Good Morning Pancakes, Welcome and Lets do this!

Hello my lovelies! I'm so happy to see so many new visitors here at My Rose Valley. Warm welcome to you all. 💕😊 💕 It is cold and nippy outside and after a great start with some delicious Good Morning Keto Pancakes (see recipe below) and a cup of morning tea, I'm ready for this day. 

 

I suffer from pain in my lower back (arthritis the doctor said a few years ago...) that makes me sleep poorly at night and walk like an old lady in the mornings before warming up, and a couple of weeks ago I had enough and decided to go on a low sugar - low carb routine to kick the inflammation that causes the ache. Already after a week of cutting out all sugars and "bad" carbs the pain has been reduced 50%. I'm so pleased with my progress. If you're interested I'll tell you more about what it is I'm doing different in a separate post, give you some suggestion of my average daily menu and the tips and tricks I've discovered to stick to this routine without falling off the wagon. I don't look at it as a forever and ever diet, it is a tool to help my body recover and get rid of the inflammation more than anything, just so you know. Let me know in the comment field below if you want to know more.

 

After breakfast I looked out my kitchen window and Ooooopsie!!! I forgot to bring my blankets and pillow inside from the bench last night. The table cloth has blown off and fallen to the ground...😬 Luckily it hasn't rained and it is all dry but cold... I think I'll just leave it there, prepped and ready for a moment of reflection on the bench later this afternoon.

 

Today I WILL get the job done. I'm determent! It has been so comforting to hear that many of you are procrastinators just like me. It has inspired me to get going with what is holding me back for the moment... No more time to wait for the "right mood" to appear. Sometimes it's just about taking the first step and off you go. Like putting on the trainers and step outside the door for that daily walk even if the "right mood" isn't there yet. Once you're outside walking the "right mood" will arrive and afterwards comes the reward of feeling fantastic. Let's do this!

 

KETO PANCAKES

Makes approx: 8-10 small pancakes

2 eggs

100 g cottage cheese

1/2 tbsp ground psyllium husk powder

Butter or coconut oil for frying

Whipped cream or full fat yogurt and berries for serving

Instruction:

1. Mix all ingredients together and let set for 5-10 minutes

2. Heat up butter or coconut oil in a non-stick skillet. Fry the pancakes on medium-low heat for 3–4 minutes on each side. Make them small or they will be hard to flip.

 

3. Serve with whipped cream (I whip my cream in the Nutribullet smoothie mixer... super quick and easy) or a dollop of full fat yogurt and berries of choice. I use frozen blueberries that I heat up in the microwave for 10-20 seconds. 

Original recipe from DietDoctor.com.

Bon Appetit! 

 

 

 

 

 

Kärlek
Annette

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Sunday rambles

I walk down through my village, the sun is coming in and out behind the clouds. Trees are starting to change colors. I pass the flowers shop and all the beautiful autumn flowers arrangements. I take a mental note to tidy up my geraniums when coming back, preparing to change geraniums for autumn colors at the front of my house.

   

I cross the fields with my village on my right, walk along the river, into the woods following the path between the pine trees shooting for the stars. An hour later I'm back home longing for a frothy coffee and some crochet time on my bench. One has to take the chance when the weather is nice, right.  

 

I prep my favorite spot: blanket and sheep skin to sit on, pillow for my lower back. Table cloth on the stone table. I bring out my crochet WiP, the Blanket Of Hope. Oh my, I need some Blanket Of Hope therapy on this gorgeous day. A newly purchased pot with autumn blossoms and a bright orange pumpkin at the foot of my bench will make my spot even more cozy. I get distracted and spend a good half an hour taking care of my geraniums at the front of the house and by the time I come back, with frothy coffee and all, my place is stolen by a little Miss Maya the cat... She refuses to move. I gently try to pull the blanket a bit, but she is moving at all. I don't have the heart to push her off... Big sigh... there goes my crochet time...

 

Well oh well, luckily I'm a multi project kind of girl with a number of WiP's on the go at the same time... I fetch WiP no 2, the Cluster V-stitch Baby Blanket. It will do. We sit there, Maya and I, until my coffee is gone and my fingers cold. It starts to sprinkle and I pack it all up, put all the blankets and pillows in the shed and rush inside before the rain comes. Next time the sun is out I'll do it all again... prep my space, get distracted but eventually I'll have my moment. Sometimes just 5 minutes, other times more. I love my spot. I love my bench.

Kärlek
Annette

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It's ok to cry

The autumn sun. How I love the autumn sun. How it spreads a golden layer over the fields, tree tops, roads and houses. I'm in the car, listening to some gentle tunes from my Chill & Dream playlist. I'm trying to catch the feeling. The bus stops in front of me and lets people off. Young and old, I can't see their faces. They are covered in masks and something inside of me just bursts in that moment... this is so surreal. How did we end up here? I'm not sure if I can take more of... of what? Just everything!

 

I've had a shitty day. Work at school was extremely busy, loud, challenging. Just a constant running around. Lively kids pushing limits non stop, more than usual. I'm tired. Really really tired...

 

As if drama at work wouldn't be enough, the drama at home seem to escalate by the day. There is always a drama of some sort. Being a teenage Mum really puts you to the test at times. Small kids, small problems - big kids, big problems you know... It is just more challenging emotionally I find. It's no longer black and white, yes and no... it's a constant grey zone of negotiation, understanding. listening, balancing pros and cons, give and hold back... So, a tear finds its way down my cheek and I decide to not hold back and just let them flow for a minute. Because everything has just piled up throughout the week. It's been a stressful week needless to say. I guess it all had to come out in tears at some point. 

 

I'm not afraid of emotions. I've learned that crying can be a relief, a good way of rinsing yourself from heavy loads of stuff, all kind of stuff. It's like the fogginess of frustration, stress, hurt, pain, helplessness, sadness - whatever it is -  evaporates with every tear. Afterwards I always feel more clear in my mind, focused on finding solutions instead of being trapped in negativity. So I cry in the car the last kilometer going back home...

 

I arrive home, park the car. I don't shout a cheerful "Hello!" as I always do. Instead I go straight upstairs, change work outfit to cozies, woolly socks on. I salute Jay who prepares dinner in the kitchen, grab a beer and go outside to my bench, sit myself down, feet on the table. I can see the French Alps sticking up behind the bee hive church. It feels great to just sit there while the sun goes down, watching Jay by the stove inside in the kitchen. I drink my beer in silence, let thoughts flow and after a while I feel ready to go back in and take part of family life inside. A family life I do treasure and love deeply. Including all the good, bad and the ugly. I wouldn't want it any other way. My family is my everything. 

Kärlek
Annette

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Falling into the blues

I crashed. Wednesday last week the energy left me. I walked upstairs, laid down on my bed and stared out the window for what felt an eternity. I cried a bit. Slept a bit. Didn't even move for a couple of hours. I was overwhelmed by it all; Coronavirus, constant news updates, being in isolation, finding a new daily routine, phone calls, chatting online, being on top of each other here at home. Yeah... it just got a bit too much.

For a couple of days I slept and slept, moved around on low gear just doing the absolutely most necessary... I was mentally and physically exhausted. I turned off my phone and stopped watching the news. Started a puzzle with Emmy Bo. Listened to some documentaries and Swedish radio. Didn't talk to anyone. Didn't send a single text message. On Friday afternoon I felt better. I went outside in the garden and cut back my geraniums, poked around a little bit in the garden... Energy came back.

I think with all that is going on this is not a surprise. I think loosing my new job routine, my lovely colleagues and my "new life" as a working woman really hit me hard. I miss my awesome After School Care team. I miss the kids. I miss going to work and be a part of something outside my home. A different me in a different environment. My kids are sad that they have lost school, I'm no different. I now understand the depth of their sadness cause I feel it too.

I think I put the bar too high to make this forced isolation into something super productive when it actually is the perfect once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to just slow down for real. I started out on top gear, no wonder I crashed. And it is okay to feel blue. Maybe it is even a part of the process of adjusting to this new "normal".

I've made myself a new schedule, more open and free but still with the frame work and routines that I love so much. I am slowing down and allowing myself to have big gaps of doing nothing in the day, no pressure. I take a nap if I want to. I work when it suits me. I take daily walks but I don't over do it. We take one day at a time. I feel good now. The blues is fading and I feel strong again. How are you?

Kärlek
Annette

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Walking makes me feel good

I take long walks around my village. I breathe the fresh air, embrace the beautiful surrounding, spot flowers and season changes, hear nature and I get to be alone for a moment. This confinement thingy is getting on my nerves a bit. And we have just started. Sigh... So, I go for walks. Daily. Long ones. Short ones. Brisk ones. Slow ones. They make me feel good.

For long walks I listen to podcasts, the Swedish Framgångspodden with Alexander Pärleros (@alexanderparleros) is my latest podcast crush. So many great and inspiring interviews with interesting personalities. There is always something to learn and to take with you after one of Alexander's interviews.

When I want to empower myself I turn on an upbeat playlist on Spotify. Dance music always makes me feel positive and motivated and it can pick me up if I'm on the edge of a blues.  

When I need peace, I like walking in silence and just listen to nature. I get the chance to reflect, look inwards and feel my feels. The stress level comes down and I practice mindfulness seeing the beauty of nature and listening to the birds. Very calming. 

What I do on my walks depends on my mood or what I want to get out of it. It's good to mix it up so the same route never gets boring. Today I even did a walk/run. I walk 2 minutes, run 2 minutes and repeat for 30 minutes. I'm not a runner so this is my beginner schedule. It works. I come back invigorated with red cheeks feeling like a million bucks.

What do you do when going for walks? Do you have any great Podcasts to recommend? I want to find something happy, inspiring and positive. No crime stories... the whole world feels like a Cold Case right now... I'm all ears for uplifting and interesting podcast tips. Bring them on.
 

Kärlek
Annette

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The morning walk routine

Yesterday was school start. A new start for my daily walk routine. I kind of lost it during vacation. Before the summer I aimed at 8000-10'000 steps/day and it might sound easy but the fact is I don't move around that much if I don't make an effort to do so. Have you ever checked how many steps you take on an average day? I should add, I don't have a dog. I think life looks different for most dog walkers. I might be wrong, but when you have a dog you have to walk the dog at least a couple of times a day. I would love to have a dog one day.

When I worked in customer service and had old ladies and gentlemen on the line chatting along (I enjoyed those conversations so much) each and everyone said the key to a long life is walking at least an hour a day. There was Bertil who was 92 and Alma 86, Ingmar 81, Gertrud 87... all of them said that they walk daily to stay healthy and fit. Those conversations has stayed in the back of my head and I'm trying really hard to set a walking routine for myself. A routine I hope will stay with me for as long as I live and a routine that helps me live a long and healthy life.

While my children set themselves ready for school yesterday morning, I set myself ready for a morning walk. Nelly Bo was the first child out the door at 7am to meet her new adventure: Gymnasium (equivalent to high school). Next child to leave the house half an hour later was Luca Bo (who has grown not less than 3 centimeters and 2 shoe sizes over the summer!!!) and then there were me and Emmy Bo hand in hand marching off to the local school in the village. It is her last year here. 8th grade. Maybe it will also be the last year of holding hands... Time will tell. Next year all my children will commute to schools further away.

Life goes on. Children grow up. Seasons change. Hand holding stops... Maybe... My morning walks helps me deal with all random challenges life is full of. They help me appreciate nature and all the things I have been given. To see the beauty right here and now. Not take things for granted. Reflect. Make decisions. Calm myself. Find balance in it all.

My first long morning walk of this "new start of the year" was absolutely lovely, and the funny thing was that when I walked there through the woods and along the fields I wondered to myself: "Why did it take me so long to get out here again?".

I love my walks. They allow me to take deep breaths of crisp air, they help me clear my head from clutter, they make me move my stiff joints and muscles. Oil the machinery. And when I return back home I'm full of ideas, energy and motivation to take on the day, new projects and everything else.

I'm gonna try really, really hard to stick to this routine this time. It is all about getting out the door... Trainers on. "Just get out the door every day Annette, and you will live happily ever after!" I tell myself. And with that I sign off for today. It is time to leave the house hand in hand with Emmy Bo. It is time for my morning walk. Day 2 of many morning walks to come. Do you want to Come Walk With Me?

Come Walk With Me!
Once I had a walking club here on the blog. It helped me in a time when I was burnt out and stuck in a constant blues. It picked me up, kept me fit and made me come back to see the light and find balance in the chaos I found myself in. Click on the Come Walk With Me icon to get walk inspired. Set a routine that fits you and the life you live. It is never to late.
Walking is something you can do anytime, anywhere and however long or short you want.
Every step counts. Even small ones. Regularity is the key. 

Kärlek
Annette

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