Goat Therapy Anyone?

I'm in love with baby goats. I've done goat yoga twice. I can't get enough of these baby goats. Maybe one day I will have a little farm along with a rhodesian ridgeback and mini goats. I will keep you posted on my ongoing list of what I love. Poppy was my first true love followed by Frankie with the blue eyes is a cutie pie. Check out the original goat yoga site at www.goatyoga.net. Lainey has an incredible story and her passion shines through everyday.

Look at those baby blues

I've been wearing my goat yoga jacket around Seattle. I'm getting stopped by a lot of people who want to know more about goat yoga. I whip out my phone and show them pictures and they are just excited. Who knew I would love baby goats. I first went to goat yoga during my chemo treatments in 2016. I was heading down to Corvallis, Oregon with my friend to do yoga for the first time with goats. I loved it and it just made me so happy. I was looking for anything to add to my wellness. I'm hopping to get back to goat yoga very soon. 

Frankie is a cutie pie 

I didn't know a piece of lettuce contains 5 calories

When I was going through all my stages after getting diagnosed with breast cancer I wrote the all down and built a game plan. The same approach applies post breast cancer treatment. It doesn't end and that is a blessing. I've worked so hard on putting wellness in the forefront of my daily schedule that it's become a good habit. It's in and there is nothing that is going to come between me and my wellness. We are a solid pair working hand and hand everyday. 

Right now I'm working on exercising, nutrition, and meditation. I had a follow-up with my nutritionist and that's when I discovered calories. I never ever had to factor in calories in my life. My chemotherapy treatment pushed me to menopause. I've gained weight and have some stiff joints. One day I wrote down everything I put in my mouth for three full days along with the calorie count. This was an eye opening discovery. I have steel cut oats with fresh fruit along with hot nettle tea just about everyday. That mean right there is over 400 calories. I always looked at sugar but never looked at calories. 

I'm very fortunate because LiveStrong teamed up with the YMCA to offer cancer patients a free four month membership which includes a fitness instructor and participating locations. I've never had a fitness instructor in my life. This is pretty darn amazing. We are learning about gym equipment and everything from warming up to cooling down. I haven't been to a gym in a long time. Now I know it's very important to lift weights at least twice a week and now I know the importance of getting my heart rate up. The program ends soon but now I'm going to figure out which facility I will join. I don't want to lost what I've gained. 

I just participated today in a chanting fest. I'm learning a lot about meditation, breathing, and the relaxation response. I've come a long way. Stress is always going to be out there and if I continue to learn how to manage it, I will be a happy camper. 

The key is to continue working on my wellness as I return back to my job. I've been off for a little over 2 years. I have a lot of passionate people on my wellness team that I will continue to see. I've still got a lot to process. I've learned so much in the past two years. The key for me is to add more of what I love in my day. My aha moment was the day my clinical psychologist told me to write down everything that I love to do and start adding those items in my day. 

Chant For Courage and Love

Special Fundraising Event

Chant for Courage and Love

Give to Heal is a new not for profit helping women in traumatic situations gain access to yoga and wellness care

When: Memorial Day, May 28

Where: Bainbridge Yoga House

How: No registration required. Donation

Ann Strickland from Island Kirtan: ann@annstrickland.com 

Another Troubled White Guy In The News

The latest news story is about a gunman who shot and killed 4 people at the Waffle House in Tennessee today. Did you know he walked away naked? Of course we didn't see the words "Terrorist" linked in this news story. I'm sure he was just another troubled white guy. Why are white guys so angry? You can walk in a business with your AR-15, shoot and kill people and still walk away and you're naked. This can only happen in America. 

Is Waffle House going to hand out backpacks with every waffle order tomorrow? What is it going to take for politicians to stand up and do something.

When I was looking for dolls to put on my sign went to Value Village. I saw a "Bowling for Columbine" dvd on the shelf and decided to buy it. I haven't watched this movie in years and everything was relevant and sadly much hasn't changed. The anniversary of this shooting was just the other day.

There are so many issues to even list going on with guns in this gun crazed country. When the crazy husband owns ten guns and knives and holds a gun to his wife's head and then threatens to kill the entire family. She finally gets a divorce but he still wants his guns back. The guy who left the military but during his time in, he stockpiled weapons in his garage. The guys that leaves his gun in the car, the closet, and the bedroom. 

A black male gets shot and killed with his hands up or holding a phone or even with skittles in his pocket. He is shot on site. The white guy walks in to a church and murders innocent black churchgoers and drives off into the sunset. He is later offered Burger King. Even with the latest killing in the news today this white guy just walks away and is naked. It's actually a good guy without a gun and ladies and gentlemen this guy is black. Move over Black Panther because this hero is a black guy without a gun. Let's see how much news coverage this gets. 

What is it going to take? We need to get rid of these guns and also deal with racism. These two evil creations go hand and hand. Lots of white people are angry with a grown black man because he wants to take a knee but they don't do a damn thing about racism.

Do we really expect Donald Trump to do anything? Heck no. Hopefully he will be impeached or locked up. A crazy hustling fool who tells America to keep an eye out for the blacks, browns, and muslims but meanwhile he's picking your pocket. 

Everybody needs to get uncomfortable and continue with the conversation about guns and race on Earth Day. Sure lets reduce plastic but Bill and Tom don't need a AR-15.

Sorry Mother Nature!  

I wore this sign at the March for Our Lives 

I'm on the corner of Limbo Street & 50th

I finished my set breast cancer treatment at Swedish Cancer Institute in October 2017. Right now I'm working on managing my side effects. I'm still on my medical leave, which I'm grateful for. I was using the word "transition," to describe where both my mind and body are right now. It didn't really fit. I ran into another patient today at Swedish Cancer Institute and when she mentioned the word "Limbo," I said yes I'll take it. 

I continue to tell people that I'm working on my wellness. Wellness has indeed been my full-time job. It's a work in progress. I didn't know about therapy, meditation, or even Art Therapy a year ago. The books and magnets are all over the stores. "Do More of What Makes You Happy" or "Do What You Love."  Sure I had the magnet on my refrigerator and sure I read the book but I didn't get it. I got it this time around because I was shaken up and turned around. I'm going to continue on this path to wellness and continue to do more of what makes me happy. Seems like an easy concept but it's not so easy.

Do more of what I love to do and add that in my day and overall in my life!