Tag: active aging

Daily Food Diary – Day 183 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

Today is Day 183 of my Daily Food Diary.  I am half-way there without missing a single day! 💃

Today  is also granddaughter Gabby’s 20th birthday!

Happy Birthday, Gabby and good luck in your 3rd year of psychology studies. 

Gabby truly is an amazing young lady.  Everything she does, from and for,  her education, to dancing, to basketball, to work, to friends, to family and especially to  being the BEST BIG SISTER to Lucas and Cason, she does with enthusiasm, love, determination, and her quirky goofy sense of humour. 

This month my health and wellness focus is collagen.  There are multiple natural foods that contain collagen or aid in the natural production/synthesis of collagen. 

I prefer to get the nutrients my body needs from the foods that I eat.   That being said, I do take Vitamin D daily because A. I live in Saskatchewan and B. It is particularly helpful for respiratory health.  With asthma, COPD, bronchiectasis, and sinus issues, I need all the help I can get. 

I also take Vitamin B12 for my blood and Lutein for my eyes.

This morning, a regular visitor to my blog,   Martha  from  https://walkingchestercom.wordpress.com commented that  she has been taking collagen supplements for her knees (joints) and she has experienced wonderful results.  Since this is collagen month – I decided this would be a great time to add them to my wellness routine.  It generally takes six weeks to notice any significant improvement from any change in supplements, exercise program, or diet so I will give it a couple of months to determine if it helps me.

It is going to be a warm day for us today  +33 degrees celsius (91F).   It doesn’t seem like a great day for baking Rhubarb Torte,  but rhubarb is high in vitamin C, which is good for collagen production  and I was up until midnight last night peeling the two grocery bags of rhubarb that granddaughter Maddy dropped off yesterday.  So, baking it is,  today. 🤷

Daily Food Diary – Day 183

Breakfast:

(1) c coffee (2)

(3) crumpets (240)

(2) tsp butter (69)

(2) tsp raspberry jam (33)

Lunch:

(2) oz Piller’s shaved ham (57)

(2) oz marble cheese (227)

(6) Kirkland multigrain crackers (140)

(48) oz water

Supper:

(2) c spaghetti & meat sauce (574)

(10) Dorito tortilla chips (140)

(1 1/2) dill pickles (1)

(3/4) c Chapman’s French Vanilla Ice Cream (208)

(9) pecan halves (105)

(2) tbsp dark chocolate sauce (105)

(1) tbsp caramel syrup (130)

Total Net Calories: 1687

Net calorie goal: 1229 – 1687 = 458 over 👎

* Highlighted items contain significant collagen or significantly assist in collagen production/synthesis

That’s it for today.  Take care and have a great day! 😊💝

Daily Food Diary – Day 182 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

Today is Day 182 of sharing my Daily Food Diary. 🥰💃

This month, my focus is on COLLAGEN.  Since I am celebrating my 70th birthday later this month, this focus was a natural for me.  Most people recognize collagen for it’s role in skin and hair care – especially as we age.  

But college affects far more that our skin and hair – as noted in this quotation taken from an online article posted by The Cleveland Clinic.

https://share.google/YSN7onJmkUuvxPbQc

“Collagen is the most abundant protein in your body. It accounts for about 30% of your body’s total protein. Collagen is the primary building block of your body’s skin, muscles, bones, tendons and ligaments, and other connective tissues. It’s also found in your organs, blood vessels and intestinal lining.”

Collagen production tends to decrease as we age so this is naturally when most people start to notice it (or the lack thereof).   Genetic conditions, such as  Ehlers Danlos syndrome (some forms of which are life threatening),  create collagen challenges from birth. 

When collagen levels are inadequate to function as they should, all kinds of fun things can happen to make life interesting.   There are the obvious wrinkles, thinning hair, and fragile nails.  There are the  unstable joints and weakened muscles which create mobility and dexterity issues.   There are circulation and breathing issues as  blood vessels and airways lose elasticity and stability.   There is even  vertigo caused by the weakness of the connective tissues that are supposed to be supporting the small bones in our inner ears.  There is pain, often excruciating pain, from muscle cramps to migraines to intestinal issues and more. (Fortunately pain is something that seldom  affects me, personally).

There is no magic pill or medical intervention available to ‘fix’ collagen synthesis deficiencies.   For now, the only treatments available deal with  managing the symptoms and  the health issues caused by the collagen failure.

But, there is good news!  A lifestyle focussed on exercise, diet, and stress management can do a lot to increase collagen production and efficiency in our bodies – especially if aging or benign collagen disorders is the root cause.

Since this blog is my Daily Food Diary, I will be highlighting foods that are rich in collagen and foods that support collagen synthesis within our bodies. 

Because much of my Health and Wellness Journey, that I started three and a third  years ago, involves fitness and stress management, I will be touching on them regularly as well – especially as they relate to collagen production and dealing with collagen deficiency issues.

Me and our dog Molly, who is a BIG part of my fit & healthy lifestyle.

Daily Food Diary – Day 182 of 365

Breakfast:

(1) c coffee (2)

(1) tsp butter (34)

(1) tsp olive oil (40)

(1) c homemade hash browns (80)

(2) eggs (160)

(2) oz ham (160)

(2) green onions (16)

Snacks:

(1) apple (95)

(1/3) c mixed nuts (216)

(1/6) c dry roasted peanuts (131)

(48) oz water

Supper:

(1) c pork fried rice – pork, rice, celery, onion, mushrooms *, soya sauce, olive oil, butter  (363)

(2) c chicken stir fry – chicken, red onion, red pepper, carrots, mushrooms*, Bok choy, cabbage, garlic, olive oil, teriyaki sauce (264)

(12) oz carbonated water

*There are specific types of mushrooms, such as Shiitake mushrooms that do help with collagen synthesis.

Total Net Calories: 1208

Net calorie goal: 1229 – 1208 = 21 under 👍

That’s it for today.  Take care and have a great day! 🤗🥰🌞

Our first Laverna blossom 🥰

Daily Food Diary – Day 181 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

It is 181 Days since I started maintaining and posting my Daily Food Diary! 💃

Today is also July 1st, which means it is Canada Day. For myself and my fellow Canadians. 🇨🇦

It is also means that it is a full SIX months that I have been posting my Daily Food Diary – without a single miss! 💪🥰

Each month, I choose to focus on one nutritional aspect of my diet.

In January, my goal was to track everything that I consumed each day.    I learned that I am a grazer – and the bit of this and bits of that throughout the day were notable!  My main  goal was never to lose weight, but becoming mindful of what I had been eating  did help me do just that.   Since January 1st, I  have dropped from 133.5 pounds to 121.8 pounds.  That is a loss of 11.7 pounds in six months.

In February, I tracked my Net Calories  –  everything I consumed each day minus calories burnt working out and walking.   I learned how easy it is to consume a LOT of calories from fast food, prepared foods,  and desserts. 

In March, I tracked protein.   I learned I eat a lot of protein rich foods.  I do aerobics every morning, walk regularly,  and lift light weights three afternoons a week.  I am working to build muscle and strengthen my bones, so I am ok with the extra protein (as long as it is within reason).

In April, I tracked sodium and processed sugar.  I thought I was doing fairly well at limiting the consumption of both.  I was wrong.  I was still consuming far too much.  I struggled throughout April but I am doing far better now.

In May, I tracked saturated fats.  Again, I learned I was consuming far more than I realized.  That too has improved in the past couple of months.

In June, I took note of the fruits and vegetables I was consuming.  According to the Canada Food Guide, my goal was a total of seven servings a day – not counting potatoes or mushrooms.  I thought this one would be easy.  Again, I was wrong.  Seven servings a day is a lot and my body did NOT deal well with it – especially the fruit.  I will keep trying but … we will see.

JULY is my birth month.  On the 26th, I will be 70 years old!  To celebrate, I am going for a fun focus.  This month, I am going to incorporate foods rich in collagen and ones that encourage collagen synthesis.  Collagen is necessary for healthy skin, hair, and nails.  It is also necessary for maintaining connective tissue, healthy joints, and strong muscles.   It is  important as we age – when our natural collagen production drops.  And it is particularly important when you are affected by a  genetic collagen disorder.   🙄

Dan and I started July off right  with an early morning  walk with Molly.   Coincidentally, regular exercise also helps collagen production and synthesis.

Molly & I at  the Regent Park Pool

Daily Food Diary – Day 181

Breakfast:

(1) c coffee (2)

(3) crumpets (240)

(2) tsp butter (69)

(2) tsp jam (100)

Lunch:

(1) Sun ripened tomato tortilla wrap (200)

(1/4) c shredded marble cheese (114)

(3) steps bacon (130)

(1)  tomato (22) (1 SVG)

(60) oz water

Supper:

(1) Sm. Taco Time Mexi Fries (265)

(1) Taco Time Crisp Meat Burrito (428)

(2) Taco Time Hard Shell Tacos (520) (1 SVG)

Total net calories: 1802

Total net calories goal: 1233 – 1802  = 569 over 👎

Fruits & Vegetables: 2 servings

Fruits & vegetables goal: 7 servings 👎

That’s it for today.  Take care and have a great day!

Happy Canada Day!

Daily Food Diary – Day 173 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

It is 173 Days since I started posting my Daily Food Diary. 

It is also 4 months since I was placed on the Waiting List for repair of my epigastric hernia.    I was told by my surgeon’s receptionist that it would probably be about  eight weeks to get a surgery date confirmed.  😐

The wait doesn’t bother me.  In the meantime, I have been working to improve my respiratory health so things will go as well as possible when I am dealing with the anesthesia.  

My hernia is generally painless.  When it does get pushed out, I can usually deal with it.  There was one painful situation that sent me to the hospital emergency room for assistance, but I have been careful since that experience so have avoided a return visit.

The only issue I do have, is that I decided to put a pause on exercising using weights until after I have my surgery.   Lifting, and holding, even seven to ten pound weights, was one thing that was almost guaranteed to bother my hernia…and it was only for a few weeks.

Obviously, the wait could be indefinite at this point and in the meantime I am losing upper body strength. 🙄

So, I have decided to (cautiously) step back to my five pound weights and restart my afternoon strength building workouts.  Wish me luck! 🤞

Daily Food Diary – Day 173

Breakfast:

(1) c coffee (2)

(3) sl bacon (130)

(2) eggs (160)

(2) potato patties (240)

(1/2) tomato (11) (1 SVG)

Snacks:

(1) peach (58) (1 SVG)

(1/6) c dry roast peanuts (162)

(1/6) c mixed nuts (108)

(1) c licorice tea

(36) oz water

Supper:

(4) vegetable spring rolls (500) (2 SVG)

(4) shrimp nests (210) (1 SVG)

(3) riblets (49)

(2) pc’s buttermilk chicken (84)

(5) Gyoza (225)

(1) tbsp Gyoza dipping sauce (15)

(1) tbsp plum sauce (35)

(1) tbsp shrimp sauce (20)

(1) tbsp Dilly Dip (80)

(1) PC Butterscotch Pudding Cake (153)

Total net calories: 2243

Net calories goal: 1238 – 2243 = 1005 over 👎

Fruits & vegetables: 5 servings

Fruits & vegetables goal: 7 servings 👎

That’s it for today.  Take care and have a great day! 😊💖

Daily Food Diary – Day 163 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

This is the 163rd Day of posting my Daily Food Diary.   It is also our 4th day of being away from home.

Traveling and spending time with family makes for a nice break from being home.  It also makes managing one’s diet a little more challenging. 

Since travel day, which was pretty bad,  I have been managing fairly well.  The only problem has been with water.   We have spent time here at son Dan’s before, but this time I cannot handle their water. 🤦 Last night,  I figured it out.    Fortunately, we had a two gallon jug of filtered water from home in the Jeep.   I switched to that and  all is good.

This morning Dan & son Dan are gone to a golf tournament.  I got Lucas off to school 0n time.   Cason made his own breakfast, ate, and got himself dressed for the day. 👍

I’d say the day is going smoothly so far – except for the three problem children. 🙄

Cornelius (L) and Bacardi (R)
And Molly!

Molly and Bacardi love to get each other going, and this morning they were  wound up from the get go.  Cornelius isn’t up for the shenanigans so he contributes to the chaos by yipping and yapping at the other two until they turn on him.   They are all on a break at the moment – but it is only  for the moment. 🤫

Granddaughter Gabby, is getting ready for work so I should run downstairs, get dressed, and be ready to workout when she leaves. So far so good! I haven’t been walking due to smoke and rain, but I am getting my morning aerobics done.  All or something!

Gabby! 💕

Daily Food Diary – Day 163

Breakfast

(1) c coffee (2)

(1) c Honey Nut Cheerios (147)

(1/4) c  2% milk (28)

Lunch:

(3) sm. Riblets (100)

(1/2) c macaroni salad (80)

(1) c raw vegetables (18) (2 SVG)

(24) oz water

Supper:

(2) gin & tonic (220)

(4) oz ground beef burger  – no bun (243)

(1/8) c marble cheese (57)

(1/2) c brown beans (300) (1 SVG)

(1/4) c macaroni salad (80)

(1) c raw vegetables (18) (2 SVG)

(12) oz water

Total net calories: 1327

Net calories goal: 1238 – 1327 = 89 over 👎

Fruits & vegetables:  5 servings

Fruits & vegetables goal: 7 servings 👎

That’s it for today. Take care and have a great day! ☺️💕

Daily Food Diary – Day 157 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

This is Day 157 of my Daily Food Diary. 🤩

It is hard to believe that in less than 157 short days, we went from this….

Walking around Waterfall Park with Molly

To this ….

Finished planting garden! ☺️

I am super happy about getting the garden in.  We have some yard maintenance left to do, but it will happen.

This year, I added more perennials to the garden… strawberries, asparagus, and rhubarb.  At this point, we are looking at what will work for our future selves –  what will be sustainable and maintainable.

I love spring, I love our yard, and I love working in the dirt and seeing it come to life .  But realistically, it is getting harder every year and we have to deal with.

My lungs are struggling to deal with what Mother Nature is handing out – especially these days.   Humid days, smokey days, dusty days… Fresh cut grass,  pollen and tree seeds. If it’s not one thing,  it is another. 

Notice tree seeds around the base of steps and by bricks.

After I finished the garden yesterday, I tackled the tree seeds.   Our neighbours on each side of us have one big beautiful tree each  (elm possibly).   In the spring, they shed millions (billions possibly) of seeds, which land in our yard – in every nook and cranny and creating drifts of allergenic plant life on our patios.   Besides the grief they cause my lungs, every seed that finds a speck of dirt will sprout.  By the time we see a sprout, it has roots a foot long – each one a battle to uproot. 

Yesterday, I dragged out the shop vac and vacuumed our patios and walkways….   (I  do the garden by hand).

Shop vacs are not my friend.  They do not follow, they come with long extension cords to trip over.  And best of all, much  like campfires – no matter where I am relative to a shop vac, the exhaust is in my face.  In this case,   the exhaust being fine dust and tree seed bits. 

The good news is I got the bulk of the little beggars.  The rest will ultimately hitch a ride on  our large  fluffy dog and come to live in our house – on floors and furniture and bedding. 

While I feel like I am about one bad day away from respiratory failure, I am doing fairly well.  My blood oxygen was 96 percent this morning.   By the time I clear my lungs, I will be ready to do my aerobics and get on with my day.  My rainy, humid day…😁

Daily Food Diary – Day 157

Breakfast:

(1) c coffee (2)

(1/2) grapefruit (39) (1 SVG)

(1/2) tsp sugar (8)

Lunch:

(1/2) c egg salad (118) (1/2 SVG)

(1) c Romaine lettuce (1/2 SVG)

(18) Onion & Garlic chips (232)

(60) oz water

Supper:

(12) oz carbonated water

(4) oz barbecue lean ground beef   (243)

(4) oz macaroni salad (258)

(1/2) tomato (11)

(1/2) c onions (30)

(1/2) c mushrooms (23)

(1) tbsp horseradish (7)

*** Total vegetables (1 SVG)

(1) serving Apple Crisp (227) (1 SVG)

Total net calories: 1092

Net calories goal: 1238 – 1092 = 146 under 👍

Total Fruits & Vegetables: 4 servings

Fruits & Vegetable goal: 7 servings

That’s it for today.  Take care and have a great day! ☺️💕

Daily Food Diary – Day 151 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

This is Day 151 of my Daily Food Diary. This is also June 1st! 😁💞

In May,  I was tracking my  Total Net Calories – calories consumed minus calories burnt exercising each day.  I was also tracking my Saturated Fats consumption.

In June, I will keep tracking my calories, but instead of tracking anything detrimental or beneficial, I am going to set a goal of eating 7 servings of fruit and/or vegetables each day.   The recommended number of servings, per Canada’s food guide ranges from 7 to 10, depending on age and sex.  For women over 51, seven is the magic number.

We will see how that works out!  I love almost all vegetables, but I am no fan of fruit!

Practice run yesterday morning.  😌

According to the Weather Network, we can expect another wildfire smokey day today.  Fortunately, it was fairly clear at 6 am so Molly and I were able to spend an hour outside cleaning up, feeding squirrels, and watering the plants and seeds I planted this week.  Molly wasn’t much help but she had fun stealing my mini plastic watering can, tossing it up in the air, batting it around with her paws AND chewing on the spout whenever she caught it. 😜

Daily Food Diary – Day 151

Breakfast:

(1) c coffee (2)

(1) pear (103)

(1) peach (51)

(1/2) c pineapple (42)

(4) strawberries (15)

(1) granola bar (160) (2.5 grams)

Snacks:

(48) oz water

(25) onion garlic potato chips (310) (1.5 grams)

(1) Lemon oatmeal cookie (68) (.6 grams)

(1) tsp honey (21)

Supper:

(4) sl. Shaved ham (54) (.5 grams)

(1) oz marble cheese (113)  (5.7 grams)

(2) devilled eggs (4 PC) (252) (5.2 grams)

(5) Triscuits (100) (.4 grams)

(6) Vegetable thins (40) (.4 grams)

(5) multigrain crackers (140) (.5 grams)

(5) grape tomatoes (25)

(1) mini cucumber (10)

(1/2) c cauliflower (20)

(1) tbsp Dilly Dip (80) (1.2 grams)

Total Net Calories: 1445

Net calorie goal: 1238 – 1445 = 207 over 👎

Total saturated fats: 13.75 grams

Saturated fats goal: 20.5 grams 👎

Summary for past 6 Days:

Net calories: 318 under goal total for 6 days

Saturated fats avg per day: 20.5g  (goal 13.75 grams per day)

Sodium avg per: 1846  mg (goal 1500 – 2300 mg/day)

Processed sugar avg per day:  23 grams (goal < 25 grams per day but as little as possible!)

Protein avg per day:   68.1 grams

(goal 46 to 58.5 grams per day)

*** By focussing on fruits and vegetables in June my saturated fats, processed sugar, and protein consumption SHOULD drop. 🥰

That’s it for today.  Take care and have a great day! ❤️🌞

Daily Food Diary – Day 145 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

It is Day 145 of my Daily Food Diary.  🔥

Yesterday, Rory returned to work up our garden planters.  He helped Dan move one of the new planters to the front yard and Dan levelled it and filled it with fresh dirt.  I got flowers planted and helped as required. 

Altogether, we accomplished a ton of work, which was only made possible with Rory’s welcome assistance.

Garden planters worked up and topped up with fresh dirt.
Our new front yard flower bed
The gazebo ready for patio furniture and another (one of many) planters.

This week I hope to get the rest of the garden in, run to Unique Gardens for plants around the pond, pressure wash the patio furniture and get it in place, get the second new front yard  planter in place, and get the lawn trimmed and mowed.  A lot of the work will fall on Dan – or require his assistance, but it is all doable. 👍

After, we finished up yesterday, I sat down to enjoy my 2nd alcoholic beverage in two days.  

First off, I chose  an Absolute Ocean Spray cran-Raspberry vodka premixed drink.   I cannot eat dried cranberries.  I can drink cranberry tea.  Apparently, I cannot drink anything (possibly anything alcoholic?) that contains cranberry juice.  My abdomen swole up like a beach ball, pushed my hernia out, and the result was excruciating pain.  🤦

Second, I am not now nor have I ever been, a drinker.  I grew up in a home that was generally pretty much dry.  Dad had a bottle of Rye around.  As he got older, he would take one straight shot on cold morning, before heading out to shovel the walks.  Other than that he had a dozen beer – which he passed around on Christmas and Easter.  Mom had a bottle of wine to serve  with dinner – again on Christmas and Easter.  There was a bottle of Lemon Gin that someone left behind after a visit.  It lived there as long as I can remember. 

As a teenager, I went out drinking.  In Saskatchewan that meant heading out to the backroads with a case of beer.  If I ever drank half a beer, it didn’t stay down long enough to be memorable.  (No doubt due to the yeast content which I had no idea was an issue for me back then).

Throughout my first marriage – seventeen years of unholy matrimony,  I seldom had a drink.  It might have helped,  but I was too busy having babies and raising them, to sit around drinking.

Since I met Dan, I have drank more alcohol – not regularly and not much more.  If you rounded up every ounce of alcohol that I have drank in my lifetime, you wouldn’t have enough to keep an alcoholic happy through a long weekend.  

Funny story (as in peculiar – it wasn’t really funny)… In 2012 I was in the hospital for a solid month with pneumonia and a fully collapsed lung due to empyema which is an infection outside of the lung.   The doctors tried to treat it, drain it, and finally sent me to a cardiac specialist who used clot buster treatments to clear it up. 

From the emergency room to the specialist, I saw several doctors.  Going over my history,  they all said  that I am a very heavy drinker.  It wasn’t a question and every time I said I wasn’t, I am pretty sure they noted that I was in denial on my permanent health record. 🤦

I finally asked one doctor, point blank, why they all thought I drank and he said because the only people who get empyema are the extremely elderly (I was 57) and those who abuse alcohol.

If I had been aware of my severe intolerance  to yeast, I may have steered them in a different direction,  but that was not the case.  🤔

Daily Food Diary – Day 145

Breakfast:

(1) c coffee (2)

(2) scrambled eggs (fried in butter & olive oil) (234) (6 grams)

(3) slices bacon (130) (3.3 grams)

(2) hash browns (240)

Snacks:

(1/2) c bbq corn nuts (230) (1 gram)

(1)  Absolut/Ocean Spray cran raspberry (38)

(48) oz water

(2/3) c French Vanilla ice cream (183) (5.8 grams)

(7) pecan halves (46) (.6 grams)

(1) tbsp chocolate sauce (52) (.1 grams)

(1) tbsp caramel sauce (70) (.9 grams)

Supper:

(1) Turkey salad wrap – cheese tortilla wrap, turkey, Miracle Whip, green onion, celery, dill pickle & lettuce (248) (2.1 grams)

(8) Lay’s lightly salted ripple chips (116) (1.1 grams)

(8) Lay’s BBQ chips (86) (.5 grams)

Total net calories: 1320

Net calorie goal: 1243 – 1320 = 77 over 👎

Total saturated fats: 21.4 grams

Saturated fats goal: 13.75 grams 👎

That’s it for today.  Take care and have a great day! 💖😌

Dan fixed a new lining for our WELCOME sign basket and I planted a couple of pansies and one portulaca in it. 😊

Daily Food Diary – Day 143 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

143 Days ago I began my mindful eating practice by tracking and posting my Daily Food Diary.   3 years and 3 months ago I began my current Health & Fitness Journey.

By far, the most gratifying result of this journey  is realizing the incredible difference it has made to my overall strength and stamina.   My best days, are those in which I complete a household or yard task that I know would have been difficult, to impossible,  for me three years ago.

Yesterday was NOT one of my best days. 

Yesterday, it was still too wet outside to have grandson Rory come over to work up our garden planters.   But, it was nice out so I went out to start setting up a few planters that I have around the yard.

I started by planting the portulaca that I grow in the planter on the garage wall. (Portulaca is the only thing that survives here.)

I also started cucumbers in two large planters that Dan bought me this week. (They are larger than they look, and mobile enough to be moved around should they need more, or less, sun.

Dan worked up this one planter – around his Bleeding Heart, so I planted strawberries and a couple of little flowers.  (Molly, stood by ready to help).

Finally, I decided that I wanted to try some ‘planting bags’ alongside the house.   I didn’t want them right on the ground, so I figured the sections of tree trunk that were stacked at the back fence, would make ideal bases for them. 

Since Dan has been having painful issues with his shoulders, this was to be a ME project.  I do not want him to make the pain in his shoulders worse!   The antibiotics and prednisone from my recent bronchitis should be out of my system by now, so I felt GOOD to GO!

I went into the garage to get the furniture dolly.  It was at the back of the garage – behind the new planters that Dan has been assembling.   I managed to lift it, roll it, and stumble my way through the first planter.  When I got to the second planter, Dan took it  from me, stopped at the compressor to top up the tires, and handed it back over.

I rolled off into the back yard.  There was one section of tree trunk that was sitting on the ground.  After a few unsuccessful attempts, I managed to get it on the dolly.   I pulled it between the two tables, around the wheel barrow, and off the back yard into the side yard. (There is drop there the height of a railway tie.  In fact there is a railway tie there to hold the backyard in place.) With one mighty tug, I got the dolly over the tie.  A small bounce knocked the tree trunk off the dolly, but I got it back on, and headed around the corner to the side of the house where Dan helped me to set it in place.

Dan went to the back fence to set the next section of tree trunk on the ground and I repeated the process of getting it to its destination. 

The third section was notably heavier.  Dan got it to the ground, I picked it up with the dolly and moved it to the railroad tie.  I gave one mighty tug and it sat there  –  up on the  backyard level.  I was at the  side yard level.  I got a death grip on that dolly and gave a mightier tug.  It bounced down – and bounced right back up to the back yard.  I went with it.  In an elegant move that only another Martel could relate to, I stumbled around until I was back on my feet.  My third attempt was successful.

I got the fourth section across the backyard and over the tie without incident.  I didn’t even pretend to help Dan set it in place.  By that point, I was just ready to accept defeat.

To add insult to injury, I noticed that between all the recent rain and the returning sunshine, the lawn I worked so hard to mow last weekend needs to be redone. 😢🤦

Daily Food Diary – Day 143

Breakfast:

(1) coffee (2)

(2) classic Eggos (180)

(2) tsp butter (69) (4.7 grams)

(1) tbsp Maple Syrup (55)

(2) sl. Low Sodium ham (104) (1)

Snacks:

(48) oz water

(1) pear (103)

(1) peach (51)

Supper:  

(12) air fried chicken wing flats (397) (5.8 grams)

(2) egg rolls (380) (2 grams)

(6) Gyoza (200) (2.5 grams)

(2) tbsp Frank’s extra hot sauce (0)

(1) tbsp  Gyoza dipping sauce (15)

Total net calories: 1319

Net calorie goal: 1243 – 1319 = 75 over 👎

Total saturated fats: 13.75 grams

Saturated fats goal: <13.75 grams 👎

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

Daily Food Diary – Day 141 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

It is 141 Days since I started posting my Daily Food Diary and this is the 1st Day that I almost forgot to do it!

In my defense (no excuses):

1) Yesterday, was a ROUGH day.  We had one more day of cold rainy weather and my lungs decided they were done.  I did get my workout done and laundry.  Dan made supper and did the dishes.  I went to bed at 7 pm and woke up at 5am to a much better day.

2) Today is grandson Lucas’s birthday.  We won’t be seeing them for a few more days, but when I got up I was focussed on sending him birthday wishes and a few dollars to spend on a gift from us.

Lucas (L) with his brother Cason – Happy 10th Birthday Lucas!

3) This morning I had an 8:30 appointment with my respiratory specialist.  I still have a lot of infection to clear up – especially in my left lung, but with better weather and the new sinus meds  I am on – it should happen!  Also chances are slim to nil that I will drown in my own mucus when I am under anesthesia for my hernia operation.  I am still on the waiting list (since February) but that is ok.  It gives me longer to clear up my lungs and a better chance of recovery from the anesthetic and the hernia.

4) On the way home, we stopped at the Dollar Store.  I hadn’t been to a Dollar Store for ages, so I may have gotten a bit carried away.  I put together a new bouquet for Dan’s parents’ grave, got a new solar frog for our garden (and some green paint because it  is just pale grey), a new hair clip, and a new book  to make notes of the Buddist wisdom that I have been studying this year – core values, breathing techniques, and the like, plus a few odds and ends.

My new notebook & frog. 

5) Finally, tonight is granddaughter Maddy’s last band concert of the year.  So, she called me about some last minute changes to the plan, I have to do my workout and my sinuses, AND take Molly for a good walk so she won’t destroy the place while we are gone tonight.

Maddy’s School is just a few blocks from us, so very convenient for attending concerts and such.

All in all, just more going on than I am used to!  I was about to start my workout and remembered to do my blog.  141 Days and still counting!

Daily Food Diary – Day 141

Breakfast:

(1) c coffee (2)

(4) slices shaved ham (57)

(2) potato patties (240)

Snacks:

(24) oz water

(20) raspberries (20)

(20) lightly salted Lays ripple chips  (291) (2.7 grams)

(6) mini chocolate Easter eggs (85) (2.5 grams)

(1/4) c hickory smoked almonds (160) (1 gram)

Supper:

(5) oz Lean ground beef burger (257) (4.8 grams)

(1/2) tomato (11)

(1/5) c red onion (13)

(2) mozzarella sticks (127) (3 grams)

(8) on rings (270) (2.2 grams)

Total net calories: 1355

Net calorie goal: 1243 👎

Total saturated fats: 16.3 grams

Saturated fat goal: 13.75 👎

That’s it for today.  Take care and have a great day! 😊💕