Where Everybody Knows Your Order

I love traveling. My husband and I just went on a 3,257 mile road trip. We stopped in Manteca CA for 3 days. In Sparks NV for a day. In a teeny tiny town in Wyoming for a day of work. Then on to Colorado Springs CO for 4 days. We headed back home through the mountains then through the incredible beauty that is Utah. Oh how we loved it.

Praying hands in Northern Utah

A Picture Speaks a Thousand Words

Such an old saying, but so very true. I was pondering how much more we live that saying these days with cameras on our phones where pictures get sent immediately, Instagram which is all about the pics, and Facebook where scrolling through the feed can bring tears, laughs, or eye-rolling on any given day.

As I write this, it is Mother’s Day. The photos on the feeds are sweet and meaningful and complete stories in and of themselves.

Also as I write, I celebrate 60 days of plant-based eating. My 30 day report can be read here. My 60 day report is not full of amazing numbers. But I will share this picture taken today.

What can you eat?

That question cracks me up now. I had a conversation with a lovely young lady yesterday and she learned I was a plant-based eater and her face went into shock. “What can you eat? I can’t imagine even one meal!”

I chuckled. Not because of the craziness of the question, but that I probably would have asked the same thing myself one day. And now it just seems silly. I’m glad it now seems silly because  that means I have acclimated somewhat.

When I began this journey, I went from one who loves to meal plan and cook to one that couldn’t think beyond salad.

Ridiculous, I know.

But it was true. I know the struggle of changing your diet. Reach out and ask for help! People love to share what is working for them. Glean, my friend, glean!

Choices

How many choices do we make in a day? You know, big choices, like am I getting up now that I’m awake or now that the alarm went off, or am I not? Things like that.

What about this one: Am I going to take care of my self today?

30 Days of Plant-Based Eating Report

Well, here it is, April 9th. One month from my launch into plant-based eating as an experiment to see if it would help the kidney disease that has been getting ugly in my body. My nephrologist is prepared to launch a hard-core medication campaign — something I would desperately love to avoid. I have done these meds before. It was not pretty.

Accidental Vegan

I finally found the title that fits me. Accidental Vegan. I might change my domain name, but that seems complicated and  perhaps unnecessary. We’ll see.

But I do feel a little accidental. I came this way because of kidney disease. Not because I felt passionately about it (although I am getting more passionate about it daily). I am 100% in because my doctor told me to “prove it” to him that this would be better for my kidney. I have tried before and strayed from the path because the benefits did not seem solid. Now that I have researched more, studied more, and have a hardcore belief in this eating plan, I do not intend to stray again.

Simple Food = Healthy Life

We all know processed food and fast food are not real food. Even when we eat them for convenience, deep inside we know. We struggle sometimes to keep that knowledge deep inside.

But we know.

And it is frustrating.

Frustrating because we have convenience all around us, but real health does not live in convenience or easy. It lives in real stuff. Real food. Real movement. Real relationships. And real stuff is not pre-packaged and super convenient. 

Thank you, God, for coffee!

Almost a week ago my doctor challenged me to prove a plant-based diet would benefit this stinking kidney disease. So, I am on it. Fortunately, I enjoy cooking for the most part. I even enjoy the prepping, thankfully. Eating plant-based is a bunch of peeling, chopping, slicing, and such. I don’t mind it. Sometimes a drive through or take out sounds great, but overall I am good with it.

Vegan … Again …

So, I stopped being diligent. Which is stupid. I can actually hear someone saying “Don’t say stupid!” But it is, or was. I don’t know why I strayed. I wish I did, but I don’t. Lazy? Hungry for a chicken leg? Six chicken legs? Inn & Out Burger? Ugh. Things are too serious with me for being loose with diligence. I have a bowl of oatmeal beside me and a laptop in front of me. I would like to share a piece of my story and then I have a favor to ask of you.

Here is a short part of my story:

Sometimes Overwhelmed Is GOOD!

It is just a regular Thursday. No biggie. Day 4 of the work week. Early in the month. Nothing special.

Except …

I started thinking about my life. You know, just pondering. Letting the thoughts roll about on their own. And I got instantly overwhelmed.

Six grandchildren that can light up my face and day and world by doing absolutely nothing except being. My 2-year-old calls me to tell me important stuff. The 3-year-old has to show me stuff on every video call because he knows how important it is for me to see everything he loves. The 4 and 6 year olds act like lunatics with excitement or just plain weirdness that I play over again and again in my mind and heart long after the call has ended. And my darling 7-year-old girl. . . I can just stare at her picture and get misty.