Category: Food

Can you spell D-E-N-T-I-S-T???

Fortunately, I can. And I have a good one to call!

It started slowly, late last week, the discomfort in the right side of my mouth. Kinda lower jaw. With some interference by an upper tooth that seemed to be taking up more space than usual.

And it grew, as these things have a tendency to do.

So, Tuesday – very early – an appointment with the new guy in my recently retired, much appreciated, dentist’s office.

Before I bring you up to speed, I should probably mention that I’m not the world’s optimal dental patient.

I’m allergic to everything and have a super-sensitive gag reflex. The new guy – bless him – was very supportive. And, after a bit of studying the x-rays, dispatched me to an oral surgeon. (Joy, rapture, and bliss… not!)

Let’s just say that there has been a whole lot of electronic form filing to do! And calendar juggling. And pondering of Filters! Really!!!

We’ll begin with naming the all-important context. One word… Tooth!!!

I know… there’s still news happening. And painting to do. And that pot of bone broth, ready for the freezer. And a book hatching in my dreams.

Then there’s Stephen Covey whispering, as he has a tendency to do, his really helpful strategy for determining what’s next. It goes kinda like this…

Any given thing on my list, or yours, or the world’s, is two of these four things…

Urgent – Important – Not Urgent – Not Important

You, clever soul, have already realized that Not Urgent – Not Important things don’t make it to the top of the list very often.

The pain, however, rapidly climbed to Urgent – Important!

At least on my list! Then came explaining it to the people with the schedules…

Which brought up another Filter for me. The deep, old, familiar kind that sounds like… brave girls don’t complain. Followed rapidly by… don’t nag!

Blessedly, there are some other Filters inside. Memories of major allergies to pain meds and antibiotics. My allergies. And the fact that the epi-pen bit really isn’t much fun.

Oh! And the fact that nothing about Christmas with the kids gets better if I’m in lots of pain and can’t eat what the the girls love to cook.

And, then, the one that surprised me…

What I need matters!

Not more than what others need. And not less!!!

What really, really matters, though, is that I can model this for my girls!

So, I told my story, several times, and explained why dealing with all this as soon as possible would be really helpful. (Determined, I think, is the best way to say it.)

By the time you read this, there will be an actual plan. And, I suspect, more calendar issues to juggle. And, logistics. And, frankly, I’m not imagining I’m going to enjoy the next steps too much.

Here’s the thing, though… dental issues aren’t fun. Especially the sneaky kind. But coping with adventures like this just goes better when we can do it from a position of aligned intention and voice!

There’s another Filter that’s feeling handy about now… An edited one!!! My Mom believed, on some deep level, that the way to stay safe was to do everything the way Granny did. Including the massive holiday dinner with the very same menu, every time. It was delicious!

What Granny really wanted, though, was for us to all feel loved and safe.

And the way for me to do that, in this context is to deal with this health issue as soon as possible, even if that does mean two days before Thanksgiving… which it does! I’m quite sure Granny is fine with that. And that helps!

Dental insurance helps a whole lot, too… which feels like a huge reminder in our world just now.

In this moment, I’m curious…

What might things be like for you if you added this story to your Medicine Basket, just in case it came in handy??? What doors might open??? I really want to know! Leave a comment, below, or email me. Be brave!!! suesvoice@gmail.com

Oh! The art, above, is my digital teddy bear, if you will, for this adventure! In my heart, at least, the very brave figure, who may well represent some of my Cathar ancestors, was kind enough to volunteer!

ps… curious about the Filters! thing??? I can help! Here are some possibilities…

pps… just for you! My favorite recipe for Key Lime Pie… with a gluten-free nut crust variation! It’s really good… even if it’s not on the Filter list of the way we’ve always done it!

ppps… the print-on-demand elves are making woobies! Here’s Daphne with hers, under the painting which inspired it. And, here’s more info!

On Saturday morning, for the first time since the time change, I actually slept! This was good news for a number of reasons 😉

Then, I fixed myself a cuppa (organic ginger tea) flipped on the news and started weeding my email.

Then, I cried.

President Biden, clearly moved, laying the wreath at Arlington Cemetery. Commander-in-Chief. And father of a soldier whose life was cut short in the aftermath of his service.

The bugler blowing Taps.

A flashback moment for me. Oddly, summer camp! Jean, our loving “commander-in-chief” blowing Taps each evening for lights out.

All is well… safely rest.

And it was, in that small bit of the world, back then.

Some nights, when I had a Jr. Counselor to help mind the campers, I would walk with Jean, through the dark forest, in the moonlight. We marveled together at the night creatures and made plans for the morning.

In many ways, God was nigh.

Then, I was transported back to this day and time, as the Marine Corp band played The Star Spangled Banner.

The auditory-digital processor inside me wasn’t quite so sure enough of us are still invested in the land of the free.

What I do know is that if we actually want to be the land of the free, instead of a bunch of people singing about the way we’re convinced we’ve always done it, we need to get serious!

Time out for deep breaths while I soothe the voice inside me doing 47 choruses of Nice girls don’t talk about…

Somebody has to!

About that time, The Legendary Husband returned home with a car full of paintings. My paintings. The ones you see above. And I cried.

Frankly, I was surprised to realize how much I’d missed them while they’d been off being scanned. Not just in general, but these. Now.

So… time out to start another load of laundry and make another cuppa.

You see, my next right thing involved watching the newest Black Madonna video in an Intentional Creativity® space where I hang out.

I spent an hour with the amazing Anasuya Isaacs, wandering through history and creation stories via the lens of the ever-emerging MA.

Then, the light bulb!

Anasuya shared a quote with us…

“This is precisely the time when artists go to work. There is no time for despair, no place for self-pity, no need for silence, no room for fear. We speak, we write, we do language. That is how civilizations heal.” – Toni Morrison.

And I cried some more, realizing that I hadn’t just missed my paintings because they’re mine. I missed them because they are me, helping our world to heal, in part by claiming my power to make new. To help heal ME!

Eventually, Sunday morning came along, as it does.

More tea. More laundry. And a good dose of MSNBC!

Sadly, there was more to the story at Arlington on Saturday. We now know that the lives of 5 soldiers were lost in a training mission on Friday.

And, it seems that a GOP House rep, whose name I didn’t catch and can’t find, was musing on the whole budget crisis bit. His comment…

I don’t think the Lord Jesus, himself, could govern us in this moment!

I disagree!!!

The way I read the Book, I suspect that Easa/Yeshua/Jesus would tip over a bunch of tables and throw the money-changers out of the temple we refer to as the House of Representatives… in order to make a point about what we should be trying to accomplish!

Now, you don’t have to agree with that. You can toss it aside as a retired preacher having a Sunday morning flashback, if you like. It’s okay!

Here’s what I am hoping you’ll do…

Help this world heal, now, by being your best, most visionary, creative self! And putting it out there!

ps… shopping to do??? There are great new things at FierceArtWithHeart! Start on this page for one of my very favs and leave yourself time to wander….

pps… feeling stuck getting your “it” out there? I can help! Check out these options and email me if you have questions! suesvoice@gmail.com

ppps… oh! I promised recipes!!! Here’s a great place to start… make a batch and use it to make dressing or gravy or help soothe your frazzled soul. (The pot’s on now at our house! It smells like heaven!!!)

There are actual stock pots whispering in my head! Really, really big ones!

Having more or less survived election day, my Muse seems to have moved on to the upcoming American holiday which involves the Legendary Husband’s favorite food.

Yep! Turkey!

Which, at least around here, involves a whole lot more stuff like wild rice and homemade bone broth and a surprising number of onions.

And that, dear friends, involves shopping! Which involves really specific list-making skills!

Question number one is: Who are we feeding? At least that’s question number one if your family – like ours – has widely varying notions of the food thing.

Here’s the place we all agree… as clean and local and sustainable as possible!

This, in case you’re curious, fits in the strategy section of the Filters! world view.

And it’s tied – at least for me – to the belief that says, Our choices – yours and mine – matter!!!

Which seems both blatantly obvious and considerably optimistic on this, the day after the day when a whole lot of folks, in the same USA where the whole traditional Thanksgiving thing was born/invented, did the thing called voting!

On the other hand…

There’s the thing called vested interest!

Power FOR – vs Power OVER.

Sustainable Local Farms – vs -Big AG

Real History – vs – Book Bans

Human Rights – vs – The Religious Right

And, somehow, in the midst of it all, the elusive notion of GRATITUDE!

It’s hard these days. I hear you!

It’s also something of a learned strategy. And we can all start right where we are!

Like this…

I’m thankful for stock pots and local farmers and Intentional Creativity® and a new book hatching and a partner who loves me, and for finding my calling in the notion of Fiercely Compassionate Grandmother.

I’m thankful for learning that spirituality is much deeper, wider, and stronger than doctrine.

I’m thankful for voting as an expression of hope.

I’m thankful for you… on your path!

And I’m thankful for prayer dots. Today, lots and lots of dots for Chesed. Steadfast Love. Dots for Mark and for Kim and for actual servant leaders and for the enormous gift of the feminine and masculine partnership in our Divine Creator, who entrusted us with the ability to learn and grow.

May it be so.

For now, while I’m still sorting recipes, I’m filling the medicine box known as our pantry with sustainably raised wild rice, fresh bay leaves, organic onions, and organic, really, really dark chocolate! (We’re not huge fans of the pumpkin pie thing…)

Also some staple items to share. (If you’re similarly inclined, remember hand-crank can openers!)

The freezer’s already full of the stuff that goes in the stock pot! And, yes, we bought it all from folks I’m glad to hug!

Why???

Because I have 2 granddaughters trying very hard to grow up in this world… and it needs a whole lot of help!

ps… Curious??? Let’s talk! 45 min. My gift. Your dreams. And some Red Thread, if it’s handy!

pps… a painting can be a woven blanket! Coming soon to FierceArtWithHeart! For this moment, more things to help you warm up! (And look really cool!)