Body Butter Adventure

Lately I haven’t been getting the desired results when I purchase lotions and body butters. They felt watery and were lacking the creamy texture that would make my skin feel soft and smooth. Reading the ingredients were overwhelming when I couldn’t pronounce them or have knowledge of what they were.

I started searching online for instructions on how to create what I needed in my own kitchen. Since our skin is the biggest organ on our bodies, creating my own butter would be better because I would not be using the harmful chemicals.

One dilemma I came across in my search for the perfect recipe was do I melt everything and then harden it again in the freezer so I can whip it. Or do I make sure everything is room-temperature and whip it without the extra steps.

After going through the pros and cons I decided to whip the room-temp ingredients. That way I would bypass the possible grainy results of overheating and destroying the good qualities of the ingredients, thus being discouraged that I wasted products that aren’t cheap.

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On one you-tube video I watched the person said it’s easier if you use a Kitchen Aid mixer than a hand mixer if you have one. It just so happens I have a Kitchen Aid and I used it. It was true-she knew what she was talking about.

I think I purchased more products than I needed and I added a little of most of them to the mixture. At that point I wasn’t following any recipe and I couldn’t repeat it if I tried.

I have no knowledge of how the body butter is supposed to feel minus all the additives. The end result was creamy full-bodied butter. I smoothed it on my arms, legs and feet and they felt wonderful. That was on dry skin. I can’t wait to use it after a shower.

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If this works out I will try my hand at scrubs, lotions and who knows what else.

Creative Cooking of an Amateur Chef

My stomach started growling feed me. I didn’t know what it wanted to eat because it didn’t tell me. Standing in front of the refrigerator with the doors wide open, I started scanning the occupants. There was half a cabbage, two bunches of rainbow chard and grass-fed beef brats. It was a toss-up between the cabbage and chard. The chard won.

I decided to slice the brats in bite size pieces and cook it with the chard. Home Run!

First I combined the chopped chard stems and brats and sautéed together in coconut oil until stems were tender. Seasoned with a little sea salt and pepper and added the chopped leaves and topped with a lid for a few minutes. After the leaves began to wilt I gave it a stir and added a tablespoon of butter. The lid went on again for a few minutes. Removed the lid and seasoned with a little more salt and pepper and a small amount of red pepper flakes. Beef Brats and Rainbow Chard

I was so hungry that I inhaled a small plate of brats and chard-nothing else.          Delicious!

For dinner I will add sweet potato fries.If I feel energetic I might make corn muffins. 

I made this dish up as I went along. That’s what I consider fun cooking. Check picture out.

Do you cook? Do you always follow a recipe or create one of your own.

Back On the Wagon

I recently had a birthday and with that came contemplation. I decided to get back on the wagon to good health.

The first part of my plan is exercise. The plan included my bicycle, a balance ball and weights. Of course, walking ‘s not forgotten.

I purchased the balance ball that came with a DVD to assist me in properly using the ball. It took a little searching to locate the weights but I was successful.
Careful examination of the bicycle revealed flat tires. I pumped them up hoping I didn’t put too much or too little air in them.

After filling the tires I decided to take the bike for a spin to make sure I had enough air in the tires. It has been so long since I rode it—a really long time. I forgot it was a little challenging getting on the bike because my legs are short. The bad part about trying to get on was I couldn’t get my leg up high enough and had to almost lay the bike down to get my leg over. Upon mounting I had to hang onto the trashcan to get on the seat. Then down the driveway I went, wobbling like a first time rider.

I made my way down the alley huffing, puffing and peddling like I was in a triathlon.
I got as far as three houses from my house and was out of breath, so I turned around and barely made it home.

Maybe, just maybe cycling should not be the first activity I work on.

OLD AIN’T THE END

It seems to be unspoken life rules that infiltrate the subconscious mind concerning retiring and reaching a certain age.

Most of us don’t realize it, but throughout our lives we become programmed to think old is when we reach the sixties. There is also a thought that retiring means you’re old.

I believe both of those preconceived notions are completely wrong.

A lot of people have the privilege of retiring younger than the sixties. So according to the rules the retired person is not old.

Many years ago people in their sixties acted old and looked old. Today that is not the case. If they care for themselves, their age can’t be detected.

God said He would satisfy us with long life. I don’t believe He meant until sixty.

So if you are approaching the sixties, don’t be overcome by thought of sixty being old.

If you are privileged to retire before sixty—bless you and enjoy your life because Old Ain’t The End.