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Sarah Cooper | Edward Blevins | Andrew Fish | Angela Adamcik
Owner of Dogwood CounselingSarah established Dogwood Counseling in 2016 with the hope of building a practice to provide exceptional mental health care services with like-minded clinicians. Sarah believes in meeting clients where they are and honoring the individual journey of every client. Her approach emphasizes the importance of a supportive, collaborative relationship between therapist and client. Sarah views therapy as a process through which we can gain self-awareness and allow ourselves the opportunity for growth and change. Sarah is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and a Licensed Clinical Addictions Specialist with over 10 years of experience. Sarah works with individuals ages 18 and up. She specializes in treatment of substance use and addiction, anxiety, depression, pregnancy and postpartum support, and maternal mental health. Sarah received a BA in Psychology from UNC Chapel Hill and a Masters in Social Work from UNC Charlotte.
Sarah accepts Aetna, BCBS, Cigna, Humana, MedCost, and United/Optum insurance plans. Sarah offers weekday daytime appointments.
Contact Sarah directly at email@example.com or 704.617.0756.
Edward recognizes the significant role the family system plays in the development of the individual and emphasizes understanding clients through the lens of their family interactions. He helps clients obtain greater awareness and develop skills to live life better. Edward believes people can choose to rise above life events that have impacted them, and that healing is the key to experiencing a wholesome and healthy life. Edward is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist Associate, Licensed Clinical Addictions Specialist, and Certified Clinical Supervisor Intern with over 15 years of experience. He works with individual adults and adolescents, couples, and families, utilizing a variety of theoretical models to help guide the process of change including Narrative, Solution-Focused, Bowenian, Structural, and Strategic Therapy. Edward specializes in treatment of substance use and addiction, relationship issues, marital and premarital counseling, and family therapy. He offers substance abuse assessments and provides Christian based counseling upon request. Edward received a BA in Psychology from UNC Charlotte and a Masters in Science in Marriage and Family Therapy from Capella University.
Edward accepts Aetna, BCBS, Cigna, Humana, MedCost and United/Optum insurance plans, offering daytime, evening, and weekend appointments.
Contact Edward directly at firstname.lastname@example.com or 704.615.6500.
Andrew believes in empowering clients to be their best selves and develop the skills needed to overcome the stresses of daily life. His primary goal as a therapist is to provide the right support and assistance that will enable clients to meet their objectives head-on. Andrew values a collaborative relationship between therapist and client that fosters an optimal setting for addressing individual issues, reducing barriers, and achieving personal growth. His therapy approach invites clients to strive for their personal goals while providing a supportive environment to learn how to overcome setbacks and distractions in the present as well as into the future. Andrew is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with over 7 years of experience. When working with clients, he incorporates several therapeutic frameworks including Solution Focused, Cognitive Behavioral, Person-Centered, and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy. Andrew works with adults and adolescents, as well as couples. He enjoys working with clients who are struggling with ADHD, anxiety, depression, self-esteem, body image, trauma, and substance use. Andrew received a BA in Psychology from Elon University and a Masters in Social Work from UNC Chapel Hill.
Andrew accepts Aetna, BCBS, Cigna, Humana, MedCost, and United/Optum insurance plans, offering daytime and evening appointments.
Contact Andrew directly at firstname.lastname@example.com or 413.531.4577.
Angela is a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor and Certified Clinical Trauma Professional with years of experience working with older teens and adults dealing with anxiety, trauma and PTSD, life transitions and various work and family related concerns. Angela strives to help others through taking time to understand their needs and strengths, building a therapeutic relationship and working towards the goals they set. She believes her role as a counselor is to guide her clients in identifying what is not working in their lives based on their values and developing a road map to happiness and confidence. Angela uses various evidenced base models (Cognitive Behavioral, Psychodynamic, Solution Focused, Enneagram Personality and Trauma Therapy) to work with her clients based on their needs while following a holistic model of mental health and physical wellness. She is comfortable using Christian beliefs in counseling should her clients want this involvement.
Angela received her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Masters in Counseling from Cleveland State University. In her spare time, Angela enjoys spending time with her family and dogs, and being outside enjoying what nature has to offer.
Angela accepts Aetna, BCBS, Cigna, Humana, MedCost and United/Optum insurance plans.
Contact Angela directly at firstname.lastname@example.com or 704.266.6148.


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We offer Rooted each fall. Please join us in September.
The Rooted experience redefines how people live life and view their relationship with God and others, giving context to what it means to be a part of something bigger. You will begin to see God in new ways, allowing you to experience a different way of life: community, authenticity and generosity. If you have been to Alpha, this is a great next step. However, you do not need to take Alpha before jumping into Rooted.
September 8th* - November 13th
*Denotes that groups can either meet on Sunday evenings at the church or at other times at other locations later that week (planned by individual groups)
The dates below are when each topic will be covered in groups. Therefore, you should have that week's homework read before the session. For example, to prepare for the group meeting on Sept. 29th, read all of the daily readings on "Where is God in the Midst of Suffering."
9/8- Session 1: Rooted Kickoff from 6:30-8:30 PM at Church (All Groups Together)
9/15* – Session 2: Who is God?
9/25 - Prayer Experience & Session 3: How Does God Speak to Us? Fellowship Hall 6:15-8:45 PM
9/29* – Session 4: Where is God in the Midst of Suffering?
10/6* – Session 6: How Can I Make the Most of My Life Pt 1
10/12 – Serve Experience – Starts Saturday Morning at Church, 8:00 AM-1:00 PM
10/13* – Session 7: How Can I Make the Most of My Life Pt 2
10/20* - Session 8: How Does God View Money?
10/25-27 - Rooted Weekend @ Camp Kulaqua
Read before the weekend- Session 5: There is an Enemy
11/3*- Session 9: Why and How Should I Tell Others?
11/13 – Rooted Celebration (Wednesday, 6:30-8:30 PM, All Groups Together in Fellowship Hall) and Session 10: Why Is the Church Important?
Rooted is an interactive experience. In the course of 10 weeks, you will get together weekly with your group to talk about what God has been revealing to you as you go through the week's readings, journal entries, and prayer. You will also learn from one another as the Holy Spirit works to comfort, encourage and guide each member.
Your group will share three experiences together outside of your group time: prayer, serving, and sharing your story. On the last session, you'll join together with other groups for dinner and celebrate how God is working to connect each of you with your passion, your purpose, and your community.
Cost is $45 per person and includes the study guide, materials, and two dinners. Scholarships are available. More information about Rooted Retreat costs will be coming soon. If you have any questions about these costs, please contact Dan Wolf.
Please note weekly dinner is not provided. However, dinner will be available at the kickoff on September 8th and the Celebration on November 13th.
Childcare will be provided in conjunction with Funday School and Jr. High Youth Group if your group meets on Sunday evenings.
After the first session, please note some groups will meet Sunday evenings at the church or at other locations during the week. See schedule above for locations.
If you have any questions, please contact your leader or email Dan Wolf.

subset: commoncrawl


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To celebrate 35 years of Joni and Friends ministry, we recently held our first blog contest. We invited you to share on your personal blog how Joni and Friends has impacted your life! This week, we're featuring the winning entries. Today's post was written by Glen S. – his son Gabriel was born with Aicardi-Goutieres Syndrome. As a winner, he's receiving a copy of Another Kind of Courage: God's Design for Fathers of Families Affected by Disability, co-written by Joni and Friends President Doug Mazza and VP Steve Bundy, and the Joni feature film. Please take a moment to read Glen's post and leave him a comment of congratulations!
A Bereaved Father's Retrospect on Joni and Friends Family Retreat
"And he said to them, 'Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.' For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. And they went away in the boat to a desolate place by themselves." Mark 6:31-32 (ESV)
Emily, my wife, and I recently returned from visiting Joni and Friends Family Retreat – Bonclarken, NC. It was our second such visit in the 2 ½ years since our son, Gabriel, passed away. Before Gabriel died we were privileged to attend Joni and Friends Family Retreat – Bonclarken, NC as campers a total of four times. I am sometimes asked why the retreats have made such a lasting impact on both my wife and I? I have struggled to give a really good answer for this question even in more formal interviews – until this last visit.
"And they went to a place called Gethsemane. And he said to his disciples, 'Sit here while I pray.' And he took with him Peter and James and John, and began to be greatly distressed and troubled. And he said to them, 'My soul is very sorrowful, even to death. Remain here and watch.' Mark 14:32-34 (ESV)
My best friend Thomas explains that the quality of life of a family dealing with the effects of a disability is not summed up in the services provided by our churches or by the state. Rather the quality of a life of our families is affected most by the quality of the relationships we have with others – first with the Father through Jesus, then nuclear and extended families, finally with our church and community. On what can only be concluded as the toughest night of His earthly life, Jesus called together the friends who would stand with Him to pray with him. Even Jesus, the Son of God, in His humanity desired to be comforted by friends.
As fathers we spend the majority of our day in an attempt to provide for our families. During Gabriel's lifetime, I averaged 3 ½ hours of sleep each night in an attempt to meet his and Emily's needs. This is exhausting. I required many individuals and our church to help see me through these difficult times. Yet, the constant struggle to meet Gabriel's many needs and the effect that it was having on me was often the very things which kept me from building the relationships which I so desperately needed.
So how does Joni and Friends Family Retreats fit into this equation? At Family Retreat, fathers from around the region and country come together to fellowship. For five days, we allow each other to be the wounded warriors that we are. How is it that a group of men, many of whom are strangers at the start of the week, quickly overcome male bravado or inhibition and allow themselves to become vulnerable?
I recently explained this phenomenon with "The Elephant in the Room Analogy." It goes something like this. The disability of our family member is often a stumbling block in our relationships with others. Many times they don't know or understand the difficulties which we face every day. When they do know or seek to understand, how can we expect them to completely empathize with how lengthy sleep deprivation is affecting us or how the constant absence from corporate worship drains our spirits? This is "the elephant in the room."
At Joni and Friends Family Retreat, the presence of a disability within the family is assumed. It is understood. Its presence within each relationship forged at Family Retreat is, therefore, not just expected but celebrated. It is understood by all that at some point the family member who has a disability may need us. (This need is greatly reduced by the presence of Short Term Missionaries, whose task it is to help meet the needs of our loved one.) It is realized by all parties that the other is probably sleep deprived. It is expected that the new friend is dealing with a hurt, pain, or wound in relation to the disability. So the disability becomes a constant within new relationship rather than a variable. So with the disability a constant, "the elephant" is taken out of the room.
"Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." Matthew 11:28-30 (ESV)
With the presence of a disability understood, expected, and even celebrated, men from around the country become vulnerable. We allow ourselves to express our wounds which we have felt the need to keep hidden from the world and even sometimes our families. Relationships, which usually take years to forge, often only take hours because a commonality has been established simply by our mutual presence at the Family Retreat. Much of the work of relationship building has already been done. Often by the Friday Closing Ceremony, new lifelong friendships have been forged. Just the kind of relationship we need to increase the quality of life of our family.
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Not So angry Mike's hood !
Come on in, sit down grab a beer, just don't overreact to the ravings of a pissed off conservative American,PRESIDENT TRUMP !!!
Go get em Sarah, hypocritical assholes !!!!!!!!!
Let me know how I'm doing, as long as your not a fucking liberal who believes that a little fairy dust will solve all the worlds ills .......;)


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All Removals London offers the best office moving services in Berry's Green. Regardless the kind and size of your business, our quick, professional and efficient team will ensure that your office is completely relocated and operative in few hours.
We understand that moving office can be hectic and challenging and that is why it is so important to choose the right company to organize your move. All Removals London is one of the leading removals companies in Berry's Green, fully accredited and with more of ten years of experience in the sector, we know exactly what is needed to get your office successfully moved.
If you need to move your office, do not think about it anymore and contact All Removals London. We will be happy to assist you from the beginning to the end, making your office moving successful and hassle-free. You can easily get a free quotation on-line just in a couple of minutes or, if you prefer, you can contact one of our moving specialists to get detailed information about our services. We will solve any doubts you might have and will be able to customise our services to your specific circumstances, offering the most suitable option for you. We are proud to say that after all these years and hundreds of satisfied customers, we provide the most professional and efficient office moving services in Berry's Green.
We offer four types of modern vans and trucks to suit your office move needs in Berry's Green. Supreme importance is given to the cleanliness and technical condition of our vehicles. All our vans are well equipped with all essential tools and other supportive materials in order to make office moving fast and efficient. We will take care about the safety of your office equipment and furnitures during the loading, unloading as well as during the transportation.
To know all the details, visit All Removals London Office Moving Vans and Prices section for additional information about each one of our vans. Check loading dimensions in order to select the select appropriate van to move your office in Berry's Green.
Berry's Green is a small hamlet in the London Borough of Bromley in Greater London, UK. It is a fairly wooded rural area with a scattering of farmland. Housing consists mainly of detached properties, mostly bungalows, with a row of local authority cottages and a static mobile home site. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, there was a sub-post office on the corner of Single Street and Jail Lane which sold basic provisions, such as bread, milk, sweets, and crisps. Mains sewerage was installed in around 1973.


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Author - Jonathan Avis
Focus Poems... Real Stories
Copyright © Focus Poem 2015 | All Rights Reserved
Adolescence the part of you hidden
within, it's part of the lock which you
need to understand to find the key,
the key to your reality.
Break it, rap it, unwrap it through rap.
The wrapper holding the sweet inside
that's how you become sweet.
Shweet, not sheet, that's the honest part of the key.
You also need to understand the iron key,
irony of life, just take it on your chest or your breast.
It applies to men and women alike,
we're alike in many ways, just different in a few,
we need to bridge that gap to cross the bridge
and see the greener pastures on the other side
of the river, the greener brighter side.


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Have you been searching for the right watch to suit your style? Your best bet would be to look for blancpain Australia on The Hour Glass. There have been several options made available on The Hour Glass for all kinds of watches needs. They would assure you get the best value of your money.
You may be wondering the branded watches have been made available for an expensive price. However, The Hour Glass would provide you with the best price of the branded watches to suit your style and budget needs. They would ensure that you get to choose your model for a reasonable price.


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Boston, a mini horse, was born on a Cape Cod farm. He sadly became an orphan hours after his birth when his mother suffered fatal complications. There were no other mares on the farm to nurse the newborn colt, and the farmer feared he would not survive.
That was until Lucille Greiner, a veteran horse owner and experienced veterinary technician, stepped up to the plate to raise baby Boston. Because the colt was born right after the anniversary of the terrorist attacks at the Boston Marathon, Lucille named the Colt after the bold and brave city. "He is a survivor and certainly Boston Strong," she said.
Lucille welcomed baby Boston him into her home in Dennisport. She bottle fed him formula around the clock. Lucille works at a pet shop called Paws and Claws and brings Boston to work with her. Boston hangs out all day at the pet shop in a special enclosed pen while she works. Customers enjoy spending time with Boston, and he enjoys their company too!
Boston will remain in Lucille's home for the next few weeks, once he is trained to drink from a bucket, she will begin transitioning Boston into sleeping in the stables. That way he can be socialized with other horses and learn their way of living. "He needs to learn some horsey manners," said Lucille.
Boston will grow to be around 34 inches tall. They cannot be ridden, but are capable of pulling a cart with one adult in it. They can also become therapy horses and help people with disabilities.
Boston has made friends with another horse that Lucille rescued named Niah. They love to play together. His personality is really starting to come out too. "He thinks he's hot stuff and then some," Lucille laughed. "He's already acting like a little stud colt and he's only two weeks old." She added.
If you know someone who might like this, please click "Share!"


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Started this discussion. Last reply by Josh H Dec 15, 2011. 3 Replies 0 Likes
How big is durian usually and how much does it normally cost in the US? Just went to get my first one and they were all 4 to 6 pounds and $2.99 per pound!!! I got some frozen durian instead.…Continue
Tags: Durian
Started this discussion. Last reply by Cantaloup Vampire Nov 23, 2011. 1 Reply 0 Likes
www.Vegancuts.com is having a 4 day sale of vegan Vitamin D3 spray by…Continue
Started this discussion. Last reply by Josh Fossgreen Oct 22, 2011. 4 Replies 0 Likes
I bought a box of bananas and haven't been going through them as quickly as I thought and they are attracting flies! Is it okay to store them in a plastic bin or will that make them ripen too fast?
Tags: Bananas
Started this discussion. Last reply by Josh H Oct 15, 2011. 2 Replies 0 Likes
I was wondering if any of you who meticulously track your food intake and micro-nutrients on a website such as Cronometer, Fitday, Sparkpeople, Dailyburn, etc would you be willing to share/post a…Continue
Tags: diet, tracking, sparkpeople, dailyburn, fitday
Happy Birthday Birthdaybrother!
Thats right, I turned vegan just under 2 months ago and I have got to say its probably the best thing I have ever done. Wow 2 years thats so good, good on ya!
But yeah it gets a little hard to commit straight to 80/10/10 lifestyle straight away my carb intake overpowers everything else so much more
Thanks for the add bro. Its always nice to meet new fellow vegans :)
Kia ora Bro :0) Cheers for the link :0)
Thanks for the add! I love it down there in Portland. Awesome city.
Hey bro,
Hows it going, thanks for the add.
Welcome to 30 Bananas A Day!
For a bird's eye view of 30 Bananas a Day, inspiration, and a jump start to your diet, you might like the blog post:
Peace, PK
Posted on October 23, 2011 at 7:58am 5 Comments 0 Likes
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In this brochure, we have put together a series of semester-related opinions and an information report in which the EESC makes policy recommendations on the various elements of the European Semester.
Sociale rettigheder
Social policies to go hand-in hand with competitiveness. How employers see the social dimension of the EU
A competitive and sustainable economy with a high level of employment is the basis for the European economic and social model which also contributes to better economic and social convergence. Enhancing productivity based on skills and knowledge is the only sound recipe for maintaining the well-being of European societies. The social dimension of Europe cannot be strengthened without economic growth and a well-functioning internal market. This document summarises the views of the Employers' Group on the future of social policies in the EU.
How to design the European Labour Authority to fight more efficiently social and wage dumping – Study
This study presents an overview and analysis of the roles and tasks of the European Labour Authority (ELA), with a view to highlight the strengths and possible weaknesses of the current set up and suggest how to support its effective operation.
Integrating the European Pillar of Social Rights into the roadmap for deepening Europe's Economic and Monetary Union – Study
This study on behalf of the Workers' Group of the European Economic and Social Committee explores the possibility of establishing three policy instruments to implement the European Pillar of Social Rights (EPSR) and rebalance the economic and social dimensions of the E(M)U.
This document provides a summary of the discussion entitled "The European social model – can we still afford it in the globalised world?" which was held in Sopot (Poland) on 27 September 2018. The panel was organised by the EESC Employers' Group in the scope of the European Forum for New Ideas.
Social justice is an aspiration common to people of all faiths and value-based philosophies. Helping the poor and needy is a moral – if not also economic and social- imperative that we all share. If there is no solidarity, there is no social cohesion and thus no competitiveness. The European Economic and Social Committee has been calling for an improved social dimension for a long time, and welcomed the Proclamation of a European Pillar of Social Rights as a first step.
Implementing the European Pillar of Social Rights: what is needed to guarantee a positive social impact
This study on behalf of the Workers' Group of the European Economic and Social Committee aims to analyse early initiatives launched in the context of the European Pillar of Social Rights (EPSR) and to provide the EESC with concrete policy recommendations to ensure its effective implementation.
In this issue:
- Exploring New Role Models for Societies in Europe
- The Western Balkans - Where is their Place?
- Debating the Liberal Professions in the age of digitalisation
- Fundamental Rights and the Rule of law - Trends in the EU from civil society perspective
- 4th European Justice Stakeholders' Forum Annual Plenary - Rights under threat?


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Hypothyroidism is a condition in which your thyroid hormone is not working properly and it slows down the body metabolism. The thyroid gland is the main factor which is responsible for thyroid hormones release in our body.
There are a number of reasons behind this condition. People with Hypothyroidism shows many symptoms such as:
- Fatigue
- Mood disorders
- Hair loss
- Weight gain
- Constipation
- Cracked skin
- Goiter
- Hoarse voice
- Muscle cramping
- Puffy face
- Brittle fingernails and hair
There are ways to increase thyroid hormone production by dietary means, such as Hypothyroidism diet.
- Probiotic-rich foods: Probiotics help create a healthy gut environment by balancing microflora bacteria. Which corrects constipation and metabolism remain healthy. These Probiotics are the strains of beneficial bacteria that populate our gut and allow the natural and healthy functioning of the gut to take place. There are lots of different strains of healthy bacteria, some have been found useful for particular conditions but for most of the people, a balanced of many is important for health.
High sugar, high fat, alcohol, medication (especially antibiotics), low fiber and slow digestion basically all modern diets and lifestyles lead to the reduction of probiotic counts. It is vital to have natural bacteria's to ensure optimal digestion and detoxification. The proper digestion and detoxification are very important for optimal health. Some sources of probiotics are Yoghurt (sugar-free natural probiotic-rich).
Sauerkraut (Usually from cabbage, but can be made with other vegetables such as carrot and zucchini. But before using make sure it is made with seas salt and vegetables only. The common one available in the supermarkets are made with vinegar and do not have the probiotics). Miso soup is a traditional Japanese soup consisting of a stock called "dashi", Tempeh is a unique soy product from Indonesia.
It is made by a natural culturing and controlled the fermentation process, Kombucha is a fermented tea that has been consumed for thousands of years. It has the same health benefits as green tea — it's also rich in beneficial probiotics. , Kimchi a staple in Korean cuisine is a traditional side dish made from salted and fermented vegetables, Kefir is a cultured, fermented beverage that tastes a great deal like a yogurt drink. … It has a tart, creamy flavor, and it's loaded with probiotic health benefits. , Spirulina is a supplement made from blue-green algae, is touted as a "superfood which contains good amounts of calcium, niacin, potassium, magnesium, B vitamins and iron. It also contains essential amino acids (compounds which are the building blocks of proteins).
- Sprouted seeds: Flaxseeds, hemp seeds, and chia seeds provide ALA, a type of omega-3 fats critical for proper hormonal balance and thyroid function. The nutritional content of these sprouted seeds varies, depending on their species, but as a general rule, sprouts contain notable amounts of vitamin C and traces of B vitamins; a surprising amount of protein, fibers, calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium and zinc. In particular, mung beans have a very high content of potassium.
- Fruits and vegetables: These are high in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that are necessary for combating free radical damage and lowering inflammation. Ginger plays a good role it contains zinc, magnesium, potassium. Its anti-inflammatory properties help improve thyroid functioning. Eggs, meat, fish all vegetables are fine to eat. People who have celiac disease, an autoimmune disease, eat gluten-free grains and seeds, that's why some people who have Hashimoto's thyroiditis, the main cause of hypothyroidism, may also have celiac disease.
- Fish: Balancing the level of omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acids in your hypothyroidism diet can reduce inflammation and support healthy thyroid and neurological functions. Wild fish like salmon is a good source. Even fish oil is considered good for increasing thyroid hormone uptake and maintaining healthy thyroid functioning.
- Coconut oil: Provides medium-chain fatty acid support a healthy metabolism, increase energy and fight fatigue. With this functioning improvement, they maintain the healthy lifestyle of patients with hypothyroidism. It will also stimulate metabolism and boost energy. and even It will help us to increase the basal body temperature which is important for those dealing with low thyroid function. Use coconut oil for cooking. Always use extra-virgin organic coconut cooking oil. You can even mix two tablespoons of coconut oil to milk and drink it in the morning along with your breakfast every day. You can also mix it with your smoothies.
- High fiber diet: It helps in weight loss and management, Improves digestion, Increases mineral absorption, reduce the risk of stroke and improve your heart health. A diet high in fiber content helps with digestive health. A high-fiber diet can help lower unhealthy cholesterol levels. Elevated cholesterol can be a symptom of untreated hypothyroidism, and is also more common even in those being treated for an underactive thyroid. Fiber can help you lose weight. High-fiber foods take longer to digest and fill you up more quickly so you should eat more fresh vegetables, berries, beans, lentils, and seeds. It's also important to note that too much dietary fiber can impair the absorption of synthetic thyroid hormone.
- Apple Cider Vinegar Apple cider vinegar may also help deal with this thyroid disorder. It is believed that it helps in detoxification, restores acid-alkaline balance, facilitates weight loss, and helps regulate hormones and improve their energy metabolism. Apple cider vinegar can also show good results in other health problems like diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and others. Take two tablespoons of organic apple cider vinegar to a glass of warm water. Mix in a little honey. Drink this solution daily on a regular basis in the early morning before your breakfast.
People who have hypothyroidism should eat a diet based on vegetables, fruits, and lean meats. They are very low in calories and very filling, which will help to stop weight gain.
So by adopting the above mentioned dietary habits you can improve hypothyroidism and help in your healthy lifestyle.
Author Bio:
DR. Vikram Chauhan, MD – AYURVEDA is an expert Ayurvedic practitioner based in Chandigarh, India and doing his practice in Mohali, India. He is spreading the knowledge of Ayurveda Ancient healing treatment, not only in India but also abroad. He is the CEO and Founder of Planet Ayurveda Products, Planet Ayurveda Clinic, and Krishna Herbal Company. For more info visit our website: www.planetayurveda.com


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My twelfth wedding anniversary was this past weekend, so posting was kind of the furthest thing from my mind.
This is a work of creativity. As such, you may see words, concepts, scenes, actions, behaviors, pictures, implements, and people that may or may not be socially acceptable and/or offensive. If you are sensitive to adverse and alternative subject matter of any kind, please do not proceed, because I guarantee you'll find it here. You have been warned. Read at your own risk.
I do not own Fifty Shades Trilogy, or the characters. They belong to E. L. James. I am only exercising my right to exploit, abuse, and mangle the characters to MY discretion in MY story in MY interpretation as a fan. If something that I say displeases you, please, just leave. If you don't like this story or me, please don't spoil this experience for everyone. Just go away. For the rest of you, the saga continues…
Chapter 49—Finding Anastasia
My wife is walking to the theater room like a man walking to the gallows. I know that it's going to take some time for her to overcome this whole impending doom thing, and she's doing a great job of grabbing the bull by the horns with her meditation, yoga, dancing, and whatever else she's doing to take control of it. But when that insecurity rears its ugly head, it's really ugly… not in the sense that it's unattractive, but in the sense that it makes my larger-than-life Butterfly appear weak, helpless, and powerless, and I don't like that at all.
Gail and Ms. Solomon arrange refreshments while Maria attempts to explain what we're going to see. She's even gone so far as to have a program that outlines the order of the interview and what we can expect. She's gone all out with full disclosure, even insuring that we'll be left with a copy of what we see today, which is what the network plans to air—notwithstanding any changes that we request after the viewing.
Butterfly sits quietly in one of the luxury reclining theater seats, sipping a glass of cabernet sauvignon and daintily munching on popcorn, finger sandwiches, and crudité. She's paying attention to everything that Maria is saying; she's just not responding.
"So, things aren't necessarily in chronological order," Maria explains. "If you remember, the footage at the gun range was one of the last things we recorded, but it won't be the very last thing in the segment, although it's pretty close to chronological. I feel that I've put the segment together in a manner that represents both of you and presents you in the light that you wanted to be presented. In spite of what has occurred up to this point, I hope I haven't let you down."
Butterfly acknowledges her with an almost indistinct nod and turns her attention to the large screen. I can feel it emanating from her skin.
Shut up and let's get on with it already.
The lights go down and the segment starts.
"By the way…" Oh, for Christ's sake, lady, will you shut up before my wife bites your head off? "… We were approved for two hours."
We both rubberneck over to her.
"We were?" I ask. "But I thought you said nobody got two hours… not even Obama or Bono." She shrugs.
"The station manager loved the material. He couldn't decide what to keep and what to cut, so… we got two hours."
I'm impressed. Butterfly, not so much. I can't imagine what's going through her head right now.
The introduction starts with the gates opening at Grey Crossing, like some episode of Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous, and I already don't like it, but the interview quickly recovers by moving almost instantly away from the mansion to an upward pan of Grey House followed by a shot of my wife strolling through the halls like the boss that she is.
GEH looks magnificent on film. The headquarters has never gotten much airtime. Press conferences or news releases were always carefully planned and released on our terms, leaving most of the whole of the company out of the proverbial limelight—except for the numbers part of it all. People have often wondered why, with all my success, I haven't gone public. This is why. I have total control of my company. Why would I hand that control over to someone else for money that I don't need?
My beautiful wife looks just like a female mogul, roaming the halls, offices, and departments of our company. I've never seen her as majestic as she looks with the power of the House behind her. No wonder women are so jealous of her—and men are intimidated by her.
I'm extremely impressed with how the one-on-one interview with me and Maria turned out. It's just what I was hoping for—the ruthless, but shrew businessman coupled with the papa-bear that would stop at nothing to protect his family.
I watch my wife's expressions through various parts of the interview, especially when she describes who she was before me, how she changed when we got together, me being her ultimate protector. I feel pretty shitty having dropped the ball on that duty, leaving her in the uncertainty that she feels now.
I'm quite pleased with where they placed that asshole's footage of my wife breastfeeding our children. She's talking about the mothering instinct that's not so natural to some women and how her main priority is and was to protect our children inside and outside the womb. You would have thought the filming was intentional just for this moment, instead of some grip boy pervert trying to get a shot of a nip-slip.
We both look pretty bad ass on the shooting range, and we all got a little chuckle out of Maria's obvious inexperience with a firearm…
We all, that is, except Butterfly.
Her face is stone throughout most of the segment. Even portions that brought small chuckles and reactions from Mac. She's watching this entire thing with a highly critical eye, and she's not even enjoying it.
When the segment is over, I feel a collective sigh release in the theater room. I don't hear it, but I feel it.
"I secured releases from everyone who was filmed when we were last here except from your nanny… Keri, I think is her name. Forgive me if I got that wrong," Maria informs us.
"No, you got it right," I say. "That shouldn't be a problem."
"So, what did you think?" Maria asks nervously. I turn to my wife; whose face still looks like marble.
"Butterfly?" I urge.
"The segment was good," she says, her face stoic. "Concise, honest, thought-provoking. The placement of that idiot's footage was quite timely. I was afraid of how that would be incorporated into the segment, but I'm satisfied. Nothing was overdone, which is something that I was afraid of. I would have liked to see more of the children, but I guess there's only so much you can fit into a two-hour segment, and that was a lot of material. Overall, I'm satisfied with the ultimate outcome."
Timely… concise… satisfied. My wife is choosing her words carefully, not at all saying that she liked or disliked anything in the interview apart from the fact that Minnie and Mikey didn't get more screen time. This point doesn't get by Maria, and her uncertainty is transparent.
"Is there anything that you didn't like, Ana?" she asks. "Anything you want to remove or change? I can get some more footage of the children added if you want. I just didn't want to overdo it…"
"No, it's fine," my wife interrupts. "The overall focus was Christian and me and that's how it should be. Too much information about the children could be dangerous." Maria nods in resignation.
"What about you, Christian?" she says, slightly crestfallen but trying not to show it, and for once, I have to be the diplomat in the situation. I'm not sure that I can do it, but here goes.
"I liked it," I begin. "I think it portrays just what we wanted—Christian and Anastasia Grey as a whole and not just the crap that the press or the gossip rags want to show. It had that 'here's what it is, take it or leave it' vibe, and I like that. I was afraid that it was going to be some plastered-over, painted and spit-shined depiction of us and I wouldn't have liked that at all. When the segment started with the gates opening, I was worried, but you recovered very quickly…"
"I did that intentionally," Maria interjects. "I know that people are expecting some 'Robin Leach, Ana descending the stairs in a diamond-encrusted robe' presentation. So, I had a little fun and let them think that's what they're getting."
Of course, they did get some of that, but it was appropriately placed and not overused, so, I can't complain.
"I had a feeling," I say. "I'm just glad that wasn't the entire focus of the interview. Yes, we have a beautiful home and yes, we have money, but the hope was to focus on the people and not necessarily the situation. I think you did that well. I particularly loved the parenting segment and where you put the forbidden footage." Maria sighs.
"I was hoping that you would be happy with that… both of you," she says. We look over at Butterfly who simply takes another sip of her Cabernet. Maria deflates a little. "When you gave me permission to use it, I had no idea where to put it at first. My questions were, 'where do you insert a woman breastfeeding?' Then I thought about it being the original natural process, second only to sex, and realized that it could have fit just about anywhere that we were talking about the woman that Ana is, but best fit when we were discussing motherhood."
"Well good for you. It looks good," I encourage. "I'll have to admit that I see quite a bit of me but more of Ana."
"That's also intentional," Maria says. "The camera loves Ana and the press and the public gobble up every little tidbit of her that they can get. It's been that way ever since she's been in the limelight. That's not to say that the camera doesn't love you, too, but public Christian Grey is a new flavor. The viewing audience has a delicate palate. If you dump it on them all at once, they quickly lose the taste for it. Even in what appears to be a relaxed setting, you're a force of dominance…"
Quite the appropriate description.
"You can't push that in somebody's face too much. It comes off like an arrogant pissing dog. So, instead, I gave you that one power segment, then introduced a segment of Ana before bringing you both together again. From there, you were still very present, but she did most of the talking. Finally, you came in as the anchor. So, I started and ended with you, but Ana was the cream filling, so to speak. As a result, hopefully, a little more Ana and a little less Christian actually gives the segment just the right amount of balance."
Mac is nodding introspectively, and I can see that she agrees with what Maria is saying.
"Well, I agree with my wife; it's very precise, and I feel that it's a good representation of us—a bit of a bite at some moments as well as the softer, human side of the Greys. I'm quite satisfied." I look over at Butterfly who finally succumbs to compliment.
"Yes, Maria, it's a good presentation. I like it," she says. Maria's face finally lifts a bit and she signals for the film operator—whoever is up there with Jason—to play the promos. If this is what Mrs. Miller saw, it truly wasn't much. There are two separate promos and in either of them, you only see a fraction of the house—pieces of the grand entry, dining room, family room, and backyard. I guess that was enough for her to call Elliot… or call Gia who called Elliot. Anyway, the promos weren't revealing at all—some pictures of Grey House and the two of us showing Maria around, no pictures of our children at all, and that was it. I can still understand why my wife wasn't happy that the footage was shown before we consented, though. It could have been much worse.
Maria indicates that she has to get back to New York for shooting of portions of her show that will be this week and that she will call ahead to approve the immediate airing of the promos we approved. This was the warning that if we watch television, we'll most likely see some of our promos as soon as today as the program will air in primetime a week from tomorrow. Butterfly rises from her chair, shakes Maria's hand and thanks her for coming and for her good work before sitting back in her seat and drinking her Cabernet. I walk a bit with Maria and Mac to the theater room door.
"Don't take it personally," I tell Maria in a low voice. "My wife has recently been through something and it's taking a bit of a toll on her. Hearing about the promos before we had approved the segment didn't help."
"Again, I am so sorry about that," Maria grovels. "I have no excuse for it, but I hope it didn't completely ruin the experience."
"If she could find her words right now, she would tell you how much she liked it. I know that because I liked it and I'm very hard to please." I finally get the wide smile from Maria that she's been holding back.
"Thank you, Christian. I appreciate that. The last thing I want is for the two of you to be disappointed."
"Come on, Maria. We'll find Keri and get that last release signed for you," Mac says. I gesture to Chuck sitting in the back of the theater and when he meets us in the middle of the aisle, I explain that the ladies need to find Keri and that Mac will most likely want to come back here when all is said and done.
"You're feeling better?" I ask my wife when I take my seat next to her.
"A little," she says. "The sky didn't fall." I know that's a reference to her constant feeling of impending doom as well as the theory of Chicken Little that nothing's really wrong, but she still expected the end of the world. I simply put my arm around her and sigh.
"When I found out that I was pregnant," she begins, "I was afraid that I was carrying two little lives inside of me—two little blessings from God—that I would nurture inside of my body and bring into this realm just so that the world could gobble them up and destroy them. As time went on, I managed to fight those demons back even though it was hard, and things were still happening to prove my point rather than dispel it. Now, they're here—they've made it into the world and they're okay. And as time goes on, I see more and more that I was right the first time.
"People are untrustworthy and as a result, horrible things happen to other people. Even when you think you're doing everything you're supposed to do, somehow you slip up and do something wrong—you make the wrong decision, or you don't take an action you should have or you're just in the wrong place at the wrong time and because of it, hell falls down on you like burning hot lava and sears your very soul.
"You go to one of your favorite places in the world to calm down and think things through and just as you're leaving, your psycho ex-boyfriend shoots you full of drugs that should only be available to doctors and handcuffs you to a bed for four days.
"You take a left turn instead of a right which takes you a different route than you normally take, and a neurotically delusional ex-submissive T-bones your car most likely gunning for the Dom whom she felt scorned her… or maybe she was gunning for me, who knows?
"And instead of running to my husband and telling him about a situation that I erroneously thought I had under control or simply avoiding the situation altogether, he walks in and sees a man that I don't want at all about to kiss me, and he leaves me for three weeks with no word—put an ocean, a few seas, and a continent between us."
Shit… that hurt.
"And this," she says, gesturing to the screen. "Grip boy records me without my permission hoping to see some tits, and then we hear through word of mouth that the promos were released before we approved them. I couldn't even enjoy the premier because I sat here the entire time waiting for the other shoe to drop."
Jesus, I don't know what to say. I want to come up with something that will make this all better, but I can't. I see a single tear fall down her cheek, quickly followed by another.
"You were my safe place," she says, her voice squeaking. "Everything was okay in your arms, under your protection, and suddenly…" She trails off. What's more alarming is that she's speaking in past tense. I am your safe place, Butterfly.
"You're only human," she continues, her tears dictating her voice. "You're not perfect, immortal, or impervious to pain or mistakes, but somehow… somehow…" Her voice trails off again. She raises her eyes to the ceiling and sighs heavily before quickly wiping her face with both her whole hands to remove as many tears as possible.
"It's an uphill battle," she says, "fighting the Boogeyman and trying not to let fear overtake me and become a complete recluse, but I'm fighting it. I see things more differently than I've ever seen them before in my life, and I just have to incorporate this new knowledge into my life without crumbling to the hand of doom. That's the hard part. Wisdom is a terrible burden to bear."
That sounds horrible. She's slipping into the doom again. This is exactly what we don't want. She's moving backwards, away from progress.
"Baby, what can I do?" I ask, feeling completely rudderless. She shakes her head.
"I'll be alright," she says in that flat voice that I hate. It's that quiet acceptance of hell. "I just… need a few moments to regroup. I'll do some yoga and meditate." She stands from the seat and heads to the door.
"Do you want me to come and meditate with you?" I ask. We haven't meditated together in a couple of days. It might help. She turns sad eyes to me.
"Sometimes, you have to face your demons alone," she replies. She looks at me for a moment, then walks out of the theater room.
Jesus, I feel like a stone has been tied around my neck and I just have to carry it around until she comes out of this. If that's how I feel, I can only imagine what she's feeling.
"I just saw Ana." Mac's voice startles the shit out of me. "She's not doing very well." I shake my head.
"My impromptu trip to Madrid did more damage that I ever thought possible," I say, scrubbing my hands over my face. "I'll be honest, even looking back on my anger, had I ever thought it would cause this much injury, I would have made a different decision." Mac frowns.
"I thought you went to Madrid on a hunch," she says, "that you got a bad feeling about something and had to go immediately. There's more?"
"Yes, there's more, but I'm not going to tell you about it because it's irrelevant and won't do any good. I will tell you that you're right, though. I did get a bad feeling about something and I did go on a hunch—and I was right, which is why I pulled out of the deal. But I didn't need to go as suddenly as I went, and that's all I'll say about that."
I straighten in my seat, raising to my full height and changing the subject, indicating to Mac that this topic of conversation is closed.
"What about what Stanton said?" I ask. "Did I give enough to prove that she missed a golden opportunity?"
"Oh, dear God, do you have to ask?" Mac replies. "You gave just enough of the interview that she was looking for not to bore the audience, plus you gave crisp and valuable insight into your personal life that wasn't syrupy sweet, overly ostentatious, or Desperate Housewives. She's going to be sick when she sees this."
"How do you know she'll watch it?" I ask.
"It's primetime Monday night Sweeps Week—of course, she's going to watch it. She's hoping to see it flop, so she's going to watch it the entire way through, looking for exactly what she's expecting to see, and trust me. You guys nailed it. Maria asked the tough questions and you two came back without flinching. You got the point across that you wanted to relay as well as giving a good, solid 10-15 minutes as to exactly why you are the brilliant entrepreneur, businessman, mastermind, savant, and guru that she claimed you were. Those statistics that you threw out there in a moment's notice—28 industries, 419 subindustries, 165 countries… that shit was brilliant. Raynell fucked up and when she sees this interview, she's going to know it. You got the grit that she was looking for plus the fantastic human-interest piece that you wanted… Stories like this—and on Sweeps Week—are the stuff that Barbara Walters is made of. She's going to shit herself when this airs. She pissed on the golden ticket and she's going to know it!"
Well, I take some small amount of comfort in that. Mac and I talk for a few minutes longer about the publicity that will be generated over the next week and how to handle it, including a "no comment" press release until after the segment airs. Jason and Chuck return to the theater room after showing Maria and her reel operator to the door.
"I have the copies of the interview and the promos, sir," Jason says, handing me a very fancy looking silver flash drive. "It really was a good segment." I nod, hardly pacified from my angst about my wife.
"Well, I'll be going now," Mac says, rising from her seat. "Thanks for the great grub and… call me if you guys need me."
"Thanks, Mac," I say without raising my head.
"I'll show you out," Chuck says as he escorts Mac from the theater room. I run my fingers through my hair and drop my head. There's that stone around my neck again.
"Do you want to be left alone?" I forgot that Jason was still here. Now, he's standing in front of me.
"I don't know what to do," I admit. "It's like she's bipolar. Just about anything could set her off. She was my rock in Detroit, Jason," I say, turning my gaze to him as he takes a seat next to me. "She never complained about that cold room. She was right there when I needed her. She held me together when I thought I was going to fall apart. She was everything I needed and then some. She was supportive, passionate, even playful… but the moment the slightest bit of adversity comes her way, she loses her footing. True, she did everything throughout this viewing to hold it together, so she didn't fall apart completely, but she was so withdrawn and detached… so aloof. If was hard to watch. It was a good segment…"
"Very good, boss," Jason says. "She depicted you guys extremely well. She even turned a bad situation into a good one." I nod.
"Exactly, but my wife was sitting there waiting for some horrible thing to come across the screen and never absorbed how great we looked—as a couple and a family… as a team. It was just what I wanted, and she still looks like the world is ending." I drop my head into my hands.
"God, why didn't I see this before?" I say, still holding my head while I'm shaking it. "My wife is and always has been mostly emotion and I… I, who can't identify what I'm feeling half the time without help from my shrink or from her or from you… had to go all mega-Dom on her and disappear for three weeks without telling her where I was. This damage may be irreparable." Jason sighs.
"Well, you got one thing right," he says. "You did go mega-Dom on her." I raise my eyes to him. "I may not be in the lifestyle, boss, but I had to learn something about it working for you, and that trip to Madrid wasn't about you at all. It was about her. Somewhere during the course of that trip, you may have gotten all caught up in your feelings and decided that you felt betrayed or hurt or used or whatever feeling you want to put in there. But the entire time that you were downing shots at the bar, vomiting on the plane, wearing a toga during the descent, and running around Madrid in sweatpants, you were pissed. You convinced yourself that she was a villain and she deserved to be punished—and that's what you did. You went mega-Dom and gave her the biggest punishment that you've ever given her. Emotional warfare is far more damaging than physical, and you punished her so badly that she punished herself.
"I'm not saying that she's blameless in this. I know that's not true and so does she. I'm just saying that this could have definitely been handled in a better way and now, she's paying for it. What you did was the equivalent of 'two wrongs don't make a right;' they only result in an even bigger wrong and in this case, it's astronomical. She's suffering a form of PTSD…"
"Oh, she's not going to like the sound of that," I protest. "She won't even talk to Dr. Baker without coaxing because she said the same thing."
"Well, she may not have been suffering it at that time, but this time, she is. She emotionally or physically separates herself from any situation that may cause her discomfort; then she sits in the corner and waits for Armageddon. That's the same as a combat soldier who can't tolerate fireworks, who's set off by a ceiling fan thinking it's a chopper blade; who wakes up in the middle of the night screaming and fighting ghosts who aren't there; a victim of a serious accident who's afraid to drive a car; a victim of sexual abuse who doesn't trust the opposite sex. I could go on and on, but I think you get the idea. She can deny it all she wants, but that's what she's suffering.
"Is it irreparable? I don't know. I've seen some victims of PTSD that never come out of it. I've seen some that just learn to live with it—that can function and control their triggers. Her behavior in Detroit gives me the idea that she has hope. It just depends on how deep her despair is and if she can control those feelings of doom. She's going to have to find out exactly what triggers it and control those triggers. That's the hard part, but you have to be patient and give her time… and space, when she needs it." Did he hear her tell me that there was nothing I could do for her right now?
"Are you a part-time shrink, too?" I try to jest.
"No," Jason says, "I'm a combat veteran. I suffer a bit of the old post-trauma myself. I just… know how to handle it." I gaze at him.
"I never knew that," I reply soberly.
"I don't publicize it," he retorts. "If Her Highness denies that she's suffering from the effects of post-traumatic stress, she's never going to be able to find an effective treatment plan. She knows that."
"Well, Jason, I can't tell her. When I tell you that it was disastrous the last time we approached that topic with Dr. Baker, I'm saying that the silent passive-aggressive blows in that room could have caused physical carnage in a different setting." He sighs.
"I'll try to find a decent time to talk to her about it, but it won't be today. She's already triggered, so she can't hear me right now." I twist my lips.
"You did some shrinking somewhere, Jason. Admit it."
"Nope," he denies, shaking his head. "Any intelligent person will learn everything they can about their illness, particularly mental illnesses. They can be deadlier than any physical illness around. I educated myself on triggers, coping techniques, symptoms, medications, things like that. I'm not a shrink, Christian. I'm just informed."
"Quite," I cede. "I'll let you decide when the best time is to broach this topic with Her Highness. In the meantime, I need your help with another situation."
I've lost it. I've completely lost hold on everything that I've been working on—all my Zen, all my chi, all my fucking self-control… right out the goddamn window.
Get it together, Grey. Get it the fuck together.
For the first time in my life, the Bitch sounds like me. I shudder and try to compose myself. I can't lose it. I have to maintain control and balance.
I'm walking around the house aimlessly, not sure where I'm headed or what I'm trying to do. The meditation room won't do it right now. I need more than meditation to shake this feeling. I need meditation on steroids!
Nothing happened. Nothing even happened. It was just the fact that Maria Sanchez seemed a bit careless with our footage and suddenly, the sky is falling again. I can't function like this. I can't constantly walk around being afraid to think or move or breathe.
Nothing actually went wrong. It just took the hint of something possibly not being quite right for me to slip into the anticipation of Armageddon.
Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Who is this wimpy bitch before me and what has she done with the fearless Anastasia Steele?
Anastasia Steele… why did I go all the way back to her?
I know why… because I'm trying to find that independence that I once had, that ability to call my own shots and tell it like it is without pulling punches or holding back. That same woman who told David the he would never have a chance and subsequently pulled a gun on him in the parking lot. Yeah, he kidnapped me, but when I was free, I kicked his motherfucking ass with the last bit of strength I had left.
That's the girl I'm looking for—the same girl that faced off with the Pedophile and won every time, even after she stole my gun. Yeah, she shot Jason with it, but I beat her within an inch of her life after that.
And then there's the girl who really let Grey have it—showed him just how displeased I was with his staring and his fucking, "Google me." Yeah, I'd love for her to make an appearance.
How did I become so weak? How did I become so dependent that I couldn't define myself without him? Made him everything in my life so that once he was gone, I was rudderless and had no identity?
It's my fault. I made him "perfect." I made him the answer to all my questions, prayers, and problems. I made him invincible and incapable of disappointment, so that when it happened, I nearly crumbled.
It's my fault. It's all my fault.
Michel's words come back to me…
"You two are going to be together for 100 years and sometime during that hundred years, you're going to have a big breakup. It won't be the end of the world. It'll just feel like it. Don't let it destroy you."
God, I hope this was the big breakup. I don't think I can survive anything bigger than this.
All my wandering finds me in the spa room. I don't know how I got here, but yes, this is the perfect place for me at the moment. I turn the lights on and the room looks like a haven, a nice, quiet haven. I immediately start the water running in the sunken spa. I sit on the bench in front of the wall aquarium, which easily holds twenty to thirty fish… or more. The only thing my mind can conjure right now is… who's responsible for feeding these fish? I immediately think of that aquarium I bought with Edward… and how I couldn't wait to get rid of that fucker once he was gone.
That of course leads me to my visit to the aquarium where he and his ex-security flunky kidnapped me.
"You're a dirty fucking bastard, Edward," I say aloud. "You were a wretched excuse for a human being. I'm glad you're dead and I hope you burn in hell."
The honesty of those statements is incredibly liberating. Fuck political correctness. For much of the time that I knew that man, he made my life a living hell even through the moments where I foolishly loved him. Now, when I find myself in my darkest moments, he comes back to taunt me—make me feel like I'm nothing or worse yet, make me feel afraid of the future. How the hell do you give a dead man that kind of power over you?
I stand from the bench and move to the shelf of bath salts. Sandalwood—yes. Evocative and soothing at the same time.
"Fuck you, Edward David," I say as I sprinkle bath salts into the slightly steaming water, "and your little dog, too."
That fucking keystone cop… No, not a keystone cop. I won't insult keystone cops by comparing them to him. He was even more worthless than Edward—pissed off because he couldn't, or wouldn't, do his job and then blames his termination on me. And manhandling me while I was cuffed and helpless—that was really fucking macho. Your plans for success were based on Edward needing to get me alone and when that didn't pan out for you, you raid my credit cards. Brilliant, fucking brilliant.
And you have the nerve to haunt me, too.
"Fuck you, too, you miserable asshole," I say aloud. "I hope Satan is fucking you in the ass with a red, hot dick every night."
Jesus! That sounds horrible.
But I don't care. It serves him right.
I swirl my hands around in the hot, aromatic water. It's perfect. I strip, dropping my clothes on the floor next to the spa and descend the stairs into the hot water. It feels heavenly. As I settle into the water, I practice a meditation technique I saw in one of my studies.
I wiggle my toes, stretching them wide and feeling the tension release in each knuckle as the hot water caresses them. Once my toes feel loose and light, I stretch my feet like I'm doing one of my interpretive dances. I feel the release all the way to my ankles. I close my eyes and stretch further, flexing my calf muscles—first the right and then the left. It's like tiny fingers working the stress out of my muscles, releasing all the tension and darkness into the water and washing it away from me.
Next, I flex my feet hard, causing my thigh and hamstring muscles to stretch. I imagine all the fear and anxiety rising to the top and dissipating in the continuous bubbles, floating off in the air to somehow return to the depths of hell from whence they came. My body is beginning to feel physically lighter. I tighten and flex my glutes, feeling the release all the way in my lower back.
I control my breathing the entire time, bringing good, healthy air in and releasing the bad, burdened air that had previously invaded my lungs. Fuck this silent reservation. If the Boogeyman wants me, come at me! I got something for you, and I'm not going out without a fight.
I roll my abs, flexing and tightening, imagining more of the darkness sliding out of my soul and off my body, imagining the fear releasing its death grip on my heart and mind, clearly seeing a shiny newness that leaves no room for doubt, anguish, painful uncertainty.
The pop of each vertebra is a celebration of the releasing of the weight of doom and when the final vertebra pops and I end the dance with a long roll of my shoulders, I feel the final monkey jump off my back. I stretch my arms and wiggle my fingers, basking in the feeling of being able to roll my neck around and from side to side without the hinderance of, "What the hell is coming at me now" following me or lurking on my left or my right, making me afraid to turn my head and look around me, to walk confidently into my future whatever it may hold.
The bubbles massage my sensitive breasts and I reach up to my nipples to protect them from the flow of the jets. Good God, they're taut! I cover them, allowing them to still feel the heat of the water without the constant pressure and stimulation of the jets. Jesus, I can't remember the last time they felt like this—dark pink and hard like little pebbles. I'm so fascinated by how they look that I start to massage them. No wonder Christian likes them so much… they're beautiful.
Before I know it, the stimulation sends jolts of pleasure right down to my core. I'm suddenly very aroused by my own nipple play and the water is caressing me into comfort and seduction like you wouldn't believe. I want to find Christian, but this caress… this massive release of trouble and anguish… the embrace of the warm, aromatic water…
Do you need him to come, too?
My hand slides from my breast and locates that sensitive bundle of nerves between my legs and I stroke… again… and again… and again. I pinch my nipple to remind myself of the sensation the brought me to this point.
"Ah," I purr as pleasure shoots back and forth between the two manipulated points. I stroke myself harder, deeper, spreading my legs wider, the warm water adding to the sensation of my building orgasm.
"Ah… ah…" I croon, pinching my nipple and stroking my clit, over and over until…
I bite my lip and groan through my climax, feeling the final weight of uncertainty fall from my body. I take more deep, cleansing breaths as my body trembles through aftershocks and slowly melts into the comfort of satiation.
Why did I do that? I don't regret it, but I can't remember the last time I touched myself just for the sake of touching myself. At my condo? After Christian's first kiss… or sometime around there. I touched myself after I had the babies, then Christian interrupted me and made me feel like shit without saying a word. True, he made me come so hard that night that I could barely say my name, but the way he looked at me… I remember never wanting to touch myself again.
So, I didn't.
But this is my body. Yes, it's his, too, but it's mine first. Why do I need an excuse to make myself feel good? Why should I be ashamed? It's not like I'm letting someone else touch me—I'm doing it myself. Jesus, have I completely lost all definition of Anastasia in the definition of AnaChris?
No matter. I'm on my way to finding myself again, to finding that tiger that he fell in love with and that I admired so much. She's not gone, she's just suppressed, and she needs to come back. I can still be Christian's wife without totally losing myself and who I was in the process. No wonder I'm a fucking basket case. Yes, bad things are going to happen. They happen all the time. They've happened to me since I was a child… but I didn't die. Shit, somebody tried to kill me—killed the baby that I was carrying—and I still didn't die.
I still carry my guns in my purse and in my glovebox, and I walk around afraid that someone from Green Valley is going to sneak up behind me again. Please, walk up on me… please! I will take great joy in filling their asses full of lead.
David did some horrible shit to me and to other women, and he ultimately paid with his life. Why the hell am I still holding onto that one?
And Christian, my lover and my tormentor. One day—heaven forbid—he may just decide that I'm not enough for him anymore. Am I going to roll over and die if that happens? At the rate I'm going now, yes, I will. I'm going to curl up and shrivel away into nothingness without him.
No, I don't want to lose him. Yes, I'll be crushed if he leaves me. But right here, right now in this space and time, who am I? Who is Anastasia besides being Mrs. Christian Grey?
The question floats around in my head as I allow the comfort of afterglow, release, and liberation to soothe me as the warm water continues to caress my body.
"Baby wake up."
Christian's voice is cutting through my solace. Maybe cutting is the wrong word, but I was visioning… dreaming maybe… about clouds and flying and dancing, flowers and soft spring dresses… and twirling…
"Hmm?" I say groggily. He pushes the wet hair from my face.
"How long have you been in here?" he asks, his voice concerned. I shrug. I'm still in the spa… with the warm water.
"Uhuhuh," I make the I don't know sound while shrugging my shoulders, because I really don't know how long I've been in the water, but long enough for the heat and massage to coax milk from my breast. Sure enough, when I sit up, they're empty and light…
Just like the rest of me.
"Are you okay?" he asks, reaching his hand out to me to help me out of the spa. I take his hand and drag myself from the comfort of the warm bath. My body is a little heavier now, but it's no doubt from the loss of that weightless feeling from the water, and from the fact that I'm totally pruney, which means…
"I'm fine, just a little waterlogged apparently." I step out of the spa and walk over to the closet. Retrieving one of the terrycloth robes, I wrap myself in its warmth.
"You seem to be feeling a little better," Christian says, handing me a towel. I take it and begin to dry my hair.
"I'm working on it," I say, wrapping the towel around my head turban-style. "I'm working through some things. I guess we'll see how it goes."
"Is there anything I can do?" Oh, Christian. I love you so much, but therein lies the problem. Ace has been right all along. I have to start over from the beginning… finding me. And now that I have an idea what I'm looking for, the journey doesn't seem so scary anymore… but it's my journey. And no, he can't be there every step of the way because he can't take this journey for me. What's more is that I need to know who I am outside of him. I need to exist in my own space and my own skin… and learn to coexist with him as well, not just exist because of him or for him.
None of this gloom and doom would have befallen me had I not fallen completely apart when he went to Madrid. Yes, it was tragic, and it was going to be painful no matter how balanced or together I was, but it wasn't the end of the world and I fell completely apart. Just like we have to find our way back to us together, I have to find my way back to me on my own.
"Just be supportive and love me. That's all I ask." That's all I really can ask.
"Now, why does that sound like a massive blow-off to me?" he laments.
"Well, because when the person you're talking to doesn't have a cut-and-dried answer for you, they can only give you what they know, and that's what I know. I need you to love me and be supportive. Can you do that?"
"You know I can," he says, closing the space between us and pulling me into his arms. "You know I do."
"I feel like having a party," I say later that evening as I lie on my back on the sofa in the family room. Minnie is lying on my chest, breathing evenly in her slumber and occasionally suckling her binky while I play in her copper curls. Christian's brow furrows.
"What kind of party?" he asks while rubbing Mikey's back and attempting to gently coax him to sleep. "Food and Libations?"
"I don't know," I say, because I really don't know. "I'm just in the mood for a party." I know it's a ridiculous thing to blurt out of nowhere. In fact, I don't even know where that came from.
"I… guess we'll have to see what we can do, then," he says, squeezing my foot and smiling.
I don't know where I am. It's gray, not necessarily gloomy, but maybe a bit maudlin… and I hear his voice.
I focus a bit and out of the rolling gray midst comes Edward… young and beautiful, like he was when I first met him. His expression is sad—nothing like the young, confident man with the GQ model looks that I met back in college. My heart leaps and a myriad of emotions run through me, some good and some bad. They all flow into the three second funnel and produce a single thought, as always. I pull myself up to my full height, square my shoulders and ask…
"Why are you here now? What do you want?"
As if it could, his face falls even more and he appears to get shorter—shorter than me, even.
"I'm sorry, Rosie," he says, without making eye-contact with me. "I'm so sorry for the horrible way that I treated you…"
Why the hell is he coming to me now? Is it because I thought of him today? That has to be it. I fold my arms and twist my lips.
"You're dead. There's nothing you can do about it now. And I know that I'm dreaming, so why don't you go back to wherever the hell you came from." He sighs, and his clothes become more and more tattered by the second. Is that evil bastard that confronted me while Christian was gone about to present himself to me? Well, I'm ready for you, asshole. Bring it on!
"Hell is right," he says, sadly. "I know it's not you, but I see you every day. You torment me every day. You and Camilla and…" He trails off. "Mostly you. I don't know why it's mostly you. I didn't do to you what I did to the others.
"It was worse," I reply. I'm not minimizing the fact that he brutally beat those women, but I get the feeling that they got the beatings because they didn't stay around for the emotional and mental warfare that he put me through for years. And even after we broke up, there was more warfare when he kidnapped me.
"You tormented me, mentally and emotionally, but Harris took care of the beating for you."
Edward winces, the shirt and pants he was wearing now disintegrating from his body leaving something that looks somewhat like a tattered loincloth… more like a diaper.
"I don't expect you to forgive me…"
"Ha!" I scoff. "Forgiveness! That's a laugh! You're a monster, Edward. I'm glad your dead. I once said I don't know how I ever loved you, but I do. You tricked me. You tricked me just like you tried to trick me a minute ago, walking in here all beautiful and seemingly untarnished. You did your song and dance and you sold me this performance and this lie, and when the monster came out, it was too late. I was already in love—helpless and fooled into believing that this horrible creature had taken over my man and praying that one day, he would go away and bring my 'Eddie' back to me. But that was never going to happen, because my 'Eddie' was the façade and the monster was the real you all along. You did a bait and switch on me, only the version of you that you were offering was nothing like the version of you that you originally presented—nowhere near it. You sold me swampland and passed it off as resort property, and I didn't know it until I was sinking and dying. No, I don't forgive you. I'm glad you're dead and you're obviously rotting in hell, so I know that karma really does exist. Now, go back to eternal damnation and never darken my mind again. I bind you or I cast you out or whatever it is that I have to do or say to let you know that you are not welcome! Do not come back!"
Edward's face becomes pale… no, not pale, blue… death blue. His skin sags on his bones and the sadness he emits is nearly unbearable. That sheet is around his neck again, the one he foolishly thought would end his suffering, and darkness begins to swallow him. I hear a horrible rumbling, like a growl, but I can't make out any words.
"Yes, Master," Edward's voice says, now gravelly, like he's drowning, and the darkness envelops him. Moments later, a vision appears like a movie floating inside the black clouds. It's a room—like the Red Room, but morbid and dark, very uninviting. Edward appears before me, on his knees, not facing me, Thank God. His hands are bound behind him and his cuffs look like hot lava circulating around his wrists. His head is down and his 'Master' is nothing more that a darker-than-black midst in front of him. The horrible, rumbling, growling sound comes from the midst and it chills my very soul.
"Yes, Master," Edward's voice says again, and I see a long, narrow flame whip out and across his back. He cries out in pain as another flame reaches out and lifts his chin. He's weeping like a child as he looks up at the past-midnight black midst, and I look around the room that he's in…
What looks like a spanking bench is in the corner, but there are spikes all over the portion where you're supposed to sit…
Another device looks like a helmet inside of a vice, no doubt meant to crush your skull…
Yet another gruesome looking device consists of two large chunks of wood with large spikes on the inside and an apparatus made to squeeze them together. I shudder to think what's supposed to go in between them…
The more I examine the room, the more horrible torture devices I see.
Some kind of rolling device with a long handle fashioned with nails or barbs or something—it looks like a homemade gardening tool. There's even a medieval rack and an iron maiden. This is a fucking torture chamber!
Another lick of fire down his back causes Edward to scream and brings my attention back to him. The rumbling grumble that comes from the horrible mist this time is clearly a laugh, and Edward crumbles to the ground in tormented tears.
Torture chamber… Red Room… licks of fire, like a whip… could it be?
Edward is Satan's submissive!
As the meaning of this ghostly vision dawns on me, a horrible dog with snarling, bloody fangs comes from the black mist and starts viciously biting the bound and helpless Edward. Just as I'm about to turn away from the grisly display, the dog turns to me…
And I see Harris's face.
He growls at me, then falls to the ground, gnawing angrily at his own paws, mangling them and yowling in pain the entire time. Jesus, what was I watching before I fell asleep? What kind of craziness is this?
"Forgive me, Rosie! Please, forgive me!"
And somehow, I get the feeling that my forgiveness is directly linked to the level of torment this asshole is suffering. I don't know how, but I think I'm right. The very thought of it rips a cackling laughter from my chest.
The sound of my laughter is still echoing in my ears when I open my eyes. Apparently, the sound wasn't enough to wake my husband. Thank God for that—I don't even want to begin to try to explain that dream to him. I roll over and snuggle under the covers.
"I forgive you, Edward," I say softly with a chuckle. "You can't do anything else to me anymore, so I really don't care what happens to you, but I'm not holding onto this shit anymore. Now, stay the fuck out of my dreams or I'll come in there and get you myself, and Satan's red-hot dick will be the least of your worries."
Within moments, I'm asleep again, dreaming about clouds and music and flying…
"I have to say that this is a pretty remarkable case. I've heard of them, but I've never had one."
Judge Purdy looks over our petition as she reviews our case. Al is as calm as ever, as am I, but Daddy looks like he's about to burst.
"You seem nervous, Mr. Steele," the judge says. Daddy shrugs.
"Maybe… just a bit. I'm… excited I guess. I've been waiting for this for a while. It's just… way past time we did this, that's all." Daddy's words tumble out completely unrehearsed, like he's going through the supermarket and picking the words off the shelf as he sees them. I reach over and squeeze his hand, trying to calm him.
"Better late than never, right?" the judge says with a smile and Daddy calms right down. "Tell me, because it's not part of the petition. Why did you wait so long? It won't affect the decision. I'm just curious." I look at Daddy and he nods, ceding to me to answer the judge's question.
"My mother," I say without hesitation. "It was a rocky and unstable relationship, to say the very least. My mother legally changed my name to Steele very shortly after I was born, but never gave my Daddy parental rights. Once she decided that she didn't want to be married to him anymore, she went about the business of ripping away from him the daughter that she gave him and had built a relationship with him for over ten years. The decade that followed was torturous—for both of us. We kept in touch as we could, saw each other whenever we could, kept our relationship going the best we could. It wasn't until I became an adult that I was able to come to him and fully rebuild our relationship. Even though we have the love and don't really need the piece of paper to define our relationship, different things that have happened to me over the past few years have led to the conclusion that Daddy and I do need legal documentation to solidify our relationship to the rest of the world. It's not about what people think; it's just what's necessary." The judge nods.
"Very astute explanation, Mrs. Grey," she says. You've answered my question and any follow-up I was thinking of. So, if no one objects, let's get on with it."
"In the Superior Court of the State of Washington and in the County of King; in the matter of the adoption of Anastasia Rose Steele-Grey by the petitioner, Raymond Steele, this cause coming on to be heard and being heard before myself, the Court, and from all the evidence presented in this proceeding, makes the following findings of fact and law:
"That all necessary parties are properly before the court and that notice of the adoption petition has been served on any person entitled to receive notice of this proceeding.
"That the adoptee is eighteen years of age or older and proper consent to the adoption has been given by her in writing and has been filed with this proceeding.
"That any other necessary consent has been obtained and any other necessary documents or judicial orders have been obtained and filed with the Court.
"That the adoptee was born in the State of Washington on the 18th day of October 1986.
"That this adoption is entered into freely and without duress or undue influence for the purpose of creating the relation of parent and child between the petitioner and the adoptee, and that the petitioner and the adoptee understand the consequences of the adoption.
"That the Decree of Adoption establishes the relationship of parent and child between the petitioner and the person being adopted. From the date of the signing of the Decree, the adoptee is entitled to inherit real and personal property by, through, and from the adoptive parent in accordance with the statutes on interstate succession and has the same legal status, including all legal rights and obligations of any kind whatsoever, as a child born the legitimate child of the adoptive parent.
"Please note that this Decree for Adoption does not terminate the parental rights of any living biological parents or sever the relationship of parent and child between the individual and the individual's biological mother as you have requested not to do so.
"Now therefore, upon the foregoing finding as a matter of law, it is hereby ordered, adjudged and decreed: that from the date of entry of this Decree, the adult is declared adopted for life by the petitioner and that said adult will continue to be known by the name of Anastasia Rose Steele-Grey in accordance with the provisions of the General Statutes."
I think Daddy and I both hold our breath until she gets to the bottom of that document. She's still reading, and I don't hear a thing except "adopted for life."
Daddy is officially my daddy!
"Congratulations to you both," the judge adds. Daddy beams with immeasurable pride when Judge Purdy hands him the final adoption order.
"Thank you," he exclaims. "Thank you, Your Honor. Thank you so much." Daddy gathers me in his arms and I can feel him shaking. He's not an emotional man, so I know he's a bit overwhelmed right now. I squeeze him hard and sink into his chest, that strong man who has always been there for me—when circumstances allowed. No matter what came between us, my daddy never turned his back on me. We may have been kept apart by circumstances beyond our control, but he never deserted me. He came to get me after I was attacked and was prepared to finish raising me on his own until that woman and her walking moonshine still came and got me and ripped us apart again.
"I love you, Daddy," I whisper, my voice cracking.
"I love you, too, Sunflower," Daddy says, his voice thick with unshed tears.
"Okay, happy smiles, happy smiles. It's picture time," Judge Purdy says. It's customary for new families to take a picture with the judge, so Daddy and I buck up and put on our best smiles for the camera. Al snaps a few pictures with his phone and with the judge's phone as she wanted one for her wall. When he's done, he's thumbing through his phone and frowning again. I thank the judge for her services and we proceed to leave the courtroom.
"Is everything okay?" I ask. He twists his lips.
"I don't know," he says. "Check your phone, did you get a text from Christian?" I reach in my pocket and swipe my screen. Sure enough…
**Don't be alarmed. I need you to come to your father's house with Ray when the adoption is complete. **
And nothing else.
"Annie, I know we were supposed to do lunch, but Mandy just texted me. She's says there's nothing wrong, but that I need to come home," Daddy says.
"I got a similar text, and I'm thinking Al did, too," I respond and Al nods. "Meet at Dad's?"
"Pretty much," Al says, and I sigh.
"Let's go see what's going on." Another catastrophe, no doubt… today of all days! I stiffen my back and prepare to face whatever it is.
I will not let this bring me down.
I will not let this bring me down.
I spend the time in the car meditating and trying to steel myself for whatever is about to happen at Daddy's house. When Chuck turns the corner to my father's street, I quickly realize that my fears are unfounded.
"He didn't!" I laugh as we approach the house.
"Is that what I think it is?" Daddy exclaims while Chuck hides his chuckles and Al breaks out in shameless laughter.
"You should know," I tease, a reference to an earlier time.
On my father's lawn is the biggest pink stork announcement I've ever seen, even bigger than Harry's! It has to be at least eight feet tall, wearing a pink cape with a pink Superman symbol on his chest. The sign simply says "Anastasia Rose" and it has today's date on it.
"My husband is insane!" I declare. "When did he order that damn thing and how did he get it here so quickly?" Daddy is now laughing as we pull into the driveway behind Christian's Audi—one of them, anyway. Mandy is in the door waving when we arrive, and I wonder just how long she's been standing there. The porch is decorated with pink balloons and a banner that reads, "It's a girl."
"You guys are too much," I say as I exit the car. I walk into Mandy's arms and return her embrace
"I love you, dearly," she says, "but still don't call me 'Mom.'" We laugh at the throwback to our first meeting.
"Maybe just once or twice," I tease, pinching my fingers together in front of my eye. Mandy twists her lips in a half-smirk.
"Maybe… we'll see," she retorts. She releases me to kiss Daddy and I go to Christian's arms.
"You're too much," I say to him, greeting him with a gentle kiss.
"What my girl wants, my girl gets," he says. I furrow my brow. I didn't want a pink stork. I like it and it's cute, but I didn't request it. He just smiles and ushers me into the house behind Mandy and Daddy.
The house is full. The salutation startles me so badly that I actually turn to run back out the house and I'm greeted by an equally stunned Al. He catches me in his arms—and against his chest—looking over my head at the crowd of people assembled.
The Scooby Gang, Gail and Keri with my precious babies, Grace and Carrick, Mia and Ethan, Marilyn, Elliot, a person or two from Helping Hands…
And Brian.
Brian was here with Christian? For how long? The house isn't in a state of disarray—so I guess there was no brawling, but how did that happen?
Brian moves forward and grabs my father's hand. They embrace for a long time, and Daddy closes his eyes. He has missed his friend. I feel a little guilty. Their relationship is strained because of me and I wish that I could change things…
And then I see her.
A/N: Don't ask me where the hell "Satan's Playroom" came from. I don't know what kind of dark place I was in when I came up with that one. I even researched torture devices! I think somebody pissed me off that day…
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Just another Monday. Welcome to the week, guys. I'm fully back to it. I'm excited to be back in the thick of the blog, it has after all, my home.
I'm totally caught up in mix and matching prints. I love having the option to put so many different items together and having a great outfit. I chose a similar color palette for all my pieces to ensure a smooth transition throughout my ensemble. Perfecto!
In recent news, my little sister, Mootz, has moved to Hawaii over the weekend to start a new chapter in life. We'll be adding her adventures and island styles to our site. We are so thrilled and excited for her!! Have a good week and please let us know if you have any ideas or places Mootz should visit in Oahu! #amootzinhawaii
top (similar): Forever 21
tank: JCPenney
shorts: Express
shoes: Sheik
purse: H & M
earrings: francesca's
ring: Dillard's
A Mootz in Hawaii


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Tuesday, 20 December 2016
A winter favourite at Farlington.
Once again birding and blogging have taken a back seat during the past few months partly due to the demands of stubborn, aging parents whose health, mobility and living issues increasingly require more physical support.
Fortunately a recent outing to Farlington Marshes lifted my spirits as I reconnected with one of my favourite over wintering species, the Dark-bellied Brent Geese (Branta bernicla), that frequent the marshes in their thousands.
As the tide rises in Langstone Harbour the geese leave their watery feeding areas and move onto the marshes, some stopping at the lake together with a varied mix of waders and ducks, including Avocet, Black-tailed Godwit, Dunlin, Redshank, Greenshank, Knot, Grey Plover, Ringed Plover, Shelduck, Mallard, Teal, Wigeon, and Pintail.
Both large and smaller family groups eventually settle on the grassy fields to feed and rest offering an opportunity to get much closer to this delightfully dapper goose.
7 comments:
They are quite lovely. No doubt you needed this break.ReplyDelete
I must get down there and see for myself in the meantime have a good Christmas and a Happy New Year. Mike.ReplyDelete
I'm so glad you took time to visit one of your favorite places and reconnect with nature. I hope your parents are doing ok, knowing that elderly parents have a tough time. I wish you and yours the very Merriest of Holidays Frank. CarolReplyDelete
As always a delight looking at your post,I hope 2017 brings you joy and happiness Frank.ReplyDelete
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
John and Sue.
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Strangely, Friday has always been a day without much hockey in my life. House leagues tended not to schedule much on Friday nights, although for a few years my son's team used to have the odd practice in the late evening hours when the kids were older. High school hockey likewise didn't schedule things on Fridays unless we were away on tournaments. I never played in any Friday night pickup leagues, although it is a night where a few of my buddies have played for years.
I've played hockey for years on Thursday nights (every year since living in KW in fact) and so it seems Friday is a day of rest, sort of a religious holiday for the game in my life.
But wait….there is Bart's Friday afternoon University pickup game at 3:30 for a glorious 1.5 hours that I sometimes sneak out of work to get to. Great hockey, a great way to finish off the week even if it is a bit hard to get to, timing-wise. I only wish I could make it more often. Who needs a day of rest anyway?


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Blood Orange Olive Oil Donuts – Moist, rich citrus donuts made with olive oil and covered in a sweet and tart blood orange glaze
This post may contain affiliate links, which means that I earn a commission if you purchase through those links. These are all products I use daily and highly recommend. Thanks for the support that makes Panthers & Peonies possible!
I'm obsessed with blood oranges. It's officially blood orange season and I've been on the hunt for them for close to a month now, checking pretty much every grocery store in California. And guess what, I FINALLY found some this week! I'm so happy. Between my boyfriend (also a blood orange addict) and I, I'm kind of shocked that they lasted long enough for me to bake with.
This is my favorite citrus recipe of all time. It's great as a cake, but somehow even better as donuts. You can totally make it with oranges or lemons, but making it with blood oranges is over the top delicious.
And please don't let the olive oil scare you. It doesn't make the donuts greasy, it makes them super moist and gives it a great crumb structure.
PS look at that glaze, that color is everything.
Here's What I Used:
Blood Orange Olive Oil Donuts (Vegan)
Olive Oil Donuts
- 1 cup nondairy milk
- 1 Tbsp. blood orange zest
- 1 Tbsp. freshly-squeezed blood orange juice
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 2 cups minus 4 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
- 4 Tbsp. cornstarch
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 1/2 tsp. salt
Blood Orange Glaze
- 1 Tbsp. blood orange zest
- 2 Tbsp. freshly-squeezed blood orange juice
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- Preheat oven to 350ºF.
- Mix together the nondairy milk, 1 Tbsp. orange juice, 1 Tbsp. zest, granulated sugar, and olive oil.
- Sift together the dry ingredients (flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt).
- Fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and fold gently, mixing until just combined. Be careful not to overmix!
- Scoop the batter into a greased donut mold, filling about 3/4 of the way full.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown on the edges.
- For the glaze, combine the remaining 2 Tbsp. orange juice with 1 cup sifted powdered sugar. Mix well until completely smooth, then drizzle over the cooled donuts. You can also dip the donuts in the glaze, but be careful because the glaze sets very quickly so it could rip the donuts!
- Garnish with a small pinch of orange zest.
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Research Output per year
Research Output
Educating teachers and school leaders for school-family partnershipsDotger, B. & Bennett, J., 2010, Promising Practices to Support Family Involvement in Schools. Hiatt-Michael, D. & Hands, C. (eds.). 2nd ed. Charlotte: Information Age Publishing Inc., p. 129-149
Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter (peer-reviewed)