THE NEVER ENDING BASKET

THURSDAY.  Temps were about 25 degrees outside.  It's not going to hit the 40s until next week so I'll concentrate on interior cleaning and organizing while dreaming of SPRING with lovely flowers, green lawns and lustrous trees a bloom with leaves.

What a nice thought to have warming my heart and lifting my spirits.  I frequently say we are one day closer to SPRING.  It helps me get through the shivers of WINTER.  pause.

On Wednesday, I went to lunch with a friend and we had a good visit and conversation.  Ate at a small eatery where it was quiet and easy to hear one another speak.  It was almost like a Spring day outside so getting around was pleasant.  Wonderful to get out and about and also have a meal with my friend.  

Hubby stayed busy at HOME while I was out.  He hung a framed buffalo print I bought him awhile back.  His kids call him the GREAT WHITE BUFFALO when he has played table pool. The nickname stuck.  So when I saw this print, I had to get it for him.  Well, he got it hung up in our TV room.  He shuffled a lot of boxes that I still have to organize, but until I get there, the boxes are grouped together waiting for that big day.  Also, he wrapped and boxed up our antique depression glass Madrid Pattern dishes that I have collected through time that need to go to the garage for storage as we rethink what we are doing in the Tinyville COTTAGE.  A GREAT HELPER!  I continued to work on laundry.

THE GOOD NEWS IS.......I am just about finished with getting caught up on the dirty laundry. My blood pressure lowered and a feeling of contentment appeared.  I am amazed how this makes me feel.  I have a load of sweaters drying right now as I type.  A load of white blouses and shirts are being laundered for the second time as I am working at getting the yellow stains out.  When the sweaters finish drying, the whites will go in the dryer.  A load of towels will be washed and I discovered a basket full of bluejeans.  That will probably be two more loads.  I have a nice white bedspread that I want to launder THEN I will be finished?  All caught up?  ALL CAUGHT UP.  I will celebrate tomorrow for sure.  Wait a minute.  I forgot the basket in the closet so I will work that in.  ABOUT 7 more loads.  Can I get a witness?  

The never ending laundry basket is never empty for long.  I just can't seem to get there today. One more day or two is needed to empty that basket.  Nothing better to do on an ice cold day in the neighborhood.

A sign of LIFE is a basket full of dirty laundry!  We're living the dream.  grins.

~d

VIM AND VIGOR

THE HOUSE IS IN AN UTTER MESS.  I know that with what we are going through by swapping the bedrooms is like another MOVE.  Sigh.  If I could get really excited then I might work longer and faster.  EXCITED!  Full of vim and vigor.  I long for the excitement to explode within me where I come unglued and switch to high gear and seriously make a huge difference in the looks of this COTTAGE.

Just one magic moment and away I would go.  Zoom.  Like a robot in action knowing where things are to go.  Just like that it would be finished.  I wouldn't freeze up like a deer in the headlights.

There is much shuffling going on.  I figure another 4 weeks of this and the two bedrooms will be settled.  Can't wait.  Every day I must work on this task.

The first week of OCTOBER is GONE.  Heavens.  Oh heavens.  21 days left before November 1st. Dear Lord, I need strength.

I'll be working on laundering the mattress pad covers and some sheets that have been in storage. I purchased some white bed sheets from TARGET years ago, but they have been in storage for two years.  When I came across them this evening, they haven't aged very well.  If the yellow discoloring does not come out then I may dye them to hide the yellowing of the sheets. Disappointed that they look so awful.

THIS SURPRISED ME ABOUT NOT USING CHLORINE BLEACH.  Perhaps this is why my sheets turned so YELLOW while in storage.  Oops.  

TODAY, we had an out of town doctor's appointment which meant we'd eat lunch, make a lumber yard stop, drop by Target, dart around the Dollar Tree and grocery shopped.  

Picked up KALE, spring greens, miniature cucumbers, red grapes, salad mix, cereal, sugar-free candy, some spices, Mason Jars. Planning on eating greens.

When I get a chance then I will need to clean out the fridge again and switch out the plastic storage boxes with the Mason Jars.  I bought some to store veggies and fruit in.  I think the food will keep longer than what it has.  Shall see.

MORE GLASS and less plastic.  Seems to be an ongoing saga as to arranging my fridge.

We may be having some company come in this week.  I'll need to quickly clean the bathroom fixtures, sweep the Kitchen floor and spot clean.  The large screen TV that we placed on the sofa while the shuffling is going on will be carried to the front bedroom and propped up against the wall that has a couple of windows.  This will be interesting to say the least as we will have to make do with the messes everywhere.  A strong dose of grace will be needed.

In the morning I will clean the bathroom, do a few loads of laundry, tidy the kitchen, switch out the fridge storage containers, and forget about trying to have a perfect house.  It is what it is and we are not perfect.  It's better to see the person.

~d

STICKER SHOCK AT THE MAT, LOW-CARB MEALS and HOMESTEADS TO SWOON OVER

👗👕🩳 AFTER REARRANGING MY DAY DUE TO THE WEATHER, I finally made it to the Laundry-Mat late in the evening to get caught up on the laundry.  BUT I had a change of plans when I saw the prices on their machines.  $4.oo a load is higher than $1.5o.  Last time I went to the mat, it was a buck fifty.

STICKER SHOCK happened so I had to decide which dirty laundry would return HOME with me where I would use my own machines.  I stuffed one machine full with socks and undies.  Went over to their jumbo size machines that charge $6 a load which is like two machines saving $2 a load.  Saved $4 doing it this way.

I loaded the JUMBO machines with T-shirts.  Boy...we have the T-shirts.

5 machines altogether to dry with the prices the same as before.  Good deal.

We watched a 2021 movie while waiting for the machines to get done then folding what we could. AMERICAN UNDERDOG, the story about Kurt Warner.

HAVING SEEN THE MOVIE BEFORE didn't stop me from watching it again.  When an underdog does well it makes me happy.

Drove HOME.  I was actually tired and knew that I wouldn't have any trouble falling asleep.  I welcomed the sleep.

Waking more energized, I began my day and have plans to go for my mile walk in the afternoon before another thunder storm arrives.  This week the weather is turbulent and unpredictable.

ON THE INTERNET.  FREE TIME allows me to research health issues and FOOD amongst other subjects like gardening on a small scale.  Knowing that these plants help with bugs can be useful, huh?

TYPOs.  OOPS.  Jumbled names.  On the 5-Gallon line, cucumbers are labeled lettuce.  10-GALLON line, the Cabbage on the far right isn't broccoli.  Broccoli next to it on the left is called beans.  Corn isn't mentioned on the 15-GALLON container.  Just to give an example of what can be grown in containers for a patio garden.

With needing to eat more fish, this avocado tuna salad might be a nice change.

WANTING TO GET MORE IDEAS ON LOW CARB MEALS...

The images will help me come up with combination meals such as I am not accustomed to eating.  I know from my upbringing that I don't eat enough fruit.  The variety wasn't there as a kid and to this date I still have to remind myself to eat more fruit like blueberries.

 

I love cottage cheese and will be using more of it in our meals.  Started scrambling eggs with cottage cheese in it.  Makes a creamy meal.

Juice idea.

Gardening Homestead ideas

As for the next few pictures, I think these are A1 as there are no roads leading up to the house to park a car.  The chickens run free and would be in the gardens eating potatoes which are poisonous to chickens.  It is for the best that chickens not be up on the porches because they use everywhere as their toilet.  Still I think the pics are pleasant and show what someone could do.

Blessings and may life be good.
~d

CANNOT ABSORB VITAMIN B12 THROUGH FOOD BECAUSE I HAVE NO THYROID

TUESDAY.  How I manage to get so far behind on the laundry I'll never understand it.  I've carried all the dirty laundry to the living room to sort through and group like items together. Basket it all and load in the car to take to the laundry-mat.  Going to use the mat!  Quarters in hand.

Aiming for WEDNESDAY to get caught up.  No need to beat myself up over this overload.  I always feel better when all caught up.  If I have to put it into words what happened where I got so far behind, it would be that I was ill again, then out of town, then exhausted and simply wanted to take a break from this chore.  Shortly, I will be caught up.  Most of the laundry is T-SHIRTS.  

Okay.

TUESDAY.  While I stayed HOME to shampoo my hair, Hubby drove to a Clinic to get blood work done.  I shampooed my hair at the Kitchen sink and the water sprayer stayed stuck.  Not able to turn it off.  Got the hair taken care of and plan to allow it to air dry on my way to the Dentist.  A cracked tooth.

I arrived having a short wait.  Technician took some pics of my cracked molar.  Asked a bunch of questions then the doc saw me.  He believes he can save the tooth, but I'll have to have a crown. Out of pocket expense is high and payment is paid the day of the appointment.  I'll be digging deep into my pockets for this one.

I haven't been to the Dentist office for over three years.

AFTERWARDS, we drove on into Manhattan to eat lunch and go to MENARDS for sink parts and dog toys for our grand pup.  Poor thing has no chew toys and stole game pieces to hide as a toy.  grins.

Our first visit to the KSU GARDENS took place to see the Irises.  Not too many are bloomed as of date.  We have about a dozen bloomed in the white Iris flowerbed.  I'll mark the ones that have bloomed incase they have to be moved.  This way I'll know what ones they are.

Unbelievable how fast time gets away from me.  I am in a slump about this fatigue I have because I am hypothyroid.  It's getting to me in a negative way.  I have a yearly thyroid exam in 6 months so I have time to jot down serious questions I will be asking.  Kid gloves are off.  I teared up today as I am not functioning well due to the debilitating fatigue.

I read that people without thyroids CANNOT absorb Vitamin B12.  Why my medical connections have not told me this, I don't know so I will ask why haven't deficiencies been checked for while having a yearly exam?  Hubby has a double whammy on Vitamin B12 deficiency as he takes METFORMIN which causes B12 deficiency and has no thyroid which causes B12 deficiency.  I am saddened that we have fallen through the cracks by our docs.  I had to find this out on my own. Thank GOD I did.  We're taking Vitamin B12 shots and my B12 level is in a good place now.

Still I struggle with debilitating FATIGUE.  Daily.

Blessings to you out there in BLOGLAND!

~d

MONDAY HAS COME

MONDAY IN THE COLD.  BRRRR.  Temps are low so I will remain HOME.  I need bubble wrap for wrapping the Nativity figurines.  Think we'll go to TOPEKA after it warms a bit to get some wrap and a new storage box as the one I have has a big hole in the bottom corner.  

Always something.

Going to TOPEKA will be a treat for me to get out of the house for a few hours.  Looking forward to this.  Medical appointments this week as well.  Two of them out of town.  Trying to make the best of it. 

 

DANIEL DIET.  On Wednesday, I can have eggs and toast for Breakfast as my 21 days on the Daniel Diet/Fast will be over on Tuesday.  What have I learned?  That it has been hard for me to deprive myself of whatever.  My mind wants what it wants and I have to do a physical check to see if I am truly hungry or not.  Most the time I wanted to eat other things not on my menu, I wasn't actually hungry.  I had to tell myself NOoooooo.  AND change the subject.  

15 pounds off and I don't want to put it back on.  I'll continue to deliberately eat lots of veggies and fruit.  Small amounts of Peanut Butter and nuts.  Beans.  More salads.  Cut back on the dairy, breads, pastas, pies, rice, cookies, cow's milk and sugar.  Go easy on the meats.  Smaller portions of food.  Slower eating in a relax atmosphere.  More low calorie veggies and fruits verses flour and sugary snacks.  MORE ORGANIC foods.  Taking notice of what's in the food and avoiding those that have ingredients that I cannot pronounce.    

I'll need to look at photographs of myself when I was heavier to remind myself that this is FAT that I don't want to carry around on me.  Forge ahead and be healthier.  I don't like being obese. 

BEFORE, I tried to convince myself that I am just going to be FAT forever.  It didn't rest with me. Can I thin down?  I'm working at it.  I pray that I will thin down in a healthy way.  

My plans for 2025 is to avoid pork products as best I can.  Bacon!  This one is one I have to talk to myself about.  Ham, not so much. 🐷🐖🐷🐖🐷

This health journey has been educational and it interest me.  The chemicals and additives added to foods has been eye opening.  Growth hormones that animals have been fed don't belong in my body at all.  Nobody needs these.  I'm not a scholar, but my eyes are opened wider.  PRAISE THE LORD.  Whatever an animal eats ends up in your system when you eat that animal.   

HORMONE DISRUPTERS are being taken notice of as well.

    

LAUNDRY.  I've been working on this off and on throughout the day.  I believe it will come to an end soon.  NEVER and I mean never have I ever been so far behind with the laundry.  EVER. Through all kinds of sicknesses and recoveries I have been blessed to stay on top of this task until the year 2024.  I cannot stay so far behind.  Each time I enter the laundry room and see first hand the piles in baskets of dirty laundry I sigh and forge ahead.  My goodness.  It's an embarrassment.  Shake the shame off and do another load.  It can be done. 

In between loads, I manage to do LIFE.  Other things are taken care of.   

AFTER I am caught up on the laundry, I'll begin to clear out the FOOD PANTRY and get the shelves tidied again.  It gets cluttered after 6 months or so.  Time to tidy again and make some order out of it.  Then under the kitchen sink.  Master closet is screaming for attention.

HOBBIES.  THIS YEAR I am going to do some FUNNNN HOBBIES.  Things that bring me JoY! I have to stop making excuses as to why I am not doing these HOBBIES now.  

With cold weather here, I watch many videos as I sit in my chair.  AS I WATCHED HOW EASY IT CAN BE TO START PLANTS FROM EXISTING PLANTS AND FLOWERS I'd like to try starting some. 

Why not do things that bring happiness. 
GOD bless us,

~d

TODAY GOT AWAY FROM ME

JUST ONE OF THOSE DAYS WHERE I WOKE EARLY.  Too early.  Stayed up for awhile then returned to bed.  When I woke for the day, I planned to focus on laundry.  I've fallen so far behind on the laundry that it's taking a while to catch up.  Be gentle on yourself.  Be kind.

I think it's best to be looking at the bottom of the laundry basket when possible.  It's been a while since I have seen the bottom.  Slowly, I'm getting there, but I'm not in any hurry to get completely caught up.

Working steady which is saying a lot for someone with low energy levels.  Not to get discouraged, but to overlook this reality that I live in and be thankful that I get done what I do.  I shouldn't compare myself to others or to what I could once do.  I'm no longer speedy at doing anything.  

Stay the course and be grateful I can do what I can.

My day did get away from me.  Nearly time to go to bed.  

This was day 7 on my diet.  That feels good to be able to say that.  First week under my belt.  Very low cal day.   

Breakfast was truly a fast.  Just water.
Snack...nothing.
Lunch was a V8.
Snack was peanut butter and banana plus water.
Supper was a treat with special taco shells not made out of corn or flour.  No grease.  Filling was made out of chickpeas with tomatoes and lettuce with a side of cauliflower rice mixed with a few veggies.  Low cal all the way.
Evening snack was dried cranberries and pecans.  Sipping on water.

May tomorrow's food plan go as well.  Less cravings.  That's saying quite a bit for me as I have munched on air.

I won't be going to town tomorrow as it is still way too cold for me.  After Sunday's snow flurries, Hubby dug our cars out from under the snow on Tuesday.  Son.n.law came by and helped out.  True blessing.

~d  

I HAVE A SUPER POWER!!!

PRAISE THE LORD!  The old LADY scored.  The laundry is caught up.

Productive time getting the laundry ALL CAUGHT UP!!!  It has taken hours, but I hit bottom.  BOTTOM.  I see the bottom of the laundry basketS with an S as there have been quite a few loads done the last two days.  Time to fix a tea and put my feet up for a little while before forging ahead to the next chore.  GOSH...it feels GOOD to be able to say, "I DID IT!"

Some don't understand the magnitude of being finished for a few days before it starts piling up again.  The miniature washing machine gets a break as I continue other daily chores.  The metal rack in the kitchen that I use to hang wet clothing on, will get cleared off by nightfall.

All the hanging articles will be put away out of sight where they belong.  Next project kicks in and that's gathering items throughout the house to get rid of.  Making the Kitchen my staging station, there will be another mess in the works.  Tadaaaah.  My SUPER POWER is MAKING MESSES.    

Taking a breather before journeying over to the COTTAGE to begin painting the pantry MISTY GREY.  Not sure how much I will get accomplished as I am light headed after coughing off and on for 19 days and counting.  Bronchitis is the pits.  Husband and I both had this and he has recovered faster than I.  I'm better than I was.  Way to go. 

After the three week mark hits, I hopefully will be over this bronchitis.  It's  dragging me down. Pop some vitamins, drink more pineapple juice, fluids and rest.  

With the week-end here, I am so pleased to be HOME where I can rest.  

The weather is lovely today.  Birds are chirping cheery melodies as I sit here waiting for the next gust of energy to get me going.  May I whistle as I work.  Oh I forgot...I cannot whistle very well. It's not one of my super powers.

Blessings to you in making your house a HOME. 

Warm wishes sent your way,

~d

WEEK-END IS NEAR

This week has flown and the week-end is near.  I have busy plans for the day so I need to pace myself and be glad in it.  

Waking early I placed a load of towels in the washing machine, folded some clothing, researched about thyroid health and diabetes.  Cleaned the inside of the fridge, rearranged it.  

I know that one sign of being a diabetic is frequent toilet trips.  Had my husband check my blood sugar and it was rather high this morning.  I suspected this as I had heard if there is too much sugar in the blood then you will be urinating more than usual.  SO I took a couple of apple cider vinegar tablets to help lower the blood sugar.

I was reading about Berberine and the affects it has on diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol plus obesity.  I think it's a fit for me.  Will get some and give it a whirl.    

Drinking organic tomato juice with only 50 calories for 8 oz. is truly a low cal drink for breakfast.  I ate 2 TBSP of organic peanut butter from a spoon and munched on a small sausage patty.  Sipping on water.  To be critical, I should have skipped the sausage patty as it is super high in the wrong kind of fat for me.  The peanut butter is a plus as it is good for diabetics and the tomato juice a go.  

The weather this morning is awesome in the 50s so the French doors are open to let some fresh air inside.  Gray skies with fall like temps is my kind of weather.  Have to go shave my hairy legs this morning, take a warm shower, shampoo my hairdo, air dry and do some more laundry.  

Yesterday evening I finally got two geraniums repotted to the front porch urns.  They look rather sad this morning.  Hope they perk up and make it.  Also planted a couple of daisy plants that my Oklahoma children gifted me with for Mother's Day.  They are on death's doorstep as I think I waited too long to plant them.  Pray they pull through as well.  I left them on the patio beside the patio furniture.

For a woman who's middle name is Fern, I do not have a green thumb.  I love plants and flowers so I admire them, but am challenged as a horticulturist.  

Plans this week-end are to work on the junk room.  This is another challenge that I wish I didn't have.  I have not been able to work up there the month of May as I was gone taking care of my Mom.  I am spread way too thin and it is bothering my nerves.  

Think I had best close and get on with the day.

God bless,

~d  

LAVANDA TIME

WORKING ON LAUNDRY TODAY.  Made me tired, so I took an afternoon nap.  Hopefully this POWER NAP will get me through the day.

We had an early LUNCH.  Leftovers.  Hit the spot.

I need to unload the washing machine and put another load of towels in the machine.  Three loads of towels then back to washing daily clothes.  I love it when I can see the bottom of the laundry basket and can take a break for a few days before starting up again doing the laundry.  

I was reading about how white vinegar does wonders for washing towels.  I have to agree.  It does wonders making sheets whiter.  I used white vinegar the last time I washed our white bed sheets.  They were dingy and I freshened them up with vinegar.  I have used baking soda and vinegar before.  This worked better for whitening the bed sheets the time I washed them at the LAUNDROMAT.  

I used a small box of baking soda to start with.  Dumped the entire box in with the dry sheets.  Used regular laundry detergent then on the rinse cycle, I added a cup of vinegar.  The sheets came whiter than they went in.  It was a boost to my spirits, because I thought the sheets would have to be dyed to get their mojo back.  They were dingy like eecky dingy.



It worked wonders.
Vinegar doesn't usually stain clothes, but it is acidic, so you shouldn't pour it directly onto clothing without first diluting it. If you don't have a laundry detergent compartment in your washing machine, mix 1/2 cup of vinegar with a cup of water before pouring it onto your clothing.

Vinegar is an excellent substitute for laundry detergent — it’s inexpensive, effective, and earth-friendly. It can be used for a range of detergent needs, including as a bleach, deodorizer, and a fabric softener.

Blessings to you,

d

Why is laundry called laundry?  For most of the time it didn't mean the stuff that got washed but the action of washing and the place where you did the washing. ... The French word came from Latin lavandarius, also “to wash,” but that in turn came from another Latin word lavanda which were “the things to be washed,” so we've come full circle.   

The definition of laundry is a group of clothes or linens that are being washed, or a place where clothing and other fabrics are washed or cleaned. An example of laundry is the batch of dirty towels that you put into the washing machine.

"Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool."  Isaiah 1:18