Wow, where has the month gone? It doesn't seem possible that tomorrow is the first day of October!

I had a very busy day on Saturday. It was the annual Pagan Pride Day celebration at one of the city parks here in Indy. I was working three different booths so I was there from set-up at 8am to tear-down at 7pm. We had an informational booth about Celtic Tribal Paganism, another info booth about Stitchcraft Charity Crafting Circle, and I also did chair massage and reiki at the Healer's Tree. The weather was perfect and we blew last year's attendance record totally out of the water; last year we had 365 and this year we had 608 in attendance. The international co-ordinators of PPD live in Indy so we always like to put on a good effort for them. I'm still sore from putting up and taking down our display booths; I had no idea you could cram so much stuff into a Ford Escort! :)

I'm feeling a little strange today. I'm very dizzy and not thinking too clearly and I'm having a little problem typing this too. I feel like I'm having bedspins but I haven't had any alcohol. Maybe it's just an energy hang-over from all the work I did on Saturday.

-- Anonymous, September 30, 2002

Answers

Hi Sherri!! Sounds like you had a very busy (and fun!) weekend! Stay on top of that "dizzy" thing. Can't have you getting sick on us! There's not many of "us" left here :-)!!

We spent most of our weekend on the road. Saturday morning we took a road trip toward southern Maine...looking for boats for sale in folk's yards. Good time of the year for them to be sold and the prices are usually good! Most of what we saw were smaller 10' to 19' boats. We're looking for a 24' to 27' boat. I think we've caught the "2 footitis" bug :-)!! Our boat is 21 ft. but it sure would be nice to have another 2 feet or more!! Then Sunday we headed for New Brunswick, Canada, specifically St. John. We'd seen a boat advertised on Yachtworld.com and made arrangements to check it out. Wasn't what we'd hoped for...but the drive was absolutely beautiful!!! Love New Brunswick! So much wild country! We will most definitely be going back someday. This coming Saturday we're going to western Me. (Sebago Lake area) looking for boats.

We're also in the process of putting our garden to "bed" for the winter. The new compost has been applied and now I'm just waiting for some really cold weather to bring out the flavor of the Brussels sprouts so I can pick them. So far temps at night have only been down to the high 30's. Within a month or so, the garden will be done, the pigs and the turkeys will be in the freezer and the firewood will be split and piled. THEN we can relax for the winter!!! Sure am looking forward to it :-)!

Really hope some other folks check in here sometime! I think it's getting kinda lonely here in cyberspace!! BTW, where's Tren?? That's about all from Maine...!!

-- Anonymous, September 30, 2002

The store is in fully swing and we have most of our stock in. Sales are low but we have only been open two weeks and they are getting better all the time so time will tell the tale on King St. News :o) I've been working 5 to 6 days a week until 6 pm or so. Its a big adjustment for me after my lazy hazy days as a stay at home mom with no big time table. The boys have adjusted pretty well to school and daycare and for the most part enjoy their days according to what teachers and the boys themselves tell us. I gotta hit the hay. 'Night y'all.

-- Anonymous, October 01, 2002

Good to "hear" from ya, Alison!!! We all assumed that you were busy with your new store. Harry and I almost headed for N.S. last Sunday...but I hadn't made arrangements for someone to come in and milk my two does so we just went to New Brunswick. Next time we cross the border we want to visit King's Landing settlement and the Fundy Nat. Park. We had an hour wait to get back into Maine from New Brunswick! The border patrol was pulling over big trucks and checking the trunks of cars. We were in a pickup so all they checked was the center console and our driver's licenses. Really seemed strange!! The last time (pre-9/11) we went to Canada (Campabello Island), when we came back through the check point they just asked if we were bringing in anything from Canada!! Anyways...it was a wonderfully relaxing day trip!!

-- Anonymous, October 01, 2002

Sherri, have you been on any jet planes lately? Last time I flew, I got vertigo from getting water behind my eardrum. Lasted off and on for about a week and a half.

Another way to get vertigo is to get an ear infection.

Hope you're ok now!

-- Anonymous, October 02, 2002

I'm feeling fine now, I think I was just a little dehydrated. I've noticed that this usually happens in the fall, it seems to have something to do with the switch from air-conditioning to heating. I haven't been on an airplane recently but I will be flying to Florida next month. This will be my first flight post-9/11 and I wasn't a good flyer to begin with (I get airsick if I don't wear my wristbands) so I'm kind of dreading it.

-- Anonymous, October 02, 2002

I fly to Florida more than anywhere else, since my son took a job out there, and had the nerve to take my grandbabies with him:)

I hate the trip; I love flyiing, other than the fact that the air in the cabin sucks, half the time I get sick from it, I'm 6'6" tall, and am not what you'd call limber. I'm usually uncomfortable, to say the least, sitting in the "seating" they provide, and I have some sort of chronic ear problem that gives me grief every time I take long flights--the ones that fly over thirty thousand feet.

One of these times, we're going to take AMTRAK out to Florida, but it's a big time commitment.

I looked up "airlines, pressure, vertigo, earache" on google, and found a lot of info about my ear problems, and concurrently found a lot about air sickness. I'd recommend looking at this, as there are some good ideas there.

All I remember is to sit where you can see out the window, to keep yourself oriented. (they say airsickness is generally due o a disconnect between what you are seeing, what you are feeling on your skin (like pressure, and gravity), and what your inner ears tell you is happening. The mixed messages cause some folks to get sick.) I also have heard that a seat over the wing will give you less motion in a bumpy ride, and maybe that would help as well.

¡Buen viaje a Florida!

JOJ

-- Anonymous, October 02, 2002

Nothing much going on here that's very interesting. We're trying to get out schoolwork finished on a consistent basis and pretty much hanging out at home.

I've lost about all the weight I wanted to and now we're working on the fitness part of things. Jim and I started a program called Body for Life ( weight training) almost 4 wks. ago. Not much change on the scale but the measuring tape says that it is beginning to work. We used to be regulars at the gym before we started having kids. That's been 10 yrs. ago. So strength wise it's just like starting all over again.I've been more tired than sore though. OK, a little sore. BFL is considered to be 12 week challenges which run one after the other. The transformations I've seen look amazing but most say they don't start to see the big changes until between weeeks 10-12. And EM can you believe all this got started with that little NY Times article you posted? :)

Sherri, I'm glad you are feeling better. It's good to hear that you had such a grand turn out for PPD. Congratulations!

I hope everyone is well. Talk to you all later.

-- Anonymous, October 02, 2002

I've been subject to motion sickness since I as a kid. It isn't as bad as it used to be (I can now ride in the back seat without getting sick, and I can even read or do a little handwork if I'm in the front passenger seat). As an adult, I relied on Dramamine, until my dad (guess I got the propensity from him) discovered Bonine (metaclopramide) -- much better than Dramamine, IMO. But they both still made me so dragged out! Then I discovered the "Sea Bands" (wristbands, with acupressure buttons) and ginger. Ginger is very good for nausea induced by motion sickness. I found some tablets called "Ginger-Trips", which are quite spicy but good tasting. Other alternatives are drinking ginger tea, taking capsules of ginger (if you can't stand the taste or bite of ginger), & candied ginger -- whichever you use, start taking it about an hour before your flight leaves. With those two things, I have been able to fly all the way to Hawaii without drugs, and arrive feeling great. If the weather gets a little "bouncy", I just press on the button on the band to increase the pressure, and it seems to help. If you can't get relief with those things, then I do recommend Bonine. Just expect to need to go to bed shortly after arrival.

As far as catching things on the plane, I always did too, until I started using essential oils. I take a Kleenex and put drops of anti- viral essential oils onto it, and put it in a small zip-lock bag. Then I open it and smell of it frequently. I always ask my seatmate if they're scent sensitive first. If they don't mind, I even leave it open on my lap. I haven't gotten sick from a plane ride since then. I also have done this when I couldn't avoid exposure to people sick with colds or flu, and I usually don't get it. I use 3-4 drops each of lavender and rosemary, with one drop of bergamot (just for the nice smell and mood uplift). Lavender and rosemary are excellent anti-virals and anti-bacterials, but don't use rosemary if you have epilepsy. Tea tree and eucalyptus are also good, but have stronger smells and might be more offensive -- to you or your seatmates. If you can only afford one essential oil, I highly recommend lavender. It's one of the safer ones -- most people can tolerate it directly on their skin -- it smells good, and it's good for headaches and bug bites/stings. I love it.

-- Anonymous, October 02, 2002

My motion sickness has gotten worse as I get older. I used to be able to read in the car with no problem, now if I'm not driving I'm queasy by the end of the block. When I fly I wear the Seabands, take ginger capsules, and drink gingerale. :)

Today was my lucky music day. We have a bi-monthly holistic newspaper here called Branches. I went there today to put an ad in their Massage Therapy/Bodywork section. They have a music review section in the paper, and when they're done reviewing the CD they just toss it in a freebie bin in the lobby. I picked out 3 CDs while I was waiting for them to print out my contract. The one I'm listening to right now is "Feather in the Wind" by Golana. It's Native American flute with guitar, piano, violin, and drums and it's really good. It will be great to play during massage.

-- Anonymous, October 03, 2002

Believe it or not...I've NEVER flown and don't intend to in the future!! Harry has done some flying when he was in the service, but not me. I used to get carsick while reading, but now as I get older it doesn't seem to bother me anymore. Sure makes it alot easier reading roadmaps since I'm usually the navigator (Harry absolutely cannot read a road map!!). But...the older I get, the less I can stand the rides at the fairs :-)!! Go figure...!

-- Anonymous, October 03, 2002