A quiet day

Last night, I slept.  I remember waking up this morning feeling disoriented from the long night's hibernation.  Like something wasn't right.  I'd just become used to waking up every hour or two with coughing fits.  I'd lost track of what normal sleep felt like.  This is better.

I took a last day off today, to rebuild myself and store up the energy I'll need when I return to work tomorrow.  I spent time watching some good TV, reading and napping.  My wife has been so compassionate and understanding these past few days, worked her tail off around the house in order to give me the space and time to get well.  I love her very much.  Hopefully she won't get this bug too, but if she does, I'll be there for her.

I'm enjoying "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle" very much indeed.  It's at once inspirational, and a bit melancholy.  It makes me want to get out in the garden and dig, but makes me despair for our nation's food supply, when I think about how big the problem we've made is, and the size and drive of the companies at the core of the problem.  I work for a big company myself.  I know well how focused on profit a company can be.  It can take tremendous effort to turn the ship.

On the other hand, external forces can cause the dreadnought to turn like a racing sloop.  When a new competitor finally made it onto our corporate radar, we changed strategy dramatically, realigned people and teams, and had a coherent response in the marketplace in one season.  That's probably the only way to really change the way American food works, too.  Changing because it's the right thing will be an uphill fight.  Changing because it's profitable would be fast and easy.

So what can I do?  I can buy more local products.  Not just food, but food for sure.  Right now about half of our weekly food budget goes to local products.  All of the produce, and most of the beef.  But we could do more.  It may well mean doing without what can't be had locally, or what can't be had in season, but it's probably worth it.  If I can help put money in the bank accounts of local organic producers, and keep it out of the bank accounts of the major food companies, I'll feel I'm doing my part.  If enough of us do it...well...that's the way to turn a big ship.

My wife took a nice picture of Mother Dove, snuggled into her nest.  As you can see, she chose a nicely protected hiding spot.  We can't wait to see if the pair has chicks!  If I can get one without risk to the birds, I'll try to get a picture of any eggs when Mom is away.  The safety of the birds come first, though.

Finally, the letter from my doctor came today, confirming in clinical austerity what the doc yesterday already said.  My blood work all came back normal.  Thank God.

Food log:

Breakfast: a bowl of fruit dressed with yoghurt, a little granola, and ground flax seeds

Lunch: an egg-salad sandwich (two eggs, two slices of whole grain bread, lettuce), half an apple, a chocolate-chip cookie.

Dinner: a slab of meatloaf, about 1/3c rice, and an artichoke with mayo to dip it in.

Snacks: a small piece of my dark chocolate easter bunny.  A carrot and 1/2oz baked potato chips, with about 1/3c spicy cilantro hummus.  Trying out a new hummus recipe this time, and while it came out a little thin, I like it a lot.  Next time I'll keep an eye on the amount of lime juice and try to avoid washing some of the garbanzo beans down the drain when I rinse them...