This Week & The Quiz & Auction!

It's been another week of learning, really swatting up on nutrition.  Refreshing, renewing and updating my old Biology knowledge..... University was many, many moons ago!
Amanda's pains are subsiding, though her blood pressure has been low.  She is managing to
 do alot more stuff in and around the house.  She does still become fatigued quickly, but battles on, until her body says, 'rest' and apparently it also says 'let Mark rub your feet'.  The juicing continues and the salads and baked potatoes make an appearance twice daily.  A starter of vegetable soup is served ahead of each meal.  One thing's for sure, she is eating well, and eating alot!  Yes it's vegan.... but so are some of the largest creatures on earth!  I've now realised that you really don't need meat to survive.... though I do miss it a tad. I think it's simply due to the fact I was so used to it forming the major part of any meal I cooked.  But the reading and research we have recently been carrying out has changed my mind as far as meat goes, as far as lots of things go.  More about that another time.
This week I decided that I'd grab a two hour fishing session from first light until first juice.  I've been up ahead of the rising sun 4 times this week, more so reading the Patrick Holford nutritional books than actually fishing.  It's been wonderful, so peaceful.  At 7.30am, I'd pack up, and be home juicing and preparing the oats (breakfast!) by 8am.  Perfect.  The whole Gerson thing is proving very time consuming, even at the 5 juices a day stage.  All the water Amanda takes into her system, or even used to wash herself, must be purified (just bought a reverse osmosis filtration system for £125, it fits under the sink, and filters out all the 'goodies' that Thames Water throw in, along with other natural heavy metals).  This is all part of the 'back to nature' process.  Everything as pure as possible.  Fruit and veg are also washed in filtered water.  Then there are the coffee enemas.  Amanda has been carrying out two a day.  The coffee is meant to be retained inside , for about 12 mins, Amanda has been struggling a little, but usually manages between 5 and 8 minutes.  These coffee enamas take a bit of preparing.  Firslty you must bring the organic light roast coffee to the boil (in filtered water of course), then allow it to simmer for 15 minutes, then wait for it to cool, then split it into a few jars for the day.  Lots of constant faffing around, with washing, preparing, rinsing..... rinsing.... rinsing.... preparing!  Ha ha!  We just need to get into a routine with it all.
I walked into the kitchen yesterday, and asked, if she'd passed wind, she looked at me sternly, stating she hadn't and why on earth did I think she had.  'Oh, I thought I could smell coffee.' I replied with a smile.  She laughed, whilst fighting off the impulse to throw something heavy at me.

The Penny Brohn Centre got in touch, offering us a 3 day residential from next Tuesday morning.  We grabbed it.  Then a day or two later after they received our updated forms, they informed Amanda she could not take her juicer with her.... this could well be a spanner in the works.  I hoped they'd show a little more support than that, but who am I to judge their process.  We'll see what happens.

Last night was the Quiz & Charity Auction at Cropredy FC.  What a turnout!  Tremendous effort, absolutely superb!  Thanks so much to everyone.  Especially Tony and Hannah for running the quiz, Dave and Pete on the bar, and Kesha for helping me sort the clubhouse seating logistics, earlier in the day.
It really was a great night.  Smashing quiz, and superb auction lots.  People were very, very generous, it was very touching to see.  Thanks so much for everyone who managed to get lots for us, or indeed who offered up their own personal service, thus giving up their own time to raise money for the cause.  Special mentions to Charlie Poste (jockey britches, signed by all  the greats),  Stu & Holly (National Trust Hamper) and Caroline & Tom (F1 goodies and loads, and loads of other stuff, thanks Caroline!), and the folks that bidded these lots up, and of course the lucky winners!  Thanks so, so much.

We were home by 12.30am, then I was up at 5.15am to go fishing, whilst Amanda & Jane were getting up very early to hit London.  Today they are attending Brandon Bay's 'The Journey'.  A meditation type event.  They will return on Monday night, relaxed no doubt, and at one with themselves, having learnt techniques in controlling personal fear and anxiety, along with other emotions past and present, that some of us struggle with on a day to day basis.  Good luck ladies x

I'm absolutely shattered after the auction and rising stupidly early at 5.15am.  I'm just about to get ready for football.  The house is really quiet.  No juicer...  that's gone on it's holidays to London... Amanda is showing it the sights.  No Amanda.... the juicer has taken her on holiday to London....  It's a blossoming relationship.  I miss them both dearly already..... although I do prefer Amanda, I don't have to wash her when ever I stick a vegetable in her!  Ha ha!  On that bombshell!!!  I'm going to play footy.
PS.  Apologies to all parents, and people of a sensitive nature for that comment!  Bye x
PPS.  I don't stick vegetables in Amanda.  Only when I'm feeding her... but that's what you thought anyway.