My Weekend

   

    I had such a wonderful weekend with these two badass women. This weekend I was able to attend a Texas Blood Tracking seminar in Hamilton Texas. Hunters use dogs that have been certified to be Blood Trackers when an animal is wounded during a hunt, and needs to be found. The gorgeous pregnant woman in the picture is Bliss Lay and owns a Blue Lacy named Kiyah (Ki-Uh). A Lacey is a working dog that can track, bay, and herd cattle. They have boundless energy, are quite protective, and are hard workers.  Most of the dogs at the seminar were Blue Lacys, with one vizsla, one Rhodesian ridgeback, and a few terriers. All the dogs were beautiful and did a wonderful job at the seminar! I was so impressed with the dogs and the seminar that I would like to own a vizsla and train her for search and rescue.

   My knee performed above and beyond the call of duty this weekend. No swelling, little pain, and great stability despite walking around for 10 hours with the dogs and working on rough terrain. Good job Hertha! I hope everyone had a fabulous weekend :)!

   

  
   

Primal Cauliflower Casserole (not strict paleo)

 

    I found the blog @PaleOMG and fell in love with how easy and delicious Juli Bauer's recipes are. The recipe mentioned below is fantastic and super easy. Cleaning up my diet has not been easy but I feel better without processed crap in my system. Food blogs like +Michelle Tam, +Civilized Caveman Cooking Creations, and of course @PaleOMG have helped me on this paleo journey of mine. If only I can convince +Steven Larizza that most vegetables are not poisonous and that eating ice cream cannot be substituted for an entire meal, unless your knee is as swollen as a cantaloup.

 

Serves: 8-10

Ingredients

• 2 heads of cauliflower
• 4-5 pieces of bacon
• 6 green onions
• 1- 1½ sticks of pastured butter
• ¼ cup heavy cream
• 6 oz of chèvre (goat cheese)
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Cut up cauliflower. Put in large stock pot and cover with water.
2. Bring to a boil on high heat. Continue boiling until cauliflower is very soft when stuck with a fork. Drain in colander.
3. While cauliflower is cooking, bake bacon in oven on 400 for 15 minutes or until crisp. Drain on paper towel and then crumble.
4. Chop up green onions. Melt butter in stock pot on low heat. Add green onions and sauté until soft. Turn off heat.
5. Return cauliflower to the pot and add heavy cream. Mash with a potato masher.
6. Add chèvre, crumbled bacon, sea salt and pepper to taste. Blend well.
7. Put in baking dish prepared with coconut oil and bake at 350 for 30 minutes.
8. Serve hot.

Physical Therapy

    
     Today was PT day and my knee was still swollen and painful but I put on my +Nike shorts, drank my smoothie and headed out the door. Heel slides and calf stretches helped me get into the zone and eased the soreness. The rest of the workout went well and my knee held up nicely. My favorite part of PT is getting my leg stretched and icing.  Bobbie who is one of three physical therapists at @Mannix PT is a holy terror with a West Texas drawl that is damn good at his job. This hulk like guy has completely inspired me with how he came to be a physical therapist. Bobbie had wanted to go to medical school but first came love, kids, marriage, and two cars. He put his dreams on hold in order to put food on the table by becoming a police officer. After his divorce and both kids growing up he decided to go back to school and become a physical therapist. I was blown away that he decided to stick it out and get through school. At the office he appears to have always been a physical therapist because he is so comfortable within the confines of his job. He is so great at his job that I never would have guessed that he had worked anywhere else.

     I am so thankful for the staff at @Mannix PT who help me to progress in my recovery and allow me to have a bad day once in a while.

A little help from my friends

     A great medicine is to have wonderful friends visit you. +Shawntee DesaRay Goff has become like a sister and I see her friendship as a blessing upon my life. First week post-op after an ACL transplant will usually suck and involve lots of resting and pain meds. Thankfully my darling +Shawntee DesaRay Goff decided to come see me while she was out traveling the vastness known as Texas.

     Her visit entailed us watching a great TV series called Dollhouse on Netflix, y'all need to check it out pronto. This woman is my cup of tea simply because she laughs at my terrible jokes, cuddles with me while I am sick/pain, and will watch TV for 4 straight hours without complaint. I am way too envious of her awesome Texas hair and her ability to make anyone feel comfortable while in her presence. +Shawntee DesaRay Goff made being stuck in my CPM unit suck a little less because all she wanted was to hang out with me. To have a person be content just to be in your medicated presence is a wonderful gift. She puts up with my many moods, intense soap box sermons, and accepts all that is me. Thanks for being amazing sis :).

Reunion time :)

Umm yeah we are adults in graduate school.