
On #Bravery!

There is something special about the double rainbow! The full blown, in your face, double rainbow is to me a colossal sign!
The rainbow in biblical terms is the bridge between heaven and earth, so the double rainbow meansā¦well weāre in double trouble down here!!!
As a person who not only believes in signs, but ardently looks for and is in tune to them, a person who literally will hit the brakes when the sun is shining through a perfect curtain of soft rain, craning her neck, saying: āwhere is it??? I know thereās a rainbow here somewhere!!!ā And Iām always right.
Well here it isā¦and make no mistake my friendsā¦this is a sign that hopeā¦is still on the horizon.
God bless! America.
Kids! Am I right? Lokiās growing up! He had his first birthday in April and heās really testing the limits. Iām just not sure I have the energy to keep up with a toddler cat!
He had his first debut on āNextDoorā as a ālostā cat. He was still in his own neighborhood but decided to glean some sympathy or some free food, Iām not sure which!
He adores the outdoors and loathes being kept indoors, especially if weāre outside.
Happy #Caturday all!
In a wordā¦yum! We enjoyed this on a rare evening out for two. Buttery, creamy, and dreamy. Every time I try a new wine from the Russian River Valley I have only one question: when are we going?
The Calling Chardonnay, Dutton Ranch average price ranges from $25-$30.00 and is worth every penny.
Happy weekend all! Go enjoy some great wine!
āI donāt feel special at all, I feel used.ā Wren was ranting, and pacing with arms flailing. When he was having a moment like this the group found it best just to let him finish.
āLook at us! Living like animals! Worse! Animals have more sense.ā Wren stopped and stared at them, his indigo eyes bulging, tucking his greasy blond hair behind his ears.
āIād actually kill someone right now for a hot shower and a decent meal.ā His eyes darted wildly from Luna, to Madison, to Jaxon. Jaxon could calm Wren when he got this way, but like the rest of the group, he was exhausted and not sure he felt up to the task.
Their current camp was on a Cliffside in a thickly wooded area of coastal Maine. Wren was standing precariously close to the edge of a rocky embankment.
āWren, youāre freaking me out. Jax, do something!ā Luna pressed.
āItās your turn. Youāre the one heās all about.ā Jaxon said laying back on the cool, pine needle covered earth. Clasping his hands behind his head, he stared up at the sky changing from periwinkle, to plum, to grenadine, and closed his eyes imaging he was back in San Diego floating on a raft in his family swimming pool. He sighed, knowing those days were gone. They were all orphans now.
Wren stared down at the surging Atlantic below, sacrificing itself on the algae coated rocks, thirsty foam licking up and subsiding. He turned, hands on hips, and glared at them pointing at the ground for emphasis.
āI could just jump and end it all, right here, right now.ā
āHere we go again,ā Madison drawled, tracing a scene in the dirt with stickāa spherical orb hovering over four stick people.
āI wonder if theyāll be green and slimy or sort of reptilian.ā Tugging a pink lock down in front of her eyes from her mop of curls, she added, āMaybe I should go green.ā
Luna shot Madison an irritated look, leapt up and ran towards Wren.
āStop it! Get away from there. Youāre scaring the crap out of me!ā
He gaped at her flawless mocha completion, pleading mahogany eyes, and tangle of dark hair and thought, how do you still look so amazing after everything weāve been through?
Luna smiled her brilliant smile, the one that could make Wren bear any burden. After all this time he forgot for a moment that she could read his mind, they all could. It was one of the many gifts they shared with the 2020 pandemic children. That and total immunity from all subsequent viruses that had caused mass casualties over past eighteen years. With the toe of his Converse, Wren forcefully kicked a loose pink stone off the Cliffside.
āMother! That hurts!ā He hopped on one leg back to the campsite, sat cross legged, and rubbed his aching toes with both hands.
āThank you for not jumping,ā Luna said, sitting next to him hugging her knees into herself, rocking back and forth.
āSorry Luna.ā Wren brushed the hair away from her eyes until she stopped rocking.
He felt like a jerk upsetting her. Sensitive and perceptive, Luna still woke up screaming from nightmares about the incinerator fires, swearing she could smell the pungent, metallic, sickly sweet odor of burning flesh. On the flip side, her spider sense that made the fine hairs on her arms stand straight up whenever they were in jeopardy had saved their lives time and time again.
āServes you right dumb ass,ā Madison said rolling her eyes. āThatās what you get for being such a drama queen.ā
āShut up Mad, it frigging hurts,ā Wren moaned.
āThey have the power to heal,ā Luna said.
āDuh! Dude, you kicked granite,ā Jaxon said. They all cracked up, laughing until their stomachs ached from something other than hunger.
āWren, weāre all nervous about meeting the Preceptors. You just need to chill.ā Madison said. āLike what choice do we have?ā
The Preceptors, or the aliens, they imagined could be controllers, pedagogues, overlords, and conquerors. Preceptors had hopeful connotations, like teachers or mentors. Their real teachers from the Washington State School for the Gifted who had introduced them to the Preceptors were all gone now, along with most of the earthās population.
āWe should make a list of concerns and ask them at the next meeting,ā Luna said.
āYou mean like I hope Iām not the only black kid boarding this damn spaceship,ā Jaxon said.
Over the past year, they had been on a mission. Every month in a different location when the moon was full, at midnight they āmet withā the Preceptors who communicated telepathically. The Preceptors sent a glowing orb to gather information and share clues for the journey showcased in the stars. Wren, the astronomer of the group, interpreted the signs and led the way. Their mission would end when it was safe for the Preceptors to land their spacecraft on earth in a specified location where all of the other surviving groups would join them before leaving the planet to decontaminate and heal.
āSure, letās tell them all our worst fears so they can use them against us,ā Madison said. āOr do even more heinous experiments on us.ā She was scrutinizing a vial of water after using a dropper to drip a chemical into it. The vial turned blue-green. āWe need to find another water source.ā
āYou know thereās a reason why we call you mad.ā Wren quipped. āIf they were going to torture and kill us why bother keeping us alive for 18 years?ā
āFor our reproductive organs and to turn us into alien incubators,ā Madison said.
āThen they donāt need me and Jax or the other boys,ā Wren argued. āIt makes sense they need all of us to repopulate earth. Hey Jax, what if we are the only two boys? Worse things could happen, right dude?ā
āWren, youāre a pig,ā Madison said. āActually, thatās insulting to the pig.ā
Jaxon laughed. āBreakās over. Madās right, we need to keep moving. Letās see what supplies we can find and get gas for the gators.ā A former Eagle Scout and a military brat, Jaxon had led the scavenger hunt at the start for camping equipment, guns, and ammunition. He had taught the group survival skills, self defense, how to hunt and fish, and could build a fire with a few twigs and dry leaves.
As a team, they broke down the camp, and loaded up the two gators they had āborrowedā from the abandoned Farmhouse near the school when their expedition began. That farm was their last memory of a home, where they had seen the news. Six months after her passing, the few remaining members of the Presidentās cabinet had abandoned their posts. A rudderless ship, the country had fallen into chaos, crime rates skyrocketed. Anyone who had not yet succumbed to one of the new super viruses had precious little time left. Reports of other countries were similar. All had thought the end would come as a catastrophic nuclear event, not a microscopic bug.
They traveled in the rural areas remaining hidden, only approaching small abandoned towns for provisions. They had survived, but there were experiences they all wished they could forget.
While the girls slept, Wren and Jax drove through the night, following Orionās belt. Luna had mumbled before dozing off that the moon was in the Gibbous phase.
āJax, pick up the pace!ā Wren yelled.
In a few hours, they reached Meredith, New Hampshire. The boys set up camp on a hillside overlooking the town and Lake Winnipesaukee. With the backdrop of the morning sunrise, Meredith was like a movie set ā white church steeples, and Victorian homes, with one exception, it was missing a cast.
āCanāt we just stay and repopulate the earth now?ā Wren asked taking in the view. He looked at Luna who had stretched catlike across both seats of the gator.
āNo way! Itās contaminated, especially the cities. Waterās not safe. We need to haul some for bathing and start boiling. The girls will be up soon and I need to crash,ā Jaxon said.
At 6pm the girls woke them.
āWe have company,ā Madison harshly whispered in Wrenās ear.
āHuh?ā Wren sat bolt upright.
āWhat theā¦ā Jaxon said.
āAll this time I thought it was a load of crap,ā Madison said.
Groups of teens approached from all directions, an invasion by car, truck, SUV, motorcycle, tractor, gator, bicycle, and on foot. On the lake, boats approached. Single engine planes landed in the open field. Within a few hours a crowd in the thousands had amassed. The noise was deafening. After more than a year of living in a world comprised of four people, they had to get used to the idea of letting others in again.
Jaxon asked, āYou all ready?ā
āReady to throw up,ā Luna said.
āI might be having a panic attack,ā Madison said.
They all looked at Wren who said, āGuys, I think Iām having a moment.ā
The End
āThere are no small victories, only victories!ā – E. Slovak
The Covid years will be another timeline marker burned into our personal histories for all time. Much like 9/11/01, we will forever mark time with āthat was before the pandemicā, āduring the pandemicā, and hopefully soon, āafter the pandemicā.
We have been trapped in a two year depression. Each of us handled this in our own way, perhaps with excess alcohol consumption, take out food, or a myriad of overindulges combined with inactivity which ultimately led to excess weight gain.
The average pandemic weight gain totals ranged from 15 to 30 pounds! Yikes!
Now begins the challenges of the post apocalyptic awaking that reveals weāve really let ourselves go and itās time to get back to normal and back in shape!
How do you reverse a lagging metabolism?
I decided to take a multi stepped approach to tackling this demon, and labeled them 1a, 1b, etc. because Iām not sure any one part is more important than the others.
#1a.) The first step was repairing my damaged psyche. I had to remove the phrase, āI donāt care,ā from my thought process. I do care. I have to care. My health and longevity depends on this. It does matter not just how I look but how I feel. Replacing negative thoughts with positive affirmations was the first step toward prolonged health and getting off the couch. Without this any weight loss plan is doomed to failure.
āI canāt change anyone elseās thoughts or actions, but I can change mine.ā – E. Slovak
At first the affirmations seemed silly and all I could think of was that old Stuart Smalley sketch from Saturday Night Live. But it really helps! Sometimes I write one down on a scrap of paper and just keep it in my pocket.
1b.) Like many of you, I had added a walking routine to my daily habits during the Covid years mainly just to get out of the house and to avoid going stir crazy. Walking helped a little, but I still felt like a post pandemic creature called a Blobfish!
In February I decided walking wasnāt doing enough to jumpstart my metabolism, so I had my treadmill repaired, and started running again. The process of making the shift from walking to running is slow, but a mix of walk/run workouts helped.
āIn the battle of the bulge, I need to emerge as a champion.ā – E. Slovak
Between working full time, having a family, running a household, and writing part time, it was hard to find āme timeā. I also had to prioritize my workouts. Working out had to become as essential to me as brushing my teeth or showering every day and doing so without guilt!
āItās not selfish to put my health first, itās necessary for my well being and for my ability to care for others.ā – E. Slovak
Iād been a runner for 30 years before a surgery a few years ago made running so difficult that I gave it up for walking. I know people who have great success maintaining their weight through walking, but it never gave me the same benefits as running. I missed that ārunners highā and the feeling of good exhaustion and the post workout buzz that came from running.
āGiving up us for losers, and I intend to win!ā – E. Slovak
My physical therapist had recommended a couch to 5k plan, which helped ease me back into running without as much risk of injury.
And so it began. I also added crunches using an exercise ball, and squats with weights on my shoulders. Then, I added free weights to my routine to tone up my arms.
My goal in April or May is to start running 5Ks again like I used to a few years ago just for fun and motivation.
The best part of pushing myself to get fit again is that my mood has improved tremendously and my appetite has decreased substantially. Iāll be honest though, the weight loss has been slow. Iām only down about 5 pounds so far, but Iām toning and feel fantastic.
Iām also not allowing myself to get hung up on the scale, focusing instead on how I feel and how my clothes fit. I try to only weigh in once a week.
āStrength and tone are my sexy super powers on this plan!ā – E. Slovak
The great thing about the human body is once you start taking better care of it, your body will react accordingly, and crave healthier food and water.
1c.) Water has been a huge part of this new routine. I carry around a large tumbler and continuously refill throughout the day. Even though Iāve always known the health benefits of water, keeping my body properly hydrated remains a challenge.
I was in a bad habit of starting the day with coffee, and then sipping on Diet Coke in the afternoon, ending the day with wine in the evening. All the while telling myself that I drank water at some point during the day, but did I? Starting a good habit is just as important as stopping a bad one.
Think of it this way, if my body was a car, I wouldnāt put garbage in the fuel tank and neglect the oil. If I did, It would quickly break down. Food is my fuel and water is what keeps my gears moving, my joints and muscles. It keeps my blood flowing, and makes my skin healthy and vibrant.
1d.) Alcohol, can severely derail weight loss efforts not only due to its sugar content and the ensuing food cravings that come with imbibing, but as a result of the extra workout alcohol causes for the liver, the bodies fat burning organ. Even a weekend drinking habit can lead to a rollover coaster weight loss and gain cycle. Choosing to abstain and practice a ādry monthā can help weight loss efforts tremendously.
As much as I adore wine, but I decided to give it up for lent, which is closer to six weeks than a month. The trifecta of mental fitness, physical fitness and spiritual fitness makes me feel that I can accomplish anything! So far I feel great, have been sleeping much better, have more energy and feel more clear headed.
āSobriety on this plan is my other superpower.ā – E. Slovak
1e.) All of this helps, but ultimately diet has the greatest impact on weight. My diet was not terrible to begin with, but Iāve added more vegetableās and lean meat, and less sugar, fat and carbohydrates. Most importantly, this is a lifestyle change, not a diet, and remembering my daily affirmations helps when I feel my resolve start to wane.
āFood is neither a reward, a punishment, nor a drug, but rather it is fuel my body needs to run!ā – E. Slovak
I hope this post has helped some of you stay motivated in your weight loss and health improvement efforts. Feel free to share your tips and comments!
āI donāt ever want to be pitied, I strive to be an inspiration.ā – E. Slovak
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/322296
https://www.runnersworld.com/uk/training/5km/a760067/six-week-beginner-5k-schedule/