happy | Jackie Parry

May 5, 2017
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How I Cured My Migraines

I’m 99% free from migraines!

The most interesting thing I’ve learned is how to moderate what I eat and not feel as if I am missing out. It’s so obvious and! I’ll get to that in a moment.

Since January 1^st, I’ve:

Monitored what I’ve consumed
Moderated meat and fatty foods
Vastly reduced the amount of chocolate and alcohol
Consumed at least 3 litres of water a day – don’t guess it measure it otherwise you won’t drink enough!

This has helped reduce my headaches enormously, but I’ve found out other, non-food related tactics that also help.

A low-pressure system, i.e. a storm, will give me a headache (I’ve always known this can set me off, but a friend reminded me of it recently.)

If I over-heat I will get a headache. This could be working in 35 degree heat, but at a recent house-sit I took a dip in their pool. They heat their water via the sun – and it was like getting in a bath. While it felt pleasant, not long after I suffered from a headache – I felt it come on as my body warmed up.

How to manage my migraines

Keep cool – this means not only plenty of water to replace what I’ve lost (in additional to the three litres if doing physical work) but also pouring water on my wrists and neck, and even my head – cooling down properly, reducing my body temperature.
Plenty of water – 3 litres a day and much more if doing physical work.
Eat well – when I say I have reduced my meat intake, I try not to have it more than once a week and in this I am not including fish as meat. I eat a lot of fish. I’ve lost weight and feel great. The main reason for doing this was to help my digestive system. I am an A+ blood type, which means I can process carbohydrates much easier than meat.
Stress – I have become adept at Choosing Happiness! It works – choose to be happy and content and you are. I also have a way of dealing with jobs that I don’t like. Recently I’ve been painting the interior of our caravan; it’s a fiddly, messy job (I am a messy painter). But as soon as I find myself losing my cool with it all, I remind myself, “at some point you will not be able to do this – so enjoy it while you can!” It works! I appreciate my health and energy.

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Vastly reducing my chocolate intake has helped. I try to stick to dark chocolate if the urge becomes too strong. Milk chocolate is almost an instant trigger (if eating a good quantity – a taste now and then is okay).

Image courtesy of adamr at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

What I came to realise

Food is connected with happiness. I don’t think I’ve been as happy as I am now. When things haven’t gone right I know I comfort eat. Now, as I am so content food is become just a fuel, something to keep me going – not something to indulge in – mostly…

Drinking a lot of water fills me up. So I eat less, keep hydrated, not only does this combats headaches it helps my skin too.

I am feeling great and looking great, even if I say so myself!

So, after just a few months of monitoring my intake, stress levels and body temperature, I feel I am in control. I am never without my stainless steel water container and constantly sip from it throughout the day – ensuring I consume at least 3 litres. (Mug can be purchased here.)

THIS IS KEY!

HAVING A NICE MUG/DRINKING VESSEL MEANS I KEEP IT WITH ME AND

CONSTANTLY SIP THROUGHOUT THE DAY!

My head has never felt so clear – ever – in my life! So that is a remarkable breakthrough.

Someone recommended I take Magnesium for migraines, but also for many other health benefits. So I am giving that a go as well.

Any questions or advice needed (or offered), please drop me a line.

November 23, 2014
by jackieandnoel Leave a comment

$2.99 last chance for a bargain

Price goes back up to a massive $3.99 tomorrow!

Of Foreign Build is for sale for just 2.99 cents for 24 hours!

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November 22, 2014
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$1.99 today! Have your cake and eat it!

Of Foreign Build is for sale for just 1.99 cents for 24 hours! At Amazon.com (your location must be USA – you can set it there temporarily – wherever you are!)

Click HERE to read the 5 star reviews

Click HERE to read more details

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November 21, 2014
by jackieandnoel 12 Comments

99 cents today!

Of Foreign Build is for sale for just 99 cents for 24 hours!

Just think about how many Christmas presents you can buy with $10!

Click HERE to read the 5 star reviews

Click HERE to read more details

Click HERE to order (or other places to order HERE)

Click HERE to see the AUTHOR IN HER PJs!

oh – and have a go at winning $400 Amazon vouchers HERE

November 13, 2014
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There’ll be days like this

Van Morrison sang about it and I could relate to those words today.

“When you don’t need an answer there’ll be days like this
When you don’t meet a chancer there’ll be days like this
When all the parts of the puzzle start to look like they fit
Then I must remember there’ll be days like this”

Noel and I have been quite anti-social lately, what with trying to get the outside of Rouge Corsair painted prior to winter setting in.

So, a shopping day with our friends, Kim and Lorna from MV Sunflower, was just what we needed to re-connect with civilisation again.

Aiguillon is a little over seven kilometres away. So, after a shaky start, (bike tyres….grrrr), we set off on four bikes of differing vintage, wrapped in hats and scarves, blowing fogging breaths.

On arrival, to get our bearings we sipped a delicious coffee watching the French-way unfold around us. The barman serving wine at 10 am with a cigarette in his hand. The impassioned shouting was just part of everyday conversation, and welcoming smiles.

Smart shopping
Noel and I had several items to find, which of course, meant the hardware. But, this time was different. I’ve never had so much fun in a hardware shop.

The ‘hooks’

We needed some L-shaped doohdads. Basically, metal hooks to hold up timber rods. Our curtains are going to tuck into these rods, at the bottom.

We could buy four in a packet for 5.55 (Euros) per packet. As we needed twenty-four we started to think of other solutions.

With Kim, Noel and I, scratching our heads, things started to improve. We found a packet with more hooks in them. They were a different metal, but useable, for 3.55 Euros. But then we spotted the pick ‘n’ mix.

The items were in baskets, loose, individual. I found a guy to help, as there were no visible prices, and he explained. There were three sized bags and each bag had its own price – the smallest bag was 2.55 Euros. We could put anything we liked in the bag, as long as it seals, all contents would be 2.55.

At this point we all grinned, rubbed our hands together, and said, ‘They have no idea what we are capable of!’

“As long as the bag shuts – it will cost 2.55 (Euros)”

We packed the bag with enough hooks and spares, to do several boats.

What was going to cost us around 35 Euros, ended up costing 2.55 Euros! (Plus extras!)

Rewards
With fresh baguettes, ham and cheese we lunched in the town square. The smoking cafe owner offered us a table and chairs; everyone who passed-by smiled, ‘Bon Appetite.’

Loaded up! Great fun!

With a cheap supermarket, a charity shop and a hardware, all visited (some twice!) with loaded bikes, and big grins we cycled back to our boats. The cooling afternoon and falling winter leaves accompanied us home. The sweet smell from the apple orchards and the sounds of humming tractors was carried along the breeze to round off a perfect day.

Van Morrison – Days Like This Lyrics

When it’s not always raining there’ll be days like this
When there’s no one complaining there’ll be days like this
When everything falls into place like the flick of a switch
Well my mama told me there’ll be days like this
When you don’t need to worry there’ll be days like this
When no one’s in a hurry there’ll be days like this
When you don’t get betrayed by that old Judas kiss
Oh my mama told me there’ll be days like thisWhen you don’t need an answer there’ll be days like this
When you don’t meet a chancer there’ll be days like this
When all the parts of the puzzle start to look like they f it
Then I must remember there’ll be days like thisWhen everyone is up front and they’re not playing tricks
When you don’t have no freeloaders out to get their kicks
When it’s nobody’s business the way that you want to live
I just have to remember there’ll be days like thisWhen no one steps on my dreams there’ll be days like this
When people understand what I mean there’ll be days like this
When you ring out the changes of how everything is
Well my mama told me there’ll be days like this

Oh my mama told me
There’ll be days like this
Oh my mama told me
There’ll be days like this
Oh my mama told me
There’ll be days like this
Oh my mama told me
There’ll be days like this

Songwriters: V. MORRISON

Days Like This lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

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November 9, 2014
by jackieandnoel 2 Comments

‘I am not pleased…’ said one of my readers!

‘…I haven’t slept more than 6 hours in two days! I loved both [her] books. Informative, funny, intelligent writing by a talented lady.’

‘You won’t be able to put it down.’
(Image courtesy of Phaitoon at FreeDigitalPhotos.net)

And, the reviews continue…

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These readers are reading about:

My husband working in a brothel in Barbados
Nine years on a ten metre boat
Pirates
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French Gigolos
An impossible love
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Playing with sealions

Rescued from man-eating crocs!

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August 11, 2014
by jackieandnoel Leave a comment

When you’re laughing & meet the vacuum – positive thoughts

When you’re smiling, when you’re smiling, the whole world smiles with you

When you’re laughing, when you’re laughing, the sun comes shining through

Image courtesy of Mister GC / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

“When You’re Smiling” is a song by Larry Shay, Mark Fisher, and Joe Goodwin. It was sung by many different artists, (my favourite is Frank Sinatra, but I have a soft spot for his voice).

My dad used to sing this to his three daughters when we became down in the dumps. It always made us smile.

My positive: The boat is a mess and we have a list of jobs to do that is so long I don’t think we’ll ever see the end of it. But, Noel and I still make time for a good laugh!

Image courtesy of photostock / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Yesterday, we were sitting in the wheelhouse, that is now a workshop, and I looked at the vacuum cleaner. Noel had been using it to clear up after working each day.

‘Whose is that?’ I said

Noel rolled his eyes and said, ‘It’s ours. Allow me to introduce you, vacuum cleaner meet the wife, wife meet the vacuum!’

Needless to say, I found this very amusing, Noel was a bit perplexed and I must say, I was a little embarrassed!

Can I just say that I have swept the floor since we’ve been on board . . .!

Image courtesy of Stuart Miles / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

August 6, 2014
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Emotional seesaw – positive thoughts

My family went home yesterday and left me feeling quite sad. I miss them already. Actually, I missed them as soon as we parted at the train station.

The sadness is emotional, but also physical. Especially when Noel and I had to carry our food shopping back between just the two of us! 😉

Noel and I had ‘evening medicine’ after our au revoirs

My positive? Despite the melancholy feelings of a farewell, Noel and I have turned our attentions to the boat.

Our first two projects are:

Rigging a rain-catcher
Installing the solar panels

These are the types of projects I love; tasks that take us a step closer to self-sufficient living. I plan to tell you all about it – with lots of pictures.

Mum & dad – home now in the UK

Of course, thereafter we have much painting and re-fitting to do. So, yes, while I am a bit sad, I am excited at the next direction in our adventure.

August 1, 2014
by jackieandnoel Leave a comment

Retrain your brain – Positive thoughts (day 3 of 5).

I am rewiring my brain. No, I haven’t decided to start with a clean slate and induce a frontal lobotomy, (although I think my husband would be keen on this idea!)

Half way through the simple exercise of thinking and writing 3 positive thoughts each day for 5 days, it feels as though I am training my brain in a new way to think.

Image courtesy of renjith krishnan / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

I’m enjoying the process so much that I am doing more research. I have no time for additional projects, my schedule is already bursting at the seams. However, I think it is worth the effort and investing time now may save me time (and stress) down the line. AND make me happier!

During my research I found this article on How Positive Thinking Re-Wires Your Brain. It’s by Barrie Davenport who is a life passion coach and founder of BarrieDavenport.com, a site devoted to helping people uncover and live their life passions. She is also the author of The 52-Week Life Passion Project.

In the article she talks about:

‘How positive thinking really does change your brain. Not in some magical, woo woo kind of way, but in a real physical way.’
‘It means that repetitive positive thought and positive activity can rewire your brain and strengthen brain areas that stimulate positive feelings.’

This article is part of Steven Aitchison’s web site and personal development personal development blog.

So, I plan to continue my personal development with actively finding the positives in everything I do. I think I have quite a bit of work in front of me, but for now, here are my 3 positives:

The next editing stage of my manuscript Of Foreign Build will be a fair bit of work, but it is going to improve the story out of sight – thanks to my editor Danielle Rose.

Of Foreign Build

As well as positive thinking leading to a positive attitude – this nomination has given me so much more. Many people are making contact, saying ‘hi’ and revealing lovely stories about positive thinking. I’m making new friends.

Image courtesy of Vlado / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Cooking for five people each day with vastly different tastes has re-awoken my passion for cooking. I am enjoying the creativity (and the compliments!)