I found this yesterday and wanted to share it with you. I don’t even know what I’m looking at – whether it’s an actual waterfall, a painting, a photoshop – but whatever it is, I LOVE it.
Monthly Archives: April 2022
End of Week 2 of New Regimen
I can’t shout it to the rooftops or anything, but I AM making steady progress in my newest effort at lifestyle change and the goal of being healthier.
This is the end of WEEK 2.
I lost 3.4 lbs last week and 1.6 lbs this week, so I’m 5 lbs down in this latest effort.
Down a total 28.4 lbs since my heaviest. Down 28.7 inches since my heaviest. (I’m HOPING for a change in measurement by the end of the month. We’ll see.)
I found Mike, from More Life Help Seniors online. I’m doing two of his short exercise-with-weights videos, switching from one to the other each day. I like them so much I went to his website and downloaded his 4 week exercise program. It’s free. All you need is a chair, weights, and MAYBE a resistance band. I’ll start it tomorrow, and I’ll report back on how it goes.
Besides the weights exercises, I’m doing a 30 minute or so session daily of stretching yoga. I’m doing this late in the afternoon, after I’ve finished the yard work I’m going to do, the weights exercise, and any other more physically active stuff for the day so I can really relax and stretch. I also have a heat pad in my recliner that I can switch on if I need a bit of extra pampering.
The effort to eat low-carb is going well, too. I’ve finally gotten the scales to stop the laughing – though not the smirking – at me. It is noticing my efforts. :0)
Yesterday I made spaghetti sauce using Rao’s Marinara Sauce. It’s the lowest carb sauce I can find. I paired that with macaroni for my husband. (He prefers that to spaghetti) and I prepared 4 medium zucchini with my spiralizer. (one medium zucchini is a serving.) I used one serving and saved the rest. When we finished eating, I was able to make 3 additional meals for each of us to go in the freezer (labeled “H” and “L”) so we know which has macaroni and which has ‘zoodles’ (zucchini noodles.)
MyFitnessPal.com is a lifesaver for me. Each morning I list what I plan to eat for the day. I can readily see if I’m making a mistake or staying under my goals for carbs, sugar, fat, protein, and calories for the day. I can rethink and adjust or be confident then. I then add the exercise for the day. (This program makes adjustments based on how active you are). Sometimes that causes ME to adjust my eating, but not often. Just nice to know and a good record.
Things are going well so far. My friend Susy sent me a low-carb recipe for keto/gluten free bagels that I’ll try as soon as I get low on the rolls I made for the week.
Onward to WEEK 3
Wisteria Lived Through the Freeze!
These are actually photos I took yesterday, before the freeze, fearing that the overnight freeze would kill our treasured wisteria. I’m happy/relieved to tell you it is alive and well, maybe a bit worse from wear, but hopefully will continue to bloom more and more daily.
This wisteria has lived through freezes, snows, ice, thunderstorms, gusting winds, droughts, etc. Seeing it bloom like this really fills me up with hope for the future.
Lorraine Corrigan Paper Mache
Filed under paper art, paper mache
Aging
Yesterday everyone was at Lunch Bunch. It was really nice. We were celebrating our waitress’ (Mikey’s) birthday. She just beamed at everyone. It was fun reminding her how special she is.
What surprised me was that Kay brought two gifts for ME. When I asked her why, she said, “We forgot your birthday last month, so “Happy Birthday.” Isn’t that nice?
The downside was, that since I had no ‘celebration’ for my birthday this year, I didn’t really have to CLAIM it or BE one year older, in my mind. Now I have to own it.
Kay brought me TWO presents –
Thoughts about aging don’t usually enter my thoughts, unless I’ve overdone out in the yard and my body sounds like popcorn being popped in the microwave and my back is screaming at me, “For G_d’s sake, do your yoga!”
Since none of us can “hope-away aging” – (YET, at least), I have some favorite quotes about the subject, and wanted to share some of them with you –
“As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands, one for helping yourself, the other for helping others.” ~ Audrey Hepburn
“Getting old is a fascinating thing. The older you get, the older you want to get.” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
“We don’t grow older, we grow riper.” ~ Pablo Picasso
“Older people shouldn’t eat health food, they need all the preservatives they can get.” ~ Robert Orben
“Old age is fifteen years older than I am.” ~ Oliver Wendell Holmes
Filed under aging, Favorite Quotes, Friendship
Duet
I had to cover my garden planter boxes with sheets last night due to a freeze warning. “The average last freeze for the River Valley is March 26th, with the latest on record occurring on April 17th 1921/1951.” I really hope this is the last one.
I uncovered the plants a few minutes ago, stuffing the just-washed sheets into the bag and carting them to the garage, to wait until ALL chances of freezing are finished until the fall and then I’ll wash them again for storage.
My sweet veggies, including the zucchini plants I planted yesterday, came through just fine. I’m really relieved.
Today I’ll try to finish hauling the bags of potting soil to the two brick planters we use for tomatoes. After a stormy Mon/Tues/Wed next week, I hope to find some good tomato plants to plant.
After the freeze this morning, we’re supposed to have a beautiful weekend. I’m getting a bit of whiplash from the changes back and forth.
Have a great Saturday.
Filed under Gardening
Progress Report? – Almost End of Week 2
SHORTER ANSWER:
- No change in measurements yet almost at the end of Week 2. Down 28.7 inches overall since my heaviest. Hopeful to see changes by the end of April.
- Down 1.6 lbs this week. Down 28.4 lbs since my heaviest – first goal is trying to get down to -30 – where I was pre-pandemic, then on from there.
- Exercise level is way up. Still fighting sloth. Am doing yoga session each day. Also an online video on exercise with weights for seniors. Also working in the yard each day the weather cooperates.
- I’ve read that it takes 66 days to build a ‘habit.’ I’m hoping that by the end of May my new way of eating, drinking, and exercising will have become ‘routine,’ ‘habit,’ or ‘regimen,’ – whichever word describes it most accurately. One day at a time.
Filed under Challenges, Changes, DIET!, exercise, getting the lard off, taking care of yourself
Not Just “No,” – HELL NO!
My husband decided he HAD to have a new computer – to upgrade a bit, to switch to Windows 11. I told him to go ahead, as long as he opted for the offer to pay a bit more and have nerds put the computer together for him with Windows 11 already installed, compatible parts already installed so that he would just have to change out the hard drives, etc.
Since then we’ve been in ‘computer Hell.’ There is no nicer way to say it.
It started with UPS ‘delivering’ the humongous, HEAVY (75 pounds +) box by simply leaving it at the bottom of our STEEP, graveled, 650+ foot driveway. We practically killed ourselves getting the box INTO the back of the truck, THEN unpacking as much as possible, having to remove two dog gates in order to get it into the house and into the office. (We asked for, and received a refund for the extra we paid for expedited delivery.)
The computer was as my husband ordered, so mostly he has been fighting with software. Right now, the fight is to get an email program that will work the way he wants it to.
Since my husband and I are both older-than-dirt, changes and technical stuff are becoming much more difficult. An added problem is that my husband had a couple of strokes in the past two years, and he has more trouble, though he has mostly bounced back. He has been reduced to asking ME – the woefully incompetent tech person of our duo – for help. This is a lose/lose situation for me. If I can’t help, he gets more frustrated and angry – a really uncomfortable situation. If I CAN help, then he’s upset because I could do it, and he couldn’t, making him depressed.
A real character-building exercise for both of us.
So, the NEXT time he wants to get a new computer, I’ve told you my answer at the top.
Filed under Challenges, character-building exercises
Fun, Freezing Friday
I just learned we’re supposed to have a freeze tonight. UGH. I’m hard-headed, so after Lunch Bunch, I’m going to check for head lettuce and zucchini plants to put in the garden, anyway. When we get home, if I’m successful finding them, I’ll plant them, weed the raised garden boxes, and then cover them with sheets tonight.
I’m getting to the end of WEEK 2 on my eating low-carb and ‘moving-more’ efforts. I’m gradually changing my eating habits, relying on MyFitnessPal.com to plan what I’ll eat for the day to make sure I’m under my calorie and carb limits.
Though I told my husband he can eat what he wants (within reason, since he’s Type II diabetic), he says, “I’ll eat what you eat.” So today at Lunch Bunch, instead of the breaded, fried chicken tenders with honey mustard we have been eating forever, we’ll have a hamburger patty, side salad with blue cheese dressing on the side. Tomorrow I’m making low carb spaghetti. I’ll fix macaroni for my husband and Zucchini ‘noodles’ for me (Zoodles). Please see pic above.
I’m also doing well on my ‘moving-more’ efforts. I’m doing my yoga stretches every afternoon after my other strenuous activities are finished. I’m doing weights exercises with a video for seniors I found online. (I also found several other videos he has done, and hope to incorporate them into my day soon.) Finally, I’m working outside every day the weather is cooperative. Today, for example, when we’re back from Lunch Bunch and errands today, I’ll use the wheelbarrow to move four or five 40-lb bags of potting soil out to the tomato planters I weeded yesterday, prepping them for the coming tomato plants. I’m going to try to find zucchini and head lettuce plants while we’re out today. I’ll plant what I can find, then weed the planters, then plan to cover them up tonight to protect them as much as possible from the freeze.
I wish I could show you a pic of my friends at Lunch Bunch, but I’m respecting their wishes and their privacy. Today is a special Lunch Bunch. It’s our waitress’s birthday, so we’re bringing her gifts to celebrate. She’ll be surprised, and she’ll be reminded how special she is.
Enjoy your Friday.
A.M. Weights – P.M. Yoga
A.M. – I’m doing weights exercises daily now, using a video created for seniors. He is recommending 1 lb weights, but I’m using my 3 lb weights at this point. It’s a short video – about 10 minutes or less – and is easy to follow. At some point, I’ll switch to 5 lbs weights.
P.M. – I’m doing about half an hour or so of senior yoga stretching every day now. After doing the weights in the morning and yard work in the afternoon, the yoga really helps me relax and stretch things out again.
I won’t say I’m looking FORWARD to exercising. I’m a died-in-the-wool sloth. But, I will say I feel better now that I’ve been doing this every day. I think it takes 3 weeks or so to build a ‘habit.’ I’m on week 2…
Filed under exercise
Drinking in Spring
How Does Your Garden Grow?
I’ve only had to cover up my veggie plants once for a freeze since I put the plants in the ground, and for that I’m thankful. I’m watching the weather forecasts like a hawk, but so far, things are going well.
Next up, I plan to put in radishes, bell pepper, and celery.
Today’s plan is to start prepping the two brick planters on the far side of the house that we converted to square foot garden planters, preparing to add some tomato plants, probably next week, depending on the weather. I need to get the weeds out, and then add a bunch of Mel’s Mix (a mixture of peat moss, Vermiculite, and at least 3 different types of compost) to each of the planters. Who knows where this stuff GOES?
Filed under Gardening, Square Foot Gardening - Raised Beds
Something Went Right!
Several years ago we had a geothermal heat and air system installed. We save money now, because the ‘system’ only has to either heat or cool the DIFFERENCE between an underground temperature of 58 degrees F. and whatever the air temperature is. This makes the system not have to work nearly as hard, resulting in less work, less money to pay for it (ignoring the cost of the system or its installation) :0)
Last spring our local caretakers of the system, Air Pro Heat & Air out of Ft. Smith, moved its offices. In the move, our spring check up got lost in the shuffle. They are SO good about calling and arranging times for the checkups that I don’t keep track. I did notice, though, in August that we hadn’t had a check. Our guy came out, made sure we were okay, and we agreed that that would be our ‘winter’ checkup. Since I pay ahead of time for the year, we were one checkup short last year.
I called the office. The nice lady made a note of it.
She called this morning, telling us our guy was in Greenwood, asking if it were okay if he did our spring service check this morning. He is here now.
I reminded him of the payment issue. He remembered, called the office, and confirmed that today’s check is no additional charge, and that we would now receive our yearly bill in the winter.
If you are in the Ft. Smith area, this company is a great one. The guy who does the check greets our dog as if she’s a member of the family. He is easy to get along with, answers and questions we have, fixes any problems. He is very good at working with the system, knows exactly what to look for and make sure all is good.
So – out of the myriad of issues we’ve been dealing with lately, this is ONE THING THAT WENT RIGHT!!!!
The Art of Tree Carving
“Tree Carving Art” – boredart.com – R.K. Shilpi
Filed under Tree Carving Art, When Wood Comes Alive
Sculpture That Makes Me Melt
Filed under Nick Mackman Animal Sculpture, sculpture
Acorn Life
Acorn Elf Life – Petr Vaclavek – Dubanci.cz
Filed under acorn art, Petr Vaclavek - Dubanci.cz
Happy Wednesday
Our wisteria is starting to bloom!
We have vines stretching all the way to the driveway to the left of this picture. My husband has been trying for years to have BLOOMS all the way across. We’re making progress on it each year.
Yesterday I ate right, stayed under my calorie total for the day, stayed under my carb total for the day, exercised with weights, did my yoga, cooked for an hour, cleaned, etc., and guess what – I GAINED .2 lbs. Bummer. This is a character-building exercise for sure. I’ll simply keep on keepin’ on and hope for the best.
I’ve been making phone calls most of the morning, following up on things, confirming others, asking questions, etc. The thing I’m coming away with is that you MUST be your own advocate. Everyone is in their own personal world, worried about their own problems, understandably. These DON’T include whatever they told you would happen, wouldn’t happen, shouldn’t happen, etc. Unless you make notes and follow up, it simply DOESN’T happen/or DOES – whichever is worse. You can’t depend on other people. You MUST do it yourself, and KEEP after it until whatever it is is done. Sometimes I would definitely trade my ‘adult’ hat for a happy, carefree ‘child’ hat from my past.
I’ll make sure to get outside for part of the afternoon. It’s going to be in the 60s and there is lots of sunshine to play in. Will you get outside, too?
Decorated and Painted Glass
Filed under painted glass
Animal Wood Sculpture
Filed under When Wood Comes Alive
Thoughts on a Tuesday 4-5-2022
After rain overnight – after it rained off and on all day – we’re having a truly lovely spring day today. It started out chilly, but now it’s 72 degrees F. and sunny. Just beautiful.
We got back a bit ago from errands, ate lunch, and I’ve just gotten a double batch of keto chili in the crock pot. My husband was upset we only got one extra meal from the last batch, so I’m trying to remedy that today.
I got a replacement phone, since when we were at AT&T arranging for my husband’s phone to be added to our account, we noticed that MY phone top was gapping and trying to be blown off the front of my phone. Not a good thing! I ordered another one and we took that one in yesterday to have it registered, the information transferred from the old phone to the new, and to wipe the old phone. We did all but the last because I didn’t have an Apple password that worked.
This morning I arranged for a new password to be used on the new phone. I was going to take the old one back to AT&T to be wiped, but my husband said he could handle that. He took it out to the shop and thoroughly smashed it and the SIM card, so a kind of brutal method accomplished what I needed.
I will try a different recipe for keto rolls this afternoon. I’ll probably try several before I find one that both of us like. If I can’t find one my husband likes, HE can continue to eat the rolls from the bakery.
I didn’t get to start my weight exercise yesterday with the video I found, to it taking so long to upgrade my phone at AT&T. (And they had to wait until that finished before they could transfer my data.) So today I’ll try to schedule 1) cooking the rolls, 2) yoga, and 3) weights video.
I’ll probably wait until tomorrow to get into the yard again. My back will probably thank me… :0)
I hope that you are enjoying gorgeous weather, too.
Filed under DIET!, exercise, Thoughts on a ________
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