PUMPKINS FOR THE JOURNEY

WE HAD GOTTEN UP EARLY TO TRAVEL TO OKLAHOMA.  Packed the car full.  Since I was the designated driver, I put my key in the ignition to turn the engine on of our 2007 PT Cruiser.  CRICKETS. 🦗   WHAT?!?

The car did not start.  Tried again and a third time.  Hubby thought it was a dead battery. Figured this battery was about 7 years old. Pretty good life for a car battery.   

We'll get a new battery.  This little car has served us well.  She's our small pick-up when she isn't really a pick-up at all.  The PT in the Chrysler PT Cruiser stands for Personal Transport.  True to her name.  

She needs her seat covers replaced, a new dash board as this one has cracked and new floor mats. Sprucing her up a tad.  Recently she got new tires and we had a mechanic work on her since she had the habit of overheating.  So glad we have her and pray we can keep her for a long time.

Before changing cars to drive to Oklahoma, I suggested that the other car be started first to make sure it was in running condition before loading it with our luggage. 🧳🧳🧳  We had planned on taking the PT Cruiser since it uses less fuel and has air conditioning because  our old Cadillac has one tire that has a tendency to go flat.  The Cadillac without an air conditioner started and we loaded our luggage.  The weather was on the cooler side so we did not need a conditioner this time. 

It was a good thing we got started early as we were not anticipating issues, but had some.  The car was fueled and now we could go south for the week-end.  As we left town, it started raining with gusts of wind.  The smaller car would have been hard pressed to ride comfortably with the weather conditions so we were alright to be in the larger car where we didn't bounce about so much against the KANSAS and OKLAHOMA wind.

We had forgotten the pumpkins from our small garden.  Just before leaving city limits, I remembered that we were going to take some so we turned around and went back HOME for the orange pumpkins.  

Our family appreciated these when we handed them out.  Over 90 pumpkins have come from two plants in our garden.  Next week, we'll clean up the pumpkin patch and return the yard to a lawn.  Tomorrow I need to carry the pumpkins that we have in our front yard to the back yard as tricker treaters will be out and might decide to smash our stash.  

Next year, I hope we can grow some pale green pumpkins and white ones to decorate our finished front porch!  Decorate for HARVEST and breathe in the season are on the agenda since I couldn't do this this year.  

Hubby is out changing the car battery.  I am gearing up to do some laundry and work in the front bedroom.  Get after it, girl.

This week is flying right on by.  Halloween is tomorrow.  Can't hardly believe it.  There will be NO candy to hand out this year as the front porch is being rebuilt and there are no stairs yet leading to the front door for the goblins to knock on asking for treats.  I'll watch the goblins on Main Street this year and be contented.  Oh how I love the miniature chocolate bars. 🍫 

What will I get done today?

~d

 

THUNDER HEART, FRONT PORCH REBUILD and PUMPKINS ON A BENCH,

THUNDER HEART.  The 1992 drama with Val Kilmer, Sam Shepherd and Graham Greene is an enticing movie that I have seen before, but once again couldn't remember the film. Like a new movie.  I'd say it's for mature audiences due to violence.  

The movie is loosely based off of what was known as the SECOND WOUNDED KNEE in 1973. Unbelievable what our government is capable of doing not honoring treaties.  I would have been a Senior in High School when the Second Wounded Knee was taking place. 

WORK IS BEGINNING ON THE FRONT PORCH of our tiny fixer-upper cottage.  It has started.  Hubby put braces up to support the roof while the columns began to sink into the wood slates.  Not what you want to see, but it does happen.

Braces up and the work begins.  The spindles and columns are disappearing. 

I predict it should be finished come November.  We'll be THANKFUL come THANKSGIVING. As the porch gets a facelift, I'll be shuffling and rearranging the two bedrooms.  Slowpoke here. I can only do so much, but if I stay in motion I'll be further along than the day before.

Hoping for the best in this flipping of the rooms.  I do work extremely sloooooow.  Looking at finished rooms encourages me that it can be done.  It can be done.  Look what someone did.  I can do this massive shuffle and be pleased with the results.  It's not the end of the world being a mess before the order takes shapes.  It's an inconvenience for a short time and then it will be a memory in the past.

The closest thing to decorating with our pumpkins is placing them on a bench in the front yard.  It'll have to do.

I dared to step on the scales to see where I was at after shying away from weighing myself for about a week.  I'm holding my own and the weight isn't climbing, but it's not declining either.

Still reading about reasons for obesity.  The latest is that the sugar and fat aren't getting into the cells for energy and go to the liver to be stored as FAT.  What am I to do to correct this dastardly deed?

All the best to you,
~d

SEPTEMBER, THYROID HEALTH, and A NEW BEGINNING

STAYING UP LATE LAST NIGHT WHICH RAN INTO THE EARLY MORNING, gave me an excuse to sleep in on this Holiday.  I did sleep in so I have to rearrange my day for walking if I do so.  Temperatures right now are at 70 degrees.  This will be the high for the day so walking should be manageable this afternoon/evening.

Making out a grocery list for shopping today came rather easy as we have a stocked fridge already.  Blessed, but need some arugula, sweet kale, more lemons, and bottled water.  A stop at Hy-Vee is needed.  Since it's LABOR DAY I wasn't sure the stores would be open.

I walked to the grocery store in Wichita 51 years ago on the LABOR DAY week-end.  I was walking then as well.  How's 'bout that except I was 19 and in much better shape.  Wished I had maintained my figure throughout the years.  Having thyroid issues did do a number on me.  I hate the fact that I am fatigued.

It is quite common to be extremely fatigued when having no thyroid.  Taking the pills alone doesn't always FIX IT.  I'm broken in a lot of ways.  Rolling over and playing dead comes to mind.  Before surgery, nothing was related to me that I would possibly have fatigue issues to not having a thyroid.  NOTHING.  Was let down by not knowing this info.

Hubby remembers being in the lobby of the doctor's office when a desperately upset man came into the lobby screaming at the receptionist, "They told me I'd feel better having my thyroid taken out and I feel like sh*t".  I get where he was coming from.  The fatigue is debilitating. When the receptionist goes into calm down mode, it's predictable.  Calm down or we'll call the police on you is more like it.

When told if you're going to have cancer, this is the cancer to have....I will debate whoever on this one.  Having cancer of any kind stinks.  There's nothing good about it.  

I survived the thyroid cancer, but I have not thrived.  Surviving, but not thriving.  At times it's been extremely frustrating.  You truly are having to go through life altered.  

Okay, what should I do differently with this NEW BEGINNING in September?  I pray that my upper arms get firmer with less flab.  Let it happen.  I have 5 arm exercises to copy in hopes of being fitter. Will take some time. 

THIS HERE BEING SEPTEMBER is a start to a NEW BEGINNING of doing things somewhat different.  Such as?  Exercising a little each day.
Taking time to write.
Walk more.
CLEAR OUT THE FRONT BEDROOM.
A load of laundry.
A household chore.

There have been times that I have thought to go about my day like I were still in HIGH SCHOOL having an hour per subject matter.  I haven't stuck with it, but think for a time I ought to go about in a similar fashion so I get more done a little here and a little there giving each task only an hour before moving on to the next subject.  Might make a difference in my progress.  PRAISE THE LORD.  Making progress.

We'd journey to Manhattan for a few supplies.  I actually wore a dress for this outing instead of jeans.  My attitude changed being dressed up.  As we crossed the landscape across the Flint Hills, I noticed the tops of the trees are starting to change color going from greens to yellows on September 1st.  I'm not ready for AUTUMN, but the view is already gorgeous against the grey rain clouds.  Good therapy for me on a MONDAY.      

Needed some lemons, kale, arugula, bottled water, olive oil, avocado oil, sugar-free ketchup, a door stop.  Also wanted to check on loafers from Brown's Shoe Fit, but they were closed. Another day will be dedicated to shoe shopping and nothing else. 

Saw some pretty purple Asters in small pots outside the grocery store for $7.99.  Purchased a couple of them.  They'll go into the mum bed to the side of the COTTAGE.  Asters were one of my wedding flowers.  Since yesterday was my wedding anniversary, I'm partial to these flowers.    

Before we headed out the door to go to Manhattan, we rounded up the large Longaberger basket that was in the front bedroom to move to another room in the COTTAGE as a step forward of clearing out the room.  Yah.  This is one large item out of the room.  I placed the basket in the utility room on top of the washing machine.  Looks great there and will be useful as well.  Slow goings, but that's alright.  The plan is to move more items each day.

It rained on the way HOME so no walking this evening.  Perhaps tomorrow.  We went sight seeing for fun on the way HOME.  Drove through a new housing area and got out of the car to peek through the windows of this new construction.  OMGoodness.  Sticker shock. $619,000.oo

Seeing the interiors of houses is a treat.  I thought the open concept would be a good floor plan for older people.  Hubby said he didn't like it.  Oh well.  I did.  

On the HOME FRONT.

Two pumpkin plants were planted in mid June that have taken over our little backyard.  Impressed.  

Hubby said he wanted to pick a PUMPKIN from the backyard as some of the pumpkins are ready for picking.  His small garden with pumpkins has been prolific.  Hallelujah.  I wanted to grow pumpkins this year and they took off like a BANG.  

Next year hopefully we can grow some WHITE PUMPKINS.  I'll decorate the front porch next year for FALL.  This year, the porch will be torn up and rebuilt during AUTUMN HARVEST so decorating would only be in the way.  

My imagination goes ape over 

what it could look like.

~d

Granny Nanny and Pumpkin Huggers

 

Granny Nanny here and it's been a while

 since posting a GNChronicle with Lil Miss in school.  

Say hello to our PUMPKIN HUGGER.

~Autumn~

 Soon the snow will blow here on the Prairie.

Not ready for that.

Hoping we have a few more weeks of 70 degree weather.

Hope. Hope. Hope.

They'd have to be resurrected cauz the temps have cooled.

Autumn Blessings to you,

Granny d Nanny

White Pumpkins Reign

~BEAUTIFUL WHITE PUMPKINS~

I grew up thinking that pumpkins only came in orange.

Not so anymore.

I really like the white ones and green ones, 

light orange and bright as well.

It wouldn't be the first time I didn't know any better.

This has been a difficult week for me....health wise.

My heart has been skipping beats.

Thought it would straighten out, but didn't and so after 11 days I went to my doctor.  
Wore a halter monitor for 24 hours and started taking Toprol.  
Will be reading and studying up on PVC.

Premature Ventricular Contractions.

 Blood pressure way too high.

Felt faint and just over all not well. 

Felt like my heart was doing flip flops.

Did some reading about what can cause skipping heart beat....anything from high blood pressure,
 caffeine, medicines, anemia, stress, low in calcium, 
low in magnesium, low in potassium, etc. 

So I stopped the caffeine, started taking folic acid, a calcium tablet, a magnesium tablet, 
a potassium tablet, an aspirin, rubbing natural progesterone cream on, taking olive oil with honey, 
taking deep breaths and avoiding sodium as much as possible!

Spent the afternoon reading up on how to reduce high blood pressure the natural way.

BEET JUICE is suppose to lower high blood pressure in a hour and a half.  
So tomorrow I hope to go to the Health Food Store and get some.

 If you know of some great ways to lower blood pressure naturally, please share with me.  
Appreciate your help.

I believe that I have some major changing to do when it comes to food preparation 
as well as ignoring some foods.

I knew that anytime you have low in fat food, 

that more sodium is added to the product. 

So the low in fat food with more sodium isn't a good thing for me.

Eating more fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, 

less red meat, and grains is a bonus.  

Drinking purified water a plus.

Exercising would help.

With my Christian upbringing, we didn't follow kosher food instructions.  
That was for old testament Jewish people following the Law.  So I thought.

When Jesus walked the earth, 

wouldn't He have eaten kosher since He was Jewish?

I will be posting more about high blood pressure 

or hypertension in the future.

God bless and may we all be healthier for it,

d