The World According to the Peevish Kitty
May
31
OMG IT’S HOT. Like, 32 degrees with a humidex in the 40s hot.
Even if it were NOT Tuesday, my brain has turned to mush in the heat, thus rendering me unable to formulate a post consisting of anything more than the occasional thought that survives the oppressive humidity and/or does not die of heatstroke.
May
30
For a quick mood fix, nothing beats a good old Dance Party.
It’s nothing fancy. It’s easy, it’s cheap, and it’s all up to you. I’m talking about your good old OMG-I-LOVE-THIS-SONG, turn-it-up-and-shake-your-groove-thing all-around-the-room dance party.
Look! I’ll even give you instructions:
1. Put on a favourite tune, in the comfort of your own house.
2. Turn it up.
3. Dance like you just don’t care.
See?
The problem is… People are all uptight about dancing. When does that happen to us? Look at any little kid you know, and they LOVE to dance. They move and groove all the time. They don’t care if it looks good. It FEELS good.
It’s a proven fact that dancing is good for you in so many ways. It’s good exercise. It lowers your blood pressure. It helps keep muscles, joints, bones, your heart, your circulatory system, and your brain healthy. It releases endorphins and makes you feel good.
But when we become adults, we get all self-conscious and intimidated. We don’t dance, not as much as we used to. If at all.
Maybe that’s why I love having dance parties here at home. I am a singularly ridiculous dancer. My singing’s even worse. Oh well. But in my own kitchen… I could care less how it looks, and doG knows I don’t care if anyone hears me.
We have dance parties all the damn time here. I used to have dance parties with my cat. Bubby was a big fan of San Francisco Bay Blues, and would come running whenever I put it on. I’d sing and shuffle and shimmy and clap, and Bubby would run around in circles and then collapse in a purring, rolling pile of happy cat on the floor. I think it was the kazoos that did it for her.
And Stinkerbelle — well, you can’t stop her. She’s a dance party waiting to happen. She dances to the beat of the washing machine agitating. And she sings CONSTANTLY. So we LOVE the chance to dance.
When That Girl was little, I would put her in her high chair with a meal, put on some music, and dance around the kitchen cleaning or cooking while she ate. I would pull out some crazy jazz-hands Bob-Fosse Broadway reject dance moves, do The Swim and The Charleston, tickle her as I danced by — and we both had fun.
Now that she is older, she’s less pliable in her musical tastes, but put on Mika and she’s off, singing and dancing along, hand in the air and a growl a la Freddie. We both will. (There’s a whole lot of butt wiggling to Lollipop.) Or a little Florence and the Machine will set us off, arms flapping like big weird birds, or whirling around the kitchen like mad dervishes. (Ssshhhh, don’t tell Dad — That Girl is not supposed to spin in the kitchen.)
It always ends in laughter.
So what’s stopping you?
Got a kid who needs to expend some energy? Put on some tunes and dance around.
Got housework that needs doing? Put on something with a good beat and get moving through those jobs.
Feeling down? Put on your all-time favourite song — LOUD — and let go.
It takes all of the length of a three-minute pop song to make things better, for your mind, your body and your soul.
Go on. Nobody’s watching. It’s good for you.
May
27
We’re still on vacation, but this confession thing is a streak I’ve had for 35 weeks now… I’m not going to break it!
I confess…
May
23
Alright, my friends. If you’re like me, sometimes the best way to cure all ills is with chocolate.
So today, on a lazy, cold long weekend, I bring you something to get you a little bit of chocolate love when you need it: Quick Fix Chocolate Cake.
It’s fast and easy, it’s pantry-friendly, it’s not good for you, and it’s full of chocolatey goodness.
And it’s an individual serving. JUST FOR YOU. Sounds perfect to me.
Quick Fix Chocolate Cake
*4 Tbsp flour
4 Tbsp sugar
*2 Tbsp cocoa
1 egg
3 Tbsp vegetable oil
3 Tbsp milk
Get a large, microwave-safe coffee mug. Put the flour, sugar and cocoa in the mug, and mix well. Add the egg, and mix well. Mix in the oil and the milk (if you want, you can use less oil and more milk, and it will still be fine). Mix with a fork until the batter is smooth. It will probably be a bit thinner than regular cake batter.
Put in the microwave and cook on high for 2-3 minutes. TA DAAH! Chocolate cake.
Top with whipped cream and a drizzle of chocolate syrup, if so desired.
Enjoy!
*NUTELLA VARIATION: If you have the Nutella love, use self-rising flour instead of regular flour. Increase your cocoa to 3 Tbsp and add in 3 Tbsp Nutella.
You’re welcome.
May
21
So, we’re here on the deck, minding our own business… and we discover: WE ARE NOT ALONE.
No, it’s not aliens.
IT’S RACCOONS. Napping in the trees.
Look close enough at these:
And you will see several of these:
Looking for all the world like they’ve just staggered home from one hell of a Rapture party.
If I didn’t know better, I’d say somebody is WISHING for the end of the world, if only to cure his hangover.
May
20
We’re on vacation! Whee! And I’ve been taking a little time away from Teh Interwebs and enjoying… doing a lot of nothing. But even still, there are things to say.
I confess…
May
16
A couple of years ago, when the whole “new mom” thing was all new and OMG OH HOLY HELL WHAT HAVE I DONE, I thought it might be a good idea to look into some Buddhist philosophy. I thought if I could embrace something peaceful and get some guidance from Buddhism, I could give myself a basis to help me gain some equilibrium in my life, find some peace, and be a good mom.
Yeah, so a couple of years later… It’s fair to say, I totally failed at that. Big, fat, whopping FAIL.
For one thing, I think it’s kind of naive to say “Hello! Today I will embrace a new philosophy of how I live my life! And it will be magical and fix me! TA DA! And then after that, I’ll go to the mall!”
For another, I’m lazy. I don’t want to have to try that hard.
Needless to say, the whole Buddhism thing didn’t stick. But I did some reading and listened to some podcasts and tried to embrace what I could before I totally bailed. And there was a lot of good stuff, believe me. I just wasn’t into it at the time. But I took away what I could. And some of it has been helpful.
But one of the best things I tried was meditation. Now, the good thing about empty-headed naivete is that you just give things a try. So I thought, “Meh, what the heck? Could be good.” And I gave it a try.
Let’s think about this, really, people. I’m SHOUTY. I’m ALL OVER THE PLACE. I’m… well, ME. Did you HONESTLY think it would work for me? No. Of course not. Me, sitting quietly and still for an extended period of time? I THINK NOT.
But here’s the thing: What I learned in that period of time about meditation actually HAS benefitted me. Almost every day, in fact. And I think it has made me a more patient and more relaxed person.
Now, I’m not getting all airy fairy, New Age-y on you or anything. I’m not going to tell you to go our and buy Enya CDs and incense burners or whatever. NO NO. But, I guess what I’m saying is, I was pleasantly surprised at what I COULD take away from trying it.
The reason is, I think, because the podcast I chose to teach me was totally realistic about learning how to meditate. And it was honest about the fact that it takes practice and time, and to start slowly.
So, here’s what they taught me. First, find yourself a quiet space, and set a timer to come on quietly, maybe after five minutes. Sit comfortably and upright. Maybe in a chair, maybe cross-legged on the floor. As you’re sitting there, slowly begin to relax your muscles and limbs. Like, start from the extremities and move in, or from the top of your head downwards, and just think about relaxing everything, slowly. Relax things like the muscles in your face. Your tongue. Just everything.
Once you’re feeling like you’re relaxed and comfortable, start thinking about your breathing. Focus on each breath. When you breathe in, think “In”. When you breathe out, think “Out”. Start to focus on only that. Just in, and then out. If other thoughts come into your brain, acknowledge them, but then go right back to your next breath. Don’t stress if other thoughts wander in, but don’t dwell on them either. Just put them aside, and go back to thinking about your breath. In. Out. In. Out. Focus on this until that is all you are thinking about.
When the timer tells you, take your time refocusing your thoughts and getting back up.
That’s all it takes, to start with. Five minutes in a quiet room. If you get into it, you can increase your time. Ten, fifteen minutes. But to start, five minutes is all you need. It’s like that savasana pose at the end of a yoga session, but more.
Seems pretty simple, right? It’s not. It DOES take practice to NOT think. But once you get going, it’s really quite relaxing. And I find that, even though I don’t do it the way we often THINK meditation should be — you know, really seriously for long periods of time in some Zen temple space or whatever — it really has done a great deal for me. Just a couple of minutes of quiet.
I whip out the old meditation time whenever I need it. When I am stressing, I can use it as a way to decompress. When I am frustrated with parenting or irritated by family stuff, I can stop what I am doing and breathe and get calm. When I am having trouble sleeping, I will do it while lying in bed to relax me completely — and then doze off. (Yeah, it’s not EXACTLY sitting up and meditating. But it does the job.) And you can bet your sweet bippy that I’ll be OH MY DOG MEDITATE MEDITATE MEDITATE during take off and landing when we go on vacation. (I am not the best airplane traveller.)
Just the simple act of clearing your mind and calming your breathing can do wonders.
And by taking five minutes to go to a quiet space, during naptime or before bed or whatever, I am taking five minutes FOR ME. It’s very selfish in that respect. But the plus is that it makes me a better, calmer person when I need it. But it is MINE.
Will I practice, and become better at it, and mediate for longer periods of time? Maybe someday. Not now. Certainly not anytime soon. But for my life, right now, that five minutes I CAN take, when I need it? Is GOLDEN.
So. There you go. My foray into Eastern Philosophy was only a MOSTLY total bust. I did learn a lot, and I got a very valuable, easy-to-use five minute fix-me-up out of the deal.
Try it, if you are interested, and maybe you’ll get more out of it than me. Or maybe not. But hey, you’ve tried something new! And look! Not an Enya CD in sight.
May
13
It is Friday of what has been, strangely, a long week. Not a bad week, but a tiring one, for whatever reason. But now BDH has vacation time booked until the end of the month, so we will be able to relax and unwind and catch up on our rest. So that’s good.
But that is not what is important today! Oh no. It is Friday, and so I confess:
May
10
.
I know it is Tuesday. You know how I know? Because I have no plan. Perhaps we’ll go for a walk! Let’s make banana bread! OH! Maybe not.
It just happens whether I like it or not.
I AM actually making banana bread, however.
May
9
It’s the start of the week, and with all the gardening and yardwork and stuff that comes with May, some good stretching and exercise will come in handy. And now that my physio is going well, I think it’s time to start trying some yoga again.
But life as a stay at home mom means little free time or free income to go to classes, and more importantly, little down time just for myself. So it’s not like I can just go swanning off to some yoga studio somewhere for an hour or two.
Nope, instead, I’m doing my yoga online, and for free. With Yogamazing.
If you have iTunes, you can download a video podcast called Yogamazing, which is a full 20-30 minute class. (There’s also a website, yogamazing.com, but the last time I visited, the free classes are view-only and it costs for downloads.) The instructor, Chaz, makes the classes readily accessible and fun to do whether you regularly practice yoga or whether you’re a newbie. If you’re just getting started, you can pause the class to figure out “what did he just do?” or if you want to spend a little extra time doing a particular pose. It’s all good. And because it’s a download, the class is there to do at your leisure whenever you have time — during naptime, or before bed, or even first thing in the morning. (Ugh. No thanks.) I have even done a class while Stinkerbelle played around me.
I also like the fact that I can do it by myself. I’m self-conscious and still relatively cumbersome at yoga, so I like just being by myself to focus on the poses and the relaxation and not be forever worrying that I look foolish. AND DID I MENTION IT’S FREE? This is big for me. We just don’t have a ton of extra cash for classes at studios and stuff right now.
There are three kinds of classes, basically. One is a “prescription” class — let’s say “Yoga for the Neck and Shoulders” — and these classes focus on moves to help you with a particular sore spot on your body or an injury recovery. They are a little more focused on one area, but still are great gentle classes.
The second type are more general classes, like “Yoga for Golfers”, that give you a full body workout with a particular sport or activity in mind to help you strengthen and stretch. These are my favourite classes because they offer a full body workout, and even though they say they are for golfers or for snowboarders or for rowers, they really are great overall classes. (My favourite, I think, is the one for rowers. And I don’t row.)
The third type of classes are flow classes. These are classes that are a serious workout. They are a series of poses linked together that you move through continuously, and they get you moving and sweating and get your heartrate up. They are a real sweat blowout. Awesome workout.
So, each week on iTunes, one class is available for download. And, after a few weeks, you have a number of classes that you can pick and choose from: “Hm, what do I feel like today?” And if you want a longer workout, you can mix and match a couple of classes, combining, say, a flow class to get you going and a “yoga for…” class to work on a particular thing.
Or whatever. The great thing is, they’re yours. They’re on your computer. And to fit in with your busy life, you can do whatever you want, whenever you want. For free.
So go. Take some time for your body and mind. Relax. It’s good for you, and it’s fun.
May
6
It’s Friday, and I went to the dentist, while my husband took Stinkerbelle out to buy a frying pan. No, that’s not a confession. Just a thought passing through my head as I come up with my list of confessions.
It can’t always be all OMG EXCITING around here, you know.
I confess:
May
4
Okay, peeps, since a few of us thought it might be a fun idea, it’s time… for our first Virtual Chick Flick Comfy Couch Night!
Basically, it’s pretty simple: we all need a little time off to sit and chill out and take some time for ourselves. And what’s better than a movie? A little popcorn, a snuggly blanket, feet up… and we’ve got 2-ish hours, all to ourselves! I’m hoping we can see some movies we’ve never seen before, but maybe always wanted to, or rediscover some classics. And then we can chat about it afterwards. So far, we’ve got me, and tafel, and Jade, and Tova… did I miss anyone? So that’s a good start. And if you want in, jump right in.
The “rules” for our little movie club are pretty straightforward:
How does that sound to start? Yes? No? Anything I have forgotten?
Okay, in honour of Jade’s comment:
Hellooo? Movies? Planning? Organizing?
I am IN! Now, wake up that idea. Go ahead. Use the bellows. It’s not completely dead. Mostly dead is still slightly alive.
I agree with tafel’s suggestion:
aaaand in honor of Jade’s remark, the first movie MUST be The Princess Bride.
Plus it’s just FUN. And I’m guessing most of us haven’t watched it in awhile. So there you go: Our movie for May is
(ETA: Here’s a link to the IMDB page and trailer if you have not heard of the movie before. Thank you, BDH.)
We’ll find something new for June.
If there’s anything I’ve missed, let me know in the comments below. Otherwise… go forth and enjoy!
May
3
I know it’s Tuesday, but… Last night, as a nation of voters, Canada demonstrated an appalling amount of stupidity, voting in a Conservative government that has done nothing but show utter contempt for this country and the rights, wishes and needs of its people for years. A MAJORITY government, no less.
After a campaign of outright lies, election fraud and ugly politicking, we’re staring into four more years of soft despotism.
I am just so disappointed and disgusted right now.
“I hear you say the truth must take a beating
The flag a camouflage for your deceiving
I know we all make mistakes
This is not a case of blurred vision,
It’s a case of black holes, pocket holes, soul holes”
(Hirst)
Sing it, guys.
Change has GOT to happen, and we have to start NOW. Proportional Representation would be a good start. Review of election law would be another.
(It’s too much to ask for more politicians with integrity and conscience and vision. Yet. Maybe someday.)
No time like the present to get educated, get active, and make a change.
May
2
Whoa. The internets are STRESSED, man. Between all the goings on in The News Out In The World, and election fraud happening here in our little city, and my internets peeps just having OMG BEING MOM IS NOT EASY days… the internets are full of people stressing out.
I know I am.
So I am taking Mondays to spread some relaxation out there to the Internetverse. We all need it. I’m just going to give out some Zen on Mondays, so all y’all can partake. If you feel like it. And relax.
NOTE: I AM NOT A DOCTOR, NOR DO I PLAY ONE ON TV. So anything I recommend here is TOTALLY UP TO YOU to try. And if you like it, great. And if you don’t, well that is okay too.
So, yeah. Relaxing stuff. Maybe it’ll be a recipe I liked. Or something I’ve discovered to help me relax. Or a book I enjoyed. Or some really great shoes. (Nah, it won’t be shoes. Who has money for shoes?) But, you know… stuff like that.
Sounds good? Okay.
So, let’s start off our relaxation with… Cowboy Cookies. Because who doesn’t love some lovin’ from the oven? ESPECIALLY with chocolate in it.
So go forth this week, my friends, and bake. And enjoy.
********
Baking therapy is good. There’s something about baking that is relaxing. Your house smells good, you can do it with your kids or with your friends on a Saturday movie night, and you have something tasty to show at the end of it.
This is a recipe that came to me all the way from Texas, from our friend Kelly (with only some very slight variations). She sent us a homemade cookie mix one Christmas, and this was contained therein. And it has been one of BDH’s favourite cookies ever since. So much so that That Girl and I made a few batches last week. And now they’re all gone. OM NOM NOM NOM.
COWBOY COOKIES
(makes about 2 -2.5 dozen cookies)
1 c all-purpose flour
1 c uncooked rolled oats (not instant)
1/2 c semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 c packed light brown sugar
1/2 c chopped nuts (I like pecans. YMMV)
1/2 c seedless raisins
1/4 c granulated sugar
2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 c butter, softened
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
Preheat oven to 350.
In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars together. Beat in egg. Beat in vanilla.
Combine flour, oats, chocolate chips, nuts, raisins, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt in a large-ish bowl.
Using a wooden spoon, mix dry ingredients into butter/sugar mixture until well blended. Dough will be a bit… scruffy.
Drop rounded tablespoonfuls of dough 2 inches apart onto cookie sheets with silicone pads (or lightly greased cookie sheets, if you don’t use silicone pads). Bake in 350 oven for 12 -14 minutes or until bottom/edges are lightly browned. Also, your cookies probably won’t spread out much — they’ll likely hold a rounded, lump kind of form. (Don’t worry. They may be kind of ugly but they’ll taste beautiful.)
Remove to wire racks to cool *almost* completely. Be sure to eat a slightly warm one with a big glass of milk, while the chocolate chips are still a little melty.
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