I mentioned a few posts ago that The Omnivore's Dilemma arrived and that I was looking forward to exploring more of Michael Pollan's work - he's such a great writer, and what he says really resonates with me. I finished the book a couple weeks ago and have started reading another Pollan book (more on that another time).

[warning: this post is kind of long]
    

 
A working list of seeds for our garden in the spring...

[this may not be at all interesting to anyone; feel free to skip this post]
    

 
Here it is: Day 1 of my cooking experiment!

I honestly don't know if this will be interesting to read, but maybe. If not, come back in a week. :)
    

 
Suddenly feeling a little woozy, so I'm just going to post my (completely! homemade!) menu for tomorrow and then take my behind to bed. :(

Breakfast: Cranberry-Pear Crunch Cereal (quinoa, soy milk, pear, sunflower seeds, almonds, cranberies, nutmeg)

Lunch: Golden Tofu on Toast (tofu, Dijon mustard, toast)

Dinner: High-Protein Pasta (penne, homemade sauce, tofu)

Three very easy meals to start out with. Even the homemade sauce won't be that bad.

There are some things I couldn't find at Whole Foods today, so I'll need to go out at some point to pick them up, but otherwise, planning an easy day tomorrow. Would like to work on the nursery, will see how I feel. Better, I hope. :(

- Antiope

 
Back at the house - boxes in the mailbox held my books for school and some jewelry I'd ordered. The cats were wild. My plants were thirsty.

I got an update on my OB referral from Tricare and called the OB's office to make an appointment (left a message). The garage called; Theseus's car is fixed. My college held 6 new-student orientations during the month of August and I didn't know about them so I missed them all.

I have to work a half-day tomorrow at my new unit, to get inprocessed and game-plan my (hopeful) job in the late spring. I also have to pick up my refill for prenatal vitamins. And, apparently, try to beg someone at my school to give me a one-on-one orientation, as I still have no idea how to get around the campus. School starts in 9 days.
    

 
Today I got a case of the "cleans" - our kitchen is now sparkling and picturesque! Seriously. It's beautiful.

I scrubbed all the grease off the (gas) stovetop and soaked, then scrubbed the little cage things that sit over the flames. I cleaned the oven (luckily it wasn't bad at all and didn't take long). I cleaned the microwave inside and out (also not too bad). I moved everything that didn't belong in the kitchen out, then washed down the countertops and scrubbed out the sink. I washed the walls and dusted on top of the fridge. I watered, pruned and organized the plants in front of the window. I rinsed out and bagged my plastics for recycling.

What's left is the floor, which I purposely didn't clean yet because tomorrow I'm going to try to clean the fridge. Then it really will be perfect.

It feels so nice to stand in there now, with the clear countertops and fresh citrus smell.
    

 
It's nearly 9:00 pm and I'm happy to report, I'm feeling much, much better than I'd expected: I'm sitting in the tv room, watching the game and thinking about dinner. What a difference from the last time!

The dentist (oral surgeon, technically) I had this morning was by. far. the best I've had. Before the surgery, he sat with me in the waiting room and described the entire procedure, down to "and then I'm going to recline your chair and we'll put a blood pressure indicator on you, then we'll place a pulse monitor on your finger tip..." He was the nicest, most understanding dentist. He even called me from his cell later in the afternoon to see how I was doing. "You don't have to wait until your post-op appointment Thursday if you have any questions; just call me, any time up until about 10:00 pm. And don't forget - a towel on your pillow tonight."
    

 
Oh Saturday, I had such plans for you! There was laundry to be done, an end table to continue sanding, a lawn that desperately needed mowing, dishes to be put away, a shower to be cleaned, the list goes on.

Instead I played on Facebook and read some blogs until after 1:00. By that time the ambitious sound of my neighbors (on all sides and across the lake) mowing their lawns had begun to annoy me. Why are you still inside? my lawn complained to me through the open window. It's going to rain tomorrow, you have to mow me today!
    

 
Today I was haunted by the ghosts of dinners past, walking through the busy commissary with a tote bag on my shoulder. The last week Theseus and I were at home, I was spoiled - lavish breakfasts served after I slept in, followed by extravagent dinners in the evening. I enjoyed breakfast quesadillas with mango salsa, and raspberry cider glazed tofu. So far this week I've eaten a few tofu hot dogs, several handfuls of sour grape Frooties, a mostly brown banana, two chocolate cupcakes with homemade strawberry frosting, a string cheese, and some spicy tomato juice. Makes your mouth water, right??