Your Daily Vegan

I’ve been sitting here trying to write this post all day.  I keep typing and erasing, typing and erasing.  It’s no shock to me that I can’t write, it’s been happening for the past two months.

It’s been 60 days as of today that my soul-dog Olli died.  In that 60 days I’ve had two senior kitties diagnosed with a terminal disease, both failing at a steady and fast past.  And to be frank, it sucks.  It all sucks.  It’s hard to watch loved ones die obviously, so caring for the cats is bittersweet.  I’m grateful for every second of every minute of every day that I have with them.  I go out of my way to give them the things that they enjoy to help ease the burden of their diseases.  I will sit in an uncomfortable position for hours because a sick kitty is in my lap and I don’t want to disturb them.  It’s bittersweet, like I said.

And that’s not even addressing the underlying grief of losing Olli.  Trust me when I tell you, it’s no fun to talk to me about that, it’s sad.  Truth is, all this sadness is making it hard for me to talk about anything.  I simply have nothing to say.

So, I am saying goodbye to YDV for awhile to care for my girls and grieve for my lost friend.  I’ll come back again when the time is right.

Before I go, a few things.  I’m still selling (and will continue to sell) t-shirts over at YDV Souvenirs, perhaps you’d like to buy one?  You can feel good about your purchase too!  I donate a portion of proceeds to charities that care for the lives of animals.  The latest design:

Because Lobsters really are freaking cool!

I’ll still be on the web during my sabbatical from YDV.  Stay in touch with me on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, or Instagram (user name is Your Daily Vegan)!  Seriously, stay in touch- you know how much I heart you.

Finally, I’d like to give a shout out to the following folks who graciously donated an item for review.  The reviews unfortunately didn’t post (see: circumstances above) and everyone was super understanding and awesome about it.  Good folks, that’s what I’m saying.

Everyday Happy Herbivore by Lindsay Nixon.  Nixon’s new book offers up over 175 vegan meals that you can make in 30 minutes or less.  In true Happy Herbivore style, the food is low fat/fat free, packed with nutrients and made with the stuff you’d find in almost any pantry.  Perfect for folks who are interested in eating healthy food but don’t want to spend a million years in the kitchen cooking 3 meals a day, or folks who are just looking to add some tasty recipes to their repertoire. (There’s single serving dessert recipes in this cookbook.  Single. Serving. Desserts. Swoon.)  Check it out at Happy Herbivore.

The Tourist Trail by John Yunker.  This fiction novel has everything that a great book needs; Action! Spies! Adventure! Love! An environmental/animal rights message and heroic vegans!  I read it, I loved it, and I passed it on.  Find out more at The Tourist Trail.

[Also, this is hilarious.]

Comfortably Unaware global depletion and food responsibility…what you choose to eat is killing our planet by Dr. Richard A. Oppenlander.  This easy to read book takes a look at the consequences of our eating habits and the effect they have on our planet.   Comfortably Unaware refers to our own general complacency about our actions.  This book is a good primer and conversation starter for folks who care and want to make a difference.  Find out more at Comfortably Unaware.

That’s It. Fruit Snack Bars.  In a word, delicious.  These vegan, all-natural bars are made with 2 whole servings of GMO-free fruit and nothing else- that’s it.  They’re convenient, low calorie and perfect for a healthy snack on the go or in a packed lunch.  They come in several kicking flavors; Apples + Cherries, Apples + Apricots, & (my favorite) Apples & Pears.  Check them out at That’s It.

Vivian Sharpe Vegan Superhero by Marla Rose.  This new (vegan) adolescent fiction book deserves high praise indeed.  Erik Marcus reviews this book nicely (and says what I would if I had reviewed it), be sure to check it out.  You can find more at Vivian Sharpe Vegan Superhero.

So, it’s goodbye for now.  I’ll be back around again- hopefully under much better circumstances.  ox

In Loving Memory, Olli

Sunrise 2004 ~ Sunset 2012

“Some of us think holding on makes us strong; but sometimes it is letting go.” ~ Hermann Hesse

Last month, with a heavy heart, I told you about the loss of my soul-dog Olli.  The past 36 days have been filled with great sadness, it’s still so hard to believe that she’s never coming home.  And even though I know it will get better with time, life still seems a little lonelier without her here.

I’ve gotten so many emails, tweets, and cards from people all over.  Some of you have shared your own story of loss, some of you are experiencing loss with me right now.  Those conversations are so precious to me, they help to smooth the ragged edges of my grief.  Thank you for each one.

I also introduced you to Lakini the polydactyl and her medical issues.  Since then, Lakini has seen an internal specialist.  After an ultrasound it has been determined that the her liver is enlarged, with a large cancerous mass growing on it.  They believe that that the mass is not surgically excisable and that there is little they can do to medically treat her condition.  As the mass grows, she will continue to deteriorate.  For now, her symptoms are minimal- the most noticeable is the weight loss.  She’s a mere 6 pounds now.  Still, she seems happy- I’m going to do my best to ensure she remains comfortable and happy for as long we have.  And bombard her with extra love, you know.

Now 11 days after Lakini’s diagnosis my eldest, Gypsy, is sick.  She has been diagnosed with 75% loss of her renal function and now requires weekly fluid treatment.  I don’t know how old Gypsy is, she was found on the streets as an older cat.  The vet estimated that she was around 6-8 years old when I found her, it’s been 12 years now she’s lived with me.  With luck, her weekly fluid treatments will keep her comfortable and stable for many more months (and years) to come.  Fingers crossed.

It’s easy to keep questioning yourself over an over again about every decision you made for the health of those animals when things like this happen, particularly all one on top of another.  I am cautious and careful to provide the proper (and excellent) nutrition to all the girls, as well as providing preventative health care and medical treatment when necessary.  Both my normal veterinarian and the internal specialist have assured me these incidents are tragically random, and I know they’re right, it’s just hard.

Caring for two senior cats who are sick is a (an emotional) challenge, one made worse by the burden of an ever-growing vet tab.  Last month I introduced the YDV Souvenir Shop, our little online t-shirt shop.  I’m selling t-shirts to help raise money.  Perhaps you want to buy one?  I recently added two new designs:

Also, you can feel extra good about purchasing a shirt because I give back!  Each month I’ll select a new charity, rescue group, or sanctuary that cares for the lives of animals to donate to.  I heart fundraising for animals.

This month’s group is We Are Family Animal Rescue and her sister organization, Lasa Sanctuary, both run by Joy Smetzer.

I am a lifelong animal devotee who believes that our loving relationships with them bring out our greatest human potential. I recognize the connectedness of all life and hope to bring this awareness to the forefront of holistic healing and authentic living. I began my animal advocacy at the age of 12, giving speeches on animal testing issues. At 30, I graduated with my BA in Education and went on to found We Are Family Animal Rescue, Inc which continues to work to rescue and adopt companion animals into forever homes. I am currently pursuing my graduate degree in Community Counseling and plan to implement eco-therapeutic programming and experiences into the Sanctuary. Now, a fully committed vegan and advocate for all life, I seek to reach out the arm of compassion and welcome all to experience the ultimate unity of life, love, and joy.

Pretty kick butt, right?  I thought so too.  So, buy a shirt?

Finally, I want to say a special thank you to the 35 people who donated to the FundRazr account.  I am blown away by your generosity, thank you for your kindness.  Thank you to those people who didn’t donate but shared the donation link with other people, I appreciate it.  Thank you all for your compassion and sympathy, you are all wonderful.  So wonderful.

And for those who have asked, the FundRazr will run until March 31, 2012 or until we hit our goal- and thanks to some awesome people, we’re halfway there.

This is me and Olli, we met in 2004.

From the moment we saw each other we had a special bond.  It was as if she had always been a part of my life, and I a part of hers.  I was her human, she was my co-pilot- my soul-dog- my very best friend.  Life for the next 8 years was good.

Then one day, Olli got sick.  After more than five emergency vet visits, three different vet doctors (at three separate vet offices), and two exams by two different specialists, Olli was diagnosed with acute renal failure.  Now in grave condition, Olli was hospitalized under the care of an internal specialist.  She remained there for a week.

During that week she had 24-hour care and more medical treatments than I care to list out.  She had an IV pumping fluids through her body continuously in hopes that the toxins built up in her body would be flushed out.  Both of her legs were shaved (to alternate her IVs), along with her chest and neck (for various testing).  And through it all, my little girl was a trooper.

She never snapped at a hands with needles, she didn’t bark at other dogs.  She didn’t complain at the every hour checks, or at the techs who came in to clean her if she had an accident.  Instead, Olli handled herself with grace- offering little licks of encouragement to her vet techs and doctors.  She was, from what I was told, the perfect dog patient.

Olli did not respond to treatment as hoped, still, she was released from the hospital.  She was sent home with IVs and fluids, a bag of medications, and care instructions longer than most novels.  Having to administer IV fluids to her (read: stick a needle under her skin) brought new meaning to the word stress.  Still, I was grateful for every moment we had.  I did not leave her side.  Sadly however, five days after she came home things turned from bad to worse.

On February 3, 2012 Olli passed from this life.  It’s only been a few weeks, it still seems so surreal to me- I can’t believe she’s gone.  I sat down to write this post not really knowing what I was going to say.  It’s hard to find the right words to say how much someone meant to you- how do you explain limitless love?  Put simply, Olli and I spent every possible minute together from the moment we met until the day we said goodbye.

It’s Day 23 today.  I miss the way she felt in my arms when I hugged her.  I miss her constant presence.  I miss the way her nails sounded on the wood floors as she followed me around the house.  I miss morning play time, afternoon walks, and night time snuggling.  I miss the way she would sit and listen to me talk, silently supportive of everything I said.  I miss the way her butt would shake so hard from her tail wagging whenever she would see me.  I miss hearing the sound of her feet scratching at the edge of the chairs when she wanted to be held, and the way she felt curled up in my lap.  I miss everything about her.

And even though I know it will get better with time, life seems a little lonelier without her here.

Lakini is a polydactyl, she has extra toes on each paw.  We first met in Kansas fourteen years ago and she’s traveled with me to every state I’ve lived since.  Lakini is the cat that sleeps in my hair at night, she’s the one who sits on the side of the tub when I take a bath, and she’s the one who is always sitting right behind me no matter where I’m sitting.  She’s my soul-cat like Olli was my soul-dog.

Recently, Lakini had lost quite a bit of weight.  She’s had a few tests at this point: bloodwork, physical exam, and x-rays.  All three of her liver levels are highly elevated.  The x-ray shows problems with her liver and stomach, but more tests are needed to determine exactly what is going on.  She has an appointment with an internal specialist (the same one who treated Olli incidentally) for an ultrasound.  I’ve been advised that it could be cancer. I’m crossing my fingers it’s not.

Olli’s illness and Lakini’s sickness has left me financially challenged.  At this time I owe more than $5,500 in veterinary bills, with more charges to come.  I am now asking for your support.   I am selling tshirts and such to help raise money.  Perhaps you’d like to buy one?  They’re pretty cool, there’s several designs- plus, I’ll add more regularly.  I will also be donating a portion of proceeds to charities that care for the lives of animals.  Each month, 10% of the proceeds will be donated to one charity- with a new charity selected every month.  Please head on over to the YDV Souvenir Shop and buy a shirt (or two).

Every action counts, I’ve always thought,- no matter the size.  In that spirit, I’ve also opened a FundRazr account for direct donations.  If you are able, please consider making a small donation.  The cost of a latte perhaps?  Every donation, large or small, helps.  I am humbled that you would consider donating, I appreciate it more than I can say.  All of the donations will go directly to pay for Olli and Lakini’s medical expenses. Thank You for your thoughtful consideration.

As a show of my gratitude and to thank you for your general awesomeness, YDV is going to be doing a series of giveaways.  I’m calling it our Gratitude Giveaways.  I’ve had some amazing folks step up and donate a vegan product or service for some lucky winners to enjoy, lucky you ;)

Just for the record, you do not have to donate anything or buy anything to enter any of the giveaways.  You don’t have to do anything more than enter.  If you aren’t able to purchase a shirt or donate I understand.  I do ask this, please consider helping in other ways like sharing it on facebook, twitter, or pinning your favorite tshirt design.  I can’t do this without your help.

If you’ve read this whole post you deserve a vegan cookie, seriously- thank you.  Now head on over to Gratitude Giveaway and enter for some awesome vegan stuff.

This is the post where I tell you that Your Daily Vegan has made it onto VegNews annual Veggie Awards for Favorite Vegan Blog.  Pretty exciting stuff!  Lots of nominees are doing their best to spread the word about their own nominations- some through a simple blog post, some through putting a vote banner on every single post they write, and some have written long detailed lists of why you should vote for them.

I’ve been hesitant to write a post about the nomination for several reasons.  First, I feel awkward talking myself up like that- I’ve always felt that if I put out quality content then I wouldn’t need to tell you how awesome I am- you’d just know.  And honestly, after reading some blogs promoting themselves, I didn’t want to do the same thing.  That, and I try not to grovel* too much or ask you for things on this blog.

If you read this blog with any kind of regularity then you know what I’m about.  I’m about ethics, compassion, justice, respect, unity, community, and support for my fellow vegans.  I do this using a site I designed with graphics that I made, funds from my personal bank account, and many hours spent with my laptop.  I do this because I want to make a positive difference in the lives of animals.  I do this because I want to make a positive difference in your life.

The competition this year is tough.  These are some of the best of the best blogs that are out there!  I’m completely humbled to be on a list included with them.  You can vote by going here, it’s easy and simple to do.  It’s also a great way to show support for all the vegan folks out there working hard to bring veganism to more people.

Plus, when you vote you qualify to win tons of vegan stuff- really great vegan stuff actually.  It’s a win-win for everyone.  So if you haven’t already, please take the time to go and voice your opinion by voting.  And if you vote for YDV, well that would be great.  I’d really appreciate the nod towards the work I do.  I couldn’t do this without any of you, you are a vital part of not only Your Daily Vegan- but the vegan movement itself.

So, thank you and perhaps you’ll vote for me.  That would be cool, really cool.

* Did you know that a synonym for grovel is “lick someone’s boots?”  Riddle me this, why is it only boots and not other shoes?  And what’s up with those shoes on telephone wires?  Or the ones you find along roads and it’s only one shoe?  What’s up with that??

Photo Credit: PoopieBitch

Juice.  It’s delicious, refreshing, and chock full of nutrients.  It’s also the star of our latest giveaway, a signed copy of the book Garlic Onion Beet Spinach Mango Carrot Grapefruit Juice. The winner was chosen by a random drawing (including the extra entries for submitting a photo).  The winner is PoopieBitch!  Please contact me so I can mail you the awesome book and buttons prize package at veganadmin (at) yourdailyvegan (dot) com.

Congratulations!

You can also purchase the book on the ThoraThinks website.  The shipping is free!  Whoo Hoo!

Didn’t win?  No worries!  You still get to enjoy all of the great juice recipe entries (after the jump)!  Juice for Everyone!  That’s something to get pumped, TOTALLY pumped about!

(more…)

Are you ready to get pumped, TOTALLY pumped?  We’re doing a giveaway of the awesome-sauce book  Garlic-Onion-Beet-Spinach-Mango-Carrot-Grapefruit Juice! But not just any ole copy, no.  We’re giving away a signed copy from the author herself, Nathalie VanBalen.  Pumped yet?  I totally am.

I love this book.  It uses illustration, photographs, and plush toys that are colorful and engaging for it’s readers.  It’s fun to look at.  Plus, it’s narrated by Ingvar- a smiling finger.  Who, by the way is too adorable.  Then, we also have two tweeters, Zwee and Geep.  The protagonist in the book, Thora, is a thinker.  She thinks about everything, a lot, and she has a cool green brain.  Thora lives with some vikings, Aksel and Krog, who are pumped, TOTALLY pumped ALL of the time.  What they are most pumped about is JUICING.  They like to juice everything, but their favorite combo of juice is garlic-onion-beet-spinach-mango-carrot-grapefruit juice.  So naturally, when they heard that yellow spotted snail shells are juice heaven, they went out and caught nets full of them to put in their juicer.

I won’t tell you what happened next- I don’t want to give it all away, but the book addresses the question, “How does it feel to be food?” with laugh out loud antics and characters you can’t help but love.  I highly recommend this book!  So much so in fact, I’m giving away a signed copy.

But first, let me tell you about the accompanying kick-butt website to the book, www.thorathinks.com.  This site rocks!  It offers free coloring pages for kids and, ahem, anyone who likes to color.  What?  Me?  I, um, yes- yes, I do have crayons.  Hey, my fridge needs pictures too!  Email any artwork that is inspired by the book and it will be featured on the website!

The website also offers a store to buy your very own set of book characters, handmade by the author herself!  I would be pumped, TOTALLY pumped to have any one of the adorable plushes (like Aksel) live with me- they’re cute and orders within the US have free shipping!

You can also keep up with Thora and her friends on the blog, their groovy Facebook page, or join in the fun with Ingvar’s Culinary Adventures.  All of which are jam-packed full of fun!

Are you pumped, TOTALLY pumped for the giveaway now?  Awesome!

This giveaway is for one signed copy of the book, Garlic-Onion-Beet-Spinach-Mango-Carrot-Grapefruit Juice, and a set of five (5) Character Buttons featuring Thora, Askel, Krog, the Yellow Spotted Snails, and a Grapefruit!  I’m sorry to all of our international friends, this giveaway is open to US residents only.

That’s it!  Of course, to help spread the word about this awesome giveaway you could tweet it- but it’s not a requirement or anything.

The giveaway will last for a full week, you have until May 22, 2011 at midnight to enter.  The winner will be chosen randomly and announced May 24, 2011 in a post featuring all of the best of the juice recipes submitted.

So get pumped, TOTALLY pumped and submit your favorite juice recipe today!  Good Luck!

If you are a vegan then I don’t have to tell you that, as vegans, we’re outnumbered by omnivores.  By like, a hell of a lot.  I bet you wish that there were more vegans around your neck of the woods- I know I do.  Meeting vegans in person can be a challenge, particularly since we are a minority (for now).  So, what’s the next best thing?  Meeting new internet vegan pallies of course.  Vegan Blogs are a great way to connect, learn, educate, and more importantly- grow the vegan community.

But sometimes you don’t have to settle for just internet love, no.  Sometimes, you make such awesome internet pallies- you just have to have a vegan meet-up.  And that’s exactly what’s about to happen this weekend.

The Your Daily Vegan Team will be in Pittsburgh THIS SUNDAY.  That’s like, last minute.  I know.  Sorry!

Alex who tweets as @VeganTweeter

John tweets as @TheChubbyVegan

Two very awesome vegans have offered to be our tour guides for the day.  I’ve read the itinerary has something to do with all kinds of awesome vegan grub.  Excited!

For the meet-up, we’ll be lunching at Zenith- a vegetarian cafe, art gallery, and “antique goldmine.”  Have you been?  I can’t wait to go :)

So, interested? Here’s the scoop:

(huge thanks to John for organizing everything in a handy post – which you can read right here – which made it easy for me to give you the following info:

What: Pittsburgh Vegan Meet-Up
The Date: Sunday, March 13th
The Time: 12:00 pm (noon)
Location: The Zenith, 86 South 26th Street, Pittsburgh PA 15203 (South Side Neighborhood)

So, drop us a comment if you are interested in attending so we have an accurate head count.  And for those who can’t, look for our gastro-tour wrap up post!

Valentine’s Day is right around the corner.  Can you say 9 days?  In an effort to spread as much vegan love as possible, I’ve gathered some great gift ideas for all the vegan loves in your life.  And I’m even going to share it with you! I know! Not today, but totally soon and in time for Valentine’s Day!

So, do you have a product or gift idea that I should know about?  Right on, here’s the deal.  Send me the name of the company (Hey Etsy and Artfire peeps, I’m talking to you too), the item, and any coupon codes you’d like to share and I’ll use my big mouth to help promote it.  Big or small, edible or not, if you’re selling it and it’s vegan- let me help get the word out.  Deadline for submitting your vegan wares is Monday, February 7th.

So, halibut it?  Salmon out there wants to buy your stuff.
(sorry, I couldn’t resist.)

[line]

(i’m even sorrier for this next part- I really couldn’t resist)

What did the boy octopus say to the girl octopus? I want to hold your hand hand hand hand hand hand hand hand.

What swims in the sea, carries a machine gun, and makes you an offer you can’t refuse? The Codfather

What happened to the fishing boat that sank in piranha fish infested waters? It came back with a skeleton crew.

All products and companies submitted are subject to YdV approval.

Scowt-T with the loud mouth

I used to work in a single story brick building on a road that was a major thoroughfare back in the 50′s.  Know the ones I’m talking about?  They’re long and flat with these long skinny windows that don’t even open.  The carpets are worn in patterns made from the feet of workers used to traveling the same paths over and over, the office equipment is from 1923 and the desks are all metal.  These buildings are not equipped with the best gadgets, but unlike new construction buildings, you couldn’t hear through the walls.  They were brick, not drywall.  I suppose to complete the picture, I should tell you that I worked in a male dominated industry- me being the only girl and the youngest by at least 10 years or more.  And the only vegan.  But that’s a story for another day.

One day, while inside the brick prison, I heard the loudest cat meow I’ve ever heard.  I traced the sound to the engine of my car parked out front of the building.  I popped the hood and coaxed a terrified, screaming kitty out of my engine.  And once I did, I saw that she had been abused.

I won’t bore you with the details of the emergency vet visit, anyone who has had to take an injured kitty to the vet knows how it goes.  After it was all said and done, Scowt (can you guess which book I was reading when I “found” Scowt?) had several teeth missing (presumably from being kicked or hit directly in the mouth) that weren’t actually missing.  They had been embedded in the roof of her mouth.  They were removed, leaving Scowt with a lip curl similar to Elvis.  She also had a broken leg and other miscellaneous injuries.  Scowt spent the next couple of months in rehab for kitties and eventually, being the bruiser that she is, she recovered.  Not only did she recover, she never once let it slow her down.

Scowt lived with me for another 10 short years.  And yesterday, Scowt died in my arms.

To make a long story short, as I originally meant to do, Scowt suffered an aortic embolism November 2009 due to heart disease.  This paralyzed her from her waist down.  At that time, I was told that she wouldn’t survive- or that the chances were so slim that I needed to start thinking about “putting her down.”  But I didn’t.  With regular treatments of aspirin (do NOT try this with any kitty, you MUST talk to a vet before you give your kitty aspirin – DO NOT DO THIS WITHOUT PRIOR AUTHORIZATION FROM A TRAINED MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL) Scowt regained the use of her bag legs and resumed to live her normal life.  Oh, she swung one her her legs more than the other, but that was the only indication that she had ever had an emoblism.  Scowt continued to amaze everyone, living another full year before signs of her heart condition reared it’s head again.  Only this time I wasn’t able to save her, and I held her while she went to sleep for the last time.

I’m so thankful for the extra time I had with Scowt.  And as sad and heartbroken as I am, I am reminded of the pure goodness that Scowt brought to my life.  Scowt nearly died at the hands of an abusive human and still, she survived.  Not only did she survive, she loved.  Scowt was a loving cat, quick to paw at you for a hug.  She was the only cat I’d ever met who put both her front arms around your neck and just snuggled into you.  She never lost her loud mouth- she screamed every morning for her breakfast and every evening for her food.  In fact, she was so regular at it, she let all the other animals know when it was feeding time.  I was so blessed to spend 10 short years with her.  I will miss her beyond words.

In between my grief (I can’t pick her food bowl up to wash and put away- I can’t look at her favorite chair…) I can’t help to think about the day I met Scowt.  Here’s this little tiny kitty, abused and neglected, and she trusted me (a human) to help her.  The repayment for my kindness and compassion?  Her undying love for the rest of her life.  How can (some) humans think that animals are incapable of having the same emotions as us?  When the proof, solid proof, that even kitties love- is right there in pictures of Scowt and I?  Animals deserve so much more.  The love they give enriches our lives, makes us better (more compassionate) people.

Rest in peace now Scowt, I will miss you forever.