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Day 260: The Zita Roast

My new Birthday sweater from my mother. I love this pattern!


So yesterday my family came over to roast me, err celebrate my birthday. But it felt like a roast.I survived. And now I am lingering over a London Fog at Starbucks after church, chatting with my favorite barista, Josh. I asked him his secret for his sunny disposition. Without missing a beat, he said, "Its because I am a physicist!"

We had a lovely  chat about the universe, God and positive energy.  I finished my tea and told him to keep being wonderful. He looked back and smile and said, "And you keep being beautiful!"

If  all of our encounters could be so pleasant!

Like my birthday dinner for example. I am joking really. We had fun. My mother brought over a meatloaf. She even made a mini gluten free loaf for me. But that's when the roast began. My brother mocked my gluten free lifestyle.  Soon the whole table chimed in.

Later when we sat down to play a game of blackjack, someone asked if it was a gluten free deck.

Sigh.

Family. :)

But dinner was wonderful. The gluten free meatloaf was tasty and held together quite nicely.  My mother was surprised. :)  My mashed potatoes with bacon cream cheese were divine. As were the green beans with bacon balsamic dressing.  Quite a meaty dinner, I should say!

My mom gave me a lovely sweater with a pattern that just screamed "Zita!" I've always had an ethnic taste in fashion.  Or maybe it's Bohemian? Eccentric?  Whatever it is, this sweater was made with me in mind!

Today has been wonderful so far.  I woke up nearly pain free.  I don't know what to attribute it to. I have been stretching regularly.  I've been eating pretty healthy, and low sodium as much as I can tolerate. But I did have a piece of birthday cake last night. White with lemon filling, for heaven's sake!  My tomorrow rumbled in protest all night, but I feel good today.

My new sweater and I made it to church. I am attending a "doctrinal bible church" that I discovered a few years ago before moving to Salem.  It feeds me.  We sing hymns at the beginning. The music director usually talks a bit about the composer first. Which ironically fits in with my new found hymn obsession.

The pastor is fascinating. He studied the bible in it's original languages of Hebrew, Greek and Aramaic.  It's like a 2 hour bible class with singing and prayer.  It's a small, friendly congregation. I was taking notes like a mad woman today.

Then I met my kids and son-in-law for a steaming hot bowl of Pho afterwards.

AND I went for a refreshing walk with my son and Honey Dog! We started out on the Springwater Trail and then looped around and walked through the Johnson Creek Wetland area, near Zenger Farm.  A delightful day so far!

http://www.zengerfarm.org/zenger-farm-wetland


Happy Sunday! :)

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