Day 58

 

I have some exciting news - we will soon be launching Project Mushroom! Over the years we have developed a relationship with a community in Payak, a rural town in Isaan, NE Thailand where we worked with other partners to establish Samuel's House. We met Hannah and husband Nehamee in 2002 (well actually I met Han in 1998 in Bangkok but that is another story) and have established a long-term friendship with her family and their community. In 2010 I had the pleasure to take a small group of women to Thailand (some photos here) and part of our trip was spending time at Samuel's House with the children and visiting with the women in that community whom Hannah is mentoring. I will be making this opportunity available to women again in November 2012. 

Hannah & Nehamee started a mushroom farm in 2011 via a micro-finance project and it is now prospering - we had a chance to see (and taste) the project in action in August 2011. The fruits of their labour are wonderful as are the the financial results. They are now in the position to help others get started by way of education, mentoring and support. Hannah has selected two women from a nearby community who have together saved 10,000B toward the project start-up costs (approximately 35,000B) so we decided to partner with them and invest the remaining amount as our first fruits giving this year. The joy of giving has become such a valued part of our life and whilst being able to contribute is enough in itself - it always seems to come back to us.

"Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap."  - Luke 6:38

I can't wait to visit again in November, spend time with our beautiful Thai family, visit the new project & meet these two women and of course eat lots of mushrooms - which of course you can eat raw!

Day 57

I've never been into cheese that much and whilst I would indulge at the occasional wine and cheese evening, cheese was rarely something that would make it into my grocery basket. Well as you can see from today's lunch - a big garden salad with sprouted chickpeas & topped with a dollop of cashew nut and sunflower seed cheez - I've been at it again. In fact today I made a batch and it's now chilling nicely in the fridge and should last me the week. It's super easy to make - soak the cashew and sunnies overnight - pop them in your whizzer with freshly squeezed lemon, apple cider vinegar and I drizzle a little olive oil in there as well. Being kind to your heart with nourishing heart loving food is easy once you know how but is made easier when you have a supportive community within which to share your journey so I've started a new online group called Happy Healthy Homes which I welcome you all to join. This afternoon we played badminton in the garden at sunset whilst discussing our plans and dreams for the next ten years. As a couple we are facing some big decisions and I keep coming back to the heart truth of less is more. We want to make our decisions in a way that is harmonious with the simple life that we wish to enjoy. Today I found the Cavanagh family crest & motto online and it's exciting to think that we have such a rich heritage of 'peace and plenty'.  

Day 53 - 56

Time to catch up - I was away on our annual girls retreat since Friday morning. Each year a small group of us take a time out to recharge the batteries and just spend time together. This year we had an apartment on the 26th floor at Q1 on the Gold Coast. It was a pretty rainy weekend but we still thoroughly enjoyed ourselves with good food, company and conversation. On Saturday we went on an outing to Burleigh and had lunch at raw foodie haven From Earth & Water. One of the cool things I learned over the weekend from my sister-in-law is that our family crest has a motto attached to it 'peace & plenty' which really resonates with me! I am very grateful that these wonderful attributes are part of my life. The man of the house had a virus last week and I caught a whiff of it, whilst I haven't been bed ridden, I certainly haven't been feeling myself lately, hopefully it will pass and I'll be back to my usual energetic self soon!

Day 52

A box of latino love arrived today - botijo olives from a family farm in Peru, acai powder from Columbia and maca from Peru (Aztec superfoods to add to my green smoothie every morning), agave syrup and raw chili chocolate. I was in seminars all day today which was wonderfully inspiring - many news ideas and new opportunities, but also an abundance of food that I mostly could not eat. So this evening I indulged in the fiery chilli chocolate this evening over a pot of freshly brewed dandelion tea. I am looking forward trying the Acai - I have heard alot about it over the past twelve months mostly in the context of weight loss but have learnt that it is also packed with antioxidants. The acai that Loving Earth import is wild harvested from plams growing in the coastal estuaries of Columbia by the Tumas, an indigenous minority group whose diet is 40% acai. By supporting Loving Earth we can access premium quality organic staples and contribute to providing a viable income to these communities which for me is a big win!  

Day 51

The ritual of taking tea is surely one of life's simple pleasures - it's that little space to take time out and just enjoi the moment. For some months now I have been wanting to throw a badminton tea party in my garden. So when my dear new friend Miss E said she wanted to have a tea party for her send off I was most excited. So this evening a few of us gathered at day's end for a lovely little soirée ala Alice in Wonderland. Miss J from Vintage by LouLou arrived early to transform my garden into a wonderland tea party: vintage tea pots, cups and saucers, boutique teas & tiered plates brimming with cucumber sandwiches and scones with jam & cream awaited the guests who soon began to arrive. We were just warming up on the freshly cut grass badminton court when the mad hatter arrived with her mouthwatering plate of fresh sushi. The Queen was unable to join us and we did miss her company and if you're wondering.....yes whilst I was most tempted but I had grapes to munch on plus some raw chocolate to look forward to, which I might add, was bundled up in a most unexpected precious package....thank you my dear friends for joining me for tea!  

Day 50

Wow halfway and life is very, very good! Tonight I had something different raw oysters with lemon and cracked pepper and himalayan salt followed by a fresh fig - yum! The day has been fab - my 'chaffeur' picked me up promptly at 6:30am and off we went to the 2012 Ipswich Mayoral  Breakfast hosted by Ipswich Awakening. Despite being surrounded by danish, sausages, bacon and eggs & all the trimmings, I have to say I was so busy flitting about the room catching up with friends and associates that I hardly noticed the food. I'd already had my happy shake and managed to get an extra plate of fruit and didn't feel at all like I was missing out. In fact quite the opposite, when I reflect on what I actually protected my body from I feel excited that I've been able to progress to this new level of practice and thinking. Some might say 'well you paid for a ticket' but I felt I had so much value from the morning, Peter Irvine, co-founder of Gloria Jean's was an engaging speaker with an incredible story and I soaked up every morsel of what he said. When our mind, body and soul are engaged in the pursuit of our dreams, that process can provide a sustenance that goes far beyond the physical. Perhaps that is why people are overeating so much these days they know something is missing yet instead of awakening their true purpose spend their evenings watching TV or aimlessly surfing the internet. We weren't born to consume, we were born to create and reach our full potential in life to give the gift that resides within each one of us, sometimes we have push ourselves, in spite of our fears, to start taking that journey....is it time to take a little step of faith?

Day 49

Flashes light up the horizon and distant thunder rolls around teasing the parched earth like an elusive lover. It's interesting the discussions I have had with various people around food since being on this journey, the various reactions and attitudes of people toward food have surprised me and remind me that our limiting beliefs play such a large role in determining our awareness, reception to new ideas and accordingly the range and quality of our choices. One friend of an old vintage was astounded that I eat raw asparagus! It's delicious and crunchy and I have eaten it raw for years! I think it will taste fantastic dipped in cashew cheez actually, hmm that might go on the menu for this weekend. Many people have preconceived notions that food must be cooked in order to derive all possible goodness and I am finding myself educating more and more people about the benefits of raw food! At about 8:22am this morning I was told by the man of the house that we were going on an outing today and were leaving at 9am sharp. There aren't alot of choices out there for raw foodies so I quickly threw together a salad with sprouted legumes (leeping the dressing separate), some almonds, an apple & some dried figs into a cooler bag. After putting together some other day out essentials (water bottle, towel, swimmers, sunscreen, book etc) I was in the car a little past 9am but given the last minute notice I think I did pretty well. We finished Tears of the Giraffe today which we have been reading together of an evening or on picnics. Reading together as a family is a wonderful way to share special time and we do it when children are young but for some reason (perhaps the tv?) books seem forgotten in the family and couple context. It was a delightful read and I enjoyed it so much that I bought another copy to give as a random gift. Now to find our next novel. I think I just heard some rain drops on the roof.....

Day 47 & 48

Ah the cool of the evening, isn't it delicious after a warm day. We've been getting some serious organisation happening here this weekend. We've had a gorgeous home retreat doing some of our favourite things - sleeping in, visiting vintage haunts, gardening, watching feel good films, playing games, a beautiful Sunday afternoon visit from family and preparing delicious food. We picked up a lovely new outdoor setting which will go perfectly on the front deck - the warmest spot on a crisp winter morning. I love relaxing there over the morning paper, or a good book and drinking my tea - now I will have a cosy nook to do so instead of the front steps! The space has been somewhat commandeered over the past few months due laziness on my behalf. I do love having a good tidy up, seeing the new space you have created is so energzing. It must have had a compound effect on my raw energy at the moment because the clean up didn't stop there! Suddenly other rooms and spaces were drawn into the maelstrom of my cleaning frenzy, the hoover was running hot, clothes were getting shuffled and re-hung, rugs pulled out of hiding and thrown in the sunshine! There was simply nowhere to hide and even the man of the house, despite liking to tidy 'in his own time' even obliged. We often hear the term spring cleaning but I think there it's healthy to prepare the home at the end of summer, especially when you reside in cooler climates when the home often goes into 'hibernation'.  So after all that work it was time for a little mexican fiesta - I found the recipe for these delicious raw tacos on My New Roots. I've never been a big cheese eater but I was most impressed with how easy it was to make the cashew cheez (I soaked the nuts for about two hours which really helped) and how yummy it was. These will be going on the menu for our annual girls retreat next weekend which I am excitedly putting together - I can't wait to share some wholesome raw food with my friends.

Day 46

Today I was captivated by Sally Whitwell's rendition of this beautiful classical piece of music by Philip Glass which came on Radio National as I was driving back to the office from a breakfast meeting at Springfield Lakes. Music evokes such powerful emotion in me, so unexpectedly at times, it catches me by surprise like an old friend that sees you on the street and grabs you in an embrace. My mother was a musician and immersed me in instrumental music, song and dance from a very young age. I feel her with me at these times and perhaps that is why I long to linger there.....

After the breakfast meeting time seemed to get away from me and as did lunch but my morning happy shake and the fruit from the breakfast buffet, some almonds & brazil nuts and of course the enchanting music, have sustained me quite well all day - well don't they say when you're in love you forget your apettite? In general though I'm finding that hunger pangs are not as strong or frequent and my explanation is that eating raw, living foods is so nourishing that the desire to constantly fill up is decreased. I also noted that I have not experienced any stomach pains or feeling of being too full. Sometimes in the past after I would eat something, I would feel pain or so sick (or full and bloated) and zapped of energy that I would have to lie down. Those outcomes were my body saying: 'I don't know what this is, how do I deal with it - HELP!' I snacked on some apple & walnuts (those two really do make such a lovely couple) before a nutrient rich salad for dinner. I've just found a recipe for raw apple & walnut cookies on Raw LouLou's blog so the dehydrator will be fired up again this weekend!

“Treat your body like a temple, not a woodshed. The mind and the body work together. Your body needs to be a good support system for the mind and the spirit. If you take good care of it, your body can take you wherever you want to go, with the power and the strength and energy and vitality you will need to get there.”

~ Jim Rohn 

Day 45

The morning sunrise over the river lately has been divine, the warming rays gently call me to awaken and live and breathe in all the day has in store. Sunrises remind me of many things, the places I have been fortunate to travel to in the world, new beginnings, a chance to refresh the soul, new adventures and friends. It's truly amazing how this raw food journey has connected me with people I never knew before. I met Mia at a cocktail party before Christmas and whilst we only met briefly I knew she was interested in healthy eating and exploring non-mainstream ways of preparing food. I was most excited when we got connected on facebook and lo and behold - she was on day seven of her raw food journey - amazing!  So we've been swapping tips and recipes. It really reminded me of the truth of like attracts like - whom you spend time with on a regular basis is a large reflection on who you are as a person - your standards, your mindset, worldview, finances and your waistline! That's why I love meeting new people because you expand your world through the people you meet! I found this quote today which I will leave you to ponder: “When the pathways of the body are clear and open, the pathways in all areas of life begin to open. Beginning with your inner pathways, start to open organically to the life you were meant to enjoy.”      

Day 44

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Aren't these cooler mornings delicious, I love the change of season it's so renewing and the cool breeze whispers to me of new things to come. Susanne and I began our day with a glorious walk around the Central Parks, as usual my friend and I got into all kinds of robust discussions. I really am going to miss Sooz so much when she goes back home very soon but as my darling pointed out that's another excuse to go jet-setting to Sydney (ooh that sounds like pre-approval!). I thought I might share with you some of the food I have been eating so today's menu: breakfast - a happy shake (which you have already heard me raging about) - lunch today was sprouted lentille du puy & garbanzo in virgin olive oil, tomato, asparagus, capsicum, cucumber, beetroot & raw red olives on a bed of baby cos with lashings of avocado & drizzled with lemon and freshly cracked pepper - late afternoon I packed a basket with treats, a book we have been reading and a rug and we went on a belated Valentines Day picnic date to one of our favourite spots in Ipswich. It was a gorgeous afternoon, the sun was warm and the water inviting, he didn't go in but I couldn't resist. I always feel drawn to take a dip there is something refreshing,sensual and invigorating about swimming. As you can see from the photo the picnic was raw plus! Shaun is frequently asked now if he is also raw and he states that he is raw +. It's actually no problem as I would make a salad for us both and then add some cooked chicken or boiled eggs etc for him! You can feed your family and maintain your commitment to your own nutritional goals with planning and creativity!

Day 43

The aromas from FourthChild were tantalising this morning. One of our high street's most popular eateries, this gorgeous little café inspires the imagination with bespoke cuisine freshly prepared from locally sourced, organic ingredients. Everyday is a new culinary adventure with a chalkboard menu and glass cabinet brimming with treats to entice. But it's more than just the food and funky, modern aesthetic, spend enough time there and you'll be greeted by name, treated like family, you'll bump into friends (new and old) and your coffee order will become 'your usual' as you get imbibed into the FourthChild family. Since meeting Amanda through Ipswich Women in Business  two years ago she has been making my dairy & gluten free birthday cakes - I love surprises so the order is left to her imagination and she never fails to delight me - the first year was chocolate beetroot cake and last year she made a decadent french hazelnut torte with champagne poached pears which we had with tea at mid-week Pink Princess & Mad Hatters mini-party at the office (both cakes pre-raw of course). I spent the morning at Cultiver filling my little space with new pieces from my mid-season range so Très Chic is now brimming with autumnul colours, vintage inspired jackets, silks, linens and knits. I also decided to share the love with a Valentines Day Sale which will continue to the end of the month and more pieces added daily. My Valentines Day inspiration was delayed due to weather so fingers crossed for good weather tomorrow arvo! I also got a strength training session in today and had the room mostly to myself! Whilst it was very relaxing and peaceful, it's indicative of the fact that women often neglect to include resistance work in their fitness program. The benefits however are wonderful and so worth the investment - just three half hour sessions per week and a yoga class is all it takes to get started. I have been incorporating resistance training into my schedule since 2005 and highly recommend it - if you'd like to join me for a session please get in touch!

Day 42

I love down dog it must be one of my favourite yoga poses. I don't know what it is about that pose but I often find myself lingering there whilst the class has moved on. I am loving Monday night yoga class and tongight experience a definite transition in my practice. When I recently took the Real Age test the questions asked really made me think about those factors in our life that contribute to our health and longevity. Happiness clearly has a significant impact on health and I'd encourage you to consider spending more time doing things that bring you joy and happiness. Why not cut out TV and instead schedule some happy time like catching up with friends that energize you, taking a yoga class or playing a game. Whatever it is that makes leaves you feeling refreshed and invigorated - they are your happy places! One of mine is my garden and everything looked so lush, green and inviting after the rain this afternoon that I grabbed the camera and went for a little exploration. As I discovered some beautiful flowers, two new little pumpkins, the beans from Ruth that have started producing (I sampled a few) I was reminded of many friends and family as I spotted plants and herbs that had been gifts or cuttings from others. My garden reminds me that we are all connected and in the same way that we need fresh wholesome food for health and vitality we also need fresh and wholesome community and connection with others. Friendship online kind of reminds me of food from a can, it's ok but fresh is best! I think it's time to invite someone over for a happyshake!

Day 40 & 41

Our shelves are teeming with an abundance of organic staples, nuts, seeds, dried fruits, legumes and I bought some spelt as well to bake with for Shaun. If you have never tried baking with spelt give it a chance - whilst I didn't eat bread very often prior to being raw, occasionally I would buy a loaf of organic sourdough spelt and have it toasted and topped with butter, gooey yellow eggs, tomatoes, basil, freshly cracked pepper and grain mustard. The arrival of raw cacao meant it was time to try out Stacy's "Happy Shake"! In a blender I put 1/2 cup of the base liquid (I juiced up celery, cucumber, ginger, apple & lemon then added freshly brewed green tea & coconut water), 1tbsp coconut oil, 1tbsp raw cacao powder, 1tbsp vital greens, two big handfuls of baby spinach and silverbeet. You blend it all to a green sludge consistency - then add one cup of frozen mixed berries and banana, chia seeds and flaxseed meal and blend - top with goji berries - voila it's thick shake consistency but yumalicious and Über healthy! The verdict is in - it's awesome - you simply have to try it! So I've worked out a plan for this week - I have prepared enough base liquid for the week which I will freeze in ice cube trays so I'm ready to go in seconds! Sunday morning was glorious - a happy shake, some gardening sowing new seeds from Thursday evening's garden meet-up and some sunny seeds to sprout (first attempt at sprouting my most favourite sprouts in the world). We went hunting for mangos, but the trees ladden with fruit only a few weeks ago were all bare so we popped past the new produce pop-up out front of Precious Packages and picked up some plums! It was then time to celebrate our two year old nephews birthday. Uriah is the most beautiful,affectionate and placid boy and I call him my little Russian Tank! We spent a gorgeous few hours eating, playing and chatting (I did take my own lunch but my sister-in-law made some raw carob balls which I had a few too many of!). Even with the training wheels, the bike we gave Uriah will be one he grows into and today as I watched his older brother take it for a spin I noticed something interesting. He was flying around on the concrete without any problems and as he took it onto the grass, the bike ground to a halt as the training wheels dug in. Shaun was sitting beside me and casually said, "there'll be no holding those boys back when they get rid of those training wheels". As soon as he said it I knew there was a deeper message and it made me think, in life we have supports (training wheels) around us when we are new to a process, concept or relationship etc but how often do we prolong those supports, that are only meant for a season, and in fact hold ourselves back from really growing and learning to use our own emotional muscles to stay upright and create forward momentum. What was intended to be a support in fact becomes a hindrance because we don't acknowledge the right time to 'take off the training wheels'. Well I'll have to ponder that some more this week as the remainder of our afternoon was whisked away by a lovely social event, unperturbed by storm clouds which turned into nothing more than a sunshower cooling everything down. We enjoyed a genteel afternoon of social tennis followed by a light afternoon tea at the Junior Tennis Courts nestled amongst the picturesque gardens at the corner of Queens Park. Players sported some most dapper tennis attire, and we even had a vintage wooden racquet  in fabulous condition turn up for a few sets. It certainly packed a sturdy blow and we all had a round or two with it. 

Day 39

My colleagues organised a gals night out this evening to see The Vow at our local cinema. It was only starting at 7pm so I thought we'd enjoy a little tour of a few events happening this evening. We started off with a spot of bubbly and strawberries at Serendipidity where beautiful bouquets of flowers greeted us at the door before popping over to the opening of the Usual Offenders exhibition at the community gallery. Heading off to the cinema, we spied an old wheelbarrow sporting a little herb garden planted right in it's tub of soil - I thought what a great idea - a mobile herb garden - I will have to look for an old barrow now and get one started! It was parked right out front of Jamie Oliver's Ministry of Food and we couldn't help but have a peek as the kitchen was so colourful and inviting, bunches of coriander, crunchy snow peas and all sorts of delicious ingredients laid for the evening's 7pm class - the menu Thai curry stir-fry! Dinella welcomed us to have a look and shared about the program - we really are most fortunate to have the school right here in Ipswich and at such an affordable price - you're literally just paying for the food you get to take home and eat! What an opportunity and last minute romantics - a great Valentines Day gift idea to boot! Sign yourself and your lover up for a ten week evening course - they say intimacy starts in the kitchen and there you have a lovely date night to look forward to each week. We took our leave as students began to arrive and skipped over to the cinema to meet up with my learned friends, one of whom is most cinema savvy - she ordered our tickets online and picked them up that day which meant we 'jumped the (gargantuan) queue' and if you're wondering...yes I did the little jiggle (don't you love nerds!). The Vow was a beautiful film based on a true story and for a couple of hours I was lost in the world of romance forgetting all including my rumbling tummy. LouLou's strawberries kept me going for awhile but by the end of the film I was decidedly peckish. The candy bar, a saloon of sugary seduction, was awash with colour but didn't have anything even remotely healthy let alone raw and Susanne and I were kicking ourselves for not popping over to Wray before they closed this afternoon to pick up some healthy cinema treats. Preparation, no matter what kind of nutritional programme you have committed to, really is the key to avoiding the hunger and snack traps and staying on target, I was given a little reminder of that this evening. I'll let you know what ideas I come up with for my next film night! I've just devoured a handful of walnuts, some papaya, a few spoonfuls of almond butter and a delicious banana and strawberry smoothie - now I am feeling much better and time to to turn in.

Day 38

There really is nothing like going to your own garden in the cool of the day and harvesting delicious, fresh, organic food for the evening meal. My strawberries from Trevallan Lifestyle Centre will hopefully becoming a raging patch of red as the months cool down. I love visiting TLC it is so relaxing, cool and peaceful and the greenhouse and Chelsea is a wealth of knowledge for beginners like me. There is still so much to learn, so.... inspired by friends here who are teaching me by example and the Kitchen Gardens International movement we launched the inaugural Ipswich Kitchen Gardening Meet-Up tonight at Leichhardt Community Centre. It was a great turn-out of people who are at varying stages of learning to grow food. From those of us who are very new to gardening to our older friends who can literally throw some coriander seeds on the ground and week later a big crop has sprung up (and yes I have seen them do it!) the potential of what will unfold as we connect and empower one another is exciting. Friends who hadn't yet had a chance to visit the kitchen garden on the grounds, strolled down and were inspired by what has been achieved in quite a small area. Most residential blocks would have close to the space in the backyard so I encourage you to take the time to visit. We had some time of sharing information, harvest and seeds and then finished the evening over a light supper. Rada and Shiva - a beautiful Indian couple (yes the coriander sprinklers!) were terribly mean, tempting me with their delicious fried rice and bamboo shoot curry so I have told them I will be visiting them for dinner in April! Adrienne brought some delicious kale chips from Wray however I think someone may have devoured the whole bowl....(oops)

Day 37

Wide awake at 3:30am this morning, got some writing done, watched the sunrise and have powered through the day with heaps of energy and getting loads done. I finished a book this evening called "The Best Year of Your Life" and found a few highlights of areas I know I want to tinker with so they really spoke to me. The second last chapter was on making memories and I just loved it because that is special to me also. I'd much rather invest time, energy and resources into have an amazing and beautiful experience with friends and loved ones than buying 'stuff' I don't really need that doesn't really make me any happier. The Story of Stuff project is a fabulous little overview of how 21st C society has departed from the simple life, the impact that has had on the planet and it's inhabitants (including us) and is quite encouraging of a return to the good life! Have a quick look. I had lunch with a colleague who has also become a treasured friend, one of those people in your life that leaves you with a little skip in your step, feeling enriched and inspired by the connection. Hit the gym after work and were home in time to prepare a lovely salad and drawn to the amazing late afternoon light, we took our evening meal into the garden and enjoyed the breathtaking sunset.

Day 36

Today started off in a most peculiar manner - we were supposed to meet the K's at the gym for 300 at 5:30am. Well I woke up, looked at the time and it was 6am - oops. I don't know what happened to my alarm but it worked out for the best anyway. I had a 7am IWDN breakfast meeting so I was actually on time for that, I am working on my tardiness this year and making progress. If I think through my day as I am falling asleep the night before and visualise what I have to do, it all goes quite smoothly. I picked that up from an excellent book I read last year called "The Success Principles." An excellent read for anyone who wants to achieve their dreams! So I just went to the gym after the meeting instead and did a resistance training session - I have grown to love resistance work and whilst alot of women shy away from it and focus on cardio, whereas good muscle tone is essential for weight maintenance and when mixed with cardio will give you much better results. I love helping other gals get started so let me know if you want to do a training session together!

Susanne and I scratched our 4:30pm walk due to looming storm clouds which turned out to be a storm in a tea cup (or should I say espresso - it got a bit windy, rained for about 30 seconds and was then all over!). I didn't actually eat that much today, although I did crack open the raw quark I bought from Ames on Sunday and it is decadent. I need to get some raw crackers to eat it with fresh tomato,basil and cracked black pepper. Finished off today with a lovely evening over a good book (Little Women), good friends, gorgeous grapes and a robust discussion about life, love and happiness! 

Day 35

Hubby got called in for a supply day this morning so I was able to get a tonne of stuff done this morning before a beloved childhood friend from Brisvegas came over for a day out in the high street. Rachel and I met when I was twelve and I have many happy childhood memories of summer holidays that my brother and I spent with her family at Cleveland. I don't know how her mum ever got us five kids into her little VW beetle  but I remember going on outings in that car. After spending nine years living in the UK, Rachel is just settling into life back in the land of Oz! She has been hearing all about our colourful lives here in Ipswich and wanted to come and see it for herself! We visited a few of my favourite spots in the Top of Town and spent more than a moment in each as I introduced my old friend to all of my new friends here and she was made to feel most welcome by each vendor. We enjoyed great conversation about the joy and simplicity of the 'good life' over a refreshing beverage at Cactus before heading home to sample my experimental 'veggie chips' (courgette, pumpkin and beetroot), a light, colourful salad and raw 'pecan pie'. My friend headed off to her first ToastMasters class at New Farm, refreshed and inspired, and I hit the gym for a running session with my K sisters (Karen and Karyn). I haven't run in quite awhile so I wanted to see what I could do in 20 minutes. I cracked out 4km so was very happy with the achievement and will now slowly build up to 5km in 25 minutes. My knees have given me some grief since the Park 2 Park last August but they were absolutely fine this time. We went to see Eve Hillary speak in the evening. Eve is an expert in complimentary medicine and authored 'Sarah's Last Wish' the true story of a family whose lives were dramatically impacted by the rare illness of their daughter and the consequences of an inflexible health care system here in Australia which despite being a few years old resonates strongly with the current debate on complementary health practice courses in Tertiary Institutions, largely driven by pharmaceutical companies who are financially 'compromised' by people staying well. Please consider sharing your views on this matter via this petition. Eve shared about the effects of stress and other factors on micro-nutrient levels which are vital for everyday functions, healthy cell reproduction and longevity. Her main message was to be robustly pro-active in maintaining excellent health via supplementation and focusing on prevention rather than cure. You can check your levels with a simple test. I began daily supplementation in 2006 and it must be working because I took my Real Age test the other day and I scored seven years younger than my true age. Now does that mean I can say the younger version of me when next asked...I'm going with a yes for now - let's see if anyone guesses....I'll leave you with twelve ways to a younger you!

Day 33 & 34

Time to catch up what a weekend! I think it all started when I had Saturday morning to myself and went into bliss mode. I've been lost in the enchanting world of Louisa May Alcott's 'Little Women' which I am reading for Book Club on Tuesday night - all welcome by the way (don't worry if you haven't read it all - I'm only half-way through)! It really is a most delightful read, each chapter has a valuable life lesson and messages of living simply with love, truth, integrity, hope and peace are woven beautifully through the text. Less really is more and I am so thankful I am continuing to discover the joy of living simply. Sunday morning Miss Jen and I visited Northey Street Markets. I bumped into Ames again from Raw and Peace whose own bump is growing so she will soon be taking some time off but you will still be able to have raw breakfasts at Northey Street. Ames had these delightful waffles and other scrumptious treats available on Sunday so I want to try making these next! We had 'In the Raw - Afternoon Picnic' booked in for the afternoon and so did the weather apparently! What better to do on a sultry summer's day than to pack a picnic basket with goodies and spend the late afternoon lounging on the lush lawns of one of my favourite spots in Ipswich - Kholo Botanical Gardens. We had a lovely little turnout including a beautiful breeze that came to cool us, new friends  and and some guests hadn't visited the gardens before so it was a lovely discovery for them! It was a most serendipitous picnic for without consultation we had a four course meal laid out before us - rainbow quinoa salad entrée, followed by pumpkin, courgette & coriander savoury cakes topped with cashew cheez dip and tomato salsa, vegetable sticks and fruits to crunch on (and if so desired to dip in....) Adrienne's divinely decadent mudge (a raw cacao fusion of fudge and mousse) the recipe for which will be distributed Thursday evening at our gardening meet-up, raw tiramisu and an absolutely decadent rawberry pie (which to see you will just have to visit Miss LouLou's blog). There was plenty for all to share and I was deliciously full all evening nourished by delicious raw food, sunshine, nature's gallery of beauty and lovely friends.