After Ana

Well let me say I have had a rather interesting month so far.

My brother and sister-in-law are over here on holiday’s from England for a month. They have been staying at my Mother-in-law’s house for the last few weeks. It has been so nice to see them, last time they were here was about 2 years ago. The problem is, keeping up with all the family engagements we have to meet! EVERYBODY wants to see them and my husband’s family is not small by anyone’s standards! Lunches, dinners, outings, afternoon teas, breakfasts, bbqs, dinners, tea parties, drunken orgies, fights, feuds, brawls and belching! Arrrgh!

I think I’m holding up rather well considering the long history of mental illness in the family… including myself! Easy on the alcohol, lots of vitamin B, cod liver oil and some happy nervine herbs and I’m fine. At the moment I’m taking a lovely passion flower tablet before bed (and when I start feeling out of control) it makes such a difference. At night it makes me sleepy and content, during the day nice and calm and able to COPE. Diet going well, although, eating meat again is proving to be harder than I first thought. Seems to make me feel heavy and sluggish for at least 6 hours. Hmmm. Perhaps this will change as my body gets used to it again, if not I can always fall back on my fish and eggs. (Used to be an ovo-lacto-pescatarian, that’s a whole mouthful to describe a ‘vegetarian’ to plebians.)

Every family has had ‘issues’ in their past of present. Mine has some biggies. They lurk in the dark like musty suitcases that get carted around from house to house in each move. No-one knows why they bother to keep packing them, it’s just easier than finally giving them away to the Salvos or chucking them in the wheelie bin. These suitcases are so old nobody can remember what is actually in them, but it was put in there for a reason, so it must have been a good one.

When families get together sometimes these suitcases get dusted off, unzipped and out pops the ‘issue’. When this happens best to make yourself scarce, if this is not possible grab the nearest bottle of champagne and drink up. Softens the impact somewhat… ‘hic! There is no point getting between said issue and people involved. Both have been holding on so tight for so long it’s like lockjaw in a dogfight, get involved and you’ll probably be the one with stitches.

Why do people act this way toward each other? Especially toward those they love the most. Jesus said to forgive your brother not seven times but seventy-seven! If you have to be the one make the first move toward reconciliation, it does not mean you gave in, it means you are the most loving. It means that you are the better person. Our lives can be cut short so quickly, we all have to take time to make the most of each and every moment. Fill our days with happy memories, tell our families we love them, find beauty in the every day. If we can’t find the time or inclination to do this, what a shame.

Another hot topic… (by all the responses I got!) …is my boobs. You know how I said they had gotten bigger? Well I had to buy another bra last week. I have gone up a cup size and am now a D! What the…?! I have never been a D. Even at my heaviest weight I was only ever a C cup. My weight has not changed, ’tis very strange!

I’ve also as of yesterday decided to go off the pill. I’ve been tossing it up now for a while on the advice of my naturopath… but now finally did it! (After a veeeeeery long pro and con list.) Since I make my own cosmetics and beauty products, I don’t use any chemicals in my home, buy organic wherever possible, and don’t use medicines at all (if I’m dying or my leg has been amputated, I’ll take an asprin), she said the pill was the only toxic load on my system. It makes sense, but I love the convenience of the pill, if you’re in the mood, get busy! So today I went shopping for condoms. Would you believe I counted 28 different types? Ribbed, studded, extra thin, extra smooth, lubricated, flavoured, for her, for him, small, big, large, giant (eek!)…. making it extremely difficult to decide! In the end I chose ‘natural sensation’, hoping I won’t even notice they are there. I’ll let you know how it goes although I’m not optimistic that the label will live up to my expectations. I’ve yet to explain to hubby about Joanne’s somewhat unusual method… but there’s plenty of time for that.

On that note I’m off to have dinner!

About the Author...

I've finally overcome my destructive eating habits by learning to accept myself, applying the WAPF nutritional principles daily. I'm now at a stable, healthy, slim weight, have lots of energy and no more guilt. I've been happily married for 7 years and am a graphic designer. In the near future I'm hoping to start a nutritional course and start practicing as a qualified nutritionist. At the moment it's all self education.