Tuesdays Ramble...

The boys are still sick, but they are on the mend. I hope they feel back to normal soon. They aren't sleeping too well, but when you have a head cold, you're stuck in that catch 22. You need the sleep to get better, but you can't sleep because you can't breathe laying down.

I need to catch amnesia. I need to forget how much I love chocolate covered dried cranberries. I need to forget Tenuta's exists. They make the best chocolate covered candy. There seems to be an extra thick layer of chocolate on every piece!

We stopped at Tenuta's last Sunday when we drove to K-Town to check on G-Ma's cat. We never saw the cat, but did see evidence it was still alive. We also treated ourselves to Kenosha, Wisconsin, thin crust pizza. K-town thin crust is different than New York style thin crust. The crust is cracker crispy. No folding allowed!

I need to kick into gear and get some serious spring cleaning done. I know I'll feel better for getting it done, but at the time it seems so overwhelming. I just need to take one thing at a time.

How do you tell someone you love immensely that his version of Oscar the Grouch has to go?  For now, I'm going to practice grace and try to see past it. I can only change me.

I'm thinking of going back to being a vegetarian. I was for a few years, but I didn't really do it nutritiously. I was substituting meat with too many prepared soy based foods. I think I'll slowly go back, one healthy meal at a time until I have an arsenal of healthy choices.

I'm motivated to work this change after seeing the Academy awards. I haven't seen the film, The Cove, but just the trailer upset me so. I cannot believe anyone in the world would eat dolphin. As I sat there judging this Japanese town, I realized what a hypocrite I was. I don't eat dolphin, but how is eating other animals any different? If I raised chickens or cows, I don't think I could slaughter and eat them. I could on the other hand, grown a garden full of veggies and not feel any guilt.

Speaking of gardening, its time to start collecting more supplies. The boys have promised to help me make more square foot gardens this year. If we add a few more raised beds each  year, eventually we'll get there, to my dream of having less grass and more plants.

I was trying to read our village ordinances regarding registering your yard as a "natural" restoration project, but it was very confusing. You can't just stop mowing your grass and let it go wild. You can only keep certain plants. It has to look "good" and since we're on a corner lot, we have to maintain a certain vision angle I can't quite figure out yet. (Cars have to be able to see to turn.) For now, I think it will be easier to replace our grass with veggie gardens. I just can't grow anything over 2 feet tall on the corners.

Well, I better get moving. I may not have a dog to walk, but I think I may have convinced a certain grouch to walk with me.