A Tale of Turmeric

The last time I was at the health food store, I decided to get some fresh turmeric. I've never been one who has used turmeric much (if at all) before, but I had recently purchased a couple of cookbooks and one of them had turmeric in several recipes. There was also a recipe posted at the health food store for turmeric and ginger tea. So anyway, I decided to get some. I scooped out several scoopful into a plastic bag and took it home.

So later that week, I decide that I should probably transfer the turmeric from the plastic bag into a glass spice jar. So I got out the bag and the jar. I looked at it for a minute and thought about getting out a small funnel, but I decided that I could just angle the plastic bag into the jar and then I wouldn't have to get out anything else, etc.

Bad idea.

So, of course, the turmeric spilled. On the counter. On the linoleum floor. I tried brushing it off the counter into the bottle and ended up getting it on my hands, and spilling more of it on the floor. I also spilled a little on my left foot, but I was wearing clogs at the time, so at least it wasn't all over my feet, right? I finally managed to get most of the turmeric in the bottle and I went to go wash my hands.

OK, I know i had heard that turmeric could be used for dying purposes, but you'll be glad to know that I know this for a fact now.

The turmeric came off my hands - slightly. There was still a definite yellow tint. I tried to wipe up the floor and the counter. Same yellow tint left behind. And same with my foot. Well, I figured I'd try again later with a little bit more soap, but I was running late for my meditation class, so I just hopped in the car and headed over there.

I got a quick glance at my face when I got out of the car and I had yellow on the left side of my face. Great. Thankfully, I had baby wipes in the car (yes, my "baby" is 6, but you never know when you might have turmeric on your face and need to wipe it off.) and I was able to get most of it off. I slipped my shoes off for meditation and noticed that not only was the top of my left foot a little yellow, but in between my toes was yellow too. Great. And my fingernails were yellow too. Great.

So after meditating (and trying not to think about how much of my body and kitchen was dyed yellow during meditation) I came home and tried to deal with the kitchen. I don't usually use Magic Eraser, but every once in awhile, it is just the only thing that will work to get a stain out. So I used one on the counter and got most of it off. There is only a slight tinge if you are looking at it in just the right way.

Then I started working on the floor. And after repeated scrubbings, and trying a few other things, I gave up. It is permanently stained. At least it is just linoleum. And at least it is just in a small area. And at least my kitchen is closed off from the rest of the house so hardly anybody besides me will ever see it.

And 3 days later, my fingernails and between my toes are still yellow, but everything else is pretty much gone. I haven't decided if I'm going to actually use the turmeric now or just toss it. You know, before I end up dying myself all yellow. Just call me Big Bird. Well, since I'm only 5'3", I guess that would be Little Bird, right??

Happy Birthday Christopher!

Three years. It was three years ago that Christopher was born. It was three years ago that he died. I can hardly believe that it has been three years.

I personally don't believe that Christopher died so that I could learn some lesson. That said, I think have learned some things from his death.

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I've learned that even though I hurt so deeply, and when I thought that there was no way that I could ever get through a day without breaking into gigantic sobs, that I could go on.

I've learned that there are others, many others, who have gone through this type of pregnancy loss. People that I never would have guessed came to me to share their story of pain and sorrow and showed me it was possible to find a "new" normal. A normal, where I would always remember him, but a normal where I could still work and play and still enjoy the good times of life.

I learned that people love me and my family. I have never felt such love and support as I did in the days and months after Christopher died. Often it was just a note or a hug letting me know that they cared. Often people said things like "I wish I knew what to say." And of course, there were no words, really. But their actions spoke so much more than words ever could.

I learned that everybody has bad things happen in their life. Maybe not the same bad things that have happened in my life, but few people get through life unscathed. And so when someone is doing something that I find aggravating, I try to remember that I don't know what has happened to them in their life. It helped me be more empathetic.

And I learned that life is about experience. And if people show me love and I show people love, just because, well, it makes getting through life just a tiny bit easier.

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Happy Birthday Christopher! I will always remember you. I'll always wish that it could have been different and that you could have been here with us. We love you.

Why does this always happen to me??

I had such great plans to be consistent with my Lent posts this year. And then life happened - all the kids got sick, had to take one to the ER, I got sick, and then I had a dental emergency on Saturday, and it isn't even resolved yet!

So what do you think? Should I start the Lent posts back up tomorrow or should I just figure that I'm not meant to do these kinds of posts???

Lent Day 3

Oh, my heart hurts for the people in Japan.

Pray: Praying for comfort, strength, healing, and hope for the people in Japan.

Fast: I'm fasting two meals today and adding to the totals from my two meals to the Give jar.

Give: I will be giving $40 to help the efforts in Japan.

Lent Day 2

Pray: Pray for a spiritual experience during this week. And the strength to recognize it and use it in your life.

Fast: Give up TV for at least today. Consider giving it up for the next 39 days.

Give: Find a container for putting loose change in. Place at least one dollar a day for the next 39 days for giving to a charity of your choice.

Lent Day 1

Pray: Pray for strength to get through just TODAY.

Fast: Today, fast from food as much as you are able. I'm shooting for two meals.

Give: Give your thanks to someone who doesn't usually get a Thank you.

Tomorrow Begins Lent . . .

A couple years ago, I was going to do a series of posts during Lent that focuses on the main activities of Lent - prayer, fasting and giving. ( I was inspired by Elizabeth's , author of Real Learning book, blog. She did this back in 2009 too.) But after a few days of posts, I got very sick, and then we got a terrible computer virus, and it just didn't work out.

So I'm going to try it again.

Anyway, so every day, I'll discuss what I'm going to do in terms of prayer/mediation/etc., fasting/sacrificing and giving for that day.

I'm also going to use this Lenten period as a time to focus on the 7 Areas of Wellness (Remember this post?) For the next 40 days, this is what I'm going to do in each of the Seven Areas of Wellness:

1. Emotional - Write in my journal every day.
2. Environmental - Walk or bike whenever possible for the next 40 days. Including grocery shopping.
3. Intellectual - Read a book each week for the next 6 weeks.
4. Physical - Jog six days a week and eat only whole foods.
5. Social - Sign up for a class through Parks and Rec or the community college of something non-academic that interests me.
6. Spiritual - Learn more about meditation.
7. Vocational - Send a resume, job application or network five days a week for the next 6 weeks to try and find another source of income.