Thoughtful

Been super busy. Work, volunteer junk. Family. Just busy.

And in my spare time, when I actually get it, I'm thinking about two things: marathon and spirit.

Today we actually made it on time to Sunday school and after taking Julai to her class we went to the UU parenting group.

I've been a bit emotional lately and I don't know why but today at the meetting and then at service and most of the day my feelings have been really on the surface and I have a tendancy to mist over and break into tears.

I'm not unhappy. On the contrary -- I've been very upbeat and happy in the last few months.

But as Paul and I dicuss how to teach UU principles to a toddler, and we talk about our own spiritual paths and needs it sometimes surprises me when some long forgotten bit of my Catholic upbringing resurfaces and then I have to think about it and decide whether it's a keeper or something to toss.

Maggie

Today I met a new mom from playgroup. A vegan pagan. Over e-mail we'd agreed that I'd pay her and she'd bring me vegan muffins for church because I was way to busy/swamped to deal with baking something for snack time after worship.

She hung out for a while after dropping them off and we gott o chit chat a bit. We seem to have some things in common so I'm hoping to get together again once she's back from her summer vacation.

I'm meeting so many interesting people in this last year -- that part of my New Year's resolution is fun.

Not so fun is a small slip on the vegan front today. Had some of Paul's leftover (cheese) pizza and I promptly got sick to my stomach. Doh. It's been in the fridge for a few days and I'd look at it and successfully by pass it and have something else. Tonight though -- I skipped the chances to hit the grocery and when I got super hungry and had nothing handy to eat... that's when I slipped up.

Going to hit the grocery today and make up some food so that doesn't happen again this week.

tidbits

The brunt of fundraising stuff is coming to a close (thank heavens). I just have to collect this last round of donations and get them into storage. I'm currently trying to move a townhouse into a storage room with kid in tow. So no... formal workouts aren't happening. But general activity and running around... good grief!

I start working at Julia's daycare/preschool in two weeks. So I've been going over there where I can to get her and me used to this new routine.

She likes hanging with the kiddies. I mostly do, but at times it's going to be a challenge. I'm just not used to having a throng of kiddies all wanting me at once. It's going to be an interesting school year -- that's for sure.

Trying to get on with my other non-profit's projects.

Nancy called me up out of the blue last night to tell me they're expecting their 2nd baby and to laugh me for getting this deep in volunteering.

"Cathy, your problem is that you are GOOD at what you do. You need to learn to keep it secret!"

She's known me for years and as long as she's known me, she's seen me working one thing or another.

Liz at nursery asked me if my going veg was spiritual. That was interesting. But baby calls so I'll have to get into replaying that conversation in my head later.

Chicken

There is a small organic chicken in the freezer in the kitchen. I'm trying to bring myself to cook it for Paul and I can't quite manage to do it yet. The very idea is digusting me. Mucking about with a dead animal... hacking it up with a cleaver, skinning it, cooking it...just... ew.

Then I was sitting here trying to remember exactly when I last cooked some kind of animal and other than Thanksgiving, I can't for the life of me remember!

I quietly gave up cooking animals for Paul after his 30th birthday last fall. I didn't set out to do it. I just... stopped.I feel totally at peace with it.

He mentioned being willing to stick to organic poultry and pass up the 4 legged and sea creatures recently and so I ordered him his organic chicken since our organic produce delivery people added it to their a la carte ordering repertoire.

And now it sits there. For two weeks. Frozen.

Veg News has the 5th year anniversary issue out. I was skimming it and it featured a blurb that Erik Marcus did in the April 2002 issue about the Burger King veggie burger that was supposed to be vegan, but actually had small traces of cow milk in the bun.

The problem?

Not eat it because it was NOT totally vegan.

Eat it DESPITE the fact that it wasn't totally vegan, in order to make sure the product is a success, and ultimately further animal lib/veg movement.

Short term vs long term. Short term, vs long term.

I sit around thinking the same bloody thing, only in terms of my spouse.

NOT cook this frozen dead chicken, because it's a frozen dead chicken.

Cook this frozen dead chicken, because if I do, Paul moves a little further along on the healthier eating continuum.

Grumpy

I'm a bit cross with my mom. I don't know how to deal with it. I don't even know how to explain why I'm cross either. I guess the closest that comes to it is... she doesn't understand my boundries for privacy. What those limits are and why they are there. Mixed in with misplaced kindness.

Earlier this summer she asked me when Paul and I were going to start TTC #2. I told her that wasn't any of her business. And it isn't. I don't feel like discussing my fertility issues with my mother.

The other day she asked me why I spend X on my lawn stuff and why can't Paul just mow the lawn? I told her it really isn't her business how we spend our money or divvy up the chores around here.

When I don't tell her anything of what I'm doing, she assumes I'm doing nothing and then bugs me about finding a job. When I DO tell her what I'm doing, she tells me I'm taking on too many activities and to take it easy and why do I need to work?

Every year she asks me if I've done my taxes and then wants to know what we got back. Also none of her business.

She tries to tell me stuff that I feel is not my business. Like details about my Dad's prostrate, her friend's will, what her neighbors sold their house for.

Pimping out Julia

Just got home from church. Another Sunday pimping out the kid in a cow outfit. We really must get pictures soon. Can you imagine?

Me in loud aqua button down shirt and hot pink pareo with aqua flowers and a lei.

Paul in a white T-shirt, a green lei, a bright neon green Hawaiian shirt and shorts. With a starw hat, and then on top of the hat, Julia's cow hat when she gets tired of wearing it.

Julia decked out in her cow costume that my mom made.

Our friend-in-the-making Peter, in his cow outfit with a grass skirt.

Making a spectacle of ourselves every Sunday. Of course, everyone loooooooooves the Cow Baby. Since she started working this racket we've doubled donations in a week! We've 40 down, 110 to go.

We have to do "greeter" in two weeks where we welcome new visitors to the church and I wonder if our freakish garb will just frighten them away without meaning to.

Got more donations in, so I have to type those up this week. People actually came to the planning meeting this time, so I'm getting a sense of who is going to be a good worker on the committee and who just isn't.

While I'm enjoying the challenge of putting in an event to raise $10,000, I think what I'm enjoying a little bit more is watching Paul come out of his shell.

Today he had to herd the kid around and let her draw most of the attention and then direct people to the donations box and wave his poster. Easy work. But it's getting him to mix and meet people in the congregation during the coffee time and he seems to be finding people who interest him.

All very good things.

Mr. Bento to the Rescue

When I got home today from errands I found that Mr Bento had arrived. It's stacking thermal lunch jar:



For a quite a few years my lunchbox days were over but now with a kid doing playdates and then the gap between church and drumming class... I can only do a Wendy's plain baked potato and salad but so many times in a row.Rather bring a lunch, and this will keep it hot.

If it works out I'll get Paul one in a slightly smaller size since he doesn't have to share with Julia.

When I think of all the endless lunchboxes and brown bag things I've done in my life... where the hell was a lunch jar then?! So much sleeker!

Dinner Out

I am soooo tired. I look forwad to next Thurs. Then I can SLOW DOWN some.

But last night was welcome break for socializing. Met up for dinner with some playgroup families to wish one family who is moving next well and send them off to their new life on a cheery note. I got there eearly and secured a long table on the patio so the kids would not disturb other restaurant people.

It was esp. cool because every stingle family there is actually a family I want to get to know better.

M. (J's mom) told me I look like I've lost weight since she last saw me at a Mom's Night Out thing. That was nice to hear. As bizarre and spraodic as my efforts have been lately, it's good to know I'm making some progress!

Paul surprised me. He was mingling and mixing like a pro. This was VERY good because he's so shy sometimes I worry. But I think he's seen these people enough now and it helps that he has some common interests with some of the other dads. I had fun socialziing too -- lots of good convo.

I'm going to help M & D (N's parents) pack up next Tues.

So yeah... as much of a drain it is right now on my free time... my trying to build better community for my family is paying off in a good way.

When we got home Paul and I talked about religion/spirituality a bit. That was a good conversation too.