Wild game night! I haven't been a vegetarian for a very long time. It's a good thing because tonight was the first time I've ever eaten many of the disgusting things listed. On the wild game menu: 1. Kangaroo- had it in Australia and once you've seen it as roadkill it loses its appeal. It wasn't a first so I didn't need to eat that again. 2. Buffalo loin- a real first and it was chewy. I think it could have been prepared better and I'll have to try it again. 3. Quail eggs - t

Kiss my Lips There are places on this planet that will suck all of the life out of you and medical care facilities take the grand prize for suckage! I've spent almost 80 days in some kind of medical building and it's taking a toll on my flesh. I haven't bent myself in any kind of yoga pose so my muscles are tight. I wash my hands a hundred times a day so my hands are like sandpaper. Hydrating my body has become this ridiculous seesaw of water, lotion and chapstick. On the 171

Rubber gloves In the last 79 days I have probably watched a thousand disposable gloves go into a trash can. They've had blood and urine, medications and feces, lotion and bath soap all over them. That's why people in the medical industry wear them. They want to be protected. On the 170th day of this personal challenge I'm finally broken. Without giving too much detail we visited the hospital again. It wasn't planned and it involved hours of waiting and... patience. I'm so ove

Trapped Spring was here just long enough to wake up the sleeping boxelder bugs. They are everywhere and they're freaking me out. On day 169 I attempted to rid my house of these pests by building traps. This is a complete experimental experience coming from desperate moments of feeling those tiny creepy crawly legs on my arm while sleeping. You know what I think about after they wake me? I think about them crawling in my ear or nose and it's too much. THIS IS REAL!! I know tha

Getting wet Sometimes machines just wear out. We can't expect anything mechanical to last forever, ourselves included. We do have to take care and perform maintenance if we expect to get the best from anything. On the 168th day of personal firsts I got wet repairing a water softener and it wasn’t my own. Most of the Kennedy kids are mechanical by nature, I include myself in this statement. These skills definitely come from my father and he has never failed to be a teacher whe

Keeping it sweet If you've ever been to Amish country you'll know that the home made goods are pretty amazing and maybe some of the recipes have been passed down for generations. When we visited our favorite ranch in the state of Wisconsin we've sampled so many amazing Amish made goodies. A few years ago we bought a gallon of maple syrup and I was hesitant to spend the $40 bucks. Having the experiences of the last few days collecting, boiling and preserving this delicious tre

Sugar Shack That's what my house has become. For the last few days I have been collecting maple tree sap. It wasn't difficult. The trees did most of the work. I was a tiny bit stressed when all of my containers were full. I had no idea it would flow so fast and abundantly. I filled so many buckets that all three of my refrigerators were full. It takes about 40 gallons of sap to make one gallon of syrup. My trees have given me about 30 gallons. Day 166 was all about processing

Paychecks I'm an artist. Making messes and creating is something I thrive on. In the last few months I have done so many things and built a serious pile of experiences but none compare to this. Something I also love to do is create with words. I've been a published author for a few years and I've written for online venues. I've submitted hundreds of Op Ed pieces and although a few have been published I've never submitted an invoice to receive an actual paycheck. UNTIL TODAY!

Sprouts It’s another early morning here in Wisconsin. I did a bit of reading about cancer and ways to fight with food. On the 164th day I sprouted broccoli to fight cancer. When I started this personal challenge I never anticipated the family crisis that would come. I never wanted mom's cancer fight to be a part of my reality, but it is. I can't just sit by and do nothing so my part is to do as much as possible to set her up to fight with all she has. Are broccoli sprouts THE

Puppy It's not my first puppy but it was my very first tiny husky puppy. When we attended the pet expo on day 137 I wanted to see one of these little guys. I hoped to see a mini version of my dog Jake who was amazing and I miss him. On day 163 I got my puppy therapy. My sights were set on this cuddly fluff ball as soon as I saw him. I really think I would have walked out of the store with him if his price tag wasn't so ridiculous. No sales pitch in the world is ever going to