Healthy Living Support Thread Aug. 29 - Sept. 5th

Here is the new thread for the week. Hope to see lots of activity.

I'm certainly going to miss Chuck but I understand. He is up to his neck in his teaching assignment. And has a sick wife who is dealing with the stress of continuing to work and children. As well as trying to be an individual who is trying hard to stay close to GOD and keep physically fit. May GOD richly bless him and his family.

It is nice out this morning. I've let the birds out but that is the extent of my outdoors ventures so far. I'm not one for just sitting in a chair in the beautiful outdoors. I have to be weeding or something like that if I am outside.
Eating yesterday was ok until I got to the cafe'. Even that wasn't bad until after we closed. They had ordered a 1/2 a sheet cake for me and had ice cream too. It was so pretty I hated to have them cut it. I had a HUGE piece of the cake from a corner so it had lots of icing on it. It was a marshmallow type icing. Don't know that I had ever had that kind before but it was lighter and not so filling as the regular kind I think of. Then I was told to bring some home so I got one medium size piece for that. Sheila has lost 5# and didn't want me to bring any home for her. Wise choice. I took 3 each of the Carb Inhibitors and Fat Blockers. lol
Breakfast this morning was plain oatmeal made with nonfat milk and sweetened with Stevia. I have some lean pork rib pieces in the 'fridge that I will probably marinate in a Seal a Meal bag and then boil in the bag. It turned out well that way before. We have lots of frozen broccoli to get eaten and some potatoes begging to be eaten before they go bad.
We have more grapes to get picked and processed. There is about the same amount as we did on Thursday so it will be a long day if we don't start until nearly noon. I guess I could freeze the juice instead of canning it. That would cut off nearly an hour of time. Not a very heavy crop this year but better than nothing. I have lots left from last year so we won't be short. As tired as Sheila & I both are this morning we may leave the rest for the birds.
Tomorrow is another long day because of an anniversary reception for a couple I have know for years(I use to date the man & we were getting rather serious by the time we broke up). Since we will be in town we may stay for evening services.I'm going to go take my meds and maybe crawl back into bed for a while. I'm sore and achey today. Cool damp weather has that effect on both fibro and arthritis you all know. Everyone on here is old enough(not that it requires any certain years of age to have either of these conditions)to have one or both of them. Susan, I think GPs take that stand to protect themselves from the heartache. They are old enough to not want any more emotional pain than is absolutely  unavoidable so denial is the easiest route to take. If they can blame you they don't have to confront an angry defiant young person who will likely either cut off communications or rub the unwise unhealthy lifestyle in their faces constantly causing  pain and dispair they don't feel they can cope with. You will not do this to them so they can blame you and get off with less pain. I went thru this with my mother and Sheila when she was a wild disobedient child & teenager. You are all in my prayers. Pebble, I'm thinking of you and praying for you. Please have your sister post something for you. I know you are exhausted all the time and even sitting up is more than you can do very much. Chemo & radiation do take a lot out of a person. Ronnie, have a wonderful visit with your nephew. It sounds as tho you have done all you can to protect him short of handing him a mask when he gets to  your home and insisting he wear it all the time he is there. I don't see you doing that tho. I understand about the low immunity because of taking high doses of Prednisone when my lung condition was first diagnosed. I had to wear masks anytime I was around someone who smoked or went out in public for some time. I finally got tired of that & took the 'I'm in GOD's hands" attitude. Vic, I have a one qt. yogurt maker. I got my recipe somewhere online. It uses 3 to 4 cups of water +1 3/4 c. nonfat milk powder plus some plain yogurt for a starter. I use plain yogurt from WM - about 1/2 of a small container - per batch. I want a lot of live culture in it for the probiotic effect. I also add about 2 tsp. of dissolved plain gelatin because Sheila & I like the firmer texture. We sweeten with Stevia when we eat it.             Larkie, Tina, Debbie, Anna, Tricia, we miss hearing from you.  Please keep in touch often. Ric, that is such a beautiful waterfall and pond you have built. I would like to have one but I also like ducks and geese & I don't think the combination would be good. I could spend a fortune on filters. lolVic, how is the upstairs project coming along? Send pictures of progress if you can. Of course a lot has already changed but we would love to be able to share the pleasure of seeing it all 'come together' for you and Hank. We still haven't finished the bathroom project. I think that will happen next winter when we can't go outside. Susan, I'm so glad your latte' machine crisis is over. We had an expresso machine come thru the store once. Is latte' high in caffine? It was there for a long time. I wonder if many people realized what it was. I know those things are expensive. Kris gave us the Cuisinart(?)ice cream maker or we wouldn't have it. She had a coupon for $20 from Bed Bath & Beyond and they were also on sale so she did well. But then she usually does. She has always been a wise shopper and penny pincher.
GOD bless and keep each of you.  I hope the spacing turns out better on the posted thread. I keep putting spaces between paragraphs then it gets taken out when I see the one to be posted.