It's been 5 years!

5 years since I quit smoking and I haven't had one since!  It's an awesome anniversart but since quitting smoking I have developed diabetes, thyroid condition, gout, high blood pressure, added 30 lbs, bleah!  And now I can't stand the smell of smoke.

I haven't stitched much so nothing to show.

My grandson will be 13 next month!  My other grandson will be 6!  NO WAY!

So we are down to 2 of our own cats and 1 outside cat, but one of our babies is not good at all, he is nothing but fur and bones and he sleeps all the time.  He is only 11, we have taken him to the vets but the vets here do not have all the proper equipment to diagnose and treat animals.  Spot is DH's bestest friend.

Today is World Diabetes day and of course NOTHING is being done here in Sucky land.

No turkey this year, NONE!  Not 1 fucking frozen turkey in this fucking country!  So I'm stuck with duck, I have never eaten duck nor cooked it.

Still doing Sparkpeople but can't find my ambition or motivation.

My son's 31st birthday was Yesterday, I didn't get to talk to him but I did text him and he did respond.

So, that is the general round up of me.

It's official--I guess-MAY BE OFFENSIVE

THIS POST MAY BE OFFENSIVE TO SOME VIEWERS, ESPECIALLY MEN AND WOMEN OF CHILD BEARING YEARS.

So it's now been 12 months, 370 days and 54 weeks since the last start and end of my last period! So I guess that officially makes me menopausal and can't have any more babies. That is kind of sad but at the same time woo hoo, no more surprises! I do not know if this came about naturally, if it was caused by thyroid problems that brought on the diabetes or if it was caused by diabetes that brought on thyroid problems. I do not know if the hot flashes and night sweats are caused my menopause OR if they are the HUGE HIGH spikes in my blood glucose levels that I can't seem go get under control. Either way WOO HOO!

And yes, I still can't get the diabetes under control. I guess gaining the 10lbs over the summer caused my blood glucose levels to go up and not come down. I DO watch what I eat, I DO exercise but the weight just is not coming off. The same 3-4 lbs comes and goes on a monthly basis but I just can't seem to get rid of it permanently.

Stitching? Nope. Haven't stitched a thing since before Christmas. I think about it every day though. I haven't even visited most of my favourite message boards or browsed the new patterns, can you believe that?

That is my story for today

PLEASE HELP ME!

This is real, legitimate and official. This is NOT spam or a scam nor will you get a virus. I know all of you are tired about hearing about SparkPeople but I LOVE the site, they have helped me change how I eat, they have helped me LIKE exercise, I have read GREAT, informative articles, I have met friendly, warm, supportive people, I have won a couple prizes from the site and now I need your help.
If you read my previous blog, you saw that they recently published a book called The Spark. There is a contest for all kinds of prizes for members who have friends and family download the first chapter of the book. You can follow this link: http://book.sparkpeople.com/book.asp?u=RD03875

As you may know, I am an active member of the popular healthy-living website, SparkPeople.com. In an effort to help SparkPeople live out their mission of helping millions of people reach their goals and live healthier lives, I have joined a contest they're holding called "The Spark Free Chapter Challenge." If you have one minute to spare, I could use your help, because I REALLY want to win!

So here's the deal with the challenge…

Chris Downie, SparkPeople's CEO and founder, recently published a book called "The Spark" that offers a proven new approach to improving your health, transforming your life and reaching your goals (for example, real people have lost over 10 million pounds using their free online program)!

People like me who are helping them "Spread The Spark" through The Spark Free Chapter Challenge are encouraging our friends and family to download a FREE chapter of "The Spark" book. And for every person I can encourage to download the chapter, I will get an additional chance to win a $500 weekend getaway and other prizes, as well as something they offer called "SparkPoints," which also help motivate me to reach my goals.

All you have to do to help is download a free chapter from The Spark book. Nothing else. To do so, simply go to http://book.sparkpeople.com/book.asp?u=RD03875 and click the button to download your free chapter.

If you would be willing to help me with this, I would truly appreciate it, and I also think you will enjoy reading this free chapter from "The Spark". I know I did!

Thank you for your time. I really appreciate it.

RD03875

You can also go to iTunes and download The Spark and listen to it with your iPod!

World Diabetes Day

Today is World Diabetes Day. For more information please read these:
http://www.worlddiabetesday.org/en/the-campaign/about-wdd
http://www.everydayhealth.com/health-report/world-diabetes-day-resource-guide/world-diabetes-day.aspx

Yesterday (Friday the 13th,) was our son's birthday. He was born on Friday the 13th but sadly it has been an unlucky day for him. I did call him and sing Happy Birthday but our conversation was not at all happy. He could use lots and lots of prayers and positive thoughts so he can get his son back.

We had a "pre-Thanksgiving" dinner yesterday to try out some new recipes before we decide if we want to keep them. Fresh red peppers wtih green beans is a keeper while Baked Sweek & white potatoes is nasty. We also tried a Cajun spice rub on the chicken I cooked and that is a keeper too, we just need to make a liquid out of it so we can inject the turkey. So now on to try more recipes.

There's no place like HOME!

I've been home for 24 days now according to my ticker, wow, where did time go? It's rained for most of the time I've been here.

Flight went well, left on time and arrived on time, pleasent flight. Made the flight connection to get an earlier flight to Boston but it didn't do much good since I had just missed the earlier bus to my sons. I made it to his house by 3PM.

I got home Tuesday afternoon, renewed my driver's license, picked up mail, went grocery shopping and got to my house by 3PM. It IS good to be home. DIL and DGS stayed with me for a few days.

I bought a brand new Jeep on Thursday, picked it up on Friday after I got home. I got to see my Daughter and oldest grandson for a couple days too. I got a 2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee, dark steel blue, with lots of nice plusses like satellite radio, a/c that works.

Went to the Dr and they are pleased with my progress and congratulated me. (WOO HOO!)

I haven't stitched but i have fondled my new stash.

My father had a heart attack a couple days after I got home but he is ok now. They still can't do anything for the bad arteries so he is now on oxygen 24/7 for the rest of his life. He is still planning on coming up to visit in September.

It's Bike Week here in New Hampshire, lots of nice bikes all over. I went up to one place today and looked around but I am going to the main event tomorrow just for the thrill!

House looks ok, garage is almost done, nothing leaks that I can tell.

It IS good to be home!

Another week in Paradise

My father went home from the hospital last week. He has blocked arteries that are in such a place that they can't get to and do anything with so he has to be careful. They gave him blood thinners and he almost blead out. He told the nurses he was having a miscarriage, at least he still had humor. He had to have 4 units of blood. So now they have to figure out what they can do for him. He said he has too much left to do in his life to give up.

I was doing so well losing weight but I guess I set my hopes too high. I gained back 3 pounds in 2 weeks and I can really feel it. I sucks. I have watched what I ate, exercised and tracked everything. I'm just wondering if lowering my thyroid pill dosage has had something to do with it. I need to talk to my dr. about that. I'll just have to work harder.

One more week until I go home. It's kind of mixed feelings now, kind of bugged about leaving DH behind (for those of you that know the story) but yet I want to go home and drive, smell fresh air, and not have to rush around the store every time I go. I want to hug my kids & grand kids, I want to see my family & friends.

I'm working on a SAL project and hopefully I can get it done soon.

SparkPeople Day at a Glance Calendar page:
May is Better Sleep Month. Turn your back to the clock. Studies show that watching the clock when you're in bed makes you more anxious and less able to fall asleep. Move the clock so that you can't see it when drifting off.

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY to my faithful readers like Doris and I suppose you lurkers too.

Still keeping up with the bootcamp at SparkPeople, these exercises are a wee bit more challenging that the last boot camp but I get them done. I do the Leslie Sansone videos almost every day for cardio since it's way too hot anymore here to walk outside. No significant weight loss yet but hopefully soon!

15 more days and I'll be having Irish coffee or beer for breakfast, WOOO HOOO can't wait!

Dad still isn't much better, they did find a couple ateries that were blocked but they are in a place that they can't do anything about them, so all the drs. can do is treat him with medication. They gave him the wrong medication last week and it cause major bleeding problems so he had to have 2 units of blood in addition to a blood transfusion. He's on a liquid diet but has been taken off his nitroglycerine drip. Please keep my Daddy in your prayers, he has 3 young GREAT-grandsons to keep up with for a few more years.

I GOT IT!

Hi Doris!

Happy Dancing in the desert! I got a piece of paper that says I can get on the airplane on May 25! Now I am keeping calming vibes that this flight leaves on time and not 4 hours late like DH's flight did last year. After 13 hours non-stop flying time hopefully I will land at 0800AM on US soil at JFK, on Memorial Day. Then IF I land on time, I catch a 12:30PM flight to Boston and with luck will be at my son's place for dinner.

The Sweatsuit to Swimsuit boot camp on SparkPeople started yesterday with a cardio kickboxing video and writing down our measurements. The video was a work out and I didn't realize I was so uncoordinated! I was flailing fists & feet all over trying to keep up with the moves. Eventually I will get the hang of this video. I'm also still doing my Walk Away The Pounds videos.

I finished my niece's Wedding sampler that my daughter started a couple years ago.

SparkPeople Day at a Glance Calendar note:
"It is never too late to be what you might have been."

How much longer????

Oh yeah, 30 DAYS!

Have a GREAT weekend Doris!

SparkPeople Day at a Glance Calendar note for Friday:
Move and shake! Be as active as you can each day. Dance to the car radio, fidget at your desk and get up as often as you can. You'll become fitter, healthier and slimmer!

Sat/Sun:
These are the last two days of TV turnoff week. Here's one more reason to keep the tube off: 90%of food commercials aired during Saturday morning shows for kids advertise junk food, according to the American Diabetic Association. Wellll, I didn't even know it was TV turnoff week and I highly doubt my DH would EVER go for such a thing.

I must have done something right in the past couple weeks because I've lost a couple more pounds, WOO HOO. I took a profile picture today and I don't notice any difference in the profile picture I took January except for my chin. I have done a Walk Away The Pounds video every day this past week, even got up to the 3 mile fat burning walk for Abs which is quite a work out and felt good! I did that one twice.
I did join the new May Boot camp work out group, Sweatsuit to Swimsuit Boot Camp. I can't wait to start it.
I got out and walked this morning. One of our outside cats was inside this morning and he let me know he was ready to go back outside after breakfast at 6:30AM so I got up. It was already 83F at 6:30AM!!! But I decided fuck it, I'm walking. So I did a 2 mile 40 minute walk in the humidity. I NEED to do it, I have 15 more pounds to loose!

The mouth feels much better, it only hurt for a couple days.

I stitched more on the Teenie Wedding Sampler. I am ALMOST done with it. (Sorry Kristin, I NEED to finish this before it haunts me in my sleep)

This is the "rivalry" weekend with the red sox, so far the sux won Friday night in extra innings. Saturday's game is actually on tv HERE on Fox Sports starting at 11PM. I'll be in front of the tv with my pillow and blanket and probably a cat.

Ok, well it's time for a hips, abs & thighs workout today! Have a GREAT weekend.

ow, Ow, OW ooooooooooowwwwwwwwwie!

Hi Doris!
Owie some more! I had my second tooth pulled last night and it hurt like a son of a bitch! It's been roughly 18 hours now and it's still swollen. This one hurt worse that the one last week did. I think the tooth last week was dead and had no feeling anyway but this one wasn't completely dead yet. I want to go back to bed.

HEY LURKERS! MY FRIEND KRISTIN FROM CUPPA JOE DESIGNS HAS A CUTE NEW COMPLIMENTARY DESIGN UP ON HER BLOG! YOU GOTTA CHECK THIS ONE OUT!
Sleep is a poor Substitute I have it all kitted up and ready to stitch but I need to at least make some effort on another project.

SparkPeople DAily Calendar note for today:
"Know your "red flag" menu words. Avoid restaurant items described as: battered, bottomless, breaded, buttery, cheesy, country, creamy, cripsy fried, giant, loaded, smothered and stuffed. These are signs of a diet disaster!" Yes, good advice but those foods are so good! HOwever, I can say that I haven't had most those above foods in a loooooooooong time. I WANT to get heathlier, I WANT to live longer, I WANT to loose this fat!

I did stitch last night, woo hoo. I was trying to stay still and calm from getting the tooth pulled so I stitched on the Sweetheart Tree Teeny Wedding Sampler thing for my niece. I stitched the vine down the left side and come to find out, it's fucking OFF! I fucked up somehow and the leaf things(green splotch things) are higher than they should be. Oh well.


Went to the diabetes dr. on Sunday night and he said I am doing fine, just need to keep losing weight. He also lowered my thyroid pills, I had been taking a 75MG does and he lowered it to 50MG (for those of you who know what that means) so I must be doing something right. He didn't seem to be alarmed at my higher than normal moring blood readings. He wants me to have the blood work done again in June and gave me his cell phone number and e-mail address so I can send him my test results. He is a nuce guy.

Have a GREAT day!

38 more days!

Have a GREAT weekend Doris!

SparkPeople Day at a Glance Calendar page for April 16:
Make yourself a priority. Are you always doing for others but neglecting yourself? Your goals are important and you deserve to take time for yourself each day to achieve them. Give yourself the attention and love that you need!
SparkPeople Day at a Glance Calendar page for April 17:
Pace around. When on the phone, for example, get up and get moving around your home or office instead of sitting still. Talk about multitasking!

I have browsed that Online Needlework Show twice now and not found anything that jumped out at me. I guess my desire for Stitching has died or maybe I want to save my money and have my septic system pumped out at home or I want to have money to spoil my kids/grandkids this summer. I'm even thinking of selling off some of my stash.

Yesterday was the Yankees Hope Opener at their new stadium. We turned on the MLB TV thing and watched the pre-game festivities. How great to see BERNIE there along with so many other past great players. Jorge Posada hit the first home run in the new stadium and Johnny Damon had the first base hit. Of course they lost by a horrible score. I hope they have a GREAT season!

DH bought me an aerobics step yesterday, YAY, now I need to find some FREE online step videos to work with. The cats aren't fond of this new toy but Spot likes the treadmill. Spot even did a few minutes of a Walk Away The Pounds video with me on Wednesday.

May 25, yep, May 25 sounds like a good day to fly, too bad I won't have any alcohol to help me have a better flight, but I'm sure there is a bar or 2 in JFK, LOLOL, not to mention YANKEES merchandise.

Happy Easter

HI DORIS!

Happy Easter dear readers and lurkers. I hope you all have a wonderful day. I made up this Easter "dish" for DH. Yeah, I know those are Halloween ghost peeps, I forgot to tell DD to get me some Easter ones last year and forgot again this year, so we'll have Ghost peeps again next Easter as well, LOL. I did have a PAAS dye kit on hand though. Notice I said this is DH's EAster plate, that is becuase I have to go to the dentist tonight to get two teeth pulled, one on either side of my lower mouth. How fun! I just hope THIS TIME HE USES ENOUGH NOVICANE TO KEEP MY MOUTH NUMB FOR THE WHOLE PROCEDURE! Geeze, he did give me novicane last week for the gum cleaning thing but not enough to keep my mouth numb for the whole procedure. By the time I got out of the chair, it had worn off completely.

Spark People Daily desk calendar note for the weekend:

You can enjoy a handful (about 25) small jelly beans for 100 calories. Remember that one handful can easily turn into two or three, so enjoy your portion and then keep your hands out of the candy basket. That is easy here, EAster is FORBIDDEN and they wait for at least a week then they put the EXPENSIVE IMPORTED Easter candy out on the store shelves. They do that on purpose.

Haven't stitched since I finished my cute Coffee project

Had 2 MAJOR scares at the diabetes dr. yesterday. First I got the results from my blood tests from last week, the were all good and he was pleased, however, my A1C test (some sort of test that measures glucose levels for the past 3 months) said 11%! Now that puts my blood glucose levels OVER 300 EVERY DAY and at almost death level. I have NOT HAD A GLUCOSE READING OVER 180 in WEEKS! One day it was 191 but that is because I had pasta for dinner. That number reading was so totally off, he looked at my blood glucose monitor and saw my numbers and said the test was so wrong and how could that be! So I had to re do the blood test and the reading was more like 6.9 which he considered good. We both breathed a sigh of relief. He was going to file a HUGE complaint with the lab.

Then there wasn't a thyroid test on the results so he sent me to do that. That is where the second scare came in. Had the blood test, left the lab, my abaya (that black ninja style bathrobe like thing women wear) sleeve was wet and I kept pulling it away from my arm. Pulled up the sleeve to find out why it was wet, my arm was all bloody, the band aid was soaked to overflowing down my arm! That has NEVER happened, so I calmly went back to the lab. I could feel my heart racing and my arm hurt. Mind you, I have a GREAT vein in my left arm, it just sticks out real pretty so there should have been no problem. I am NOT a bleeder either, so the lab nurse cleaned me up, pressed an alcohol pad on my arm then another band aid and it stopped. Now the bend in my arm is purple, green & blue, yeah I know for Easter. That was VERY scary!@ I kept checking it all the way home.

My blood results are Uric acid numbers are down, HDL Cholesterol is down, LDL numbers are down, Total cholesterol is down to low, Liver and Kidney function is fine and Triglyceride is up just a tiny bit. He said he is pleased with the 2 kg weight loss but I still need to lose more. Yep, I know and I'm trying. I exercise in some form every single day and have kept it up, if I don't it's only hurting me and no one else.

Still no summer plane reservations.

The Yankees are 4-2, WOO HOO. They are doing fair, I have tried to watch the games on my MLB TV but it is messed up to where it skips, freezes and the picture quality is beyond horrible, so I watch the games on the Yahoo game channel.

Have a GREAT day.

Hi

Spread the Spark to others by living as an example. Use positive peer pressure by practicing healthy habits in front of others, and they'll be more likely to do the same! (Why when it's more fun to sit in front of facebook rather than exercise and get healthy?) Personally, I'd rather be doing exercises and burning calories!
I joined a Biggest Looser Challenge on one of my teams but I have to modify the meals and food because of the stupid diabetes and the food available here in hell.

I haven't stitched in a week.

I have 2 abscessed teeth that I am having taken care of tonight, either root canal or extraction, should be exciting!

At the dr.s the on Thursday I weighed 140 (for the 3rd straight week, Yay me!) but morning blood glucose readings are too high to suit her.

The YANKEES WON THEIR FIRST GAME EVER AT THE NEW YANKEE STADIUM! I didn't stay up to watch it on MLB TV on the computer and it was only an exhibition game with the Cubs but they won! I hope to be able to watch the game on MLB TV tonight since it's an afternoon game in NY. 2 more days till Baseball season officially starts, WOOOOOOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Bye

10 Screening Tests Everyone Should Consider

This was on SparkPeople today:

With health care cost rising at an alarming rate, having a list of common screening tests to ask your health care provider about may help keep you on the path of healthy living. While many of these tests are not diagnostic in nature, they do allow your doctor to determine if you are at greater risk for developing certain diseases or ailments.
Some of these tests are age specific, nevertheless, if you have a family history of a specific disease, such as colon cancer, breast cancer, or early onset osteoporosis, it is important to discuss your options with your doctor to determine what is best for you.

1. Fasting Blood Glucose: With type II diabetes on the rise, this test is crucial for determining your risk for developing this disease. This test measures the amount of glucose or sugar in your blood after a minimum 8 hour fast.

2. Lipid Profile: This test measures your total cholesterol, LDL also known as low density lipoprotein (or bad cholesterol), HDL also known as high density lipoprotein (or good cholesterol), and triglycerides done via a blood sample. It is recommended that a baseline test be done when an individual enters their 20's. If results are normal, it is generally recommended that testing be repeated every 5 years or as recommended by your physician.

3. Blood Pressure: Twenty percent of Americans suffer from hypertension, however many of those afflicted with the condition are asymptomatic. In others words they do not present with any outward symptoms. But if you have a history of dizziness, headaches, and/or visual disturbances please do not hesitate to contact your doctor.

4. Pap Smear: Many women often neglect this vital test once past their child bearing years, but it is important to note that cervical cancer can be asymptomatic until the cancer is well advanced.

5. Mammograms: Timing for mammography has been up for debate as to when the initial screening should begin. The American Cancer Society and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommend women begin routine mammography at age 40 and a follow-up every 1-2 years after the initial screening. Other organizations such as the American College of Physicians and the American Academy of Family Physicians recommend initial screening at age 50. Talk with your doctor to help determine the best timing for you.

6. Skin Cancer Screening: Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer diagnosed in the United States. Early diagnosis is essential for survival, especially with malignant melanoma. Each May many hospitals around the country hold free skin cancer screenings in conjunction with local dermatologists in support of Skin Cancer Awareness Month.

7. Bone Density Screening: This test commonly referred to as a DEXA scan or Dual X-ray absorptiometry is recommend for all women over the age of 65. However, this test can be done much earlier if a woman has a history of anorexia, rheumatoid arthritis, an early hysterectomy or any other ailment that may increase one’s risk for osteoporosis.

8. Prostate Screening: Just as there is a debate over when mammography testing should begin, same is true regarding prostate screening. The prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and Digital Rectal Exam (DRE) are generally recommended for men between the age of 50 and 75, however, if you or your husband is at high risk, please ask your doctor about earlier testing. I DON'T THINK MY READERS NEED ONE OF THESE, LOL

9. Thyroid Screening: Although thyroid issues are more common in women than men, according to the American Thyroid Association every person over the age of 35 should be screened. Unfortunately, low thyroid levels can cause symptoms of anxiety, depression, fatigue, difficulty sleeping, and weight change which may be misinterpreted as other ailments.

10. Colonoscopy: As mentioned in an earlier blog, colon cancer is the second most fatal form of cancer after lung cancer. Having a baseline colonoscopy at age 50, or sooner if there is a family history, is fundamental to early diagnosis and treatment.

These are just some of the more common screenings your health care provider may recommend, but it is important for you to keep track of your own health and wellness. If you experience any change in your health, it is always best to err on the side of caution and follow up with your health care provider. Being proactive versus reactive may help prevent further issues down the road.

Also it is very important to keep tabs on your vaccine schedule. If you have not had tetanus shot within the last 10 years please let your doctor know. With the rising number of whopping cough cases here in the U.S. your doctor may suggest a pertussis booster along with your tetanus injection.

Welcome to March

1 Month closer to the USA!

I walked today, 57 minutes.

Last week they cut down a tree. Not just any tree, it was a tree that was at our old Villa that we lived in as a family from July 1 1988 until January 2001 or something like that. The tree they cut down must have been at least 16 years old. It was a small bush when we moved into that villa. It provided shade and I suppose a child or two climbed it once or twice. I wound Christmas lights on it a couple years. But it's gone, hacked to pieces.
Today I'm having trees cut down around my villa, they have grown up over the roof of the house and in the direct path of the satellite dish so much so that it interferes with the signals. We can't get interested in TV shows because they keep cutting out.

Went to the diabetic nutritionist on Wednesday. First off they weighed me at 8PM, 2 hours after I had my dinner and at the END of the day. I hadn't lost a pound, WELL DUH! I usually weigh myself in the mornings, NOT after I've eaten 3 meals in a day. So the Dr. wasn't 't happy at all that I hadn't lost weight and she didn't like my morning fasting blood numbers. They are up over 140 which they shouldn't be that high. She said if they don't come down by April, they will put me on insulin at night. That fucking SUCKS! I travel a lot, I don't keep regular "go to bed hours", hell, 1/2 the time I forget to take my pills when I should. So I gotta try to get them down.

I GOTTA stitch ANYTHING at this point and TODAY!

Hope you have a GREAT March.

My update

Ok, so where have I been? I hang out on www.sparkpeople.com
Tons of support, motivation, information and friendly advice for people trying to loose weight, eat healthy, get fit and feel better. There is so much to read and do that I am there a lot.

I'm not at a couple cross stitch boards like I used to be, one has too many flashy, blinking stuff in posts that it's impossible to spend time reading when it slows down so that I can't scroll through posts and read. Another board the new members are so whiny and want to be pampered and are so gushy/mushy hugs and "oh my feelings get hurt so easy", well put your big girl panties on and grow up! I'm still having problems with runboard groups but I think it is essentally the same as Yuku, too many flashy, blinking things just slow shit down. So rather than keep complaining and asking to cut down on the huge blinking things, I just quit going, it was fun while it lasted.

I've been walking, walking and exercising. I have walked 13 out of the past 15 days, 20+ miles and I'm damn proud of that. UNFORTUNATELY, that plate of Arabic sweets that just jumped into my cart the other day at the grocery store did not help at all, but damn it was so good. I haven't lost any pounds, just the same fucking 3 pounds keeps disappearing and coming back. I gotta get past this hurdle sometime.

The diabetes numbers go up and down. They are between 134-158 in the mornings before I eat, then go down during the day and stay down which is good. But I need to figure out how to keep them down in the morning without going on insulin. I don't eat junk and I DO watch what I eat.

I finished a cross stitch project last week, whopee. It was a February project from oakhaven designs for her SAL. Ya know, you HAVE to finish this, post a picture then send me an e-mail in order to get your next pattern and NO a wip picture will NOT do, you MUST FINISH THE PROJECT.

the DH & I were talking last week about mindless stuff and I said those dreaded 3 words, didn't get an answer. Ok, so waited a couple days, said them again, got something like "that's nice" or just a smile but no real response. Ok asshole, so I guess he doesn't love me, time to move on then. I'll have to try and detatch my self somehow this summer so I can be come cold and heartless too.
Speaking of this summer, I won't be going anyplace exotic this year like Frankfurt, Rome, Paris or London. Looks like I'll be getting on a plane 'HERE" and getting off in JFK, non stop, no alcohol, but I guess if that is what is cheapest, I've done it before. Then fly to Bahstan and take the bus home. Hmmmm, wonder if I could take a side trip on NY? I'll have to check and see what the Yankees schedule is for that day, LOLOLOL.

Speaking of YANKEES!!! SPRING TRAINING STARTED! WOOOO HOOOOOOOOO, the boys are back, well almost. Pitchers and catchers were supposed to report on the 13th and practice was supposed to start on the 14th. I'll have to check around to see.

The septic system at my house in NH is messed up. DS has been such a good son and going up after the snow/ice storms and shoveling the roof and our deck off for us. A couple times he noticed that the pipes were backing up in our downstairs bathroom. So he called the septic company, they were very rude to my DIL and said someone had to be there, they had to have the tank cover off and that it SHOULD be pumped out every 2 years. Well, sorry, I've never really dealt with this stuff before and I was under the impression it didn't need to be pumed out that often since we aren't there that often. So DIL gets to the house, spends almost 2 hours trying to break through the ice to uncover it and they called the next day and said "well if it's iced over then we can't come clean it out, if no one is there then it won't be a problem, call back when the snow melts" ARGGGGGGGGGGG!

My stitchy friend Kristin tagged me on her blog:

When Life Gives You Lemons...

I guess I'm one of the people who make lemonade...or as Soralis says, maybe I'm the pause that refreshes (hehe, don't know why that strikes me as funny but it does). I was given the Lemonade Stand Award by Kristin.

Here are the rules for The Lemonade Stand Award:
1. You must link back to the person you received the award from.
2. You have to nominate 10 bloggers who are deserving of this award!

So, thank you Kristin. The following people are either the pauses that refresh me or they have made lemons into lemonade. I don't know if I can name 10 bloggers that can rise up and be positive but I'll try.
Kristin is one, Jen Velda, Dee, Margaret, Venessa, I guess that's all the blogs I read.

I have cooked every day again, last night was roast beef with carrots & potatoes, I had 1/2 a sweet potato, salad, applesauce and Tofu Chocolate Cake. The cake was ok I guess, I didn't have the right tofu though. It called for soft/dessert and all I had was extra firm so I added extra cherry juice and chocolate soy milk.
I know I said I would post the recipe for the squash macaroni & cheese and I will soon. It was ok but not something I will make a regular.

Gotta take Annie cat (aka the cat from hell) to the vets today, we think she has a tooth problem. She slept ALL day Wednesday and Thursday and didn't eat anything, she didn't eat much on Friday, Saturday she did eat but sort of gagged and pawed at her mouth. Oh what fun, last time the bitch went to the vets, she tried to go through the atrium window in the vets office just to get away. She will have to be sedated in order for him to look at her mouth.

The brat bastards are still off school, hope they go back soon, it's overcast again today but still did my walk.
Okee dokee, I think that about catches me up. Sorry to worry ya'll but you can e-mail me if you want to chat.

I'm here

I'm still here but not posting much. I'm on SparkPeople where I feel at home.

I don't get facebook, don't see where you chat with people and post messages like on message boards, never have found the games people play. facebook just locks up my browser pages no matter what browser I'm using.

The message boards are dying, don't know what's up with that, so I quit posting.

I do my boot camp challegne everyday, walk when I get up before 8AM and keep track of what I eat.

I was diagnosed with gout now so have to be on a "Low Purine" diet which means eating less of what I couldn't eat before. One diet says no this, another diet says more of this, one dr says no this, the other dr says this is ok. So I'm making a list of what one says no of and what the other one says yes. I get all this paperwork when I go to the hospital (yes, we're staying with the fancy smanchy 5 star, doorman/bellhop, chandelier hung hopsital) they print out my "diabetic guidelines', Cholesterol lowering guide lines, low purine diet guidelines, etc, etc, etc and they all counteract each other.

I am now taking blood pressure medication, thyroid medicne, Crestor for cholesterol/triglicerides, something for uric acid, vitamin pill, calcium pill, diabetes pill. UGH!

I finished my rememberance biscornu last week. I am not at all happy with the way it turned out, but it's done.

I started another SAL with another group and almost have January done. I HAVE to actually finish it and send a picture in of the FINISHED project and I CAN'T post it anywhere, what a crock.

I'm still cooking every damn night but trying to stick to the menus I print out, drinking 8-9 cups of water every day and I'm about to float away with that, at least my skin isn't as dry as it has been.

So that's my story.

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A must read!

Check this out!
http://www.dailyspark.com/blog.asp?post=see_pictureperfect_portions_of_300calorie_meals

Yeah I know, you may think I've turned into one of those health/exercise/diet freaks. I sort of have, I know I need to loose weight, eat better, healthier foods and keep exercising and the only way I can keep up with my motivation and my goals is to talk about it. What can I say, I love Spark People, they have helped me a lot.

I kind of had my bubble burst today. I took DH's portable Garmin thing for hikers on my walk today and found out my 1 mile marker was not where I thought it was so I was not walking 1.5 miles every day, more like 1.2 miles. And I wasn't walking a 19 minute mile, more like a 21 minute mile. Kind of depressing so I kept walking until I had 2 miles, that took 45 minutes. I don't know what I am going to do when it starts getting warmer out there. I guess walk at 2 AM when it's only 95. I also did my day 11 boot camp workout and the abs challenge.

Last night I fixed diabetic Sesame beef stir fry (you can use tofu, chicken, shrimp too) That was pretty good. Now I need to make up my meals for next week so I can make up a grocery list for Thursday.

I had one of those afternoons. I couldn't find my jump rope so I started moving things and well you know how that goes. I picked up a bag of cross stitch stash, dug through that, sorted it, picked up another bag, looked through that, sorted that and combined it with the first bag, started going through the pile of stuff I sorted and started putting that where it belonged, then moved other stuff where it should be and went on from there. A vicious circle. I did find my jump rope though. So now I have a mess of bags I need to put back.

Woo Hoo it's Wednesday AKA Friday in the real world.

Blood test results

Hey all lurkers & friends, I put my site meter back up so now I can see were you are all from. You are more than welcome to leave comments too!

I got the results backon Saturday from my blood test I had on Thursday. I don't know what the numbers mean but:
Thyroid level is 0.971,
HDL is 42.51,
LDL is 117.30,
Triglyceride is 187.79 which he said was high
Cholesterol is 178.62
Alanine Aminotransferase is 21 - no clue what this is
Uric Acid blood was 9.17 which he said was high
Creatinine, serum was 0.66
So he put me on Crestor & a pill for uric acid. He said it was gout but I don't have any pain.
I go back in 3 months plus see a diabetic nutritionist on the 20th.

I have kept up with the Boot camp challenge on Spark People. Today I did the workout for Day 8 & day 9 which are repeats of days 1 & 2, plus I did the bonus challenge workout and I walked 43 minutes which was 2 miles. Now I need a nap. And those 8 cups of water a day, ENOUGH ALREADY! 8 cups is way more water than I can hold, I pee all day and all night.

Last night I fixed YUUUUUUUUUUMMMY baked NOT fried eggplant parmigiana & creamy basil chicken. The eggplant was so good, instead of breading & frying, you bread and bake in the oven then layer in a pan. That is definitely a recipe that needs to be laminated, LOL.

I even managed to stitch a bit yesterday.

Remember that candy tray? Well it's not full of candy, all the candy that is there is what you see in the picture. There is a piece of styrofoam covered with foil and STRONG double sided sticky tape. Each piece of candy is stuck on with the tape. The pedestal tray that it is on, looks like something out of Great Grandma's attic, it looks old & "aged" but I'm sure it's still expensive. The chocolates are Belgium chocolates.

So that's my boreing sob saga for today.