Today is also Sunday September 7th. I am on my 5th day of my latest round of antibiotics and oral steroids. I am feeling pretty decent – helped no doubt by the solid sleep that I have been getting for the past couple of nights.
All things considered, my only major issue today is that I destroyed my glasses this morning. I am pretty much blind without them so that’s not good. I do have one older pair that I can wear until I get replacements but they are single vision glasses AND the only time that they did not make me look goofy was when I tried them on in the optometrist’s office. 🤦 Fortunately, as long as I avoid mirrors I don’t have to see myself. 😊
Maybe I have them upside down? They are Versace frames, so great quality, but they just don’t suit me. 🙄Molly is having a GREAT weekend. Yesterday, Jen and Maddy were here for an hour AND this morning Genie came by to join Molly & Grandpa for their morning walk. (Genie took the photo)
Daily Food Diary – Day 249
Breakfast:
(1) c Coffee (2)
(1) c Honey Nut Cheerios (147)
(1/4) c 2% milk (28)
Lunch:
(1) Harvest All Beef Wiener (150)
(1) No Name Low Salt Ripple Chips (130)
Snacks:
(1/2) c Home made chicken broth (27)
(60) oz water
Supper:
(1) Extra Large homemade quesadilla (861)
(3) tbsp salsa (12)
Total consumed calories: 1357
Total used calories: 243
(30) minutes housecleaning (67)
(1) hour gardening (176)
Total net calories: 1114
Net calories goal: 1229 – 1114 = 116 under 👍
That’s it for today. Take care and have a great day! 💖😊
This is Day 248 of my Daily Food Diary and I am still on a roll! 🥳
I am still feeling pretty adequate on Day 4 of my antibiotics and Prednisone. A couple of news bites since yesterday morning.
* The hospital surgical unit called yesterday to book my hernia repair for September 19th. Unfortunately, they have to delay it until I have the Prednisone out of my system, but at least I am on their radar! And someone else gets their procedure bumped up. 👍
* I got the results of my blood tests. I’m no expert but they seem to indicate that I have an infection. 👍
* And… I have plans this weekend to help daughter Jen work on her Jeep. She is changing out the motor, transmission, wheels etc. from the Jeep they rolled a couple of years ago to the one they bought this spring. My mechanical proficiency won’t help her out, but I’m pretty sure I can hand her the tools she needs and take away the parts she doesn’t. 👍
And ‘Flea’ will be back rolling better than ever, sooner than later!
Daily Food Diary – Day 248
Breakfast:
(1) c coffee (2)
Brunch:
(1) lg cheese biscuit (258)
(2) oz Piller ham (57)
(1 1/2) oz cheese (170)
(2) tsp butter (68)
Snacks:
(1/2) c caramel corn (85)
(1/2) c ice cream (120)
(2) tbsp chocolate sauce (105)
Supper:
(1) lg cheese biscuit (258)
(2) tsp butter (68)
(1) beef wiener (150)
(2) tbsp salsa (8)
(1) green onion (8)
(6) onion rings (270)
(3) cheese sticks
(1) tomato (22)
(5) sl. Cucumber (4)
Total calories consumed: 1843
Calories used: 172
(20) min. Walking (49)
(30) min min. Housecleaning (67)
(30) min. Cooking/food prep (56)
Total net calories: 1843 – 172 = 1671
Net calories goal: 1229 – 1671 = 442 over 👎
* Prednisone zoomies gone… Raging hunger on! 🤦
That’s it for today! Take care and have a great day! 😊💓
Today is Day246 of my Daily Food Diary. 119 more days to go until the end of my 365 Day Diary – and the end of 2025. 💖
I am thinking that I need to really buckle down to make the most of this experience before I wrap it up!
This week I have been sidetracked by a lung infection. I don’t know if everyone has their own special weakness, but my breaking point is fever. Even a low grade fever – anything above 100 degrees Fahrenheit and I am useless.
I am also pretty much the medical community’s worst patient. Stress triggers my asthma, so walking into any medical facility, doctor’s office or pharmacy is a major health event waiting to happen. Then there is the time warp! I can lose hours at home waiting for my nail polish to dry or for a pot of soup to cook. Waiting five minutes for a blood test tries my patience. And finally there is the medication…
I think the main reason I have these little health events is to remind me to have more empathy for people who truly suffer from chronic health issues. People who regularly deal with frequent visits to health facilities, painful procedures, and multiple medications.
When I have these lung infections, I have to take THREE pills a day. I take one antibiotic in the morning – on an empty stomach, no less than two hours AFTER I take any vitamins, followed by one hour before I can eat. Then I have one Prednisone tablet to take, with food, but no grapefruit! Then life proceeds as usual until after supper (except that I have to avoid sunlight or the Prednisone will turn ugly on me). After 7 pm, I cannot eat anything to be prepared to take my second antibiotic tablet on an empty stomach, at least one hour before going to bed.
I can’t imagine how people taking multiple medications, all with their own unique rules keep everything straight. I would need some serious organizational skills update or things would go south PDQ.
I don’t know if it was the first pills yesterday or the chicken soup from the night before, but I felt pretty good yesterday. I mostly took it easy, mostly relaxed outside in our gazebo, and mostly stayed out of the sun and avoided turning into a Prednisone werewolf – even when I was watering the garden, weeding, trimming plants, and picking vegetables.
Last night my appetite returned and I totally enjoyed the supper that Dan served up.
Today is Day 244 of my Daily Food Diary. We are officially 2/3rds of our way through 2025! 🥳
I know that my Daily Food Diary has been beneficial. It has kept my unhealthy snacking in check. It has helped me to pin down foods that cause me issues. It has helped me to tweak some of my cooking habits. It has encouraged me to add collagen supplements to my daily round of vitamins. And while it is an ongoing battle – it has helped me to eat more fruits and vegetables and to drink more water.
That being said – I am struggling with my health and wellness lately.
As much as I love spring and summer, they have not been kind to me this year. I am almost excited to see September arrive and with it the end of wildfire smoke, a drop in humidity, and hopefully an eradication of all the mould and mildew this year! The last being the worst lately. 🥺
At least for today, I am just avoiding the not so great outdoors.
Making chicken broth for homemade chicken noodle soup tonight.While Molly guards the neighborhood from the comfort of our sofa.
Daily Food Diary – Day 244
Breakfast:
(1) c coffee (2)
(1/2) grapefruit (39)
(1/2) tsp sugar (8)
Lunch:
(3) oz chicken (140)
(10) Hint of Lime tortilla chips (250)
Snacks:
(1/2) c caramel corn (85)
(1) 355 mil can Root Beer (170)
(48) oz water
Supper:
(1) cheese tortilla wrap (85)
(1/8) c pizza sauce (17)
(1/4) c shredded marble cheese (120)
(9) slices Pepperoni (89)
(3) oz ham (86)
(1/4) c mushrooms (11)
(1/2) c onions (32)
(1/4) c green pepper (7)
Total calories: 1226
Calories burnt:
(30) minutes walking – 101
Total net calories: 1125
Net calories goal: 1229 – 1225 = 104 under 👍
That’s it for today. Take care and have a great day! 💞☺️
Today is also Labour Day and a stat holiday in Canada.
Tools of the trade… (Maybe my trade lunch 🙄)
Kudos to those who labour to provide the goods and services that we require. And kudos to those who have in the past, and those who still do, dedicate their lives to ensure the safety, fair wages and benefits, decent working conditions, and fair/honest treatment of those in our workforce.
Being employed in today’s work environment is far from perfect, but fortunately improving work standards is an ongoing process.
Happy Labour Day!
It is eight months since I began posting my Daily Food Diary. As I approach each new month, I struggle to find another monthly focus. This month (September) I have finally decided on calories used.
Every month since February, I have counted my calories consumed and subtracted my calories used (by legit exercise). This month, I am going to highlight all significant calories used – by exercise, housework, yardwork, Petcare, shopping, and the like.
Since being unwell the past few days, I need the motivation to get back to my regular level of activity. Let’s see how that goes!
Daily Food Diary – Day 243
Breakfast:
(1) c coffee (2)
(2) Eggs (160)
(2) slices Bacon (170)
(1/2) red tomato (22)
Snacks:
(48) oz water
(1/2) c caramel corn (85)
(1) c ice cream (120)
(2) tbsp chocolate sauce (105)
(10) filberts (88)
Supper:
(1) rotisserie chicken thigh/drumstick (320)
(1)c raw vegetables and – green onions, broccoli, & cucumbers, red radishes, orange carrots, white cauliflower (100)
(1) tbsp Dilly Dip (50)
(1) Lightly salted ripple chips (135)
Total net calories: 1597
Net calorie goal: 1229 – 1597 = 368 over 👎
* Another day of zero activity to deduct calories. I walked with Dan and Molly this morning. We’ll see if I can burn anymore calories off.
That’s it for today. Take care and have a great day! ❤️😊
Yesterday, I came out 76 calories over my Net Calorie Goal. This was not because I ate more than I should have. I just took a day off from any of the workout routines that I usually indulge in to burn off extra calories.
No walk with Molly, no aerobics, no weights, and no treadmill.
I did drive Dan out to his golf tournament, did my typical house chores, and watered the garden. By the time I finished my blog and did my check-in with my workout buddies I was done.
I have been under the weather this past week and yesterday I had no gas left in the tank.
I’m not feeling any better today, so my plan is to post my blog and head off for nap.
Hopefully, by tomorrow I will be getting up to a better day – ALL DAY!
Looks good to me. See you tomorrow! 🙂
Daily Food Diary – Day 242
Breakfast:
(1) c coffee (2)
(1) c Cheerios (147)
(1/4) c 2% milk (28)
Lunch:
(2) scrambled eggs (182)
(1 1/2) oz leftover Tbone steak (125)
(1/4) c white mushrooms (11)
(2) green onions (16)
(2) tsp butter (34)
(48) oz water
Supper:
(1) Hungry Man chicken cutlet dinner with yellow corn (520)
Total net calories: 1305
Net calories goal: 1229 – 1305 = 76 over 👎
That’s it for today. Take care and have a great day! 💖☺️
Yesterday was a less than stellar day for me. Despite our perfect weather and clear air, I struggled.
My walk with Dan and Molly was too much for my lungs (For whatever reason!). I came home and had to rest easy for a few hours before I did my aerobics and weight workout. We had takeout for supper and instead of doing my treadmill I went to bed.
After a couple of hours of sleep, I got up to have a bottle of carbonated water and a couple of aspirin. My chest was congested, I was feverish and headachy, and I felt nauseous.
Having lived with asthma, COPD, and bronchiectasis for years, it is easy to overthink these questionable days and start to panic.
I do have prescriptions for antibiotics and oral steroids at our pharmacy, but this being a long weekend our pharmacy is open limited hours today and then closed Sunday and Monday. Other pharmacies in the city are open but they do not have my ‘action plan’ on file. If I can’t make it through the weekend without meds, it would mean a long wait in an overcrowded emergency ward being miserable.
Fortunately, whatever was bothering me passed during the night. Today, I am perfectly fine. I am ready to take on my aerobics, Saturday house cleaning, yardwork, and a session on our treadmill. Plus, I drove Dan out of the city to his golf tournament this morning.
It is great to feel good again, but I do get rather frustrated with myself for panicking every time I have a poorly day. My health has come a LONG way since a sniffle automatically meant I was in for an extended miserable health event. 🤦
It is hard to remember how strong, healthy, and resilient I am, after three and a half years of creating and maintaining a health and wellness lifestyle for myself.
I can relate to people who lose hundreds of pounds of weight, but feel mentally stuck in that pre-weightloss mindset.
It’s a weird challenge, but one to be conquered nonetheless. 🥴
I need to see myself as I am now, not like I used to be. (Dan is looking pretty good too these days! Retirement looks good on him.)
Daily Food Diary – Day 241
Breakfast:
(1) c coffee (2)
(26) Light sugar Mini Wheats (190)
(1/4) c milk (28)
Snacks:
(1/3) c mixed nuts (238)
(48) oz water
(12) oz carbonated water
Supper:
(1) Crisp Meat Burrito (428)
(2) Hardshell tacos (520)
(1) Sm. Mexi Fries (387)
Total net calories: 1321
Net calories goal: 1229 – 1321 = 92 over 👎
That’s it for today. Take care and have a great day! 💖☺️
Today is also our daughter-in-law Amanda’s birthday! 🎂
Every day is special, but when we have one dedicated to someone we truly appreciate, it makes days like today all the better
There is so much to appreciate about Amanda that it is difficult to put into words – she is caring, upbeat, hilariously funny in her unique Amanda way. She is adventurous, intelligent, LOUD but unassuming, high energy, and totally loving and loveable.
Best of all, Amanda is an amazing mother and a genuinely great wife and partner for son Dan. Truly, those two deserve each other and the life they have built together!
Happy Birthday, Amanda – and MANY more! 💞
Daily Food Diary – Day 240
Breakfast:
(1) c coffee (2)
(1) sausage patty (150)
(2) potato patties (240)
(2) eggs (160)
Snacks:
(15) Lay’s lightly salted ripple chips (218)
(60) oz water
Supper:
(5) oz Tbone steak (375)
(1) baked white potato (100)
(1) yellow ear of corn (80)
(5) tsp butter (171)
(1) red tomato (22)
(5) slices green cucumber (4)
(1/2) c brown mushrooms (8)
Total net calories: 1253
Net calories goal: 1229 – 1253 = 24 over
That’s it for today. Take care and have a great day! ☺️💗
It is 239Days since I started posting my Daily Food Blog. 💗👍
I continue to enjoy this exercise, especially the benefits that I have received from it, and the comments that I receive from posting it.
What I do not enjoy is interacting via technology.
The most frustrating aspect of technology this year is the emergence of AI, which is hellbent on making life difficult for the technically challenged folks like Yours Truly.
But, I have a couple of glitches that have been directed specifically towards me. A few weeks ago the letter ‘A’ vanished from my online vocabulary. Tht ws frustrting!
My ‘A’ has returned, but with its return, my spacebar has retired any reliable operation. I’mgettingtoooldforthisnonsense!
Yesterday, while Dan and I were walking Molly, we started talking about all of the progress over the past few decades that have proven to be less than positive..
– Anything/everything disposable from plastic bags, to diapers, to appliances….
-24 hours a day television along with streaming services (any electronic device that keeps us from fresh air and regular human interactions and activities)
– Technology in general, but specifically software updates
– Electric vehicles (especially in the wide open spaces of Saskatchewan but pretty much anywhere)
– New math (what was wrong with the old math?)
– Fast and/or junk food (remember real food that wasn’t packed full of sugar, sodium, chemicals, and yeast?)
I am probably missing a few here. Feel free to add them in your comments. (Space breaks and random vowels optional). 🙂
Daily Food Diary – Day 239
Breakfast:
(1) c coffee (2)
(3) crumpets (240)
(3) tsp butter (103)
(1 1/2) tbsp jam (75)
Snacks:
(12) Doritos (153)
(1/3) c mixed nuts (238)
Supper:
(3) c salad – green lettuce, onions & cucumber, white cauliflower, red tomatoes & radishes (190)
(2) sticks pork souvlaki (270)
(2) tbsp French salad dressing (146)
Total net calories: 994
Net calories goal: 1229 – 994 = 235 under 👍
That is it for today. Take care and have a great day! ☺️💗
It would appear that I have finally killed my last orchid. Dan went out of his way yesterday to secure this one to take its place. 💞😊
Today is Day 238 of my Daily Food Diary. That is a full 34 weeks without one miss. ☺️
Today is almost two full weeks since we got our ‘new to us’ treadmill. The first night we got it, I used it for fifteen minutes, the second night twenty, and every night since for a full thirty.
Until last night! For the past three or four nights, using the treadmill had just been getting harder and harder.
Over the past three and a half years, I have found that making commitments was more effective for me than setting result driven goals. I have found that modest, persistent, consistent efforts were more effective for me than occasional grand gestures. And I have found that muscle fatigue is a real thing!
When my muscles turn to achy, breaky, jello, it is time to set some down time for rest and recuperating.
Last night was one of those nights, and I’m thinking I am going to have to start taking regular break nights from the treadmill until I build up some muscle strength.
It is unfortunate, because I enjoy my evening treadmill time – physically and mentally. But it has to be done!
Maybe our treadmill will appreciatethe necessary break times. Intermittent weight lifting is helping me to develop some arm muscles! 🥳. (I’m still working on the Bingo wings. 🙄)
Daily Food Diary – Day 238
Breakfast:
(1) c coffee (2)
(3) crumpets (240)
(1 1/2) tsp jam (75)
(3) tsp butter (103)
Lunch:
(1 1/2) c chicken, green, white, orange, redvegetable, stir-fry (307)
Snacks:
(60) oz water
(15) barbecue chips (130)
Supper:
(1 1/2) c chicken, green, white, orange, red vegetable, stir-fry (307)
(1) red tomato (22)
(3/4) c Butterscotch ice cream (180)
(10) hazelnuts (88)
(1) tbsp dark chocolate sauce (52)
(1) tbsp caramel sauce (130)
Total net calories: 1360
Net calories goal: 1229 – 1360 = 131 over 👎
That’s it for today. Take care and have a great day! 😌❣️
Seclusion 101 with AnneMarie 