Good for the floor, good for the soul

I know this floor well.

Its every groove, the width of the planks, the thickness of the thin rug on it. I know how many layers to put on the floor so that I can lay on it through the night, and wake up with some semblance of normalcy and comfort at having had a (somewhat) full night's rest. And I know how many layers I need to keep me comfortable at different times of the year, different weather conditions outside, and the conditions inside. It's the conditions inside that often prompt me to sleep on this floor - most notably, when Baby1 falls ill, as Baby2 seems to have inherited some derivation of my immune system.

Thankfully, she falls ill quite a lot less now than she used to when she was a baby. I still remember the first time I fell asleep on that floor, quite by accident, after putting her to bed after nursing. I lay there for a bit just until she fell asleep - until I found that it was both of us who had completely fallen asleep, me snoring a lot louder than she. I remember sleeping on that floor next to her little crib, when she had an awful coughing fit for a good part of one night, refused food and water, enough that the next morning she was dehydrated and we entailed our first visit to and overnight stay at the children's hospital downtown. There were many nights during her growing years, when I would sleep next to her on the floor, just to be able to hold and squeeze her hand in mine when she coughed during the night, to let her know I was there and to express silent empathy for her coughing and sniffling. These days, she falls ill only with minor colds and coughs, but every little cough is still enough for a request that I sleep next to her.

I remember coming home after an evening out, and her coughing woke her. I heard her little feet  pitter-patter across the floor upstairs. Beckoned her downstairs, to find a pouty-faced little girl who lamented that she was coughing again and couldn't sleep. Could you sleep next to me, she asked. Why of course I would. I know these nights and requests won't last forever.

So there I went, layering blankets and sheets on the floor so that I could sleep between her and Baby2. She had already folded her quilt and arranged it like a pillow for my head - but I would use it as my cover last night and my own pillow for my head. She, all tucked into her flannel cover, body stretched practically from the headboard to the foot of her toddler bed, watched with big-as-moon eyes as I arranged the covers to keep myself comfortable. She offered an animal - a stuffed tiger - as my sleeping companion. And then, as I tucked myself in for the night, from the edge of her bed came her little hand.

I held and squeezed her hand - and while I hold her hand just about every morning we walk to school together, I realized just last night in the quiet of sure sleep how much her little hand had grown, almost as big as mine. She requested our song, and we sang it together - and I remembered back to that night in the hospital when I held her little baby hand in mine and sang the same song to her, as she slowly drifted off to sleep. I rarely let go of that hand before she falls asleep.

So I know the floor well,  as I lay here now holding Baby1's hand to help her go back to sleep, after our unbelievably early morning alarm clock a la woodpecker on my metal chimney cap, hammering his notice to all the girls out there while sending sounds like a jackhammer reverberating through our house (the boys, classic, sleep through the whole thing. I cough up that ability to  comfort to knowing someone else will take care of the problem.). I know its every groove, plank, and joint has supported my little moments with my little girl, and while these moments won't last forever, I'll dream of sleeping on tatami mats while I hold her little hand.

Before I forget

I call it the mother's alzheimer. I remember something insanely important, only to lose the memory in a split second as one of my dear children swipe any brain cell of mine that's working from my head as they ask me where their such-and-such toy is for the upteenth time in a row or ask me to put on my diplomacy hat for some debate they had over something, anything. Some days, I can handle it; some days, I just have to reach for a pen and paper, and make damn sure I write stuff down before it leaks out my ear.

So when presented with the chance to head out west, I couldn't resist. What, my cousin's already graduating from Law School? Berkeley (my original western crush)? Um, yeah, I think I can make my schedule work (I made damn sure my schedule worked, one way or another). And west I went. Singular. Get me some me time. Ahh.

Hubby stayed home with the kids. Kind soul, he survived. Barely. Such was his desire to make sure I stayed here, that he sought out vegan options for Mother's Day dinner tonight. V. E. G. A. N. That's pure love, right there - or maybe he's beginning to get the brain suck too. I'm not yet sure which.

So west. Westward Ho. Flight up, flight down, and with some level of trepidation (it's been over 10 years since I've taken a trip *almost* completely on my own. last go-around was a solo trip to spain. mmm spain.) I set foot in the City by the Bay. As is my wandering nature, I immediately starting stomping the grounds. Hit up a couple of friends (yay Miriam! yay Ned!), and immediately gulped down what I could of the lay of the land so that I could find my way without being a complete and total *idiot*tourist. Googlemaps became my best friend, and before I knew it, I was answering tourists' questions with witty answers like, sorry you're holding your map upside down, and yes, you can walk all the way there but hell no not in those shoes honey.

Before I digress too far about my recharge trip - I had preluded my westward expedition with bringing raw vegan food into my life this spring. No, not the complete turnover of my bodyfeed - and, no, not just because I was heading to SanFran - but I just wanted to bring more raw vegan food into my bodyfeed repertoire. It's been an amazing (born-again) experience, feeling the total fill of raw food start off my day, give me an energy boost that most breakfast sandwiches can't stand to fulfill. My raw experience first started with *then* Pure Food and Takeaway in NYC, probably over 8 years ago. Over time, I kept thinking back to that first visit, the amazing feeling the food gave me, and highlighting raw foods when I could (it's just damn hard in the winter, when all i crave is hearty, piping hot, steaming food). Salads were easy. Fruit desserts were easy. But they were all singular items, monodimensional. Boring.

So I hit on the idea of making my own raw food smoothies this spring. Fruits were coming to a fore, as were leafy greens at our local organic market. We'd be stepping into the 3rd year of being part of a CSA (I know, late to the game...). I just started drinking almond milk as a means of eating closer to the ground where I can. Perfect opportunity to throw together something and see if it works. I found I could start up a great mixture in the blender while getting the kids ready for school, and by the time everyone was ready to go, so was my smoothie. Add a little extra almond milk to liquify a bit more, or hold off for more density. Either way, the mixtures I made (always varied based on what we had in the fridge) amazingly gave me energy and kept me full until lunch. And 1 mix in the fridge was good for the whole week.

So...before I forget...

West. San Fran. How amazing is it that there were juice bars sprinkled all over the city, with as wide a variety of ingredients as there are items growing in our ground all over the globe. Close-to-the-ground eating is also a lot more prevalent and available than on the east coast. The smoothies and juices I had were pure amazing, raw, energy-raising and mind opening mixtures that kept me going throughout the day as I hiked up and down all the hills I could. And just by using just what I have in the fridge, it's a way that, now back east, I can connect with the west, keep that close-to-the-ground one-step-at-a-time side of me somewhat fulfilled.

Awesome Great Raw Smoothies to Celebrate Spring or Any Season
- 1 Blender. Yes, oh humble blender. I have a juicer, but the basics suit just fine.

- Selection of sweet vegetables (I like raw beets for their color, carrots for their sweetness, rhubarb because it's rhubarb, and kale for its iron content)
- Selection of other vegetables (I've done spinach, mixed leafy greens, but nothing starchy)
- Selection of fruits (pick ones in season, cut into smaller chunks if necessary. Right now I like berries, but adding apples, grapes, and oranges are also fabulous)

- Liquid (I use almond milk)

- Other additives if you'd like (wheatgrass, spirulina, yogurt too)

Add hardest/crunchiest fruits and vegetables at the bottom of the blender, topped by softer fruits and vegetables. Top with almond milk. Turn on blender to low. Make sure you tighten that cover first.

Add more almond milk to your desired texture through the hole in the lid. Pour into a cup. Breathe. Enjoy. (safe the rest in a covered bottle in the fridge for more servings throughout the week)

*Quantities - I've thrown in typically a pint or two of berries; 2-3 carrots; 1-2 medium beets; 1/2-1 pound of greens; 1 apple, and about 2-3 cups of almond milk. This mixture becomes my base, that I use throughout the week for more (fast) smoothies via adding more almond milk.