goes unpunished. I know that isn’t the first thing that should come to mind because it’s reinforcing a negative thought. I strive to align my thoughts toward the positive, but when stuff like this happens, and I’m up to my derrière in alligators, it is still my first thought.
Good intentions be damned.

I don’t know which of us found them, but one morning last week when the small kitchen pantry door was opened we were greeted with an infestation of “pantry moths!” I was aghast, and chuckling, thinking “Mothra, Mothra!!” It is an old 60’s monster movie from Japan where a giant moth attacks Tokyo. My pantry is the heartbeat of my house. My Tokyo.

Turk grabbed the vacuum cleaner and vacuumed them off of the ceiling and walls in there. I went through bags of grains, beans, corn meal, etc. that had been opened and threw it all out. I did some rearranging, cleaning as I went and put some opened pastas into big ziploc bags and then we patted ourselves on the back.

That didn’t last long. A couple of days later they were back! And some of the ziplocs had new moths and larvae inside them. Now I was really flipping out! You may know them as flour moths, grain moths or food moths. They multiply rapidly and disgustingly. I found a couple of larvae on the shelf. Where had they come from? I’d thrown out everything that had been opened! This called for a deeper clean.

I got online and read-up on exactly what to do. It turns out that the boxes that were closed are no match for hungry worms – they were inside those, too.

1. Errybody out!! 2. Check every. single. package. and toss what’s been opened. 3) Clean shelves, walls, baseboards with a bleach & water solution. 4. Let it dry naturally and put everything back, with grains, seeds, nuts, flours in sealed packages.
   

So where did the little buggers come from? Someone had given my son (who cannot cook because of his disability) a couple bags of black beans and brown rice, which he loves, especially with sour cream and diced green onion on corn tortillas. A perfect vegetarian meal! He in turn gave them to me to cook, portion them out, and bring them to him.

The bad news: those packages were infested! The good news: Because of them, I have a newly organized, and bug-proof pantry.

I always admired a well put-together pantry stocked with real everyday food in all it’s oddly-shaped packages. I did my best, and I’m pleased with the results.

In other news: my Spanish lessons are going great. I can construct paragraphs to read aloud. Speaking spontaneously is still frustrating, I get so tongue-tied! That’s what we work on in my in-person class here. I notice small improvements weekly… I remember listening to a simple story and thinking, “How am I ever going to understand that?” Now, amazingly, I can.
I am continuing with Duolingo, too. I owe all of my progress and vocabulary to daily practice, and it’s fun, although a bit childish, with Duolingo. It’s nice to know I’m increasing the neuroplasticity in my brain.

I also excited about the new exercise facility built just down the street, and it’s pool is beautiful. Unfortunately, it’s right out there in the sun, and who wants to lounge around a pool when it’s 107 degrees? Or go walk in the morning when it’s 82 at 7:00? Sadly we’ve only been in the pool three times, but the treadmill and elliptical have been so much fun! I learned that you get a much better result by raising the incline on the treadmill, and you can even select a “hilly” walk where it raises and lowers itself. I listen to music and look out at the sparkling pool. Soon, pool. Soon.

I also had my fourth session with a personal trainer yesterday. I have always liked lifting weights, and right now they are helping me get/feel stronger. After being ill for so long, off all of my hormones, and having lost so much weight, the machines are giving me a way to regain muscle and stay strong. I don’t want to become fragile like many elderly people do. My balance is great, thanks to years of Nia, and I’m flexible from years of yoga. Building strength through load-bearing exercise builds bone density, so yesterday my trainer and I worked with Kettlebells for the first time and it was a blast! My arms feel “alive” today, as does my butt.

I very much like tapping into my masculine energy. It’s our take action and get-it-done energy. I noticed that I was feeling too withdrawn, unmotivated and even a little bit helpless, and this is bringing balance to that. Plus, I will be willing to go sleeveless with a bit more definition in my arms.
I’m beginning to feel my inner-strength again. I want to greet my 72nd birthday in eight weeks feeling like myself again!

XO Donna