City:
Caution re DE. My health consultant points out that it may have a high aluminum content . She knows one person who suffered aluminum poisoning as a direct result of ingesting it.

Extremely interesting NYT article on Lithium found on linelast night

The admin of Ceramic Recipes posted it as lithium is a possible glaze ingredient. I have always avoided it but this article points out its positive effect - in miniscule amounts.

We went to Ontario Friday night - a long dark trip. I drove 6.5 hours, arriving after 11 pm, exhausted. That extra hour on a very dark, deer infested night was too much! We saw two deer by the road and and were aware that moose might also be about as we got further north. Les usually sees a couple on her way home from work at night. Sun night R hit our first raccoon - we looked for it but it had gone - with a severe headache, at least.

I was wasted all day Saturday as we drove around on the area studio tour, meeting new artists and renewing some friendships. One friend has evolved to painting huge flowers that give O'Keeffe a run... The day ended with a potluck at our friends. A fun event from which I creeped to bed about 7 pm and stayed collapsed until morning, when we got up and continued the tour, attended the local Climate Change march, after a nice lunch at our fav eatery, then went on to a new tour in a different area, meeting more interesting folks and finally making it back to town for a supper at a local eatery. Then a long visit with a friend I had not seen in almost 25 years.

An interesting story as it has brought many thoughts to the surface about how people live their lives. M was a close friend whom I would visit in the early 80's and we would have a cup of herbal tea in her lovely home. I saw her once after the demise of her marriage and she was distant. Sometime in the last few weeks, people have told her I was "back" and she had phoned twice to our friends to tell me where she is. Sunday eve, we found her and she was delighted to see me. She offered us a beer - not herb tea! We caught up on her life, and second marriage. R and I have talked it over thoroughly: It is almost as though the life she had when I first met her was not "her". This life is her true life and she is very happy. She was never an herb tea person but tried to be for her first husband. There is a whole story/essay here about women, and men?, living the wrong lives - for them.

Whichever life she is in, she is still M and we are still friends. I suspect, however, that she shut me out all those years because she was afraid I could not accept her "true" self. I will see her again.

Yesterday, R went for his first view of our "new" van and chatted with the mechanic about it while I did a volunteer stint at the Art Gallery. R is well pleased with our purchase. Then we had a light lunch and headed back to Montreal through beautiful weather and changing trees. R drove the early part and I only had the last two hours as we arrived back just as it was dark - at 8 pm.

A friend in Ontario has offered us parking for the van in her back yard! We doubt we will register it until spring. I do think I will change my residency to Ontario, probably in the late winter. This weekend I was telling people, "I reside in Montreal but I LIVE here!" We continue to look for property. The one we wanted to look at was sold already. I already was planning how to live there!

This am, I took R to his vehicle, stopped at the Sally Ann and got a new turtle neck for him and a lovely new pair of winter woods boots for me ($15!), then returned books to the library but it was closed. I may look some more for misplaced library cards and go back later for more books.

My email is not happening this am and a call to tech support elicited the info - there have been many problems with apple computers in the last few weeks. She gave me phone for Montreal Apple store - the line is BUSY! Hmmmm. In the meantime, NO email. I'll make celery soup.

A diet that moves through the system swiftly and efficiently is best for D. Probiotics are magic for bloating.

I continue to get help from the homepathic meds. Shoulders still become problematic at times though, driving last night, I found changing the position of the seat eliminated the bulk of the discomfort. Thankfully!