New wonderful week......

Hello, Loveys!

I do believe I have discovered a way to make this blogging thing work better. I’m thinking that if I talk to you whenever I can, even if I can’t get over to the wifi area then at least my entries will be timely and I will just post them when I can get to the wifi. So here goes. Actually, I had intended to do this one “live” but we woke to a somewhat overcast day today (the first all week) that just a few minutes ago blossomed into a beautiful thunderstorm with torrential rain. Given that my cottage is surrounded by jungle I feel encompassed by a very primeval specter of lush greens, silent birds and I believe if I were to go outside, even the wee lizards have taken cover. Have I mentioned that we have the most wonderful raccoons here? Yes, I used raccoon and wonderful in the same sentence. Apparently they are not as destructive as our Canadian, sophisticated raccoons and go about their life, harming no one and of course, here, no one harming them. They have absolutely no fear of humans and put me in mind of the little guys at Iguazu Falls who let you know that you were on their turf and not vice versa. Some folks here have thought that they are cats as they don’t have bushy tails or even very bushy bodies but they do have a raccoon like face. Anyhow, they had to post signs all over reminding people that they are part of the wildlife that abounds on the property and to treat them as such.

Now into my 2nd week, the schedule has definitely slowed down enough to allow some time for quiet endeavours such as blogging to my friends. There are no repeats of lectures as the whole program of lectures gets covered in 3 weeks and then repeats again but many things for the first couple of days of each week are for the newbies who are just beginning the program, leaving we mature Greenies (as I call us) to find some leisure. The weekend was great as, after feeling like we’d been doing 150 kph (or mph in most cases) all week, we were able to slow down to a quieter 50, perhaps. This allowed for some pool time, laundry time and comparing stories with the rest of my group. Saturday night was very funny. That is dessert night, the only night of the week that anything resembling a dessert is served as no one, no matter what they are here for is supposed to have any type of sugar. This includes fruit which is not served except on Sunday mornings when the newbies have arrived and that is in the form of blueberries, strawberries and blackberries. Lots of folks have it at that time and needless to say enjoy it immensely. I take a pass on the fruit at all times as I’m really trying to be a purist with the detox stuff and no type of sugar is the best type as far as that is concerned. Having said that, of course, I have tons of fresh lemons which are great alkalinizers which is what this program is all about. Getting rid of acidity and finding the alkaline balance. I digress (what a surprise). Back to dessert. The dessert is ice cream. Always. And it is served at 7:00 on Saturday evening. Last week, the day I arrived, I missed it by 10 minutes, not thinking it was that important to be prompt for dessert even though 3 people passed me saying “dessert’s being served! Don’t miss it!” It was gone last week when I got back to the dining room so this week I was waiting. Well, so was everyone and this line starts to form at the kitchen door like a bunch of kids a camp about 10 minutes before it’s to be served. And I mean everyone is there eagerly anticipating this ice cream. Even those with the most challenging illnesses, in wheelchairs, with oxygen. Believe me, it was very challenging for those of us with minimal health issues to stand back and make way for those who really shouldn’t, perhaps be standing so long. At long last, 7:00 arrives and out comes, on the one side banana ice cream with carob date sauce and on the other side hazelnut ice cream (for those of us who either didn’t want or couldn’t have fruit) and then I knew what all the fuss was about. This was, without question, the best ice cream I’ve ever tasted. Positively ambrosial. As I sat with my friends luxuriating in this rare treat we all very slowly savoured the taste, texture, aroma of our chosen ice cream trying to determine whether it was just that we’d had no sugar all week or what? We concluded that although that might have been a bit of it, it was also that our taste buds really are expanding and becoming more finely tuned with eating raw, live food. A very important thing for me to mention is that this ice cream had no sugar either. It is dead simple to make and hopefully I will be able to do so for many of you when I get home (well, not all at once). The ingredients are simply the nut milk (whatever nuts you choose) to which vanilla, cinnamon, stevia and maple flavoring is added. Many would use real maple syrup if not on this plan in this time and place but it is just that simple. It may be the only thing I have to attract friends to my house for dinner or a snack…..hahahaha…..

The rains have stopped, or at least slowed down so I will wander over to wifi to post this out to you all. I am thinking of many of you every day and often several times a day as I go about learning about this incredible capacity we have to heal ourselves with what we feed ourselves. Hippocrates must have been a very cool guy! Stay well, be happy and mellow and we will talk soon……….lots of love, Sally xoxoxo