SLOW POKE ALLEY

WELCOME TO MY CORNER OF THE WORLD.  Break time as I sip on a HOT TEA.  Organic Prince of Peace White Tea.  If my memory serves me right, it is suppose to be good about fighting CANCER.  I just finished my second cup.  

Nibbled a slice of KILLER DAVE's Cinnamon Raisin Bread TOASTED with real grass fed butter from Ireland.  I've taken a hankering toward this creamy butter and understand that it's alright to eat REAL BUTTER.  Only had a tsp. of butter.  Twas delicious.  JACKIE KENNEDY/JACKIE O DIET continues.  Well sorta. 

I skipped the two hard boiled eggs this morning.  Perhaps LUNCH will be Cottage cheese with fruit.  I have a pomegranate that I need to use before it goes bad.  Will work in a large salad today with a variety of organic veggies. 

Weighed myself this morning.  My weight loss journey seems to be a slow poke thing as well.  I guess I will have to exercise more.  Get moving and make the most of it.  Motion is a good thing.  I am not a skinny minnie...not sure I will ever by such a creature.  I have such a large appetite.  Sipping water through out the day is good.  Eating more veggies and fruits is a good thing.  Lord...please help me shrink.  Being healthier is my goal that I am aiming at, but I need and want to reduce my size.   

Today marks the 5th Anniversary of my Mother in Law's death.  It doesn't seem possible that 5 years has passed.  I think of her often.  She loved roses.  She was a superior seamstress, liked reading Danielle Steel Books, awesome cook and decorator.  Loved her children and prayed for over 30 years for her Husband's salvation.  He'd receive Christ by the time he was 60.  She is missed by many and I wish I had been a better daughter in law to her, but it is what it is.  I'm thankful she was a loving and caring mother to my Husband and gentle Grandmother to my children.  I learned a great deal from her and miss her in many ways.  Mary Lou is her name.    

Made out my TO DO LIST for the week.  It's suppose to snow on Wednesday.  Can't believe February begins tomorrow, but am pleased that it is here as I am not a huge fan of ice cold Kansas weather knowing we inch our way toward SPRING.  I'm day dreaming about decorating the COTTAGE.  The Bathroom is figured out, the Kitchen is getting there and I know what to do in the Utility room. 

We're working on the Dining room here at our main house.  I am so slow it hurts.  Like going in circles.  One day the room will be done and that will be awesome.  I slowly pick out a few items from the junk room to get rid of.  I get distracted so easily...my mind wonders as I handle each item that needs dealt with.  Once again I am so slow it hurts.  

I've been putting together Valentine care packages for my Mom and Sister.  Need a few more items to fill the boxes.  When I'm out and about this week, I will hopefully get a few more things and be done with this week's care pkg.  Loved ones Valentine cards will be filled out this week so I have plenty of time to get them in the mail.  

Started polishing one of my Tea and Coffee Service Sets.  It is amazing how pretty the pieces look after I put some elbow grease to them.  Pacing myself cleaning a piece each day of the week until finished.  Today, I'll polish the Sugar Bowl.  This past week-end I worked over the Tea server and the lid to the Sugar Bowl.   Impressive how pretty they look.    

I have yet to polish the Coffee server which is rather large, the Creamer and the large tray as well. Adding a Sugar Scuttle with scoop to my tray of service pieces.  I suppose I can place white sugar in one Sugar Bowl and raw brown in the other with the scoop.  Or have sugar cubes in one.  Oh well, it doesn't matter much.

Hopefully I will bake some of my famous SUGAR COOKIES for February.  This will be one goal. SUGAR COOKIES!  Today, if I can get to where I want to be...I will whip up a Cherry Cheesecake Dessert without the crust.  Only cream cheese, sugar and some vanilla along with Cherry Pie Filling.  Experimenting and I hope it turns out.  Trying to cut back on so many carbs.

I am so very THANKFUL to have a washer to do my laundry.  So THANKFUL.

The miniature washing machine is whirring in the background washing socks and underwear.  I probably ought to wash a load of towels as well.  Earlier I washed a load of blue jeans and they are air drying on plastic hangers.

Lifting my spirits before snow blows into town this week, the weather is beautiful and it does affect my mood.  Off to the shower to shampoo my hair with yet a different shampoo.  I have used Dr. Mercola's shampoo twice and both times even though I thoroughly rinsed my hair it didn't feel clean afterwards.  SO I have purchased AUSSIE SHAMPOO.  I know I will like this.

Welp, I'm off to make some things happen today that need to happen.
Hair shampooed and curled.  Laundry.  Polish some Silver.  A drive about town and a trip to the Dollar Store.  Sort through more things in the junk room.  Run the vacuum.  Write some correspondences and work on Valentines.  Hang a Valentine Banner.  Say some prayers and spend quality time with my Husband.  Look over the expenses this week.  Fix a low carb Cherry Cheese Cake Dessert.

Blessings to you!
"Enjoy today, it won't come back." 
~d   

  

This Monday I am joining the fun at https://familycorner.blogspot.com/2022/01/happy-homemaker-monday-01312022.html

THE GILDED AGE, ALL CREATURES GREAT AND SMALL, AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS and 1883

TIS SUNDAY WITH THE LAST OF THE MONTH APPROACHING.  February will be here in a few days.  Valentine items will start appearing.  I need to purchase 15 more valentine cards for family.  I already ate a large box of chocolates last week as I was willing to devour every piece.  Wondering if I'm missing something in my diet like magnesium?  

Magnesium is a cofactor in more than 300 enzyme systems that regulate diverse biochemical reactions in the body, including protein synthesis, muscle and nerve function, blood glucose control, and blood pressure regulation. Magnesium is required for energy production, oxidative phosphorylation, and glycolysis.

Studying up on chocolate cravings...CHOCOLATE is a good source of magnesium. 

Some of the medicines I'm taking may be causing some health issues.

The weather is pretty nice today and is suppose to be nice tomorrow as well before we possibly get SNOW on Wednesday.  Snow.  Hubby will have a follow up eye appointment to see how he is doing with seeing spots.  Our eye doctor uses the phrase with the more birthdays we have, the more we have issues with this that and the other.  As an older woman, I am not amused.    

My Husband took a fall on Friday hitting his head, arm and hip.  He says he didn't see any stars. This doesn't help his vision challenge of seeing spots.  He said he didn't know exactly what happened.  I asked if he blacked out and he doesn't think he did.  Maybe lost his balance.  At any rate, this isn't good.  

I began watching the series THE GILDED AGE and believe the interior design is spot on as the costuming is exceptional.  The outdoor scenes of early day of the New York streets appear real as real can be.  I applaud the special effects.  The script seems a tad bit shallow though.  I'm not sure it'll keep my attention.  Shall see.  Old money verses new money.  The plot thickens.   

 

Adding to my WATCH LIST.  

I also watch
ALL CREATURES GREAT AND SMALL

AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS

1883

I would much rather watch PBS MASTERPIECE THEATRE than regular television programs.  I'm predictable that way.

Today I read PHILEMON.  Very short book of the Bible.  

WIKIPEDIA SHORT ON THIS:  The Epistle of Paul to Philemon, known simply as Philemon, is one of the books of the Christian New Testament. It is a prison letter, co-authored by Paul the Apostle with Timothy, to Philemon, a leader in the Colossian church. It deals with the themes of forgiveness and reconciliation.  

 Paul does not identify himself as an apostle with authority, but as "a prisoner of Jesus Christ", calling Timothy "our brother", and addressing Philemon as "fellow labourer" and "brother" (Philemon 1:1; 1:7; 1:20). Onesimus, a slave that had departed from his master Philemon, was returning with this epistle wherein Paul asked Philemon to receive him as a "brother beloved"(Philemon 1:9–17).

Philemon was a wealthy Christian, possibly a bishop^[1] of the house church that met in his home (Philemon 1:1–2) in Colossae. This letter is now generally regarded as one of the undisputed works of Paul. It is the shortest of Paul's extant letters, consisting of only 335 words in the Greek text.^[2]

Beginning February 1st, I will read from the Book of Genesis.  A slow pace as I read a chapter a day.  Shall see how my pace goes. 

SUNDAY BLESSINGS,

~d

PRAISING THE LORD IT'S SATURDAY WITH MY GOOD FRIEND BON AMI and THE FINE ART OF DIETING!

THANKFUL THE WEEK WENT VERY WELL AS MUCH AS WERE OUT AND ABOUT, but I am so ready to rest at HOME.  Tis Saturday.  

I have continued to sort through my piles of papers and other stuff deciding what to do with this junk.  Refreshed my mind about Marie Kondo's decluttering style and the how to fold this and that.  I like the orderly look she is well known for.  I just don't believe I can maintain the look in my real world.  The videos have been helpful and hopeful giving me ideas on what to do to have a different LOOK that's potentially possible.

SPARK JOY will help me to turn loose of much that is adding to the clutter...so I will evaluate what stays and what goes.  I have already thinned out my closet and each article is sweetly hanging in an orderly fashion.  When we relocate to the COTTAGE, I will have to thin it out some more as the closet space is completely different than what I have here.   

Does this item spark JOY?  Sometimes the spark isn't there, but the item is very necessary so the show must go on.  I will have to keep much that doesn't spark joy.  As I cleaned the POWDER ROOM toilet yesterday, the toilet didn't spark joy, but I must keep it mustn't I?  Thankful to have a porcelain princess available to use whenever.

Does it spark joy or provide relief for my weary body?  I am thankful to have a porcelain fixture like the ones we have here.  I'm presently on the look out for a taller than usual toilet for our tall frames.  When I come across a taller toilet, purchase it and have it installed at the COTTAGE, it certainly will add some joy.

I know years ago, I would dread cleaning the Bathrooms.  Dreaded it.  I had better things to do. It wasn't until I told myself, you don't have to get emotionally involved with the toilet...just clean it! This did wonders.  I don't have to be emotionally attached or involved with the cleaning...just do it and be done with it until next time.

My poor toilet has a ring in that will take more than BON AMI to scrub away.  I'll have to make an appointment with my hubby to have him use special cleaner on it to make the ring go away. For now, I will keep cleaning it with BON AMI.   

Bon Ami  (French for 'Good Friend') is a brand of scouring powder sold by the Bon Ami Company of Kansas City, Missouri. Since its inception in the late 19th century, the brand's advertising campaigns have gained particular notice.   

The original Bon Ami formula was developed in 1886 by the J. T. Robertson Soap Company as a gentler alternative to quartz-based scouring powders available in stores.  In those days, scouring powder was made from tallow and finely ground quartz. When quartz was mined, it was entwined with a mineral called feldspar, and the two had to be separated by hand.  The feldspar was discarded until Robertson discovered that this soft mineral could be combined with soap to create a less-abrasive product that would clean without scratching, resulting in the Bon Ami product.

I noticed that when I sprinkled out AJAX or COMET that there are airborne particles released into the air that can be inhaled causing health issues.  That little dust cloud can be harmful to your precious lungs and other body organs.  The same with BON AMI, but less toxic to breathe in if this so happens.

Best to not breathe in any of the particles.  
Work in a well ventilated room.  
Might want to wear a mask.  
Perhaps switch to BAKING SODA altogether.  
Now that's a thought.

  https://healthfully.com/side-effects-inhaling-bleach-5376626.html

https://biggreenpurse.com/bon-ami-cleanser/

I successfully finished my week of the Jackie Kennedy Diet.  Here it has been almost a week since I did this.

What did I learn from it?

That I could do it for a very short period of time.  I took away from it to drink HOT TEA in the morning with my Breakfast.  This I like.  Having some right now.  Also liked having eggs for breakfast, but need more than hard boiled eggs.  Scrambled eggs, poached or omelets is a nice switch from the hard boiled eggs.  Occasionally having a piece of toast was a treat.

I don't mind the cottage cheese with fruit for LUNCH...in fact I enjoyed this a great deal and I believe I will keep doing this.

Veggies with a small amount of meat
is a winning combination 
for supper.

Now I must watch the starches but sneak in healthy fats such nuts, and seeds for an afternoon SNACK.  Tis healthy and full of flavor.
A HUNGER SAVER.

I know that when I am on a strict diet, I don't do very well as everything I shouldn't eat comes to mind and that tormenting desire to eat it all is like I have to become a LION TAMER cracking a whip at angry lions in the three ring circus.  Snarl.  
 The awful creature were awakened.

I fell off the wagon...I craved CHOCOLATE.  So I ate Russell Stover's chocolates like there was NO tomorrow.  They weren't the sugar-free kind either.  A small dinner mint after eating is acceptable, but I almost ate the box the chocolates came in.  I devoured the chocolates.

THE FINE ART OF DIETING!
TAKING TIME TO EAT.

With this behind me, I can forge ahead continuing to watch the calories and write down what I ate for the day paying attention to the amount of food taken in. 
Portion control and a prayer.  
More organic veggies and fruits.
Eat smaller portions of starchy vegetables and sweets.  
Eat  s l o w l y  moving the food about inside my mouth making sure other teeth than the molars chew the small morsels.  
Chew, chew, chew until pulverized then swallow.  
Take time to eat.  
It's alright to slow down and not think about how quick can I shovel this food into my mouth so I can do something else that needs done elsewhere.  
Put the eating utensil down between bites and wait before taking the next bite.
Eat when not emotionally upset.
Use smaller plates.
Make the meal a pleasant slow paced event verses crossing the finish line first leaving the others in the dust.   

Plans today:  Tidy up messes about my chair.
Quick trip to Post Office to get a few more boxes 
for care packages to mail.
Laundry...jeans and underwear.
Vac the Living room rug.
Shampoo hair and curl it.
Go to Dollar Gen for more Valentine Cards.
Review month and plan for February expenses.
Read about health issues.
Thin out old magazines.
PRAISING the Lord for HIS goodness.

"Enjoy today,
it won't come back." 
~d

DUMB BLONDE GETS EDUCATED

TIS FRIDAY AND THE WEEK IS A BLUR.  Glad it's Friday.  MOVIE NIGHT with popcorn tonight.  We were on the road quite a bit this week.  In and out of traffic...in and out of stores.  Wore a mask while shopping and disinfected my hands with wipes once back in the car. Sometimes I swab my nostrils with disinfectant wipes after shopping even after wearing a mask. This may not sound pleasant, but neither is getting sick.  

When my nose starts to get a tad bit stuffy, I drink an Emergen-C powder mix with spring water. I know the vitamin C combats colds and helps with immune health. I found a Emergen-C Elderberry.  Actually taste good.  Just drank some.

  

We couldn't get all our shopping done in one day so it spilled over into more than one.  That's three active days of shopping within the week with some fun mixed in there for good measure. Blessed to have no car troubles while the weather is bitter cold.  We managed to have a safe and successful week of shopping.  

         

The older I get, the tireder I find myself when driving so much.  We went to 5 different communities during the week to SHOP.  Alma, Wamego, Manhattan, St. Marys and Topeka.  I'm ready to stay HOME.  Need to work on the Dining room.  Oh please. 

Today, I will putz about the house polishing a silver-plated Tea and Coffee set that's tarnished. I'd like to polish it then place it on display on a tea table.  As I am morphing into a more simplistic way to decorate, I will hang onto some of the finer things around here.  

We purchased an antennae for the COTTAGE television.  Needed an extension cord and surge protector as well.  This took us the week to gather up all that was needed to make this a success so we can watch tv while at the COTTAGE.  My dear Husband got it together and we were able to watch a program while sitting in what will be our COTTAGE TV room.

We'd been to Manhattan as I had a mammogram.  Aren't those delightful?  ha.  It took longer to drive across town than to actually have the mammogram done.  I stood at the kiosk to check-out. That was a hoot as I touched the screen the entire table it was sitting on bounced with each touch.  Kind of made me have motion sickness as I bobbed my head to read the next step in filling out the check-in.  Finished not in record time.

My technician was very fast and friendly.  She didn't even bother to take me out for dinner before I stripped down to my undies.  Alright perhaps that's not funny to some, but if I don't exercise my sense of humor, I will cry.  I don't particularly like getting mammograms and this time was no exception.  My breast stuck to the tray you place your bosom on to have it filmed.  I suppose some of that is because the breast is squished making it stick to the plate.  I forgot to say cheese and smile while my body part was being x-rayed.

Mammograms are not a fun thing to do.  I haven't had one in about 5 years.  I debated getting a 3-D (breast tomosynthesis) one and probably should have, but went old school this time.  I'm not sure if my insurance covers the expenses of a 3-D or not.  Will have to check into this.  Medicare should pay for this as it's only about $60 more than what I had. 

Just read that you should avoid caffeine and salt one to two weeks before a mammogram.  Not having caffeine in your system helps with the tenderness and avoiding salt helps with water detention.  Don't schedule mammogram before or during a period.  Nobody told me this one until I just read it.

https://www.healthimages.com/10-tips-to-minimize-pain-during-mammograms/

Anywho, I was asked by the technician if I had had a vaccine within  the last month or so. Couldn't remember if she said if it were the last month or the last two months.  Might have been 60 days.  This took me by surprise.  Like a deer in headlights.  I hadn't.  I thought about it and asked her why they needed to know that AND she said because the lymphs by the breast enlarge causing the doctor's confusion about the condition of the breast's health.  huh?  They what?

I thought about that for a second...ummm that means after a vaccine such as the Co v id vaccine and boooooster the lymphs enlarge.  Last March and April after we got our co v id vacs, my Husband who was already having issues with enlarged lymph nodes in his neck and had been informed he has non-Hodgkins lymphoma began to experience additional pain in his neck.  

With additional enlargement, he was in discomfort causing more concern about non-Hodgkins lymphoma.  After several months of this additional pain he was ready to have the enlarged lymph removed.  We went to a surgeon to chat about having it removed and the doctor said if it were him he wouldn't have this done.  He said you already have non-Hodgkins lymphoma and having this lymph removed wasn't going to cure the NHL.  

I researched about with the removal of lymph nodes, the body can swell.  Edema.  If in the lymph system it's lymphedema.  Hubby changed his mind about the surgery.  His lymph has gone back down and he is not in so much discomfort.  Now I have put two and two together connecting the dots and believe the vac caused the additional enlargement of the nodes.  I understand that after a vac, the immune system is taxed.  The immune system is weakened.

LAST FEW DAYS IN A NUTSHELL:

*Purchased a new sweater on Monday and liked it so much went back and bought two more in different colors.  Super price being on clearance for $10 a piece.

*Purchased a much needed new paper shredder which I put off for months after burning up the motor in the nice paper shredder I had.  I can continue to thin out papers.  MOVING FORWARD. 

 

*Purchased a PHILLIPS television antennae so we can watch television at the COTTAGE without buying cable which would have been an additional expense that we don't need.  Tis hooked up and ready to use.

*Organic veggies and fruits from two locations.  Natural Grocers and Dillons.  
*Finding soy-free eggs meant going to 4 different stores as Natural Grocers was fresh out.  Driving the distance we had to on two different days was time consuming meaning we were out in traffic doing our thing.  NOW I need to consider if the chickens that laid these eggs were fed corn as corn is a GMO product.

I am such a dumb blonde.  Slow to be informed about eggs.  My hubby pointed out to me some soy-free eggs awhile back and the light kind of went on.  

Soy-free?  If chickens that laid these eggs ate soy then the soy shows up in the eggs they lay. Same thing about corn fed chickens.  Duh.  With the knowledge that corn is generally GMO then the chicks that eat corn will lay eggs containing GMO corn. 

So what have I gained if eating free range eggs laid by chickens that have been fed soy or corn? Not anything.  PAID more for the eggs.  Finding these soy-free and corn free eggs will be a HUGE challenge for me living in the FLINT HILLS buying store bought eggs.  I'm not sure I can find someone that sells these kinds of eggs.  MORE HOME WORK to do.

AT TIMES LIKE THIS, I ask should I be raising my own chickens?  Finding someone who sells eggs that are corn-free and soy-free will be a doozy to find.  My imagination begins to create vivid images of what could be.  

I start having visions about being a woman walking amongst her chickens that are within a small fenced-in yard as she tosses chicken feed to her lil chicks pecking at her feet while she's wearing a long dress with an apron.  What would I be feeding them in this small fenced in yard that the chicks are strutting about?  

I suppose I ought to be careful where I step as chickens excrete waste in this small imaginary yard.  Wearing a straw hat or bonnet isn't going to eliminate the waste issue.  Eliminate...get it?  That's cheesy humor.    

*Cashed in some old car batteries and scrap metal.  This meant going to the Industrial part of TOPEKA.  It's been years since we've done this.  Langleys has quite an operation going on there.

  
*Went to God's Storehouse and it wasn't on Tuesday for Senior Discount Day.  We were over to TOPEKA and wanted to stop by as it is one of my favorite THRIFT STORES to look around and shop.  Their prices have increased as some of their clothing was marked up to $7.50 for one article.  I bought brand new sweaters for $10 at Florence Adams.  Sometimes I would rather have NEW.

  
*Medical appointment.

*Multiple grocery store stops...Hy-Vee, Dillons, Sams, Hy-Vee, Hy-Vee, Hy-Vee, Natural Grocers, Walmart, Target, Menards, Dollar General, Heartland.

  
*Fueled the car also fueled the car.

*Ate out, ate out, and ate out.  
Sugar Creek for a Rachel Salad made of turkey, lettuce, other veggies like red onion and red cabbage, cheese and Thousand Island Salad Dressing.  
Froggy's for salad with chicken.  
AppleBees for salmon meal with broccoli and garlic mashed potatoes.  
Mexican Restaurant for spinach burrito.  
Long Horns for yet another salad with chicken.  
M.J.s for a steamer.  
Starbucks in here a few times for Hubby's coffee.  

 I know that's a lot of eating out, but when we are away from our HOME for several days while out of town then we eat out.  Partly because we are gone and partly because it's entertainment.  I do my best to eat a great deal of salad and drink H2O.  Brownie Points being made.   

WONDERFUL WEEK-END IS HERE.

SHALL SEE WHAT ALL I CAN GET DONE 

AS AN OLD WOMAN 

THAT STILL NEEDS TO GET THINGS DONE.

Blessings to you,
~d

"Enjoy today,

it won't come back."

  

 

MARY TODD LINCOLN'S CHILDHOOD HOME IN LEXINGTON

BACK IN NOVEMBER 2021, we toured Mary Todd Lincoln's Childhood Home in Lexington, Kentucky.  We were in the neighborhood for the National Cross Country Meet in Paris, Kentucky.  This would be the second time we had toured this fine house. Years before when our children were young we stopped here to take a look at the house. 

The street going past the front of the house wasn't busy at all.  We were in a large blue station wagon and parked the car diagonally out front.  This time, we had to park in the back and walk the backyard gardens along the sidewalk to the front door.

I only remember bits and pieces of the interior like the Dining room table and the children's quarters.  The rest was a blur.  I was seeing it through more interested eyes this time.  Taking in all I could especially with my camera.  I'm more interested in history and interior design now then I was back in the day.  

I was especially impressed with the back yard gardens and the Parlors.  I couldn't help myself.  Many pictures were taken and I will relive this tour through them.

I hope you will enjoy the details...

If nothing else, the pictures are for me,

~d

I liked everything about the tour and wish I could go back taking more time in each room.  The multitude of pics here will help me with recalling all that I saw.

A worthwhile tour for history buffs in the making.  

~d~

 www.mtlhouse.org