Just got back from a long weekend trip to Orcas Island. It was wonderful & relaxing. The weather was great! This was my first trip back to the island since going on a plant-based diet. How did I do? Not too bad, but not entirely great either…

The first morning, going out to breakfast I ordered this meal:

It was their breakfast burrito with black beans, veggies & tofu. The potatoes were good, but I forgot to ask, “Can you make them with little to no oil?” They were oily, so I left most of them on my plate! For lunch that day, I was so full from eating this meal, that I just ate a cup of fresh fruits.

Wore my “Plant Strong” shirt out to breakfast.

Where did I fall short you may start to wonder? Well, I ate a bunch of licorice & other candies, plus chocolate. The chocolate was 70% cacao…but sugar is sugar! Sugar, you see is my downfall! Kim Barnouin & Rory Freedman even have a chapter in their book “Skinny bitch” titled “Sugar is the Devil!” and I can only agree to this fact as I somehow get sucked into a sugary downfall! Well, I’m trying to ween myself from this awful habit!

Sunday, I tried to clean up my act as I, mid-morning, took myself into a local juice bar. There I met a cool Californian female paddle board yoga warrior who blatched me up a healthy juice smoothie. This woman reminded me that juicing takes away sugar cravings! She also told me that juicing had prolonged her mother’s life when she was diagnosed with cancer & given three months left to live…this turned into another six or seven years thanks to juicing! I need to get back to juicing again regularly…and PRONTO!

This, by the way, will be me at some point in the near future! If I’d had more time I would have signed up to go out paddle boarding with her!

For lunch on Saturday, I went to The Kitchen & ordered their tasty veggie noodle soup! It was loaded with veggies and was just as tasty as the last time I’d had it! I got the idea, since they were closed Sunday, to order two extra orders to go of their “Kitchen Basic” meal, which is basically steamed rice with veggies. This way I’d have dinner for the evening and lunch for the next day!

Planning ahead while traveling is a good idea especially if you come across a place that serves yummy plant-strong food! It’s either that or plan to stay in a place where you can cook up your own meals!

The place where I stayed at was a private home with an additional build-on to the home, but it did not have a kitchen – only a small refrigerator. The part I loved the most about the place was the outdoor shower and the feeling of being in the country…even for an urbanite like myself, it is nice to get away!

The best part of the trip was going hiking around the lake. First, I had no idea how long of a hike it would be and ended up parking in the wrong lot below the lake, so it turned into a three hour hike, but I wouldn’t have missed that initial leg of the hike for anything. This hike  was the most gorgeous and amazing hike I’ve ever been on in my life!

Have a great week & stay on the path of health, wholeness, & longevity!

A year ago, I followed my gut and went to the Humane Society bringing a close friend of mine who had just come over for a visit. I said to him, “You have to come with me to the Humane Society today! I know it’s a little crazy, since I’m a cat owner, but I just feel that the dog that I’m supposed to adopt is there!” He tried to calm me down by saying, “Well, don’t get too disappointed! You might not go home with one today.”

I had this giddy sensation in my gut as we rolled up to the front doors of the Humane society. I had seen a dog On-line that I wanted to check out. On the way in, we passed a stall with three smaller dogs and that’s where I first saw her….she was standing sideways, not looking out and had a melancholic feel to her. I petted the two smaller dogs in front of her. One of them had a slight heart condition, but was just adorable, but my eyes still went back to the little foxy looking one in the back. I went in and found the one I had seen on-line, but I knew that this was not going to be “my dog” from the first glance. Not that there was anything wrong with this dog, it just didn’t feel right.

We went back to look at the smaller dogs. I knew that I wanted a dog who would not only become my companion, but my walking partner, so the two smaller ones obviously wouldn’t work out. They were cute, but more like lap dogs! There was no paperwork on any of the smaller dogs, so I asked one of the women who works there where, who then got the woman in charge to come over. The dogs had just been spayed the day before, but I got to visit with the little foxy one. My friend and I both fell in love with her! And while I was filling out the paperwork on her, a couple came in who wanted to visit with her. Boy, was I counting my lucky stars! If we had arrived…even ten minutes later, I believe that she would have been gone! The melancholic mood soon disappeared after she learned that I would not leave her and with lots of love, treats, daily walks & trips to the dog park, she has become one happy little pup!

Here’s my little angel!

To make a long story short, I have thought of myself as a “cat person” for the last 15 years, but now I know for sure that although I love cats, I am definitely more of a dog person! My little foxy dog is the love of my life!

She loves the cat as much as I do!

Things to consider when or before adopting: Dogs do need a lot more of you time and attention! It is not entirely cheap to adopt a dog. Initially she needed extra shots and then I found a skin patch that had to be tested. That test alone was three hundred dollars. You also have to think about how long you’ll be gone during the day – they cannot be left alone endlessly! Do consider doggy daycare and/or having a dog walker coming in to take your dog out! Owning a dog is like having a small child! You become an instant parent the moment you adopt a dog and all dogs, like children, need a caring, responsible & loving parent!

One year of love!