Thursday October 27: Hungry

This is week three of my attempt at the one day fast. 

Although strictly speaking, what I'm doing is probably not considered fasting. 

I'm not eating food but I am drinking smoothies and fresh juices like these. 

And of course I'm still having coffee, and yes a Red Bull and you know what - its still so hard. 

Every time I've done it, I end up like this, anxiously waiting until 12 when I can finally eat something. 

And daydreaming about what it will be - a bowl of Just Right with Golden Grahams? A grilled cheese sand-which? A couple of pancakes? 

So why am I doing it?  Partly, because giving your body a break from food for a at least 24 hours seems like a good thing, but also, for a selfish reason.  Anthony Robbins talks about how people need to start from a place of abundance - this can be hard to do when you're surrounded by the more you feel you need to get or earn.  One day of denying yourself some food and you realize just how abundant you really are. 

20 more minutes to go....

October 22: The Weekend

Over the weekend we had my 10 year nephew and 8 year niece sleep over.

The goal was to carve pumpkins, 4 were bought, one was carved.

Tacos were eaten along with my favourite retro desert - "mud" (Oreos, pudding and whipped cream) with candy body parts for season effect.  I couldn't find the usual gummy worms so I used "body part sushi" which tasted horrible (big surprise) but looked cool.

Then the TV and ipad both stopped working (I know what are the odds?) which made everything that much more exhausting, at least for me and R. 

Friday October 21: Panda Ball

Last night we were lucky enough to be at the first ever WWF Toronto Panda Ball - and at the head table no less!  I rarely say this, but it was glam night

And even better, I was seated to my close friend J and so didn't have to do the cocktail conversation but instead, could just chat and sip wine.

And relax.  Which I did.

The Canadian Tenors sang the Cohen classic Hallelujah and behind them was this amazing footage of water, whales, people crossing the desert on foot.  It worked.

I wore my favourite necklace last night, technically on loan since it is intended (by my 95 year old grandmother) for my brother's wife, but since he's single, its mine for now!

Of course I didn't take any pictures, but there were so many photographers there, that I'm counting on finding some of them, and hopefully I'm in them.  I think I need an iphone...

PS I knew I could count on someone else to take pictures in this case The Grid  & The Hollywood Minute 

Thursday October 20: Old Friends

In the past 10 days, I've had two old friends visit.  One from my summer job at my old law firm and the second, from the high school years I spent in Madison, New Jersey.  One just got married, the other has a baby Avery's age.

Bear, now almost 30 years old. So really an old friend.

For me, the best kind of old friends are the ones where only a small part of the conversation is about the remember whens and most of it is about today and tomorrows, and both of these were like that.

Wed October 19: Sick

This is the second time I've been sick this week.

Horrible, horrible.  And I am a bad sick person, whiny, in need of painkillers, endless hot baths, being left alone (while needing things brought to me).  I actually called R on bb (he was a floor away) to request coke and painkillers.

It does make you think though.  Growing up, my mother would always tell us how amazing the human body was, how we take it for granted until something, even something small goes wrong and then we struggle.

And most of us, most of the time are blessed by the fact that it just keeps working.  

Sunday October 17: Do I Click Three Times?

Sundays, especially rainy cold Sundays are meant (in my view anyway) to be sent in sweatpants or pjs (or yoga clothes if you must), sort of preparing for the week ahead. 


Often this doesn't mean actually doing anything practical but mentally getting ready for the week ahead - usually with the New York Times, and carbs and coffee. 


But this Sunday saw us heading out to another Diwali Gala - this time at the Royal York for this. 


And on Saturday, realizing I had no shoes that matched my dress, so I went out (in a windstorm) with Avery (who is possibly my favourite shopping companion next to R) and bought these - interested, you can find them here.


A little Dorothy?


I know I thought so too.  


But they matched, not that you can tell from the shot below.  And if nothing else, my 8 y/o niece will be impressed, so much glitter!

Note to self: this is not best angle

Tuesday October 11: Escape

Thanksgiving was about escape for me.

From what you might ask?

Just from the every day, from  my always messy house, from having to take care of the boys, from trying to eat healthy and be productive.

All of this was made possible by the fact that we went to Sarnia, a little town outside of Ontario and stayed at my Mom's house.

Going home to Mom is like an emotional spa for me.

So what does escape involve?  Time in the park with the kids, reading books that I can't admit to, eating, Indian food, turkey, cookies, crumbles, chips (dipped in cream cheese no less!) seeing movies with R (we saw this which made me want to join a campaign now).

We also saw Country Strong, yes really.  And I liked it way more than I wanted to - thank you cowboy who's name I don't remember.  Also have to grudgingly acknowledge that while GOOP is well goopy (which means something like drippy) Gwenyth Patrow is a good actress.  There I said it.

The thing about a weekend of escaping is that you feel like you should come back all charged up to Get Things Done, and be super productive.  But maybe it's the three hour drive home but that's not how I'm feeling right now.... ugh.

Thursday October 6th: Early Diwali

I admit I'm playing catch up - a dead laptop (but thank you Andrew at Apple who saved me and all my unbacked up data!)  Plus our escape weekend away in an internet free zone (Mom's house). 


But back to Wednesday night - R's annual Diwali Gala, seen here in the weekend Globe and Mail. A comment - this picture was taken when I had just arrived, so the reason my eye is closed is from my giant giant smile and not from too much white wine.  That comes later.  The dress?  From ebay by MaxMara.  The sort of art deco jewellery from India. 


Can I also share that he is in this months Canadian Business?  Read his article on why Canada needs to be build a relationship of usefulness to India here

Wednesday October 6th: Gaps

Yesterday my little Seth lost his first tooth.  We don't actually know where it went (and I prefer not to think about it) but when he walked past me in morning mania, I noticed it was gone. 

Honestly, I never used to be an emotional person, but I felt like crying.  And then yesterday evening, when I was putting him to sleep, I was sitting (well laying really) next to him, and I read this, and then I did cry. 

I promise soon, this blog will get less sappy, and more happy. 

In the meantime, here's what really hit me from it:

Please live. I don't mind if you dye your hair kool-aid blue. I don't mind if everything you believe turns out to be different from what I believe. I don't care who you love or how you love, as long as find some and give some. I don't mind what you're into, as long as you're safe. I just want to support you. I want to witness you. I want to see the things that make you smile. I want you to have the chance to be. To be happy.


Please live.

This quote is from a speech by Kate Inglis from her speech at A Walk To Remember - which draws attention to losing a child.

The website is both heartbreaking, thought provoking and also somehow inspiring.

Thursday September 29: Addictive

A cold fall morning and both R and I are snuggled in bed with the boys.  

A moment of peace.  And worth missing my treadmill time and spending the rest of the day trying to catch up.  Maybe this is what its all about?