Sauna day

Sweet B. was up by 4:a.m., i had trouble dragging my ~uh-huh~ out by 4: 15 a.m.~~ blugh! He had a cup a Joe waiting for me... My sweet-heart ! i Am blessed.

    B.B. went to work down the road... i had laundry to do down the street at the "sweat O matic" ... the temp and humidity was high and there was only a fan blowing inside closed doors ... i was told a sauna would do me good... so... instead of feeling all pity poor me i decided to just enjoy it... and for the most part, Did... until this guy showed up and started grumping about everything... NOthing was the way he wanted , everything was Wrong... and you know what??

 i Still had a Great time! i did what my Hub always does... i razzed~~  "Hey! Welcome to the Sauna! It's a Great Big crazy world and it's stinkin' Hot Yah! but you know what? We're on the Top side of this hill, Not underneath bite'n the roots of daisies!" Yah, i let him gripe some more (what else could i do?) and even agreed with him that "All" in the world is not so well... i know this everyday don't i ~~~ yup~~. Life is quite the ride isn't it. By the time my laundry was folded and i was leaving we were bantering back and forth about how funny things are.. the absurdities of life... and he said "Hey What day is today? " i said

"It's Sauna Day!"

Phone Home

@ 1:30 a.m. B.B. called me sweetly from my dreams to invite me for our planned viewing of the extraterrestrial light show we had been  anticipating.

The Perseid's  were showering in Meteor fashion... this morning, so they say. We got up early to see. Apparently the "girls" are a little shy... one long streak followed by a short dash with a long space in between. But with local P.D. out shinning spotlights in the area looking for a reported perp. i guess i can't blame them for their avoidance tactics.

We eventually went back inside to avoid the blinding lights of our protectors. But not before being fumigated by a couple of concerned citizens who made a visit to our out of town neighbors place. As we were waiting for the sky to illuminate with it's promised light show i noticed voices coming from the carport and called out... "HellOoo!" normally one should mind their own business but i figured since this neighbor has been the victim of thieves recently i should at least determine the I.D. s of these shadowed visitors.  They responded in kind, greeting us with a bit of surprise but understanding of our inquisitive nature. Their cigarette fumes preceded them and we made a little small talk about the expected Meteor show & recent rash of break-ins til B.B & i could stand no more... it was very nice of them to be concerned, they said the same of us and went on their way smoke trailing merrily behind them & stopping to linger over the porch we stood on. Aarggh! i respect peoples right to smoke and do unto themselves as they see fit ...but i've never understood why it is that i must be forced to "smoke" along with them... against my will. i mean i've never popped my Bubble-gum * *   in any ones hair or face and i don't leave it on the ground for others to step on ... though i know some do.

 Are there No such things as smokeless cigarettes? i'd really love to exercise my right to breath fresh air... but then maybe there is no such thing?

 i learned early on that enclosed spaces are full of particulate matter i can Not deal with ... so i've had to limit my visits to places i formerly enjoyed... such as Church...The Bee hive i once loved despite it's sometimes toxic personalities. For me learning to not just tolerate but actually Love unlovables gave me a feeling of accomplishment and peace about my place in the narrow scheme of things...since i was not trained in ministry as my Husband is.

When i began having to retreat from the overwhelming Chemistry's present there it was a blow to my sense of self. Then some of the toxic peoples began criticising me for avoiding contact with this environment Claiming i was running away and not fulfilling my responsibilities as a Pastors Wife; it sent my soul reeling... as that was the last thing on my wish list. Above all i wanted to come along side my Husband, be the helpmate he needed and deserved in His life's passion to see lives changed, souls light up with the Light of our loving God who put the breath of life within and promises His spirit, the breath of Eternity.

i spent too much time struggling to prove these Toxic people wrong... willing myself to stay within the boundaries they expected of me... running from my post as child watcher to my place in the Praise team then back to my charges who had trouble sitting still... without someone to guide them. The "Toxic's" often sat across the way setting the most awful example to the little ones on how to behave in the company of many. My little ones would often ask why those "Grumpy People" could talk during church but they had to be quiet?  It was quite a conundrum as these same people would loudly "Hisssshhhh!! " when a child spoke out-loud, yet talk loudly amongst themselves throughout the entire service (hearing aid anyone??) i told these sweet children that the "G.P.s" had never been taught manners and that we should;"Pray for them just like we pray for others who don't know any better. What better place for the grumpies in life to learn... than Church... where we,(the children and i) could do our best to be good examples?"  

It's kind of like people who blow smoke in your hair or industries that emit toxic chemicals into the atmosphere. Apparently no one ever taught them about the effects of their chosen actions & they "know not what they do"... There are allot of things people do that are toxic and unhealthy.. i myself have been dealing with some habits i've learned are not conducive to the best health, physically, mentally, spiritually. i'm learning  manners that i hope will create safety & promote wellness around me, to the best of my abilities and limited knowledge. i pray for wisdom in my choices and patience to stay the course, not get discouraged when the path is rough.

It will be rough... life's path is full of obsticles and changes in terrain... am i an example to anyone who needs to learn how to live differently? i don't know, but i Do know places where examples can often be found... for how to behave (and to miss-behave unfortunately). The building that consists of the Church is a good place to start for those who need and can tolerate all kinds of folks and atmospheres...  the people who Are the actual Church the "body" .. can be a great help... in encouragement and prayer to support our efforts to De-detoxify our lives. There are healthy Beez out there... and i've been told there are healthy Hives...  but like the Perseid "girls" B.B. & i witnessed  i am still a bit shy of being put on display. If i show up i may streak or dash right by without much fanfare, intent on getting from point A to some other point i've~~~ lost track of  along the way ~~~~a breathing space. Yes, a place to catch my breath.

The point for me bee-ing ~~~ the best place i have found to learn and grow in my walk as i detoxify my life has been the "Word"  ...the one place that shines it's spotlight on the places the 'hoodlums' in my mind & heart try to hide. i pray for wisdom yes, but mostly i pray for connection to the One who calls me... calls us all  to "Come Home" ... we are Not of this earth .. we are just visitors in our "Earth suits"..... searching for the place we belong.   ... all we have to do is ............

Phone Home!

good medicine

When we came to the desert we decided a Temporary dwelling would do til we find the ideal spot to set down roots. Our tiny "Vacation Cabin" (sardine can) is a funny little old trailer home in need of a Big-huge face lift, Starting with the outrageously green kitchen cabinets! We would have painted them out sooner, but i just couldn't part with the funniness of these things... every morning i love when the sun rises and highlights how crazy my kitchen is ... it Just makes me Laugh! So B.B. found this sign for me to add to the silliness. The best part for me is when we describe our lovely color scheme to friends & then see their expressions once they get a gander at them in person, HAHAHAHAA!

So fun. 

This week i removed all the doors in order to paint them outside... if i can help it i need to limit those kind of fumes inside the house. At least til Monsoon is over and we can open all the windows & doors so it can Off-gas to the outer world for a time. Then i'll be mostly confined to the back of the place with my clean area closed off from the painted area. My already tiny living space will have gotten tinier.

Hub.B. & i have always enjoyed  remodeling our living spaces to our unique standards.... it is a challenge to do this within the limitations my Sensitivities present. We are designing our next home to be more than just a clean sanctuary, free of pollutants, but are looking to go off-grid, using solar and design to create a desert oasis free from the Hum of traffic and busyness. We'd like it to Fit in to the landscape easier than most stick houses seem to do. 

 For now we are content to play with this little place... creating an oasis in the middle of a trailer court. With the river nearby some folk decorate their homes with a maritime theme... some island style as well... Palm trees grow fairly well here... i have a mini grove growing at the front of our place. i suppose i need to be a tuffy and go out & thin it so they will grow big and tall ... but i like the wildness of  letting them have their own way. Maybe i'm strange but i like the contrast some wildness brings to the mundaness of cookie cutter "trailerhood" living. At least i hid my pink flamingo's in the inside court yard!

sweatin' with the oldie

    Recently i discovered one of the symptoms of Environmental Injury is the inability to sweat and rid the body of toxins. 

    When we came to the desert two years ago i thought it was a bit odd that i could be out in 100+ degrees and not break a sweat. Never felt uncomfortable in the heat of the day pulling weeds or walking to the mailbox. i was warned not to be out for long in such hot weather, since i wasn't acclimated but it was (and is) so wonderful to be able to get outside and walk down the trails without getting dizzy and feeling like i was drowning from the inside out. My Hubby noticed that i became a bit too rosy cheeked though so i realized i needed to be more cautious, not overdo. 

Since coming here & going  through a series of awakenings,  i've found others like me who are also discovering how to live with these crazy maladies brought on by toxic overload.  i will provide some links in time as i learn more about how this stuff works but for now it's just nice to be alive and know there is hope.

Anyway i learned we need to do these Detox sessions where we eat  cleansing foods ie: fruits,veggies etc. and drink lots of water.  A good fruit & veggie juice fast several times a year makes a body feel brighter, less sluggish. As a vegetarian many Moons ago, juice fasts became a staple of healthy routine and i'm beginning to think perhaps i might be worse off today if i hadn't done something good for those few years.  

   Exercise is a key component in helping the body clarify itself .... working up a sweat, then showering all that toxic waste off your skin. 

       Which leads me to the breakthrough. About two weeks ago, after a couple days on a juice fast, i realized my chronic reflux was improved, i wanted less coffee AND.... when i returned to the house after a walk, i Realized i was Sweating! Now i realize this is an odd thing to be happy about but this is a Big Deal for me. The next morning i was a bit spooked because i had a gnarly rash and felt like i had the flu but was encouraged when Hub-B reminded me that i had read that this might happen as the toxins can now begin to flush out of my poor dilapidated "Earth suit"...( lovely word..."flush"... isn't it?) As long as i keep showering the inside & outside with cool clean water and add only non-toxic goodies back these strange side effects will diminish, somewhat anyway. i don't expect to come out of this with a brand new baby body or some such nonsense... but the improvements are Huge to me... however small they seem to others who don't understand.

So Here's to Detoxifying and Learning to take better care of ourselves in spite of all the lovely additives and toxic waste sites we do our best to avoid.

Here's to 100+degree weather and my own personal dry sauna right outside my door... who needs a pricey Spa?

Here's to Birthdays that make you feel older ...

..........mini trampolines that make you sweat harder........

........ Kiddie Pools that make you feel Young & cool ........

and Awesome Husbands who make you feel Loved no Matter how Young or Old you happen to feel on a given day.

We're as snugg as two buggs in a .......... bad exercise video=D

Izabuggs life

   So maybe i didn't make myself clear.... Things that have no "known" affect on others make me sick... literally ... scented or unscented.... Man made, or Natural chemicals. As long as something off-gasses & i breath it, or it comes into contact with my skin, in any way shape or form, it can have a nasty affect on me.
 Not Everything, just stuff  one wouldn't expect. 

 Looking back down my 48 year corridor of time, from the very beginning there were many things that caused trouble for me. Not just a one time Toxic exposure but many events that most likely accumulated making life intolerable throughout early childhood... causing a conundrum for the people around me.... My Mother, Family, Teachers, Friends,Counselors, & myself.
i earned the Labels: Spacey, Shy, Reserved, Moody, Oppositional, Non-compliant, Avoidant. Yeah i like that last one; as if a child could not possibly have a valid reason why they might Avoid certain situations.

  As a child i could not understand what was going on in my mind and body. i had felt "weird" and disconnected most of my life Having had surgeries on my ears, tonsils, foot... and experienced the after affects of  the anesthesia: Ether..what do they call that now ...flashbacks? Yeah, i used to get nauseated and dizzy just sitting in my front row desk where the Teacher insisted i stay so i would "Pay Attention! "  (this was before A.D.D. was a Buzz word & Meds were the answer to Everything) i'd gotten caught staring out the window "daydreaming" with the obligatory giggles from classmates adding to my feeling of stupidity. How could they have known? 

   A boy i admired was humiliated when his teasing toss of a ball bounced off my head and i passed out after having the familiar "smell" of Ether swarm over me. He didn't mean to hurt me .. and really didn't, but everybody got scared and thought it was the mortal blow because i went down on the blacktop. It would have all been funny if  i had stayed on my feet and gotten perturbed instead. But the Principal scolded Him while pointing at me on the stupid cot they made me lay on. And i felt worse for Him.

[Disclaimer: Head injuries are not to be taken lightly and i Do appreciate the care the school took to make sure i was o.k. ]

Recently i heard  that Patchouli, a popular 'Essential oil' is a Neurotoxin. i have strong childhood memories of those who wore this potent oil. (it was the 60's People) To be fair i went in search for more info on this subject and while i found No scientific study(yet) willing to call this scented oil out as a Neurotoxin i did find out that Patchouli has long been used as an Insect Repellent. Used by the ancients who travelled the "silk road"  to discourage Moths from laying their eggs in linen and silk cargo. Also there's a type of Termite that is repelled by it.
Naturally this causes me to wonder how safe it actually is for people to be using it as a fragrance?
If the bugs can't stand it.......??

i also read how Patchouli is said to be beneficial in many ways... skin & hair care, mood lifter,
 not to mention ones Love life.
Who could disrespect that lovely idea!
It is added to many products, such as laundry softener, T.P. (yes toilet paper) and Air fresheners...which are anything but. 

Not to offend anyone who Loves this stuff .... but .... even Now when i come across a person wearing this popular fragrance.....i am instantly repelled...

 HA !
THAT'S IT !

It Must be true... i Am a Bugg !
**

dawg dayz of waat?

Here she is again our... 145# Pound puppy, Abby Norma. She had her first swimming lesson the other day....Today B.B. & i went looking for a Better spot. A more Abby friendly, gently sloped, Beachy spot. She is Such a Good sport.  She's got webbed feet so we thought swimming might come natural... but she does not know what to do but try to hang on to us and Float. We have a harness to hang on to and encourage her to follow us a little closer, but she's a very heavy pup... all skin, big bones and muscle so we also support her from underneath.

Looks like we will be investing in a flotation devise. Not that we're planning on boating with her but just in case she decides to go on a little adventure ahead of us, it's best to keep our Big girl safe.

The problem with the last spot that was recommended to us is that it is a boat launch that was kinda slick going in and once you got to a certain spot it dropped off  a little deeper than "Abbs" is tall ... So, No more just taking other peoples word for what they think is a Good spot for "Fifi" to drown... We found the perfect place...just down river a little. 

Teaching pups to swim is one of my favorite things to do. When they trust you and want to get in the water with you it's like taking them on a "Trust walk' only somehow we've already earned their trust and the whole goal is to kinda help them pace themselves and take it slow.

      This "Trust walk/swim" has benefitted me most, i think. Since losing time and place with this crazy illness; "Environmental Injury"; it seems i've forgotten much of what i know of myself: Things learned, experience gained, competencies once sure of.  Self confidence is absent & there's so much i am unsure of, where my abilities are concerned. Having this trust offered is a heartfelt gift i could not have imagined any sweeter. 

Since we adopted "Abb's" from the Pound when she was 3months old she's been very trusting of us... but she has issues with strangers. Specially if they smell of Alcohol.. She's almost full grown now and has only growled at a couple of people who reeked of booze...and stupidly tried to be too friendly Way too soon, as those who are  inebriated sometimes will do. It's a safe bet she was mistreated by someone who had a drinking habit. Or maybe she's just tuned in to whatever evil that lurks in their unguarded state of mind.

Pets are good at reading people. Our black cat CocoMoco has growled like a dog at people walking by on several occasions...loud enough for them to hear and Really Freak them out! There's one guy who now goes across the street when passing our house, even though CocoMoco is behind a locked screen door! Perhaps the sight of a growling cat and a large Dog sitting in the doorway is a tad intimidating.

i think they're outrageously cute.
(take a look at the 1st post=)

water bugg

This is a Water Bug day. After feeling so clear yesterday, i woke up to realize i Need to learn how to skate across these ponds that pop up out of the blue. So Much to learn, So little time.

 'we are but a vapor'...James 4:14

Humidity has passed  31 this morning.... in our house because i did not want to hear the air cleaner droning on.... All stinkin' Night! Boi... someones in a mood !

Bubble has Popped all right...and i'm under water lookin for the surface.

It's my own fault for wanting to hear the quiet. i adore quiet... but our world is so incredibly noisy. When we drove Truck we used the air-conditioner  creating "white noise" to drown out traffic, where'd they get that crazy description ? As we learned that in the South, we fondly call it "Waat No-ese" wit a liddle southu'n draawl;)

Usually we can have all the machines off at night as it cools down nicely but with Monsoon comes moisture, Hot, Soggy, clingy nonsense... our electric bill will be Up there in the stratosphere this month. Wish the water would just stay Up there. This only lasts about a month or so... according to the locals... the sog lasted most the year up North.

........ Great if your a Water bugg.

So, today feels as if someone snuck in last night and tied a girdle around my rib cage while i was sleeping. The bones keep spazzing with their symphony of instruments played by toddlers bowing down hard on out of tune string.... Oh, how lovely it is when is subsides a bit. It won't until the Barometer changes again.

Did i pray for patience or something?

Guess i must have but i could've sworn it was for the ability to tolerate People.

Ahhh... Now i know why *some people have been so ornery... i prayed for patience... i've been given an opportunity to Exercise it...how quaint....

( *i'm The ornery one, less patient with myself than others:(

o.k.....O.K. i get it !

Be kareful what you pray for!