I've got the bug!

The traveling bug is what I'm referring to.  I don't want to go far, but I want to go camping, maybe in a National Forest campground.  If I go midweek I should miss all the drama and hopefully most of the RV's, although that's doubtful.  I don't think they should ever mix tent camping with RV spots, but they all seem to do it.  I'm not talking about the big RV's, but the smaller trailers.  They seem to be the worst for stringing up lights, security cameras, etc.  I hate to be pissy about it because if I could afford, and have the time to use, a small trailer such as a teardrop or runabout, I'd love to have one.

So how did I digress to this point?   Back to camping, I'd like to stay fairly close to home, although there are some terrific campgrounds in the middle of the country too.  What I really would like is an area where I can see the stars in the night sky, and have a bit of privacy and quiet.  Finding a suitable place which is easy to get to without driving on a major road or interstate will be the challenge.  It's probably not going to happen, but I'm going to dream about it.

I woke up in the middle of the night to a strange sound for May 31 - RAIN!  It sounded like a soft, gentle rain that went on for some time, and when I woke up a couple hours later it was still raining softly.  You'd have to live in California to understand my amazement - many or most of the states get rain year around, but we normally only get it during the winter months, if at all.

I just cleaned up the kitchen from breakfast and looked at the clock - my goodness, it's already Noon!  It will be at least another hour or two before I'm ready for another meal.  The days and weeks just fly by too fast for me to keep up any more.

The last two days I tried to cut back on the bacon & eggs, or eat something else, but I have been so lethargic I went back to 2 slices of bacon and 2 eggs this morning and I feel so much better!  The bread is pretty bad though - it doesn't taste bad but it crumbles and falls apart.  I think I will try toasting it and maybe get better results.  It seems like a waste of time to get the toaster down from the cupboard for one slice of bread.

Still no hummingbirds.  I cleaned the feeder and put new nectar out - a little more this time.  I'll just have to be patient.  It is possible that there are a lot of flowers this year due to the rains we've been having, so maybe the birds will be visiting my feeder a little later in the season.

My son needs to borrow my car this afternoon so that takes care of the ToDo list I made.  I don't feel like rushing out to get things done, and nothing is that important anyway.   I discovered I have another week before the library book is due.

Lazy Daze

I sure don't feel like going anywhere even though I have several errands I need to run by tomorrow at the latest.  I hate to wait for the last day for any reason.

I just heard from Jeannie that she won't be going to the gym this evening so I probably should go do my walking alone, but now I'm full from a big lunch.  I am getting tired of fixing bacon and eggs for breakfast - not tired of eating them, but just tired of cooking the bacon.  This morning I had an egg sandwich and had no grease spatters to clean up!

It was quite nice getting past Memorial Day without hearing a lot of fireworks.  There may have been some but they were way in the distance.   

Well I just got back from my errands and forgot the most important thing - the library book that is due either today or tomorrow.  I just walked at the gym and came back home, and will have to go to the library tomorrow.

So now I will just go have my protein shake and forget about doing anything productive for the rest of the day!

 

Who Would Have Thought!

I heard a few days ago that many cassette tapes are just as good now, if not better, than their CD counterparts.   It was also said that you need a good cassette player to get the best benefits.  I have some tapes left (gave most of them to Salvation Army several years ago) and one in particular has been riding around in my car for who knows how long:  through summer's heat, and winter's rainy cold.  My car, believe it or not, has a tape deck in it, so I thought I would try it out on my way to the gym.   The tape turned out to be merengue music that I had recorded absolutely years ago.  I haven't heard (or danced to)  good merengue music since I lived in the Washington, DC area during the 1990's.

The sound and quality were still great, and it was hard to keep my car going in a straight line while I was trying to dance to the music while sitting down!   Merengue originally came from the Dominican Republic, and is loved and adopted by most Central Americans and those from the Caribbean islands.   I was really stoked for the treadmill by the time I got to the gym!
 
I also have quite a few tapes of Toby Keith, Alan Jackson & of course, my secret love Willie Nelson.  I'm sure I'll find more around here somewhere, and I'll enjoy listening to music in my car. 

I'm at a loss to know why the hummingbirds haven't visited my new feeder.  The only thing I can think of is that since it is directly across the porch from one of the largest of my replacement windows, the big expanse of glass might frighten them.  The old jalousie windows were ugly and very noticeable.  I may try placing the feeder in a different spot on the porch - it will be close to the front door but I always have the blinds closed, even when I open the slats to let light in, so they should be able to see them.  The only other alternative I have is to get a pole on which to hang the feeder, although I don't have much room in the front where I can keep an eye on it. 

This is turning out to be a very quiet holiday for me.   So far the night noises of firecrackers being set off has been kept to a minimum.  I hope it stays that way, but since this is the actual holiday I expect there to be a fireworks display at the local park over by the river. 

I hope everyone is having a nice holiday whether or not you are with family or friends, or alone.   I've celebrated both ways during my life, but at this point I'd rather not be with a large crowd.  Sometimes I miss it though.

I would like to salute all our veterans and their families, as well as those currently serving.  I truly appreciate you. 

Sunday blahs!

It's a slow day with not much going on.  I haven't gone out, and usually try to stay home as much as possible as the end of the month gets close.  I still have money in my account and I could think of 50 ways to spend it right off the bat, but of course it wouldn't fund my 50 most pressing needs!

I ate something I shouldn't have and I'm paying the price, although it isn't as bad as it used to be.  I have done so much better being gluten free, but today I spread some imported french brie cheese on ritz-type crackers.  Bad move.  They tasted so good I ate way more than I should have.    (It was the crackers - the brie is healthy and additive free).

I was so full of plans for today - things to do around the house.  I did a small job or two but nothing came up that I could discard as a result.  I want to clear out all the excess junk I have, including several kitchen chairs.  I just don't need all the chairs I have and with such a small table they don't fit very well.  They are so comfortable though, which is why I've hung on to them.   I need to replace most of the furniture I have with fewer and smaller items so it looks like I have more room.   

I debated going to the gym today but decided one day off every week is probably good for me.  I really don't want to be out on the roads as I've noticed the deterioration in driving etiquette the past time or two I've driven.   And outright driving straight through stop signs, unsafe lane changes, etc.   I drive the speed limit but usually not over it, and I piss off everyone else on the road. 

This time of the year is the only time I think about being in Washington, DC, and that is to watch the thousands of vets on motorcycles riding along Constitution avenue to pay their respects at the various war memorials.  It is known as "Rolling Thunder" and really a sight to see.  It makes you proud of those vets, especially the old guys!   They have various staging areas, including the Pentagon parking lots (at least in the "old days" they did), and I think you can get a better idea of their sheer numbers when you see them getting ready to ride into the District.  With hundreds of thousands of motorcycles  participating, you can understand why they call them Rolling Thunder.  Things may have changed, but when I was going to watch the Memorial Day rides in the 1990's, I had never seen a more polite group.   The groups had large numbers of Vietnam vets back then but I'm sure their numbers are dwindling.

Blessings to all vets!
 

Almost Memorial Day?

It's hard to believe that Monday is Memorial Day and the traditional beginning of summer.  This year is going by too fast!

I walked at the gym today and when I checked in it was my favorite guy at the desk.  He is young and so friendly to everyone - a pleasure to see when I come in the door.  Nearly all the employees are friendly but this one is special.  He noted that I was by myself, and I mentioned that I come with the other 2 women when we do a longer workout; that I had heart disease and tried to walk every day possible.  When I mentioned heart disease his face fell, and I felt bad about even mentioning it.

He has had tragedy in his family lately - a car accident took a couple of his cousins and a friend, and he is trying to get back to his cheerful demeanor.  I wish I hadn't said anything about my problems, but I wasn't stressing the problematic part of it - just the reason why I try to walk every day.

Driving to and from the gym I came across really weird drivers in both directions.   I hope to stay put at home on Monday and avoid the unsafe drivers.  You always wonder where the cops are in these situations.   Many of the intersections have cameras to make sure you aren't running a red light, but I can never tell when they are on.  Jeannie can spot them immediately but I can't even see them much less what color is coming from them.  I think they are blue when they are operating.  I try to not even go through yellow lights much less run a red one.

I found a store in Sacramento that sells the squirrel proof bird feeders.  Wow!  The price tag leaves me to think I don't need a bird feeder.  I would try Dizzy Dick's solution except that I don't have much space in the front.  I'd have to put it in the back yard, which I considered, until I was leaving for the gym and saw one of the feral cats waddling along my back fence.    It is obviously well fed and I just wish the residents wouldn't feed them.  They still try to kill birds.  So I will do without a feeder until I find one that I can hang from a tree branch, although the cats could lurk in another part of the tree.  I thought of hanging it from my front porch roof, but since I have a hummingbird feeder there I don't know if any birds would show up.   I don't see why it would matter to them if they want the nectar or seed.

I should think about fixing my dinner but after a protein shake I'm not all that hungry.  I've been eating cherries all day long - gotta get them while they are in season.  The lady at the farmer's market told me they will have a different variety next week - very dark, almost black cherries.  She said they are sweet, so I'm in for some!

Have a good Memorial Day holiday and stay safe!

Friday Miscellaneous

The weekend is upon us once again - seems like I experienced only about a 3-day week, but I'm sure there were 7 days in it!

I should be fixing my lunch/dinner now but I am just not hungry.  I ate a big breakfast and then followed it about 2 hrs later with a great protein shake before going to the gym.  I don't think I could eat a bite right now, so I'll just postpone my next meal.

A little bit about the book on addiction to tech devices, or that's what it looked like it would be about.  The introduction and one chapter toward the end of the book relate to technology addiction.  The rest goes through the stages of substance abuse as well as many other kinds of addiction.  I read some of it but since that wasn't what I anticipated with this book I just mostly skimmed through it.

I can understand that all addictions have the same types of beginnings and well as the stages they go through.  I also think everyone is susceptible to, and probably has, addiction in one form or another.   After nearly a year I still miss TV to the point where I've thought briefly about reconnecting it.  But then I know I would sit there stupidly surfing the channels from one end to another, and then doing it all over again, as if I might have missed something good.  It's mostly all junk to me and not worth paying to watch.   I should note that I've never been much of a TV watcher, don't care for movies (would rather read the book), find the news depressing and monotonous, and so on.

So I've no doubt substituted a mild addiction to the internet and computer games to replace what I lost with TV.  I play Mahjong a lot and am finding that the games often look exactly like ones I've played before.  It's been fun being able to read the last two books I've checked out from the library, even though it is difficult with my eyesight to keep in focus, and I'm not sure if I could read on a regular basis.

I stopped by Home Depot on the way home from the gym and bought a new hummingbird feeder as the old one was leaking.  I keep looking to see when the birds notice it, but so far they must be at someone else's feeder.  It won't take long.   I was so tempted to get a bird feeder and seed for the larger birds but I know I would just be tempting the squirrels.  I don't have too much trouble with them so far but see them around the neighborhood and on my back fence.  I would hate them if they stole the seed I put out for the birds, although I know they find it fair game, and  I'm trying to save myself the frustration of dealing with them. 

I just heard yesterday that my cousin lost his son and son-in-law within days of each other.  Both boys were in their early 30's, and the son-in-law died from a heart attack.   So I've been urging my sons to set up appointments as soon as they can to get an echocardiogram.  Having two young men in the family being taken by a heart attack within a month of each other is so hard to believe.   In the case of the last one he leaves a 30 year old wife with 4 small children.

Hope everyone has a pleasant weekend.

Still nothing new

There just hasn't been much going on in my life to write about lately.   I have been feeling a lot better and attribute that to the recent changes in my diet, but that could be temporary so I won't celebrate yet.  I'm gluten-free, mostly grain free, dropped most of the fruit I was eating, and now I make sure I'm getting lots of meat in meals.   Oh, and I'm cutting down on dairy although haven't given up certain items yet (butter and 1/2 & 1/2 are two that I will probably never give up).  

I also read that if you have severe indigestion you should eat some fermented foods every day, so I found an organic brand of sauerkraut in the dairy case at the grocery.  It is made buy a small company, not at all like the kind you buy in a jar.  I love it and eat a couple heaping tbsp with my dinner every day.  I think it makes a huge difference.  Most of the stuff I've tried has too strong a vinegary taste, but this isn't bad at all.

I have my entire day free until I join the girls at the gym after work, so I made a trip to Costco.  I had no list and walked up and down every single aisle in the store.  I wanted to buy some bermuda shorts but they are low-waisted and they would hang below the belly.  What an ugly concept except possibly for a skinny young girl who has never given birth.  The rest of us should probably stay out of them.

I've been thinking about getting out my little charcoal grill but doubt if I'll ever use it again.  It's hardly worth it to grill for just myself. 

If I'm going to take a quick nap I should do it soon.  Hope everyone has been having a great week.  I love our cooler weather and we expect one more glorious day of it before the temps start to climb into the uncomfortable zone!

Short Post today

This will be a quickie because I really have nothing to write about.  My life seems to be the same, day in and day out, but I'm alive and well which is a good sign.  

I did drive to the library this morning to pick up a book I ordered and have read the introduction so far.  It is called "Irresistable: The rise of addictive technology and the business of keeping us hooked."   In the intro I learned that Steve Jobs and other giants in that business will allow absolutely no technology into their homes.  Their kids have no iPads, computers, phones, electronic games, no screens of any kind, etc.  That's because Jobs and the others know how quickly the technology can addict adults and children and they are concerned enough about their own kids.  Why not show some concern for the kids of the rest of us?

I hope everyone else is and having a good day!

Another Week

Another week is getting started and I wonder what this one will bring.   More chemtrails this morning, and I also wonder what they are bringing.  It can't be anything good or healthy.

I was able to get to the gym this morning but was so uncomfortable in what I was wearing.  I don't like wearing the tights that most women prefer, and sweat pants are my gym wear of choice but since it's going up to 95 degrees or higher today, I'm not interested in sweat pants.  I have a pair of shorts on that would be great if they came up to the waist.  I often wonder who likes the pants fall below the waistline - probably girls with flat stomachs.  I find these short slip until they are below my belly and I hate that part! 

But I walked a little over a mile and that is what counts - not what I'm wearing. 

I love my new way of eating and am hoping to see some extra pounds when I get on the scale one of these days.  I probably have a cleaner stove than I've ever had in my life, as frying bacon, steaks, etc. causes splatters, and it takes me a lot longer now to clean up after breakfast and dinner.   But I'm so enjoying the new feelings of well-being and energy.  I just hope it is permanent, which it very well may not be.

 I'm hoping this summer will be a good one for camping.  I probably won't want to go too far away, but I'd like to talk the kids into a weekend trip at least, maybe in a National Forest campground,  or back to Sly Park (a state park).  I've given a lot of my gear away but I think I can still come up with the basics.   Until I went to the event yesterday I had forgotten how nice it is to be outdoors.  Unfortunately, where I live there is so much dirt and dust, the houses are so close together, and for a lot of other reasons, I don't enjoy sitting outside.  I've been trying to figure out a way to carve out a little space that I can make attractive enough to want to spend time there, although the basic drawbacks would still be there.
 

On the farm

Ara and I spent several hours walking around Soil Born Farm today and I got a bit of sunburn on my shoulders.  Nothing that hurts, it just looks a little red.  I stayed in the shade as much as I could.

Because walking on the ground isn't quite as smooth as pavement, I had to be careful where I placed my steps, but mostly I just enjoyed some of the exhibits and relaxing in a chair in the shade.  Since Steve & Meg had their kids with them, she didn't want to carry Quinn around the entire day so I was able to enjoy a nice visit and even hold Quinn for a while.  

Ara took a tour of the farm and is interested in volunteering to work there on Saturdays, with the intention of possibly being hired.  It is so close to her house that she could ride her bike to and from work.  She's had an opportunity to spend time living and working on a farm after college - it was owned by her (then) boyfriend's mother so she isn't a total stranger to the work, animals, etc.

It was interesting to watch Steve and all the folks who came up to greet him.  His entire career has been in the organic/whole foods industry and he is well known throughout the country.  

I came home to a house that wasn't as warm as I expected - again, the windows are great!  I didn't last long until I needed to take a nap once I got the swamp cooler going.  It works so well now and I'm always glad I have it when I get my electric bill.  It costs very little to run it.

I fixed myself a super good dinner today - it was pork chop Sunday, again, with diced fried apples.  I love my new way of eating and hope it keeps on agreeing with me.  You never know, however, so far I'm feeling much better than I have in a long time.  I should have known one of the things I was missing in my diet was enough meat, and the iron it contains.  I'm a happy camper right now.

Heating Up!

I guess the weather has played with us long enough and we seem to be getting into a heating-up phase.  Can't say I'm crazy about it.

I just ate lunch (actually dinner) and had fish in place of the pork & beef I've been enjoying.  I love fish and hope I don't get any negative reactions from it.  I'm still happy with the bread.  I can only think that my increased energy is due to eating bacon & eggs for breakfast, and way more meat than I'm used to for dinner.  The energy still hasn't translated into doing much-needed housecleaning, but I'll be patient and wait for the urge to hit me!

There is an urban ag project across from the local high school, and tomorrow they will be having an event called "Soil Born Day on the Farm".  Ara and I are going to meet Steve and his family there.  I've been there before as they do sell some organic produce, but didn't find what I was looking for.  This was several years ago and it will be interesting to see if and how it's been developed, and what the actual event is about.

Ara would love nothing better than to live on a farm (she thinks) and is interested in growing her own food and herbs, so this should be of special interest to her as they have workshops planned for urban gardening.  She wants my old windows to try to build a small greenhouse, although how to do it hasn't been figured out yet.  I sure can't figure it because the glass is encased in the jalousie type windows, which could be useful for ventilating the greenhouse.  How to build it is the big question now.  The windows are propped against the back of my house but that can only last so long before they tell me I have to remove them.  

Having spent many summers visiting my grandparents' farm in southwestern KY, I always thought I would like to live on a farm, but a kid can ride a horse most of a day and get away with it.  If you are the farmer or his children, you have work to do!  My grandparents still had teens at home - they always arranged for me to help with the milking, although I usually got more on my legs than in the bucket!  I also loved to gather the eggs but was always wary of the rooster.  He attacked my Mom one day and it was so bad we had him for dinner that evening!  This particular rooster had never shown any aggression before the incident, but it made me afraid of roosters.  

Most of my memories of those times on the farm are absolutely wonderful.  My Mom let me go every summer as a reward for having to help with the little kids and work around the house.  I was the oldest and the only girl.  The family would drive and pick me up at my Dad's vacation time.  I was always happy to see them for the first few minutes, but knew it was just so long before I was back to the drudgery of being the oldest and only girl in the family.

Do I take a nap or not?  Twenty minutes, maybe?  If I don't I'll soon be in the kitchen looking for something to snack on, even after eating a perfectly filling dinner!

Still Bumbling Along!

I'm trying my hardest to stay on track, and so far this week I'm doing ok.  I've been walking every day and taking daily aspirin as the cardio advised me.  I am shocked that I haven't started bruising and wonder if it was working, so I sent a msg to the dr., who responded that I shouldn't worry and that it is working.  I really don't want the bruises but was just surprised not to get them.

I searched until I found gluten-free bread at Bel Air this morning.  It was in a special gluten-free section, on the bottom shelf and hidden by a display stuck in front of it.  There were several kinds and I was expecting it to be awful.  Surprisingly, it wasn't bad at all and I really enjoyed a slice with my dinner.  I guess when a bread lover as I am is deprived of it for a while, I'm not as hard to please!

The swamp cooler is doing a fine job of keeping me cool!   The mornings here are cool enough that I can open windows and need to put my bathrobe on; about Noon or so things warm up and I'll take all the help I can get staying comfortable.

I've eaten the last of the beautiful fruit basket from Mother's Day.  Last night I enjoyed the big chocolate heart on a stick that was in the display.  Today I ate the rest of the kale which was arranged to look like grass on which  the display was built.   What a wonderful treat it has been.

I'm not sure what my weekend holds, but I'll enjoy it no matter, and  hope to see some of my kids/grandchildren.   Mike's oldest son (in NY) will be turning 12 in about another week or so.   They grow up so fast and I grow old so fast.   Ah, life.  I hope everyone has a great weekend.

New truck

No, I don't have a new truck but my youngest son, Joe, drove over a day ago in his new white Tacoma!  It has a full back seat which means a shorter truck bed, but it will haul whatever he needs to haul.  He had me sit in the driver's seat, then he got into the passenger seat and put the key in the ignition.  It drives like a dream and I took it for a spin around the Park, but not out into traffic!  I've always missed my Ford F-350, but that was just too much for the city driving I now am limited to.  Even when I traded it for the Highlander it was way more truck than I needed, but how I love a pickup truck!

Joe got the ladder out and checked several places where I've heard birds pecking on the roof.    Of course there were none while he was looking, but there were signs they were gathering materials to build a nest.   I went out a few days ago to try to shoo them off my roof when I saw a big fat feral cat sitting in the street next to my driveway, and I swear it had a smile on its face.  I've decided I'd rather have the birds and I'll just watch out for the cat. 

This morning I had bacon and eggs for breakfast (no toast, and a corn tortilla just doesn't suffice).  It was wonderful and I feel great.  I fried the eggs over easy and remembered how good they taste that way.  I've become so lazy and usually just scramble them.   Jeannie tells me that the Costco in Folsom carries a gluten free bread and I certainly would like to try it.   She said it looked quite dense so would probably be better when toasted.   I may try to drive out there although I really don't want to, so I'll just wait until I can hitch a ride!   

Even though it takes a lot of time and effort to cook such a breakfast, not to mention the clean-up, I'm going to try it for a few weeks and eliminate the raw fruit.    Eliminating gluten and fruit is a start to trying to figure out what is bothering me the most.   I eliminated housework long ago and you'd think I'd feel a lot better, but I don't.   The only positive thing I can say about poor vision is that I don't notice the dust, cobwebs, and such.  I've always been able to ignore the mess! 

This afternoon will be a workout at the gym day, after which I usually feel too wired to go to sleep early.    I hope everyone has as good a day as I plan to!

 

Just a quickie

Not much is new with me today; I've been trying to get to the gym to walk on a daily basis as the cardiologist advised me to.

I got a call from my daughter while I was on the treadmill, telling me about her visit to her doctor this morning.  I didn't know she even had an appointment, but the surprise to me is that they did an echocardiogram.   I will be anxious to hear the results and compare it with mine, as I know she will be.

From the book on thyroiditis that I've been reading, the  thyroid controls just about every function of the body, and the heart is just one thing.   I had a problem understanding everything she was saying as my hearing is bad to begin with and getting worse all the time, and I never have been able to hear as well when someone is calling from a cell phone.  It's been a long time, of course, since anyone has called me from a landline so the memory is fading, but I remember very well it was easier to understand what I was hearing.  

I understand that cell phones are convenient, especially to all the people who have been brainwashed into thinking they must be connected on a constant basis.    But mine is an opinion that isn't shared by many.  I asked Jeannie if she would write it all down in an email and send it to me, because as she knows my memory is shot!  She agreed and i will keep asking her until she does it.

I don't know what is causing it but there seems to me to be a lot more people with problems related to the thyroid.  Has it always been this way but in most cases never progressed to the point where it was so obvious?

I bought steaks and pork chops at Costco yesterday and this morning cut and packaged them into meal sized portions.  They were just too thick for me and I would find it difficult to cook them through when they are so thick, and I think it's called "butterfly" when they are sliced more thinly?  I ended up with a whole lot of individual portions in the freezer, and I'm determined to include more meat in my diet.  At the same time I'm planning to remove most fruit from my diet for a while as I notice it really bothers me these days.  This is the  beginning of a lot of trial and error, but I hope to find what I can eat that is satisfying and doesn't leave me in distress. 

It's a beautiful day today in the mid-70's, but will heat up starting tomorrow.  I dread the hot weather but I'll survive.

Early start today

I woke up at 7AM this morning and decided to just get out of bed.  I know I'll be tired in the middle of the day but I won't feel bad about taking a nap.  I'm meeting the girls at the gym around 5pm and other than that, Costco is the only thing on my agenda so far.   

I have two photos I'd like to add:  one shows the flowers Ara gave me on Mother's Day, and the other is a painting that Autumn did for me.   I think she does beautiful work, especially for a 10 yr old.  

Today will be a beautiful day at 65 degrees.  Then the warming trend starts, or should I say the "heating trend" and by Sunday we are expecting it to be 95 degrees.  I think this is the last of our decent (to me) weather .  I know some folks like the hot weather, but it really doesn't agree with me.

I've been trying to plan the foods to remove from my diet for several weeks to see if I notice an improvement, and then reintroduce them one by one to find out if they cause me pain or discomfort.  I'm going to try to go gluten-free for sure, but then eliminate groups such as fruits, dairy, etc.  I also need to increase the meat in my diet, but I've never been much of a meat eater so that isn't going to be easy.   I'm on the last chapter of the book on this subject, which has totally amazed me because for the last two years I haven't been able to read a book beyond the first chapter.  I think I mentioned that it has a lot of chemistry terminology which completely is out of the realm of my understanding, but I think I got the basics.

I'm already planning how to cheat a bit - i.e., I might cut down on my coffee but I can't drink it black and won't use artificial creamers, so that means a small amount of caffeine and a small amount of dairy.   Alcohol shouldn't be a problem because I rarely drink it anymore except when I go out, and I never notice symptoms of intolerance to it.   Fruits will be difficult to give up, although I have lately noticed I don't feel so good after eating strawberries.

It will take me a short while to get started, for one thing, I'm too frugal to throw good food out.  So I will eat what I have on hand before getting truly serious about it.  

I need to get started with my day so I will publish this post earlier than I usually do.   Have a good day out there.

My Mother's Day

I was surprised when my doorbell rang yesterday morning and even more surprised to see a delivery-man holding a beautiful arrangement of fruit.  I should have taken the wrapping off before photographing it, but here is the way I received it:  (Click to enlarge)

The photo doesn't do it justice, and I should have taken the wrapping off before taking the picture.  Many different kinds of fruit - pineapple, cantaloupe, honeydew, grapes, strawberries, chocolate, etc., in a bed of kale, the curly kind.  It looks like flowers in a bed of beautiful grass.   Mike, Sandy & the boys sent it to me, and I really appreciate it more than anything I could have gotten.  Also, I cropped the photo so I would get rid of a lot of the clutter on that table.  I apologize because it looks terrible, but the cropped photo didn't appear in the blog!

Ara came by to pick me up as we were invited to dinner at Jeannie's.  She brought me a bouquet of very pretty flowers, and then we went on to our destination.  Donald cooked a wonderful steak, baked potato (he also fixed sweet potatoes but I prefer the white ones), corn on the cob, and asparagus.  He also gave me a box of chocolate covered and decorated strawberries.  I shared some of the fruit later on, and the kids each packed a small container to take to school today for their lunches. 

I felt wonderful after eating that delicious meal, and slept very well last night.   And it was nice this morning to have a different variety of fruit for my breakfast.

I have a whole week ahead of me with nothing on my calendar, and that feels so good. Of course things will come along and that will change, but as of this Monday morning I feel like my time is my very own.  All I need to do today is go to the gym for about half an hour to use the treadmill.

I'm beginning to research what I should and shouldn't eat on a gluten free diet, which I plan to start in the near future.  It's all so confusing, and if any readers follow such a diet, I'd love to hear from you with suggestions about what foods you eat, things to watch out for, etc.  Just anything at all that might be a help to me.  You can either leave me a comment on this blog, or write me an email at the address shown above under the header picture.  Thanks in advance for any help, suggestions, etc.   

(I'm going to try a new way of eating in hopes of counteracting the indigestion I've been getting that is associated with thyroid problems.   I'll give it time and if it works, then fine; if it doesn't work then I'll try something else.)  

I need to get dressed and to the gym, so I will wish everyone a wonderful week ahead.  Life is good, even with all the setbacks we have.

Great Day, so far

I am on a roll today and I shouldn't be sitting down right now, but I thought I'd write a short post for today.  I drove to the farmers' market first and got lovely fresh organic vegetables and fruits, then to the library to pick up a book I had ordered, and even stopped at the gym on the way home for a walk on the treadmill.  I FEEL GREAT!  The entire trip took me about an hour.

My house was cool so I wore a sweatshirt which I didn't need for very long.  It's still cool but warm in the sun.  I've opened some of my windows and don't know if I'm letting warm air in and cool air out, or vice versa!

After a delicious lunch I'm going to sit and relax for a while - I may even end up taking a nap.  I would like to wish all the Moms out there a happy mothers' day!

 

A long day

I had a long day yesterday and just was too tired to post last night.   Here is a link to the trip I made to the far east, starting with Japan.  We were there for just a weekend and then left for Seoul, which I've already posted.

https://gypsy97.blogspot.com/2012/01/trip-to-far-east-tokyo.html


My day yesterday began with Jeannie taking me to my appt. with the cardiologist.  I learned a lot of things about my condition - i.e., I had rheumatic fever, probably  between ages 5 and 15, and while I never showed signs of the illness I have antibodies in my system.  R.F. often follows strep throat or similar illnesses, and I had to have my tonsils removed at the age of 5 because of the constant swollen glands and throat.  This can lead to heart valve problems, which is what I have today.

She explained the dizzy spells I get - very quick ones sometimes lasting no longer than a second.  In themselves they are not dangerous (what a relief) and I should drink a lot of water all day long, but especially if I have one of those spells.  She explained the different sensations I might have and told me which one I should call 911 in the unlikely event one should occur.  She also asked me to try to increase the daily aspirin to one a day in order to reduce the risk of stroke.  All she had to do was to say the word "stroke" and I am on a daily aspirin regimen!  So I will be looking like a battered woman before long when all the bruising starts.  I've decided it's a small price to pay to avoid stroke.  

We talked about a lot of other symptoms and such, and I left there in a much lighter mood than I had when I entered.   I even asked if an occasional beer is ok, and she said it would be fine!  So when we left the med clinic we drove directly to a nearby craft brewery where we had an excellent lunch and a pint of beer each!  I had a caesar's salad and we split an order of grilled artichokes! 

From there we met Donald and the girls and drove to Costco.  For once I didn't shop at all - they went through the process of changing phone carriers, and since Ara is on their plan she met us there as well.  I cannot believe how long something like this takes.  I'm sure it was way over an hour.  I saw a phone on display that was absolutely huge, and reminded me of my first "mobile phone" when I lived in Ireland.  Ironically, phones were huge back then, then got smaller and smaller until they reached a tiny little device, and then back to the big old giants they are today.  

After the Costco trip Jeannie and I went to the gym.  Ara has been sick and didn't join us.  What worries me is that she is recovering from strep throat and swollen glands, and in googling rheumatic fever this morning it seems like that is exactly what can lead to heart valve problems. 

I had a long day with no nap, but felt great for the most part.  I haven't planned my activities for today, but according to the doctor I should absolutely walk every day, so I suppose that is on my agenda!

So my day yesterday left me in a happy mood.  While I still get extremely tired I have the happiness deep down inside and that can move mountains!  I'm going to do my best to hold on to it.

Korea - Part 2

I thought I would post a link to the 2nd part of my trip to Korea.  If you've read it before you can just skip it.

https://gypsy97.blogspot.com/2012/01/korea-1986-trip-to-chejudo-island.html


I have one more post (which should have been the first to be read) and covers our journey to Tokyo with a two day stopover there before continuing on to Seoul.

This morning I finally got my hair cut.  It was looking so bad and I was probably a few weeks later than I should have been to have it cut.

Jeannie is driving me to my follow-up visit with the cardiologist tomorrow, and I hope I don't have to continue seeing her.  I'm seeing 3 different doctors now and hope I can drop one or more in the future - maybe just see the regular doctor for periodic blood tests.  Things probably won't be that simple - once they get you in their clutches . . . 

The weather is gorgeous today and should remain that way for several days.  It is in the 70's and after 2 really warm days I'm loving this.  I know it won't happen, but if only climate change meant that Sacramento was changing from a hot dry heat in the summer to a more moderate temperature!  Dream on, gypsy!

Here it is already, the middle of the week!  Sometimes I feel like I'm on a speeding train, and I'm not quite ready to get to my final destination!

 

Korea

I've been corresponding off-blog about being in South Korea, with someone  who reads my blog but can't seem to leave a comment for a reason only Google knows, and who was there years ago while in the military.  (I can't believe I wrote that sentence, and can't believe I'm going to leave it as is!)  I found a post I wrote about a year ago with some of the photos I took while there.  Here is a link to the post about Korea:

https://gypsy97.blogspot.com/2012/01/and-on-to-korea.html#comment-form

Any former military who were stationed in S.Korea during the 1950's through the current time will probably have their own pictures and stories.  I'd love to hear them and see your pictures.  If you can't leave them in the comments section, please feel free to email me at the address shown above (just below the header picture).

This morning I've been doing a little much needed cleaning including the bathroom.  It is a small room and I can only do the floor on my hands and knees.  It's difficult to get down, but even worse trying to get back up.  I'm taking a well-deserved break right now.

Yesterday it got quite warm in the house and I was uncomfortable when I realized, "Duh, just turn on the swamp cooler!"  By then it was getting late and I didn't want to bother with the cooler, but today is going to be even warmer and you can bet I'll be using the swamp cooler!

The black-out shades that I bought for the big kitchen window work very well keeping the afternoon sun and heat down.  They don't look too bad and do the job.  I also need something for the front kitchen window.  There was an awful metal awning over that window which was in such bad shape I just threw it out.  My son showed me where it wouldn't have fit over the new window anyway, but I realize I'm going to have to buy a new awning, which I think costs maybe a couple hundred dollars or more.  How I hate to spend that much money on something that doesn't enhance the looks of the house inside or out.  There are enough improvements I could make that would really look nice.  But if I die of heat exhaustion I won't be concerned about that, will I?

Warming Up Again

It is quite warm today and will be much warmer tomorrow, but will then go back down to the more bearable lower 70's for a few days.  I've worried about raising and lowering the venetian blinds on my kitchen window - they are old and the mechanism doesn't work properly.   Since I know there's an accident waiting to happen, I went to Walmart this morning and bought a cheap pair of black-out panels.  They are a nice very light brown color which goes nicely with the colors in my kitchen; have a white foam backing that is supposed to keep the heat out as well as sunlight; and have a rod pocket so I won't have to buy a new fixture to hold it.  I haven't taken the blinds down yet - thought I would see how the curtains work.  In most circumstances I would need two pair for fullness, but I'm not concerned about the looks as they are strictly to keep the afternoon sun and heat at bay.   I'm happy with them for now at least, as I needed something right away with the summer weather being right around the corner.

I've been watching a youtube series on art - acrylics, color pencils, etc. and am ready to get back to it.  I know I'm going to be hindered by my eyesight, but I really only do the art because I enjoy it and it pleases me, so I'll plod on for now.   I'm thinking I might try something with the color pencils next, or even the water color pencils I have, although I don't think I really want to mess with water right now.  The series is from "Lachri Fine Art", and features an art teacher who works in just about all mediums.  One of the first videos I watched was when she showed her studio and all the art supplies, storage, etc.  I thought I had a lot of "stuff" but I guess I can expect an art teacher to have me beat!  I think she has as many brushes as Michael's!  

I almost wish I had started this sooner, but as life usually manages to do it, things often come along when you need them, and I guess I needed art at this stage of my life.

Costco

I went to Costco with Jeannie and family shortly after the store opened this morning.  I didn't get much but enjoyed just wandering around looking at things.  Jeanne wants to change their phone service but it is such a hassle to get the old carrier to unlock the phones so they can change.  I don't know if I said that correctly, and don't have a clue what it means, but that's how I think I heard it.

Fortunately, the phone kiosk is right across from a display of outdoor furniture, so I found myself a comfy chair and was soon joined by Autumn.  I did buy myself a package of two tops - they are simply called "Cool"  (the long-sleeved winter version is appropriately called "Heat").   I usually buy a 2-pack each season - they don't take much room and I don't have to do laundry as often.  They are good for going to the gym also.  Each shirt is made from 5 recycled plastic bottles "creating an eco-friendly sustainable product", so I can feel virtuous about wearing them.  They come in really nice colors and are so comfortable, and the 2-pack was on sale for about $8!

This turned out to be a 2-hour trip, but I always enjoy being with them and wandering around the store.   For another $8 I bought a nice large insulated bag to keep cold foods cool, which I've been wanting for a long time.  It holds pretty much, and with the heat of Sacramento summers I hate to even drive a mile or two after buying things such as milk or cream, etc.  I put everything away and took a nap!

I know I need to change my diet as I'd like to eliminate most grains, sugars, etc. to see if it helps with the thyroid symptoms.   It might work if I would just decide on the diet and get on with it.  I have eliminated chocolate and feel much better, but working with just one item is easier than modifying an entire way of eating.   (Note:  I doubt the chocolate had anything to do with thyroid, but a whole lot to do with digestion!)  I wish there was someone I could trust to give me good information; I've talked to nutritionists in the past, and it seems that things run in a cycle - so many years certain foods and beverages are a no-no; then it all changes and completely flips.  I've noticed that with coffee since I started drinking it when I was 14.  Every so many years they tell you to switch to tea (that'll be the day!) and then years later they tout the benefits of sweetened coffee in the morning.  I drink my coffee as I prefer it - unsweetened, medium strength, with half & half (or whole milk if I have to make do with it).

Every time I sit down with a cup, I smile and think of my sweet father.  He worked nights and when he came home in the morning he would have his coffee, and allowed me to have one as well.  At first he would add a lot of cream to mine (canned Pet milk was what they used back in those days) and eventually I could drink it the way I chose.  I've associated the enjoyment of coffee with my father and will never give it up! 

I can't believe I've written so many words about very little substance, but when I get started I tend to keep going.  I'm so grateful for the past few cool days and just wish they would go on year around!

Love the weather!

We are having a beautiful breezy day today in the 60's.  It will be short lived though, because starting tomorrow it will rise into the 70's and 80's.  I put all my "winter" clothes away and had to rummage through them for something to wear today.  I call them "winter" clothes, but it's difficult to find what I remember as winter-weight clothing in this part of the country.

I'm not doing much of anything today but just trying to keep a low profile, so I don't have anything to write about.   I'm ready to sketch my latest drawing attempt onto a canvas but taking my time!   My close-up eyesight is getting much worse, and a search online shows about half the responses say computer usage and looking at screens doesn't affect Macular degeneration one way or another, and the other half say it possibly could be a factor.   

I hope your weekend is going well, or quiet if you want it that way (as I do).

More weirdness

I woke up for the bathroom about 1 am this morning and when I looked out the window it was the weirdest foggy look I have ever seen.  Not the regular color or look of fog, but it was very thick and ugly looking.  I went to the living room and checked out those windows as well as the door, and nothing could be seen except that "fog".  When I went back to bed it looked as if it had lightened somewhat, but I don't like to worry about things in the middle of the night when I'm trying to keep myself from becoming fully awake, so I went back to bed.

About 2 minutes later I just had to look again - the "fog" was nearly all gone and it hadn't just risen up higher - it was gone!   I normally don't have a vivid imagination when it comes to things like this, but when things start happening that don't make sense, or at least if I can't figure out any sense to them, it makes me wonder.

Today is a bright sunny day in the 70's.  I decided I had been lazy for long enough, and since I have a housekeeping chore I'm trying my best to avoid, I went to the gym and had a nice walk.  I didn't stop anywhere else as I'm saving my cash for the market tomorrow.   I want to be sure to buy cherries - maybe 4-7# of them.  The ones I bought last week are so sweet and delicious and satisfy my sweet tooth.   (It's not exactly chocolate, but they really are good.)

Ok, I'm going to start on my work.  You may remember I had (ugly) venetian blinds at the kitchen window; I washed and rehung one of them but couldn't get the other ones to extend.  Joe fixed them for me when he was here, so now I need to clean the other set.  I'm just going to use vinegar & water on them.  I've been browsing online for kitchen window treatments but haven't found anything so far that I really like.  The blinds I have could be dangerous to me because they are fairly heavy and the hardware isn't holding them very securely.  It all needs to be replaced before I have an accident.  If it's going to happen it will happen to me!

Have a good weekend, and see ya when I see ya!

Something in the Air

When I was carrying a load of laundry across the street this morning I noticed a strong, sweet smell in the air.  It was almost sickening in some places, an overall floral odor.  On the way back to my house I looked up and noticed chemtrails in the sky but I didn't put the 2 together.  On my second trip with laundry I noticed the smell again although the trails were dissipating  and the odor was as well.  I don't know if there is a connection between the two, but it sure seems like there could be.  Which makes me wonder, what the heck are they spraying on us, and why.

I mentioned it to an elderly couple in the laundry building and the woman suggested they may be spraying for mosquitoes.  I might go for that explanation but it seems to me that they wouldn't use chemtrails to do it, and would fly small planes much lower to the ground to make sure the spray is evened out.  I have heard that a mosquito problem is expected this summer due to all the rains which means standing water where they can breed.

I got a message from Ara this morning that Donald & family had returned home early in the morning as the part of Yosemite they were in (Autumn's field trip) was evacuated due to flooding.  I found several articles with a Google search about evacuations because of  flooding.  Several rivers have already gone over their banks threatening the Yosemite Valley floor and cutting off access because of flooded roads;  the recent warm temperatures are  making the snow melt in the Sierra.  I keep an eye on the American River every time I cross it and can see when they have let water out of Folsom Lake to make ready for the snow melt to hit there.  It will be a doozy this winter with all the snow in the mountains, and we are in for some possible rain during the coming week.  We probably won't get much rain here, but it's what drops at those high elevations that matters.

So Ara wrote me to just go back to bed, that Jeannie would drive Arianna to school.  She followed that up with another msg that the family was sleeping after packing up and leaving in the middle of the night, and that Arianna wanted me to wait with her at school since Ara has to drop her off early so she can be on time for work.  Of course I went, and this time I found the route so easy I can't believe how I got so mixed up yesterday.

I enjoy getting up at 6am because it gives me more day to enjoy, but it limits nap time so I can go to bed at an earlier hour. 

I'd be interested to hear if anyone has noticed chemtrails plus a strong floral odor at the same time.  It wasn't like a "flower bed" type aroma, but a yukky sweet smell that filled the air.  I need to go back in an hour or so and take my clothes off the line, and hope it's all gone by now. 

What a difference !

The swamp cooler has my house feeling so comfortable, much more so than in other years.  I can only figure it's the windows contributing to the wonderful inside temps.  I'm told you need to leave one or two windows cracked when using a swamp cooler, and whatever the reason I'm cool as can be and very happy!

Jeannie & Donald are with Autumn on a field trip this week - last week they were with Arianna on her field trip.  So the whole time Ara is staying at their house to be with the left-home child!  It has been a problem with Arianna because Ara has to be at work so early, so this morning I drove to their house, followed them in my car to the school, and then stayed with Arianna for about half an hour until school started.  Autumn is in band which practices early in the morning, so there wasn't a problem arriving at school early during her week at home.

I have been to their school many times although mostly riding in their car.  I followed Ara this morning but when it came time to return home I turned left on a street where I should have turned right.  I wasn't sure of my mistake until I had driven a good distance in unfamiliar territory, but finally got myself turned around and back home.  I wanted to cry, but I won't let myself do that.  A few people honked their horns at me this morning.  (I didn't drive Arianna to school myself, which would have been the most logical, because I will no longer drive a child anywhere unless it's an emergency - not with my deteriorating vision.)

Knowing how Arianna loves pork, I bought a big container of pork carnitas which we will have for dinner this evening (I'm joining them).  And because she has so many food allergies and can't eat anything with dairy, I bought a coconut-milk-based  ice cream for dessert!  I won't touch anything coconut, but it's for her and not for me.  I'm just looking forward to the carnitas with rice and maybe a corn tortilla or two.

I took my Serengeti's to the eyeglass repair shop, and for $58.50 they will be repaired by this afternoon.  I'm willing to pay that much because it would cost me over double that amount to replace them, if I could even find some like them in that brand.  I don't think they will ever be like the originals, but I'm hoping they will be comfortable enough to wear this summer.   The nice thing about the lenses is that they have more of an amber tint which lightens my view considerably, and which is really important for someone with mac degeneration.   

And speaking of macular degeneration, I know my driving days are numbered.   When I got lost this morning I was wishing I had a GPS that worked.  I have two, neither of which has enough storage to hold billions of "Points of Interest", which are mainly retail establishments.   That is overkill if you ask me.

And before anyone suggests I get a smart phone for the GPS feature, I want to say I've ridden with many people who use that type of GPS, and their phones are constantly held in their hands so they can refer to them.  At least with a dash or window mounted unit I could take a quick glance at it.  As it is, I was telling my son this morning that if I'm going to turn right 8 miles ahead, I drive the entire distance in the right lane so I don't have to ultimately change lanes.  That's how limited I am with taking my eyes off the road.  When I'm following someone who is driving, such as my granddaughter this morning, they automatically drive in the lane with the least traffic because it's much easier for them to get over at the last minute, whereas it's nearly impossible for me.   So a phone in my hand while I'm driving could be deadly!

With the high temps in the house yesterday my fan quit working.  The light still comes on when I turn it on, but nothing happens.  So this morning I made a quick trip to Walmart to buy another large fan.  Unfortunately, it is on a stand and I have to assemble it, but as cool as it is right now I don't need it.  I don't think there is a whole lot of assembly required, but it's more than what I would like to do.   I think cooler temperatures are heading our way by the weekend, and it will stay cool for a week or two with some rain possible.  I wish we could enjoy rain throughout the year rather than just winter/spring and then arid for the rest of the time.   One of my kids came home from school years ago with a saying I had never heard:  "You take what you get, and you don't pitch a fit!"  

Death by Chocolate Averted!

I didn't touch any chocolate at all yesterday evening, and kept away from most snacks.  I slept so well, but what is best I didn't take anything for heartburn because I didn't have any heartburn.  This is the way it used to be, before I became addicted to chocolate.  I have always loved chocolate, but exercised some self-control until the past year.  I'm sure there are other things in my diet that will alert me sooner or later.

This is going to be a weird day and I knew it from my first waking moment.  I have a nice tall Lasko fan that I use all summer, and I've been running  it the past two days because it is starting to get hot in the house.  Joe will come over sometime soon and remove the cover to the swamp cooler, and that should help tremendously.

But the fan has been making strange noises periodically, sort of like a screw got loose inside the housing and is blowing around.  But the weird thing is that I have it in front of me, directed at my favorite chair.  I got out a small fan and realized I needed to clean it before I used it, so I set it on my little table in front of the chair, right between me and the big fan.  All of the sudden I noticed the small fan blades were turning and I hadn't plugged it in.  I checked the cord to make sure; finally realized the big fan was blowing the back of the little fan and thereby turning the blades.  I had a couple of moments where I wondered "what is happening to me".  This is just one of a series of little odd occurrences today.

It is 80 degrees and going up another 10 by this afternoon.  I now remember why I hate Sacramento in the summer!

I've done two sketches on paper since yesterday, and now just have to get the motivation to put them on canvass.  I'm still working on the small ones, but if I find a good subject I would like to try a larger canvass again.

Speaking of painting, I went back to watching a Bob Ross video last night.  I think I've watched about half of his videos - I'm on Series 12 out of about 24.  Each series has 13 videos, so that is a lot that I've watched, and a lot remaining.

I'm really disgusted with YouTube and although I've certainly searched for a way, there is no contacting Google to complain!  When you call up YouTube you are shown about 8 or so video possibilities that they think you may be interested in.  Supposedly it is done by computer based on past videos watched.  As of about 2 wks ago I have started getting suggestions that are written (and I can only assume are spoken) in Chinese, Russian, and other languages.  How would their analytics come up with that.  Also, they show me titles of a cartoonish type, sports, rock & movie stars, and other subjects I would never in the world have shown any previous interest in.  

I haven't yet ventured out today, but I think a trip to Walmart is in order to try to find another fan or two at a good price.  I will be moderately comfortable when I get the swamp cooler going with a couple of strategically placed fans.  Like using the small space heaters in the winter I don't notice much increase in the electric bills, and the same goes for 
the fans and swamp cooler.  If I run the furnace for 5 min. every winter morning to take the chill off, I can see a drastic increase in the gas bill.  I know a/c would do the same with the electricity, so my frugal self can deal with a tolerable level of comfort and lower utility bills.

Hey, I grew up in the 1940's in Cincinnati when there was no a/c even in business establishments, and hot humid summers.  The winters weren't much better until the old coal furnace was stoked and fired up each morning, and then we all jockeyed to get a spot standing on a heat register with warm air blowing in order to get dressed!  Those were the good old days?  I have good memories of them. 

Some days you can't win!

As you may remember, I've been searching for the pieces of my broken Serengeti sunglasses.  I about decided to try to find a new pair, when this morning I came across them!  I knew if I had patience they would eventually show up.

After walking at the gym I took the glasses to an optical repair shop near my house, but couldn't figure out why the door was locked.  It dawned on me when I read their business hours on the door - Tues through Sat.  So I'll go back tomorrow.

While driving to the gym I was lamenting my suffering of heartburn/indigestion, which I thought I had cured with the probiotics.  It hit me like a ton of bricks that I knew the answer.  Last night I looked online for foods that cause heartburn and chocolate tops the list!  I have become addicted to dark chocolate, and just about every evening while I'm sitting and playing with my computer, I munch on chocolate chips as well as gourmet chocolate squares.  No wonder I've been suffering!!

Starting this minute I'm going to avoid chocolate for a while and see if it helps.   The evenings are so long for me, especially if I succumb to a daytime nap, and I snack & use the computer.  Gotta stop both - I notice the beginning pangs of carpel tunnel syndrome now and then.