Nom, nom, nom

Thanksgiving with the In-Laws in Exeter

Toby, goofing off in the car on the way there

I'm thankful that I finished knitting these owl fingerless gloves for Oliver's sister in the car - because both of his sisters had birthdays this week. They both got owl mitts from me, and another year wiser.

Toby, Oliver, Aunt "Alley" / Alexandra, and Uncle Nik /Nikolas

My mother-in-law, Louise

Toby, scaring poor Alexandra's little kitty cat

Toby and Uncle Nikolas - Toby just climbed right up on his lap and they watched TV together.

Watching Toy Story. Toby on Nik's lap, Louise's boyfriend Mike, Alexandra, and my mother-in-law, Louise.

So cute together!

Breakfast at the Whistle Stop, a train-themed cafe

Oliver and his brother Nikolas

Mike and Louise

Me and Toby, adding obscene amounts of jam to Louise's now inedible yogurt

And coloring with crayons

Love birds at the park

Part Success Story, Part Cautionary Tale

About a year ago, I read "The China Study," and decided, for health reasons initially, to adopt a plant based diet - and then I freaked out a little because I really had no idea what was left to eat!

I checked out every vegan and vegetable-friendly recipe book I could request from the surrounding libraries, listened to vegetarian podcasts, and learned an insane amount of things that have changed my life and my health, in dramatic ways.

One of the books I found at our local library was Thrive, by vegan ultra-marathon runner, and professional triathlete Brendan Brazier, whom I had the great honor of meeting this last week.

I was an embarrassing, stuttering, giddy, mess - and he was very gracious, and nice to me anyway.

I told him about the changes that I have made in my health and fitness, and how inspired I was by him and his books - that it was so great to have the opportunity to meet an author and thank them in person - and he signed my book. Someone I met at the training for the 1/2 marathon was there, and she described me as one of his success stories - but socially embarrassing cautionary tale, could also fit; because, did I mention the stuttering? Kind of embarrassing - but I figure, everyone has at least a few celebrities, authors, musicians, etc. with whom they would turn into total geeks in front of, right? I'm thinking of Beatlemania, and suddenly feeling comparatively, psychologically healthy - and yet, I should probably still get out more.

But I'm working on that too.

I exchanged phone numbers with the women I had met at the 1/2 marathon training group - and we made tentative plans to go on a 12 mile run together before Christmas - and I got a phone number from a vegan cooking instructor and mom who has a son my son's age, who wants to get together for a playdate sometime. Two phone numbers, from two cool women, something like two days after totally complaining on the blog about not having any friends in Sacramento.

Pretty sweet.

And - what's even cooler, is that I didn't make these friends by pretending to be anything other than me - the only real way to make real friends, in my opinion.

My favorite line from Robin Williams' movie, "The Worlds' Greatest Dad," a lot funnier and darker of a movie than it's happy-go-lucky title would imply, reminds me of this. His character says, "I used to think that the worst thing in life was to end up all alone. It's not. The worst thing in life is ending up with people who make you feel all alone."

Right now, I don't have a lot of friends in Sacramento, and the friendships that I do have are fragile and new - but I have friends, good friends, who love me for who I am, and I am not alone - although I do spend a lot of time by myself.

Trying

I was nominated to be the local mom's group activity coordinator. Turns out their favorite activity is criticizing everything I suggest we do, while not offering any suggestions of their own. When I suggested I quit - several members said, "But you're doing such a great job!"

I joined the club to meet people. I've met them, and feel just as lonely as before, and annoyed. Now I'm lonely and annoyed. I guess the problem wasn't really meeting people, the problem is still a problem, and that is, that I still haven't made any friends here. I like our neighborhood, but I don't like the people I've met in our neighborhood. The idea of moving anywhere else though, makes me physically ill.

My car was hit in the grocery store parking lot. Not sure which is more of a crime, the hit and run, or all the paperwork, phone calls, emails, and other crap I have to deal with now as a result. It's the kind of thing that makes me want to go run my car into something. (Just kidding.)

I'm reading a book about recovering from eating disorders, and the book is making me a little nuts. There are a couple of places in the text where the author equates veganism with an eating disorder - but the whole thing is a muddled mess. Horses are good therapy for recovering from an eating disorder. Equine culture values thinness and creates eating disorders. I'm not sure what she even thinks is healthy - and the whole thing is making my head spin. She's a recovering anorexic, and former vegetarian. She says eating meat was part of her healing. Well if you are starving, yes, eating anything, is better than nothing, but not eating meat is not an illness in itself. I've decided she's nuts and wants to make me nuts too.

I'm reading a self-help book that's making me nuts.

The hit-and-run clerical aftermath is also a crime.

The mom's group I joined for my social health, has made me want to retreat from society.

I'm trying to find the humor in some trying things.

Trying... and I'm having a bad day - I'm frustrated and lonely, I just want to go hide somewhere and cry - or bang my head against the wall - or write a really long blog post about a bunch of stupid things that are pissing me off today.

New Kid's Play Area at the Mall

We went to the mall yesterday to check out the new play area. It was really fun - and it's Saturday now, Oliver's not working, and it's raining, so I think we may even go back again today.

It's not even Thanksgiving yet - what's Santa doing here?

Mall fuel

Knitting

Hilja Vest

Owl Mittens

February Lady Sweater

Fingerless Gloves