Glad to hear the mouth is better! Hmmm. I’m pretty sure it is the Wintergreen ones and you have to be in the dark like in the bathroom in front of a mirror with the light off and bite down with your mouth open. Maybe they’ve changed the ingredients since I’ve done it. I’ll get some later when I’m out and entertain myself trying.

I didn’t take my phone when I went to see her, but she is a very cute pig! I will probably go back Sunday. She has a goat there too. I think the goat is lonely as they usually like buddies to get into their shenanigans with. 
Well Friend. Just don’t cave. You can think about and have craves, that’s normal and gonna happen for a while. Just do NOT think you can have ONE. There is a lot of stress out there right now. Season changes I think are a trigger too for us. Whatever you do, don’t read the news today. I just did that and it sent me off. I did go see John last night. Wrote somewhere else about so won’t repeat here, but it was enough to make me not want to smoke for sure. Just think how much stronger your lungs are already! So if it’s been a week with no NRT you can look at it like you just finished second hell week maybe. Now you know you can do this too. And you are doing it! So very well. 

Whoopi is better after the steroid shot. She just stood there looking at me with this sad face when I went out last night. I don’t usually take her on my night walks to see John, but she had that look like “not now either?”. 
We didn’t get the rain that was hoped for. I didn’t figure we would. When it does rain here this time of year it is a small amount. Little sprinkle this AM for about 4-5 minutes only. Now the rain expected Wednesday or Thursday is supposed to have lightning. Great. Hopefully the lightening stays away from those dried leaves and match sticks that are “so poorly managed” and the reason for all of this. Ugh. 
Yes...read about the barnacles. And Starfish. Octopus. Bioluminescent plankton. All of it. World full of wonder. Watch YouTube and don’t smoke. 

To tell you the truth, I don't know why other than the fact that we are addicts. It's what we do, when anything uncomfortable or joyous hits us, we smoke. It's all in your mind. Heck, I just started lighting candles again. I couldn't even get near a lighter before now. You're under a lot of stress but don't let it throw your quit! Smoking will not make anything better. All the things you cry about in the shower won't be made right with a cigarette. Go see John, if it's safe. Or maybe go play with the neighborhood pig. Just do not smoke!

Oh I won’t smoke. Just blowing off steam. I’ll be damned if I’d let anything Orange make me smoke. 
Im a little too green and black and rainbow for that! Lol!

Hi friends, i am sorry i have been MIA. I'm crunching a project with a deadline at the moment. Don't give in! you have done so well in situations you didn't think you could handle (camping) So you've got this. Lori, the pig thing is so funny. Do not read the news or listen to anything apart from the fire development that you need tp be informed about. I hope the rain comes, this is unbelievably disastrous. 

xo

Sound advice X. Sadly, the quote above is from the news and fires pertaining to here and the rest of the West. So, I know PDX proper is not in danger now. I’ve stopped reading and started watching YouTube videos on fermentation and pickling. Stepson is BIG into this stuff and gave me a quick pickling recipe for these pearl onions he had when I was there. Found some red pearl onions at this little local market yesterday and am gonna give it a go! Right after a nap. I have to go to this other Crunchy store and get some Za’atar first. Most stores that are not big chain (which within the city there are not too many of those) are working on shortened hours and closing early to get their employees home and out of the air as much as possible. So I can’t nap too long. 
I am not as adept or fond of cooking per se as you. Figure things along the lines of fermenting and pickling and Kombucha making or anything else akin to somewhat of an edible science experiment is more up my alley. The videos help with distraction too, and I’m not in danger of smoking today. One day at a time. Thanks for checking in! Miss you!

We’ve got SUN! Look! I haven’t seen even this for a week, so it is very hopeful. 

Sun! How exciting! A little pink around the gills, but sun nonetheless. Look at all the trees where you live! How lush and beautiful. A new day is dawning, I tell you. A new day for portland. 

Yes, pink around the gills it was. No longer visible now .  Took that pic on my way to work. Yes, it is pretty lush around here. Those are mostly Doug Fir on that hillside. The road to the north goes to a place called Rocky Butte about another 1/2 mile. Nice place to go and watch sunrises and sunsets and gives a good view of NE PDX. It is an extinct Cinder Cone. Mt. Tabor just to the South is a dormant Volcano. This is Volcano country Tiny! Lots of cinder cones and dormant volcanoes. Had some rumbling from Mt Hood a couple years ago. They are monitored pretty heavily and not worrisome at all in my opinion. Course...I didn’t live here when St Helens blew. Saw it 3 years after and it was unbelievable even then. Now...it is lush and green and regrown. Anyway...yeah, pretty lush here for sure. 

There are starfish and green lushery?!?! I'm moving!

Come on out!

Im an hour from the Ocean or an hour from Mountains, Cascade Range. About 2 hours to High Desert. Rivers galore. Protests, Covid, and uncontrolled Wild Fires to boot. 
Yeah. I wouldn’t live anywhere else though. This whole country has bountiful beauty and we really ought to regain some focus and take care of this place better, right? Including all of its peoples . I’d say it is time to really take a hard look at what we have here and find a better way to work together. IMHO. 
It is all grand and very special stolen land and I am grateful.