A Heartwarming Holiday Reflection

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Happy Holidays friends, no episode next week.  New Year episodes resume January 9th, until then be safe and stay high!

Imagine a Christmas night free from the buzz of notifications, where laughter fills the room and the only glow comes from the twinkling tree lights. This holiday-themed episode of Bite Me is a heartwarming reflection on the past five and a half years, celebrating our incredible journey to 100,000 downloads across 70 countries. I share touching stories like Jim's from Australia, who found inspiration in his fitness journey through cannabis, and highlight unforgettable moments with amazing guests such as Jamie Evans, Ann Allchin, and Jackie McGaskill. Together, we've built a vibrant community enriched by shared experiences and knowledge in the ever-evolving cannabis space.

As we look back on these magical moments, Grandma Edie's realization of the true magic of presence without distractions serves as our guiding light into 2025. This episode is not just a celebration of our incredible past but a hopeful glance towards a future full of cannabis-related resolutions and goals. Join our community as we foster a sense of connection, warmth, and forward-thinking, eagerly anticipating the next chapter of memorable experiences and growth together. Here's to continuing this journey, wrapped in the love and magic of being truly present.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:07):
Welcome, friends, to a special holiday-themed episode
for episode 280 of Bite Me.
Welcome to Bite Me, the showabout edibles, where I help you
take control of your high life.
I'm your host and certifiedgonger, margaret, and I love
helping cooks make safe andeffective edibles at home.
I'm so glad you're here.

(00:28):
This episode is actually comingout a day after Christmas, but
before New Year's Eve, because Ialso realized this year that
New Year's Eve falls on aTuesday night, which means New
Year's, new Year's is onWednesday, so the episode falls
right in between these two.
So this episode is going to befor Christmas and New Year's and

(00:51):
I'm going to be sharing somefun things about Bite Me, the
show about edibles.
And first of all, I want tothank you so much for being a
listener of Bite Me.
None of this would be possiblewithout you, and when I started
this podcast five and a halfyears ago now, I never thought
it would become what it is today.

(01:12):
I didn't really know what I wasthinking when I started it.
All I know is I really lovededibles and I also loved
podcasts, and so I married thetwo and here we are.
And when I first started it wasbi-weekly episodes, and then I
got that first email from alistener who said hey, I really
like what you're doing and thatspurred me on, and it's

(01:35):
listeners like you out there whosend your messages.
That really keeps me going,because podcasting is a tough
space to be in sometimes for anindependent podcaster and, as
much as I love doing it, it canfeel lonely at times.
But that means I'll be planningsome new things for the new
year, and I had a lot of winsthis year that I would love to

(01:58):
share with you.
I had some wonderful guests,some of those guests.
One of them was Jamie Evans.
She was a guest on the showearlier this year.
She is an author and a winesommelier who moved to the
cannabis industry over the lastfive years, and it was only

(02:22):
until this year that she agreed,which made me think, well, I've
been doing this long enough nowthat perhaps it was the right
timing for both of us, becausewithout that time interviewing
people under my belt it mightnot have gone as well as it did.
So that was a real feather inmy cap for me personally, and
Jamie has written a number ofbeautiful books on cannabis,

(02:46):
cocktails and beverages and abook on CBD as well, a couple of
other wonderful guests that Ihad.
One in particular was AnnAlchin, and you've probably seen
me do some episodes with her,not only the interview but just
covering her work that she'sdoing, because Ann is just a
lovely human being that I hadthe opportunity to meet in

(03:07):
person back in June when we wentto Camp Canada together, and we
really found that we had a lotin common, especially when it
came to cannabis.
So that has been really specialfor me this year as well.
And also Jackie McGaskill well,and also Jackie Magaskill, who

(03:30):
is the co-founder of Sheesh Colaand also the author of Chill A
Wine Lover's Introduction toCannabis, which I just finished
reading.
Actually, it's a wonderful bookIf you're interested in
introducing any wine lovers inyour life to cannabis, in your
life to cannabis.
It's a wonderfully written bookthat really shows you how the
two plants have a lot ofsimilarities.
So it's very well done.

(03:51):
Jackie has just been incrediblysupportive.
It was a real thrill to get toknow her a little bit too.
I met her at Camp Cano as well.
There was also Madam Cannoli,who helped me get an interview
with Mila.
That I did.
I wrote an article about Milawhen she came to Canada for a

(04:11):
hash making workshop that CherryBlossom Bell was leading, and I
also had the opportunity tointerview Cherry Blossom Bell
earlier this year too.
When I sort of think about allthe wonderful people I've had
the chance to interview, I'mreally astounded sometimes what
I've managed to pull off for onething.
But none of this would bepossible without you folks
listening out there and Bite MeCannabis or Bite Me.

(04:35):
The show about edibles is stillrelatively small in the grand
scheme of things when it comesto podcasts, but I recently did
receive an email that I had hitthe 100,000 download mark, which
was really exciting to see.
Now, that is across all my backcatalog of episodes, but
100,000 downloads for just thismiddle-aged white lady in a

(05:01):
small town in Canada.
And do you know what else isremarkable Is that this podcast
is listened to in 70 differentcountries around the world.
I find that remarkable as well.
Sitting here in this small town, like I said, in Canada, and
people are listening in 70different countries around the

(05:23):
world.
It truly is an internationalaudience.
I love that.
I love how this show isbringing people together, how
cannabis brings people together.
I find that really encouraging.
So that's my heartfelt thankyou because these achievements
mean so much to me and Icouldn't have done it without

(05:44):
you.
Bite Me really has impactedpeople in a lot of positive ways
.
Love getting messages aroundthat and, with permission, I'm
going to share a message withyou that I received from Jim in
Australia some time ago Actually, it was pretty recently, but he
says Hi Margaret, I recommendedmy daughter your podcast the

(06:06):
other day.
I really like that you havesome fitness and cannabis
episodes.
I'm in my mid-40s, three kids intheir mid-20s that have all
moved out of the house.
Sounds a little familiar.
Yes, it does.
I'm a gym enthusiast and I havea Concept2 air rower at home.
I've noticed if I'm high Idon't gas out as easily on the

(06:28):
rower.
It's like I stay relaxed andease into it.
I imagine it might be the samereason.
That might be the same reason Ilike it for grappling with
Brazilian jiu-jitsu.
I started my cannabis andlifting fitness journey at 40
with chronic pain from arthritis, bone spurs and joints and
chronic knee pain.
Now 44, I have lost 18kilograms but really put on so

(06:52):
much muscle that I can't tellhow much fat I've lost.
I have six-pack abs for thefirst time in my life at 42.
I mostly use cannabis forinflammation and don't lift well
high.
I find it makes the aches andpains of exercise feel like a
pleasant sensation and a rewardfor pushing myself, and Jim had
listened to that episode that Idid with Dr Whitney Ogle, who is

(07:15):
a specialist in cannabis andexercise and is doing her
research at Humboldt Universityin California, and that's a
remarkable story.
I mean, starting your fitnessjourney at 40 and having
six-pack abs at 42 is quite anaccomplishment.
I love hearing about howlisteners are impacted by the
work that I'm doing on the show,Sometimes by having guests who

(07:37):
are sharing information that'snew to all of us.
It's one of the reasons I lovehaving guests on, because I'm
learning right alongside youfolks so much appreciated.
Thank you for sharing that, jim, and, as always, if you want to
send me a message, he sent methat through Instagram.
Instagram is a social platformI'm most active on.
You can send me emails.
You can send me a fan mail,although I can't reply to fan

(08:00):
mail in the same way, butthere's lots of ways to reach
out and get a hold of me and Ialso want to say thank you to
supportive listeners.
Pat H recently bought mecookies on the Buy Me A Cookie
platform.
He says I've been listening toyour show since COVID and I look
forward to every episode.

(08:20):
Learn to grow, cure and cookedibles during that time.
So I thank you for the edibleend of things, margaret.
Thank you, pat, for yoursupport and of course, I would
be remiss if I didn't say thankyou to Wayne, steve and Terry,
who are longtime listeners, whohave been incredibly supportive
during this whole journey, and Ilove when I can put names and

(08:45):
faces in some cases to the folkswho are listening to the show.
Now, in the spirit of theholidays, I also want to share a
story with you, calledGrandma's Secret Ingredient.
The holidays had always beenmagical at Grandma Edie's house.

(09:06):
Every December she transformedher cozy little home into a
winter wonderland.
Twinkling lights sparkled onthe front porch, the scent of
pine and freshly baked cookiesfilled the air, and a well-loved
record of classic carols playedsoftly in the background.
This year, however, wasdifferent.
Grandma Edie was slowing downand for the first time her

(09:28):
family insisted she take it easy.
They would handle the holidaydinner while she relaxed, but
Grandma Edie wasn't one to sitidle, not when there were
cookies to be baked.
I can still make the cookies,she said firmly, brushing off
her son's offer to pick upstore-bought ones.
They wouldn't taste the same.
On Christmas Eve, she tied onher faded red apron, the one

(09:50):
embroidered with snowflakes thather late husband had given her
decades ago.
She pulled out her well-wornrecipe box and smiled as her
fingers brushed across theyellowing card labeled Holiday
Magic Cookies.
As she measured flour andspices, she reached for the jar
on the top shelf her secretingredient.

(10:10):
It was homemadecannabis-infused butter,
something her granddaughter, mia, had taught her how to make a
few years ago to ease herarthritis.
A little extra holiday cheernever hurt anyone.
She chuckled, folding thebutter into the dough.
By the time the family arrivedlater that evening, the cookies
were cooling on the counter,perfectly golden, with sugared

(10:33):
edges that sparkled like frost.
The scent of nutmeg, ginger andsomething extra cozy lingered
in the air.
Everyone gathered around thefireplace after dinner, sipping
cocoa and swapping stories fromyears past.
Mia took a bite of a cookie andpaused Grandma, she whispered
wide-eyed did you infuse these?

(10:54):
Of course, grandma Edie repliedwith a mischievous grin.
My hands may be stiff, but mymemory is just fine.
The family erupted intolaughter.
Best Christmas ever, her sondeclared reaching for another
cookie.
That night there were no phones,no distractions, just warm
conversation, shared memoriesand a whole lot of love Under

(11:18):
the glow of the twinkling tree.
It felt like magic had returnedto their holiday.
As Grandma Edie sat back andwatched her family laughing,
happy and connected, she smiled.
It wasn't just the cookies thatmade this Christmas special.
It was being together, presentin the moment, wrapped in love
and holiday warmth.
Now that, she thought, is thereal secret ingredient, is the

(11:44):
real secret ingredient.
There's lots exciting coming in2025, and I hope you'll take a
minute to share some of yourcannabis-related resolutions or
goals for the new year.
And until next time, my friends, it'll be 2025.
Until then, I'm your host,margaret.
Stay high.