To Turkey or not to Turkey-That is the Question

OK, I'm having a really hard time with what to do this holiday season.  Now, we have not eaten beef or pork in our house, on a regular basis, for a long time with the exception of my stuffing, stuffed mushrooms and breakfast casserole that we make at Christmas once a year, but we still have turkey and chicken at least three times a week.   I am looking into using a soy bacon for the breakfast casserole and a soy sausage for the stuffing and mushrooms although I am finding that not all soy products translate that well. What is really bothering me is I have recently received several e-mails and taken in a few sights on the treatment of turkeys and how they are processed.  Lets just say I was horrified!  

This year it is just us for Thanksgiving and we had decided not to do the full traditional dinner since we have a full house at Christmas and will be having a big meal then which would include a turkey. I'm having a really hard time with this.  I just cannot rationalize my cooking a food product that was so horribly abused and tortured!  I agree with a good friend of mine who had a very similar meat discussion on her blog, that I know animals will not be treated like the family pet, but I agree that they should be treated with respect and dignity.   They should be treated and processed humanely.  This is my dilemma and it has made me re-think the chicken and ground turkey we use regularly.  

Even though I would love to try it I don't think my family and in-laws, mom excluded since she is a vegetarian, will be into a Tofurky.  So, I'm in the process of finding a turkey of the organic, natural, free range kind that is processed in a humanely manner.  Not an easy task.  Our local Whole Foods Market has complete turkey dinners that you can purchase.   They work with the Plainville Turkey Company.  I have gone to their website and they are very much into treating their turkey's naturally and humanely even in their transport to the processing plant.  But my question is what then happens at the processing plant?  If I ask the company about their processing will I get a straight answer?  We have an amazing local deli that is also doing turkey's.  They are advertising that their turkey's are all natural/organic and come from Amish country in Michigan.  I'm going to check that out as well. 

 So, I am on the investigative hunt to find something that will work for my Turkey loving family and my ethical quandary.  If anyone has an insight as to some suggestions I would be all ears since I don't think this is going to be easy.

I will keep you posted on what I find out!

Almost Done!

I am so excited because I am almost done with the 10 month program I have been doing to get my 5 year renewable professional teaching credential.  For those of you who don't know, when I was teaching before Doodlebug came along, I was teaching on a temporary credential.  I was working on getting my 5 year professional through the county offices when I found out I was pregnant. Once I went out on maternity leave I discovered that the program that I was in through the county was only open to full time employees.  So, I am now back to getting that done.  My last class was on November 1.  Yeah!  Now I'm finishing up my hard copy and electronic copy portfolio's and I have an exit interview.  Then everything ships off to Tallahassee and once I get processed I will have my credential.  My only hope is that the exit interview process doesn't drag on.  I was hoping to be all said and done by December 1.  I will just have to wait and see, but I'm just so excited.  It was a long 10 months, but I have a 4.0 GPA and I'm now ready to move on and work on the course work I need to add the Reading Endorsement to my credential.  More work to do but the first step is almost done! Yeah!

Pain versus Exhaustion

I have been asked on several occasions  "which is worse the pain or the exhaustion of Fibromyalgia?"  Since I didn't have an answer at the time of being asked I decided to write it out since sometimes that is the best way for me to work out a question.  Maybe that goes back to my word problem days in math! (LOL) 

At this point I haven't been able to decide since they are both equally not fun.  I think the best answer that I have right now is it depends on the day.  Which may sound odd but really this is a day to day process.   There are days that the pain is much worse and there are days that the exhaustion is much worse.  There are days when it can be one or the other.  For example there will be a day where I have energy but the pain is great or vice versa.  Then there are days when it is both.  That is the most frustrating part of this whole thing.  Never knowing from day to day what kind of day I will have and what I will be able to accomplish.  

Obviously the next question would be "what are you doing to combat this roller coast ride?"  My answer to that......I'm learning on it.  Instead of saying I'm working on it I'm saying I'm learning on it because it really is a learning process.  Everything that I did in the past for my body in terms of pain relief, eating, exercising, relaxation, etc. is out the window.  I have to find a whole new way in which to function and frankly I'm excited about that.  I'm looking at this as a positive change for my health and well being. Why wallow in self pity since that won't get you anywhere!  I'm  reading as much as I can and seeing what has worked for others to give a try. Since not everything works for everyone I'm keeping a journal to figure out what works and what doesn't and creating a bag of tricks for myself.  Laughter is healing so guess what, I'm laughing as much as I can because really if you could see me getting to the toilet in the morning it really is a funny sight! :-)

So, I think that is my answer right now and I will keep you posted on how I fill my bag of tricks. I just keep remembering that you aren't given more than you can handle even when you think you can't handle anymore! :-)