One Full Year

You better grab a tea before you start reading!

You know when you miss doing something but have the hardest time getting back into it? When last I was here I was still pregnant and about to take a short leave from work... hello, 13 months later. Suddenly I remembered that I DO like to write and I DO have so much to share and I had just forgotten. It feels more awkward to start again than to just randomly start posting things.

One full year it has been. I thought having one kid, a business to run, a life to live was busy. I'm trying so hard not to use the B word; I'm aiming for FULL instead and that's what life has been since our family grew and the office grew right along with it. On the tail end of summer and cramming in every adventure that we can manage on so little sleep and bookended by naps and early bedtimes. And rigid meals and third breakfast and such (that one is all me but the sleep part is shared with the littlest).

How to sum up the year? One amazing birth and baby; hours and days of breastfeeding; last summer was the waiting game for the baby's arrival-this summer was squeezing in as much summer and water time as possible; work is endlessly busy between incredible practice members, fun events like “Backman and Rubbin” from the Bowness Stampede Parade, and the regular old shopping at Staples and Superstore, and repeat. And all Bowness, all the time! And all school, and all gym, and all food. Food. Food.Food..... You understand. I may talk obsessively about our search for eggs and butter, and my laments at not being ready to preserve food. Only by freezer or dehydrator so far. Some things are on hold because life is so full it seems to require 6 week ahead planning.

We've challenged ourselves with things like our 21 Energy Rich Challenge. I've taken on personal study with Dr Donald Epstein's Master-E program, and wow, is my head going to explode over this one! (and I'm only 3 months into a 12 month program). So much to share and so little coherent thought in my head!

Did I hit all the major areas of my life? Our backyard is a jungle and I occasionally push the weeds aside to pick a leaf of kale for a shake. We'll revisit the idea of a food forest again. Baby. Work. School. Family. Food. Friends. I think I got it all.

“The idea of” (the food forest? A simple balanced life?) Maybe that's more the theme.

To sum it up, I am back. My upper mental has much to share in the time ahead. I have some amazing content from all of the practitioners that we compile into our monthly newsletters that I also want to share. But first one little story.

In mid August when we were on holiday I saw a sign for High Tea at the Squilax General store. We had missed the hours but I was determined to go the next trip back. The Squilax general store used to be a bus stop, is the check in point for the Caboose Hostel, and is located smack dab on the transcanada highway with trucks flying by at 100 km per hour-if you're not turning off to go to Scotch Creek and north Shuswap. So we checked the website, made reservations, and then we went to high tea in September. It was lovely! A little rhubard tea to start, between us we had one black and one mint tea (from the garden), and one coffee, we had the cute little sandwiches of pear and ham, cucumber and mint, and curried egg... then we had all our sweets-waffles with fruit and cream, chocolate cake, lemon puffs, and rosemary scones. Complete with local whip cream and a homemade jam. Needless to say, I didn't care about the gluten or the sugar and it was all lovely. My story has no point-check them out if you ever head there; drink more tea; take your family to novel places within the ordinary days; support small town stores. A nice memory I'll cherish.

Tea time is already a thing in my life, usually on a simpler scale, although chocolate digestive cookies may be returning soon to go with my Early Grey. Thanks for having me back as we explore some of the crazies happening these days-you know like second tier of consciousness uprising, alternate universes and good things like that. Or simply, me telling the 32 year old woman doing my hair that she is the perfect age to be having babies! (and 35 was great but 41 was getting a bit too old). Hope you enjoyed your tea.