Liza

[Emilyrose]

Your meal plans sound really great. I hope the socialising becomes easier for you. I often find for me that it takes a long, long time to feel truly comfortable with people and actually enjoy their company - I'm an introverted extrovert. But I just push on and then one day, it all just clicks and you realise that you've made some lovely new friends. So keep pushing through with that! It is so worth it.

 

[liza3]

I have the same freezer space issue. Three portions of a meal is about the most my pans, fridge, and tastebuds can deal with. But three meals in one go still means a lot less cooking so I'll take it.

Yes me too--my counter space and stove/oven space is also really limited so it's all a matter of keeping things small enough and simple enough.

Having a salad mix is an excellent addition to so many things, without adding calories.

Yes that is something I should always have on hand. One of my big issues with cooking is when I'm just tired (mentally or physically) and I don't feel up to much prep...the salads are such an easy addition. Last night I was just exhausted after a big day but it didn't take much to make some noodles, and have an omelette with some salad greens. Very nourishing, fast and simple. I need to make getting in healthy nutrients easy.

I hope the socialising becomes easier for you. I often find for me that it takes a long, long time to feel truly comfortable with people and actually enjoy their company - I'm an introverted extrovert.

I hope so too. I think I'm an introverted introvert haha...but really I know I do so much better when mixing way more with people.
I had a nice day yesterday connecting with some friends who came in from out of town. Was a lot of fun and I realize I need a lot more of that in my life!

Been happy with my last couple of days--the visiting was fun, got in a bunch more gardening, eating overall pretty good.
My mood seems much lighter too...feeling the spring I think!

 

[Llama]

Us introverts definitely need social interaction as well, just well-dosed and in a context that feels... safe? My friends are the best but when strangers are involved? Brrr.

One of my big issues with cooking is when I'm just tired (mentally or physically) and I don't feel up to much prep...the salads are such an easy addition. Last night I was just exhausted after a big day but it didn't take much to make some noodles, and have an omelette with some salad greens. Very nourishing, fast and simple. I need to make getting in healthy nutrients easy.

This. All of this.

 

[Emilyrose]

Love hearing that Liza!

 

[liza3]

My friends are the best but when strangers are involved? Brrr.

yeah it's tough for me including new people, but I do really need to reach out more so i can have more lovely friends...working on it!

Love hearing that Liza!

Thanks

Another good couple of days. Was really happy with yesterday as I had woken to a completely free and open day but was feeling a bit down. Having those friends visit was so nice but also made me feel like I had a taste of what I was missing in my day to day regular life...So I was feeling kind of down and then sort of frustrated as it was supposed to be what would have been a big run day, but with my feet being what they are these days, I knew I wouldn't be able to handle much...so yeah feeling kind of down...but then I remembered that I had been aiming to take a day trip out to a place I hadn't been to in years. Sort of a nature reserve. Made a really last minute decision to go and had to rush around packing up a little snack and water and had to actually run to make the bus (so got my running in too haha)

Well it was just absolutely lovely out there. So quiet and peaceful and absolutely beautiful. I felt like my mind went into just such a natural state of meditation. The area includes all sorts of different nature areas, with signage of what to look for. Lots of benches to just sit and take it all in. I definitely want to include that as a regular place to go visit. It'll be nice to see how it changes through the seasons.

My feet did really hurt by the time I got the bus home as i spent a lot longer than I expected out there and had worn my crappier shoes in case of mud...but once I got home and sat for a while they felt much better.

When I got home, I made a wonderful full and nutritious meal, and then connected with some family on a video chat. It was the first evening in a long time i felt truly motivated to play piano too--wasn't just making myself.

So yes. A lovely day!

 

[Llama]

Isn't nature just the BEST for getting that happiness back?

 

[Cate]

What a wonderful sounding day. Well done on pushing yourself out the door & saying goodbye to the doldrums. Nature is a delight!

 

[Emilyrose]

Beautiful post Liza.

 

[liza3]

Isn't nature just the BEST for getting that happiness back?

Nature, new places, new adventures...i think all of it really helps!

What a wonderful sounding day. Well done on pushing yourself out the door & saying goodbye to the doldrums. Nature is a delight!

Thank you! Yes was proud of myself for not just sitting there feeling bad about things but finding a way to find joy instead!

Beautiful post Liza.

Thanks!

Went on a walk-run yesterday. And included some nature trails as part of that. So much springtime beauty everywhere right now!
Feet hurt during and after but I am back to going to try to just follow the slow and steady path to recovery and feel hopeful that will work if I just give things time.

The garden is continuing to bring me more joy and it's a relief to have that while I can't run as much. I also started a couple of online classes in plants. I signed up for one on insects too, but so far finding the plants ones more interesting...

It was nice to spend my evening feeling more productive in working on the classes, and got piano in as well. Nice to not just feel sucked into mindless netflix and chess!

I think I will count calories today as I noticed yesterday I was back to slipping into too many sweets--i need my reminder of how much is too much!

 

[Emilyrose]

I am laughing at the idea of chess being mindless. There are some new chess nights after being set up where I am from. Would that be something you could do? I can imagine you would meet really interesting people at them.

 

[Cate]

Are you planting out yet, Liza or is it too soon? It feels a bit sad starting to pull up plants for the winter. I don't think out tomatoes will ripen now.

 

[Llama]

Here's a field cricket I spotted on Sunday: giant little guys and they were Swiss cheesing the entire meadow! I secretly prefer plants to insects as well though

 

[liza3]

I am laughing at the idea of chess being mindless. There are some new chess nights after being set up where I am from. Would that be something you could do? I can imagine you would meet really interesting people at them.

Well chess comes in all forms...I have done many an intense hour long games that take a lot of brain power....but currently I play a lot of very low-rated speed chess (I suck at speed chess!) It is more of a distraction/diversion/procrastination tool haha. Yeah some people tried to start some chess groups here and I went, but it wasn't great as there weren't enough people to find people who play at the same level. You really need to find people at similar ratings, but it is fun to do some in-person chess when you can find that. In the past that's all i ever did and it was fun....

Are you planting out yet, Liza or is it too soon? It feels a bit sad starting to pull up plants for the winter. I don't think out tomatoes will ripen now.

I have begun planting some things out already. The peas and lettuce I seeded a while back and they are coming up...the warmer veggies will definitely have to wait...but also I'm doing a lot of just cleaning and prepping of beds--fun work! (I'm serious--I really do love doing that!) It's funny usually by the end of the garden season, I'm ready for a break and happy to have the winter months...but yeah it's not fun when things didn't come to full fruition....i hope you get some good use out of your tomatoes...

Here's a field cricket I spotted on Sunday: giant little guys and they were Swiss cheesing the entire meadow! I secretly prefer plants to insects as well though

Very nice photo! I do love bugs and am interested in their lives--just the course I was doing seemed to be more centered around technical aspects--like anatomy. I think I'm more interested in their cultural lives--like how they function as colonies, their ways they communicate etc...maybe that would come later in the course...maybe I'll have a look ahead to see what's coming before I give up...I mean, a lot of the stuff I could just google on my own, but it's nice when a course has it all laid out for a person!

Forgot to track calories yesterday....maybe today....I think i did do better limiting sweets yesterday just with that awareness that I am slipping into having too many. Got my strength and stretch session in, along with some garden work, and a bit of walking...the garden really adds in a nice variety into my movement as well as adding in such an interest and joy into my life again that I was missing. I am definitely feeling more alive these days.

It's nice on the warm days as people are just out and about more and I'm running into a lot of people that I haven't seen much over the winter so the community aspect of my life is feeling a little more fulfilled too.

 

[Llama]

Those first few weeks when everyone's just happy to be outside again are always kind of magical. I lucked out in finding a plant lover from my general area on Youtube and they tend to post videos featuring the stuff I see on my walks, often on the day I see them! Little bits of technical suff but mostly general "this is x, which I can tell apart from y because such and such, here's how it fits into its environment and what people used to do with it and oh here's a funny little story from when the emperor didn't execute anyone all day because of this plant". Well, maybe no emperors, but you get my drift. If I could find something similar about critters I'd be all in!

 

[Cate]

Getting beds ready is lots of fun. We both love green tomato pickles(chutney) so they won't be wasted. I'm going to buy a 10 kg case of sauce tomatoes & cut them up & freeze them for winter.

I am definitely feeling more alive these days.

That's excellent

 

[Emilyrose]

The cultural lives of the insects interests me far more as well. I find all that stuff fascinating. I watched two horses licking each other on my lunch break today. Was it a form of grooming or just affection? Wasn't sure, haha.

 

[liza3]

I lucked out in finding a plant lover from my general area on Youtube and they tend to post videos featuring the stuff I see on my walks, often on the day I see them!

oh that is lucky! Yes so fun when we can find people who know all this stuff and can just tell you about it in interesting ways.

We both love green tomato pickles(chutney) so they won't be wasted.

Excellent!

Getting beds ready is lots of fun

Yes I think it might be one of my more favorite aspects of gardening actually...
Yesterday I did a couple of hours work just tidying up this one section. I get so absorbed in it and it just feels like a natural meditation for me. So good for body, mind and soul!

The cultural lives of the insects interests me far more as well. I find all that stuff fascinating. I watched two horses licking each other on my lunch break today. Was it a form of grooming or just affection? Wasn't sure, haha.

Horses are so sweet. I get to see some on one of my longer running routes and I just love to see them

I'm on a roll for good days. (probably just cursed it there!) Another beautiful day out in the garden. Perfect weather for it. Excited to get back to it today...Starting to not miss the running as it's good for me to use my energy on the garden during this season anyways.
I did spend more time than I planned in the garden yesterday and I gulped when I saw what time it was when i got back inside. No time to cook a proper meal, just a shower, and ate a quick meal of cheese and crackers and salad...but was able to cook a nice big proper meal when I got home later. Made those falafel burgers I'd been planning for a while. So I had that with rice and more salad...Also been keeping up nicely with the grocery shopping, making frequent stops there to keep nicely stocked up in good healthy foods.
Foot was feeling better than its been in a while. Probably the combo of slowing down on running, with keeping up with the stretches. So that's encouraging too!

 

[Llama]

That sounds like such a lovely day! Sure, it's a shock sometimes when you see the day but if it means you forgot the time because you were so in flow that's wonderful. Keep us informed on the garden progress: I need to live vicariously through you.

 

[Cate]

That does sound like a lovely day, Liza. I'm glad your foot is starting to come right.

I'm on a roll for good days.

& may that continue

 

[Emilyrose]

As someone that sustains themselves on sandwiches, whenever I eat properly, I feel and look so much better. All that lovely food sounds great. Keep going with the gardening, sounds so blissful.