A funk.

I'm been in a bit of a funk lately. Not eating too well, although I have been going to the gym with my husband three to four times a week (by the way, if you do those BodyAttack classes at your gym, you have my utmost admiration... we've done two and they are killer!).

Today, honestly, I ate a lot of junk food interspersed with some fruit and yogourt. Okay, we did have a Rice Bowl last night which was relatively healthy, but heavy on the peanut sauce and avocado (and I ate the whole bowl, which I don't need to do). Sometimes when I'm feeling sorry for myself I eat (I'm not alone there, right) - and I know I'm doing it - but it's hard not to. I try to make good choices when I catch myself doing that, like having a glass of water instead, or choosing grapes instead of chips, but of course that doesn't always happen. I know it's just a phase, but I think I need a little kick start to get myself off this track. Any ideas?

We are having a patio put in next week (finally!), and my husband has designed a set of pergolas that he's going to build (probably with my help). He's really great at figuring things out and making plans, so that when it comes time to build things there's no guesswork and it's pretty straightforward. I can not wait until we can use our backyard more, and put up the pretty hammock we bought on our weddingmoon in Mexico!

I only wish our neighbours weren't so noisy - and meaty. Their kids throw things over the fence into our yard (this morning it was toys and garbage), and they're always out there barbequing. I know, it's summer, it's their yard... but the smell fills up our yard and as a vegetarian it really grosses me out. Occasionally they'll do fish, and I'm gagging and running inside. And they play their music outside, which I just think is rude. It makes it impossible to enjoy the nice weather, birdsong, and some peace and quiet in our own yard when Shania Twain is blasting. Not nice.

I also have to get on planning out the gardens that will surround the new patio. I know it's hard to picture, but imagine this - we have a lot that is half a storey higher at the front than the back, and it's on an inside corner, but not right on the corner - so it's like a rectangle plus a triangle in shape. The vegetable beds are on the square side behind the house, and the patio is going into the triangle part. A new shed (another husband design and build) is going in between.

We have bought a compact Stella cherry that will go in at the top of the hill, and we are also trying to pick out a big(ish)tree for some shade. We wandered five nurseries on Sunday trying to find the perfect tree. It's hard, because we want something tall (upwards of 40'), but relatively narrow (up to 30' in spread). It can't be poisonous, ugly, or too columnar. I like locusts (small leaves, no raking, dappled light!), but my husband doesn't. He likes maples but I don't (for this yard - it's too small for beautiful big ones, the columnar varietals are too tall and skinny, and I don't like raking leaves). We also have clay soil to deal with. Anyway. It's an ongoing thing.

I'm feeling pretty drained (just fatigue - or maybe my poor food choices today!), but I have a class to teach tonight. If you have the night off and you're wondering what to do with yourself, take a few minutes and enter the two giveaways I'm hosting! Enter here for some lovely organic soap (we're using it now and it smells so herbal/spicy and good) plus non-toxic nailpolish from EcoMom, and head here for the new giveaway for Tropical Traditions organic coconut peanut butter (yum).