Real life is just too busy these days. It seems that I had more time when I was a divorced mom taking care of my son, working full time and taking care of a house and yard by myself than now when my child is grown and I have a hubby who takes care of the yard and part of the house. Just makes no sense... but I seem to have less time! Is it because I am older and time goes by so much more quickly - just like my mother told me it would?
I’m ready to play around with making more lotions and lip balms, etc., so ordered a few things from fromnaturewithlove.com. While there, I ordered some fragrance oils too because I like putting them in the little “crockpot” I have for dispersing fragrance into the house. I’ve loved how the house smells lately (just discovered recently that I had the little crock pot – and would like to buy another. This one is electric, so I don’t have to worry about candles). I put in a flavor oil called frankincense and myrrh over the holidays and the house smell so nice we got several comments on it. Now that the holidays are over, I’m feeling like a different fragrance, so ordered some - and also got 5 freebies too! The six I ordered are:
Amber
Frankincense
Frankincense and myrrh (was afraid I’d run out!)
Meditation
Nag champa
Orange blossom
My favorite so far is the nag champa, described as: “The smell of incense. True Indian sandalwood capped off with notes of hay and patchouli”. I always liked the smell of sandalwood insense, but hated the smoke. Now I have the smell without the smoke. What a deal.(I love it, though I read somewhere recently about sandalwood becoming scarce because of over-harvesting ... I need to do some research on that.) Meditation is also wonderful. Haven’t tried the others yet.
And here are the freebies I got:
Autumn woods
Enchanted forest
Evergreen
Rosewood
Dirt
Dirt? Yes, DIRT! And guess what? It smells like dirt – at least the dirt here in Georgia! I tested it by having Mike smell it without knowing its name or what it was and asked him to tell me the first thing that came to his mind when he smelled it. He said… DIRT! HA! Now, I don’t think I’m going to put it into my little crockpot and I have no idea what I’ll use it for right now, but I just had to try it (it was a freebie afterall). I’ve not tested any of these in the crockpot yet, but evergreen sure smells luscious straight from the bottle.
For my hair I decided to buy some amla oil since FNWL finally had some in stock. They’d been out for ages. It’s supposed to be wonderful for the scalp and hair itself. Will try it out this weekend. I also bought some monoi de Tahiti in vanilla since I couldn’t find my old bottle from 3 of 4 years ago. I just love the smell of it and now that my hair isn’t fried with a perm, it might like it better for oiling on occasion. I also stocked up on jojoba since it’s my favorite and I’d hate to run out.
For my skin I bought something called Camelina Rosehip Facial Blend that is a combination of Camelina Oil, Rosehip Seed Oil, Calendula Oil, Fractionated Coconut Oil, Jojoba and Essential Oils of Lavender, Helichrysum, Sandalwood, Neroli, Carrotseed, Geranium and Clary Sage. Right now I use jojoba more than anything on my face, but thought this might be a nice change. I’ve not tested it out yet, but will this weekend. It sounded too wonderful to pass up.
The only kitchen witchery ingredient I ordered was jojoba esters for a lotion I want to make. I have the rest of the ingredients, fortunately. I hope I have time to play with this over the weekend, but it’s already looking busy – what with a work party to go to Saturday night and a few other commitments. Sigh… I like my weekends to be FREE (probably because my weekdays are so regimented).
I’m finally back into working out like I like. I go to Jazzercise on Monday, Wednesday and Friday after work and go to the gym to do a weight lifting class on Tuesday and Thursday. It seems to be the perfect combination, though I’d like to find a good yoga class somewhere too. Jazzercise is good for the heart and is just plain fun, the weight lifting class is intense weight lifting to music and is great for building strength and staving off osteoporosis, but I’d love something for the “core” and mind/soul too (but that also tones). I think yoga is something I’d like. Will have to see what I can find.
Over the holidays I started eating sugar and wheat again and have been paying for it. I put on 5 pounds and bloated up again. So, I’m in the process of getting it out of my system once more. I’m going to try making some gluten-free things soon to see how they turn out. I already make gluten free pancakes that are great and we use agave nectar and fruit preserves (with no sugar) and I like them just as much as wheat pancakes and syrup. Oh yeah, instead of butter, we use coconut oil. Mike even likes it! I’d like to find some gluten free recipes for cookies and cakes so I can have them without bloating up and feeling awful and sluggish (what sugar and wheat do to me).
My favorite sweet snacks right now are dates. Whole Foods has the best ones! Last time they also had some dates that were combined with coconut. Very sweet and very good. Right now I’m having my snack of raw almonds and rooibos tea. There is candy everywhere here at work, so it’s not always easy walking past it, but I used to and am working towards that again. (Though I will eat dark chocolate now and then.)
I finally emptied out the boxes in our jewelry room (where all the jewelry equipment is – Mike is a certified jeweler, though that is not what he does for living) and we’re hoping to set the jewelry equipment up this weekend. That means I will have access to all my beads and all his jewelry equipment and I’ll be able to take another silversmith class again when I want. Yay! Though lately I've been wanting to do more pottery than metal working. Clay is just more fun to me.
It also means that I unpacked all my cookbooks finally. THAT makes me very happy.
And, speaking of books, I am currently reading:
Why Animals Don't Get Heart Attacks... but People Do by Matthia Rath, MD
Our Endangered Values by Jimmy Carter
The Whole Soy Story: the Dark Side of America's Favorite Food by Kaayla T. Daniel
Entertaining by Martha Stewart
And, I have about 15 other books waiting to be read and at least 15 more I want to buy or get from the library! Ah... where is the time?
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The animal shall not be measured by man. In a world older and more complete than ours, they move finished and complete, gifted
with extensions of the senses we have lost or never attained, living by voices we shall never hear. They are not our breathren, they
are not underlings; they are other nations, caught with ourselves in the net of life and time, fellow prisoners of the splendor and travail of the earth.
Henry Beston (1888 - 1968) from The Outermost House
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My Journal
Hair Album
Current Routine
Wedding Album
20"/32"/?"
2a - Slightly wavy with body
F - fine
ii - normal volume, 3.75" ponytail
I'm 5'10" tall
Growing out years of perms (finally done!)
Blonde from a bottle
