2023 – Seclusion 101 with AnneMarie

October 10th Update

October 10, 2023February 9, 2025 by annemariedemyen, posted in 2023, Health and Fitness

I have a few things to cover on this week’s update. None of them are particularly relative to the others, so I hope I don’t totally confuse anyone.

Yesterday was Thanksgiving in Canada. We celebrated on Saturday with daughter Jen, her family, and a turkey supper including homemade apple and pumpkin pies. It all turned out great. The stuffing looked so good, I helped myself to a big scoop before remembering it was made out of yeast based bread. I caught myself, put it back, and was giving thanks for the rest of the evening that I had. It feels so good to feel good!

With no setbacks since mid July, I have gotten firmly back into the habit of working out six days a week. I recently added a couple of calf and hamstring muscle stretches. The one for the calf muscles is simply standing on my tiptoes and stretching as high as I can for as long as I can (with repetitions). For the hamstring muscle stretch, I hold onto the front of my desk and stretch out one leg at a time behind me as far as I can (with repetitions). As promised, my balance has improved considerably, especially when I am wearing heels, and I am finding walking any distance is easier and faster.

This brings me to my third update! For the third Sunday in a row, Dan and I took Molly out hiking. This week we took her to the Wascana Trails, a few kilometers northwest of Regina.

***You can’t really see it here but it was about twenty feet straight up on one side and twenty feet straight down on the other.*** 😮

***The trails run alongside the banks of Wascana Creek. It is gorgeous in the summertime.***

***I have no idea why the benches were built so high.*** 🫤

***We took an alternate route back up to the parking lot. This one looked a bit daunting***. ***Molly would probably have loved it.***

Lots of dogs had their people out for a hike. Molly got to meet a few of them, but her favourite was the sweetest little Bernese Mountain dog.

And finally…. Dan has been cleaning up the yard and packing away the patio furniture for the winter. He went out for one of his last rounds of golf yesterday while I stayed home to power wash the patio and Molly’s pool. There are so many benefits to being healthy and fit, but one of my favourites is being able to do such chores around the house and yard. A couple of years ago, I would have struggled to get the power washer plugged in, hooked up, and the water hose unwound. Yesterday, I got all set up, the cleaning done, and the machine put back together without breaking a sweat. Yay me!😊

***From our home to yours, belated Happy Thanksgiving*** 💞🌞

October 4th – Update

October 4, 2023February 9, 2025 by annemariedemyen, posted in 2023, Health and Fitness

It has been nineteen and a half months since I took my first step to making my health and fitness my priority. Three severe lung infections and one broken arm later, I am still as committed as ever.

I am still following my doctor’s orders for managing my chronic lung conditions. I am still working out six days a week. I am still meditating on a regular basis.

***Getting some fresh air and exercise with Dan and Molly (Waterfall Park – Regina)***

Lately my focus has been on improving my diet. A few weeks ago, I decided I was tired of being bloated and nauseous and having sharp intestinal pains, heartburn and hiccups so I banished bakers and brewers yeast (an obvious culprit) from my diet. I started feeling better within days. Shortly thereafter, I started counting calories, practicing portion control, and seriously focussing on the nutritional value of the foods I ate.

For the record – none of this has been easy. It has all been worth it, but it has not been easy.

The hardest thing I ever did (thirteen years ago) was to become a nonsmoker. I smoked off and on, a quarter to a half a pack a day, for thirty some years. Smoking was my way of coping with every stressful situation in my life. I knew all the reasons that I should quit, and I ‘tried‘ to quit countless times, but inevitably another crisis came along and I was reaching for a cigarette. When the crisis passed, I would struggle to start ‘trying’ to quit again.

Finally beating that devil has helped me on my current journey. It hasn’t made it easier – but it did make me stronger. Strong enough to get up and get started despite being sick and tired. Strong enough to stick with it despite setbacks. Strong enough to persevere and tackle my diet – even sacrificing yeasty favourites like KFC, Beef Dip, Donuts, Buttered toast AND red wine.

Every step I take in this journey gives me strength to take that next step, reach for that next level. With every level I reach, I anticipate what lies ahead, what challenges I have yet to conquer.

“Cause I’ve still got a lot of fight left in me.”. 🌞💞

September 1st Update

September 1, 2023February 9, 2025 by annemariedemyen, posted in 2023, Health and Fitness

“Time flies when you are having fun!” Albert Einstein’s wisdom is obviously as relevant today as the day he coined this phrase. I have been having fun and this year has been flying by. 😁

I have been doing quite a bit of cleaning, yard work, and work on the spare bedroom. It is exciting to find that such tasks are so much easier, now that I am in better shape.

**I took down ‘The Mirror’, polished it, and rehung it. It is one of those jobs that I have always dreaded but it went surprisingly easy this time.** 😁

I have been upping the intensity of the Zumba workouts that I do and have been dancing almost every day. Or I was, until the smoke from the northern forest fires drifted back our way. It is supposed to clear up by tomorrow morning. We can only hope.

I splurged last week and ordered myself a new pair of dress boots. They arrived today and are a perfect fit. My wardrobe could use a bit of help these days too, but I would like to lose a few more pounds before I start investing in anything I will outgrow. (ungrow?). I’m not sure what the correct term is for that – when you lose weight and your clothes get too big for you.

Speaking of losing weight, that is one area where I have not seen a lot of progress. I have been working on this lately, by addressing my diet and eating habits. Deleting yeast from my diet has made such a huge difference to my health and well-being, that I have started to focus on what I eat in general.

**Supper – homemade baked beans and salad**

I have even, for the first time ever, started writing down what I eat, counting calories, and noting nutritional values. It has been interesting – and not that difficult. It has been very interesting seeing actual recommended portion sizes and adjusting accordingly, seeing how easy it is to cut calories without losing out on taste or being left wanting, and seeing how different foods affect my appetite – for better or worse. It isn’t really anything I didn’t know, but I just assumed I was doing ok diet wise. Maybe not!

When I began working out, last February, I was amazed at the benefits, and how quickly I noticed them. I have no doubt that being more mindful of what I eat, or do not eat, is going to be an equally exciting and beneficial part of my health and fitness journey.

**Onwards and upwards – this one might stay on my fridge for another month – or two.**

Take care and have a great day!💞🌞

August 11th Update

August 11, 2023February 9, 2025 by annemariedemyen, posted in 2023, Health and Fitness

I’m still struggling to find the time or inclination to write these days but it’s time to have a go at it!

When I began my health and fitness journey eighteen months ago, I was unhealthy and unfit. I spent my days thinking that if I rested today, I could start doing something about it tomorrow. Of course, tomorrow came and I was no healthier, fitter, or motivated than I had been the day before.

I decided I just had to get up and do SOMETHING. I had no goals in mind – just do what I could, hopefully lose a few pounds and build up some strength, energy, and stamina. I started small and worked a little harder every day until I had built up to a respectable workout program.

My first six months or so went great. Then I hit setbacks – weeks of a serious respiratory illness, a broken arm, more respiratory issues … Finally, I felt I was somewhat ready for a return to full workouts. I was even cocky enough to think that it may be time to start setting some goals. In early May, I decided that in six months, on August 11th, my future self was going to be healthy, strong, and fit!

**I wouldn’t call this a win, but it’s not a total miss.

On the downside, my health is not what I would hope for at this point. I have been struggling with my workouts since being sick this spring. After x-rays, lung function testing, and a return visit to my respiratory specialist, I am back on antibiotics and Prednisone. The good news is they seem to be cleaning up the lingering infection I have been dealing with. I am feeling better and I can feel it in my workouts.

My fitness is not where I would like it to be – literally anywhere but hanging around my waistline. But, it is improving – notably on my upper arms and legs.

My strength is gradually improving. I have been getting out and doing some work in the yard and doing some deep cleaning in the house. I am even – FINALLY – starting a full redo of the spare room. I have been clearing out drawers and dressers and am ready to strip wallpaper and repaint.

After Dan spent hours prepping the porch, I gave it a fresh coat of paint and he finished it off by rebuilding the landing and steps. We are getting foundation work done on Tuesday, then we can begin some other projects that are well overdo.

In other family news, Jennifer and Genie are both feeling (and looking) much better. Genie is starting her HR courses and has started working with Jen at her second job – working at a restaurant/lounge for son Danny’s best friend from school. They both seem to be enjoying it – and from what I hear, Dave appreciates having them.

***Genie, Maddy, Prim, and Jen at the Regina Ex.***

And in more family news, Dan and I headed out of town last week for an impromptu camping visit with my sister Lorraine and her husband Jerry. We were joined at our rental cabin for a day by my sister Elaine and her husband John who live close by the camp – and their son Les and his son Ethan.

Speaking of Molly, we took her for a weigh-in at the vet’s yesterday and she has lost 5.7 pounds. Another, 10 to 12 pounds and we can put her on a maintenance diet. 👍

All in all, life is good. My progress is not where I would like it to be at this point but my mindset is on course and my determination is holding strong, with the ongoing support of my workout buddies Dwight and Jackie.

That’s about it for now. Take care and have a great weekend! 🌞💞

July 24th – Health and Fitness Update

July 24, 2023February 9, 2025 by annemariedemyen, posted in 2023, Health and Fitness

It is (past) time again for another health and fitness update.

For myself… Fitness wise, I am getting it done. My ‘go to’ is still Zumba, dancing, light weights, and speedball but I take a walk to the dog park with Dan and Molly once or twice a week and spend time out and about in our yard. Health wise, my only news is that I went for my COPD clinic Respiratory Function testing and I see my specialist next Monday to discuss the results.

For Molly… She went to the vet for her annual checkup and vaccine boosters. The vet is concerned about her weight, metabolism, and slow heart rate. She did a thyroid blood test and while it didn’t come back bad, it didn’t come back great either. It will be a watch and see situation. In the meantime we are working on getting her weight down as her joints are at risk of injury. Our current goal is to get her down from 104 pounds to 88 pounds. 🙄

And for daughter Jennifer – who went camping up north for the July long weekend with her boyfriend Tanner, his brother, and her daughters – Genie (19), Maddie(13) & Prim(11). They met up with other off-road enthusiasts and indulged in some off-roading fun and games.

The girls were not with them at the time of the accident. Tanner suffered a severe injury to his left ankle. Jennifer fractured a few ribs, had cuts to both of her shins, and got two black eyes. 🦝

After a few hours at the hospital in La Ronge, both Tanner and Jennifer were able to return to camp. Following a relatively quiet Sunday, and with Tanner unable to put any weight on his injured leg, Jennifer and her girls broke camp and packed everything up Monday morning. Jennifer (somehow) drove the crushed Jeep onto its flatbed, secured it, and connected the flatbed to Tanner’s van – which she drove home (nine hours) with Prim and Tanner for company, while Genie followed in her Jeep – with Maddie and Tanner’s brother (who she dropped off on a detour through Moose Jaw 🤦) .

***Jen & Genie at a gas stop on the way home.*** ***(Jennifer has lost five pounds since the swelling in her face went down.*** 🤭)

Jennifer returned to work the next day, working a morning shift at the supermarket and an evening shift at the bar. Both she and Tanner are now recovering well. Genie, who had been unwell for a few weeks before the trip, appears to be feeling much better. And… Maddie and Prim are well, happy, and justifiably proud of how they stepped up to help get everyone, and all of their gear, home safe and sound.

That’s about it for today! Take care and have a great day! 🌞💞

***I finally painted the Dollar Store crate I bought a few years ago.*** 😁

Expanding The Herd

July 9, 2023February 9, 2025 by annemariedemyen, posted in 2023

My herd of elephants has been expanding lately. This quiet Sunday afternoon seems like an opportune time to introduce the latest arrivals.

***Daughter Jen found this little painted beauty at a local antique shop and delivered him in time for Mother’s Day. 💗***

She got this cutie from Charmed Aroma. Their products all smell amazing and come with a complimentary piece of jewelry. I haven’t used the candle yet so the jewellery in this one remains a mystery. 🫶

***She also got this bath bomb from Charmed Aroma. It smelled amazing and turned my bath water into pure silk.*** 🩷

***This was the delicate bracelet that came with the bath bomb. It’s hard to do it justice with a photo but it is precious. 💝***

Granddaughter Genie and her fiance Alec found this adorable little wooden fellow at an outdoor Cathedral arts festival. Alec brought him over one day recently when Genie was under the weather. We had a great visit and I scored a new elephant! 💞

Jennifer picked up this unique elephant when she was in Moose Jaw recently. He was a thank you elephant in anticipation of my feeding their cats for a few days lately while they were up north on a camping trip. The trip turned into a story in itself! 💓

***No elephants here, but I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to flaunt the bouquet husband Dan bought for me this week.*** 💟

Wishing you a peaceful, happy, sunny Sunday today! 🌞💖

July 5th – Health and Fitness Update

July 6, 2023February 9, 2025 by annemariedemyen, posted in 2023, Health and Fitness

Things are pretty much status quo in the ‘Health and Fitness’ department these days.

Health wise, I am doing ok. We have a bit of smoke this week so I am more prone to coughing, but so far no major issues with that.

Fitness wise, I have been doing a half hour Zumba and one hour of dancing (Monday thru Saturday). I spend a few minutes on the speed bag (hit and miss). Monday thru Saturday, I do weight and strength training. I have been adding a few new things the last couple of weeks – push ups, lunges, and lateral lifts.

I have to admit, I have been struggling with my attitude/mindset lately. I’d rather be snacking and napping than getting fit and active. It happens. I just have to push through until my motivation returns. I have come too far to backslide now (and lose all the progress I have made).

**Molly relaxing in the shade. I think she’s a bad influence.** 🤔

I am still enjoying being yeast free. The longer I stay away from the yeast, the more I can eat other foods that were bothering me – like salad dressings, olives, horseradish, and salsa. Sadly, I cannot say the same for wine. I had a small glass on Sunday and lived to regret it. (At least I lived. 🙄)

I have been spending as much time as possible outside, enjoying the fresh air, and tending to the yard.

**I finished cleaning up the sand in our Molly proof garden. I still have the planters to paint.**

**Dan set out the birdbath, his Toronto Maple Leaf gnome and helped me put up some protection for the beets (that the birds seem to think I plant for them).**

**The other side of the front lawn, a couple of flower beds, and the Blue Spruce that grows taller and spreads wider every year.**

**Our annual Welcome basket of Pansies.**

That’s about it for today. Take care and have a great rest of the day! 💞🌞

June 19th – Health and Fitness Update

June 19, 2023February 9, 2025 by annemariedemyen, posted in 2023, Health and Fitness

It is time for another health and fitness update and it is another good one!

Healthwise, there are two things of note. Last week, I went to see my respiratory specialist for a follow up on the lung infection that I have been dealing with. He was properly impressed by how well I am doing AND super impressed by my blood work. YAY ME! He was particularly impressed with my blood sugar as apparently Prednisone has a tendency to jack that up. His only concern was, that due to how severe my infection was when I went to see him a couple of weeks ago, going forward I need to have an ‘Action Plan‘. So, henceforth I will have a prescription for antibiotics and Prednisone on file at my pharmacy so that when or if I get a bug that heads down into my lungs I will have immediate access to the medication I require. Obviously, Dr. Muftah was right when he proposed such a plan last summer. 🙄

The second thing of note, healthwise, would be my new and improved diet. I don’t know if it is due to the infection I have been fighting, but I have been eating LOTS of fruit. Dan has our fridge filled with fresh raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, peaches, pineapple, melon, mangoes, kiwi, and pears. Fruit has never been my friend, but go figure! I am eating it and it is doing wonders for my skin, if nothing else. Also, I am doing a credible job of avoiding yeast in my diet and that is going super well. It seems odd to eat without swelling up like a frigging balloon and feeling like I swallowed a handful of icepicks with every meal. 😁

Fitness wise, I set out a few staggered goals some time ago. My next one is to be ‘healthy, strong, and fit’ by August 11th. With my new and improved diet and my ‘come back stronger’ fitness plan – it is looking good. This week, my fitness plan includes one half hour morning Zumba class, followed by one hour of dancing, speedball, fresh air, and yardwork in the afternoon, and half an hour of light weights, etc. in the evening. I feel so well that I know it is doable and I look forward to meeting my goal. Obviously, August 11th will not be the end of my fitness journey but it will signify the laying of the foundation for my next chapter. 📖

Other than health and fitness, Dan and I continue to work on the yard and we have been doing some painting around here. It has been so long since Dan has had any free time, and I have felt well enough to have the inclination, to get anything done! It feels good to get things done and the improvements are beginning to show.

That’s about it for today. I will leave you with one of the dance tunes that I have been enjoying lately. Take care and have a great day! 💞🌞

June 12th Health and Fitness Update

June 12, 2023February 9, 2025 by annemariedemyen, posted in 2023

This is a good one people – I am coming back stronger! I just finished a solid hour of dancing around our living room and I feel great.

Lung infection wise, I am doing ok. No fever or any indication that the antibiotics failed me. I am still coughing up plenty of mucus (how hot is that?) BUT that is just my bronchiectasis doing what bronchiectasis does.

While I completed my antibiotics, I did opt for a second round of Prednisone to help dry out my lungs. Prednisone can be a bit rough, but it has been ok so far. The biggest issue has been avoiding sunshine, which we have seen plenty of in the past few days.

***Hanging outside in my Prednisone hat.***

On the great side of this recent health misadventure of mine – two things!

I had chest x-rays done and basically my lungs and heart are looking good. 👍 There has been no change in two years, so my lungs are not getting worse.

I also had a full set of blood work done – checking the levels of everything! There were four things (like white blood cell count) on the higher end of normal. And one count that was at the lower end of normal. All five of these counts were an indication that my body was fighting off an infection. 💪

I feel like I just aced my yearend report card. 🙌🙌🙌

It is just amazing how far I have brought this raggedy old body of mine in sixteen months. Especially, since the first three months or so were just a warm up. Then, I was down for the better part of November and December with a severe respiratory infection and laryngitis that dragged on and on. Then, nine weeks of milder workouts when I broke my left arm. Then, the past month of this infection. So, sixteen months since I started this health and fitness journey, less EIGHT months of restricted workouts.

And here I am – just finished a great workout and heading out the door to paint our porch. Life is good!

Take care and have a great day! 🌞💞

Garden Update

June 11, 2023February 9, 2025 by annemariedemyen, posted in 2023

Our yard is coming together, so I thought I would share a few random photos. From day one this year, we have had smoke drifting in and out from Alberta wildfires and I have been fighting off a lung infection that just doesn’t want to let go. Most of the outside work has fallen on husband Dan. If you compare our yard this year with how it has been in the past, there is a clear winner when it comes to landscaping around here. (It isn’t me 😂).