AHH NUTS!

DECIDING TO PLACE THE LARGE MASON JARS FULL OF NUTS IN THE FRIDGE was the early morning chore I accomplished.  I wanted to do this half a year ago, but talked myself out of it thinking the jars would take up too much space in our small fridge.  NUTS stay fresher when refrigerated and I wish I had done it then, but hey.  I bit the bullet and went ahead making room for the six large mason jars.  Now I can place more canned goods, etc. on the pantry shelves I have in the basement stairwell.  

One thing leads to another as I tidied the rest of the fridge.  Pitching the penicillin fruit and moldy salsa.  Yummers.  Other bottles of this 'n that have to be located elsewhere, but where in the fridge...dunno.  Rearranging seems to make me happy for so many odd reasons.  I have a thing about neat fridge space.  Not sure where that came from, but when my fridge is tidy, I feel better.  

NUTS are so good for peeps.  Full of nutrition and nourishment.  

I think I may be heading toward being a minimalist fridge content peep.  grins.  Neat and orderly behind closed doors.

Aiming at eating nuts as a snack in the middle of the afternoon for energy and keeping the blood sugar levels more stable so there is less glucose spiking.  Since nuts are high in calories, I need to practice mindful eating and only have a handful at a time with knit picking the amount I pop into my mouth.  

ONE NUT AT A TIME THEN CHEW, CHEW, CHEW as with all foods.  Mindful eating also has to do with how slow one eats with more chewing and focusing on the flavor of what is in the mouth.  Making an effort to deliberately know what I have inside my mouth I consciously think of using all the teeth and not just the molars.

I am eating.  Reminds me of Dr. Kellogg.

https://www.history.com/news/dr-john-kellogg-cereal-wellness-wacky-sanitarium-treatments

Dr. John Harvey Kellogg encouraged chewing 40 times before swallowing the mouthful of food as he was a fan of Horace Fletcher.  Easier on the digestive track.  

Chew chew chew then swallow.  Kellogg made up a chewing song to go along with the chewing.

Horace Fletcher was a key figure of the American
"Golden Age of Food Faddism"

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horace_Fletcher

Having stayed at my present weight for nearly half a year, I am ready for the scale to move downward.  Stuck at this number isn't my goal weight.  Back to balancing out my meal with more veggies.  MORE VEGGIES this week.  Walking comes to mind.  Jack LaLanne comes to mind.  

MY PLANS this week are to PAINT the COTTAGE PANTRY.  I will be pleased when this is done.  My past week was occupied with medical appointments, traveling, helping Mom and gathering things to turn loose of.  Can only do so much and I'm doing it.  

BYE BYE SOFA

We were able to get rid of the sectional leather sofa that was in the COTTAGE.  Bye bye.  Went to a good HOME.  This clears out the COTTAGE Living room to where we can work on the inside of the COTTAGE.  

A toilet, sink, a couple of medicine cabinets, and 2 carpet bed rollers were placed by the curb.  They disappeared today.  Some more clothing, dishes, old cameras, things from the garage, knick knacks, this 'n that, vintage hats went away over the week-end.  Bye bye.  

I don't want to get rid of all of my old hats as I would like to do some children's Teas where the girls can actually wear hats, but first comes downsizing, remodeling the COTTAGE, fixing up the main house to sell.  Plate is full.  

Getting this adventure going so we can move into our COTTAGE takes baby steps so we can get to where we are going.  Having thought and prayed about how to make it all come together has required time and patience.  At our age with health issues, our strength, endurance and energy levels has to be put to use in tiny increments where we can get things done.  

This requires time and effort.  So going slow with spurts of energy is the way we get things done these days.  We are like the tortoise...slow but steady.  Time seems to be the speedy hare.

1) Round one...KNOW WHAT YOU HAVE.  Get rid of things not needed.  Give away, donate, trash, sell.  THIN OUT.  Lighten the load of what needs to be moved to new location.  The turning loose of so much is a huge work-out for me.  I have had to come to terms with why I have hung onto so much.  I felt better when I realized that my archive stash of Martha Stewart LIVING magazines were not sacred... helped me turn loose of years of her mags.  Perhaps I could have made some money if I had got the mags into the right hands.  Glad they are long gone.  No need to dwell on this.   

2) Remodel the COTTAGE.  Fix up the COTTAGE so it can be moved into including major clean up of what is in the garage and cellar.

3) Bathroom and pantry worked on at the same time.  Bathroom gutted and pantry painted.  Get the Bathroom up and going.   

4) Put muscle racks in the cellar and garage for storing Christmas/Holiday decor, overflow on dishes, supplies.  Going to have to clear out the garage to make way for these racks.  This will take some time, muscle and effort as the Summer weather is hitting with too high of temps to work comfortably in the garage.  
  

5) Closet redone after Bathroom is finished as the closet is in the bathroom.

6) Kitchen reworked and Utility room rearranged.  Some professional wiring will be done in Utility room.  New ceilings, new cabinets in, painted, tile floors laid.

7) Front of house needs leveled.  New porch will be built after we move in along with patio in back yard.  House painted later.

8) Front Bedroom worked over.  Two small closets tore out, ceiling redone, door closed off between the two bedrooms, floor to ceiling bookshelf built, walls painted, carpet ripped up, hardwood floor laid.

9) Living room and Dining room painted.  Maybe put wainscoting in the dining room.  Carpet ripped up and hardwood floor laid.  

10) Small Bedroom painted.  Carpet ripped up and hardwood floors laid.

11) Eventually will get two antique doors that I like hung on front of COTTAGE.      

12) Move.  One room at a time if needed.

13) What is left at present location.....sell, donate, trash, put into storage.

14) Get the clean-up, touch ups, finish projects done that are at main house. 

15) Place house on the market and sell.  

LORD have mercy and help us to get this completed and provide a qualified buyer.

  

I remember well that my Grandparents were in their 60s when they took on the undertaking of turning an old log house into a more modern stucco house.  Grandpa and a brother-in-law worked well together as they remodeled the interior with modern linoleum floors in the kitchen and dining room.  I often thought that they were ancient being in their 60s and doing this BIG project. Now I see that my HUSBAND and myself are the ancient ones reworking over a COTTAGE.  We continue to do projects.   I have no way of knowing what challenges they had as they forged ahead making a HOME for themselves in Ft. Morgan, Colorado.  

To look at them, you'd never know that Grandpa was rejected by his future Father-in-Law.  You'd never know that Grandma's own father disowned her for marrying her sweetheart.  You'd never know that while she was on her honeymoon her dad would drown in a flash flood, but first he told her, "I hope I never see you again."  

You'd never know. 

Just looking at someone, you may not know all that they have been through, would you?  Each one of us has a history and a story to tell.  Some seem better than others.  Are you washed in the blood?  Is your name written in the Lamb's book of LIFE?  You don't always know what someone has been through or what they are going through right now.  To look at my Husband, you cannot tell he has Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma or that we both have had thyroid cancer leaving us with low energy and other challenging issues.  You'd never know the financial challenges we have had or marital woes we have suffered through.  We still have hopes and dreams.  We are so human...amen.

  

STORMY WEATHER YESTERDAY had us in our daughter's basement.  On our way back to our main house across the river after a day of GARAGE selling, the radio station I was listening to began broadcasting a awful sound for tornadic activity alerts.  Storms were north of us indicating that we'd be driving right into the path of dangerous weather. 

I was driving one car and my husband another.  I pulled over telling him about the news.  Overhead were dangerous clouds telling us that activity is present.  We'd be driving right into hail and forceful winds so we turned around and headed towards small town america where our daughter lives.  She phoned Hubby asking where we were.  We headed toward her HOME.  

We had time to chat about the weather and headed to the basement as the Tornado Siren sounded.  Into a basement closet we went.  Daughter read scripture out loud as we waited the storm out.  This was comforting.  

The weather calmed down and we headed HOME.  I was ready to fall asleep after a long day with only two hours of sleep the night before.  Overall we had a decent day and I am thankful our property wasn't damaged nor were we hurt.   

We can make plans, yet they all can change in a twinkling of an eye.
This week I do hope I can paint the pantry.

Clear out some more objects from the house.

DOnate things to God's Storehouse.

Repot some plants.

Stay on top of the laundry.

Write out bills.

FUTURE THOUGHTS.   Keep in mind of doing soon.  Probably not this week.  Move some boxed Christmas decorations from a upstair Bedroom to the Kitchen to stack.  Start thinning out the decorations.  Bring Christmas decor that's still in the basement, upstairs as well.  Stack.  Thin out.  Clean the COTTAGE cellar and put a muscle rack in it to store decorations.  Start transferring Christmas decor to the COTTAGE.  Take inventory as I go.  Hallelujah when it is done.  Praise the LORD and thank you, Jesus.

Thankful that I had a very productive week.  May you have a BLESSED life as a child of God 
and comfortable HOME, 

~d

Romans Chapter 12

1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

PURGING MAY NOT BE EASY, BUT IT IS DOABLE

DROVE HOME IN THE RAIN as I was returning from taking my MOM to two medical appointments and by the time I arrived HOME, I practically collapsed in my chair exhausted.  The past few days have been a blur.  Very busy.  Lord, please help me.

I spent the night at my Mom's and woke around 4:30 in the morning unable to fall back asleep.  I stayed awake, prayed, brushed out my hair, groomed, got dressed, fixed Mom some coffee and got her meds ready for her when she woke up.  She had a medical appointment in Newton today.  Also she needed blood work done in Marion.  

I wanted to know if she could manage by herself getting into her car to drive, driving and getting out.  She'd have to handle her own walker placing it in the back seat behind the driver's seat, close the door, open the driver's door, climb inside the car, etc.  Welp, she managed very well for a 90 year old woman with a walker and purse.  I was pleasantly surprised.

Once she was in the car, I asked her if she'd like to drive?  She did.  She drove to the Hospital in town, parked the car and got out all by herself.  Managed to get her walker and away she went to have labs done.  Now I drove her to Newton for her HIP CHECK.  It's been 3 months since she broke her hip, had surgery and began to recover.  

She has said that her hip never did hurt her after surgery.  It was her knee.  She is almost without pain now.  A miracle.

Much prayer has gone into her recovery.  At 90, most elderly people do not recover from a broken hip.  God has blessed her with more time.  Her spirit is amazing.

MONDAY, I had a ultra sound done at local Hospital to check for aneurysms.  Checked out fine.  Worked at COTTAGE.
TUESDAY was our yearly physicals.  A1c fantastic.  Lipids too high.  Blood work super good and UA the best ever.  Almost walking on air after appointment with my doctor.  Worked at COTTAGE. 
WEDNESDAY was a drive to Topeka for Hubby's eye appointment to see how he's healing up after eye surgery.  He's doing well.  Went to Menards and THRIFT SHOP.  Worked at COTTAGE.  Drove to Marion to take Mom to medical appointments.  Spent the night.
THURSDAY...took Mom to medical appointments, shopped Dollar Tree, Dillons and Wal-mart.  BOUGHT A SWIM SUIT.  Will try on at HOME.  Can you believe IT?  I guess I have hopes of being able to fit in this one.  She's black and very cute.  

Took Mom HOME.  Then drove the long way HOME in the rain.  Made me tired.  I was so thankful to be HOME.  Collapsed in my recliner with aching feet, exhausted body and mind.  Told HUBBY I felt ruined.   R u i n e d.   May I regain my energy and strength.

FRIDAY, Lord willing, I'll continue downsizing.  Serious stuff right there.

PURGING HAS BECOME A major PART OF MY LIFE THESE DAYS.  I am working really hard at turning loose of much.  It is a LIFE CHANGING EVENT for me that has been a long drawn out process.  One day, I hope to say, I did it and I am a better person for it.  It's like pulling teeth on some days. 

Making MESSES is one of my SUPERPOWERS and I am hoping to cultivate another SUPER POWER.  That of purging like a PRO.  Is there HOPE?  Yes, I believe there is.

Am I a hoarder?  In some ways I think I am a recovering small scale hoarder that still struggles with wanting to hang on to too much STUFF.  I turn 67 this SUMMER and am praying that I achieve the position of having turned loose of much and have order.  No more warehouse decor, babee.    

ON THE HUNT!!!

NEED SOME MORE WATKINS ALL PURPOSE CLEANER. Just about out.

I thought I could simply go to Menards to pick some up.  Nope.  Out.  Second Menards...out.  Okay tried Walmart.  Out.  Hardware Store...out.  Grocery store...out.  Home Depot...out.  Will look at Target soon and if they are out I'll have to use the internet.  

It's the best cleaner I have ever used and now I cannot find any.  Not happy 'bout that.  I have been cleaning small figurines that I came across in the basement that had not been professionally cleaned after our 2016 house fire.  Service Masters wouldn't clean them and I did not want to throw them away.  They were boxed and then forgotten about until this past week.  I started cleaning them this week with Watkins and low and behold they started to shine.  Stains came off.  I couldn't help but smile.

Salads will help me get my nutrition as I continue to eat differently desiring to downsize my body.  Thought these are good looking and healthy.  Checking out how others have lost 100 pounds leads me to more salads to try.

Life is good even with so much chaos in the world.  
Finding my HAPPY PLACE
is in my HOME.
~d

John 15:2

2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.

1 John 1:7

7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

1 John 1:9

9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

John 3:16

16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

 

CLEANING UP

FOLDING T-SHIRTS and putting away took a little more time as there were so many of them.  After a few more chores are completed, I will color code my hubby's t-shirt drawers.  I think maybe he needs to have less than what he has.  An over abundance in t-shirts is a blessing, but not a necessity.  Four drawers stuffed full is more than enough.

I keep thinking about when we downsize that our closet space will be small and the drawers even smaller as the vintage bedroom suite we will be using belonged to my Husband's Grandparents.  It's from the 1930s.  Between the two of us, I will have to come up with a creative way to store our t-shirts, jeans, sweaters, sweat shirts, undergarments, socks.  

Going from having a His closet and a Hers closet to one small closet between the two of us, is going to be a challenge that I will have to MASTER.  Baskets on a closet shelf might come in very handy for t-shirts, socks and underwear.  Folded sweaters and jeans will make be stacked on a shelf as blouses, shirts, slacks and skirts will hang on rods.  A smaller rod will hold dresses and dress coats.  This is how I imagine it.

I emptied the metal rack on wheels of hanging clothing that is in the Kitchen.  This is where I allow the freshly laundered clothing to air dry for the time being.  All put away as I had hoped.  Now I have started hanging clothing on it that will be turned loose of.  That mess I said I was going to make has begun.  As we gather up things to turn loose of, the house is looking like we are getting ready to move.  It'll get worse before it gets better.    

We deliberately scoured the basement for things to turn loose of.  A basket full of small figurines I cherished and treasured while living in the rock house were discovered in the basement.  Smoke stains from the 2016 House Fire covered all the lil treasures.  I hadn't the heart to pitch them... still they were ignored all these years so I'm using All Purpose Cleaner by Watkins.  I can only clean one at a time with the cleaner and an old toothbrush.

The stains are coming off pretty well.  After the house fire, these figurines were taken by Service Master to clean and came back to us not cleaned as we were told they couldn't be restored.  Here it is 5 and a half years later and I am cleaning them with success.  They are becoming refreshed as I run warm water over them after scouring them with Watkins.  Makes me think that when we get saved and washed in the blood that we are made clean.   

I can't help but smile that these lil figurines are cleaning up rather nicely.  I have an old bookcase that I kept them in that has glass doors on it.  During the fire, every item that was displayed in the case was completely covered in stains from the smoke that molested our HOME.  The furniture piece was refinished and returned to us.  I will return these little treasures back to the book case and it will be relocated to the COTTAGE when we move later in the year.  I was thinking that I might display my miniature dolls in this piece also. 

Hubby toured the Carriage House and I the bedrooms.   

I went through some old hats that I have collected for years and will be thinning out.  I believe I can let go of some of these for the time being.  Later I may get rid of some more.  Shall see.

More clothing is going away, some books and glassware.  I have a tea set that can go.  Some drinking glasses, plates, bowls, tea cups and saucers.  Teddy bears and puppets.  Old tools and cameras.  Picture frames.  

I looked at the basement Christmas decor and that will come another time for sure.  As I thin out belongings, I am thankful that I do not need them anymore.  Someone else can be blessed by it.  May they use the items in good health.  I can clean up around here as I am being cleaned up in a different way.  I don't have to be afraid of turning loose.  Bye bye.  

I bought a new boom from the hardware store over the week-end.  A good one cost me nearly $16.  I think this is the most I have ever paid for a broom.  Maybe it will last a few years.  Amen.

I checked out three movies from the Library.  We watched them and ate popcorn.  The Sentinel, Victoria and Abdul and The Silver Lining Playbook.  Hum.  What can I say?  

The Sentinel with Michael Douglas wasn't so great.  

Victoria and Abdul with Dame Judi Dench was entertaining to a degree.  

Silver Lining Playbook was terrible.  Foul language and adult content.    

This week, I will continue purging our estate.  I know there will be more of this.  This week I will be busy purging.  The bathrooms need throughly cleaned, the rugs vacuumed, the cars cleaned out and vacuumed, paperwork gone through and the Kitchen porch cleaned.  I need to eat more salads and drink more water.  Walking to continue and praying.

I believe one day the purging will be complete and it will be a great accomplishment.  Cleaning up is taking place.  June is here.  Before it gets entirely too hot, I hope I can go through a storage unit and make some sense out of it.  Hubby will continue gutting the Cottage Bathroom.  I'll be painting the pantry when I have completely stopped coughing.  Going on week number three when Bronchitis is suppose to have ran it's course. 

I have newspaper clippings that I want to clip and mail to loved ones this week.  I managed to purchased greeting cards that I will mail to my Grandchildren to communicate with them that I am very proud of them and love them.  This week I need to order a plant for a cousin who had a death in their family.  

I will be taking my Mom to an out of town doctor's appointment which means I will have to drive an hour and a half to her home and an hour and a half back to mine plus drive her 40 minutes one way and return to her home again, take my Husband to an eye appointment in Topeka.  This week, I'll be having an ultra sound to check for aneurysms and our yearly physicals.

 

Life is good and I will praise the Lord all day long.

The week will be a busy one.

Blessings, 

~d    

LOVELY BRUNCH

"BRUNCH AT THE MARKET"

WE GLADLY TOOK PART IN A FLINT HILLS SUMMER BRUNCH in Alma.  A small gathering on the porch of the Pacheco Beef Business started our day off.  This business is encouraging others to become aware of the local businesses in the beautiful Flint Hills that we are blessed to have.   

https://www.pachecobeef.com

The Hostess Wrenn Pacheco greeted us.  On a grey overcast Saturday, we started with a beverage at 10 AM...a Mimosa.  This was a first for me as I have never had one before.  It was light, tasty and bubbly.  Easy to enjoy.

We chatted with others at our table covered by a white linen tablecloth as we waited for the meal to be served.

I'm not a wall flower, but sitting at a table for a meal with people I don't know isn't the easiest thing for me as I am not a conversationalist.  I do alright, but still it isn't easy.  The meal started with Kolaches from the local Bakery.

Next came a Mexican Quiche prepared by Arturo Pacheco with a side of fresh fruit. 

It started to sprinkle, then the rain came down rather heavy.  We sat outside for a few more minutes then went inside of the store to purchase some of their delicious beef.  Other businesses in Alma will honor a 10% discount to the Brunch group that participates on the first Saturday of each month.

I decided that I would go to the Antique Mall and look at their bling.
Later we drove around and found where their FARMERS MARKET was taking place.  The rain caused some to fold up shop 
and call it a day.

I hope to go shopping next month as I'd like to see what the Farmers have to offer. Looking forward to this come Summer. 

Blessings to you,
~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

TERRIFIC THURSDAY

SEEMS LIKE IT OUGHT TO BE SATURDAY instead of Thursday. Perhaps this is because I've been so busy the last few days that the week ought to be over already.  The weather is gorgeous and I am spending my day doing laundry, blogging, paperwork and general chore.  Dishes are washed, dried and put away. Laundry continues.

THE LAST FEW DAYS HAVE BEEN A BLUR OF ACTIVITY and I am not recalling everywhere we went and what we did.  HODGE PODGE THOUGHTS.  As I sit here typing and thinking about what I did and what my plans for the day will be...I will just wing it and see what comes to mind.

Cowtown, visit with Mom and Sister, Yard work, Boston Fern bought and taken to COTTAGE, house payment made, paint hunting, thrift shopping, laundry, Doctor's appointments, trips to Menards, Dollar General for cards and supplies, Gas Bill paid, MJs for steamer, Arbys, Sams, Walmart, God's Storehouse, to the COTTAGE, Sugarcreek, Westmoreland Court House for car tags, drive around town, Downton Abbey movie at Astro 3 Theatre in Marysville, Local Library, car worked on, dishes, laundry, etc.

Tuesday, we needed to go purchase stickers for our car tags in Westmoreland.  LONG line and 45 minute wait.  A mission accomplished.  I can't help but notice the little blue house on the corner across from where we got our car tag sticker.  

There's one little blue house in Westmoreland that I know has had a great deal of tender loving care with the yard being so gorgeous.  A great inspiration to me.  Neat ideas to use.  

Afterwards we decided to drive on over to Frankfort to go to ELSIE GRACE'S gift shoppe and Bakery then to the Highway 9 Pizza and Grill for a hamburgers.  Grill was on a limited menu and hamburgers were out.  No hamburgers...whaah and a half.

I ate a huge salad instead.  A spontaneous DATE.  We were so close to The Astro 3 Theatre in Marysville that we drove on over to watch...get this...DOWNTON ABBEY (A New Era).

Earlier in the month I had made my mind up that I wasn't going to go to the Theatre to watch another Downton Abbey movie as I was disappointed with the 2019 movie.  I guess I had placed too high of an expectation and was disappointed.  Dining at the theatre was great fun.  This I wasn't disappointed in.  SO I wasn't too keen on another Downton movie, but when we were being spontaneous I decided seeing this new Downton Abbey movie would be alright after all.  So we went to Dollar General first for some cards and then to the the movies at the charming Astro 3 Theatre in Marysville.  Ate popcorn and Junior Mints.  The ads came on with no picture just sound.  

Black screen.  Manager apologized and said they had someone coming to take a look.  If it didn't get fixed, he'd give our $money$ back.  We had a 30 minute wait then the show began.

DOWNTOWN ABBEY came on and all was well.  I actually liked this movie better than the one I saw in 2019.  Time gets away from me these days.  2019 being 3 years ago. 

This movie has NO sex scenes, no foul language, no grotesque violent scenes.  A movie with an actual story line and good acting.  A plus.   

I am about ready to start watching again from the beginning the television series.  The costuming is so well done.  I don't like the short scenes though.  I barely get a chance to look around in the room before the scene changes knowing this is deliberate as they do not want to lose the viewers' attention.  So with the quick scenes I have to freeze frame to absorb all the interior details.

Slowly driving HOME in the dark with rain, it was nice to be HOME after being gone for the day.

I missed Tuesday Senior Discount Day in Topeka, but went ahead and went Wednesday as we were out and about looking for PAINT.  The paint store I went to in Manhattan on Tuesday after our medical appointments didn't excite me as they were playing very loud punk-rock-rap noise in the store.  This type of music isn't peaceful nor is it professional.  I couldn't find the paint sample strip I collected a few days ago to have paint mixed up for me.  The vibes weren't good so we left.  

Wednesday came and I needed to Fast for the blood work that would be done later in the morning.  Drive to the doctor's office, check in and wait.  Here comes the nurse to weigh us.  I'm holding my own when it comes to weight, but need to lose more weigh which I suppose will come when I get serious about walking 3 miles a day.  Lord help me.  Oh Lord, I know I can do this thing...I just have to do it.

Off to MJs for a steamer and a coffee for hubby.  Ate Lunch at Sugar Creek, grabbed a steamer and drove over to Topeka to God's Storehouse, Sam's fuel, Aldi's and paint.  

Picked up a sweet porcelain doll.  Sweet, but very dirty.  She'll need some tender loving care. Dark marks on her skin, filthy dress and wig.  Can I save her?  Hope so.  She has a nice weight to her and I think she will clean up rather nice.  Another doll for my collection.

Hello Shay.  Her name is Shay.  A Donna RuBert doll circa 1992.

She was wearing a gold necklace with 3 pearls.  Her little dress will be hand washed, her body cleaned with Watkins All Purpose Cleaner and her wig washed with Johnson's Baby Shampoo.  I may be looking into getting a prettier wig for her.  One like I see on the internet.

A lovely white glass cheese/butter dish
with dome lid. 

I bought a couple of capri slacks for Summer weather, but I believe they will only fit after I lose another 10 to 20 pounds.  They are in nice shape so if I take a while to lose this weight, they will keep.

I was thrilled to get to buy them since I need shorter slacks to wear instead of blue jeans all the time.  Perhaps I will check into Summer dresses and surprise those around me that I am wearing dresses again.  No shorts for oui. 

Washing machine is whirring.  I am planning on working on laundry loads today for sure, blogging, cleaning a porcelain doll, writing out some greeting cards and sorting through the piles of paper lying about me.  Hubby is working on our little car as a belt broke causing the steering to be next to impossible.  Awful.  

We have been driving the larger car which uses more fuel.  The gasoline prices have climbed and are expected to climb more this Summer.  That's to be expected, huh?  I have noticed the grocery prices and other items to become more expensive as well as at the Topeka Thrift Store I frequent.  

Much to do and I am working away at getting a handle on it.  If I can get 10 loads of laundry completed today, I will feel that I have made huge progress.  I have been working on catching up on it since I returned HOME from helping with my MOM and then after returning from STATE TRACK AND FIELD MEET.  Confession Time...I had a basket full of sweaters needing laundered.  They were overdue.  Their time has come.  Woolite to the rescue.  I will wash them, allow them to air dry, gently fold them, store away for Autumn weather in the FALL.  They will be ready to wear.  I either running way behind or way ahead of the game since it is June.

I am amazed at how much laundry my HUSBAND and I contribute to the dirty laundry pile, also the amount of trash between the two of us and our dirty dishes that pile up to boot since it is just the two of us these days.  I know I have slowed down and don't work as fast as I use to and don't have as high of a energy level.  Still, I am dumb founded at this.   

I am not the HOUSEKEEPER I once was when my children were at HOME when I still had my youth.  

MY GOAL this month is 1) to get the COTTAGE PANTRY completely painted.  
2) Gather up more articles to turn loose of. 
3) and lose 5 pound.  Maybe 10.
4) Paperwork thinned out.
5) Make headway on clearing out the upstairs TV room.

That's enough for JUNE.

With no thyroid, weight reduction is most difficult.  I have been holding my own for nearly 6 months.  Nothing is happening.  Staying steady with a bit of a flexing of 5 pounds.  This I don't like.  Next goal...my 67th birthday in July then a Thyroid Appointment in September.  I think if I can drop 10 pounds by September that it would help.  

Yesterday, was our labs for upcoming yearly physical and a Medicare Medical Appointment.  The results came in last night into my medical portal which is pretty handy actually.  I am thrilled that my A1c was fantastic, but disappointed my cholesterol climbed. That's the bad cholesterol.  My good cholesterol climbed as well which is the way I want it to go.  

I will be visiting with my doctor about going off of HYDROCHLOROTHIAZIDE which can contribute to raising blood sugars and cholesterols.  A diuretic that raises cholesterol.  Hum.  What can I take to help with this?  VITAMIN B6 helps with water retention.  Not too thrilled about the LISINOPRIL I take either.  

ANYWHO...my CBC looked fantastic.  A1c super!  UA was a clear catch.  I never have a clear catch.  This time apparently I did.  Wahoo.  Okay the lab results answered a lot of questions I was stewing on.  I AM RELIEVED except for the high cholesterol reading.  

Can stress raise the cholesterol as well as OTC meds taken for coughing?  I would like to visit with my doc about giving me some more time on lowering the cholesterol as he would like to place me on statin drugs and I'm wondering.  More HOMEWORK to do about health issues.

When the nurse was asking us questions for our medicare update, my hubby missed one of his questions which surprised me as we sat in the same exam room together.  The nurse said three words and then said she'd do some other things then come back to the three words for us to share and say them to her.

Hubby's words were apple, table and nickel.  When it came time to repeat these, he said apple, pear and nickel.  Completely forgot the table and ad-libbed with pear.  A little stunned.  I said nothing.  Test continued.  I know last year as I was walking to the exam room, I gave the wrong birthday for me to the nurse!  Okay.  We slip up sometimes.  I have.  This year I did better.

When I was given the three words, mine were different than my hubs.  Today, I cannot remember what they all were...pear...something?...penny.  I know my short memory isn't as good as it use to be...so there it goes, I need to study up on brain health about memory and see what there is to see out there in google land and read up on it.

I have read more about health the last 12 years that it makes my head spin and the maddening thing about it is that I cannot recall much of what I had read making recall nonproductive.

HEALTH Subjects that I have read up on are:
THYROID (UP TO MY EYEBALLS INFORMATION FOR 12 YEARS)
POLITICS (NOT ALL HEALTH ISUES, BUT CAN AFFECT OUR HEALTH)
DIABETES
HYPOTHYROIDISM
PLANTIS 
ARCHILLES TENDONITIS
PINEAL GLAND
MENTAL HEALTH
RADIATION
FOOD
FLUORIDE
HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP
ADDITIVES
MEDICATIONS
VITAMINS
MINERALS
SUPPLEMENTS
INFRASONIC SOUND
METABOLISM
CHOLESTEROL
BROKEN HIPS
DIETS, DIETS, DIETS
RECIPES

SO MANY OTHER SUBJECTS THAT I CANNOT RECALL AT THE MOMENT.

THE INTERNET IS AWESOME WHEN IT COMES TO DOING RESEARCH.  I'm not saying all info out there is all inclusive or COMPLETELY truthful, but there's much out there to read.  Misinformation makes a dishonest statement.  Take the info as a grain of salt and dig deeper.

Rest of the week, I will gather up things to get rid of for the near future...catch up on laundry...continue getting the old paperwork thinned out...paint the COTTAGE Utility room...makes my head spin.  I have too much on my plate to be so slow at all of this.  Patience needs to kick in and I have to remind myself that I am human and can just go at a snail's pace...hello.   

So much chaos in the world.  I desire a slower paced LIFE with peace and have the ability to hear myself think.  To God be the glory great things He hath done.

~d