Blocking the Aisles

     I got to go to the little, local grocery store alone, not sleepy, not rushed and gave thought to what we've been eating.  I blocked the narrow aisles momentarily making notes to get back on track.  It's all a culmination, I suppose, of seeing the jasmine, roses, and clematis already reaching for the lattice.  The mint is returning, making me think of all the other herbs to get soon, along with tomatoes and peppers.  Miranda has already started some vegetables and flowers in the house.  We really like to intermingle them, that whole "beauty and duty" thing.  I could kick myself for not applying these basics before.  It really is that easy and grandiosity is not necessary at all.  Miranda and Mike made staggered gardens right by the house where some landscaping was needed anyway because of washing.  And, then, there's the benefit of the dogs sleeping nearby keeping the deer away.                          
     What I have to remember is that being healthy is more than just being thin.  This "overhaul" I'm making returned to me some notions I've had written here and there, which I found when I was flipping through to find an old friend's (uhoh, "dear" friend, Amy's) recipe.  Freshly ground, not that big a deal once you've got a grinder, whole grain is a given here.  Most of the kids don't even like the way white bread sticks to the roof of their mouths.  Don't get me wrong; it has its place for french toast, garlic bread, and, for me, an occasional bologna sandwich.  Sprouts (easy to grow in a jar), flaxseed, greens (cooked all kinds of tasty ways), nuts, berries, plenty of protein (hormones and all usually, unfortunately), and skipping the hydrogenated oils (in most PB and all margarine) are just some of the things we've incorporated into otherwise "regular" meals over time.  I'm still trying to like olive oil, "cold pressed" matters; I prefer it as tanning oil or moisturizer for my hands and feet, even under eyes.  And in terms of  "storing" food, it has a great shelf life.  I'm not an alarmist, but storage just can't be a bad idea.  Though, buying in bulk tends to backfire on us.  The "good" stuff goes first and "convenient" next, leaving what no one really wants.  Our last trip to Sam's and $1,200 later was a bust.  I like to catch our preferred brands on a good sale and just buy a few when I can.  While I'm on that subject, I should mention that while we were on food stamps after Mike's bypass, we got $1,400 a month.   Several of us gained weight, thus my theory that the gov't likes us "fat and happy", so as not have the gumption to rise up agianst it.                                                                                                                                                     
     With Mike's chronic creation of calcium oxalate kidney stones, he's not supposed to have wheat, most nuts and berries, spinach, okra, and the list goes on.  Please, excuse me, but he's damned if he does and damned if he doesn't.  I feel bad for all the times I put these things before him wishing him health and unwittingly contributing to his torture.  In my early 20's, I was overthetop about organic this and that until Mike hauled produce and saw the 2 kinds shipping from the same fields.  It's a bit of joke with drivers.  And then there was the fact that easily spending nearly $200 a week 20 years ago for the 3 of us was not financially sound.                                                                                                                                        
     So.... at the store there was woman exasperated with the price of a half gallon of milk.  The eight of us can put away 9 gallons a week "easy", so more water is being drunk in place of it.  I was looking for the water and missed it entirely when I saw that the ice cream was on sale.  I passed up the artificially flavored "Cookies 'n Cream Extreme" for the au naturale "Heavenly Hash".  I really try to buy American but the Florida's Natural OJ was much more than some of the others and then I got to thinking, "Who's to say that they aren't importing illegal workers with families who are likely burdening OUR social services programs?"  It's just something to consider.  If you saw what we saw while we were recipients of Medicaid, you'd understand my strong concern.                                                                                                                    
     I grab a Sunny D now and then, so I was checking out the label and saw what I've been avoiding: that 2% is juice, falling 3rd after water and corn syrup.  As we all know, corn syrup in and of itself isn't that different from other sugars (except honey which has medicinal properties).  The big problem is that it's HIGHLY likely to have been genetically modified - a GMO.  At least 80% of corn products are now.  For those of you who think technology is best, ask the farmers what kind of super weeds are cropping up.   Today, I just said, "The heck with it all," and got a couple more Ginger Ales (that ARE sweetened with corn syrup but, hey, they were on sale for a $1) that I originally got to "stretch" the OJ that I didn't get!                
     Saving money on groceries to pay for gas is the great American challenge right now.   I say instead of buying the cheap junk, it could be a call to self reliance, growing something, homemaking something, all the way down to the baby/big people food blended and frozen up in ice cube trays.   Fresh anything is best, frozen is second, until the power goes out, and then it's all about the can/jar and what's seasonally available.  Stored/prepared meat (that we here are suckers for) so often is full of nitrites.  I've heard reports that a child's body can only "kick out" one serving of it a week.  I always end up with greens, even if it's slaw, accompanying them - may be God's way of offsetting the damage.                                                              
     I'm back to talking about greens, but how can I not talk about the super high levels of antioxidants/enzymes in them and the herbs that are just too easy to throw in the ground and get results?  With cancer freshly on my mind, it seems wrong to give the children anything but the best and not all the kids eat every healthy thing and that's okay 'til they can get a taste for it. Wait a minute, no, we're not the folks that make whole wheat cookies, just not cookies all the time.  I don't buy Diet Drinks.  I'm willing to tangle with calories before I am Aspartame.                                                                           
     It's really all about moderation, which I admittedly do not have a a firm grasp on, but some homemade pizza like McKala made tonight, a little coffee to bump up the volume in the mornings, a little wine to thin the blood at night is temperance and pleasurable reward for the hard work of our hands and minds.  In the end, God sees our efforts and hears our prayers that our food will be fitting to the health of our bodies and the growth of our children .... without Him, we're just dying daily anyway.