Friday's Fave Five, 6-28-19

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1. These pics are actually from last week, but I haven't been on here in awhile.  The first is a red-headed woodpecker, in our back yard!!  I have been watching for one of those in our yard for years.  I had a fleeting glimpse of one a couple of weeks ago, but wasn't quite sure.  These are uncommon but not rare.  A lot of times people will say "We have those in our yard."  Usually what they mean are red-bellied woodpeckers (which do have a spot of red on their heads), not true red-heads.  I also saw a hairy woodpecker this morning outside the window this morning - another first for our yard and a first for me.  

This pic is from a large area near our home where birds congregate - this is a dickcissel.  It's a rare bird if you go any further east of here, but they are common in this grassy area in our county.

2. A finished blanket.  It's for a baby; I like the unusual colors instead of just the usual pastels for a baby.  I finished it last night.

3. A sewing machine.  I bought it last Thanksgiving but just pulled it out of the box this week.  I got it set up, and started sewing some straight seams - it worked great for awhile and then jammed.  Sigh.  Sewing machines and I have never gotten along well.  Never.  I will pull it out again later today, or tomorrow, and hopefully have better results.  But it's nice to have a machine again.

4. Lovely restaurant dinner this week, courtesy of my folks, in honor of two of my dad's cousins who were visiting.

5. And finally - the scale is reading 26 1/2 pounds down.  Much slower than earlier this year, but I'm happy with the trend!!

Friday's Fave Five 4-26-19

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1. The junior-senior banquet is DONE.  It was last Friday night.  It was beautiful, but it is OVER WITH!  I've been thinking about it since last August, so it is a big relief.

2. My blood sugars are getting in good control.  They're almost always within range.  The downside is that I have plateaued in weight loss.  I was down 25 pounds, but that has reverted to 24, and will not go down any further!  I think it's because of the normal blood sugars, the weight is no longer coming off so easily.  My clothes fit better and I feel better.

3. I got to have lunch with my dear friend last Friday while we were preparing for the banquet.  She lives near the venue, and it worked out perfectly.  She's given me some special sugar substitute and a great recipe for "fake" Almond Joy bars, which I plan to make tomorrow.

4. A funny from a precious student.  While getting ready to turn this in, this girl asked her friend "Do you think she'll notice the ink blot?"  :-)

5. And finally, this is a highlight of the week.  The rose-breasted grosbeaks are migrating!!!  We've seen about a dozen of them.  They only pass through for a few days, but they are a huge treat when they do come.

Friday's Fave Five, 4/5/19

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1. I'm pleased with this (somewhat rough) graph.  This is a record of my blood sugars since January 14, the date I got a blood glucose monitor and started on this journey.  Two meds and very limited carbs later, I'm getting the numbers back into reasonable range.  The horizontal line is at 125, which is a good target point for a diabetic.

2. This has been spring break week, and I've had a good week.  For some reason, spring break always seems to fly.  Monday goes reasonably slowly, but the rest of the week is like rolling down a hill - time seems to go faster and faster.  But many (not all) of the items on the to-do list have gotten done.  Today I got out by myself and did some shopping, some of it just for fun.

3. We had a nice lunch with my sister on Sunday before taking her to the airport for her trip to her home.  Thank you, Rhoda!

4. Last Friday about this time, Mike and I were headed home from Pigeon Forge with a group of high school students (my homeroom).  We were there overnight.  I highly recommend the Titanic Museum - it is very good, with artifacts brought up from the ocean floor by the group of adventurers that found the ship in the ocean some 20 years ago.  The group also ate at the Apple Barn, went go-carting, and spent most of Friday at Dollywood.  And they were such a good group.  They did everything I asked of them, cheerfully, and I knew I could trust them without feeling like I had to watch their every move.  It is a big responsibility to take other people's children on an overnight trip, and it is a blessing when it is a good trip because the students cooperate.

5. And finally, I'm thankful for the heritage of a great Christian man who crossed over to the other side this week.  I hope to write more about him soon.  He and his wife were/are dear personal friends, and they have been on my mind all week.  But I will save more details for (hopefully) another post.

Friday's Fave Five, 3-15-19

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1. Sister came through cancer surgery successfully on Wednesday.  She will be hospitalized for a few more days, but she is very positive and doing well so far.

2. Another sister sent me a beautiful vest - animal print, which I love.  A very nice surprise!!  I wore it today because it fits perfectly.  Thank you!!

3. Baked cheese.  I've been making that often recently.  It's just extra-thin cheese slices put on parchment paper, then baked at about 280 degrees until they are turning brown.  These slices feel like a bit of a treat when I can't have the other things I used to treat myself to.

4. Down almost 20 pounds!!  Amazing what happens when sugar is forcibly removed from one's life. :-)

5. A short day at work today due to most students being gone to our state Fine Arts Festival.  I didn't have to go, because I am in charge of our junior-senior banquet this year, and I was able to stay back for a workday with the juniors not involved in fine arts.  We got a lot accomplished; I let them go home around noon, and was gone myself by 1:00.  Nice feeling to have the grocery shopping done already, as well as a lot of paperwork, and it's only a little after 4:00 on Friday!

The World of Little House

I read this book at the end of January/early February, and will link it to Barbara's wrap-up post at the end of the month for her Laura Ingalls Wilder reading challenge.

This is actually a children's book -  an older child, that is.  But it's also interesting for an adult to read.  It tells many things about the Little Houses that may not be known, and gives interesting additions to the books themselves.  For example, recipes are included for Almanzo's Buckwheat Pancakes (from The Long Winter), and Pulled Molasses Candy (from Farmer Boy).

Some of the entries cause this book to seem like many of the other books about Little House that are out there these days - written to capitalize on the popularity of these classic books.  Even though the recipes given above (and others) were interesting, they fall into that category.  They are no doubt just representative recipes of the foods Laura wrote about in the books.  Some of the crafts in the book (for example, how to make name cards) are the same thing - not really from the book, but just representative of the era.

One thing I really did appreciate about the book was the schematic drawings given for each Little House.  They were really informative and showed clearly how tight the living quarters were.  This is Pa's store building that the Ingalls family lived in during the Long Winter, and the following winters in Little Town on the Prairie.

Of course this book did not contain any of the unvarnished truth about Laura's relationship with Rose, or the other unhappy information that has come to light in recent years.  It is a very happy, simple book written for children, but I did enjoy it because of some of the good information in it.

Dramatic Life Change

My life changed drastically four weeks ago.  Drastically.

In early January, I went to a local urgent care because of bronchitis.  The alert physician on duty, who happens to be a friend from church, did some bloodwork because he noticed on my records something unusual from a pre-op exam 16 months ago - a high blood sugar reading at that time.  Later that morning he called me.  "Your blood sugar is high, and you also have a high A1C.  You are a diabetic.  You need to get to your family doctor ASAP."

Four days later my family doctor confirmed what I already knew.  The nurse confirmed it even before the doctor came in the room.  Type II diabetes. The numbers are such that I had to go on oral medicine right away - no possibility of trying to control it by diet first.  The next morning I started a daily routine of checking my fasting blood sugar before eating anything.

Turns out that diabetes is genetic on Dad's side of the family.  I didn't realize how many family members have/had it until this came to light.

I immediately began eating low-carb.  Fortunately, Mike likes to eat low-carb when he is trying to lose weight, so he is 100% supportive.  My numbers have come down somewhat, but after four weeks they are still not where they should be.  I told him a few days ago that I HATE eating low-carb.  His response?  "Well, do you hate diabetes more?"

One thought that helps is knowing that eating low-carb is not a choice.  It is a choice that has been made for me.  I can't cheat "just this once," which, if done just for dieting, merely delays the diet a little bit.  If I cheat, or don't watch this closely, I can lose my vision.  Or kidney function.  Or a limb.  Or develop heart disease.  I could already have damage, as yet unknown, because apparently this has been going on a long time.  (Why someone didn't say something at that pre-op exam, I do not know.)

I'm exercising more, because apparently that stimulates insulin production.  I have lost almost five pounds in the past four weeks.  That's in addition to the 10 pounds that I apparently lost from the diabetes.  (Unexpected weight loss is an early diabetes symptom.  I do not recommend it as a weight-loss plan.) 

Blueberries cooked with Splenda,
over plain yogurt

I've learned a lot about alternate eating.  I read labels incessantly.  The only bread I eat is one piece of rye toast with butter/olive oil blend (no jam) at breakfast.  No more sweets, baked goods, potatoes, rice, or white bread.  I do have an occasional sweet potato.  We eat a lot of eggs, and a lot of salad.  We have learned to like "baked cheese" and have figured out what works in making it, and what doesn't.  (If you're interested, it only works with Sargento ultra-thin cheddar, baked on parchment paper at 250 degrees for half an hour.)  I eat a lot of raw vegetables and dip.  We eat lower-carb vegetables and grilled meat.  We've gone to riced cauliflower.  (And again - we've learned not to buy Green Giant brand.  Pictsweet with onions and edamame tastes much better and has a better texture.)  Today I tried roasted kale, and made candy cane beets from a farmers' market.  I've even learned to like salmon.  Sort of.   I also tried cooking some blueberries in a little water with a little Splenda, then put that over plain low-fat yogurt.  It wasn't ice cream, but it wasn't bad.

It's not easy, and it's not fun.  But it has to be done.  I feel like God kind of slapped me in the face and said "You've had your fun.  Now get disciplined."

I hope that with weight loss and proper eating, I may be able to control the symptoms and get off medicine.  That's my prayer.  

Friday's Fave Five 1-11-19

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1. This picture may not seem like much, but it is beautiful to me.  My husband was able to get out today, and cut down the lantana bushes that have been dead since October.  He usually gets that job done sometime in November, but was unable to this fall due to his health situation.  He is doing so much better since getting a diagnosis from a rheumatologist ten days ago, and the fact that he has been able to get out and do yard work today makes it a very important FFF item for which I am thankful.

2. Finished bedroom with lamps.  We liked the lamps when we saw them in a furniture store a couple of weeks ago, and almost bought them that day - until I saw a bird poop stain on one of the shades.  :-)  So the store had to order us new ones.  (Doesn't it always go that way!)  They came in this week and Mike picked them up yesterday.  They match perfectly.

3. I've had a stubborn case of bronchitis, but returned to an urgent care yesterday for a breathing treatment and a steroid shot.  Today is so much better.  Breathing and coughing are not the main things I have to think about today.

4. Supper the other night with dear friends that we do not see very often.  Always nice to be with them.

5. I just bought a FitBit!!  It's time.  It was on sale at Target, I had three gift cards that have been in my pocketbook for too long already, and I had another $60 of gift money in with the gift cards.  So total expense to me was quite low.  Now I've got to learn to use it.  :-)

Friday's Fave Five 1-4-19

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I am writing this on Thursday night due to being very busy tomorrow with Homecoming activities at my school.  I will set it to post early morning, and hopefully will remember to link it sometime during the day tomorrow.

1. The biggest thing is what happened yesterday.  My husband has had some autoimmune joint issues for about three months now, and they have been steadily getting more serious and incapacitating.  We had had the usual experiences with the medical community - delays in getting tests done due to the holidays, etc.  The worst was having his referral to a specialist lost in a hospital system network, which delayed getting help for him by two weeks.  However, yesterday we had an appointment with a young rheumatologist in a nearby city.  This doctor spent almost an hour with us.  He took a thorough history, did a thorough exam, and drew fluid off his knee.  He gave us a tentative diagnosis, which I read about online later, and this diagnosis fits Mike's symptoms to a T.  We think we are on the way to getting him taken care of, and we are very, very thankful to God for this development.

2. I came down with bronchitis last Saturday.  I went to an urgent care on Monday morning, got on an antibiotic, and am still dealing with the aftereffects.  But it is improving!

3. Daughter got back to her city safely today.  That is always a big relief.

4. Productive day at school today.  My first day back, since I went with Mike to his appointment yesterday, and was sick as well.  I have to have three exams ready for Monday, so have to be on the ball to get everything done.  It's a good feeling to know I'm getting somewhere.

5. Finally - these are repeat pictures from a previous post.  But they are so beautiful that I wanted to put them on FFF.  My niece made the first dish, a kale salad with pomegranates, goat cheese, and nuts, for our Christmas meal.  And my sister is into making macarons, and they look very nice in this dish.  

Beautiful Christmas Pictures

I meant to put this up with FFF and didn't think about it.  But these pictures from Christmas are too pretty not to share.

My niece made this beautiful Christmas salad.  Kale, pomegranate seeds,
feta cheese, nuts, and a  homemade balsamic vinaigrette.

The ladies of the family

My sister is into making macarons.  They are especially pretty in this dish.

Table setting

Table setting

Friday's Fave Five 12-28-18

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1. On Christmas Eve I finally got to meet this special little boy.  He is the son of my own son's best friend and his wife.  He is precious, very cuddly, and loves attention.  And I loved finally getting to meet him.

2. Several great Christmas celebrations - three were on the 23rd and 24th, and the last one was on the 26th.  (Christmas Day itself was relatively quiet.)  Here is the spread from one of the  celebrations - we have really eaten well this week.

 3. Today I finally got my china cabinet set up again - everything has been in boxes for 20 months due to our long-term home renovation.  I'm so glad to have it all out again, and it was a little like seeing old friends.  :-)

4. Today I put all the Christmas stuff away, including this nativity scene.  It was originally made by my great-uncle for my grandmother, so it is a treasure to have.  

5. And finally - we finally have our new bed set up.  This is its own saga in the middle of the saga of home renovation.  The bed came in two weeks ago - and it was NOT the bed we ordered three months ago.  Turns out the furniture store's website was outdated and the bed we ordered was no longer available - yet the number was assigned to a different bed!  The headboard is the same, so we decided to live with it.  

However, when the foundation and mattress were delivered, they were too tall for the new bed.  So, for ten days I had to use a step stool to get into bed.  And I am tall.  Finally, yesterday, the lower foundation was delivered.  We got a spread yesterday, and maybe we are finally on our way to being done!!  

Oh, that's without including the fact that we started to buy two lamps yesterday that match perfectly.  And right before saying "Yes, we'll take them"--we discovered that one of the shades had a bird poop stain on it.  I am not kidding.  So, if we want them, we'll have to order a new set (can't get the shade alone) and it will take 10-14 days.  That seems to be the story of every step of this renovation.  So I am so glad that it is almost done!!

Our new bed.  First king-size bed we've ever had.