The Weekly Friday Feast

[Former-Member]

Hi @Crazy_Bug_Lady & everyone who will be joining us this afternoon/evening...

Today I bring you vegan strawberry cheesecake to enjoy!!! My partner & myself made some this week & just before I had my last piece, which was the best piece! It aged well & the flavours improved! Yum!! And people often think vegans MISS OUT!! We don't!  

@Crazy_Bug_Lady I'm glad you called in sick & we able to recharge your batteries. It is also good probably for you finacially that you got called into work - even if you a knackered!! I'm glad you are feeling less fragile  

I am exhausted too - I finally fell asleep after 2am (went to bed at 10:30pm - partner was having trouble sleeping, so I was talking on & off till 12) - woke up at 5 - thankfully I fell back to sleep untill 7, so 5 hours sleep (not enough for me - I function well on 8, but lately that is only happening about once a week) - then I went to yoga & it was one of the best sessions of yoga I have ever enjoyed - I just felt present in the moment most of the time & my breathing in through the nose & out through the nose has improved considerably - my lovely yoga instructor gave me encouragement on my controlled breathing & balance in one of the poses - there were some challenging poses, but when I generally have been doing challenging poses I've thought things like "why am I doing this" - none of that today! Today after class I thought I would encourage the yoga instructor by telling her I really enjoyed the session & then she gave me MORE encouragement. She said I kept improving in one of the challenging poses (which we worked on quite a bit) & told me I was getting STRONGER! I felt endorphins & an even greater sense of sccomplishment than usual  & yes that was my 2nd session of yoga this week, so YAY for routine!! 

Then I had an appointment with Partners in Recovery & they had already found me a psychologist who does the therapy I have been searching for for months. CBT for psychosis. I am excited. After my exhausting appointment with Partners in Recovery (exhausting, because I had to explain painful & stressful issues past & present - at the end my legs were shaking non stop under the table!) I rang up the psychologist and made an appointment for before xmas. 

Kind thoughts,

A

[NikNik]

Wowsers @Former-Member

How do you find time to do all of that!

I have a bounty slice to share... I can't claim I made it though 🙂

Seems like we're doing dinner backwards tonight... and that's completely fine by me

[Former-Member]

Haha @NikNik - my partner did most of the work with the cheescake  

And as for your yoga & appointments sometimes I think of my self as a full time mental patient (usually when I'm being hard on myself though & very depressed about being 33 & not enjoying a carer helping people - dream is sports psychologist & have done 1.5 years of a psychology degree....)

I think dinner might be roast potatos & sweet potatos tonight guessing by what we have available. My partner does 99% of the cooking while I'm flat out keeping myself alive. I think my mood has finally shifted & improved slightly after a very tough year - especially the last 6 months - due to a very slow to have a therapuetic effect medication perhaps starting to "work" &/or yoga... However anxiety has become heightened & sleep is a big issue... 

[Crazy_Bug_Lady]

Wow cheesecake @Former-Member!! I'm vegetarian. I love how everyone thinks we're missing out. Mind me asking what you used to set the cake?? Did you use gelatin?

Yeah, I hadn't slept and I was still feeling really fragile this morning. I haven't felt like that since I was a kid. I honestly didn't understand people when they said they feel "fragile" until yesterday. Not a fan of the feeling...

I really didn't want to go into work, but I actually got everything done, so that helped.

I'm making macaroni and cheese for dinner, it's just from a packet, but I stir through some spinach and cherry tomatoes. Yum.

[NikNik]

I think we're having salmon tonight. We don't typically eat so healthily on a Friday night (end of week = tired).

I hhaaattee that fragile feeling @Crazy_Bug_Lady - I feel like I'm on the cusp of crying - but it is a good flag for me that something isn't right.

Really glad to hear you got everything done at work!

[Former-Member]

The cheesecake was set in the freezer. No gelatine - that is made from prolonged boiling of skin, cartilage, and bones from animals. The recipe said to use coconut oil, which I think would of helped to set it. However we used applesauce, which is a good alternative to eggs, butter & oil in baking & desserts 

I have felt fragile countless times... Yes, it is unpleasant. 

My partner has the flu & has gone to bed. I am hungry & don't know what to eat! I'm sure he will be up at 8pm or so & cook some rice. I can never remember how to use the rice cooker myself! We don't have much $$ left for the fortnight - we both overspent...   Oh well, we have plenty of rice & some fruit & vegetables. I hope my mum can give me a loan.... I'm usually really good with MY pension, but I went to the hairdresser & it cost a lot more than they quoted over the phone - I didn't change what I wanted done (oh I did change one thing or it would of been OMG expensive!), because it is a low maintance option compared to the cheaper (up front) options that I had considered.... I hadn't got my hair coloured all year & my partner encouraged me to get it done. The cheesecake cost a lot to make with all the nuts, vanilla extract, agave syrup etc. Oh well... I have to pay my private health insurance next fortnight too! It is of course - expensive. Good thing we don't have kids to buy presents for for xmas! Oh dear, starting to feel low again.... 

Anyone want some rice? 

[Mazarita]

Hi everyone 

@Crazy_Bug_Lady Sorry you have been feeling fragile. But what a contrast from climbing hills to work. It's great that you have found a way to work with animals as you love to do. I'm always impressed by how active you are. 

@Former-Member Wow, love the look of that cheesecake. It's so wonderful to read you talking about yoga and feeling better. Awesome that Partners in Recovery have found you the psychologist. Sorry to hear about how vulnerable you were feeling at the meeting. Great that you still went ahead and made the appointment for before xmas.

Not sure what's for dinner here. We may get take away pizza, maybe vegetarian. But for virtual feast land, I have a vegan cauliflower pizza...

[Former-Member]

Hi all,
Been a tough week, not feeling well and bit crumbly around the edges.
Hoping for a calm weekend, what are you guys up to over the weekend?

[NikNik]

oooOOOOooo great tips @Former-Member - Applesauce.. never heard of using that as an egg, oil and butter  substitute before *takes note*

@Former-Member sounds like you're a bit fragile too!

@Mazarita - that pizza looks A-MAZ-ING (see what I did there.. you're username starts with MAZ) Ahh..probably not funny if I have to explain the joke 🙂

This weekend I hope to take it easy. Next weekend is going to be so hectic, so I need  to take advantage of having no social commitments this weekend!

[Crazy_Bug_Lady]

Yeah, I knew about gelatine, which why I wasn't sure what you'd use.

Yeah, I had a fine to pay, and some bills. So I have no money until next Friday. Then I have a PDoc appointment, more bills, and Christmas shopping (5 siblings and my parents is gonna be expensive)  So I'll be eating pasta and veg for a while... At least I can use all the pasta I have accumulated in the pantry.