~ James Thurber

The other day, a friend of mine was suffering from an intense migraine headache.  I told her to lie down so that I could do some acupressure on her head and neck.  As I massaged her forehead, I asked her when she had first noticed the pain.  She replied, "It started yesterday.  I couldn't sleep last night; I've been thinking too much."  

I knew immediately what she was referring to.  When our thoughts run laps around an endless track of past regrets and future hopes and fears,  the present moment sitting quietly in the center becomes but a blur.  The colloquial term, "out of it" perfectly describes how we feel when we are disconnected from the here and now. Our bodies are here but our minds are off running a marathon that can leave us both mentally and physically exhausted.

This week, why not take a vacation from thinking?  This is not as easy as it sounds. We are creatures of habit.  Your mind will want to slip back into familiar patterns of thought like a needle playing the grooves of an old vinyl record.  When you notice your thoughts drifting out of the present moment, stop your mind in its tracks and say to yourself, "I'm on vacation."  If you wish, you can go back to that mental marathon next week.  Until then stop thinking and try doing, creating or just being.  This vacation might turn out to be the best one you've ever had.

You can do something to benefit our canine friends by purchasing a bottle of Margo's Bark Root Beer.  All proceeds go to help shelter dogs (see link at right). Then celebrate the last dog days of summer by cooking up a tasty batch of Root Beer BBQ Sauce.

1 tablespoon butter

1/2 cup finely chopped shallots

One  12 oz bottle of Margo's Bark Root Beer (or other cane sugar root beer)

1 & 1/4 cups ketchup

1/2 cup organic orange juice

2 tablespoons tamari soy sauce

2 tablespoons organic grade B maple syrup

1 tablespoon Sherry vinegar or Balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon cumin

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon cayenne

In a medium saucepan, over medium-low heat, melt the butter, add the shallots and sauté 5 minutes, or until translucent.  

Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally for 25 to 35 minutes, or until sauce is thickened.  Cool and store in refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Makes about 2 and 1/2 cups of sauce.