Green grocer

Lately, I have become very conscious of the food I eat, not only from a weight loss standpoint, but from an earth-friendly standpoint. I recently read The Omnivore's Dilemma (I also read The Botany of Desire, but it has slightly less relevance to this post, but I recommend both books.) and I was very much struck by the industrialization of so much of the food that we, as a society, consume. By the end of the book, I was fired by the idea of eating locally-produced and small organic foods on a more regular basis. But, as the author of TOD, Michael Pollan, discovered, it is not as simple as it might seem. Finding a source that is not "Big Organic", i.e. a producer that meets organic guidelines , but is still a mass producer, is not particularly easy. Local produce in Ontario is plentiful, but is very much a seasonal thing, so unless I am completely willing to give up fruit and many vegetables during the winter season, I am going to have to deal with most of my produce being trucked from milder climes. And I haven't found much in the way of a source for locally grown meats, although I am planning on keeping a sharp eye out on our trips up North this summer.

I found a company (based right here in Brampton!) that delivers organic and locally- grown produce on a weekly basis and decided to give it a try. We got our first "box" on Friday (the produce actually arrives in a large plastic bag--which is unfortunate. I plan on emailing the company about that.) and so far, so good. We got lettuce, English cucumber, bok choy, a giant hunk of ginger, a bag of red potatoes, plums, pears and Granny Smith apples, one hot-house tomato, a grapefruit and a mango. I used the bok choy and ginger last night and it was delicious. Believe it or not, I have never cooked bok choy before. That is another reason I decided to try this program out; I like the idea of getting stuff I don't usually try. The mango is another case in point. Now, I know that this is not even remotely local, but unlike the mangoes I see in the store, this one looks ripe and ready to eat. I will pretend it didn't use a ton of fuel getting here.

Of course, I can do custom orders if I want to get rid of the fruits arriving from the tropics, but I am not quite there yet. I also suspect that as we get into the Ontario growing season, I will see more local choices and that pleases me. In the meantime, I lay in bed last night planning my menus around the beautiful fresh produce that is in my refrigerator and fruit bowl. Tonight: organic salad with cukes and tomatoes with a ginger vinagrette and roasted red potatoes to accompany some stuffed chicken breasts. Tomorrow morning: Apple-cinnamon pancakes. And when the pears finish ripening properly, there will be gouda, mango and pears. Mmmmmmmmmmm.

Not so much with the times

So, I finally signed up for Facebook. It seemed like everyone in my family here in Canadia was on it and every time I turned around they would ask if I was on Facebook. So now I am. Barely. I haven't done anything except download a single game application. I haven't posted any photos or added any interesting tidbits about my life. Most days I forget to even check it out. Which is strange, because I still do the internets on a daily basis. I just forget.

Like I forgot about TWOP. I used to check out the snarky reviews every single day. But then the strike came along and I got out of the habit. I am trying to get back in it, but I am currently living in fear that I will get spoiled for Battlestar Galactica. We still haven't managed to crack open the Season 3 DVDs, although I have hope for today. And tomorrow. Anyway, I love TWOP and I need to remember to check it out, especially to read the Survivor recaps.

Yeah, it's hard to remember all the stuff that's out there when it's sunny and warm outside and there's hockey playoffs on the TV.

Possibly TMI, possibly not

So I had a colonoscopy. Part of the whole being 50 and stuff. I really didn't get too worked up over it, because Grant underwent it a few years ago and it seemed relatively painless. Just before the procedure began, my anesthesiologist commented that I seemed very relaxed. I told him that I was far more anxious the night before I had to start my 40 hour fast.(Okay,there were liquids and broth and jello allowed, but damn it all, I was hungry!) That, and the purgative I had to take and its resulting effects. But I fasted and purged with little incident, well, except for the expected incidents. It did result in a 5 pound weight loss over 2 days, but I would not recommend it as a weight loss plan.

I had a momentary twinge of panic when I realized that they were actually going to anesthetize me (I had expected Valium or something to relax me, but not actually go-to-sleep stuff). I have never had surgery of any kind, so the most I have ever had was a local. They stuck the IV in my arm and everything. But I drifted off with no incident and woke up just as they were finishing the procedure. Yes, just in time to see my colon displayed larger than life on the big screen tv in the procedure room. It was very pink. Minus one itty bitty polup.

And if that is too much information for you, I warned you.

Inside and out

It is amazing how much better I feel physically since going back on Phase 1 of the South Beach Diet. I know that this strict a diet is not good for more than the recommended two weeks, but I really notice when I cut out all those "extra" treats. It's not like I was eating really terrible stuff, but too much sugar and too many simple carbs really affect my well-being. Even one cookie can make me feel terrible. And I now realize that Grant and I were definitely drinking wine too often.

I have lost a couple of pounds, but I am less worried about that than how my body feels. And my body feels better. It is going to be a bit cranky with me for the next two days, though, because on Monday, I am undergoing a colonscopy. Yes, this is part of my doctor's checklist for those of us who have reached the advanced age of 50. You may have been healthy your whole life, but now we are going to go looking for trouble!

Okay, I am glad he found out I need some help on the osteoporosis end of things. And I certainly don't want to die of either breast or colon cancer. But I wish we didn't make this all linked to one single birthday. It makes it difficult to feel positive about my age.

Anyway, tomorrow morning I can have white toast with coffee for breakfast, then only clear liquids and non-red jello for the rest of the day. Monday morning I can have a glass of apple juice. Plus I get to take a laxative tomorrow night. Oh joy.

My body is going to be so clean and pure, it may start glowing.

Right.

No cookie for you!

I mean me. You have probably been a good girl or boy or whatever.

Has it really been over a week since I last posted? Gee, I guess I have absolutely no right to bitch and moan about the rest of you slackers who mock me with your non-posty-ness. Thank the stars above for bettika and Scalzi.

So, mainly the reason I haven't written is because there is nothing new or interesting to write about. The kitchen cabinets that aren't working are still not working, but we have a plan. Oh yes, we have a plan, but it involves a saw and all the dust that that implies. We are waiting for this weekend and keeping our fingers crossed that the weather is a spectacularly gorgeous as it has been for the last three days. Then, we are trimming the recalcitrant doors just a smidge (technical carpentry term, there) and putting them back up. They will work, because I simply cannot face any other option.

An XM ON Broadway aside: Mandy Patinkin really isn't well cast as Professor Harold Hill. I'm just sayin'.

Ah yes, the weather. Spring appears to have finally arrived. Nearly all the snow has melted, it is 6 pm and I can expect at least another hour before the sun sets, and a bird is singing its heart out just outside my OPEN window. It would be perfect bliss if I was only having a glass of wine, but I am off the booze for the next couple of weeks. Because my ass is approaching huge. Just in time for Spring. Sheesh.

So, a tiny bit of diet and a whole lot of exercise and significantly less alcohol. But in the not-so-distant future is boats, and swimsuits and tanned legs and arms and sun, sun, sun! It's all good.

And now, off to finish The Ghost Brigades. Not only does Scalzi entertain me while I am on the internets, he joins me in the bathtub. Or something. I wonder if Annika would be interested in joining me, too?