SHUFFLING and HEALTH WITH DR. NOW

MY EATING HABITS ARE A THOUSAND TIMES BETTER THESE DAYS THEN THEY WERE 4 years ago.  Having gone through serious health issues, I changed the way I eat and so has my hubby.  Not bragging, but we have come a very long ways.  Still struggle with weight issues though.  

I'm not sure what to do about it.  Still learning.  

Dr. NOW seems heartless at times, but then he has to be to get people's attention.  Talk to him straight or else.

Waiting for one of his books to come to me in the mail.

Ordered a BOOK by Dr. NOW.  I've watched some of his programs on the computer.  MY 600 POUND LIFE!!!  I figure that it can't hurt to know his 1200 calorie a day meals.  High protein and fiber.  Looking forward to getting the book in a few days.

🏋🥗🏋🥗🏋🥗🏋🥗🏋🥗🏋🥗🏋

On the HOME FRONT.

SHUFFLING TAKES EFFORT AND MUCH NEEDED EXERCISE.  Hubby fixed another pantry shelf.  My head has been busy rethinking how to make the small Kitchen work better for us.  So it meant shuffling heavy dishes from under a cabinet to the pantry shelf.

Mind boggling at how many pieces of everyday dishes we have from when we were replacing things from our 2016 house fire.  We were in shock and overdid the dishes.  I don't regret having these nice dishes, but am wondering why we bought so many pieces as if we had a restaurant to stock.

I will box up some of the plates and store out in the garage to get them out of the Kitchen.  I want to relocate these overflow dishes from being in this particular bottom cabinet that's to the right of the stove and put my cooking pans there instead.  Right now the pans are on a metal cart to the right of the sink.  The main dishes I use are in the upper cabinet to the right of the stove.  Eventually, I'd like to have these on floating shelves to the right of the sink.  Dreaming of a remodel within the next three years.

ANYWHO, moving the dishes into the pantry took my breath away.   

T h e y   a r e   s o   h e a v y.   I managed to get this done, take a break and will continue later.

In between this task, I sit and go through the paper pile.  So I am MULTI-TASKING.  Seems to be the way I do things these days.  

THERE WILL BE MORE SHUFFLING BEFORE THIS IS DONE.  

I hope to go walking in the morning when the temps are milder than in the afternoon.  I'm looking forward to the walk.  I've got to get this exercise in.  Got to.  

I NEVER THOUGHT I'D BE SO INTERESTED IN FOOD, but I am.  Hopefully in a good way and when I get this under my belt where it's second nature to me, I will not be as obsessed.  

In the mean time...I'm learning and that's what it's about.

Blessings,

~d🌸

I eat a whole bowl and lose weight! No diets! My mom lost weight fast! H...

EPIPHANY

I bought some candles like this for my 2024 CHRISTMAS TREE.

LEAVING THE NATIVITY SCENE OUT UNTIL JANUARY 7th.  Epiphany is January 6th.  This will be a time to think about when the WISEMEN worshipped the LORD and brought the BABY JESUS gifts.  Epiphany is as much a part of the CHRISTMAS SEASON as any of it.  The reason for the season is celebrating JESUS.  His wonderful birth.  

I mustn't forget how majestic it all is.  The twelve days of Christmas concludes before Epiphany takes place.  This time of the season tis almost here.  

Like the Wisemen giving gifts to the LORD, we imitate gift giving to others at CHRISTMAS.  

How many of us would be better off waiting until the AFTER CHRISTMAS SALES takes place to purchase greatly discounted gifts that we are going to give to someone so the spending fits our budget?  It's not unheard of to purchase things at 50-75% OFF during this time.    

I did well this year and placed things back on the shelves saying and knowing, I do not NEED that.  This year, it felt rather good to put things back knowing I would LIVE not having to buy everything on a whim.  

I get excited when looking at what has been marked down.  This is usually when I purchase CHRISTMAS decorating items and small gifts for the next CHRISTMAS.  This year I purchased a decorative white Polar Bear that paired up with a smaller one I bought last year.  The small one has a baby cub at her feet.  I enjoy the battery operated candles so I purchased two sets of these that I will try out when I come across some batteries.  All 66% off.  I'll place these out somewhere in the COTTAGE now and use throughout the cold months for a warming affect.

HOBBY LOBBY had a box of miniature white candle sticks much like the picture shown at the beginning of the post that will be attached to a small CHRISTMAS 2024 tree. I would have gladly purchased more if they had any.  Fantastic price after the mark down.  Otherwise the price was way too high.    

I'll leave the garland out that I have placed about the interior of the house for at least during the month of January then they will begin to disappear with February coming.  I'm not sure I will get any sewing done where I could make stuffed hearts to dangle from the greenery.  The heart shape is one of my favorite shapes.  I've made small stuffed hearts before and found great contentment in making them and displaying them.

A BIG SPLURGE this AFTER CHRISTMAS SALE was a dollhouse kit that was marked way down.  Hubby said he was going to buy this for me for a late CHRISTMAS GIFT, but he was right on time.     

We have plans of having a studio in the new year where I can work on the dollhouse and leave it out not having to put away.  When I get it finished, I will display it in the small VICTORIAN BEDROOM since it is a Victorian House Dollhouse.  I have personally eyeballed this model for about 5 years.  Well, we did it and bought the dollhouse.  I enjoy miniature dollhouses and look forward to attending a Miniature Dollhouse Show in Kansas City this coming SPRING.  This will be A TREAT!

Today, I have rested, worked on the KITCHEN cabinets making a TEA CABINET, emptying some boxes, did paperwork, studied up on LIVING MORE WITH LESS book by Doris Janzen Longacre, thumbed through a Harvey House Cookbook, researched about nutrition and diets.  It has been a relaxing afternoon gray skies and all.  The weather is very cold and I need to stay inside to get rested. When I have a very busy day out and about, the next day is what I call a down day to rest up.  I know I cannot go at a fast pace each day.  I get weary.

Our 'lil CRUISER that a deer hit last October, has an appointment to have the windshield replaced.  I need to make my trip count while traveling from our COTTAGE to Manhattan so I will go looking for a new pair of bluejeans and some greeting cards probably at WALMART.  I pray they have a pair of affordable bluejeans that FIT so I don't have a FIT.

I did very well today on my LOW CALORIE DAY.  No hunger pangs.  Only once did I want to eat a tablespoon of peanut butter as I was shuffling food items about the KITCHEN cabinets because I moved the peanut butter containers.  I ignored the urge!  I will continue to have another low cal day on Thursday.  Three in a row then I add more calories for a couple of days.  Do another round of low cal days and more calories.  I wonder if I can just do this until the weight falls off?

Part of my LUNCH meal is eating 5 saltine crackers with mustard.  I liked it.  Who would have thunk it?  I forgot to drink some buttermilk.  Better luck next time.

With New Year's Eve coming, I will make some white chocolate covered pretzel sticks with peppermint dust mixed in for my HOLIDAY TREAT.  When the clock strikes midnight and the NEW YEAR officially begins...then I must respect this and return to a strict food intake.  My goal in 2024 is to give up BACON and other pork.  This will take a HUGE amount of discipline from me as I like BACON from time to time.  

I might have an EPIPHANY of my own if I successfully do this.

~d

  

HOW ARE WE GOING TO MAKE ENDS MEET

UP EARLY and off to TOPEKA on Tuesday.  Stopped off at MJs for a almond milk steamer to sip on as I drove to TOPEKA.  Certainly was good.  Headed to GOD's STOREHOUSE to make a donation.  Donated a car load of goodies then walked about in the store.  Oh my goodness...did we ever have a load to get rid of.

I should feel so much better, but then in the back of my mind I know I am not anywhere close to being finished with all the decluttering and downsizing that needs done.  At my age, I need this slow paced thinning out.  I cannot work very fast at this and there is much to do. Still have to have fun with life and not work all the time on the downsizing projects. 

Making a small dent in the downsizing.  Very small.  If I can change my attitude then perhaps it won't wear me down so.  Keeping it all straight is taking an effort for me to think it through. Figuring what will fit in the COTTAGE and what won't.  What to keep for sentimental purposes and function collide inside my mind.  Believe too many BRAIN cells are being used to think about this task.

Another class mate passed away at 66.  I remember her well.  She had the prettiest eyes. Unfortunately she got into using drugs and it affected her health, her well being.  I know that I am older.  66 isn't exactly young.  Last summer after my favorite cousin was killed in an auto accident, I found out that I am what is called elderly.  65 is what is considered elderly.  I was taken aback some as I thought 80 and up was elderly, but not according to technicality.  65 is elderly.

So much of what I have in my HOME, Carriage House, Garage, Basement is not sacred.  It's just stuff.  I believe I have had an epiphany about STUFF.  I thought I needed to hang onto so much in case I needed to sell it later to help with finances.  I was busy building up an ESTATE.  And I did.  I built it up and up and up.  

When it comes to selling things to liquidate for cash, you have to have a buyer, don't you?  If you have no buyer then the things hung onto are just taking up residence in your personal space. The inventory gets in the way.  You may or may not get the price you're asking for.  If you're not famous or you don't have what others are looking for then what you have to sell may not sell at all.  

Donate and be done with it.  Donating sometimes is better use of one's time.  BUT selling things that bring in a larger amount of money is time better spent.  Nickel and dime-ing this stuff requires so much time and effort, I don't believe it's cost effective.  

True, every little bit helps, but if you are spending most of your time dealing with nickel and dime items, it's not good use of time.

Life is too short to be nickel and dime-ing it all the time.  I call it Hare Krishna-ing at the airport. The Hare Krishna volunteers get nothing.  They put in the labor and get nothing out of the hours they stand around collecting donations to feed back to their mother organization.  The volunteers are slaves to a religious organization that could care less if their minions are well or not.  As long as they bring in cash to feed the mother organization then the Hare Krishna minions are useful to their god. 

My time and energy must be better used.  When you sell things at a garage sale for nickels and dimes, it doesn't add up very fast.  Too much time and energy is used when dealing when Hare Krishna-ing stuff. 

Free at last, free at last.  Thank God almighty, I am free at last.  I am turning loose of stuff.  Seeing the error in many of my ways is liberating, healthier, better use of TIME.  SO back to gathering up things that need to go away and set myself free of being a slave to things that take up too much living space.  No need to hang onto.  Even if I sold all the small stuff it wouldn't make much money.  I will turn loose of it and cut my loses, go on and be free.  

The drive over from our house to TOPEKA was really a nice one.  Temps were rising and I expected it to hit 95.  

THRIFT SHOPPING...A dollar bracelet, some pool sticks, a Daniel Plan Book with manual.  I turned a Cracker Barrel doll down.  No glassware or clothing.  Low spending today for us. Impressive.  

Loaded up and drove to LONG JOHN SILVER's for Lunch.  
2 pieces of fish: 200 calories, 
0 for the malt vinegar, 
cole slaw 170,
2 hush puppies 150, 
green beans 25, 
crumblies 170,
iced tea 0 to drink.  

A whopping 715 calories altogether.  

Critical analysis over meal...
instead of 2 pieces of fish, eat only 1 (100).  
Eat two sides of green beans (50) avoiding the Cole slaw.  
1 Tbsp of crumblies instead of 1 oz. (?)
1 hush puppy (75).  

Closer to 250 calories instead of 715.
Perhaps  I should have thought this one over and not eat so much.
Pat myself on the back for drinking 0 calories and no dessert.

SUPPER would be a meatless meal full of flavor and nutrition that would be satisfying. Only 340 calories!    
1 baked potato with real butter (197).
3 large carrots (75).
2 cups of steamed broccoli (68).

After thrifting we went shopped SAMs.  This one hit us in the pocket book.  Didn't go to Natural Grocers as we pretty much got all we needed at SAMs.  Fueled the little car and that one hurt.  $63 for our lil cruiser.  

We talked about how we will manage paying more at the pump.  I'm guessing that gas will hit $7 a gallon by the end of summer and then come back down in the Fall to about $4 a gallon.  We'll think that the $4 a gallon is wonderful instead of $7. This is an old trick to ease the masses into thinking the higher prices aren't so high after all.  

Everything will raise in price...groceries, medicines, fuel, etc.  So just how will we make it? Adjust the pocketbook spending. 

Not using our imaginations can cost us more in the long run.  I've learned the hard way.  Use our imaginations and don't be scared to try or lazy looking for an easy way out.  Roll up your sleeves and get our hands dirty.   

Look for bargains and only spend the money if the item is truly needed.  Wants and Needs definitely are two different things.

Stay HOME and drink homemade tea.  Grow a garden.  Wear second and third hand clothing. Check movies and books out from the Library.  Go to free events good for family fun even if you don't have young children to entertain.  Do without.  Thrift shop.  Barter.  Have more Church and family/friends meals together where everyone does pot-luck.  Lend, share...borrow. Make more things from scratch.  Live off the grid.  L I V E.  Swap recipes.  Do clothing swap parties. Garage/yard/estate Sales.  Read more.  Draw.  Don't eat out unless it's for a birthday or anniversary.  Cook/bake.  Walk more.  Sit more.  Ride a bike.  Write more. Think more.  Leave the lights off.  Burn kerosene lamps.  Catch rain water.  Wear a sweater when it's cold.  Build up your immune system by taking vitamins, minerals, enzymes. Eat more vegetables...eat less meat. Stretch the meat.  Eat slower.  Eat less.  Pray more.  Study up on how others get by.  Fix more things yourself.  Embrace the change and don't freak out. Don't panic. Use real plates and wash after using.  Use real diapers and not throw aways.  Repair all that you can.  Live a clean LIFE. Don't smoke or buy cigarettes and cigars.  Don't drink or buy alcohol.  Don't buy sugary drinks like soda.  Don't gamble.  Don't use or buy illegal drugs or narcotics.  Don't spend money needlessly.  Don't overspend.  Rethink before spending money.  Save more money by actually saving money.  Put your change into a jar.  Have board game nights.  Laugh more.  Clean out and organize every nook and cranny.  Write long letters and snail mail them.  Visit more with your spouse and children, neighbors, friends and family.  Ask questions,  share information about how to do things yourself.  Sew. Take up a cheap hobby.  Finish a project that was put away years ago.  Eat less process foods, eat more home cook meals and baking.  Teach yourself a foreign language. Learn to play an instrument. Sing.  Dance and walk in place.  Count your blessings. Downsize. Stay HOME.  Live on less. Save more money because you need to.  Let your imagination be creative.  Create.  Stay calm and be not afraid.  Stay out of debt as best you can. Honor your debts and be honest.  Don't lie, cheat or steal.  Be of good cheer for Christ has overcome the world.  Pray for wisdom.  Pray.  Amen.  Be creative and create.  Don't emotional BUY.  Never go shopping for groceries when hungry.  Know what you own and use it.  

When times are tough, we have to be tougher than the circumstances and remember that we are not animals, but have been created in the image of God, a eternal being.  We're eternal beings.  Touch the hem of HIS garment in faith and don't faint.

How are we going to make ends meet?  

Remember that you are the head and not the tail,

~d

      

NO SNOW...JUST COLD

WOKE TO NO SNOW.  Only gray skies and chilly temps of 19 degrees.  Am I disappointed?  A little.  Last night I psyched myself up before going to sleep about waking to a fresh layer of powdery snow covering everything within sight.  No such luck.  I'll get over it. Surely, I will.  It will be rather cold today, all day.  Bah-hum-bug.

Yesterday, I forgot to pay the utility bill.  Completely zoned out about it.  So, it'll get paid today with a late fee attached.  I was trying to recall how I could forget.  What was I doing that would occupy all my brain cells to where I wouldn't even think about it?  I'm either getting really good at A) relaxing to the point that the bills don't bother me in the least or B) I'm slipping.  

B) Slipping.

In an attempt to make LIFE more care-free, I forgot.  I had no recall about this bill until this morning when I read it is the 17th.  Oops...yesterday was the 16th.  Bill overdue.

I need to NOT FORGET certain things without anxiety about them.  I'll always have expenses as long as I'm alive.  We all will.  Still, I have to do better than to forget/forgetting.  Not earth shattering or life threatening...I'll write the check out and deliver it today.  I can slip it in the mail slot and they will receive payment with a late fee.

There was a time that I was never late on any of my bills.  Always early or on time.  To completely forget makes me wonder if I'm entering into a phase of life where I am more forgetful?  I must sit down and write all the checks out in one setting at the beginning of the month and have them ready to go.  I believe I must do this.  I just haven't gotten to where I am doing this.

No worries.  Forge ahead and accept that I must do business matters in a different way. Continue on old woman and be more diligent.  Reviewing how my day went yesterday.  

HEALTH JOURNEY.  DAY ONE on a food program different than what I'm use to. NEW DIET!  Another attempt to lower my weight.  Very restricted and easy menu.  I got through day one alright, but could tell at bedtime that I wanted to pop food in my mouth.  I talked myself out of it, drank some water and went to sleep.  Slept like a rock.  I successfully had a very low cal day!  Pat myself on ze back.  

After tallying up what I had eaten since Sunday, I needed to have a very low cal day.  I was victorious in having that kind of day.

DAY TWO started and I slowly ate three organic soy-free scrambled eggs made without oil or butter along with a mug full of hot Matcha Green Tea to drink for Breakfast.  Meal number one in my tummy

Lunch will be in the afternoon.  3 hard boiled eggs, an organic apple, and Matcha Tea.
Snack:  Carrots and cucumbers.
Supper:  A bowl of Stoneground Scottish cooked oatmeal sprinkled with Ceylon Cinnamon, 1/4 cup of walnuts and a handful of strawberries and blueberries.  No tea.  Water.

Tonight's Supper will be similar to last night's Supper:

Evening snack: Apple and Hot Matcha Green Tea.

Tomorrow I will rearrange my menu having cooked carrots with cucumbers to the side for my Lunch.  Two days in a row I have not been able to eat as often or as much as the diet suggest. Today, I didn't work in the veggies of carrots and cucumbers in between the meals for snacks.  I also doubt that I will have my second apple this evening as I am full from Supper.  Shall see. Another victorious low cal day.  

The incredible edible egg, organic apples, carrots, cucumbers, oatmeal and Matcha Tea are the staples in these 10 days.  Simple and easy to do.  The hard bit is actually doing it.  10 days will go by rather quickly and then I will step on the scales and see if the magic took place.  

Onto a DANIEL DIET also the COLOR WHEEL FOOD PLAN.  This is when I will flood my body with a variety of vegetables and fruits.  It has been eye opening to me eating a variety of vegetables and fruits that I seldom ate when growing up.  I have to say, this is a healthy way to dine.  I can eat simple and stay entertained at the same time.  

Slowly and throughly chewing each morsel from a small plate.  This is an unhurried time that I have deliberately orchestrated to eat in slow-mo laying my utensil down more than not.  Actually not continuously eating one bite after another until the meal is gone is a conscious choice to not shovel in.  I make the decision to eat slow.  Taking my dear sweet time when eating doesn't come natural to me.  I have to work at slowing down. 

Reclaiming order at our estate and entertainment.

I continue sleeving paper in sheet protectors so as to make some notebooks to have on the shelf about inventory.  No walk today.  Movie tonight.  

I watched the 4th episode of The Gilded Age, A Long Ladder.  The scenes in this series are so short, I cannot drink in all there is to see while in the highly decorated rooms or what the fine upstanding people are wearing.  I can only imagine how many hours of labor went into each clothing article.  With the scenes being so short, there has been a great deal of time and expense that was put into each scene.  This technique of short scenes is suppose to keep ones interest where the mind doesn't wonder.  Instead, I cannot soak up all the details that interest me and I become flustered.  Moves too quickly for me.

Perhaps this is intentional in the minds of the creators to keep me on edge and flustered knowing that I will more than likely rewatch the episode.    

There is nudity in this episode.  If the scene where the hired hand gets into bed with Mr. Randall unannounced to him as he is sleeping, were shot from a different angle, the same message could have been conveyed to the viewer without frontal shots revealing so much skin.  I suppose the producers are appealing to the masses that want to see flesh.  An adult themed series where young children should not be viewing.        

Also watched THE EYES OF TAMMY FAYE.  A 2021 Drama/Romance movie.  

In the 1970s, Tammy Faye Bakker and her husband, Jim, rise from humble beginnings to create the world's largest religious broadcasting network and theme park. Tammy Faye becomes legendary for her indelible eyelashes, her idiosyncratic singing, and her eagerness to embrace people from all walks of life. However, financial improprieties, scheming rivals and a scandal soon threaten to topple their carefully constructed empire.

    

This movie has a pretty good portrayal of Jim and Tammy through the years with their costuming and their impersonations being spot on.  The Actress Jessica Chastain imitates Tammy Faye's singing style and personality very well as Andrew Garfield has Jim Bakker's voice down pat. Both were very convincing to lil 'ole me.  

There were a few things in the movie that I question happened such as when they implied that a very pregnant Tammy Faye at 8 months was sexually active with another man other than her husband...I wasn't sure what to think.  

I don't question that at one time she interviewed a HIV homosexual man.  She did.  This man is still alive today, but she passed away in July 2007. 

Did Tammy Faye do a program about sexual dysfunction and pumps?  We'd check about this and she did indeed do such a program.

When I lived in Texas, I watched in real time on television the true drama unfold when a crying Jim is escorted to a car with handcuffed hands hidden under his jacket.  I'd read about this PTL dilemma when it fell apart.

In the movie, there is a scene where Jim interviews Colonel Harland Sanders who was a member of the Table Mountain Masonic Lodge #124.  A few years back I watched this 1979 interview on YouTube.  Still there to watch.

After the movie, I tuned in to the YouTube video where Jerry Falwell talks to the PTL audience. Noticing a multitude of hand signals by JF surprised me.  Was Jerry Falwell a player in the world of a secret society or freemasonry?  I wondered.  So I checked it.  He was indeed a freemason. 

I was curious why so many churches say nothing about the evils of Freemasonry...I think I know why.  Now I get it.  Because a church says it's a christian church, it isn't necessarily one.  So many Freemasons have infiltrated the churches filling high level positions like they have been encouraged to do by the freemason's teachings.  It is easier to deceive people when the leadership is on a agenda different than from the teachings of Jesus.  There is a push to not focus on being born again and many churches leave out that Jesus is the way to the Father.  There's a concentrated effort to support that all religions lead to heaven when it is through the Lord Jesus, the only begotten son of God that saves us, gives us salvation and eternal life when we accept Him as our savior.          

~d

 

John 8:12 - Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

Ephesians 5:8 - For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:

1 John 1:5 - This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.

1 Peter 2:9 - But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:

Psalms 27:1 - (A Psalm of David.) The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

   

THERE IS HOPE. IT IS CALLED CHANGE.

PRAISE THE LORD.  My latest lab results were in the medical portal.  My blood test for the A1c was very good!!!  I was delighted reading the A1c was lower than April's numbers.  My number in April was 7.  Today's was 5.9 which is within a range that says it is very well controlled.  I was truly happy and relieved.  I'll continue working at this plus lose weight.  

My cholesterol continued to be high.  I will see about deliberately eating foods that help lower cholesterol.  I'd prefer not taking meds/Statin drugs.

How to lower Cholesterol numbers?  What to eat and what to do:

• Eat plenty of soluble fiber. Foods high in soluble fiber help prevent your digestive tract from absorbing cholesterol. These foods include

  • Whole-grain cereals such as oatmeal and oat bran
  • Fruits such as apples, bananas, oranges, pears, and prunes
  • Legumes such as kidney beans, lentils, chick peas, black-eyed peas, and lima beans
• Avocados.
• Choose healthier fats such as lean meat, nuts, and unsaturated oils like olive, and avocado oils.
• Limit foods with cholesterol.  If you are trying to lower your cholesterol, you should have less than 200 mg a day of cholesterol. Cholesterol is in foods of animal origin, such as liver and other organ meats, egg yolks, shrimp, and whole milk dairy products.
• Eat lots of fruits and vegetables. A diet rich in fruits and vegetables can increase important cholesterol-lowering compounds in your diet. These compounds, called plant stanols or sterols, work like soluble fiber.
• Eat fish that are high in omega-3 fatty acids. These acids won't lower your LDL level, but they may help raise your HDL level. They may also protect your heart from blood clots and inflammation and reduce your risk of heart attack. Fish that are a good source of omega-3 fatty acids include salmon, tuna (canned or fresh), and mackerel. Try to eat these fish two times a week.
• Take Metamucil. 

THERE IS HOPE.  IT'S CALLED CHANGE.  

I have changed my eating habits the last 4 months. I lost weight and lowered my A1c.  I will continue watching what I eat and drink spring water. For now, I cannot do another round of the Grapefruit Diet/Mayo Clinic Diet as strict and limited as it is.  I had some issues and cannot continue.  

Soooooo, I will return to eating a larger selection of organic veggies and fruits documenting everything I eat through My Fitness Pal.  Then I print each days foods and know the calories. 

Cut back on the meats, but when I do eat meats, I will strive to eat grass-fed organic beef and organic chicken.  Lean foods like turkey and fatty fish.  Eat legumes, nuts, organic eggs for protein.

Avoid grains and go easy on the dairy.  Seldom will I do sweets even sugar-free sweets.  Use olive oil and take supplements, minerals, vitamins.

I'll drink 4 oz. of organic, unsweetened grapefruit juice after my meals if we are at HOME.  Drink V8 for Breakfast.  Continue with lunch time salads.  Supper will be a meat selection with steamed or cooked veggies.  Evening Snack will be 1 cup popcorn.  Bedtime snack will be 2% Hormone Free Organic Milk or organic tomato juice.   Throughout the day I will drink Spring Water and on occasion unsweetened Iced-Tea.

Here's to another round of CHANGE.  I will see if the Doctor wants my Cholesterol checked again in 4 months.  I will let him know that I would like to work at lowering this naturally and continue to lose weight at the same time.

I was reading about how to break a plateau with weight.  I think it is challenging to say the least. I am to eat around 1200 calories each day and then a couple days a week I am to drop the calories to about 800 calories a day.  I thought this was unhealthy, but the sight this came from was a medical one.  I had been eating between 600 and 800 calories on some days on the Daniel Diet, The Color Wheel Diet and the Grapefruit Diet.  SO I will continue to not overdue it.  

Strive for 1200 calories a day and occasionally have a 600-800 calorie a day then go back on 1200 calories.

Lord, help me to lose weight in a healthy way.

TODAY WAS ANOTHER PRODUCTIVE DAY.  Before I went to the COTTAGE today, I dropped my Hubby off at the Coffee Shop and went to the THRIFT Store down the block to where he could walk a block to join me after getting his coffee.  

First thing in the door I spied a very pretty canister set from Cracker Barrel.  Score.  I am wanting the COTTAGE to have a bird theme in the Kitchen.  This was perfect and the price was great.  $6 for the set.

As my Husband walked into the Thrift Shop, he saw me checking out and he said, "It's a good thing I have coffee."  grins.  I said these will go straight to the COTTAGE.

We drove over across the river and went straight to the COTTAGE.  He continued working on the flowerbeds while I went through boxes.  

He dug a HUGE tree stump that was embedded in the ground out of the yard that has been there for years.  This was a work-out and he did it.  Also he dug out a huge chunk of concrete out of the ground that held a circular clothes line.  Trimmed some overgrowth.  He was successful today.

I felt like I made headway going through boxes of books and other items.  Still have more boxes of books to go.  They kept appearing as I worked the bedroom.  How many more??? 

ONE TREAT was when I came across childhood artwork.  Some of the pieces I do remember from my Grade School, Junior High, High School and Freshman in College days.  The Elementary School ones were awful.  So so bad.  Fun to look at on this day where I was trying to quickly plow through boxes.  This one made me slow down and look at each drawing.  Regressing some.  

I managed to shuffle a small buffet out of one room and scoot it over in front of the Living room bay window to hold a television set.  I wished I had taken a picture to show.  Had exercise equipment where the buffet would go so it had to be relocated to where the buffet once was.  A switch-er-roo.  I was sweating when I got done.  

Friday, I hope to return to the COTTAGE and work at clearing out more stuff from the Master Bedroom.  There is so much stuff in there it isn't difficult to see that hours of work will go into clearing the room out.  

I have it in me to do this thing.  I am well able to do this thing. 

Only one box went to GOODWILL tonight.  Hopefully tomorrow, I will have several boxes to donate.  The more the better.  

The more the better.  Lord, Please help me to make QUICK work out of this clean-up.  Pulling all the stops out.

There are three maybe four huge boxes that hold office things of my Husband's.  I think I need to empty the boxes onto the floor in neat piles and allow him to go through these piles and say yah or nay.

We were tired when we quit today.  Loaded up in the car and went to Menards in Manhattan needing Peat Moss to work into new flowerbeds, some flower containers for repotting the white Geraniums and bottled water.  We grabbed Supper and ate under a shade tree.  HOME looked good to me tonight as I am very tired.

The sun was a vibrant orange and the picture doesn't do it justice.  It was so pretty to see. 

A very full day.  This past week has been one of the busiest weeks I have had in a very long time.  My energy level is good and I have a drive in me to get 'er done.  May it continue.

Now to unwind and relax watching you tube videos about organizing, renovating old houses, taking tea, beauty tips and what ever.

God bless and all the best,

d👵 

PRODUCTIVE WEEK-END

I had a very productive week-end.  Very productive.  That's a great way to be when after so much of what I'd call down time has taken place.  August 1st arrived with a little cooler temperature, but heavy on the humidity.  This week it's predicted to be somewhat cooler than in the 90s.  Perfect weather to plow up ground for future flower beds over at the COTTAGE across the river.  

Determined to make headway on going through a multitude of storage boxes at the COTTAGE. Also Upstairs in what I call the Victorian room, I sorted through things I cleared out of the linen closet that isn't used for linens.  A huge assortment of grooming supplies and odds 'n ins.  I started gathering the items that have not been used for about a year and placing them in a big plastic bag that once held a blanket or bedspread, that I'll turn loose of.

I have some older bedsheets and pillowcases that I will find a different home for them.  It is alright to have a couple of spares on hand.  AND I do.  So I need to thin out these oldies.  My mind races as to how did I ever get so disorganized and behind.  BOLDLY BEHIND.  Then I have to remind myself that it hasn't been too many months ago that I could not walk because of my feet aching so or stand more than 10 minutes due to back pain that flared up.

I feel like I have been spinning my wheels and now I need and want to do something else like sew a quilt, write a book, take a walk, garden, paint.  

Everyday I need to make huge progress on tidying up this house, going through our belongings and figure out what I need to accomplish fixing up the COTTAGE.  Yesterday, I was fortunate enough to empty several big boxes making a dent in the Master Bedroom.  Pitching some of the stuff and making a pile to take to GOODWILL.  Off I went to drop off a donation.

That felt good.

I feel an urgency in my spirit to make quick work about this.  Life is too short to be in limbo.  So the stuff is going away and I have peace about this.  Quickly.  Get.  This.  Done.  

Yesterday, I didn't go to church.  Instead I stayed HOME and meditated on scripture.  This gave me peace.  I worked on thinning out the papers in baskets beside my recliner.  It amazes me how quickly this area becomes a messy mess.  I made headway!  Have a couple more hours of work to do on this.  

Having papers filed and not having so much paper has to be a reality.

The upstairs bathroom was tweaked a little along with the Victorian room.  The messes took over and I let it happen.  I could hang my head in shame, but what good would that do?  The past is the past...the present is a present we can give ourselves.  The future holds the unknown.  With less clutter about me, I will feel better. 

I watched some more videos about the KonMari Method.  I believe I will continue to fold t-shirts and jeans, maybe fold some socks the KonMari Way.  Being super neat has it's benefits, but I don't think I will thank the house for protecting me.  I will THANK GOD for that and not an object like a house.  If I KonMari the entire house, I'd have a very nice set-up.  Using all the space as best as possible, the COTTAGE will require this as it is extremely tiny.

I am doing a lot of thinking about what to turn loose of and what to put in the COTTAGE.  After my favorite cousin died, I believe I need to work quicker than I have to getting the COTTAGE fixed up, doing repairs on our big house and get use to idea of having much order, disposing of old papers, downsize my wardrobe, have order, order, order to make a comfortable living space for two adults in their 60s heading toward 70, Lord willing.  Denice's death has seriously affected me.  I knew I needed to thin much out, but now I know I must do so.  

I played a game of checkers with my hubby.  It was a close game, but I won!  I got a kick out of that.  We haven't played checkers or other board games in like... forever.  It was actually fun.

A load of bluejeans were washed and hung to dry outside.  Tomorrow I will try to get a couple of loads done as well.  

This evening, I will need to return upstairs and work some more in Victorian room so I continue to make progress.  Earlier my back  started to ache and that wasn't expected.  It has been doing better.  Maybe I just overdid it this weekend.

Time was spent studying up on decorating small victorian bathrooms so I can get some more ideas about colors and textures for our small bathroom.  Trying to make it as functional and pretty as I can.  The small walk in closet, I believe I just about have it figured out.  When we downsize to the cottage, I will not be using all three bedroom sets.  

Our Master bedroom has a Tallboy/Highboy that we bought at a thrift store a couple of years ago.  It was in rough shape as the legs needed serious repairs to it.  My talented Husband repaired it.  I hate to put it in storage or sell it so I came up with the idea to place it in the walk in closet.  I believe it will fit and become a very useful piece of furniture once again.  I have a general idea how I want the closet to look and function. 

We have been visiting about our future flower beds at the COTTAGE.  This week I hope the backyard will be worked on preparing for the Irises new location.  Hubby has drawn up some plans and I think he has a great plan for our future.

This week is the start of AUGUST 2021.  My plans are to reduce another 10 pounds.  A goal that I pray I achieve.  This week I will be having labs done to see where I am at with my A1c.  I have presently lost 29 pounds since April when I weighed a whopping **4 pounds.  I have deliberately been dieting all 4 months.  So when I step on the doctor's scales I am so hoping to have lost 30 pounds or more.

I have been following the GRAPEFRUIT DIET or the vintage Mayo Clinic Diet.  The newer modified Mayo Clinic Diet is a lot like Weight Watchers.  I'm making my way to finishing this first round of 12 days on and 2 days off.  When I hit the end of the 12th day and have 2 days off...I hope to not go hog wild thinking I can eat EVERYTHING and ANYTHING I WANT.  

I will have a couple of fruit smoothies, a chocolate chip cookie, and some popcorn!  That will be my splurge before beginning round two of 12 days on.  I'm not missing the bread, the coffee, the tea, or soda.  That seems like a huge accomplishment to me.  I do miss eating all the vegetables I want, and some fruit.  Sugar-free candy calls my name every once in a while.  Even with it being sugar-free, it has calories that I don't need.  umpf.  After round two, I will be close to half over toward the two and a half months of doing this food program.

SO August's goals are to continue with weight reduction.  (Go to Doctor's office and get weighed.  Have labs done.)

Paint the Dining room...this is a broken record.

Empty a multitude of storage boxes.

Donate to charities.

Celebrate my 47th Wedding Anniversary.

Five biggies.

HAPPY AUGUST!

d

   

Joining the PARTY:

https://familycorner.blogspot.com

FREE FOR THE TAKING

I hope someone takes this GE Electric white with black accent range and puts her to good use. She has been in the cottage garage for 4 years.  Finally she is moved out to the curb.  I hope someone takes her home with them and we never see her again.

I HAD A VERY PRODUCTIVE DAY THURSDAY and that makes me HAPPY.  

Worked on correspondence most of the morning.  Took it upon myself to place my newest teapot up on the shelf above the kitchen sink.  Had to stretch.  

Sorted through some papers.  Dressed and groomed.  Breakfast of Grapefruit juice, 2 strips of crisp bacon and 2 scrambled eggs. Grapefruit Diet at its best.  I don't mind the breakfast.  

Friday weigh in to see if the scales budged.  Supposedly on day 5 the scales are to show weight loss.  If they are stuck, I will have to muster up some more well power to stay the course for the remainder of the 12 day course.  Friday is the half way day.  The time has flown.  (NOTE TO SELF:  Weighed myself Friday and the scales did budge!  Staying on this plan.  Tonight this 12 day round is half way over!!!)

Went through the mail.    

Loaded the car and off we went.  Dropped off the mail at the Post Office.  All should go out at 3:15pm.  Headed across the river toward small town America cottage.  SO HOT OUT IT HURTS. Hitting the high 90s.  The air conditioner has gone out at the cottage, so Hubby ordered the needed part.  It should be in next week.   

He shuffled items out in the garage to get a GE Electric range out of there to place by the curb. FREE.  It still has some life in it, but if we are going to make progress thinning out the cottage, garage, house and carriage house, then we have to get very serious about moving forward.  Out the range went.

I worked inside the cottage going through some boxes.  With the air conditioner not working I used ceiling fans to circulate some air.  A miserable 90 degrees inside the house.  Using bottled water on paper towels to wipe sweat helped cool me off.  I'd work a bit then cool off some. Repeat.  I was able to day dream about redoing this place.  First the master bedroom must be completely emptied of boxes and odds and ins.  This will take some time since the room is full.

It lifted my spirits to know that I was physically working at the cottage.  I left feeling so much better.  I did make some progress.  

We will have to get the air conditioner up and going before much time is spent working inside. The AC part does not come in until next week.  Stay busy doing something else while waiting.

By the time hubby came into the cottage, he was beet red and needing to cool off.

I did a lot of thinking how to go about cleaning out the cottage.  I came across a box of very long curtain panels still in their wrappers that can be used at our bigger house in one of the rooms that needs some 120" curtains.  I had completely forgotten that we even had these.  They should work alright and we can hang them in a few days.

Hubby has drawn up some landscaping drawings for the cottage yard.  We'll need to plow up some areas for new flower beds for the Irises that we will plant in August.  It's best to plant the bulbs in July and August so we have our work cut out for us.  The work will have to be done in the cool of the day.  

Flower beds plowed up, soil prepped, Irises popped up from the big house, transported to cottage and transplanted to flower beds, planted and watered well.  It will be an accomplishment when all is said and done.  A good week to two weeks worth of work. 

Before our Iris blossoms had faded, I wrote on labels to identify the color of the Irises.  This will help when gathering all the same kinds of Irises when we pop them out of the ground.  It is on my mind to get this done.  The sooner the better.  The KSU GARDENS will be having their Iris Sale this Saturday.  I'd love to go and see if they have any two toned purple ones.  I have grown to really like these, but then each year I zero in on different ones.  I hope I can get a few more to add to the collection.  

When the flower beds are made and filled, I will feed my dear, sweet husband a steak dinner for his efforts. 

Left the cottage and went to HOBBY LOBBY, made a Goodwill drop then went to Walmart for a few things needed for LIFE.  By this time it was getting late, so we ordered Arby sandwiches to help tie us over until we made it HOME.  I ate the roast beef and pitched the bun.  I did it.  When I got HOME, I ate a vegetable salad and drank some grapefruit juice.  Day 5 over.  

What will Friday bring?  Peace and relaxation before tidying some more on the Victorian room. Praying to be quick about it.  

Friday here we come,

d