Keep These Vegetables in Jars in Fridge and This Happens

DESPERATE ABOUT THE WAY THINGS ARE

DESPERATE.  Wanting to reduce my body size for many many many reasons.  My weight has begun to creep back up.  Disgusting.

Reminding myself that I want to lose weight in a healthy way though.  No pills.  Balanced meals full of dense nutrition.  Avoid empty calories.  Exercise.  Drink WATER.  

I cannot eat the STANDARD AMERICAN DIET.  The Western Diet has many additives and chemicals added to it in highly processed foods, too much bread and carbs.  I'm doomed if I do. DOOMED.  Plus if I don't get a handle on nibbling a little here and a little there...I'm in BIG trouble.

The USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans defines the standard American diet (SAD) as being too low in fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, and healthy oils, and too high in red meat, high-fat dairy products, processed and fast foods, refined carbohydrates, added sugars, salt, and calories.

I know well enough that I have an ugly habit of thinking I'm hungry so popping some morsels of food in my mouth calms the beast inside.  It doesn't work well because my beast wants food even when its not hungry.  MINDFUL EATING has to be activated.

What is MINDFUL EATING?

Everybody's BODY is a furnace.  A fuel burning furnace and if you give it too much fuel or the wrong kind of fuel, it will not be able to burn it all correctly.  If the body doesn't use it, the unused fuel goes to storage as fat on the body.   

When I eat, am I just thirsty thinking I'm hungry so I eat?  Paying attention to this.  Am I bored, upset, disappointed, nervous, or tired so I eat looking for comfort?  Am I malnourished and my body needs nutrition?  Am I starving?  Are there additives, food enhancers or chemicals in the food that trick the brain into thinking what I'm eating is so delicious that I want more?  Can't stop and don't want to?  Am I addicted to what's in the food?  Shouldn't it be illegal to allow companies to add things into the food that gets a person addicted to their product?  

Am I being lazy and grabbing things to eat that are unhealthy, but conveniently available?  Am I not planning well what will be eaten?  A QUICK FIX?  AM I eating too fast?  Is my meal unbalanced? 

Started the DANIEL DIET on Monday.  grins.  I started a diet on a Monday without thinking about it being a MONDAY.  Wasn't planned that way.  Just happened and I am doing it.  It's alright to start a diet on other days than a Monday, at the beginning of the year or at the beginning of a month. 

Monday and Tuesday, I did 💪SUPER WELL eating the Daniel Diet WAY which has no dairy, grains or meats.  Skipping fats, carbs and sugars.  Fruits, vegetables, legumes, seeds and nuts are allowed.  I've done this plan before for 21 days and lost weight.  Doing it again.  After 21 days, I will add some fish and chicken to the menu.  No bread, rice or pasta.  No sweets of any kind.  

Monday's Breakfast was skipped so I ate a large, crunchy, red apple closer to noon which many would say was Intermittent Fasting.  Drank water then drank a V8 with Dr. Colbert's Blood Pressure Support mixed in it.  Iced Green Tea in the afternoon. Was contented and waited until supper time to eat a plateful of steamed cabbage and boiled potatoes.  Drank water.

On Tuesday morning I was still contented.  Which surprised me.  grins.  Close to noon, I made about 4 cups worth of a Kale, Pecan and Cranberry Salad which had thinly sliced carrots, radicchio and thinly sliced green cabbage sticks then I added green apple, a handful of thinly sliced almonds.  The salad dressing was homemade extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice and wine vinaigrette.  CHOMPING AWAY.  

IT STUCK WITH ME ALL AFTERNOON.  Supper was a Asian Stir-Fry full of vegetables and some cashews.

Aiming for the end of AUGUST SUMMER 2024 to have lost a chunk of weight.  Crossing one finish line before starting another race.  I know I will not have reached my GOAL WEIGHT by then, but I'm sure going to work at getting there.  

If I lose a pound a week, that will be 26 and a half pounds lost.  

Will do my best to be held accountable.  I will be talking a great deal about this weight loss journey as I have to be my own CHEERLEADER...u can do it.  I will do it.  As bad as I want to ignore being so engrossed about FOOD, I am.  I have to be that narrowed minded.  It's a struggle for me and I get how people struggle with things such as overeating, over spending, drugs, gambling, sex addiction, stealing, lying, sleeping too much, sitting around too much, etc. 

The struggle is real.  It truly is.  With weight, the body craves things that it has gotten use to being fed.  Like a spoiled child, I struggle being rebellious and cranky.  I remember well when I gave up soda pop when I was 42.  I did it, but not without a battle.  We went to the movie theatre and I could smell the Pepsi in the air.  I talked to myself through this one.  

Once, I was out for a walk and walked past a pop machine in front of a grocery store where the front of the machine displayed huge soda pop bubbles.  It may sound gross, but I about licked the screen.  I stood there at the foot of the mammoth machine and hugged it.  I was paying homage to it as I was once a slave to the sugary dark drink.

The sensation passed and I went on my way talking to myself that I wanted to lick the machine.  It's a joke now.  I went for 42 days NOT DRINKING any soda pop.  Went COLD TURKEY.  After I went the 42 days in honor of turning 42 years old, I realized it was actually 6 weeks.  SO I told myself to see how long I could do this.  I am now 68.  No Pepsi, Coke or Dr. Pepper.  I went off the wagon and allowed 7-up/Sprite when ill with flu.  Back on the wagon I go.  

Before the 42 days took place, I went from drinking regular pop, switched to DIET SODA and still drank way too much.  I decided I needed to give it up.  SO I DID.  It required being PROACTIVE and changing.  It was very hard for me, but I did it.  Little by little I stopped being so focused on pop and stopped counting each day that I had stopped drinking it.  Occasionally, I do the math.

With food, a battle takes place especially when the weight has not come off then I want to buckle and say, OH WELL.  It's not coming off.  PIG OUT.  EAT WHAT EVER.  It doesn't matter what I eat.  I'm destined to be FAT  f o r e v e r.  

A different storm.  It shouldn't be as difficult as I have made it.  I told myself this morning that I AM GOING TO TAKE THE WEIGHT OFF.  DO THIS THING.  SHRINK!  One must start somewhere and stick to it.

Even with a anniversary coming up, I want to be slimmer.  This thought has a hold on me.  How many days until August 31st?  185 days.  That's 26 weeks and 3 days until my 50th wedding anniversary.  I want to weigh less than I do.  Lord have mercy.  I can talk to GOD when struggling.  

When I want to eat something NOT on the allow list then I will have to drink water and say the Lord's Prayer.  

I mustn't get cranky or lose my temper.  Mustn't.  

Perhaps by CHRISTMAS I will be closer to my goal weight.  I will not hold my breath though.  I'll get there when I get there.  Amen.  I know I have to work at it.  I mustn't think about it being such a long time getting there or the OH WELLS will hit.  

I will continue to be BUSY with LIFE and family as I journey.  I so HOPE I make it.

~d

How to lose 10 pounds in one week.

https://www.wikihow.com/Lose-10-Pounds-in-One-Week#:~:text=To%20lose%2010%20pounds%20in%20one%20week%2C%20you%27ll%20need,sports%2C%20and%20other%20vigorous%20activities.

Healthy weight loss is usually 1 to 2 pounds per week; losing 10 pounds in one week is risky, should not be done often, and should only be attempted with the approval of your doctor. To lose 10 pounds in one week, you'll need to burn between 3,500 and 5,000 calories more than you consume each day by restricting your diet to small portions of nutritious yet low-calorie foods, and significantly increasing your aerobic exercise with interval training, sports, and other vigorous activities. This goal is both risky and difficult to achieve, but it can be done.

Chlormequat: A Dangerous New Pesticide Now in People and the U.S. Food S...

SPORTS, HEALTH and WEIGHT LOSS

THIS WEEK WILL BE BUSY FOR ME AS WELL, but first...I've gotta REST.  We traveled to OKLAHOMA, so there was the 5 hour drive there and back, driving to different communities for sporting events and driving in heavy traffic while in the TULSA area.  After our visit with the kids, we drove our old neighborhood to reminisced.  Little ole Jenks is a very crowded downtown area.  The houses there in the area where we lived were very close together. I'd rather not be so crowded.  Makes me somewhat tense.

When we finally did get HOME last night, I was relieved to be HOME.  The traveling wasn't too bad so this helped with having a pleasant journey.  Some nighttime driving was necessary which is challenging.

All that we did adds up and the energy level is used up.  Will have to get refreshed.  May take a day or so.  Today, I need to go to a grocery store to fill up the fridge with organic veggies and fruits.  I have the legumes, seeds and nuts already in the PANTRY that I will be EATING as I eat the DANIET DIET for 21 days.  After this go round, I will stick with this way of eating as I HAVE TO LOSE SOME WEIGHT period.  Back to recording what I am eating and counting the calories to help me stay credible.  It works for me and it's me that I am working with on this.  Back to weighing myself.  Keeping my goal in mind.  

As I look back over things I have done to change my food program, I know full hearted enough that I HAVE TO STICK WITH THE PROGRAM in order to lose weight and get healthier.  I don't know the details, but another one of my high school classmates has died.  This was a stunner. 68.  To me 68 isn't horribly old.

You know, sometimes people like ME want to believe that being heavy is an alright thing to be. It's beautiful, blah, blah, blah.  Doesn't matter, blah, blah, blah.  I tried to talk myself into believing this for years because the extra weight I was carrying was hanging around.  I couldn't lose weight.  I know full well that the extra weight causes HEALTH PROBLEMS and early death. I had to get real with myself and get real that health problems are awful.  AWFUL.  Doing something about losing weight is doable.  It has been challenging for me and I have had to SELF TALK a great deal.  Back to promoting healthier things to eat and drink.  I've got to do this.     

With no thyroid, I have to avoid so many carbs.  With being insulin resistant and diabetic, I have to avoid many carbs as well.  Batting 1000% on avoiding so many carbs.  If I ignore this then I will remain FAT.  The extra weight does slow me down and causes discomfort. I have noticed that after I EAT  large amounts of CARBS that I get the jitters.  If I'm around my medicine cabinet then I take 2 capsules of APPLE CIDER VINEGAR to help process these carbs.  It lightens the symptoms and I feel better.  It works for me. 

Today, I return to eating the DANIEL DIET.  AND what's neat is that I am looking forward to it. This morning I had a very crisp red apple for Breakfast.  I'll be drinking a V8 soon. Mixing Dr. Colbert's Blood Pressure Support in it.  Lunch will be a veggie salad with some fruit. Supper, steamed veggies.  I won't eat late into the night either.  Drink water with electrolytes. Amen.   

I have to remind myself that I can do other things besides EAT.  At times, I believe I think eating is more entertaining than not eating.  In order to break THIS HABIT I will have to educate myself that I can do other things besides EAT like DRINK SOME LEMON WATER.  Am I just thirsty and mistaking this for being hungry?  At times, I think so.  Not earth shattering, but necessary to stay hydrated and redirect my thoughts to doing other things that are productive.  I am well able to do this.  Amen.  Is stuffing food in my mouth easier than doing other things? Yes, so I must recognize and take authority over a very BAD HABIT.    

I had blood work done last Monday and Tuesday.  Got the results back for Vitamin D and A1c. LOW on Vitamin D and my A1c was within the having GOOD CONTROL for diabetes.  I deliberately had two A1c tests done at different locations so I could compare between the in-house lab at the doctor's office (6.7) and QUEST LABS (6.4) in Topeka.  Within an 18 hours period, there was a .3 difference.  One I fasted and the other not.  Pretty close numbers.  These numbers are what is called pre-diabetic numbers.  SO am I now pre-diabetic verses being a full blown diabetic?  Not sure, but I keep hearing that diabetes can be reversed.  

I was happier with my numbers being 5.7.  I will return with full dedication to get number back in this range by watching what I eat and drink plus take supplements like APPLE CIDER VINEGAR and CEYLON CINNAMON, drinking green tea, hibiscus tea, and matcha green tea. AND I will walk.  I bought a pretty notebook especially for keeping a walking journal.     

I went back through my test results in the health portal and printed the results out for personal records so I can compare what my A1c has been since I started getting A1c tests done.  I keep track of my test results and encourage others to do the same.  DO have print outs at home and in the cloud.  DO not depend on the medical establishment to keep all your records as they seem to clean house after 10 years and you cannot get your hands on copies of your test results.  Lost in the abyss.  So they say.  They may have hard copies in the file cabinets that staff hunt to find charging fees to do so. 

Raising my VITAMIN D numbers will mean being steady in taking Vitamin D supplements every day.  D will be checked again next summer at my yearly physical.  I can do Walk-In-Lab anytime I want so in a few months I will check on it myself.  The D supplement I will continue taking is Dr. Mercola's Vitamin D3 with K2.  I understand that you should take K with D together so it works well for you.  So that's what I iz doin'.   

OKLAHOMA SPORTS EVENTS:

    

Hubby and I watched 5 sports events of our Oklahoma grandsons recently.  On Thursday, it was a soccer game that our 14 year old grandson played in.  Friday night, we watched another soccer game that our 16 year old grandson played in.  Saturday morning, we watched our 9 year old grandson play basketball.  Later, we watched our 16 year old grandson play two games.  I had bench rump after the games.  A stuff neck from the 5 hour drive to their neighborhood and a sore backside from sports.  All and all, I was worked over in a different way.

It was wonderful to get to watch them in person and we were very fortunate to see so many events in a three day period since we do not get to see them play very often in person.  It worked out well that we went to visit when we did. 

The 16 year old turns 17 today.  Time has flown.  We were able to give him his birthday card/gift in person.  Happy Birthday Kiddo. 

My afternoon is planned out.  Shall see if I can make it happen.  Hubby just went to go get the mail.  I'll wait for his return before I head out by myself for the day.  One thing I do like about when we get HOME after being away for a few days is going through the mail.  It's a treat for me.

Then I will head over to get some quarters from ze bank and go to the Laundry-mat to wash the oversize blue comforter and relax while waiting for it to wash/dry in their oversized machines.

Pick up Hubby's meds.

Drive to Manhattan to make a donation drop and get some veggies and fruits.

Make a quick trip to WALMART.  Maybe I'll mosey on this one.  Yah...mosey.  I can walk and get my steps in.  That would help contribute to getting some exercise for the day.

HOME.

And while I'm out running errands, I will soak up some sunshine breathing in some fresh air. The temps will be like SPRING today.  Hallelujah!    

Returning HOME in time to fix supper and do some more laundry.  The Dining room will be looked at so I can proceed cleaning it out.  

Another High School classmate passed while I was out of town.  It is sobering to me.  Once again I am reminded that we are just passing through.  Walking one another HOME?  How does one live?  How do I want to live?  How do I treat others?  How do I honor God with my body being a living sacrifice?  With Christ, I can live a abundant life while on earth and as I pass through, I will rejoice that HEAVEN is my destiny.  I desire to be healthier and my choices have got to be healthy ones because this matters.  It really does.  

Jesus is my savior,

~d 

 

Kitchen Tour | Small and Warm My Kitchen 🌼 Self Interior, Vintage Stylin...

I CAN'T SEE YOU

AS I WAIT FOR CATARACT SURGERY, I have my concerns about what I will experience.  Prayerfully all will go well.  This surgery has been a long time in the making.  I started seeing halos around lights years ago.  Maybe 10.  Gradually the cataracts have gotten bad enough to have surgery one eye at a time.

I went to a Ophthalmologist two years ago.  She told me my eyes were not bad enough for surgery according to medicare.  I left a bit disappointed with the verdict.  Struggled two more years with blurry vision, halos about lights and challenged to focus reading labels in the grocery stores with the items on the shelves.  Trying to read the SONIC DRIVE-IN menus was next to impossible.  Driving at night was dangerous. 

Went in for regular eye exam last year and he referred me to a different Ophthalmologist which said he'd do the surgery in 2024.  Scheduling worked something out and I've been waiting.  Now as the day approaches I'm preparing the house for when I have two surgeries two weeks apart. Then I will not  or should not be bending over or picking up heavy objects while recovering.  I will be next to helpless when it comes to working about the house.  This will be challenging AGAIN. There will be two surgeries so I will be out of commission about a month or so when the time comes.   

I pray for successful surgeries.  The other day, I was thinking about procedures I have had.  I really never thought I would have so many.  I prided myself in the fact that I hadn't had very many in my youth.  As I have aged, they have increased.  Just thinking about being healthy doesn't make it so.  It isn't mind over matter at all.  

I seem to go around the house not wearing my glasses and when we go out for a meal the glasses come off and I place them on the table.  

My Mom, Dad, and older brother all had cataract surgery.  I wish this was behind me.  

I woke around 5:00 Thursday morning and took a nap mid afternoon.  Monday and Tuesday were both action packed days.  I'm needing a rest to catch up with two days in a row that were so busy.  Laundry is going.  I fixed avocado toast for breakfast and chicken salad sandwiches for lunch.  Supper was PIZZA. 

This go round I chopped up a couple of hard boiled eggs with the avocado to make avocado and egg toast.  It turned out super good.

Started out by toasting two pieces of Killer's Dave bread in our small  oven.  While it was toasting, I scooped out the avocado into a bowl and mashed it then added about a half of a cup cottage cheese to it.  Squeezed a small amount of lemon juice into the mixture.  Peeled and chopped the 2 boiled eggs adding to the mixture.  Stirred well adding about 1/4 cup peach salsa. Stirred some more.  When the mixture was ready I topped the toast with the mixture.  Served.

It made for a delicious Avocado Toast with Egg.

Hubby cleaned on the back yard.  A large pile of trash is out by the street as the Sanitation workers come in the morning.  I probably should have worked on the flowerbeds as pretty as it was.  Weather in the high 60s.  This may be our SPRING weather before it turns out so HOT. The weather is unpredictable.

26 days until SPRING!!!  I will be walking a mile each day come SPRING.  More salads.  I have patiently waited for the SPRING.  This WINTER hit me hard, but I stayed busy going through boxes and doing my best getting settled into our tiny COTTAGE.  

I think I'm back to letting go of stuff instead of holding onto it.   That struggle of keeping stuff seems to keep creeping back.  Like being addicted to chocolate.  I'm having trouble giving it up. Take a deep breath and let go.  It will feel so much better being FREE from this stuff than hanging onto it wondering where and how I will house it.

The Dining room will be up and going in a few days before SPRING.  My goal is to work on a different room each month and make huge headway.  Moving into the Cottage getting settled to where we have a roof over our heads and getting the Kitchen situated has taken almost 4 months.  Unreal. Being realistic about the amount of time it's taking has taken me by surprise. It's ongoing.  I have seen a side of me that needs dealt with concerning having my act together. Being carefree I am not.    

The week-end will be here before I know it.  I just need to sit a bit beforehand.  I think we'll take a long car ride today and admire the beautiful weather for the month of February.  When I was dating my Hubby 50 years ago, we had the most beautiful month of February where we rode ten speed bikes thinking we were so sporty.

We were riding side by side and got distracted colliding.  Down we went in the street.  The fall tore the knee out of my bluejeans and hurt my knee.  My sister lived near by so we hobbled over to her place to get patched up.

I was young once.  In love.  Wanting a future with my Hunny.  Here we are 50 years later.  I don't think I will be riding a ten speed bike anytime soon.  Hubby still has the bike.  I sold mine moons ago.  Forget about it and go on.  Today just walking has it's place.  I still fall.  It hurts just as bad.

I'm in hopes that my stride will pick up when I walk,  

~d

THRIFT TREASURES making me a HAPPY Mamma.

 

THRIFT TREASURES.

A THREE QUILT DAY.

A VINTAGE VICTORY!  This twin size quilt probably from the 1950s was my thrift treasure for the day.  Since it was Senior discount day, 20% was taken off the price tag.  Going from $12.oo to $9.6o made me a very happy Senior.

There were two Queen size quilts that I eyeballed thinking these would be really nice for my extra bedding stash.  My camera did not pick up on the blue color as in the real this quilt is deep blue.  Like a denim.  The quilt itself is very heavy making a nice addition to our HOME. Reversible.  When the Master Bedroom is completed, the walls will be a nice white so adding color will be the magic ticket for making the room pop with some hue.  It will be by switching comforters and quilts for seasonal moods that will add some COTTAGE charm.

This is closer to the true color.

This Queen size Quilt is ivory, in great shape and 100% cotton.

The place that I shop usually has everything clean and smelling fresh.  Still I will wash the blue quilt at the Laundry-mat that has super large washing machines that will hold the weight of the quilt when it is wet.  The other two quilts I will leave alone, especially the twin vintage one.  I don't want to ruin the twin quilt to where it falls apart during the washing.  It will be more for eye candy than use.  

I found a very nice leather jacket in good shape that fit me.  Funny thing is, I gave away a leather jacket that did not fit well and talked to God about getting one that would fit me.  Found her yesterday for a great price.  $8.oo.  No complaints.

With Spring coming, the weather is still somewhat chilly.  This sweater will tie me over until I can reach my sweaters that are in the back of the Master Bedroom where I cannot get to since the room is full of boxes, a mattress and box springs.  It'll be SPRING before I can work on this room to where I can get into the chest of drawers where my sweaters are resting.  I got a great price on the sweater.

MY THRIFT DAY was a wonderful day with the weather being in the 60s.  Blue skies and no Kansas wind blowing.  It was a gorgeous day to be out and about.  Car windows were rolled down. 

We had early morning labs in TOPEKA, so we had to get up early for the drive.  Off to IHOP for a $6.99 breakfast with two eggs and two pancakes.  Blueberry syrup.  I drank water.  On the way to GOD'S STOREHOUSE, we stopped at Starbucks for a cold iced green tea.  Shopped at GS and donated a large box full of donations then drove across the PRAIRIE to our little COTTAGE HOME nestled in the FlintHills.

Gathered up some things in the house to take to storage.  While at the unit, we loaded up some art supplies to bring HOME for Hubby's studio.  From here we drove on over to Manhattan to go to ALDI's and eat supper.  Drove HOME, unloaded the Art Supplies.  By this time I had put in a long day and was ready to collapse.  

DAY WAS DONE and so was I.  Fell asleep quickly.

I know that thrifting turns my crank.  I checked my blood pressure when I got HOME and it was near perfect.  Thrifting agrees with me.  

Praise the LORD.

~d

DANGER of Healthy Eating!

IT WAS SO EASY TO CUT MY HAIR

AFTER SHAMPOOING MY MOP (hair), I combed her out, split her down the middle, put elastics in to make pigtails on both sides of head then put another elastic in each pigtail at the tip of the hair where I wanted the cut to go to trim hair, grabbed some very sharp scissors and went whack on the left one straight across and whack on the right.

Made sure the lengths were even enough, took the elastics out, combed my hair, ran some mousse through it and rolled it.  It aired dried and then I admired the decent cut I gave myself. The curlers straightened the frizz a bit and my hair looked nice enough.  

I just looked at some July pics of my hair and it sure had grown.  She needed a good trim.  She got it. I wasn't timid.  The confidence was there to go whack whack and be done.  A good three inches came off.

For the last year and a half, I think I have been trimming my hair using the butterfly method where you gather all your hair to comb forward past your chin, rubber band it or elastic it at the top of the forehead taking the ponytail in hand and trimming the loose end.  It is layered when done.  This time I just cut straight across the bottom. 

My hair had grown quite a bit since July and now she is about the same length as she was then. I've noticed that my hair is seriously thinning and each time I comb her, so much hair comes out. I don't want to go bald.  

Yesterday, I took a good hard look at her and cringed.  My hair has thinned so much I can see my scalp and becoming fly away when hanging.  Because I have no thyroid, I have blamed this thinning and losing of hair on this, but I'm beginning to think that having a vitamin D deficiency is the culprit behind this misery.

I'll be asking my doctor to check my vitamin D levels and electrolytes.  I mustn't be shy with him. Being meek and mild has its place, but I believe my delivery can be nonthreatening with my doc to where he will help me get these test.  Oddly, I will be wearing one of those mask.  I don't want to get sick from going to the doctors.  

I don't like going to the doctors.  I really don't.  Sometime in March I have to go back to Kansas City for a follow-up about my hysterectomy/uterine cancer.  Suppose to have cataract surgeries as well.  Hubby has a follow-up physical for non-Hodgkins lymphoma.  Our social life is a buzz with medical appointments.  Sarcastically, I say wow.  

PLANS THIS WEEK ARE ONGOING.  We got a late night phone call from our granddaughter that was sick with a head cold saying she and her mom were home alone and her mom had just vomited all over the place.  Could we please go get some 7-up and leave it on the porch?  Hubby to the rescue.  I'll call today and see if they are doing better.

COTTAGE NEWS.  We continue going through boxes and clearing out the Dining room.  At the end of the day I could tell we had made a dent.  Maybe we will make the goal of having a table set up by the end of the month.  Maybe.

HUBBY mentioned taking the Dining room ceiling fan down and replacing the Living room one with it and hanging a chandelier in the Dining room we bought a while back after the room is cleared out of boxes.  Our Living room ceiling fan has seen better days and is acting up.  I miss the fan so much.  Replacing it with the Dining room fan will be good.  No money involved with replacing it.  Hubby is a handyman that I am having a love affair with.  

After he does this fan exchange hanging the chandy, he said he will return to hooking up the bathroom faucet after we purchase new and tile the surround area behind the tub to continue with the bathroom remodel.  Thinking about ceiling tiles that look vintage.  Pricing this and need to find a more economical way.  SO expensive for decorative metal tiles.  The stores have plastic ones now.  Not the same.  I believe we have some looking to do for the real deal.  

As SPRING approaches, I believe he will tear out the front porch and rebuild it to look like a sweet VICTORIAN PORCH.  I'll help him as best I can.  While he is doing all this handyman stuff, I will continue tidying the rest of the house.  Once I get all this done, I can begin painting the rooms one at a time.  

With our Anniversary and THANKSGIVING in the back of my mind, I have to have the COTTAGE up and going before family comes in.  That's my goal.  Shall see what we get done.  It will be a very busy SPRING and SUMMER for sure.  Lord willing.

I can't go through boxes in the garage until the weather is stable in the 50s.  Probably APRIL before I can.  The garage will eventually be cleared out and a remodel will take place out there. When this happens, Hubby will have an art studio.  The storage side of the garage will have some furniture that's in storage units put in it.  A constant morphing along.  

That's 1) clear out the Dining room.
2) Take down the Dining room ceiling fan and install the chandy.  I'm giddy.
3) Switch out the Living room ceiling fan with the Dining room one.
4) Repair the Dining room floor where an old floor furnace was.
5) Fill the antique china cabinet full of Blue Willow China.
6) Remodel the Bathroom and closet.
7) Rebuild the front porch.
8) Empty the garage.
9) Remodel the garage.
10) Move furniture from storage unit to storage side of the garage.
11) Work at emptying the storage units.
12) Remodel the Master Bedroom.
13) Remodel the Kitchen and Pantry.
14) Remodel the Utility room.
15) None of this is in concrete.  Plans can change.
16) Rest between projects and have fun.

It seems like my haircut was the easiest thing  I needed done.  

By the time ALL of this is completed, I will need another haircut for sure.  I will have grown even older than I am.  This Summer, I will be turning 69.  Blink blink.  Time is getting away from me.  I need to get things done faster and more efficiently.  No time to be timid with the doc about health concerns.  I have been before.  I can be kind, but firm.  Gently I can say, I am not comfortable with this.  I would like more investigation to go into this issue.  

Later this morning:  A load of laundry will go into the machine.  
I need to carry some storage boxes that are in the Dining room to the Living room to where these will go to a storage unit.  
Gather up donation things to go.  
Type up Blood Pressure Journal.  
Take a bath and get ready to go to a medical appointment.  
Have a iced green tea to celebrate that I made the appointment.
Grocery shop.  
Travel HOME.  
Stop by storage unit to check on things and get the pie table out to bring HOME.  I have a place for it now.  
Run by the Post Office.  Oh, I forgot...it's President's Day and no mail is running including the Banks will be closed.  
Take a breather and rest.  
Supper must be easy tonight because I will be tired.  Easy clean-up.
I need to write a long letter to my friend in ALASKA.  
A letter to my brother.  
Wrap a small package for him and sis.in.law to mail later.  

Dedee

One of my large porcelain dolls made it out of a box this week-end and is sitting on a Parlour chair in the Dining room.  She is as pretty as ever and I am glad to have her sitting out.  Another box emptied.  Jumping up and down with joy.  Named her DeDee.  She was purchased well over 20 years ago at a thrift shoppe in Manhattan.  

I was shopping when a woman brought a bunch of her porcelain dolls in to see if the owner of the store would buy them from her as she was in a tight financial pinch.  She was sad that she was selling.  I understand.  I told her, I'd give her a good HOME and she flatly told me she had a good home.  All I could do is bow my head and buy her.  I don't recall what I paid for her, but she has sat proudly in our HOMES ever since.  DeDee is beautiful. 

PLAYED AT HOUSEKEEPING.  

MADE SOME PROGRESS rearranging the fridge/freezer.

See the cardboard boxes used for order?  Underneath one of the boxes is another box with meat in it.  Stackables.

This week-end, we made a dent in the Dining room.  Another few days and the room will be free of BOXES!  Praise the LORD.  Praise the LORD.  Praise the LORD!!!!

After watching so many decluttering videos and HOMEMAKING vids, I think I have the courage to thin MORE STUFF OUT.  Heavens...this is a miracle.  If you have followed me, you already know that I am a collector.  I probably always will be and I look for bargains.  I hope I stay prudent and thrifty while on earth.  It's one of my talents.  grins.  I give GOD praise for helping me find bargains and to change being a hoarder wannabe.  When something comes HOME...something needs to go out.  

The quicker I get things cleared out, the faster I can clean up and paint making our tiny COTTAGE look better for little of nothing.  PAINT is one of the fastest and cheapest ways to remodel/decorate.  Shopping one's HOME and rearranging things can give the HOME ENVIRONMENT a refreshed look.  I need refreshed as this WINTER has been a long one and I'm looking forward to SPRING like never before.  Fresh air and fresh outlook on LIFE.

I'm changing directions on LIFESTYLE.  Taking a huge interest in nutrition and healthier living. I can aim for a different look in decorating as well.  A new wardrobe is long over due.  LONG OVERDUE.  Simpler and more colorful.  Always something to do.  Never boring. 

Well, I'd better make some progress on the day.  It's slipping away from me.  Here's to a beautiful day with no incidents.
 

God bless you and may you have a sweet LIFE,

~d 

START OF A NEW WEEK WITH ANSWERED PRAYER and HEALTH INTENTIONS FOR AN OLD LADY

WE STAYED UP LATE BINGE WATCHING PBS.  ALL CREATURES GREAT AND SMALL.  Went to bed after 1.  That's late for my HUSBAND.  He usually falls asleep in his chair or on the sofa.  I'm the one that stays up later than late.

After watching so many movies and series the last couple of months  that are filled with foul language, CREATURES is a relief.  It is a very decent series.  I'd highly recommend it along with CALL THE MIDWIFE, DOWNTON ABBEY, THE GILDED AGE, MISS SCARLET AND THE DUKE.  Better TV than regular TV.

If a person were brought up on what is being shown in most movies and television series in this day and age, I would go so far as to say, it will warp the minds leading to foul living.  I don't usually watch award shows, but see snippets on youtube and yahoo which highlights their revealing costumes while on the red carpet.  I cringe at the excessive skin exposure being displayed.  Though many of these women are extremely wealthy with finances, the morality and character of these figures is vulgar and impoverished.  Sad and alarming that people of all ages are seeing so much skin.  

Subject matter is as bad.  A tool for moral destruction.  

We are to dress modestly.  I don't believe the cloth remnants these celebrities are wearing are modest.  Plastered images of certain women reveal the total package with nothing left to the imagination.  The mutilation many are doing to their faces to have the fountain of youth splashed across their bodies is disturbing.  They begin to have no upper lip.  Smiles disappear because the muscles are stretched too tight.  Collagen squirted into their lips and cheekbones are plumping up their features.  Then their breasts appear like small soccer balls in the chest.  Fake tans and Rapunzel length hair extensions that fall way below the waist.  Fingernails to claw for.  Tattoos galore.  Eye lashes so thick it looks like they are wearing small paint brushes.

What does all of this do to the actual human body? 

 💡💡💡💡💡💡💡💡💡💡💡💡💡💡💡💡💡💡💡💡💡💡💡💡💡

When the Dining room lamp comes on about 6:15 in the mornings, it usually wakes me up. There are mornings that I wake long before the lamp comes on.  This is a blessing to wake before the sun comes up as I for the longest time was a heavy sleeper and wouldn't wake until much later. It has been a prayer of mine to wake around 6.  Answered prayer.

It is my Husband who sleeps later now.  RETIREMENT going on 4 years.  Deserving some extra sleep.  He was constantly getting up so early to get ready for work and making a long drive to the place of employment.  He has been so very faithful in his career.  

As we work at getting settled into the COTTAGE, he is still a very hard worker.  

About three weeks ago, he dropped some canned goods outside the car as he was unloading from a shopping trip when the roads were snow packed.  Somehow one of the cans wasn't noticed as he picked up the other cans and he stepped on one causing a foot injury.  Bruising the underside of the foot.  He is still limping from this.  I suggested that he ice it 4 times a day with a bag of frozen green peas.

He ignored the advice until recently as he has suffered with foot and knee pain.  Hard headed.  It makes for a frustration to me at times.  

He has now started icing his foot and knee.  Answered prayer.

Tis a beautiful SUNDAY MORNING.  After we get better settled, we will begin our search for a different CHURCH.  In prayer about this.  I know the day will come when answered prayer has taken place.  For now, I do devotionals, read scripture from the BIBLE, meditate and think about God's word, pray, and have deep discussions with HUBBY.  I have given up on streamed in services for now.  

When I was a young girl growing up in Liberal, Kansas, the local radio would broadcast our church services.  On those Sundays that MOM didn't go to church, the radio would be on tuned in to the church service.  I remember there were times, I'd walk the long distance to church all by my lonesome.  The walk was long, but I enjoyed what I was doing.  Going by myself was an adventure.  I was safe in this small town at the time.  Not so much now as I revisited my old stomping grounds and it was scary.  Most the people I knew when I was growing up have left the community or passed away.

Making plans for a destination vacation where Hubby and I go from place to place where we have lived through the years.  We'll start out at the place we first met and go from there.  I want it to be well planned so I can reminisce our life together as Husband and Wife and I think it is appropriate as we will be celebrating our 50th wedding anniversary in August.    

ANSWERED PRAYER.

Plans for today...preparing for the week to come.  A couple of medical appointments with hopes of milder weather while out and about.  THE WORK CONTINUES with clearing out the DINING ROOM as to make it a real dining room again instead of a storage warehouse.  By the end of February, the table should be in place.  Catching up on laundry.  Making important phone calls. Thinning out old papers and greeting cards.  Watching more videos about HOMEMAKING. AND Walking! 

 

This past week, I did watch a couple old videos of JACK LA LANNE exercising.  He had an infectious personality about exercising and health.  I did very little while watching him, but have every intention of getting more physical along with his instructions as I continue to watch him. He will become my personal trainer this week.  PERSONAL TRAINER!  He lived to be 96 passing in 2011.  He would have turned 109 this year.  My goodness.  He may have lived longer if he'd been treated for pneumonia.  I wish he had been treated.

HIS LIFE STORY IS SUCH AN INSPIRATION and so is Elaine's.

Elaine, his wife is still very active at 97.  She admits to eating lots of fresh vegetables.  Breakfast of yogurt with berries and protein drinks with bananas and berries.  Lunches of baked potatoes with tuna, chicken or fish.  Exercises everyday.

"Keep moving, keep those muscles moving, move your arms, move your legs, just keep that body moving and keep the brain moving," LaLanne said. "It takes the cobwebs right out of your brain!"

FOUR TIPS TO LIVE BY:
1) Moving regularly.
2) Eating lots of fresh vegetables.
3) Always having a project.
4) Thinking positively.

https://www.businessinsider.com/elaine-lalanne-97-shares-keys-to-long-healthy-life-2023-10#:~:text=Eating%20lots%20of%20fresh%20vegetables&text=For%20lunch%2C%20she%20sometimes%20has,but%20eats%20chicken%20and%20fish.

TODAY IS THE DAY to do things that help with health issues.  TODAY.

My blood pressure this morning was 121/66 with resting heart rate at 64 beats per minute.  This is an exceptionally good reading for me.  EXCEPTIONALLY GOOD.

I usually take the first BP reading of the morning after I have gone to the bathroom, taken my morning meds, done a few chores and have sat 30 minutes or so.  Today I didn't take my BP until I had been up a couple of hours working on chores, paperwork and blogging.

I will continue sipping on electrolyte water through out the day, eating large amounts of vegetables, berries, lean proteins, occasional bread and brown rice.  Drinking hot tea and cold iced green tea.  

AND getting some walking in this afternoon.  Nothing too strenuous.

  

I ordered some of Dr. Don Colbert's DIVINE HEALTH FERMENTED GreenSupreme Food and ORGANIC RedSupreme FOOD plus his newest blood pressure support.  It arrived.  Haven't started using it yet.  Going to work it into my days.  I'll use the GREEN FOODS one day and alternate the next with the RED FOODS drinking it in V8.

I am considering ordering some of his CARB ASSIST.  Think this would help me with my blood glucose levels.

I am eating more organic foods such as vegetables and fruit.  Gave up the sugary drinks long ago.  Don't smoke, don't use recreational drugs, and rarely drink alcohol.  Cutting back on carbs and cheeses.  Switched from cow's milk to almond milk.  Eating grass-fed meats, chicken, turkey, bison, and wild caught fish.  No high fructose corn syrup.  Less highly processed foods and avoiding natural flavorings which are made in labs full of chemicals.  Taking some supplements.

  

Daily MEALS vary, but I'm aiming to have meals typically like these:

INTERMITTENT FASTING

First meal of the day around 11 is breakfast, protein drink or left-overs.
MID AFTERNOON SNACK is a small chocolate bar.

LUNCH around 4 in the afternoon of HUGE SALAD.

SUPPER about 7.  Vegetables and meat.

SNACK fruit, cheese and crackers or popcorn.

WELL, I'm off to a great start for the week.  Praise the LORD.  Praying and thinking about the things of GOD.  Slowing down to a more deliberate way of living with visiting with GOD about everything, decluttering and practicing MINDFUL EATING and better nutrition.

~d

DAILY RAMBLE, THRIFT and A PRAIRIE FARMHOUSE TOUR THAT I LOVED

FRIDAY ROLLED AROUND as I woke to snowfall.  Stepping onto the front porch, the chilly air refreshed me as I watched the snowflakes fall to the ground.  SNOW AGAIN.

I did walk to the Post Office the day before and got the mail.  Don't believe I'll be on a walk today. Next chance I get, I will walk.  Getting out of the house makes a difference with my mental health and clarity.  I so like getting out.

ON THE AGENDA today.  Laundry.  Working in the DINING ROOM folding all the empty boxes that have piled up.  Putting the empty shoe boxes in the closet to be filled.  Exercising.  Drinking water with electrolytes.  Writing out correspondences.  Getting mail mailed.  Researching on the internet.  Hugging my Husband.  Prepared questions for my medical appointment coming up. That took some doing as I don't want to forget anything.  

TIME FOR A REFRESHING NAP right now.  I decided that I will welcome the naps instead of putting myself down that I took one.  I need the quiet time to get regenerated.  Getting up before 6 in the mornings makes for a long day.  Afterwards I will get to work and enjoy the day.

No breakfast.  Lunch was left-overs and supper had better be a huge salad full of goodness. Drinking Hibiscus Tea and electrolyte water throughout the day.

With the Kitchen in better order, it is a pleasant thing to walk into the room and see it in order. Now to make order out of the Dining room so I can go ahhhhhh and get a lift to my spirit.

Last TUESDAY when I went thrifting, I purchased a LINDA STEELE PORCELAIN DOLL.  Circa 1992.  A little boy doll.  Beautiful glass eyes instead of acrylic eyes.  Cute costume. He needs cleaned up, so I will do this.  

I have very few male dolls.  This one caught my eye and was marked at a reasonable price plus my senior discount.  I did well that day as I did not over buy.

I found a couple of SPRING BLOUSES as well.  The bluejeans were too expensive so I avoided them.  If I'm going to pay $10 or more from a thrift store then I will put the money into a brand new pair from a different store.  I drew a line.

I believe the more we organize on the house, the better I will feel and the better I will be.  DINING ROOM is the next project in getting in order.  We won't remodel until we are further along.  Quick clean-up and time to think about what we will do to make the COTTAGE look like we want.

During my PLAYTIME and surfing I ran across a beautiful tour on a gorgeous Prairie Farmhouse.  Not sure where it is located, but I sure liked the way the lady of the house decorated.  I wouldn't mind imitating her style.  Out the windows I could see the flat landscape and it reminded me of where I grew up in Southwest Kansas.  Less noise with wide open spaces. My heart went ahhhh. 💗

I believe I will tour this one again.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKr1nTIuej0

https://www.youtube.com/@ourprairiefarmhouse8987

TIME TO CLOSE and go rest,

~d