THERAPY JUST FOR ME

AS I WAS WALKING AROUND THE TRACK, I started to jog a bit.  I'm no threat. It is almost painful to try to jog. I'm so heavy and I can barely move.  I'll feel it in the morning.  I made the fastest time around the track, though.  Hubby timed me.  I made the mile at about 23 minutes and 44 seconds.  My fastest lap came in at 5 minutes and 47 seconds.

When I started walking back in May, it was typical to make one lap in 8 minutes.  I've improved. Praise the Lord.  Praise HIS holy name.

I huffed and puffed big time, but I made my mile.  The weather was wonderful to walk in.  A cool 70 degrees and I still got my vitamin D.  If I'm not too sore, I'll walk in the morning.  Probably no jogging just a steady stride.

I ate a homemade biscuit with gravy for breakfast.
V8 for snack.
Supper was a huge salad basically made of romaine lettuce, spinach and a kale leaf.  Cherry tomatoes galore and boiled eggs with Catalina Dressing.  A small portion of Asian Beef with a tiny bit of rice and peppers.  Iced tea to drink.  Evening snack was pop corn and two tiny lemon cookies.  Water throughout the day.

One thing I do like about walking around the track by myself is that I can look at the countryside around the track and admire its beauty.  I have an opportunity to pray out loud and do some thinking.  It's kind of like THERAPY.  Actually it is therapy.  Clears my mind and encourages me to know I am doing something good for my old body that houses my spirit.  Aren't you suppose to be on a path of healing when in therapy?  I am.

~d

FINDING MY WAY

GETTING OUT OF THE HOUSE even with the temps freezing appealed to me as I needed a few supplies and thought getting out of the house seeing some sights along the interstate would be good medicine for me plus entertainment.

It must have been a fluke that the car was acting up with a red dash light coming on a few days ago.  Hubby took the car to get it checked after the car had sat a few days.  While at the shop, the light failed to come on.  I think it must have been a fluke in the cold weather that caused the mishap.  We chanced it and went to TOPEKA not having any issues at all even with the freezing weather.  It wasn't as cold though as when the car first acted up.

Needing to go to the bank and the Post Office, we continued our day.  Wanted to eat LUNCH in St. Marys, get a steamer for the road to TOPEKA.  Since I'm eating more veggies, I had a Vegetarian Fajita without eating the tortilla wraps and skipping the taco chips only eating the SALSA.  I have to pat myself on the back as I was determined to not eat the chips and shell.  I did alright.  I managed to say NO to my inner hunger.  I was contented afterwards.  Tadaah...I managed.

I walked on the sidewalk with the cold breeze blowing in my face to 37 Pine and Maison.  Hubby went to get us a couple of Almond Milk Steamers while I looked at what the stores had for sell on SALE.

CHRISTMAS items galore were marked down 65% off and I managed to not buy anything.  I'll wait and perhaps the greenery will be marked down to 75% off next week.  If so, I will make my way back and do a purchase.  If by chance they have no more greenery than I'll survive. 

Driving to TOPEKA, we talked about our plans and where we were going.  Went to NOTO Dillons to purchase some items for the MIRACLE SOUP I want to fix.  Large white onions, large cabbages, dried onion soup, stalk of celery, large cans of organic tomatoes.  Dillons has a very nice selection of produce.  

Starbucks was on our list as I love their TRENTA unsweetened Iced Green Tea to sip on for 4 hours.  Drinking GREEN TEA is medicinal for me as it is so good for a variety of health issues. 

The thought of visiting the Mexican Food Grocery Store in TOPEKA came to mind, so we went.  I wanted to look for LARGE cinnamon sticks.  There they were.  They had the large CINNAMON sticks!  A win.  They were very affordable costing far less then what I was able to buy at Dillons, Hy-Vee and the local shop earlier in the season.   

The cinnamon sticks that I was able to come up with over the HOLIDAY were almost a joke.  Small pieces in a jar and expensive.  I used these on the CHRISTMAS TREE for decorations.  When I take them off the tree, I will put them in a Mason jar to use over the winter for hot drinks.  What I had in mind before this Cinnamon HUNT, was getting cinnamon sticks like what I was able to get when I was a newly wed.  They were huge and about 7 inches long not small pieces at all.  There they were.  They had the large pieces of CINNAMON!  A win.  They were very affordable costing far less then what I was able to buy at Dillons, Hy-Vee and the local shop. 

This store had cheaper white onions which were beautiful and better priced tomatoes in cans.  Next time I need onions, I will consider shopping here again and have LUNCH at their restaurant.

Purchasing some different shampoo to try.  This store has a huge selection of all kinds of goodies that I'm not use to seeing in gringo stores.    

Drove down TOPEKA BLVD, and spied a branch where we have our mortgage.  Easier to get our large car up to the window to do business.  Wheeled in there to pay our monthly payment.  The day is coming when we no longer will have a mortgage payment.  

Having a house fire in 2016 caused us to have to get another mortgage that made us owe more money.  You know when you want something you may have to do something about it like sell the mortgaged property and move into a small cottage where you will not have a mortgage.  The cottage is a fixer upper, so fixing her up is what we are doing.  Having a large mortgage ties us down financially where buying the things we need to get to fix the cottage up has been challenging.  This seems to be the way it has been for us.  

Off we went to GOD's STOREHOUSE to make a DONATION DROP and look about.  Spent little.

NATURE's GROCERS for eggs.  Due to supply shortages, soy-free eggs were not available.  Fortunate to get $1.99 eggs.  

SAMs was on the list.  Needed some disposable coffee cups and lids, Chinet paper plates to use as we remodel the COTTAGE making less time doing dishes.    

Finally to MENARDS.  Bought boxing tape so I can put together moving boxes this week-end.  Hubby needed to buy plumbing supplies for the COTTAGE Bathroom project.  It was here that I caught my bargain of the day.  PAPER WHITES were marked down 50% and if I used their 15% DISCOUNT grocery bag I would be able to get the PAPER WHITES for about $2.50 a box.  Buying 4 boxes came to $10.10 altogether.  BINGO.  Before Christmas when I bought Paper White bulbs, it was about a $15 purchase for 3 bulbs. 

Homework.  I'll be studying up on how to keep the bulbs for future plants. 

I'll try forcing these new bulbs to grow this week.  I was just talking about if I do this again, I would need more bulbs to fill a galvanized container for next year.  Welp, it's THE NEXT YEAR isn't it?  I hope they come up and bloom this February.  12 bulbs I bought in boxes. 

WINTERY BLAST OF COLD AIR blew when walking to the car.  The car's heater works well.  So thankful.  Made the journey home, unloaded our spoils, ate butter beans for supper and relaxed.  Night had come and I was needing to unwind.  Feet up.   

Recalling places we went:
US Post Office
Bank
Lunch
37 Pine
Maisons
MJs
Topeka drive
NOTO Dillons
Starbucks
Mortgage Company
GOD's STOREHOUSE
Nature's Grocers
SAMS
MENARDS

Getting out the house and having a FUN DAY is therapy for me.  This kind of THERAPY is by far healthier for me instead of overeating on snacks.  A better way to relax is getting out of the house an hour a day.  If I can follow my own advice, I will be a better person for it.

We had a pleasant day out and about AND I got my walking in.  No mishaps.  Gentle conversation and shopping almost until we dropped.  

I lost count to how many people said to me, "Have a nice rest of your day."  

I did.

~d