It Takes TALENT To Be Balanced In LIFE

STAYING BALANCED at times takes great effort.

Sometimes it isn't easy to be balanced in my LIFE.

HEALTH ISSUES make everyday chores a huge challenge.

Pacing myself becomes a concentrated effort to achieve the results I'm looking for.

Can I just say,

it's trial and error time.

Wait and see.  Watch and wait.

PACE YO SELF.

Hit while the iron is hot.

GO FOR IT.

DO what you can.

Can what you do.

What can you do?

Do it.

Choose the battles you are going to fight.

Pass the torch and switch gears.

Common sense is a virtue.

d

Dining On The Prairie

~Clover Cliff Ranch Breakfast Meal~ 

*On The Veranda*

Mixed Fruit

Cherry Kaloche

Skillet Breakfast Burrito

Cranberry Juice

Coffee with Cream

CLOVER CLIFF RANCH BED AND BREAKFAST

IS LOCATED NEAR ELMDALE, KANSAS

https://www.clovercliffranch.com/

Dining in our PRIVATE room.

He's HAPPY cauz his tummy is full.

~Clover Cliff Second Morning Meal~

With a gorgeous view.

Granola

Breakfast Pizza

Cinnamon Roll

Orange Juice

Coffee with Cream

~REAL MINIATURE FLOWERS~

Dining on the Prairie was Exquisite.

Something I could do everyday.

Pleasant memories,

d

AUTUMN

She arrived on a calm day.  
Bright BLUE SKIES with mild temperatures to where I could wear a sweater while opening some windows.  Deep breathing.  Take in the freshness.  Embrace the calm.  This SEASON will be welcomed with open arms as I organize, continue to downsize and rearrange some rooms.  AGAIN.  HISTORY REPEATS IT SELF.

AUTUMN BLESSINGS to my HOME will be deep cleaning before the HOLIDAYS arrive.  In a package of four HOLIDAYS...Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years.  I am praying for physical energy so I can get much done around our estate.  I am not in demand as who to look to as a domestic guru.   

Knocking down exterior house spider webs.  Spiders like making webs around here as if no one lives here.  I will thoroughly clean the porches this month and hang some twinkle lights up brightening the areas adding charm to the house.  SIMPLE enjoyment.

Want to buy a brightly colored MUM to place in an urn. 
Hang a couple of wreaths on front and back doors.
Interior ceramic pumpkins positioned throughout the house.
Artificial leaves for a fireplace garland.
Freshen up the sweaters in the closet.
Dust.
Vacuum.
Scrub and scour.
Rearrange the Living room and Office.
Clear away some madness.
Making peace and harmony a HOME DECORATION.

AUTUMN GOALS.
Laundry caught up.  (This is exciting...huh.) 
KITCHEN decluttered.  
Fridge cleaned and organized.  (Clearing out containers that need removed.  Worked at cleaning up sticky mess on top shelf of fridge.  Scrubbin' away.  Have acrylic bins that I placed washed Gala apples in for easier access to.  Tidying as I go.  When my fridge is clean and orderly I get warm fuzzies that make me smile big time.)
Master Bedroom tidied.
Guest rooms tidied.
New Media Room created.
Extra BEDDING freshened up, folded and relocated to hall closet.
Porches cleaned and twinkle lights hung.
Riding stationery bike a must.
Daily vitamins taken.
Slow walks about town.
Work on writing book.
Yard prepped for colder weather.
CHRISTMAS Decorations ready to go on outside of HOUSE.

Peace and Harmony to you in your HOME,

d

HARVEST HOPEFULS

I have got to go to the laundromat and get a quilt washed and dried.  Will wash it in the larger machine if it's open.  If not, I'll wait.  Not sure I will patiently wait though.  Might have to go for a short drive until the machine opens and you know how I hate doin that.  Wrong.  I love taking drives on nice days.

It's in the 60s with a grey overcast sky.  Puts me in the mood for AUTUMN where I start FALL CLEANING.  Dear HUBBY has been catching up on lawn work.  Makes me smile as the flowerbeds are looking like somebody cares!

I'll be washing bedding and sweeping floors as I make headway on AUTUMN CLEANING before the mums and pumpkins come out to play.  Today is the 22nd and it's as if the month just started.  Time has passed quickly.  22 days into the month already.  I did buy some miniature chocolate candy bars from SAMS for HALLOWEEN.  BE PREPARED is my motto.  More minis will be purchased next pay day.  Then I'll be ready for the HARVEST GOBLINS.  

I made huge headway on going through a pile of paper beside my recliner.  I have a ways to go before I can say DONE.  With a heated sock filled with rice, I have had to wear this sock around the back of my neck as I am beyond sore.  Not sure of all the reasons, but the heated sock HELPS this ole woman.

TODAY is SUNDAY and I have taken the day extremely slow.  Yesterday I was taking that 'sabbatical' I had been thinking about.  I just couldn't get goin so I stayed put.  NAP and all.

I have HOPES of getting caught back up on the laundry.  Isn't that something to get excited about.  I have plans of taking inventory of the bedding by refolding the articles and making them ever so neat.  I'm still working on rearranging the KITCHEN.  When it's completed then I will more onto the next organizing project.  In the mean time....I give it a lot of thought and I seem to be meaner than I think I should be.  

I can partly blame my thyroid levels for this meanness.  The forgetfulness I'm dealing with is frustrating to say the least.  FORGETFULNESS and stiffness in my muscles.  Because I have been suppressed for so long my muscles are not feeling right.  Slower moving hand gestures, aches all over the body,  heels aching like plantar fasciitis, forgetfulness and not recalling what I just read...forgetting names and having some issues with talking.  I can't seem to easily recall words.  I cannot even begin to describe the sweating.  Intolerance to heat is awful.  Lower body temps than normal.  97 degrees is not normal.

I have lowered my thyroid dose and will watch and wait to see when the energy kicks in and I get so much done I can't help but smile.  My medical appointment went well as the APRN answered the questions I had the best way he could and lowered my dose since I was sweating beyond one's comfort ZONE.

His answers were as I was prepared to hear according to MARY SHOMON the THYROID ADVOCATE.  Others such as Dr. Westin CHILDS have been helpful in understanding what all the numbers mean with the blood work.  

I asked the APRN about the magical WORD: OPTIMAL.  He said OPTIMAL is the reference range.  WRONG ANSWER.  WRONG.

OPTIMAL is where our levels are when we feel our best.  Where the body is operating at it's best level.  One person may feel wonderful at a 4.0 and another at a 2.0.  I'm aiming for a 1.0, but am a 0.094.

With the reference range many age groups of people are gathered together to average their numbers and box together in a reference range.  Different age people have different needs for levels of thyroid hormone.  So this averaging really isn't the best range for an individual such as myself at 64 compared to a 10 year old child or a 90 year old man.  

With some time under my belt, I will cool off and relax some about having to wait 6 to 8 weeks before having my thyroid levels checked again after lowering the dose.

I asked him about osteoporosis happening when on a suppressed TSH level for a long term.  I was concerned since I have been suppressed for 9 years.  He said I no longer need to be suppressed.  In which I just about did back flips because with being suppressed the TIREDS and FATIGUE is devastating.  Debilitating.  I would like to feel well because I am well.

Last November I was measured at 5' 8 1/2" which is an inch and a half shorter than my normal 5' 10" tall.  I have lost an inch and a half.  I may get a bone density test done in the FALL.  Making a list and checking it twice gonna find out whose naughty (sick) or nice... Santa Claus is coming to TOWN.

Hey Santa...will you send some elves over to clean my house and do the laundry?  I'm the elf.  Oh... Thank you.

Additional lab work done.
Bone density test.
Mammogram.
Pap Zap.
What else?
A1c.

I will take what the APRN shared and go from there.  I'll keep reading and printing out info for recall.  When the excessive sweating has stopped I'll know that my levels are where I feel the best at.  For my records I have a list of blood work that I will have in the month of October or early November to compare to the previous year labs.  I need to go in and visit with my regular M.D. and talk with him about yearly records for recall.  I want my HUSBAND to do the same.  So we will have a DINNER DATE after our medical appointment.  

NOW to get after the laundry.  I so hope I get to feeling more energetic.  VITAMINS a MUST.  More on that later.

HUGS and best wishes,

d

Cooking with Lady Carnarvon - Homemade Elderflower Cordial

I am a FAN of DOWNTON ABBEY since way back.  Movie DATE was Downton Abbey on the big screen September 20th OPENING DAY.  

Hobby Time allowed me to research Lady Carnarvon for real as the KEEPER OF THE HOME at HIGHCLERE CASTLE.

ELDERBERRY CORDIAL made to look easy to make by the hands of the LADY.  Will have to try to make some after I make sure to get the correct Elderflower flower and not Queen Anne's Lace.

Happiness is HOMEMADE,
d  

ENJOY TODAY!

DECIDING TO HAVE A GOOD DAY sometimes involves actually determining to do so even if it isn't easy.  A smile on your face and a melody in your heart HELPS.  Praises from one's lips about the GOODNESS OF GOD HELPS.    

AND so I will WILL IT.  Focusing on the good.  

BLESSINGS TO YOU,

d

Help Me I'm Fading!

I DIDN'T SLEEP WELL LAST NIGHT.  I tossed and turned.  Woke up during the night and would drift off to sleep, but not a deep sleep.   Woke up around 8 to get ready for medical appointment.  Took a shower, shampooed my hair, got dressed and ate a breakfast on the road to TOPEKA.  Yearly exam for thyroid health.

HUBBY went with me.  I had a long list of questions to ask during the appointment.  We sat in the lobby and hour as there was a medical emergency putting the medical attendant running behind so it was closer to noon when seeing him.  

My Ultra sound results were good.  TSH too low and the FREE T4 indicated that I'm sluggish and overmedicated not tolerating the heat well at all.  Walking from the parking lot to the front desk caused me to sweat.  Sharing symptoms with the APRN believed I was overmedicated.  THOUGHT so with my TSH so low.

After being suppressed for 9 years I was concerned about osteoporosis.  Last NOVEMBER at my yearly physical when my height indicated that I was an inch and a half shorter than I normally am, I was stunned.  If your TSH is suppressed long term, it can encourage osteoporosis.  One of the questions I asked was about this and I was told I no longer need to be suppressed.  I'm going to aim for a 1.0 TSH instead a 0.094.  Blood will be checked in 6 weeks. 
    

Last Monday when I went to see where my daughter is working I overheated as walking.  Granted it was HOT OUT, I overheated too easily.  I can hardly walk these days.  My face was tomato RED and I felt like I was a walking furnace.  I became incredibly irritated.  One sign of being overmedicated.  I was there.

My muscles ache and I feel like my hands and tops of my feet are tighter than comfortable not wanting to operate.  Cramps.  My heels are aching like I have plantar fasciitis.  My neck aches when turning.  I sweat way too easily.  Brittle fingernails.  Dry skin.  Forgetfulness and difficulty remembering what I just read.  Hypo and hyper symptoms.  I'm human.  Weak muscles and lack of umpf.  Not a good way to be.    

Just walking about my HOME, I overheat so easily.  Tis awful.  Backing off of the dose of Armour Natural Desiccated Thyroid, I pray I regain my strength and health.  The last 9 years has been incredibly challenging as I do not handle Levothyroxine well.  I'm one of THOSE people that doesn't do well.

The hours I have read and researched thyroid information has been numerous.  Adding frustration to my emotions as I read and cannot recall what I just read.  This is really frustrating as I am wanting to know what I should know.  Gathering the questions to ask was more laborious than it normally should be because I would have to return to read info over and over and over again as if I hadn't read it before.  Recall was very poor.  Finally got my notes typed and printed out.  I remembered to take my questions with me to my appointment.  After my appointment I was in better spirits and off we went to play.

After my medical appointment, we went to LUNCH at OLIVE GARDEN.  Salad with lots of black olives.  A small serving of spaghetti with meat sauce and meata balls.  Breadsticks and raspberry lemonade.

Went to TUESDAY MORNING to buy some ginger snaps.  MENARDS was on the list of places to go to get WATKINS Hand Soap in a pump bottle.  Decided to go drive the POTWIN PLACE NEIGHBORHOOD.  Just drove around not on an agenda.  Discovered where RESTORE relocated to.  I will return to pick up some recliners we purchased.  What a fantastic bargain we got.

SUPPER will be TV DINNERS.  Meatloaf, corn, mash potatoes, gravy and apple dessert.  Good enough for a very weary and tired 
o v e r m e d i c a t e d  THYROID PATIENT.  LORD HELP ME.  I am weary.

FOR NOW I am fading.  I can feel it in my soul.
Feet up.  
d

GIRLS SHOPPIN'

We had a fun filled day shoppin'

Ate some LUNCH

CHATTEDSHOPPEDHUGGED

Said our good-byes.

Twas fun.

Have a pleasant LIFE,

d