Birthday Demands!

The other day in shift meeting, the subject of my birthday came up, because I am the only female and I am older than a lot of my squad.

Cops are strange, the more we like you, the more we tease you. I know some will say that is a form of bullying but it is not. I love my squad and they love me, we have to develop close relationships, it's a survival thing. We have to be willing to put ourselves in life threatening situations and trust that our squad mates have our back. It's easier when you care deeply for each other. You also can't help forming a bond with people who have been with you through apartment explosions, car accidents, almost shootings and the occasional loose pig or alligator in the neighborhood.

So, our Lieutenant told me Happy Birthday since we are off on my actual birthday. And the jokes began. They ranged from old lady jokes, and threats of practical jokes all shift, then someone asked what did I want "Super Hubby" to buy me. S.H. is an officer in the next town over so my whole squad knows him, very well, at work and off work too.

I had no answer. This prompted lots of discussion about the squad wives and things they have asked for....when one guy said "More like demanded!" We all laughed but it got me thinking....... I am not a demanding sort of person. I like to do for my friends and family, it's how I show love. I go with the flow. But shouldn't my birthday be different? Maybe I should ask for just a bit more on this special day.

I wrote out a list of Birthday Demands and gave it to S.H. and the boys. They looked confused but I told them, this way there is no pressure for a gift or trying to even figure out what to buy, in the first place. I am hard to buy for, my interests change like the wind and I am always trying something different.

My list is very simple.

1. I get to sleep in as late as I want. (I made it until 8 AM, I couldn't lay there any longer! LOL)

2. I am not responsible for my regular morning routine of chores...putting out the dog, lowering the a/c, making the coffee, getting the paper, and making breakfast. (Simple, I know but nice to not have to do them!)

3. We will go out for breakfast. I am the only one who LOVES going to breakfast, so today we will go!

4. I will be on the computer writing, playing games, looking at Facebook or watching cat videos as long as I want with little to no interruptions except in an emergency! :-) This means missing digits and/or blood. This also includes if I am reading a book, out in the garden, at my Altar, or meditating!

5. I will be doing no chores, so the dishes, laundry, cleaning the litter box, cooking and anything else that resembles work will be done by others or will wait until tomorrow!

6. My phone will be off all day so no work call ins or fires to put out with any of my groups, volunteer places etc. If it's a true emergency, people know to call S.H. to get to me.

7. I will be taking the time to bring my laptop to get fixed, which I have been putting off, to do stuff for others. I love my laptop, I want it fixed. Today is that day! :-)

8. S.H. and the boys will be ready to do whatever crazy thing I decide we should do today with little to no complaining! Yes, that may mean going to that lecture on Backyard Chickens at the library tonight! :-)

9. If I choose to watch TV or see a movie, it's my pick. I know it's hard for the guys to give up control of the remote but they will be okay, this one time.

10. Any and all of these demands are subject to modification at any time, at my whim, so buckle up guys, it's my 41st Birthday!

After I wrote out the list, I saw one of my favorite places, Florida Wildlife Hospital is having a fundraiser all week, so I will be going to get a pizza and have 20% of my bill go to them....I "demand" you do the same if you live in my area! LOL. The Birthday Girl (girl...41...not quite) has spoken!

And if your Birthday is coming up, make your "Demands List", you deserve it!!!!

I'm feeling a little bit RAW!

As most of you know "Super Hubby" is a go with the flow sort of guy, who pretty much lets me do whatever I want and is always there to help me out, when something goes wrong! LOL.

I have been on a bunch of medication for Sarcoidosis (8) and have been feeling sort of run down the last few weeks. I was on the couch watching Netflix, when I came across a documentary called "Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead". WOW!

So, I mentioned it to S.H., he watched the film and said "Why not, let's try it". I did a bunch of research, picked out a juicer and found some yummy recipes to try out.

I found a website connected to the movie called Reboot your Life and it had several plans from 3 Day Juice only fasts to 15 Juice and raw food fasts. S.H. and I decided on a 10 day Juice and raw food fast. That means breakfast and lunch are made at home in our juicer and dinner is raw food only, like salads, vegetables and fruit. I know there is raw milk and other items, not cooked that we could eat but, we are going strictly veggie and fruit......FOR 10 Days!!!!! Not sure what I have gotten myself into, but check back and I will let you all know how it goes!

Here is a picture of my juicer, ready to go and the crazy amount of fruit and veggies to go with it!

Anniversary Adventure

A few months ago, I bought "Super Hubby" concert tickets for our anniversary. It was not without a few moments of hesitation on my part. S.H. is almost 10 years younger than I, so to say we have different tastes in music, would be an understatement!

Plus, it was for the band "Creed". They were very popular around 1996, when I was raising two toddlers and the not yet "Super Hubby" was in high school. (I try not to dwell on that, it's creepy) LOL. This band's music was popular at an important time in his life. I actually don't remember much of 1996, except for diapers and potty training.

We won't even get into the fact that this Pagan Chicky was going to a Christian concert. They are not blatantly in your face Christian musicians but still, a slight moment of discomfort. :-)

So, we go to the show and I had gotten great seats for us. First row, middle balcony, and if you have ever been to The King Center, in Melbourne, you know it's a great view.

We settle in and watch the opening band, "Like A Storm". They are LOUD, but really good, a cross between old punk and the newer rock music. I enjoyed them. Two songs in particular were really good, "Slave To you" and "Just Save Me". I bought the CD, in the lobby, during the set break. They were out there, signing the CD's and they seemed like great guys.

The second group, "Eve To Adam", a very Christian band, but by some strange twist of fate, has almost the same name as a San Francisco cross-dressing service, was not my kind of music. They did do a great cover of "Rebel Yell" by Billy Idol. Which by the way S.H. did not know....WTH? :-)

All this time, there is no one sitting to my right. "Creed" gets on the stage and WOW! Scott Stapp sounds exactly like he does on the radio, an amazing voice! I don't know the first song but it's great. I am really enjoying myself, but then... here comes trouble.

When the young man first sat next to me, I didn't mind, in fact I thought to myself, he only missed half of the first song, not bad timing. He starts to try and get something out of his pants pocket and ends up elbowing me in the chest. It hurt. He says nothing, just continues to get whatever he was getting. I say nothing but I roll my eyes at S.H., because he knows what I am thinking....

Since becoming a police officer, I do not enjoy crowds anymore. It's mostly because I get aggravated by rude people much quicker then I used to. "Creed" finishes the song and the guy takes off his shirt, and I notice a huge tattoo on his arm that says "RUDE" ( no kidding)  and he starts twirling his shirt in the air and guess what? It hits me in the face...twice. On the third pass, I cannot help myself, I grab it! He looks at me like I am crazy, and I look right back at him. He pulls the shirt out of my hands and puts it in his lap. S.H. smiles at me and we go back to watching the show.

Two songs later, "Mr Rude" is slumped over in his seat. I lean over and try to see if he is breathing. He did not smell like he had been smoking pot or drinking, so now I am concerned about a possible drug over dose. I see his chest rise and I give S.H. a thumbs up, so he knows the guy is breathing. S.H. is also a police officer and we both know, if this guy dies, the headline of Florida Today, would be..."Man dies at concert, while sitting next to two Police Officers".

We spend the next two hours, rocking out and checking on the guy. At one point, I even reached over and took his pulse, just in case. The show ends and the guy's friends kick him awake and he stumbles out after them. Not once, did one of these so called friends check on him during the show.

We watch him get into the backseat of a car (Thank all The God's, he wasn't driving) and we head to our car. Only to find a drunk guy pissing on a tree, in front of our car.....by this time, I am over it, I pass by him and say "You should be embarrassed.... to take that pathetic thing out in public" and we leave.

It may be a while before we go to any more concerts but it certainly was not a dull evening.

Crazy New Project - Indoor Aquaponics

Sometimes, I feel bad for "Super Hubby"...he has to put up with me and all my crazy ideas. This time, it is indoor aquaponics!

As you know, from a previous blog,  S.H. made me a seed starting rack about two years ago. It has four shelves and one shelf has grow lights. Now I start most of my seeds this way.

I was looking at the three unused shelves...What could I do with the space? I am a big fan of Youtube gardening videos and I saw one about Aquaponics.

Aquaponics is  is a sustainable food production system that combines a traditional aquaculture (raising aquatic animals such as snails, fish, crayfish or shrimp in tanks) with hydroponics (cultivating plants in water) in a symbiotic environment. The plants filter the water which contains nitrogen, the plants use it as fertilizer, the clean water goes back to the animals, the animals "poop" in the water and the cycle starts again.

Our youngest son had a fish tank with two gold fish and a huge mystery snail, we call "Goliath". The fish were the kind you win at the fair, but they lived for two years. After they died, we moved "Goliath" to a smaller tank, that was easier for the kid to clean. The fish tank sat in the closet unused. Until now.... :-)

S.H. went out and bought tubing, expandable clay balls, a submersible water pump, pvc pipe and a shallow plastic tote. It cost about $35 dollars at Lowe's. He put it all together on Saturday while I was at work.

Today, I am off and will be going to buy a few fish to put in there with "Goliath". I plan on growing lettuce. I will try and make a video of the entire system when it is up and running!

There's a sucker born every minute...

8:32 A.M. was my minute! I was at work, doing my usual patrol stuff, thinking about my diagnosis from three days ago...

The radio sends out a tone alert, house fire, lady still inside. I hit the lights and sirens and when I get there, all I see are CATS! Lots of them. Cages and cages and cages piled up outside on the grass, and the Fire guys are bringing more out! The home owner was a cat hoarder!

We get the home owner and all the cats and her dog out and safe. The fire is put out. I start to count the cats, 10, 15, 20, 30, 36!!! 33 older cats, 2 nine week old kittens and 1 kitten, way too small to be with out a Mama cat.

As I count them, I attempt to check  their health. I will be calling the county animal shelter to get them on the way and they like a heads up on health. They do not want to risk bringing infected animals into the main shelter. I call the shelter and two Officers arrive. The home owner decides to give all the cats to the shelter.

All the cats look ok, not great, but not too bad, all except the little one. It's not moving and from where I stand, it doesn't appear to be breathing either. I love all animals but I do not go all mushy about them. I can't at my job, I see lots of hurt and dead animals.

But this little non-moving ball of fur, makes my eyes fill with tears. Maybe I am feeling over sensitive due to my own health issues, maybe I am getting soft in my old age, or maybe I have been on scene, at this call,  in the Florida sun to long. Whatever the reason, I decide to try and send some Reiki energy to it. I took my Level I  in February and Level II,  last month. I have been using it on plants, people and everything in between for practice.

I walk over to the cage, stand behind a bush (can't let the Fire Guys see what I am up to) :-).  I take a deep breath, I thank the Universe for allowing me to be helpful and I write the Cho-Ku_Rei symbol in the air, three times and push it towards the little kitten. The kitten opens one eye and LOOKS at me! Damn! I feel like one of the wolves in "Twilight", I am bonded, this is now my kitten.

There are only a few issues, one being my beloved "Super Hubby" is allergic, and that fact that I cannot receive or gain ANYTHING from being on a work call. No free coffee, no discounts at lunch, no free kittens!

The Animal Control Officers start loading up all the cats. I go with them to the truck, when they take the little one. I ask what's going to happen and the officers says it is to little for them to care for and if they can't find a foster home, they will have to put down. My heart sinks.

I call my Sgt. and I ask if fostering an animal counts as a gain. I will be spending money and it would not technically be my kitten so she says it is okay! Next, I call "Super Hubby" and I explain the situation, and being the S.H. that he is, he says "well, if it is meant to be your cat, I guess you will have to bring it home".

The kitten goes to the shelter, I go back to work. I start second guessing how all this is going to work out.

On my lunch break, I go up to the shelter and see the kitten. It's a girl and she still looks pathetic. Scrawny, skinny and can only half way open one eye. I take her picture and send it home to S.H. and the kids.

I fill out the foster application and the shelter approves it. I keep looking at her and thinking, I will call her "Baby Ugly", poor thing is a mess.

I go back to work for another 6 hours and at shifts end, I am back at the shelter picking up the kitten.

Now we are home, and the family is all checking out the new house guest. S.H. has gotten a box ready with a blanket and gone out and gotten kitten milk and tiny bottles, so I can feed her. As I write this, she is in the box, not looking great but I have hope for this blessed Reiki baby.

I think instead of "Baby Ugly", I will give her a beautiful name that she can grow into. Princess Reiki Sohia. :-)

Footprints and a New Fence!

I went out to the garden yesterday and noticed some strange foot prints in the carrot bed. So, "Super Hubby" and I decided it's time for a real garden fence. We worked most of today and now it's up. Not pretty to look at but it should keep the critters out.

Here's the old fence!                                                                                  And the new one!

We are going to be getting some cold nights here, down to the 30's so I will be covering the garden for sure.

I was on the way to the store and I saw my neighbor had torn down his wood fence and put up a new one. I checked out the pile of wood on the curb and then stuffed it all in to my Xterra!

 I can make a bunch more raised beds with them! I am so excited! I also plan on making a raised bed with the concrete blocks from my original garden fence. I want to plant peppers inside the space and lots of basil in the holes on the sides.

Here is the garden covered last year. Not sure how I will cover it with this new fence.

Valentine's Day Gift from "Super Hubby"

Today is Valentine's Day. "Super Hubby" is usually so good to me all year round that I don't get excited about this holiday.

I went to work and when I came home I had a super cool seed starting rack in my dining room! It's a wire shelf with a grow light! Now I can start seeds all year long. I had been mulling over ideas for a seed starting area and I know S.H. was going to help me by building it, but I never thought of this! I put all my basil seeds that I started outside two weeks ago under the lights! So exciting!

The Worm Bin

After reading more about gardening and how it went hand in hand with recycling, I decided to try vermicompost. That's composting using kitchen waste, newspapers, paper towels, cardboard etc with the help of red wiggler worms also known as the Eisenia fetida.

I saw this great video about how to build a warm bin. You can buy already made bins but the cheapest I have seen is around $99.00 and "Super Hubby"built one like in the video for under $25.00. It took me about an hour to construct the bin. Then I set out looking for a place with-in driving distance for the red wigglers. You need this type because they can eat about one half of their weight in food per day. Earthworms and cold bait worms won't do that.

I found a place called Best Buy Worms, which strangely enough was located less then a mile from my Grandparent's place, in Masaryktown, Florida. It's a working farm, you can visit with an appointment but they also do mail order worms too. I bought a pound of worms for $12.50

So, last April, I put the worms in the bin and have been feeding them coffee grounds, egg shells, left over veggies, just about anything except no meat, oils or dairy. It reduced the garbage that I have to put out for landfill to take and my four year old loves to help feed the worms.

It's been almost a year and soon, I will separate the worms from the compost and start over, using the compost in my garden beds. I will be sure to post pictures because I have no doubt it will be messy!

As a Pagan, projects like this one make me happy.

The Gardening Bug Bites Hard!

After my Granddad died, I still had my two tomato plants. I added some green peppers, cucumbers, lettuce, pumpkins, water melon and potatoes! I was hooked. I read everything I could get my hands on, like Vegetable Gardening In Florida and watched gardening videos on YouTube. Check out The Produce Garden. Here are my two tomato plants on June 11th.

I really had no idea what I was doing. I tried to plant things that we like to eat and some that were fun too. I planted the potatoes in  buckets after seeing a great video on YouTube doing it. They grew and I covered them, and they grew some more and I covered them until they looked like this.

I learned that you had to wait for the green tops to die then you could pour out the buckets and get the potatoes. Thanks Brian! I grew lettuce, not having any idea that it is a cool weather crop and we were just at the start of a Florida summer. So lesson learned. I planted the pumpkin too late, it flowered and then died. Has some success with the watermelon.

By now, I had run out of room with the two planters I had from The Garden Patch so I got my "Super Hubby" to build me four wood garden beds, that we lined up by the fence in the back yard.

This is where I had the watermelon growing, three to be exact until my lovable, slightly less then intelligent puppy dog, Bailey, decided they looked fun to play with and snatched them off the vine! Again, lesson learned. This year, we will build a fence or raise the beds off the ground.