Friday, April 27, 2007

Life
Isn't it amazing how sometimes you're just happily going along, doing your thing, living your life and then WHAM! you get faced with a whole lot of stuff all at once? Two days after my last post, when my grandad died, my beloved darling cat Asante Sana (Sana for short) had to be euthanaesed. I was utterly devestated. I don't believe there is a word for the excrutiating pain I felt, although I'm sure many many of my readers who love animals very dearly, know what I'm talking about. Making that decision to have that needle stuck in the leg of your best friend/baby is beyond horrible. It was very sudden and unexpected, which compounded the problem - last time I had to make that decision, my beautiful girl had been suffering with a brain tumour for several years and I knew it would be coming but this was totally out of the blue. Finally, to make it even worse, there was a drug which would possibly have helped her but because we had to fly across the country for my Grandad's funeral so I couldn't be with her to try it out.
But enough about being sad - not one to be without a cat for long, while in South Australia I returned to a lovely but very very VERY under-funded no-kill shelter that I used to volunteer at before we moved for my university study. I went wanting to get an old, sick, pathetic cat that no one else would want... what I wound up with was Ruhsa (which means Liberty in Swahili). She is an 11 month old ball of fluff that was shy-er than any cat I've ever met at the shelter - she would not come out from behind a large steel drum where she was hiding in a fluffy basket and so I decided that she was not likely to get to go home with anyone else since they wouldn't even know she was there. When she got home (after a three hour plane trip!) she turned out to be friendly, playful and loving. It took a couple of days but she even gets on amazingly well with Casper the dog and even seems to be okay with Bliss the rat. Enough talk - here's some pictures:


Ruhsa making herself at home on my bed


Play fighting with a stuffed dolphin.
We think she might have Ragdoll in her breeding - what do you think? Anyone know much about ragdolls?

Okay now, enough about life - this is a food blog and food you shall see. On the day in between the day that my grandad died and the day that my cat died, I had organised a raw picnic. It was a huge success with lots of great people and delicious food.


Here's the spread.


Dani's delicious contribution, a fruit pie - I think I ate about 1/3 or even 1/2 of this myself! :-)


Here was my contribution, angel hair pasta (aka zucchini from the spiraliser) with spaghetti bolognaise. It was devoured although I think the chocolates (pictured in my last post) were perhaps a touch more enjoyed :-)


May bought a Mumbai Curry - everyone said it was really delicious but it was waaaaaay too spicy for my little tongue! One mouthful and I was just about running away.


Here is everyone: Dani, Me, May (back, left to right) and Rachan, Tracey, Kathy (front, left to right). May's husband, not 100% raw by any means unlike his lovely wife (who was attending her first picnic), was behind the camera. Tracey (a friend of May's, also at her first picnic and feeling excellent having lost 6kilos!!! in only 3 weeks of raw) bought a scrummy fruit salad while Kathy's contribution was a durian and Rachan bought a salad that everyone but me devoured - major dressing ingredients were coriander (cilantro) and ginger, both of which I hate and make me feel ill.


And quickly before I go, I have dinner from two nights ago - it is called 'The Gratest Salad in the World' and is from Shazzie's Detox Your World. I didn't grate as much as it calls for - I didn't have any zucchini so that was gone altogether and I decided to do my pumpkin on the spiraliser to make it pretty! Yum.

20 Comments:

At 11:35 am, Anonymous Anonymous said...

So, so sorry to hear of your recent losses. Life does work in mysterious ways.

Pleased you have a new kitty in your life who I am sure is loving the love and attention she so deserves.

You have such a beautiful spirit.
love, love
Em
xxx

 
At 12:09 pm, Blogger aTxVegn said...

I'm glad you got a new kitty. My sister has 2 ragdolls. They are perfect for her 2 young boys that love to carry them around and put them in their homemade forts!

Your picnic sounds like a lot of fun. I would have eaten a bunch of the salad with cilantro! I love the looks of your pumpkin salad dinner.

 
At 12:36 pm, Blogger Valerie Winters said...

Love the picnic photos!
VW

 
At 11:31 pm, Anonymous Anonymous said...

so sorry to hear about the loss of your cat...
i wish you were in Canada! (or i was in Australia...) i would LOVE to be at your picnics!!
your food looks amazing!

 
At 1:10 am, Blogger Good-Dees said...

I am so sorry for your loss :-(
...but I know that Ruhsa found a good home. I've never signed before but I you've been an inspiration to me to eat more RAW.

 
At 1:15 am, Blogger Michelle said...

aw man, i just want to come over and cuddle that cat and eat all your yummy food ;)

sorry for the loss of your sweet kitty :(

 
At 8:28 am, Blogger Jennifer C. said...

So sorry to hear about the loss of your beloved Sana.

Rhusa is lovely, and looks like she is going to be a welcome addition to your family.

Wish I could attend one of your raw picnics! The food looks delicious. And the Shazzie salad, I'm going to have to try that recipe. YUM!

 
At 10:20 am, Blogger Freedom said...

Wow, 7 comments in one day! That's a new record! :-)

Thankyou so much Em, I don't know who you are but your comment alone tells me that you too have a beautiful Spirit! (Incidentally, I used to have a rat named Spirit, who was also beautiful! :-)

Atxvegan, I can so picture your nephews and their forts - I was a big fort builder when I was a bit younger. Cilantro/coriander seems to be one of those things you either love or hate - you're a lover, I'm a hater!

Thanks VW, it was a fun day!

Thanks for visiting Anonymous, any time you make the flight you're welcome to a picnic, lol! I think it might be a bit cold in Canada? :-)

Good-dees that is the most wonderful thing anyone can say, I'm so happy that I've inspired you! Visit often, let me know how raw is working out for you!!

Hey Michelle, you're welcome for a cuddle party anytime! She's still a tad funny about actual cuddles, but LOOOOOOOVES rubbing all over you, and flopping over for belly rubs!

Hey Jennifer, thankyou for your kind words. The salad is delicious, although it's bettr when you actually make it with the right ingredients (read: don't leave out the zucchini/courgette!)

 
At 10:47 am, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I think you sight is awesome. I'm 17 and it's just amazing that their are more young people who are interested in eatting raw. I got some of my friends into eatting raw.

 
At 4:39 pm, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Em here again - I can be found at

www.avocadogirl.wordpress.com

you rock!!

 
At 4:40 pm, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hi Freedom:

May's Mumbai Curry looks amazing (i love hot stuff). I am a big fan of raw pleasure, would I find the recipie there? Thanks. p.s. I love your blog, you are wise beyond your years!

 
At 7:25 pm, Blogger Jennie said...

Hi Freedom, I'm so sorry to hear about your baby. I wish wish wish I could just give you a big mega massive hug.

Ruhsa (how is that pronounced?) looks beautiful. And what a wonderful nature to find.

Every time I see you post here or at RP I know I'll learn something and be inspired.

Anonymous, I don't think that I'll be treading on Freedom's toes if I tell you that you can find that recipe from "may's vegie tales" in the journal section at Raw Pleasure. Apologies Freedom if I've overstepped the mark.

xoxoxo

 
At 6:52 am, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hi Freedom/Jen:

I found it (mays curry). Thank you!

xx

 
At 2:03 am, Blogger erica said...

Sorry about your cat :(
The food looks amazing, I'm 100% raw at the moment and *really* need to get some cookbooks of my own. I keep trying to invent things, but it's not always all that good.

I'm with Diann (atxvegan), I love cilantro 'til it hurts.

 
At 11:22 am, Blogger bazu said...

I almost wanted to cry reading about your poor little Sana. You are so obviously a devoted and passionate keeper of pets. My heart goes out to you. But I know Sana is smiling down on you from kitty heaven for having the strength to adopt her sister, Ruhsa. She is so lucky to be home with you!

Count me in as a cilantro fan. =)

 
At 2:58 pm, Blogger Vicki's Vegan Vice said...

I'm really sorry to hear of your loss. Ruhsa is so beautiful, and I love the story of how you picked her out. You are a wonderful person, I can tell. I wish I could attend your raw picnics - the food looks delicious & I especially like the group photo! :o)

 
At 7:14 pm, Blogger Freedom said...

Thanks Kara, I'm so happy to hear of anyone spreading the raw food message! Good for you!

Thankyou very much anonymous, and I'm glad you found the curry!

Ouch, my toes! Just kidding Jen :-) thanks for helping out there. By the time we finally meet (one day we will) you will owe me so many hugs its not funny! Ruhsa is simply pronounced like roo-sa, although sometimes I roll the rrrrr, which is extra pretty!

Erica that's great that you're eating raw at the moment, isn't it amazing?!? Recipe books are fun but I love eating simply too. Check out my recipe blog for a few recipes, there are also lots of websites that have them such as Shazzie's site, Allisa's site and Raw Pleasure. You can keep the cilantro!

Bazu you are a beautiful person and I thank you so much for your compassion.
So much so that I'll share all my cilantro with you, lol! ;-)

Vicki I wish you could join us at a picnic, I would love to meet you. If your ever in Australia, let me know!!

 
At 7:25 pm, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hi Freedom,

I'm in Perth and have just started going Raw seriously (I commented on your site a few months ago that you were an inspiration!). My hubby and I would really like to meet other raw foodies, and I'm wondering if there is a meetup.com group or something?

Cheers, Kate

 
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