus over the motorcyclist. “Do you regularly serve celebrities?”

Messalla laughed at her question, “Thanks to Peeta, yeah, we do have a few famous regulars, and others who stop in whenever they are in town. He usually comes in through the back, I guess he forgot his keys this morning.”

Katniss was baffled as to why a famous customer would have keys to the bakery, but there was no time to question further as Messalla knocked on a door and announced her presence.

“Boss, Miss Everdeen’s here.”

Katniss stepped through the doorway but halted with a furrowed brow at the sight of the motorcyclist. Then the pieces fell into place. “You!? You’re Mr. Mellark?” She blurted.

“Please, call me Peeta.” He smirked while offering his hand.

#Springtime Edition 2018 #lovely-tothe-bone #savvylark #ra3lynn3 #prompt 91 #submission

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rusticrevivals · 6 years ago

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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.

#barnboard siding #biscuits #bug spray #buttercream mints #doe #easy goat cheese #goat #homemade #horse #kids #mint jelly #organic #Rustic Revivals #rustic revivals shop #wedding on the farm

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owenescobar · 4 years ago

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How To Cure Chronic Bacterial Vaginosis Naturally Stupendous Unique Ideas

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Bacterial Vaginosis Smell Went Away

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Bacterial Vaginosis Antibiotic Treatment

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#How To Cure Chronic Bacterial Vaginosis Naturally Stupendous Unique Ideas #Bacterial Vaginosis Musty

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live4thelord · 5 years ago

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Which Do You Prefer: Melons and Leeks, or the Bread of Heaven?

The first reading for daily Mass on Monday (18th week of the year) was taken from the Book of Numbers. It features the Israelites grumbling about the manna in the wilderness:

Would that we had meat for food! We remember the fish we used to eat without cost in Egypt, and the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic. But now we are famished; we see nothing before us but this manna (Numbers 11:4-5).

While it is easy to be astonished at their insolence and ingratitude, the scene presented depicts very common human tendencies; it is not unique to these people once in the desert. Their complaints are too easily our own.

Let’s look at some of the issues raised and note that many of us today struggle in the same way.

I. They prefer the abundance of food and creature comforts that come along with slavery in Egypt, to the freedom of children of God and the chance to journey to the Promised Land. Too easily, this is our struggle as well. Jesus points to the cross, but we prefer the pillow. Heaven is a nice thought, but it is in the future and the journey is a long one.

It is easy for us to prefer our own version of “melons and leeks.” Perhaps it is possessions, or power, or popularity. Never mind that the price we pay for them is a kind of bondage to the world and its demands. When the world grants its blessings, we become enslaved by the fact that we have too much to lose. We are willing to compromise our freedom, which Christ died to purchase for us, and enter into bondage to sin. We will buy into lies, commit any number of sins, or perhaps suppress the truth—all in an attempt to stay popular and well-connected. Why? Because we have become so desperate for the world’s blessings that we will compromise our integrity or hurt other people just to get those things we think we can’t live without.

We don’t like to call it bondage, though. Instead, we call it being “relevant,” “modern,” “tolerant,” and “compassionate.” Yes, as we descend into deeper darkness and greater bondage to sin and our passions, we are pressured to call it “enlightenment,” “choice,” and “freedom.” Although we use different terminology, it is still bondage for the many who are afraid to break free from it.

We are in bondage to Egypt, enslaved to Pharaoh. We prefer that to the freedom of the desert, with its difficult journey to a Promised Land (Heaven) that we have not yet fully seen. The pleasures of the world, its melons and leeks, are displayed to us in the present and available for immediate enjoyment.

The cry still goes up: Give us melons; give us leeks; give us cucumbers and fleshpots! Away with the desert. Away with the cross. Away with the Promised Land, if it exists at all. It is too far off and too hard to reach. Melons and leeks, please. Give us meat; we are tired of manna!

II. They are bored with the manna. While its exact composition is not known, it would seem that manna could be collected, kneaded like dough, and baked like bread. As such, it was a fairly plain substance, meant more to sustain than to be enjoyed.

Remembering the melons, leeks, and fleshpots of Egypt, they were bored with this plain manna. Never mind that it was miraculously provided every day by God in just the right quantity. Even miracles can seem boring after a while. The Lord may show us miracles today but too easily do we demand even more tomorrow.

We are also somewhat like children who prefer brownies and cupcakes to more wholesome foods. Indeed, the Israelites’ boredom with and even repulsion to the miracle food from Heaven does not sound so different from the complaint of many Catholics today that Mass is boring.

While it is certainly true that we can work to ensure that the liturgy reflects the glory it offers, it is also true that God has a fairly stable and consistent diet for us. He exhorts us to stay faithful to the manna: the wholesome food of prayer, Scripture, the sacraments, and stable, faithful fellowship in union with the Church.

In our fickleness, many of us pursue the latest fads and movements. Many Catholics wonder why we can’t we be more like the mega-churches that have all the latest bells and whistles: a Starbucks, contemporary music, and a rock-star-like pastor delivering a sensitive, toned-down, multimedia sermon with many promises and few demands.

As an old spiritual says, “Some go to church for to sing and shout, before six months, they’s all turned out!” Yes, some will leave the Catholic Church and other traditional forms that feature the more routine but stable and steady manner, in favor of the latest and greatest. They often find that within six months they’re bored again.

While the Church is always in need of reform, there is a lot to be said for the slow and steady pace as she journeys through the desert relying on the less glamorous but more stable and sensible food: the manna of the Eucharist, the Word of God, the Sacred Liturgy, prayer, and fellowship.

III. Who feeds you? Beyond these liturgical preferences of many for melons and leeks over manna, there is also a manifest preference for the food of this world. There is a tragic tendency for many Catholics—even regular church-goers—to get most of their food not from the Lord, Scripture, and the Church, but from the Egypt of this world.

Most dine regularly at the banquet table of popular entertainment, secular news media, and talk radio. They seem to eat this food quite uncritically! The manna is complained about, but the melons and leeks are praised without qualification.

While Christians cannot wholly avoid all contact with the world or eschew all its food, when do the melons and leeks ever come up for criticism? When do Christians finally look closely and say, “That is not the mind of God!” When do they ever conclude that this food is inferior to what God offers? When do parents finally walk into the living room, turn off the television, and tell their children that what they have just seen and heard is not the mind of God?

Tragically, this is rare. The food of this world is eaten in amounts far surpassing the consumption of the food of God. The melons and leeks of the world are praised, while the manna of God is put on trial for not being like the food of this world.

For a Christian, of course, this is backwards. The world should be on trial based on the Word of God. Instead, even for most Catholics, the Word of God and the teachings of the Church are put on trial by the standards of the world.

The question is this: who is it that feeds you? Is it the world or the Lord? What proportion of your food comes from the world and what from the Lord? Which is more influential in your daily life and your thinking: the world or the Lord? Who is really feeding you, informing you, and influencing you? Is it the melons and leeks of this world or is it the faithful, stable, even miraculous manna of the Lord and His Church?

These are some probing questions for all of us, drawn from an ancient wilderness. Tired of the manna, God’s people harmed themselves and others. It is easy to blame others for the mess we’re in today, but there are too many Catholics who prefer the melons and leeks of this world and have failed to summon others to the manna given by the Lord.

Have mercy on us, Lord our God. Give us a deep desire for the manna you offer. And having given it to us in abundance, help us to share it as well!

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prosebacon63 · 5 years ago

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Does Dog Litter Really Work?

We’re all aware of how useful cat litter is for kitties to have a clean, easy-to-dispose-of “water closet,” making the process of elimination and disposal relatively worry-free and convenient, not only for cats but the humans who take care of them.

But a similar system for dogs? Imagine having something in place so that you’re no longer distracted and anxious about your dog’s inability to answer the call of nature while you’re at work, on a long commute or enjoying an evening out. That’s not to mention the times when the weather outside is frightful or one of you is ill.

In other words, while being there to hook up the leash and enjoy a stroll with Samson so he can relieve himself on a timely schedule may be the preferred method, sometimes it’s just not possible due to any number of circumstances. As veterinarian Jennifer Coates explains:

“This is a great option for small dogs who live in high-rises or other homes with limited access to the outdoors, during inclement weather, or when pet parents have to be away from home for an extended period of time.”1

Arranging for someone to walk your dog outside is another option, but sometimes that’s not possible, either. According to PetMD, the stress you probably experience all too often because you’re not there to oversee your dog’s potty process may be a thing of the past, all because dog litter is now a “thing.”2

It’s my opinion that indoor potty areas for dogs should never be anyone’s first “go-to” option for potty breaks, and should certainly not replace any time spent outdoors, where dogs are able to sniff, move their bodies, ground themselves and feel direct sunlight. But in certain circumstances, an “indoor toilet” may be the answer to a frustrating problem for some dog owners.

Types of Dog Litter and Reasons Why It’s a Good Idea

Dog litter comes in a variety of forms, such as pellets made from recycled newspaper, which works in a similar way to cat litter — absorbing moisture, resisting stains and helping to mask odors. It makes clean-up far less of a chore and does away with the apprehension of wondering if your dog is able to hold their urges, and the inconvenience when they weren’t.

While there are dogs who don’t seem to do well with dog litter; for them, there are alternative substrate options such as clumping clay (as long as your dog doesn’t try and eat it), absorbent dog potty pads and dog potty turf. Another option I’ve found successful is organic soil. After setting up elimination areas in your home, the only other requirement is training.

However, animal behaviorist Jessica Gore stresses that such options are recommended for smaller dogs only, as large dogs are capable of wetting through an entire dog litter tray in a single use.

Gore says the average adult dog is able to wait to empty his bladder for up to eight hours, but after that point, not only is the urge critical, but the dog’s health is compromised, as well. Further, the time most dogs are able to hold it decreases when they’re not feeling well and/or as they begin aging. Gore maintains:

“Since the average pet parent who works full-time is gone for maybe eight hours to longer, it may be a good idea — or even necessary — to provide access to an indoor toilet area for your dog.”3

I have found many large-breed dogs will void urine in a Rubbermaid sweater tub with a shallow layer of soil in these urgent “I-need-to-pee-right-now!” situations.

Considerations for Choosing Dog Litter

Just like the food, toys and medicine you get for your dog, ensuring their safety and nontoxicity is also something to consider for dog litter and similar indoor toilet options. Reading labels to find out what’s in or on anything your dog touches or may potentially eat is also essential to ensure their wellbeing.

Some dogs, and most puppies, like to chew on small objects. If your dog is in that number, you may want to pass on the dog litter pellets. Gore advises, “Eating, chewing, digging and carrying of dog litter pellets should be taken into consideration by pet parents when introducing this system and training their dog to use it.”4 As such, another type of substrate is probably best if your dog chews anything smaller than a bread box.

There’s also clean-up of your dog’s toilet areas that must be thought through. Simply put, consistency is crucial. Litter boxes, no matter who’s using them, absorb moisture, and in this case, the moisture is urine, which emits an odor that seems to increase exponentially with every hour.

Cleanup will involve scooping and changing out the litter on a regular basis. Most of my clients offering “dogpans” find using a shallow amount of substrate they can dump after each use works best. It’s also important to clean the box after being gone for extended periods, like an eight-hour work day. When you’re home with your dog, it’s advisable to clean the box each time it’s used.

So what do you do first after deciding to try using dog litter for your canine housemate? Training dogs to use dog litter isn’t much different than house-breaking them so they’ll wait to “use the facilities” when their outdoors. Training a puppy to use dog litter inside is said to be about the same learning curve as it is for adult dogs.

What Should Dog Owners Do First to Litter-Train Their Dog?

In lieu of an actual toilet that flushes, there are preparations to be made and supplies to get in order, but it’s fairly basic and straightforward. Keep in mind that while lining your dog’s litter box with a plastic sheet seems like the thing to do, dogs scratch to get to the bottom of things, and their nails will inevitably put holes in the bags, allowing moisture to leak underneath. It’s easier in the long run to just let the plastic tub do the job.

Many dog litter products are on the market, including covered litter boxes or a deluxe version with automatic, scoopless, self-cleaning options and charcoal filters designed for this express purpose. Here’s a simple, do-it-yourself check list of supplies to get you started:

A large plastic tub large enough for your dog to turn around in, with sides low enough for him to step into

A pooper scooper for solid waste

Litter or pet turf

That’s it. Once you decide on the medium, the second part is the training. Gore says getting your dog excited about his new potty system helps ensure success. “Use your dog’s favorite treats and get those paws on that new surface,” she says. “You may even get lucky and score a potty right away!” If this happens, reward your dog and make a big, happy deal of them using their box as desired.

It may not happen immediately, but waiting a while and trying again later is better than trying to force the issue. Once they make their move in the appropriate place, just like every other time you give them a reward (treat) for a job well done, this one is vital to help them understand this is the action you’re looking for.

Lots of enthusiasm and praise will help reinforce the behavior, too, and make it easier as you provide regular opportunities for them to repeat their new skill set. Gore recommends mornings to set the behavior when they wake up, eat their food and drink their water, all known as “potty triggers.”

If your dog regularly pees or poops in a certain place in your home when you’re gone too long, putting the litter box there is a great idea, letting them know you’ve provided a better toilet for them, if need be.

A Few Training Points for Dogs Learning the Indoor Litter Routine

Patience is key! As using the emergency bathroom becomes routine, errors will diminish — and errors are likely in the beginning. Animal Planet5 offers a few points to help you and your dog in the transition process:

Use a trigger word or phrase like “Go potty.”

If you catch your dog eliminating someplace else in the house, redirect him to his litter box or put the box where he routinely chooses to potty.

Once he begins to use the litter box on his own, keep up the praise, but begin decreasing his dependence on treats.

To help with odor control, sprinkle baking soda in the clean, dry litter area or box.

The ideal spot for litter box placement will be easy for your dog to get to, but also offer a sense of privacy.

Source: https://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2019/03/05/dog-litter-box.aspx

#read more #see more #check it out #interesting #learn more

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kellyp72 · 6 years ago

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Back-to-school healthy eating: starting out right, staying the course

With the beginning of another school year comes the inevitable question for every parent whose child has dietary restrictions, or whose kid’s school doesn’t have a cafeteria: what should I pack for lunch? In the first weeks of school this may not be much of an issue: you try the old standbys, only to eventually become bored with them. Maybe this year you want to make more of an effort to pack healthy (healthier) lunches. Maybe you are weaning your kids off packaged processed convenience foods that you know are not healthy for them.

Health effects of eating unhealthy food

Or maybe you have just become more aware that in childhood, regularly eating unhealthy foods has a number of well-documented health effects, from nutritional deficiencies to obesity to delays in cognitive development. Studies have demonstrated that children who don’t get enough nutritious food in infancy and their toddler find it a lot harder to develop basic cognitive tasks and are less socially and emotionally developed than their peers who do get adequate nutrition. In the kindergarten years, children who consistently get less than adequate nutrition have a harder time learning and concentrating, and experience behavioral problems more frequently than their well-fed peers. The research is mixed on older kids, but some studies have linked poor diets that are rich in processed foods to disorders like ADHD, type 2 diabetes, and even autism.

Sometimes it’s tempting to pick up a pack of Kraft Lunchables or pick up some fried chicken nuggets so you don’t have to deal with the hassle of cooking. You may often convince yourself you just don’t have the time to cook every meal. However, eating junk food on a regular basis – sugary, high-sodium, highly processed fare – makes growing bodies more prone to illness, since it compromises the body’s immune system (much of which is located in the gut), meaning you’ll be taking time off to nurse a sick child back to health.

But what if your child craves salty, sugary, over-processed foods, and claims that protests that healthy food is “disgusting” (my daughter’s latest favorite word for food she doesn’t want to eat)? Is there anything you can do to shift the way they look at food? What do you do when they’re at school and relatively free to indulge in less healthy fare?

If your child has the option to take his or her own lunch to school every day, you have an opportunity to program their little brains to crave healthy and nutritious fare over the sugary, high- sodium, fried foods that many school cafeterias continue to serve. Here are a few things you can do to help stay the course of healthy eating during the school day:

6 Healthy Eating Hacks

Make sure their breakfasts are always healthy and filling. Avoid highly processed breakfast foods. No pop-tarts or sugary cereals, including many granolas. Cheerios is a fairly healthy option with a good amount of fiber. However, you should check the sugar content: some varieties have much more sugar than original Cheerios’ 1 gram of sugar per cup serving. Choosing boiled or poached eggs over fried, homemade chicken strips or ground turkey meatballs over bacon or sausage (you can also make ground turkey sausage rolls yourself), breakfast smoothies over juice or “juice drinks,” or steel-cut oatmeal over the instant, packaged variety will enable you to send your kids on their way with a healthy, full stomach. You can also make breakfast egg bars the night before and heat in the morning, or toast with (reduced sugar) jelly and peanut butter (or sunflower seed butter for kids with nut allergies). French toast sticks made from rye or whole grain bread, or breakfast burritos are also good options that can be quickly made when you prep them the night before.

Plan ahead so you’re not tempted to reach for fast (read: highly processed, packaged) food. This is sooo important, I want to write it again in all caps: PLAN AHEAD. Designate one or two days of the week for prep work: if you have to cut an onion for dinner, cut a second one and store it in a sealed container in your fridge for up to 7 days. Cook twice as much rice as usual and store half of it in your freezer (maybe in a few different containers) so you can quickly defrost small portions. Do the same for chicken or (firm) fish that you cut strips, season, bake in the oven in a greased pan (we use olive oil at home). Use frozen vegetables, which are nutritious and easy to unfreeze in a pinch (Costco’s Watts Brothers frozen mixed veggies are our standby). Form ground turkey, chicken, or beef into small meatballs, season, bake, and store for later use. Any of these ingredients can be thrown together in a pinch to make a nutritious meal that will leave kids feeling full and satisfied.

If you have young kids, pack multiple small portions of healthy food for school lunches. Offer them a deconstructed salad: Some examples include a few cubes of cheese, some baby carrots, a small handful of cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini cubes, cauliflower or broccoli heads (raw or cooked), lettuce leaves, and grapes. Alternatively, let them have pasta tossed in olive oil (cold or hot) or pesto, which they can eat separately from homemade meatballs (skip the sauce), shrimp, or chicken cubes. Bento boxes work well for these kinds of finger foods

Bring them into the process: It’s amazing what kids will eat when they feel like they have some buy-in. Let your kids make their own lunch, guiding them closely in their younger years towards healthy fare. If they’re under the age of 10, it’s highly likely that they’ll look forward to making their lunch along with you or doing it themselves as you supervise. As they get older, they’ll choose healthy for themselves, especially if you always make sure to have multiple healthy options at home for them to choose from.

Indulging a little temptation doesn’t hurt, but you can always make it healthier. Can you afford to splurge on healthy dark chocolate? Add a few squares to their lunch a couple of times a week. Finally,

Use your leftovers. Dinner for lunch, anyone?

It’s not that hard to “reprogram” kids to prefer healthy food over junk. In 2014, research by scientists at Tufts University and Massachusetts General Hospital strongly suggested that it’s possible to train the adult brain to reject unhealthy food and increase cravings for healthy foods. As a parent, you can do the same for your kids now by starting with a few small steps.

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#fast food #healthy food #healthy eating

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burkedental · 7 years ago

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Caring For Your Dental Implants After Surgery

Perhaps your dental implant surgery is approaching soon or maybe you're still trying to decide whether you want to have this procedure. It's reasonable that you'd want to find out as much as you can about how to care for your implants after the surgery is over.

Your dentist has also probably gone over some after-surgery care routines you'll need to follow along with recommending special products to use to help you heal faster. Not to mention, you might also have to adjust your diet to accommodate your sore gums and protect your implants from further pain.

By understanding how to care for your dental implants after surgery, you can speed along your healing process and help your dental implants to stay healthy. Read below to find out more regarding post-operation care.

You might think that caring for your dental implants might be a little more difficult than caring for your natural teeth but that's just not the case. Here's what The Silberg Center For Dental Science has to say about the similarities between caring for your dental implants and your regular teeth:

HOW DO I TAKE CARE OF MY DENTAL IMPLANTS?

"The daily care of dental implants is very similar to the care of natural teeth. Restored dental implants should be kept clean and plaque free twice a day using a brush and floss. Cleaning is especially important after meals. This is accomplished by gently brushing, giving special attention to all sides of the implant.

Oral hygiene aids may include:

Small, soft, manual toothbrush or an electric brush Low-abrasive, tartar-control toothpaste Dental floss for cleaning around the abutments Other supplies that may be recommended by the doctor can include:

Antimicrobial mouth rinses Inter-dental brushes or other aids for removing plaque between the teeth on either side of the implant(s) Disclosing tablets to stain the locations of plaque accumulation"

As mentioned earlier, you might also have to take precautions when it comes to choosing what you eat in order to make sure your dental implants remain stain and damage free. You might assume that your implants' crowns can't be damaged because they're made of sturdier materials but the protective coating on these crowns can fade away and be susceptible to staining or minor damages.

Below is a list of recommended foods suggested to you by Dr. Frederick G. Hegedus to diet on following your immediate dental implant surgery. Most of the foods on this list include softer textures but after you're done healing, it will be possible to eat fairly regularly and you can enjoy crunchier foods with caution.

AFTER DENTAL IMPLANT SURGERY

"Recommended food and drinks:

Juice, water, milk, coffee, tea.

Cooked cereals, such as oatmeal or cream of wheat, yogurt.

Scrambled eggs, cottage cheese, apple sauce.

Home cooked broth, bouillon, soups.

Ground beef, baked or broiled fish, broiled or stewed chicken (finely chopped).

Macaroni and cheese, soft bread, baked or mashed potatoes.

Jell-O, puddings, pound cake, milkshakes, ice cream."

In addition to eating right and brushing your teeth regularly, you'll also want to avoid excessive use of drugs and alcohol. Alcohol and smoking can dramatically affect the shade of your teeth and potentially cause discoloration as well as other issues like gum cancer. So how exactly does smoking impact your dental implant's success? Take a look below at this article from Authority Dental about the harmful risks associated with smoking after getting dental implants.

Smoking And Tooth Implants: How It Affects The Success Rate

"Studies have shown that the nicotine in tobacco reduces blood flow. In the case of dental implants, a lack of blood flow is not good because you need as much blood flow to your mouth as possible to allow proper and quick healing.

Also, the smoke you inhale may burn the tissues in your mouth and, over time, thicken the top layer of skin cells, creating a fibrous tissue rather than more bone. The smoke could also be damaging your salivary glands, which leads to a dry mouth, lacking the fluid to wash away bacteria"

Do yourself a favor and seriously factor in these crucial steps towards properly caring for your dental implants after surgery! You'll be thanking yourself later after your implants have successfully healed and avoided failure or infection.

To learn more about specific care routines or techniques, reach out to the staff at Burke Dental. We're here to help! Just call us at 703-978-6000 to schedule your next appointment and be on your way towards a healthier, happier smile.

The following post Caring For Your Dental Implants After Surgery was first seen on James Willis Blog

Office Info: Burke Dental 9006 Fern Park Dr, Ste A Burke, VA 22015 (703) 978-6000 Google Map Google My Business Listing Like Us On Facebook Follow Us On Twitter Find Us On Yelp

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alpacalunchandyourbag · 7 years ago

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Whole Foods Before Thanksgiving

Today is the day before Thanksgiving. Today I made a mistake. Today I went to Whole Foods.

“Do NOT go to the grocery store the day before Thanksgiving!” they said.

“I’ll go to Whole Foods,” I thought.

“Because they’ll have the gluten-free pie crust or crescent rolls I need,” I thought.

“It can’t possibly be as bad as they say,” I thought.

I thought wrong.

Now, there are several reasons for this blunder of mine.

I said yes to bringing food for Thanksgiving

I didn’t want to leave my place yesterday to go to the grocery store

I didn’t think anyone would be shopping at Whole Foods at 11am

I didn’t think anyone actually regularly shopped at Whole Foods

Clearly #2 was a mistake and #3 and #4 were just ignorant illusions. *cries*

Other important facts: I love people, but only if there are less than five of them at once. Large crowds of people are overwhelming, which is why Disneyland actually sounds horrific to me.

Anyway.

I first noticed something was wrong when I pulled into the parking lot. It was like a desert watering hole after 3 months of drought. These animals people were cranky, impatient, and wild. At least 5 cars laid on their horns during the time it took me to walk from my car to the entrance. My general opinion of California drivers is fairly poor, however, they’re even worse when they haven’t eaten lunch or ordered their turkeys to go yet.

I make it into the store unscathed, but that’s when the real chaos begins.

I’m just going to say it: there may or may not have been more people in that Whole Foods store than in my hometown (pop. 450). Shopping cart traffic was so bad and so disorganized, I thought I was driving on the northbound 101 in between Embarcadero and University exits at 5pm. EXCEPT it was worse because people were not watching where they were going and running around as if Whole Foods would run out of hipster pumpkin pies. People, please. There are at least 3 piles almost as high as an isle FULL of pies. Relax, cowboy.

Anxiety level: 5/10

I take my first steps into the jungle. All I need is gluten-free frozen pie crust OR (!!!!!!) gluten-free crescent rolls. Searching... Searching... Searching...

Anxiety level: 8/10 Jungle level: 9/10

Do they have regular pie crusts? Sure! They’ve got 10,000. Organic crescent rolls (as if being organic reduces the giant slab of butter used to make them)? Absolutely! They’ve got 100,000! Gluten-free breads? You bet. Gluten-free cookies? Mhmm. But not what I need.

“I could make them???” I thought. But I’ve seen The Great British Bake Off, I wasn’t about to make any of that. “OK ok what do I do?” I take a brief pause by some dry-looking granola snacks because there are only a handful of people in this isle. I look up different recipes that don’t require those ingredients and come up with a plan.

Re-enter the jungle for green beans (which I realized I needed to get for a different dish). I brave the Whole Foods Autobahn and book it, head down, to the green bean buckets. Once again I make it through unscathed and grab a bag of green beans. Relief floods over me, I smile at my bag of green beans “SUCCESS!” I shout in my head. But then I look up. There’s no way out. Cart blockades all around. Someone is slowly weighing like 8 bunches of spinach in the scale right in front of me (sir, at this point, does it really matter how much it weighs??). I’m stuck.

Anxiety level: 10/10

Panic ensues. I take a deep breath and try to talk myself out of literally ditching my cart and bolting out of the store before buying anything at all (this has happened before, ask my coworkers). However, talking myself out of it in my head wasn’t working, so I had to do it out loud, “You can do this, Marie. It’s going to be okay.” Luckily the jungle is a noisy place because I had to do it more than twice.

FINALLY this man finishes weighing his bundles of spinach, and I am released from the cart-cage. Did I get what I came for? No. But that’s okay. I need to get out. Now. I’ll just do baked brie sans the most delicious part. I paid and peaced out as fast as I could. And. Ran. Right to Chick-fil-a. I even bought a peppermint chocolate chip milkshake for surviving.

It’s now 4 hours later, and I’m still shooketh.

#thanksgiving WholeFoodsShopping #shooketh

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