Pondering the world

An end to hot flashes?!

I entered menopause at age 42.  I've had hot flashes and interrupted sleep for the past 10 years.  Yep, it has lasted forever.....  I haven't killed anybody yet, but it's been a close call sometimes.

For a while I had been taking a supplement from Walgreens recommended by a friend.  I still had hot flashes, maybe not so bad as before.  Was it working?  I don't know, but I sure didn't want to stop taking it and find out it was working.

I ran out of those, so I decided to go to a health store and maybe talk to someone who actually knew something.  Here in Albuquerque, BK's Health Pantry is just across Central Avenue (119 San Pasquale Street SW).  As soon as I told Jan what my problem was, she chuckled and said that was easy to solve.

Royal Maca is made by Whole World Botanicals.  Maca is a root that grows in Peru.  It helps the immune system and--magically!--also works on hot flashes and those nasty little menopause special effects.

I bought a small bottle of the capsules on Jan's advice to see how it worked.  You can take as few as two a day or up to 12, depending on how it works for you.  The first afternoon I took two.  Hot flashes were practically non-existent that night.  The next day I took two in the morning, two in the afternoon.  So far the hot flashes are gone and I feel like a different person.

So if you're having hot flashes and night sweats--or live with or know a woman who does--go get yourself some Royal Maca.  NOW.  RUN.  Before you lose it and take out one of your friends or family. 

I haven't killed the orchid yet

This is the fourth spring I've had this orchid, and it blooms at least every spring, sometimes even one more time later in the year.  Right now it has these three lovely flowers on it, and it has buds for two more.

I have no "secrets" for growing orchids.  In fact, I generally have a black thumb and kill houseplants if I'm not careful.  Somehow I managed to find just the right spot for this one, only water it once a week, and have re-potted it once.  It hasn't died on me yet.

blast from the past--Sonyia's back!

After an interesting day and a tough evening (see my NaBloPoMo post here), I came home to enjoy the peace and quiet of my own home, accompanied by a glass of Kahlua and cream on ice.  I was pretty much dozing while trying to read a blog, when someone called...

Sonyia!  Sonyia's back!  Hooray!

Sonyia was our housekeeper at the B & B for almost a year.  How to describe her?  Open, friendly, speaks her mind completely, says whatever comes to her mind.  She could make me laugh as no one else ever could. 

However, she's had a difficult life with some real hard family issues (not my story to tell here), and she just dropped out of sight in May of 2006.  I figured it probably had something to do with her mother (that's "Mother" with a capital M), who is one of the ongoing issues in her life. 

The loss of Sonyia was hard.  Not only did I lose my housekeeper (had to hire another housekeeper,  dang it), but I lost a good friend as well.

So when she called tonight, I was thrilled to hear from her.  And pretty soon she had me laughing as hard as ever.

Sonyia's back--life is good! 

P.S.  I'd better be careful with that--the last time I said that out loud, a squirrel cost me $2,000.