Weekday Vegetarians

Vegan Indian Food made by R&L

Q: Can't handle the thought of giving up meat entirely but still want to help your health and the planet? (Eating a vegetarian diet is proven over and over to help you, the animals, and the planet = win, win, WIN!)
Q: Went veg in the past but thought it was impractical to your lifestyle?

A: Think about becoming a "flexitarian" and giving up meat on certain days of the week! Or you can even go with cutting out meat on certain portions of the week. Check out the Time Magazine Article: Weekday Vegetarians.

Daily Ritual

I've realized that I'm not as relaxed at home as I'd like to be. Why? I could probably start with the general disarray of being in my new home. Or the lack of furniture. Or the unfinished master bedroom. Or possibly the non-specified lack of time between getting home from work, cooking, musicing, exercising, showering, and hanging out with my hubby to do much housework that would make life neat!

So, instead of trying to do more to get it all done, I decided to add a small ritual in my life: The After Work Relaxer. Reid's been bugging me about this for ages. He says, "Laura, don't you want to relax when you get home from work?" But I figure that I'll be more relaxed after I get some stuff DONE. Not true. I'm usually flying into bed, thinking "What did I do tonight? I don't feel relaxed at all."

The After Work Relaxer is very simple and fun. I just come home and make something special happen. Here are some that I've been trying out...

Relaxing Ideas:

open the windows, lie down and do nothing

have some sparkling water with lime and berries (my personal favorite!)

sit on the sofa with your hubby and have a heart to heart

tell jokes, or read a funny book

mix up some guac

Things that don't work:

getting on the computer

organizing my paperwork

start folding clothes immediately

I think that there's a general lack of ritual in our modern lives. Ritual helps make things special, helps to differentiate one part of the day from the other. Probably most importantly it helps cue our emotions, thoughts, and bodies what to do when by creating a rhythm in our life.

So, I think I'm going to try to do more of this ritual thing.

Laundry Line

We just hung a make-shift laundry line in our back yard. I love it! I love going outside to dry my clothes. (I don't love getting bit by mosquitos). I feel like I'm participating in work that people have done for generations, and that people still do all over the world. I feel more connected. I actually think it's good for my emotional health. I just LOVE it! AND - I'm saving, like, $600 by not buying a clothes dryer. Good for my pocket book. Good for the environment. Can't get better than that!

I think we're going to go to ikea some time this week to look for a better system. Because right now, the only thing I can really hang in the middle of the line are 12in washclothes.

Don't want scratchy clothes? Here are some outside clothes-drying tips:
1. Don't hang them in the sun.
2. Don't let them get rained on. Rain = crispy, crunchy clothes.
3. Pull them off the line when they're about 95% dry.
4. Put 1/2 cup of baking soda in your laundry to help keep clothes soft. (I haven't tried this one yet. Not sure how to do it in my HE washer)

Any suggestions of yours?

Anniversary

Reid and I had an amazing Anniversary Vacation week! Highlights: Shakespeare in the Park, Memorial Day Pig Roasting (my vegan heart wouldn't let me eat any), Dining for 2 at Z-Tejas, Lots of IKEA (for future home improvement posts), and SHLITTERBAHN!! Here's a fun picture from Z-Tejas overlooking the hill country.

If that weren't enough, on the actual day itself, 6/7, we woke up groggy-eyed on our first morning back to work. Reid had placed a HUGE vase of flowers in the bathroom. It was so big, it scared me, literally. I was tickeled pink! So precious. I have them up in my cubical now. It's not a glorious setting, but it brightens up my florescent

world.

We had lunch together that day and I thought the festivities were over - but no! There's more. He gave me a sweet little journal because he knows I like to write, and a carry-in-your-pocket music journal. It's a tiny journal lined with music staves. Now, ain't that sweet? He supports me a loves me so much. I just kept giving him the sweet eyes all lunch long!

At precisely 9:45PM that night, we arrived home for the first time since 7:00AM (long day.) He had even MORE gifts for me! He bought some soap that I've been longing for. It's all natural and the scents are lavendar and mint & lavendar and rosemary. I love them both, but I'm extra in love the lavendar and rosemary. I feel like I"m cooking in a French Kitchen. Ooh la la. C'est vrai!

You may be thinking, "What did you get for him?" I didn't. I didn't even know that we were exchanging gifts. But I've got something up my sleeve....

It's true R+L=Love.

Newness

The Porters have officially joined the blogosphere. Coming attractions: before and after pictures of our house projects, stories about our adventures in Austin, the musical stylings of the Artist Formerly Known as Laura Daigle, maybe even a puppy!

(…hopefully.)

-R