I'm in the habit of not answering the door or the phone.  I tense up whenever I am outside and see a neighbor in their yard.  What if they say 'hi'?  What if they walk on over?  I wish I was back in the country.  Village life is too many people for me.  And, too much talking. 

Yesterday afternoon, my daughter and I were sitting on the sofa watching television.  We were in full-on laid-back mode when I saw one of my neighbors walking up my sidewalk to the front steps.  I motioned to X to slide down so that she couldn't be seen through the front windows.  I scurried over and stood in a one-foot space between a wall and the media center, turned off the television and held my breath during the knocking.  While I stood there, I could see through my dining room window that another neighbor, an elderly woman, was in her driveway and watching the whole (non) interaction.  After a few minutes, I saw the woman who had knocked on the door walking back down the street ... and over to the other neighbor, where they talked and looked at my house.  I wondered what they were discussing, but I was just happy to avoid, you know, talking to my anyone. 

I took a big sigh of relief and slid myself back onto the sofa.  The phone rang.  I recognized the name on my caller ID as being that of my elderly neighbor.  Sigh. 

"Hi, Jodi.  This is your-neighbor-that-offered-to-sell-you-an-extra-half-lot-of-land-and-then-changed-her-mind-when-the-market-dropped.  Your car lights are on and I think you want to turn them off.  You can call me when you get this.  My number is 555-5555.  Talk to you in a little while."

Damn it.   

We waited ten minutes, attached the leash to Luna's neck, snuck out a side door that is NEVER-EVER-UNTIL-NOW used, and then came down the street in front of the house ... like we'd been out walking the dog the whole time.  We went back into the house through our usual door, the front door, which is in full view of both neighbors' homes. 

A few minutes after going inside, I sent X out to take the keys out of the car WHERE SHE LEFT THEM with the lights on when she went out to close the windows earlier. 

Later this morning, when said elderly neighbor leaves to volunteer at her church, I'm going to call and leave a thank-you message on her answering machine. 

Today, I'm taking part in Shoot the Day!  So, it's photography from the moment I get up until I go to bed.  I'm really not a stock photographer, or a photographer at all, but taking pictures sure trips my trigger. 

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Today is my lame-o book giveaway.  Please CLICK HERE for your chance to win (and, also, so I don't look like an idiot for holding a contest that NO ONE ENTERS).

When I first started blogging SIX YEARS AGO, I posted a lot of self portraits.  I'm not sure why.  Just exploring with the camera, I guess.  I did that for a few years, and then it ... just ... sort of ... stopped. 

In case you weren't around then, or even if you were ... This is me.  Hi. 

• X's twitter.
• my new flickr group, home comforts.  (if you are on flickr, consider yourself invited.)
• moontree studios (the play-by-play art project days are awesome.)
• grilled tomatoes with rosemary and garlic.

You know that thing that I've been doing?  That thing that rhymes with FLENZ?!  It has spring-boarded me to make a few more commitments, to challenge myself with some small changes.  (I see that I'm in good company as Wenderina is now under new management.)

• Read for an hour (or more) each day -- This probably seems lame and easy, but, as much as I enjoy reading, I put it on the backburner far too often.  On a similar note, has anyone else signed up for GoodReads? 
• Walk everywhere that I can and, when possible, take the dog -- This probably seems like another no-brainer and I'm ashamed that I don't walk more.  I usually save up all my errands for one day and then do them by car. 
• Daily video blog -- I'm going to try to post DAILY at my DAILY video blog (as opposed to NOT DAILY). 
• Read the newspaper -- The Wisconsin State Journal is delivered to our home each morning.  X reads it more than I do, I am ashamed to say.  I would also like to do the puzzles more, especially Sudoku, which I love to play. 
• Go to bed earlier -- I don't want to stay up so late and would like to go to bed around 9 pm as opposed to 11, even if to read for an hour.   

And, that's all the fun and excitement going on in my world, folks.  How are you?

Thursday became Friday, and Friday became Saturday/Sunday this week(end) because theother23 is heading out of town to do damage control and put out metaphorical fires.  He left this morning and should be home in about two weeks.  It sucks but, at least as field operations manager, he is now home a lot more ... like, 50% more. 

On faux-Friday, he and I watched the entire first season of Californication which, once I got past all the gratuitous nudity in episode one, was quite entertaining.  If you don't mind some crude adult humor, I recommend it.  Not quite as good as Weeds, but fun nonetheless.  Faux-Saturday started out relaxing, lying around in bed for two hours and listening to the storm while talking, then getting up to shop at Whole Foods.  After that, a movie (Hellboy II) for the other two while I putzed around the house, and another movie at home (Eagle vs. Shark) for all three of us in the evening. 

All in all, it was a good faux-weekend.  Short, but sweet. 

And now?!  X and I have the real weekend ahead of us.  We started it out with an episode of Flight of the Conchords.  That led to the conclusion that we must watch the series in its entirety.  Too bad we're #86 on the wait list at the library. 

We've spent the last four hours practicing guitar and piano, printing out some new music, surfing the internet, reading, and lounging on the sofa.  I think that I'll wander out to the garden now.  Tonight and tomorrow, I foresee more reading, snacking, and lollygagging. 

Today is day 13 of my cleanse, and I've spent a lot of time mulling over how it's going and how I'm planning to eat when it ends.

First of all, I have to say that I'm feeling REALLY good.  For those that don't know, I have multiple endocrine diseases (type I diabetes 25 years, hypothyroidism, & anti-GAD antibodies in my system), which have progressively depleted my energy over the years, seemingly no matter how well I eat, sleep, exercise, et cetera.  (Quality of life, in terms of pain and energy, has been a huge issue for me for almost a decade.)  Less than a week into the cleanse, I noticed that I had a lot more physical energy and mental motivation than usual, and I have been able to sustain this.  It's like, all that spring cleaning that I didn't do in April?  It's getting the hell done NOW.  So, I definitely give the cleanse credit for helping me to feel MUCH better.   

I'm not having any difficulties with food cravings and I don't feel deprived.  My meals might seem a little boring and repetitive, but I am still discovering new-to-me foods and seeking out recipes to try.  Besides, I tend to eat foods in cycles.  Like, I ate tostados for about a week because I was slightly obsessed with them, but now I probably won't have one until next month. 

I am not 100% sure what will change about my diet when day 22 comes along and I can, seemingly, eat whatever the heck I desire.  I think that since I'm feeling SO GOOD, I will just eat something that wasn't on the cleanse if I really crave it, and then I will observe how it makes me feel.  For instance, maybe I'll notice that gluten makes me tired or sore.  If so, I'll limit it.  If not, I'll eat it when I want it.  I appreciate good cheeses, like grana or aged cheddar, so I suspect that will make an appearance in my life once or twice a week.  Eggs ... maybe, especially in a birthday cake or whatever.  I don't really plan to eat meat, but that could change.  Fish comes to mind.  For the most part, I do know that animal products bog my body down and fruits, vegetables, and grains help me to feel normal-ish for the first time in A LONG TIME.  Feeling good trumps eating mindlessly, but a little indulgence is good for quality of life too.   

I will definitely have coffee again ... probably once a day, possibly more.  Sugar isn't really an issue.  I don't crave it.  If I should, I'll indulge.  While I don't care for most alcohol, I like fine beers.  I haven't made a firm decision about that EXCEPT that I won't have it more than once-in-a-while.  And, mimosas on Mother's Day. 

I am planning to do one more post about the Quantum Wellness cleanse on Day 21 (July 17 at my other blog), at which time I plan to give away my copy of the book.  It's not a fancy-schmancy contest nor a fancy-schmancy prize, but if you were thinking about buying the book, please come by that day and leave a comment for a chance to win it instead.  Seriously, your odds of winning will probably be one out of five. 

My previous Quantum Wellness posts: 

• quantum wellness ... or, in praise of cheeses.
• NEWSFLASH: disclaimers and clarifications! 
• quantum wellness cleanse, day four.
• sweet baby cheeses.

Luna aka Lunatron aka Lunar aka Lunabomber aka Retardo Montalban aka Lunatuna aka Lunarama aka Girl.

(Edited to add:  Our three cats were all strays and/or saved from animal shelters.  Luna, however, is an AKC Akita, raised for the show ring until the age of seven months.  At that time, she had an eye injury that required surgery, so she could no longer compete and was put up for sale.  Her grandpa was best Akita in breed at Westminster Dog Show about ten years ago.  Her ring training is still very evident as she only knows how to walk on our left side, and she circles clockwise.  ALWAYS.)