Live and Learn New Mexico!

I'm an anxious person. I've long recognized this, and I've blogged and used social media to share how I deal with it. I've made friends, critics and followers over the years. My hope has always been that we be kind and help each other deal with our lives -- the good, the bad and the ugly. We're all on this planet together. Last week, I felt incredibly anxious. Turns out my blood pressure was super high and I was acting crazy. Thank you, Alexandra at Duke City Primary Care, for your quick action to bring it down.  I also want to thank the kind budtenders at Budder Pros in Moriarty, Chris and Matt, who recommended a chocolate bar that helps with sleep. It calmed me down so much that my bp went down considerably as well.  The meds I was prescribed help but leave me a little depressed and wanting to take naps.  The chocolate bar simply relaxed me...no depression...no sleepiness.  If you have high blood pressure, like me, try cannabis to lower it. Cannabis cures.  Th...

I haven't posted about my anxiety lately but that doesn't mean I haven't had it. I've been busy discovering over the last few years that there is no one single answer or cure for anxiety.  It started with an emergency visit to the hospital and finding out that I did not have a heart attack; I had a panic attack.  That's when my journey began. I started visiting my health care practitioner regularly to get a handle on my health. She prescribed an anti-anxiety medication that I continue to use. I was so relieved that it worked quickly.  But after a bit, I found that the meds alone didn't take away all of my anxiety. I needed something to take the edge off. I started trying different combinations of medical marijuana -- indica and sativa, leaning toward indica. Cannabis calms. Still, the anxiety lingered and that's when I started paying attention to what I do in my daily life and the many ways I could find calm.  I've learned, after many stumble...

1036517156700455div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> Yesterday was hell on wheels. Everything went wrong all at once. I found out I didn't win the gymbird 10,000 step contest. I could handle that...no expectations.  Then I got an email saying I didn't make it past the first interview for a job I think I'd love. Sniffle Then, at the local grocery, my card was declined. Thank goddess for Jason, the guy behind me. He paid my tab. You rock, Jason!! You are a kind person. At some point late in the day,  I thought about my pocket rock. I knew when I reached into my pocket, it wouldn't be there. It wasn't. What I didn't know is when I lost it. I checked my bathrobe pocket...my bedside table, the floor...no luck. I had had that rock for quite a while. Losing it when everything was wrong made sense. It's a sign of transition...time to move on somehow. I needed to pick out a new one.  Just days b...

I've lived in Moriarty now for eight years, and I believe it is a place of healing, full of light workers, also called angels, who have helped me through difficult times.  These days, for example, when I need hugs and a shoulder to cry on, I go to the local grocery store. Many of the employees there have become my friends. They care and give me pretty good advice when they can. That's what happens in small towns.  In this second post in my series about Bethel Storehouse in Moriarty, I am talking about another light worker, the person who has volunteered there the longest. That dedicated angel is Agnes Salazar.  Agnes has been volunteering at Bethel since day one (Bethel just celebrated its 38th birthday).  "I took a year off during Covid," she said, "My grandson passed because of Covid. I didn't want to take any chances. So it's been a total of 37 years." At that point she proudly mentioned that she would be 89 in the next few days.  "I don'...

Today I celebrated with the Moriarty community the 38th birthday of Bethel Storehouse. It was a grand time with bounce houses and games... friendly faces everywhere.    When I first moved here, I discovered the thrift store was a great place to pick up household and yard items to help me settle on my homestead.   During Covid, I was among those who were generously given food boxes from the storehouse. They even gave me dog food for my furry friends.  Living alone on the homestead, I would go to Bethel to see friendly faces and share stories. I also got good quality clothes and shoes. I love thrift stores!  Friendly staff and volunteers Linda Smith has led the nonprofit for 37 of its 38 years. When I praised her success, she said, "It's not me. It's the community. They make Bethel work so well."  They live up to their mission statement : "Our Mission for Bethel Community Storehouse is to be a Christ centered non-profit mission providing food, clothing...