Sesame tofu, teriyaki rice w/spinach & chickpeas, beans
Sometimes people want to know exactly what I eat. This is what my blog would look like if I tracked all my food. (BO-RING.)
What a day. What a day.
I’m retraining myself to wake up with new eyes each morning. To come at each day like a kid on Christmas morning. Only instead of “OH MY GOD PRESENTS” it’s “OH MY GOD LIFE.”
It seems to be working because despite going to bed at 1am, I flew out of bed 4.5 short hours later, all:
BOOM
I had planned to go to ashtanga at the studio but opted to enjoy a slow cup of coffee and a private practice at home. It was 75 degrees and sunny in Charlotte today (be still, my heart) so I threw open the window and welcomed the coming dawn with a brisk sun salute.
Weazcheez
At 5:30am I wanted toast with PB, honey, cinnamon and banana so I made it and packed it for the drive to work. But by 8am when I actually left, it was totally smoothie time. So this happened:
Greeeeen smoothie.
This is how I make green smoothies: Green Smoothies 101
And another coffee in the car.
We had three back-to-back-to-back events at work this week, which means free fruit trays.
Always eat free produce.
I slammed an apple on the way to the gym before heading to job numero dos for the afternoon/evening.
This is an apple.
And THEN…
I was all ready to hop in my car and inhale my lunch at stoplights when I made a game time decision to slow the F down and enjoy my meal in the sunshine. I plopped down on a rock and ate this:
BIG SALAD
This is how I make my salads: Anatomy of a Salad
[I had a photoshoot the day I did this video. I realize my makeup looks waaaaaay over the top.]
Salad = romaine, spinach, cashews, brown rice, carrots, peppers, avocado, oil, balsamic.
AND A CHEESE STICK.
On the way to my car, I spotted a little dead naked rodent in the grass and died a little inside. The poor baby had fallen from this monster of a tree:
Oof.
Quite a tumble for something the size of (but far more fragile than) a shot glass.
Upon closer inspection I noticed his little lungs were actually still hard at work trying to keep his tiny body alive. I died a little more and scooped him up into one of my yoga towels. This is an automatic reflex for me. The hoarding of old and/or sickly and/or dying and/or pregnant animals is in my DNA; it comes straight from my mom who got it from hers.
Presenting: Baby Hank
(He’s a squirrel… I think.)
He was clammy and cold and a little bit purply-blue. I kind of thought he’d just die but at least wanted him to be comfortable. (But he didn’t!) Instead, he kept getting better. His breathing calmed and he turned a pale pink and even squirmed around a bit. (Not paralyzed!)
At this point I had to get to work in Charlotte and decided to take him with me. I know some wildlife purists would argue that I should have left him and let nature take its course. I am not one of those people. Deal with it.
He is currently safe and sound in a shoebox in my bathroom (far from the cats, don’t worry).
Not trash.
I have a mason jar in there wrapped in towels that I’ve been refilling with fresh hot water every few hours to keep him warm and bought kitten formula to feed him with a syringe.
I know what everyone is going to say and the answer is yes, I tried calling Wildlife Rescue all afternoon but they wouldn’t answer the phone. I’ll take him tomorrow. Until then, he’s all mine.
Once Baby Hank was situated in his box, I made an iced coffee with almond milk and headed off to job numero dos.
Cheaper at home.
I cannot tell you how stressed I was that my squirrel would be dead when I got home. He wasn’t. So I ate carrots and hummus to celebrate while making dinner: teriyaki rice with chickpeas and spinach, sesame tofu and green beans.
Hummus. Carrots. Yep.
I’m gonna go sketch out plans for my future zoo… And probably eat chocolate-covered almonds with peanut butter.
I love that you rescued poor little Hank! You have such a lovely soul.
Oh my gosh this makes me so happy! Honestly, its what I would have done too…I cannot leave a sick/ abandoned animal. I worked at a wildlife rehab center for a summer, and if you get him there by tomorrow, they can totally nurse him back to health! Good luck with Hank
I grew up in the woods, and I spent so much of my childhood nursing injured fuzzballs back to health. Good luck with your little baby!
I would like to hear more about this waking-up-with-new-eyes thing. Because lately I feel like every day is the exact same and I have nothing exciting to look forward to. I realize that not every day is exciting… So then what?
hi emily! this is a great video about gratitude that shifted my perspective on the day-to-day grind… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nj2ofrX7jAk
Thank you! That was beautiful. I’m going to give it a try tomorrow!
PS- I’m also applying to career-type jobs for the first time in my life, and am trying to figure out what type of job would be the least oppressive and the most fulfilling… So I’m looking forward to hearing about your experience doing something along those lines.
1. you’re adorable. I love your videos!
2. I’m pretty sure my heart just melted after seeing Hank. And I’m pretty sure you’re my new favourite person. No, I don’t think you should have left him behind, and I certainly wouldn’t have. Also, I lovelovelove the Post-It on his ‘home’ haha
This happened to me at Publix over the summer.
I stepped out of my car and saw the baby squirrel that I assumed was dead, but he was just barely alive. I immediately just started BAWLING because I have no control around animals in need and kept trying to solicit someone to help me figure out what to do. A woman said that her mom rescues animals and that she would try to figure out what to do. I went into the store and when I went back to my car, the baby squirrel was gone. I’d like to think that the woman scooped it up and saved it, but it breaks my heart to think that I didn’t do more for the little thing.
I love the idea of trying to wake up like a kid on Christmas…when I visited Barcelona for a few weeks, that was seriously how I felt every morning. I have been trying to foster that total optimism/joy in my Stateside life…I hope you find it!! Also, you are an awesome person for rescuing Hank–I hope he thrives!
Awww…I would have done the same thing if I’d found Hank! I’m keeping my fingers crossed for the little fellow.
Awww I have ‘adopted’ so many birds that crashed into windows/got partially mauled by my
I hope Hank fares better! He’s kinda cute… In a hideous way. 
mom’s cats and I know that feeling of panic that they might have died soooo well. The last one I had was a parakeet and I dreamt about him dying all night. Turns out that, yeah, he didn’t make it.
Awww…I love this! You really do have the sweetest heart! I truly hope that little Hank recovers. Worst case scenario, you gave him comfort and love…and, yes – I do believe that a tiny little squirrel can feel and appreciate that!
Also, I grew up with an AWESOME dog named Hank! And, if time and money would permit, I would totally have a zoo of my own (sigh)…
How is the little guy this morning? He sure is tiny. I hope you can find an animal rescue for him. Good job, I would have done the same thing. The Mason Jar idea is brilliant.
can you tell us how you made the rice? thanks!
hi jen!
SO… my rice creations are kind of just a hodge-podge of anything i have on hand. a non-recipe, if you will. i make a big batch of brown rice at the beginning of the week and then throw it into things as needed.
with something like this i would spray a pan with olive oil and saute any veggies i have on hand (here it’s chickpeas and frozen spinach). once those are tender, i’ll add some veggie broth and a sauce of some kind. sometimes it’s just soy sauce or salsa. here i used trader joe’s teriyaki sauce with sesame seeds. once my veggies and sauce are incorporated, i’ll throw in some of my prepared rice until it’s heated through.
that’s it! the combinations are endless…
k
one of my favorite people in the world raised squirrels… BOB ROSS
Please tell me that sweet little angel Hank is still alive. PLEASE.
He died last night
Oh no
I wish I would’ve just left my comment and not read this but I like to think he was comfortable until then. His energy is still going as does ours when we transition………..
Awww…so sorry!!! I do hope, however, that you still know that you did the right thing and that it DID make a difference to Hank!
“How you do ANY THING is how you do EVERY THING”.
Love that you rescued him. This post touched my heart.
AH! I love Baby Hank..I hope he pulls through. I would’ve done the exact same thing – except I don’t think I would’ve been as crafty as you with the hot water bottle and the kitten formula. Good thinking!
i love your big, big, beautiful heart. i hope baby hank continues to fight the good fight.
I absolutely would have taken Hank in too. I saw your comment that he didn’t make it – so sad.
But you did the right thing, and I’m sure he felt that on some level.
When I was little, my dream was to open up my own animal shelter. I’d still love to make that happen down the road, but for now, I feel pretty good about adopting Olive and giving her a good home. God help me when I’m no longer renting and don’t have any pet restrictions…
I EFFING LOVE YOU! I rescued 3 baby opposums (whatever) that were as small as Hank and took them to the wildlife rescue. I felt so good knowing I helped them. YAY! Hank!!!
I LOVE the idea of seizing the day. I’m doing my best to do the same every day after going through a pretty rough few months at work situation. It’s amazing the difference it makes!
Just wanted to say I think you’re awesome.
Also: I read your comment that Hank didn’t make it… I am so sorry.
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