Make those daydreams come true

I should have paid more attention to my two semesters of Astronomy in college. The best part of that huge lecture class was this really good looking Army Sgt. named Dan Kilgallen who was also taking the class. I wonder where he is these days. I never saw him after those two classes. We did go to lunch a few times and even to a Caps hockey game. I'm sure he was happy that the Caps won the Stanley Cup this year. But I digress.....

Astronomy. Why did I even take Astronomy? I hate science and I hate math. I'm a word girl. But the night sky has always intrigued me. I wish I would have paid more attention all those years ago in college because that info probably would have come in handy with my recent experiences and surrounding energies.

Did ya'll see that moon last night? And that almost orange-ish bright spot diagonal from bottom right of the moon? That was Mars and after August it won't be this bright for another 15 years.  This Sunday, August 26, is a full moon. Now, let's get something straight. I think a full moon always gets a bad rap. People (especially those in the medical profession) hate full moons and they think bad things happen and people act like fools. That is not always true. I LOVE a full moon. Yes, the energy of the full moon can definitely be strong and cause some emotional stuff to occur but it's pretty fascinating stuff! The more you know about it, the more you know how to handle and embrace it!

I actually find myself energized by the moon. On nights when the clouds hide the moon, I feel a sense of loss and am borderline depressed. Ever since I moved to the Outer Banks, I have felt this connection to the night sky grow even stronger. Is it because our skyline is free from distraction and

obstruction? Probably. Is it because when I stand up on my top deck, I feel as close as I've ever been to the moon? Of course. Is it because I get my strength from the sun (and my lion)? You bet it is. Is it because I am also grounded by water and live at the ocean now and it's all connected? Absolutely.

For the past three months, I have talked about (ok obsessed about) how we've had a very emotional upheaval of energy with this summer's intense eclipse season and I have felt the effects more than ever.  Not just emotional roller coaster feelings but past relationships being brought to the surface and even physical effects like unexplainable headaches, ear ringing, heart palpitations and almost debilitating anxiety and even some panic attacks. It's been some crazy shit! I've been trying to just lay low, meditate, keep my mouth shut (which you know is really difficult) and try to just be in nature as much as possible. Being outside has truly been the only saving and grounding grace for me.

Well, this Sunday with the full moon in Pisces, we are getting rewarded for making it through that miserable eclipse and retrograde season (we had 5 planets acting up at once)! We are going to feel relieved and light enough to start dancing around our kitchen again. Wait, you don't do that? Oh hell yeah, turn on big band music and just glide across that hardwood floor, lovelies! I know I sure am ready! While Pisces will bring the imaginative and romantic nature out in us, the fact that the sun has moved into Virgo (Hey, that's my sign!) will make us organized and efficient. What does that mean really? Manifest your little butts off because dreams are gonna come true with this combo of imagination and structure!!! Oh hell, yeah! That's what I'm talking about it! Bring it! As my favorite, Pat Monahan of Train, sings, "It's not just a daydream if you decide to make it your life!" Let's take advantage of this positive energy and make our dreams start coming true! When we think positive, we attract positive!

The entire summer I have been bogged down and have felt such a weight on me. I've been doing my best to purge everything that doesn't make me happy to make room for the things that do make me happy! I was forced to finally let go of those old habits and past relationship flaws that have created my core wounds. I love to write but I love it even more when I can burn that bitch after I write it. It's amazing how healing it truly is to tell someone off and then burn it with love and forgiveness and be done with them once and for all! I highly recommend it!

Well, it's time to change our outlook and use this full moon and its creative energy which is going to give us a heightened awareness of our connection to each other and the Divine! Let's use this abundance of unconditional love and acceptance to inspire compassionate acts and creative expression. Choose love!! Who in this world doesn't need that? Embrace its overflowing and then give it right back out to the universe. This is a cycle that we could all get behind!

While Pisces will bring out your light and airy, creative side, Virgo is still going to be there bringing out the planning, organizing and analyzing part of you. So, if it gets a little overwhelming, just take a break. Take a dance break even. Or just go take a walk, take a nap or take in some good music to soothe your soul and relax.  Don't worry. This full moon cycle is success oriented and it's going to have everlasting effects so take your time and truly, enjoy every moment!

Pisces is a water sign which means no matter what comes up during the full moon, we will be safe and protected by its beautiful, calming and restorative vibration! I highly recommend that ya'll join me in rejoicing and taking advantage of this time to delve into our spirituality, follow our intuition and activate our creativity! We have definitely earned it this summer!

Until next time, I send you tons of love and light! Now go make those daydreams come true!

Let it go

Well, hello there, my friends. It's mid-August and life is just flying past, isn't it? I'm thrilled to say that the rare three new moon solar eclipse periods have passed and Mercury will be out of retrograde within the next couple of days! These past three months have been a time of intense emotion and often confusion with unexpected varying mood swings coursing through our veins! Things, and maybe even people, from your past have resurfaced out of nowhere!

 The Lion's Gate Portal on 8/8/18 was my absolute favorite of all during this energized summer! Why? Because it was an opportune time to release your past wounds and let go of all that does not serve you. With every new moon, you should practice this behavior but with the Lion's Gate Portal the Universe was definitely on our side with that urging. Three days later on 8/11/18, we experienced the last new moon with a partial solar eclipse in which we should have started our manifestations.

I started on the path of a life-changing journey and the summer has been nothing short of a roller coaster of emotions. While that may sound a little unnerving to most, it actually has been pretty phenomenal. Why? I began the process of acknowledging my core wounds and embarking on the journey of healing them.

What does that mean?

A lot of meditation

A lot of work with my spirit guides

 A lot of self-reflection

A lot of prayer

Most of all a lot of love and forgiveness.

We all have core wounds that have been with us since we were very young. These wounds may be obvious like physical abuse or abandonment or they may not be as clear cut. But you can be assured that these wounds have attached themselves to us and facilitated our behavior in relationships throughout our life.  If we don't address them, it will continue.

On the surface, I probably seem like a pretty balanced, strong, happy woman. But by being a strong, independent woman, I also am able to project what I want the world to see when in reality there is an internal battle being fought. Well, I was done. I finally said, I can't take this anymore - it's destroying me! I was tired of being the victim and letting these behaviors and people control me. I was tired of holding so much anger and disgust. I was tired of being truly unhappy.

Even though I knew what I had to do, it wasn't that easy to actually make it happen.

But... once I did, it was the most freeing feeling I have ever experienced in my 44 years on this earth.

Energy abounds!

At 10:48pm EST, we will be experiencing the beginning of a new moon cycle. Not only is this a solar eclipse as well, but it's also a super moon! What does that mean? A shit ton of energy! Seriously! Emotions are going to be intense during this transition and during the entire cycle.  It is a time for soul evolution and transformation! A time of healing and emotional purging.  I am super excited about this cycle beginning because I have been feeling the physical effects leading up to this day and it hasn't been fun AT ALL! I am ready to embrace this rare occurrence by releasing, resting and healing. I am ready for the empowerment that it will present and the refueling that is needed!

Wait. WTF is she talking about? Is this the same person who has always written this blog? Did someone take over since the last post? Is this still the wine and food girl? The one who loves animals and eats plants now? Yep, it's still me, ya'll, and I'm super pumped!

I haven't blogged much lately because I have been focused on me. Sounds selfish, I know but it is necessary. I'm realizing that more every moment of every day. I changed my eating habits and am physically feeling better. Now it's time to emotionally feel better!

We are all seeking happiness in this world and we often seek it in the wrong places. I know I have for the last 44 years I've been on this earth. We need to stop looking for happiness in people and things. We need to let go of our ego fears and surrender to the fact that our soul has already decided what we need and trust. Seek the happiness within yourself! Be the source of your own happiness. Once you are able to do this, you will then be rewarded with TRUE happiness.

How do we do that, you ask? Well, that's part of the journey upon which I have chosen to embark. It's a learning process and a lot of it has to do with clearing past lives, raising your vibrational frequency and healing core wounds. My energy level has been raised and my awareness is definitely heightened. I have begun to focus on addressing and healing my core wounds. Let me tell ya, it has been one of the most emotional freeing processes I have ever witnessed and I am no where near done.  Our subconscious fears and false beliefs in this life keep us from manifesting and becoming our true and best selves!

I could go on and on about my journey but let's face it, it's about me, and no one really wants to hear it and very few would understand anyway. I don't want to be right. I want to be happy and that's where this new moon energy will benefit me. It will benefit all of us, actually, if you let it!

Intuition and spirituality will be enhanced.  Things will be brought into balance. Emotions will be heightened and it's a time to let go of what doesn't make you happy. This energy promotes the releasing of the past; removing past practices and behaviors to make room for new feelings and experiences. It is very rare that the astrological signs of earth AND water are both affecting this cycle and, as a result, they are bringing numerous blessings!

Listen and trust your intuition during this time.  Disconnect from your routine. Be quiet and listen. Meditate. Go to a safe place and tune in to spirit, source, the Divine God.  It is important to unleash your energy and recalibrate. This time is all about new beginnings and living in the present moment!! Healing happens only when we are present. When you lose track of time, you are totally present so stop letting the past influence you! I know I'm going to do my best to set the stage to live the rest of 2018 in the present moment!

Happy new moon, super moon, solar eclipse, everyone! Here's to embracing all the positive energy represented tonight! Sending love and light your way until next time......

Happy Gotcha Day!

It was eight months prior when my heart was ripped from chest, beaten and shattered beyond recognition. My protector, comforter, partner-in-crime, entertainer and best friend of 10 years and five months had been instantly taken from my life. Cancer viciously stole my Prowler, my heart on four feet, and left me utterly inconsolable.

This type of pain was similar in emotional anguish to when my grandmother lost her nightmare three week-battle three years prior. It was more than heartbreak. It left me with a complete sense of emptiness and complete loss. It changed me like nothing else and I would never be the same.  Prowler was my companion who stood by me and powered me to go on. It wasn't until 17 months later that my heart started to piece back together when my ladybug sent my favorite guy to help me feel again. 

Just as my ladybug sent him to help ease her loss in my life, Prowler also sent me a gift to help keep me occupied and to steal a little piece of that shattered heart eight months after he was taken from me.

It was June 2017 and I was bored and perusing Petfinder. That's when I found Violet. Definitely a German shepherd mix and very young. Then I saw THE photo. The one with HIS eyes. She had my boy's eyes. The date she was available for adoption? His birthday! My heart raced. My heart sank. My heart smiled. My heart cried. But she was a puppy and female-two things I said I definitely didn't want. But... those eyes.  Those soulful Prowler eyes....

I filled out a generic application with the rescue because I know how the process works. It would take a while so maybe one day when the time was right the right dog would pop up. Violet made me hopeful. I liked this rescue on Facebook and then went on about my day. 

A few days later, a post on the rescue's Facebook page appeared which made me confusingly emotional. There was Violet-  laying on the floor, big eyed and anxious -almost fearful- with three little girls. She had been adopted and I wept.  I had never met her but I felt as if she was stolen out from under me. I had this feeling as if she was my dog. Days went by and she took over my every thought. I knew it didn't make sense but I just couldn't get past this sense of loss.

That next week, on an ordinary Thursday morning, almost eight months to the day of losing P,  I got the call. Ronnie from Furever Home Rescue said I had been approved to adopt but the dog I had an interest in had been adopted. I played dumb because she didn't need to know what a pro Facebook stalker I was but hearing her say Violet had been adopted crushed my already weakened spirit again.

But.....she hesitated after she said those words and followed it up with, "...but she was returned today and is going to a new foster home as we speak". The amount of hope filling up inside of me was overwhelming and equally terrifying. 

Next thing you know I was talking to Kelly, her new foster mom of only 30 minutes. Violet was about five months old and had been in the VA Beach animal shelter, in three foster homes, adopted and returned. She was said to be very fearful and didn't know how to be a dog. Her adopted family said she growled at one of their daughters so they sent her back. Four hours later, I was going home from work to meet Violet because Kelly was graciously driving her from Norfolk to meet me in Kitty Hawk. I had no idea what I was doing and was not prepared for this at all but I was drawn to this little girl.

I met this precious baby in my fenced-in backyard and she was timid and scared. But she was absolutely beautiful.  That black and tan shepherd face, those Prowler eyes, those expressive ears and long skinny legs on a body of fine biscuit cream hair. She instantly reminded me of a gazelle or a baby deer. When the swarm of dragonflies appeared and surrounded her, I knew this was a very special girl. The connection was undeniable. The energy from my spirit world was remarkable 

We were allowed to keep this scared and confused puppy for the weekend to see how she would acclimate. In less than 24 hours, I knew that sweet, misunderstood baby girl would never be alone again. She would be my project.  She would give me purpose again. She would be a challenge, no doubt, but she and I needed each other. We were both broken. We were both confused and scared. We were both needing unconditional love and healing and had no idea where we would find it, if ever.  

I rescued a fearful little puppy named Violet and she became Nami Libelle, one of the greatest gifts of my life, thanks to the best dog ever who always looked out for me and, obviously, continues to do so. Nami has created her own place in my shattered heart and while she keeps me on my toes, she daily shows me such unequivocal love and gratitude. I may have officially rescued Nami but she definitely saved me.

Happy Gotcha Day, my Nammers. You became my baby girl a year ago today! Neither of us are anywhere near perfect, but we are learning and growing every day - side by side, hand in paw, tied together by indestructible heartstrings.

But it's in Duck

I've had my eye on a restaurant for a while now.  I just found out about it last year and, of course, the one night we wanted to go they had already closed for the season.

But it was ok because there's one problem.

It's in Duck. We don't go to Duck. It's north. Anything too far north (or too far south for that matter) we just don't do. It's bad enough I have to drive 23 miles to work ONE WAY every day. Alllllll the way to Manteo, we like to say - as if it's a different state or something.

Well, The Paper Canoe is not only in Duck. It is in the northern most part of Duck! Almost out of Dare County even! We had date night set last night and I wanted something new. I looked over the menu again and my mouth began watering. The story of how the restaurant came to be intrigued me and I was determined I was going to love this place. But not too much because it's in Duck, after all.

Reservations recommended.

Of course. Sigh. But even in the off season, I pondered?

There's not much in Duck, so perhaps.

My beloved Salt Box Café recommends reservations too but it's tiny and INCREDIBLE.

And NOT in Duck.

We like to just sit at the bar when we go to a new place anyway. It's the best way to get the local "know" of the area. Maybe we just take a chance and go to the bar. It is a Thursday after all. But people are starting to come down already and making long weekends out of their trip. Pretentious people have houses in Duck, right?  So yeah, they probably have already started their weekend. I better call for reservations. I would hate for us to drive the 23 minutes north and then have to wait an hour or, even worse, not get a seat at all.

I call.

Reservations for dinner.

For two (awesome) people

8pm please

I'm given two choices - 8:30 p.m. in the dining room or 8pm at the bar!

Reservations for the bar?

Phew, glad I called.

Bar reservations, it is! See you then!

I called at 3pm. I  thought about leaving work and going home right then because it's in Duck.

Ok, maybe that was exaggerating a little.

A little.

(photo borrowed from The Paper Canoe website)

The owner believes in leaving the smallest carbon footprint possible (as well as using the freshest local seafood with ingredients grown in his own backyard) and the detailed wooden interior is just so welcoming. My eyes were wide and sighs were coming from my lips as I admired the antique cypress wood walls the owner found in the western part of the state, the hickory flooring, the handcrafted tables from reclaimed lumber of a 100-year old train station in Chattanooga and the wood trim sourced from a South Carolina abandoned cotton mill.

As we were led down a hallway, passing the quaint but spacious dining room on the right, the restaurant opened up into a gorgeous area with a bar that just about filled the room where about six bistro tables-for-two aligned the floor-to-ceiling windows looking out onto the sound.

(photo borrowed from The Paper Canoe website)

This was the first time in quite a while that Hubs and I had ventured out to a new restaurant and so far I was very pleased. I had a green smoothie for breakfast and a brown rice angel hair lemon and garlic arugula salad for lunch. My 10% of  eating "whatever I want" was going to be well spent at this establishment! Or at least, I hoped.

But we were in Duck so.... we didn't get too excited.

The menu is small.

The prices are on the high end.

But it's Duck so nothing unexpected.

(I worked in Old Town Alexandria for 14 years. I get overpriced and paying for the atmosphere.)
As long as the food is incredible, we don't mind.

We started with the lump crab three-cheese dip. The bread "sticks" that accompanied the dip seemed the same as that used for their wood-fired pizzas. If that is so, then I want to try their duck confit and manchego cheese with caramelized onions and arugula pizza next! Ooey, gooey, tons of crab, crusty on the edges, warm and super yummy! When I want to lick the bowl, you know it's good.

I love going out to eat with Hubs for many reasons but an important one is that he enjoys food as much as I do. We always pick two things that both of us would love and share so we both win! It was also beneficial because my stomach sure has shrunk (even though my eyes haven't) and I wouldn't be able to eat as much if we shared!

Seared scallops on a puff pastry and vegetable risotto with a side of green beans and carrots. Seared scallops. That's all I read. Seared scallops. That's all I heard. Seared scallops. That's all I saw. Seared scallops. That's all I ate. Seared scallops.
That's all I needed.
 Exquisite!

Perfectly seared scallops are one of my favorite seafood delicacies. I will grab them at the local seafood shop and make them at home for a special treat. Not only were these scallops gigantic but they were so flavorful and perfectly cooked! Too bad there were only four because I could have eaten about 18. When I take a bite of something and it makes me stop for a minute, smile, and sigh, it's damn good!

The second dish we shared was shrimp stuffed with lump crab in a sauce that would make ya slap your momma it's so delectable! I've never been a fan of cornbread, so Hubs won that prize. I love grilled asparagus but sometimes it's mushy and sometimes when it's this jumbo it's less than desirable to me. Wow. That's all I got. Wow. You done damn good, Duck! I don't know what this sauce is but it was like a thin gravy. I truly wanted to drink the bowl dry.

At this point, the bar area was emptying out, there was a light show going on in the sky and it was just me, Hubs, Bartender Steve and the owner hanging out.  I had a smile on my face and a smile in my tummy. It's been a long time since I've been that food happy!

We didn't want dessert. We didn't need dessert. But I believe in the whole experience when you try a new restaurant so we shared the organic four berry cobbler. Thankfully it was pretty small because neither of us needed it but when in Rome... er... I mean... uh.. Duck!

The Paper Canoe.  I'm glad that you were everything I thought you would be.  I've had enough food disappointment in my life lately. It's a shame we won't see you again until probably October; maybe late September, though. It's a shame that your charming hickory floors will be stomped on by the unworthy soon and your magnificent cypress walls will be bulging from the gorging masses.
We thank you for inviting us in and we would love to come back real soon, but.... you're in Duck.

"There are three possible parts to a date, of which at least two must be offered: entertainment, food, and affection. It is customary to begin a series of dates with a great deal of entertainment, a moderate amount of food, and the merest suggestion of affection. As the amount of affection increases, the entertainment can be reduced proportionately. When the affection IS the entertainment, we no longer call it dating. Under no circumstances can the food be omitted.”
― Judith Martin

 

My New Healthy Obsession

Since April 1, I have been a sucker for whole food, plant-based recipes. I admit, I'm pretty obsessive at times. I have become a seeker of all good and natural yumminess on the internet and have found quite a few good sites actually.

Oh She Glows is a favorite of mine.
Forks Over Knives, of course (this is where that whole challenge came from to begin with)
Rabbit and Wolves
Southern Grace and Greens

I'm still in search of recipes and what to do that will be exciting with all the WFPB stuff I have in my pantry. In fact, now that I don't HAVE to eat this way, I am finding that I WANT to eat this way. Not all the time, but more often than not. After all, I did lose 10 lbs in 30 days and no other "diet/lifestyle change" has afforded me that benefit. And no... it wasn't because I was starving myself. Ok, well, maybe it had a little something to do with it.

Today, I woke up in a funk. No particular reason really. Maybe the weather. Well, yeah, the weather has a lot to do with it. It's been cloudy, dreary, rainy, even chilly and just blah for the last two days. Seasonal depression is totally real and I'm so over it. It's May, people! Let's get on this spring bandwagon already. Let's do the damn thing! (That's for all you Bachelorette fans!)

Well, I did my affirmations. I meditated. I communicated with the spirit world.  I tapped into my inner being like I'm supposed to. It helped but it didn't last.  I am taking the next step for my healing.  Deep breath. This isn't a quick fix. It's a never-ending process and I need to just grab on to it and embrace my magnificence!

Then it happened.
While looking for quinoa recipes, I happened upon this website that sucked me in.
www.cleanfooddirtygirl.com
I mean who wouldn't be intrigued by that name?!
Clean Food Dirty Girl
I'm totally diggin' it and I love reading this chick's blogs. She's real. She embraces it and she doesn't give two shits if anyone likes it or not. YES! Hmm......remind you of anyone.....

Here's the link to the first post I read from her. The recipe doesn't sound bad either. I am a huge fan of turmeric!
https://cleanfooddirtygirl.com/i-have-no-interest-in-cleansing-your-energy-turmeric-vanilla-latte/

And if you're not going to click on the link, because I know most of you won't, and I blog basically for my own pure selfish reasons anyway, here's how it starts and what instantly made me want to read more:

"What I’m getting at with the rainbow analogy is that from the time we’re born until the time we die we all have varying degrees of awesome and varying degrees of shit that we go through. We experience the pure bliss of falling in love. We experience the highest concentration of pain when someone we love dies, and we experience everything in between. It’s the combination of all this fuckery that makes us perfectly human. And to be human is to be flawed. Imperfect. Messy. Complicated. Unsure. It’s not because we’re screwed up or not good enough. It’s because being flawed, imperfect, messy, complicated and unsure is our birthright."

I signed up for her Saturday emails and I filled out a request to join her private FB group. 
I have a new healthy obsession now.
Its name is Molly Patrick.

 "What gets me hot is helping people prevent illness and disease with the food they eat so they don't have to treat illness and disease because of the food they eat."

Finally on the right path.....

One week ago yesterday, was the last day of my self-imposed 30-day whole food, plant-based challenge and I couldn't be happier. By "suffering" for 30 days, I am now able to reflect back on what occurred during that time and continue to better myself and my health.

Now that I don't HAVE to eat this way, I find myself WANTING to eat in this way. Crazy, huh? Not really. I think we all hate restrictions being put on us but sometimes it's necessary. Necessary for a reset. Necessary to realize what you've been doing to yourself. Necessary to get yourself back on track. Necessary to refocus and set a better plan for your life and your health. At least that's what it did for me!

Most of you probably thought that on "Day 1 of the rest of my life" I would indulge in something "bad for me" but I didn't. I didn't change my way of eating for 30 days just so I could blow it all on the 31st day. However, what I did realize is that while I'm not going to continue to eat this way 100%, I am going to continue 90% of the time. It just so happens that my neighborhood golf course tavern has happy hour every day of the week and it was a beautiful afternoon on May 1 so the Hubs, the crazy pup and I walked up the street, sat on the porch and enjoyed ourselves. My two "brothers" also joined us and we made sure to "cheers" to the fact that my taste buds hadn't died a painful death.



It was with a big smile and deep sigh that I enjoyed the pulled pork slider and three chicken brine sliders - every single bite. Many who have changed to this WFPB lifestyle have told me that after 30 days I won't want "that" type of food anymore; that my tastes would change. Honestly, that was something that I feared. Thankfully, those fears were unfounded.

I have continued to eat plant based when it comes to breakfast, lunches and snacks.  Smoothies with organic (no sugar added) fruit, almond milk, almond butter and some sort of seed (chia, flax, hemp) base are absolutely delicious, filling and fun to create.

While Momma always told me not to play with my food, playing with different greens and veggies is a good way to build creative lunches!

Buffalo cauliflower bites with hot sauce! Let me tell ya! Whooo Wee! Those were daggone good. Think you can't get them crispy without oil? Parchment paper, friends. Parchment paper and eating them right out of the oven - that's the key! I couldn't believe it either! I hate cauliflower unless it's riced or Chef Randolph makes his Korean style ones at The Salt Box! But these little nuggets were yummy and Hubs agreed!

Now dinner. That's where I decide to use the majority of the 10% I have allotted myself. But, honestly, I'm not going "hog wild". Ok, well we did have that incredible Coasta Rosa pizza from Southern Shores Pizza.  "All natural, pastured pork, braised to perfection, with rosa sauce (creamy, slightly sweet with a hint of tabasco), red onions, roma tomatoes, and mozzarella cheese".  It is the same delectable pork that the Outer Banks Taco Bar uses and it is absolutely divine.  As much as I wanted to eat all eight slices, I just ate two. I wasn't sure how my body would react to this foreign goodness that I was ingesting and didn't want to push it. I wish I had a photo but I wanted to devour it so badly there was no time for nonsense!

I have found that portion sizes are important and a little bit of meat or cheese isn't THAT bad every once in a while. I'm going to enjoy my food. I'm not going to suffer but I'm also not going to be stupid. Well, except last Saturday. It wasn't stupid really. It was absolutely mouth-watering- ravishingly good and, after walking 21 laps at Relay for Life that afternoon, I was deserving of each of the two pieces of this lovely smoked-all-day-by-Hubs brisket that I enjoyed. I did make a sweet potato, green pepper, red onion, garlic and cayenne hash as a side for us, though! This may have been the best brisket Hubs has smoked yet.

I did not drink wine during this 30-day challenge either and honestly, it wasn't that difficult. But on Saturday, Otium Cellars' Blaufrankish was calling me. Otium is my and my dad's favorite winery in Purcellville, VA. With its German influences and unique wines, how could you not love the winery with the motto of leisure, peace and tranquility.

Now that the 30-day challenge has been over for a week, I find that I have no regrets. I was pretty miserable while I was in the thick of it but now that it's over, I am grateful. I learned a lot about myself, my likes, my dislikes, what amps up my Moore temper, what stirs up my Millan emotions and what I need to do to be happy when it comes to food. It's not about what I can or can't eat. It's about enjoying what I eat but not being stupid about it. I can enjoy eating plants as long as I can also enjoy a few slices of brisket, a slice of pizza or two, or a chunk of cheese with my glass of wine every once in a while. In fact, I find myself now wanting to eat more plants and whole foods and the more I do so the more I enjoy the tiny reward of NOT doing so.

This life is short. Days are often long. Years go by fast. But our journey around the sun is very short. We need to enjoy this life we've been given but we also need to preserve it the best we know how for our greatest good. After almost 45 years, I think I'm finally on the right path....