On Canning Labels and Aging in Everyday Ramblings

Yesterday morning we had heavy heavy fog. That darker gray blob there in the river is a great blue heron standing on the tip of a floating log. The picture doesn’t do the scene justice but at least you get an idea of the atmospheric vibe. The fit rowers were out in it too.

I was able to find walnut oil. I have plenty of mason jars, including small ones so I need to figure out how to label them. The small ones I have are more like textured jam jars. I tried adhesive tape but the sharpie wears off. There must be some sort of proper canning labels.

Yesterday I made red lentils with a bunch of spices in the slow cooker.

The smell was intoxicating.

My intention is to do way more of this as I get closer to retirement. All the packaging on everything makes me crazy and even though the organic canned beans and lentils are inexpensive they are still canned I resist using all of the resources involved in that convenience.

This year as a family we are doing something a bit different for Christmas. Usually we meet up on Christmas Eve Eve and get a bit dressed up and go out for an over the top wonderful meal with drinks and appetizers, main course, and obviously incredible desserts. We go early but the restaurant gets warm and crowded and noisy.

Standing in the kitchen the other morning I realized I had no interest in an expensive overindulgence this year. I had some trepidation about mentioning this to Kes and Most Honorable (Tradition! Honoring the Past! Ritual! Not Having to Cook) but I did.

And to my huge relief they also were not interested in the cold wet dark trek up and back after all that rich food.

So instead I ordered afternoon tickets in three weeks for the science exhibit on the discovery of King Tut’s Tomb at our local science museum that is just across the river from me and then we will either have Mexican casual or I will make them dinner.

I want to practice entertaining.
And it is a great excuse to clean.

But of course I am a terribly insecure cook. I’ll just pretend I am cooking for Mr. Finch. I got used to that. We actually mostly cooked together. I am pretty good at making things for potlucks even though it always takes longer than I think it will. I can do this.

Right? Eek.

The slow cooker is a great tool so I am sure I can come up with something for that. I have a great vegetarian slow cooker book. I am not a fan of stews but I should be able to find something appropriate.

Speaking of challenges, I have come up with a crazy one for 2019. It is all about strength for me, a strong heart, a strong body so I want to see if I can spend the year building strength in my core, chest and hands so I can lift up, not kick up, into a handstand.

Go ahead and laugh. Mrs. Sherlock did.

It isn’t a challenge if it isn’t a challenge, don’t you think?

Strength and stability is what I am going to focus on with my students as well in the coming year. There is so much grace and beauty in strength and we can be strong at any age.

I was listening to the Science of Happiness podcast yesterday (right in my wheel house) and the famous martial artist Daniel Wu was talking about the idea of actively aging without injury. He said first as we are younger it is Taekwondo, then as well get older Tai Chi and then Qigong.

The Chinese Medicine practitioner that teaches Qigong on Wednesdays after my class and I have been chatting a bit in the transition between our time slots and I am taking an online course on the intersection between Chines Medicine and Yoga.

Anyway, Daniel Wu says he does way fewer kicks these days and the ones he does do are slower and very deliberate.

Yep. That is aging for me in a nutshell.

Last updated November 25, 2018