Healthy Lifestyle Support Thread Nov. 7 - Nov. 10th, 2009

Good morning everyone. It is a lovely day here. The sun is shining brightly and that always makes a difference.

Today is Skyler's 6th birthday. They are just getting him a cake and will let me know when to come for that. I think her family is taking him out maybe tomorrow.

The trip to Columbia was nice. I enjoyed spending the day with her and 9 year old Kevin. He looks more like his biological father all the time. His new doctor in the allergy clinic over there changed all of his allergy meds which is what Brenda had been trying to get done for months. Hopefully if they can get the allergies under control some of his other problems will at least decrease somewhat. He is so hyper and I know that can come from allergies as well as ADHD and have told Brenda that one can be hyper without being ADHD. However most doctors don't want to admit that. Nor do they want to admit that allergies are often the root cause of ADHD and hyperactivity. Allergies can and do affect every system of the body.

Brenda's leg is stiff this morning but that seems to be the only side effect from the shot. She drove all the way home yesterday. The traffic was so bad there really wasn't much chance to pull over and change drivers tho she did pass up a rest area and several exits that would have accomodated that. I suggested a hot moist pack for at least a few min. this morning but don't hold out much hope of that being done. She is more a take a pill or suffer thru it kind of person.

I'm loving the new sink and faucet in the kitchen. Somehow I can seem to do without a bathroom(I have 2) but when the kitchen doesn't have water I can't seem to keep up with that room of the house. I did manage to keep dishes washed up every other day as usual in basins in the bathtub and carried them back to be put away. But now they dry in the drainer as usual. There is so much height and reach to the new faucet that makes it much more convenient to use. Oldest DS seems quite impressed with me having an almost new Kohler sink and a brand new Price Pfister set of faucets. Call me dumb but I thought those were just run of the mill good quality brands. Jack was one to only get the best we could possibly afford since they would last longer so I suppose I am sheltered from poor to mediocre quality products. However we both know that some 'off' brands are just as good as the name brands and will perform and last just as well. They just don't cost as much because they don't have the name or the cost of advertising to pay for. He usually did quite a lot of research before making any purchase. Such as Kenmore brands which we nearly always bought if they had what we wanted/needed at comparable prices.

Sue, next time try canning the soups without cooking them first. Or did I not catch that you did that? That helps prevent loss of nutrients from over cooking.

The freezer is thawed and the water mess cleaned up. Now I have to wipe it all out and I guess turn it back on. I need to make a list of what I put back into it and only use it for storage of items I seldom need to get to. I store a lot of items in the freezers just to keep rodents and insects out of them. Glass keeps the rodents out but insects often have eggs in the grain products that need to be killed and kept out by freezing. Those knats, etc. seem to be able to get in under the tighest lid. That will help keep the frost down. But if I get deer I'll need it ready to cool off the meat. The side by in the kitchen and the other freezer are now jam packed full. I need to clean out the 'fridge too. That is always a big job for me. Tho I just did it a few weeks ago and pitched a lot of stuff. I think the biggest problem in there now is too many left overs.

The dogs and cats are finally beginning to eat the new food a little better. They loved the first lamb and rice one but have been slower to pick up on this one. I get 5# more for $7 less and it is just as good quality if I am reading the label correctly. Just without the Purina label. This one is Loyall. Smaller pieces which is good for the cats and Penny & Nita. They don't need to eat as much of it as the less expensive foods so I think in the long run it will cost about the same and hopefully Penny won't itch as badly.

I don't feel sick at all but all night and this morning I have vacillated from too warm to chilly. No more aches than usual either. I think I had the heater turned down too far and the inner walls got cooled down too much. I also had the new humidifier on high in the bedroom last night and it was terribly noisy. I turned it to low this morning & that cut the noise level about 80%! I was about ready to take it back and get a steam type or cool mist without the fan to humidify my room. The air cleaner is loud enough when on high so the added noise didn't help me sleep any. It seems to be hard to find the right weight long sleeve top to keep just the right coverage for my arms today. I need the opposite of a vest. The core of my body needs to stay a bit cool but my arms and legs need to be warm. Hard to find clothes like that. lol

Ronnie, what is the name of the mechanic who does your vehicle work? Brenda is going to need the power steering on the van she just bought worked on. It is leaking fluid. Her brother is a good mechanic but hasn't the time or lifts, etc. to do the work for her.

Looking forward to puppy pictures. Debbie, I was certain you would enjoy the Bullet. In the end you will also be more healthy.

My eating yesterday wasn't all that bad considering we ate at a chinese place with a wonderful buffet. I ate lots of protein and fresh fruits on my first plate so the rest of my meal wasn't that large. I had made a blackberry casserole Thurs. night with oatmeal and Master Mix. Used the Parkey spray and Stevia to hold the oatmeal and mix together. That was my breakfast and supper. Bedtime meal was the last of the fried rice from Thurs. noon with some shredded cheese melted over it.

Breakfast this morning was a peach smoothie with the protein powder, 2 raw banty eggs, and 1/3 cup nfdmp. 1 pint total volume so I was really full after drinking it. Protein powder it 26 gm. protein per level scoop. I used 1 heaping one plus the 2 banty eggs and nfdmp so that should have brought it up to at least 40+ gm. of protein. I used it to take my morning pills since there was so much of it. It took 30 min. at least to drink it all. I have little idea what lunch or supper will be. Probably leftovers from the 'fridge.

Vic, that mountain road sounds dangerous to say the least. The longer way around it may take longer, not be a pretty, etc. but it certainly sounds safer. And safer always gets my vote. I'm so thankful that one woman who happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time wasn't killed. GOD had HIS hand on her. I hope she understands that that more than just casually or considering herself lucky.

Ric, Larkie, Linda, Tina, you are in my thoughts and prayers along with everyone else.

GOD bless and keep each of you.