Lenten fast, Day 27.

Sleep: mixed. I was in bed for a long time but I woke up a lot. My shoulder is hurting again, even through a solid dose of Tylenol.

Breakfast: leftover shakshuka over the last of the spaghetti squash. Delicious.

Lunch: strawberries, pickled beets, & a big lunch salad (deli turkey, lettuce, carrots, radishes, bell peppers, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, & Tessamae's ranch).

Dinner: I salvaged that boring Balsamic Beef by using it in this dish. It went from blah to yum! I also made Beet/Carrot/Apple Salad, which I am re-naming ABC Slaw (obviously). It was OK, but I think it will be tastier with a day or two to flavor-mingle in the fridge.

Snack: chamomile tea w/collagen powder & an apple pie Larabar.

GOOD. DAY.

Lenten fast, Day 28.

Sleep: broken by shoulder pain & dog snuffling. My whole left arm was numb when my alarm went off. Treatment is not going well.

I went to OA this morning & someone quoted a line from Mary Oliver's amazing poem, "Evidence":

"...I believe in kindness. Also in mischief. Also in
singing, especially when singing is not necessarily
prescribed.

As for the body, it is solid and strong and curious
and full of detail; it wants to polish itself; it
wants to love another body; it is the only vessel in
the world that can hold, in a mix of power and
sweetness: words, song, gesture, passion, ideas,
ingenuity, devotion, merriment, vanity, and virtue.

Keep some room in your heart for the unimaginable."

God, this was the message I needed this morning.

Breakfast: before OA I made a cup of Irish breakfast tea w/collagen powder, half'n'half, & a bit of sugar. It tasted terrible. Have I really gotten used to black tea? Weird. Once I got to the shop, I had a cup of black coffee (which tasted great) & a slice of sweet potato casserole.

Lunch: salad (deli turkey, lettuce, radishes, cherry tomatoes, carrots, cucumbers, & Tessamae's ranch dressing), leftover beef & turnips (so good), strawberries, & a lime LaCroix.

I went to Denver Sports Medicine & got a chiropractic adjustment & 20 minutes in neck traction to try to relieve pressure on my radial nerve. I've been getting electrical shots down my arm for days & my grip strength is gone. Sigh.

Dinner: Salmon a l'Afrique du Nord & Brussels sprouts with bacon.

Snack: cherry pie Larabar.... & then a whole sleeve of cookies. FAIL.