This time of year I usually take the week of Thanksgiving off, then only have to work 3 more weeks before having at least 2 weeks of vacation again. The best movies come out this time of year, plus I usually manage to get one or two house chores out of the way.
Today, the last day of my Thanksgiving break is no different. I've seen The Life of Pi, Lincoln, and Skyfall this week, and can highly recommend all of them. I caught up on the laundry and ironing, and completely cleaned and reorganized my pantry. I created my own recipe for scalloped potatoes, complete with duck fat, mushrooms, shallots, and cheese, made chocolate chip cookies with dark chocolate chips, and the best gingersnaps in the world. And I got my teeth cleaned - teeth are the gateway to your body, so I'm proud to say that I take care of mine!
This time of year, too, I normally tend to suffer from tiredness, depression, and malaise. I've been saying for years that it was SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder), but didn't do anything about it until this Fall. I bought a small light box and turn it on for 30 minutes each morning. I also started taking Vitamin D every day (it comes in gummy candy now!). What a difference - I feel wide awake and alert now all day long.
Not so much goodness at night though. I'm starting to experience my own "personal summers" more often during the day, and haven't slept through the night in months due to waking up all hot and sweaty. In the past year I've only had 2 periods, and my last one was in May. If I can make it to May 2013 without another one I'll officially be in Menopause. Funny - I think I feel better now then I did when I was in my thirties.
Gracie and Sam are doing marvelously well, and we're catching up on our snuggle time. Grace is a miracle baby, going from almost certain death from chronic renal failure to being back to her fighting weight, with a shiny coat and bright eyes. Her back legs seem a little weak, but hey - she's 15. I attribute her turnaround to a supplement called Azodyl. It's basically dialysis, except the toxins get eliminated in her poop. And no prescription is required, so I get it over the Internet for about $40.00 for a 90-day supply.
Work begins again tomorrow, but I have a good supply of clean, freshly ironed clothes to choose from for many days. And gingersnap cookies, which I may or may not share!
