Jane and I went to see Food Inc. in June (here's our review in case you missed it).  Many of you emailed us and expressed interest in the movie, but it had a limited run and so you may not have had the opportunity to even get to a theater to see the movie.  But now you can pre-order from Amazon.  The movie will be released on November 3rd, 2009.  It will change the way you think about food!

UPDATE: CLICK HERE to reserve your very own copy of Food, Inc. now:

Recently we had the opportunity to try some of the Vega line of products.

Specifically, we tried the Whole Food Health Optimizer, the Whole Food Smoothie Infusion, and the Antioxidant EFA (essential fatty acid) Oil Blend.

The Whole Food Smoothie Infusion is a high quality protein powder that also provides fiber and Omega 3 EFAs.  I added it to my morning shake, in place of the protein powder I usually use.  It had a pleasant taste and the added benefit of the fiber and EFAs which I wasn't getting in the hemp powder I've been using.  So, as soon as I finish my stash, this is my new protein powder.

The Whole Food Smoothie Infusion is a great product to take on the road with you.  All you need to do is add water and you have a vegan meal replacement.  Personally, I thought they were a bit on the sweet side, but Jane loved them.  She especially liked the chai flavor blended with ice to make a nice summer concoction.  You can also add the smoothie infusion to the fruit based smoothie of your choice.  They also provide you with a few recipes.

The Antioxidant EFA Oil blend makes a good salad dressing.  We found it to have a slightly nutty taste which is a nice change from the extra virgin olive oil Jane usually uses.

Overall, we feel these are high quality products that are a welcome addition to our pantry.

On Tuesday, we put down our special girl.  She was with me for just under 16 years.  While many of our friends comment on how special and friendly our boy cat is, she was more selective.  We were her tribe and she always wanted to be with us.  She would greet us when we got home.  She would walk us to bed every night and stay with us until we fell asleep.  She always sat with us.  She talked to us constantly.  We absolutely knew she loved us.

She was very headstrong; whatever we were doing, it always had to be her idea.  Toward the end of her life we had to give her antibiotics.  (She had cancer and the tumor was rotting her face.)  Jane would give her her pill and then give her water to drink.  After which Jane would reward her with some food.  One morning they did the pill, water, food routine and then went to sit down.  Ten minutes after drinking and eating our girlie sat by the door, looked at Jane, and went pah-tooie, and spat out the pill.  When we told the vet, she commented "Clever kittie!" This is just one example of our girlie's personality, and part of what made her so special.   She is greatly missed.

At this point, the thought of food, or writing about food, is not something either of us feels up to.  We will be back...  we just need a little time.

Life is short... show the ones you love how much you love them.

Jane and I are struggling a bit. One of our kitties, our favorite, has terminal cancer. The vet has prescribed pain killers, along with some other fun things. And we've been instructed to pay careful attention to her level of comfort and when it appears she is suffering, we should euthanize her.

On a logical basis, I know this is the right thing to do. It is our responsibility to our pets to care for them as best we can. Personally, I would want someone to help me end it when the pain became unbearable. The only difference here is that I expect I would be able to communicate my desires when the time came. The thing that scares us both is that we won't really know when it is the "right time." So we are going to have to make the decision to kill a being. And realistically, it will likely be too early, or too late.

We got the pain killers today. We knew our kitty had been ailing. She has a mass growing on her face, and when she finished her first round of anti-biotics she started smelling really foul, as if she was rotting. (Which btw, is what the vet said is happening with her tumor.) Occasionally she would pass on her food and Jane would spend significant time coaxing her to eat. But our kitty still wanted to hang with us, and she would purr when we petted her. We had no idea she was in pain. After her first dose of pain killer, she was much more playful and her purring was louder. So is she stoned, or had she been suffering and we missed it all?

We love this cat. I mean, really love this cat. She is our child. Our other kitty is great, but he is a pet. This cat has a real personality. Neither of us is happy with the idea of putting her down. She's almost 16. She's had a better life than many people on this earth. But how do you actually make the decision to kill another being? Even if it is the compassionate thing to do?