FIRST DAY OF SUMMER 2025

 

STAY HYDRATED.  HOT FUN IN THE SUMMER TIME.  Temps will rise to the 90s today.  HAPPY SUMMER! 🪭  You are here.  Do I jump up and down or sit under a shade tree?  Best for me to stay inside with the air on.   

Hubby said we need to go back to Menards for more bagged potting soil for MORE HERBS!  He's getting into this gardening thang which delights my soul.  Be sure and drink some water and bring along as we travel to Manhattan today.  Seeing the gorgeous Prairie scenery as we travel will be a highlight for me during this Summer day.  pause.  

Back to Manhattan to shop.  BASIL and OREGANO will be grown in our container garden.  grins.  I was just talking about oregano to grow.

Our Container Garden will need to be watered especially in this HOT weather.  I have to water the porch plants.  

I won't be walking outside today, sooooo I will need to walk through an exercise video.

Yesterday, I worked on throwing things away, putting some things away, clearing off the table.  Not there yet.  Heavens, this is taking way too long.  Life is passing me by.  Get 'er done, Deanna.

I'll be thinking on what the do differently this SUMMER.  I will return to setting an alarm clock for waking in the mornings and striving to turn the lights out by midnight.  Some discipline is required.  Since Hubby retired in December 2019, we haven't been setting an alarm unless there were plans for the day.

It's time to reset my biological clock so I can start my day early this Summer with walking being the first activity of the day.  SO that's one goal for Summer.

SUMMER GOALS:
1) set the morning alarm and go to bed before midnight.
2) continue walking
3) continue working on losing weight
4) clear out the front bedroom
5) clear out the garage
6) clear out one storage unit
7) continue working on the flowerbeds

I have a feeling that by the end of August, I'll be dreaming about AUTUMN decorations and get excited about wearing sweaters in September.  Pumpkin decorations and hot chocolate weather would be coming.  I pray that we made huge headway on the front bedroom.  Amen and amen.

Here's the achieving greatness on the HOMESTEAD,

~d

The Impact of Stress and Nervous Tension | Jack Lalanne

CAUGHT ME OFF GUARD

WANTING TO MAKE A QUICK TRIP TO MANHATTAN meant heading out around one in the afternoon.  As far as I knew the rain wasn't expected until this evening.  By 2:30 there was a downpour while I was driving into town.  A HEAVY rain that made it difficult to see.  Caught me off guard.  Our car windows fogged over and I had to drive slower than usual.  

The streets were flooding which made me extremely tense.  I found a way to Raising Cane's where we ate chicken in the car.  Salad tonight to counter balance the chicken.

Star Buck's Green Tea for our 4 o'clock break followed.  Right on schedule.  Yesterday, I had planned on having Tea @ 4 each day like royalty.🫖  Work this into my daily drama.  

Off to MENARDS for a couple of decorative containers and the hunt was on for LAVENDER.  They had zero.  Drove over to a country Nursery and they had a few small plants of English Lavender which has purple flowers and a Rosea which will have PINK flowers!  I don't believe I've ever seen PINK LAVENDER.  

This huge Nursery was nearly out of Lavender.  Getting close to the end of June and some plants sell faster than others earlier than late June.

LAVENDER must be one of those.

THE TOMATO PLANTS AT THIS COUNTRY NURSERY WERE HUGE.  Almost what I would call MONSTERS.  I have never seen Tomato Plants huge like this.  🍅Eye opening.  Gorgeous to see and I can only imagine what the fruit of this plant taste like.  I'd like to return to this Nursery when I can doddle.  Take it slow and stay a while.  

Noticing the THYME, I debated if I should get some or not.  

Some went HOME with us!  So pretty.  Counting the containers I have already at HOME, I needed two more for herbs so back to MENARDS we went.

All my container pots for holding herbs match.  Want to keep it this way.

On the way HOME, the skies were full of clouds with sunlight streaming down on the golden wheat in the fields.  We stopped so Hunny could snap some pictures of the beautiful Kansas sight.  I can see a oil painting coming on.

When we got back to town, I stopped the car where I know is the half mile marker to HOME and told my Hubby that I would walk HOME from here.  This way I'm pretty sure I got a mile in walking between shopping and this 1/2 mile HOME.  I worked up a terrible sweat that took some time to cool down from.  

NO NAP.  I have to retrain my body to go to sleep at night instead of taking a nap that wrecks my sleep pattern making me stay up until 2 in the morning after waking from the nap.

Back to shutting down around 11 at night and waking around 7 or so.  I've been a night owl for a very long time, but I know I can train my flesh to sleep at a decent hour.  Crack the whip. 

🪴The new plants will get taken care of tomorrow.  I think we have our container garden complete.  🌿In the herb department we have mint, peppermint, cilantro, thyme, rosemary, basil, now two types of lavender.  I wonder if we should have picked up some oregano?

🍅🫑🎃Several types of Tomatoes, 3 types of Bell Peppers as well are in containers.  A couple of pumpkins have been planted in the ground.  Excited about the pumpkins.  It's been probably over 40 years since we grew some. 

Well the creative juices are flowing.  Thinking about how to create flowerbeds with some character in the future.  Giving thought to how to decorate our small COTTAGE and garage. 

Blessings to you,

~d🪴👩

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🌿🌿🌿🌿🌿🌿🌿🌿🌿🌿🌿🌿🌿🌿🌿🌿🌿🌿🌿🌿🌿

🪴🪴🪴🪴🪴🪴🪴🪴🪴🪴🪴🪴🪴🪴🪴🪴🪴🪴🪴🪴🪴

MIDDLE OF THE WEEK WEDNESDAY

YES-SIR-REE, tis the middle of the week.  How am I doing at decluttering, dieting and such?  In some cases not so good and other doings not so good.  At the end of the week, the Dining room table will be completely cleared off and the Pantry completely finished.

The DECLUTTERING has been slow as molasses.  The DIETING is slow as molasses, but seeing a little  progress.  I stepped on the scales this morning and decided the weight I am had made progress.  I understand that slow weight loss is the better kind as it is less likely to bounce back on you.  I never want to be as heavy as I have been AGAIN.  NEVAH.  

Since 2020, I have lost, put on again, taken off again 40 to 50 pounds.  AT present date, it would be 40 pounds.  I lost 50, put 10 on.  Took it off...put it back on.  Took it off and put it back on and took some off.  Put it back on and added more.  A twenty pound battle. Took 12 off.  Working at losing more.  Oh boy, this is tricky.  Come my birthday, I pray that I am 10 pounds lighter.  

The weight I am is still in the obese category.  Oh boy, the day when I can say I AM JUST OVERWEIGHT will be a HAPPY DAY.  When have you heard someone tell you that they were rejoicing because they were finally in the OVERWEIGHT category???  I dreaded being overweight before, but the obese part took over and I felt out of control.  I was out of control and didn't know why.  My weight steadily climbed after I had my thyroid taken out. 

I told the doctors I was gaining weight.  I guess I should have asked the Endocrinologist what to do about this.  My primary doctor told me to cut calories and exercise more.  There was no mention about hormones being out of whack or cutting carbs.  

Gosh....it's been something else. 

The direction of my life has had to change.  Hours of reading about health issues filled my resume.  HOURS that turned into years of it.  

My LIFESTYLE has had to change.  It can be done.  This morning my Breakfast was Cottage Cheese sprinkled with cinnamon and topped with a handful of BLUEBERRIES.  I loved it.  Of course I LOVE COTTAGE CHEESE.  I have no trouble eating it.

The recipes on the internet where Cottage Cheese is used are limitless.  Of course I have not tried them, but have plans to after I get some more COTTAGE CHEESE.  Ice Cream, fudge and cakes galore.  Gluten-free and keto friendly. 

👒👒👒👒👒👒👒👒👒👒👒👒👒👒👒

After I walked yesterday, I heated up being red in the face and burning up.  I slowly cooled down.  I enjoyed the weather and the sights I saw as I walked.  That's a bonus.  NOW to break in some tennis shoes I have.  Before I go walking at the fitness center, I'll have to wear tennis shoes and not my outdoor, everyday shoes.  Plus I need to gather up some walking clothes.  I have plenty of tee-shirts, but no decent shorts or sweats.  Making a plan and sticking to it.  

TODAY, it will be a quick trip to MANHATTAN to get a couple of containers and look for LIVE LAVENDER to plant in them.  I LOVE LAVENDER, so I will boost my spirits having some flowering lavender on my property.  Free to enjoy the beauty.  Eye candy and fragrance to my nostrils.

MIDDLE OF THE WEEK HAPPY

and all is well,

~d

EATING FOR LESS MEANS BEANS TO ME

THE DAY IS YOUNG.  I must have been exhausted as I slept in and my husband allowed me to.  Even though I slept in, the day is young.  It's walking weather outside so I'll walk 2 miles.  I need to get a birthday card for my sister-in-law, which is a great reason to walk to the dollar store, shop and walk HOME to water my porch plants.

The fresh air and movement will do me good.  I have plans of going to the fitness center this week and get started on this health kick I've conjured up in my head for me and hubby.  Off we shall go.

ON THE HOME FRONT.  Our CONTAINER GARDEN is thriving.  The colored peppers are getting a nice size.  For small gardens, a container garden fits the bill.  I want to go get a couple of Lavender plants and 2 more decorative pots.  The Lavender that was planted in the ground is struggling so I will definitely want to get a couple more to add to the container garden.  

THERE'S HOPE FOR THE FOOD BUDGET.  Eating for less means adding beans to the diet.  Beans and rice are considered a complete protein.  What the beans don't have the rice does such as amino acids. 

🍛 plus 🫘 = yum.

https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2012/05/03/151932410/man-cannot-live-on-rice-and-beans-alone-but-many-do

When younger I did not understand what a complete protein was.  I had no understanding what amino acids were.

I've been rearranging the Kitchen PANTRY to fit all the BEANS I bought last week.  We have a super stash of canned beans and bagged beans now.  If nothing else we have a good supply of protein and fiber in our pantry. 🫘🪴

THE BENEFITS OF EATING BEANS has come to light for me as I am morphing into someone who is more interested in nutrition these days.  Truly, being a HOMEMAKER and economist has never rang louder than recently in my LIFE.  It's an ART FORM.  I found myself caught up in how to fix fast meals on a tight budget when my children were home which carried over into middle age and now our elderly lives.

In order to get everything done that needed done, I wore out.  Health issues have been an issue for quite some time.  It affected HOME LIFE.  If I am more concentrated on nutrition, then it's a win-win situation.  Because a meal is nutritious does not mean it is more costly.  Kind of the opposite as beans, legumes and lentils are full of nutrition and very economical.  It's the highly processed foods that are more expensive and costly for your health.

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/healthiest-beans-legumes

https://www.eatingwell.com/article/8061834/healthiest-beans-to-eat/

https://www.verywellhealth.com/beans-8399859

I was brainwashed by the society I knew and mainstream businesses that wanted to make a huge profit over people.  I didn't know it at the time, but my EYES ARE WIDE OPEN as an almost 70 year old lady.  

See the glitzy packaging and commercials promoting their outstanding product which is full of sugars and chemical additives to give their goods longer shelf life???  I was a sucker for it.  I fell hard.

We seldom ate beans.  The variety of beans blows me away.  I had no idea there were so many.  I now know that that there are fantastic bean recipes for all kinds of bean dishes.

Drawing nearer to GOD for counsel and on what to eat these days.  In the quiet of the night and during prayer time with HIM, I am asking questions and listening.  Reading the BIBLE will lead me to the foods HE promotes for long life and good health.

Along the way, I gave up soda pop, coffee, sugary drinks, highly processed foods, high fructose corn syrup, soy and am paying attention to chemicals, additives, GMO foods, pesticides, herbicides, mercury, etc.  

Eating more extra virgin olive oil, organic foods and grass fed beef, blueberries and veggies.  Less bread, pasta, rice and cookies.  Taking supplements like Apple Cider Vinegar, Ceylon Cinnamon, CoQ10, Vitamin A, B, C, D3 with K2, Zinc with Selenium, Berberine.  

Looking for more recipes for creating delicious meals made out of beans, legumes and lentils.  There out there.  Please share some with me.

It's been a week since I finished the Daniel Diet.  I have had time to eat some foods I hadn't been during the 21 days.  Now I will balance and blend a few more foods into my daily diet. 

I'm aiming for 8 o'clock Breakfasts, 1 o'clock Lunches, 4 o'clock Tea Time and 6 o'clock Suppers.  H2o throughout the day. 

Breakfast will be eggs, fruit, V8 and maybe toast with peanut butter or cottage cheese with blueberries, or oatmeal, nuts, and berries.

Lunches will be a huge salad or grilled veggies with small amount of meat, or soup.  If I have a salad for lunch then Supper will be soup or grilled veggies.

Snack is usually 🍿PoPcOrN drizzled with olive oil.

Needing to have two fish dishes a week.  Now we will work in some bean dishes where we have chili, bean soups, mashed up beans to fill tacos and burritos. 

MAKING SIMPLE A PRIORITY.

If I can make the switch to getting up earlier, exercising before Breakfast, getting chores done in a methodical fashion, take time to work on things like writing books, sewing, art, etc. then LIFE will be healthier for me.

✌THIS WEEK, I made a Financial goal.  That's GOOD.  On Monday after we received mail with a check in it for our tax refund, we went straight to the Bank to open a new checking account specifically for HOUSEHOLD expenses and nothing else.  We've been talking about doing this for several months and whaalaah we did it.

The style of checkbook ordered has three checks per page in a nice binder.  Carbon copies.  I did bookkeeping this way about 20 years ago when we lived on the farm.  LOVED IT and am returning to it.  ✍When I sit to do bills, I will write out the checks the day after payday and get them ready to be mailed right away.

✍This will free up time and energy making paying the bills somewhat LESS stressful.  I will be reminded if I paid such and such bill by glancing at the large checkbook.  It may sound silly, but there are times that I have to ask myself if I paid such and such bill already or did I forget in which my heart skips a beat because for an instant a surge of adrenaline floods through my veins.  Less stress for a stress monkey. 🐒

The rest of the week is open to get some important chores done.  I'm still working on the PANTRY.  Until Hubby gets the spice rack built I will be storing the herbs and spices on a couple of the new shelves installed earlier in the month.

One shelf put in has been covered with some ceramic items, another holds paper towels and toilet paper. I exchanged the shelf full of oversized mason jars that holds sugars, oatmeal, cereals with the paper towel one.  The canned meats have been placed on the lowest shelf.

Getting organized feeds my soul.  More room for beans.

All the best,

~d👵

MY FANCY WAS TICKLED and FATHER's DAY ADVENTURE

WE RETURNED FROM AN OVERNIGHT STAY AT THE COTTAGE HOUSE in COUNCIL GROVE, KANSAS.  What a treat.

A card and silver, star shaped helium balloon were given to my HUBBY for Father's Day in the morning.  In the card I suggested that we go eat STEAK and he decided the location.  We went to Council Grove to eat at the Historic HAY'S HOUSE.

https://www.hayshouse.com/

After we ate, we drove around town and I remembered about the THE COTTAGE HOUSE.  Let's see if they have a room available.  Yep.  The Bridal Chamber was available.  So we stayed there for the night.  We had no toiletries so we went to DOLLAR GENERAL for some supplies and the Grocery Store for a snack Supper.  It was all very spontaneous.  Felt like a kid again.

 

https://www.cottagehousecgks.com/

They no longer serve Breakfast, but had Granola Bars and Hot Tea.  We sat in the Parlour and chatted for an hour.  RELAXING.  Then we went HOME for LUNCH and a NAP.  

Late night TV was an old film LIFE WITH FATHER.  We've seen the show several times before, but I still enjoy it so much.

Some snaps from the 1947 movie.

William Powell as Clarence Day, Sr.
Irene Dunne as Vinnie Day.

Because of Mr. Day's personality, Vinnie has difficulty keeping a maid in their beautiful Victorian Home.

Vinnie shopping with her boys.  She has a rather interesting way with her spending.

On their way to get Mr. Day Baptized.

If you like the Victorian era, then the place they call HOME will tickle your fancy, as some would say.

My fancy was tickled.

Blessings to you,

~d

ACHIEVING MINI GOALS

MADE MY FRIDAY GOAL.  Stocking my pantry with some cans of beans.  Sounds simple enough.  It had to be.  With low energy levels, I need SIMPLE.  It was my goal to purchase quite a variety of canned beans before the week-end arrived.  DID IT.  Mission accomplished.  Had to go to Manhattan though.

While at MENARDS, we hand picked the cans of beans and also shopped at ALDI for them.  We'll get 11% back on the MENARD BEANS making the price competitive.  ALDI had the best prices that I know of.

At any rate, I have a nicely stocked pantry.  GOAL completed.  This week I stocked up boxed soups, veggies, fruits, red popcorn, Scottish Oatmeal and NOW, canned beans.  In no time at all, the PANTRY will be restocked.  Makes sense to me. 

LONG DAY.  Hoping with having no nap I'll sleep well throughout the night. 

🫘🫘🫘🫘🫘🫘🫘🫘🫘🫘🫘🫘🫘🫘🫘🫘🫘🫘🫘🫘🫘🫘🫘 

SATURDAY.  I did sleep well.  Woke at 6 on the dot and decided to stay asleep a little longer.  Dosed back off.  When I did finally get up, I knew I had to get my mile walk in.  Headed out the door with temps being 77 degrees and climbing.  Went a different route this morning heating up my body temp which was uncomfortable.  1 mile under my belt.

Once I got HOME, it took me 30 minutes to cool off.  Ate scrambled eggs for Breakfast.  I'm back to counting calories and being picky with what enters my mouth.  I stayed on the DANIEL DIET 21 days and already have been off of it for 4 days.  This amount of time is allowing me to eat some different foods that were censored from me for 21 days. 

I ate a chocolate dessert on Tuesday.  Had bread at Olive Garden with spaghetti and meat balls.  Salad of course.  I did not eat all of my spaghetti, but still it's spaghetti.  During my 4 day break, I ate Long John Silvers fish with malt vinegar, 2 hush puppies and green beans AND Cheesecake Factory dessert.  The fish had crust so I know this had lots of fat and calories.  When on the Daniel Diet, you aren't suppose to eat fried foods, meat or bread.  So I am back on the wagon again.

1200 calories is a good number for me to aim for toward my daily caloric count.  With no snacks, that's 400 calories per meal.  Recording what I eat each day for a diary.  Helpful recall and encouragement to stick eating clean and healthy.

Here I must stay.

I can relax in what I am doing.  

ON FRIDAY, we toured the Fitness Center that we will be going to in the near future.  I will use their walking tracks, their sauna and shower.  

I didn't know they had a sauna so when I saw it, I smiled and thought GOOD DEAL!  It'll be kind of like going to a SPA for me.  Start out at 5 minutes at 160 degrees.  I can do this.  It's not a infrared sauna.

Later, I will meet with a PERSONAL TRAINER to get some guidance on weight lifting.  I'm aiming for a gentle program as I get use to the facility.  

If I go 2 times a week, I can get my shopping done on the same day.  Visit Hobby Lobby, Walmart, Target, the Library, Main Street Shops, Aggieville, etc.  

Developing a NEW HABIT will have to happen.

Already then.  Today, I have plans of lining the new pantry shelves.  There are 4 shelves.  2 are done.  Will start placing things on them later in the day.  One shelf is spoken for...spices.  Hubby did a super job getting the shelves up and painted.  My part in this enterprise is to line them and place the goods on them.  Tadaah.  Will be done today.

The Dining room table has become a catch all.  I will work at clearing it off.  Then the front bedroom will have to be dealt with.  This is a very slow project, but I finally have a workable plan.

Anything that I will be turning loose of will be boxed up and placed in the garage for a sale.  After the bedroom is up and running, THEN I will work in the garage which is presently a storage unit.  WHEN THIS is cleared out I will add things to it for an AUCTION.  Everything accounted for, clean and ready to go.  

The challenges of living here while downsizing overwhelms me at times.  I've got to oversee this as it is our responsibility.  Taking ownership is required.

 Oh beans.

THE WEEK TO COME.  Plans.  My HOBBY is my health and finding ways to get better.  Walking has to be a part of it.  Food intake another.  Decluttering and getting ORGANIZED.  Quiet time to think, reflect and pray as well.  Studying and enjoying LIFE.  Amen.  

No beans about it...I've got to be
PRO-ACTIVE.

~d

TIME TO BE ACTIVE???

THE EVENING COOLED ENOUGH TO WHERE I COULD WALK OUTSIDE.  Went to the track to walk my mile.  Temps were pleasant enough, but still worked up body heat.  First and second laps seemed long and drawn out, but picked up on the third lap and the fourth one went by quickly.  It was wonderful to be outside in the open listening to the birds chirp as I walked in circles.

My walking lately has been while I shop and hasn't been a mile or two deliberately about town or the school track.  Main thing is that I am active and in motion.  My SUMMER HOBBY will be decluttering the COTTAGE and downsizing my body. FACT.

DIETING FOR THE LONG HAUL.  Lifestyle changes.  AS FOR THE SOUP DIET....believe I will start with soup one meal a day.  Salad once a day.  Eggs for breakfast with avocado and fruit or oatmeal.  Have fun with this and lose some weight. 

FIGURED OUT how I can exercise with JACK LALANNE.  Our TV room is too tiny to exercise in so I'll watch old DVDs on a player in the Living room.  Now to get started.  60 year and older programs!  grins.  Jack died 96 years of age in 2011.  As a child I watched him and loved his enthusiastic personality.  Still like this about him as I watch video.

Elaine Lalanne, his wife is still alive and going strong at 99!  99.

Here's to health and a good attitude. 

~d🫑🏋 

SHOPPING, A1c and LIPIDS

WOKE EARLY.  Hadn't planned on getting up so early, but needed to make a 💵 BANK RUN🪙.  Seems we spent more than we should and needed to pull some money from SAVINGS to replenish the checking account.

I practically bounced up out of bed to get groomed for the day and on my way to the BANKS to pull $ out of savings to deposit into checking at a different BANK and community.  A drive.  

I had planned on starting my day wrapping my Son's 50th Birthday gift, do some laundry THEN go to TOWN.  Well, plans change, don't they?  Mine did.  Off we went to the first BANK in a different community then drove to an even different community to deposit the money.  Complicated.  Went on to Manhattan's Walmart to purchase some shelf liner for the new pantry shelves.

I got to thinking that if Walmart did not have the vinyl liner that I bought a couple of years ago, I could go to JO ANN's to see if they had any, but then I remembered that JO ANN's is no mo.  Shucks.  Walmart had it though and all was well.  A white country liner for me.  We checked out without looking at anything else.  Progress for me.

DID NOT make it to the Jewelers or the Optician to check on glasses frames.  Didn't make it to the shoe store or fitness center.  Will try again on Friday. 

Went to STARBUCKS for Iced Tea to take with us to the Laundro-matt.  Hadn't eaten breakfast yet, so we fasted.

FORGOT to get quarters when I was at the BANK, so I needed to do this.  Onto a different community to use their nice Laundro-matt.  BOTH quilts fit in one machine saving me $6.oo.  Good move.  While the quilts washed, we watched American PICKERS on TV.  It was actually fun.  Hadn't watched this show before.  

After the quilts washed and dried, it was time to go HOME.  The quilts turned out super nice.  

I wrapped our Son's gift and Hunny fixed TACOS for us.  I finished and Hunny took box to the Post Office.  Hope he gets it before his birthday.  50 years old on MONDAY.  50.  Brings back so many memories.  👶🍼 GOD has gotten us through so very much.

Checked the health portals for our lab results from Walk In Lab.  Sure enough they were there.  Hubby's results for A1c and Lipids were pretty good.  His A1c had lowered and his Lipids were fantastic.  VERY HAPPY about this.  In 5 weeks we'll do this again at the doctor's office.  My A1c isn't as low as I'd like, but within a good range.  So that's good.  The Lipids were a different story.  Flagged a couple of times.  I printed out my report and compared the ranges with the ones my doc uses and if I were to use my doc's ranges, I'd have been within range, so that's good.

I wonder if I can improve my numbers for the July bloodwork?  Will try really hard to.

So I can compare how I'm doing in the LIPID's department, I went back into the archives to print out the statements.  It takes a little time, but then I have the print-outs paper clipped together for easy recall.  Getting better at being an Office Worker At HOME.  Praise be to GOD.

Operating the HEALTH PORTALS has to improve.  I did email my doctor about my recent balance I was told about at my last appointment and on the same day I received a paper statement because I ASKED FOR IT, I found out that I received a letter from their Debt Collector.  Made me unhappy that I just found out about having a balance and then be turned over to their Debt Collector.  I asked the office where on the portal was the balance due as I had not received a paper statement.  NOT HAPPY WITH THEM ABOUT THIS HIC-UP.  Waiting for their answer.

I watered the porch plants, put a load of towels in the machine, ate lunch, printed out medical papers, tidied up the living room, am blogging, but wanting a nap.  Will rest and continue tidying the HOME.  Putting things into the plastic storage boxes I bought yesterday.  Will cut vinyl shelf liner for the new pantry shelves.  There is a special shelf for SPICES and HERBS that will help with getting the Kitchen in better shape.  Getting organized is an ongoing job for oui, but somebody's got to do it and that would be me. 👵

Tis time to get a great deal done with organizing. 

Will need a nap to keep me going.

~d🌿

MIDDLE OF THE WEEK WEDNESDAY

A COUPLE OF QUILTS of mine that I leant for table coverings will be taken to the laundro-mat to be washed in their uber size wash machines in cold water.  The dirty areas that need to be removed will be sprayed with SHOUT first and allowed to soak into the area before tossing into the machines.

This means a special trip to a different community to use the machines at $6.oo a load.  I have great faith that they will wash up nice and be returned HOME clean and fresh before folding them in a special way.  Gosh, I like quilts.  Homebody here.  

A trip to Manhattan is in the works.  I need to take my wedding ring to a jeweler to look at the prong holding the diamond to see if he can repair the broken prong.  Hubby needs a new pair of tennis shoes.  We need to tour the fitness facility that we will be going to for our next phase in this health journey.  I need to go look at glasses frames and make a trip to the post office to mail a package. 

Quilts laundered
Jeweler
Tennis shoes
Fitness Facility
Glasses frames
Post Office 

Not sure I can get this all done in a day.  May have to break it up into two days.  Which is doable.  My energy level is lower than I like and I tire out faster than I like.  When I am HOME after a busy day out, the chores don't get done.  It's either a day out or a day at HOME.  I have challenges doing both on the same day.

Next thing I will know is it will be the week-end.  Blink.

Tuesday was a full day for us.  Went to the Post Office to mail some bills.
Drove over to TOPEKA for labs to see where our A1C and lipids are.  So glad I know about ordering labs and going to QUEST DIAGNOSTICS for test.  Out of pocket expenses is doable.
Breakfast at FIRST WATCH.  Omelet with turkey.  Had a Kale Tonic for energy.  
Thrifted at GOD'S STOREHOUSE for winter sweaters and depression glass plates.  20% off for Seniors.  Grins.  Every penny helps.  
Iced Tea Break at Hy-Vee. 
MENARDS to purchase a few more plastic storage tubs, a t-shirt, and a bracket for pantry shelf.  While we were there, I wanted to check their prices for cedar fencing pickets for building a backyard fence.  That was interesting.  Overheated and needed to sit down.  I may purchase 50 pickets a month for a year until we have enough for our backyard.  Tadaah.  Where there's a will, there's a way.

When did Long John Silvers partner up with CHEESECAKE FACTORY???  
LUNCH at LONG JOHN SILVERS and it was here that I splurged on CHEESECAKE FACTORY Chocolate Cheesecake.  Oh my.  I took care of my chocolate fix.  This is my splurge of splurges.  Back on the wagon. 

NOTO DILLIONS for vegetable/fruit stash.  Purchased boxed soups for my week long soup marathon.  Prepping for a week long program.
THEN to St. Marys to pick up red popcorn and a special order of 4 packages of Scottish Oatmeal. 
HOMEWARD BOUND in 91 degree weather.  SUMMER IS HERE. 
I was tired.  Rested before tidying the inside of the fridge to house the newly purchased goods.

Movie tonight.  Hoping to sleep better tonight as I need the rest.

Glancing out the kitchen window proved to be a treat as a red cardinal was perched on the neighbor's fence.  The color contrast between the red and the greenery of nature was stunning.  I stared at him for awhile and it was as if he knew I was admiring his beauty. 

MIDDLE OF THE WEEK and busy as ever.  Best enjoy the day as it is where I am at.

GOD bless you,
~d🌿

STEPPING ON THE SCALES

STEPPING ON THE SCALES TAKES PLACE TODAY TO DISCOVER HOW MUCH WEIGHT VANISHED FROM MY OLE BODY BY EATING THE DANIEL DIET WAY for 21 days.

Hubby took off 18 pounds and I managed 12.  Puts a smile on my face.  I'll embrace eating better today and continue eating forward.  Fruits and vegetables are my friend.  A TBSP of Peanut Butter is my go to when I need a pick me up in the afternoon.  Sipping SPRING water continues.  Avoiding sugars, processed foods, additives in foods, breads, pasta, cookies, candy, sugary drinks, sodas, coffee, alcohol, excessive meats, dairy, seed oils except avocado and olive oils.  It can be done.  I can do this thing.  

DAY 22 has appeared.  THE DANIEL DIET/FAST has concluded.  Made it.  It seemed like it took a very long time to get here, but here it is.

Aiming to take off 10 more pounds come July14th, my 70th birthday.  I have 5 weeks until the day.  WEIGH IN will be on the medical scales the day of my appointment for a yearly exam.  I'm hoping to see less of me and have more happiness that I reduced.

Making up my mind and sticking to this goal is a life changer for me.  A mental battle takes place as I desire to be less heavy and more healthier.  Let go and let GOD.

Stepping on the scales,

~d

Unhealthy Eating Habits and Diseases | Jack Lalanne

CAME ACROSS THIS and went back 

in time, but think it's worth hearing again.

Here's to health,

~d