That'll Teach Me To Take A Bath...

Hello, My Friends~~~

This morning after hubby and son went off to work and school, I decided to begin my day with a relaxing bath and a good book. What a great idea! Wrong. After my bath, I had one doozy of a hot flash. Headache, brief dizziness, sweating on my face, and then a little fatigue. I had read that a warm bath can cause hot flashes. It had happened to me on Monday, but not as intense as it did this morning. Now, if you've been following my blog, you have learned that I had numerous tests earlier in the year to determine I have NO heart problems, NO high blood pressure, and I have turned my diet and lifestyle completely around, lost 25 pounds, lots of inches, and now weigh my perfect weight. I just happen to be 49 and going through perimenopause. But I admit that it isn't easy. Not all of us ladies of "the change" go through it in the same way. My significant issue is anxiety, and I am controlling that. Now that I know my symptoms are of "the change" are nothing medically serious, I cope with them better each and every day. I have my life back, because I choose not to let these symptoms get to me. It hasn't been easy, and it takes discipline. It also takes discipline not to whine to my friends and family about this on a frequent basis--believe me!

Why am I telling you this? Because I know I'm not the only one out there. As I have done before on my blog, here, I reveal this personal info about myself in order to reach out to those who may have begun this journey and think "am I losing my mind?" No, you aren't. And I know that sometimes the easy route is to pull the covers up over your head and sleep, and then stare at the TV while chugging bowlfuls of M & M's. Believe me, it is easier but it's not a way to live life.

Golly gosh, I've gotten too preachy, haven't I? Well, I'll leave this topic alone for now, and give you updates once in a while, unless you say to me "no more!".

Now, please let me show you what good ol' hot flashy me did today instead of chugging M & M's (which I was really tempted to do). I filled my water bottle, grabbed a Nuts Over Chocolate Luna Bar, and headed for the farmers market. I bought organic kale, chard, and onions. Look at these cute flat onions!

I'm going to use them in a Julia Child's Gratin recipe this weekend!

Then, later, by following Connie Green Stuart's instructions from the Spring 2009 issue of Somerset Life, I bundled up lengths of white seam binding ribbon and dyed them with Easter egg color tablets. Here is the result:

 

I have more egg color tablets and will take Connie's example and mix them up a bit and do multi-color ribbons!

I also took a brisk walk with a dear neighbor who has her hands full with her kids after they get home from school, and has put her own physical wellness aside. Sometimes you need an "annoying" neighbor like me. She was glad we went for that walk, and confessed to me that she has been having hot flashes but didn't know what they were. We both agreed that exercise is one of the best things a person can do to combat them!

Am I being all too "Dr. OZ" here? Hope not, as I went to art school :) Thanks for letting me share my "flashy" day!~~~XXOO, Beth