Tag: #lots of love

Daily Food Diary – Day 150 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

It is 150 Days since I started my Daily Food Diary. 🙌

It is decades since I was first diagnosed with asthma and five years since being diagnosed with COPD and bronchiectasis.  A few weeks ago I was diagnosed with my most recent bout of bronchitis.  I was given and completed a round of antibiotics and Prednisone – which I completed as usual.

Follow up x-rays showed that I still had a fair amount of infection in my lungs – particularly in my left lung.  My respiratory specialist assured my husband and I that it would continue to clear up.

Then we had a round of visits from grandchildren – all from my daughter’s family. Her son Rory came to work up garden planters, her daughter Genie (Genevieve) likewise came to spend an afternoon helping me in the garden, and her daughter Prim came by for supper and a couple of hours of Cribbage.   All in all… I did way too much visiting – specifically talking – and I developed laryngitis.

Yesterday, the smoke from northern forest fires rolled in.  It wasn’t noticeable when Dan and I walked Molly first thing in the morning.  By lunchtime, despite staying indoors and best efforts (and two air purifiers) I managed to inhale enough smoke for it  to be bothersome.  Not only is forest fire smoke particularly bad for compromised lungs, I am allergic to trees and any part thereof.  The smaller the part,  the worse it is. 

The bottom line is, I am not dying – I don’t even feel that bad.  But, I am pretty sure this isn’t helping to clear up my lung infection and it certainly isn’t helping my laryngitis. 🤦

Until this smoke clears, outside work and walking Molly is off the table.   I am doing housework, relaxing, and eating ice cream – for the second day in a row.  Ice cream is high in calories and saturated fats – but it feels good and is helping my laryngitis to ease off.  So… It is not poor diet, it is good medicine. 😌

*** Thoughts and prayers for all those who are in the midst of these forest fires, those who are fleeing for their lives, those who are losing their homes, cottages, and livelihoods, those who are caught up in forest fire smoke MUCH worse than what we are experiencing.   I truly cannot imagine.   Also, thoughts and prayers for those who have been fighting these fires and those who are on their way to join them in their fight.  💞

https://cwfis.cfs.nrcan.gc.ca/home

Daily Food Diary – Day 150

Breakfast:

(1) c coffee (2)

Lunch:

(2) oz pork tenderloin (83) (.8 gram)

(1) sm. garden salad (100)

(1) tbsp Kraft French Dressing (60) (1 gram)

(2) tbsp dried fried onions (33) (1.1 grams)

(10) No Name BBQ chips (54) (.3 grams)

Snacks:

(48) oz water

(1) Smirnoff Berry Blast (90)

(1/4) c hickory almonds (186)

(1) c licorice tea with honey (21)

Supper:

(2) cabbage rolls  (166) (4 grams)

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

(2) tbsp caramel sauce (140) (.8 grams)

(9) pecan halves (59)

Total net calories: 1086

Net calorie goal: 1239 – 1086 = 153 under 👍

Total saturated fats: 20.9

Saturated fats goal: 13.75 👎

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 135 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

It is 135 Days since I started my 365 Day Food Diary! 🎉 I am DONE my entire round of antibiotics and I only have 2 more days of Prednisone! ☺️

With chronic respiratory issues, this has NOT been my first rodeo with antibiotics and Prednisone, but for whatever reason, this has been a rough one.

Yesterday, I was finally feeling pretty good once I got past the high humidity in the morning.   I had a great aerobic workout and I got some kitchen deep cleaning done. 

My only issue was a serious appetite ALL day.  I don’t know if my body needed the calories to recover, if  I haven’t been drinking enough water, or if it was the Prednisone talking – but I was HUNGRY all day.

I had a good enough breakfast, and lunch, but supper was over the top.  I chopped everything up for the stir fry and Dan came in and offered to cook it.  It was amazing. It was dessert worthy amazing!

I blew through both my net calories and saturated fat goals for the day,  but there you go.   In the past two weeks, I only totally missed one workout, we took a few walks, and I was somewhat productive even on my worst days. 

Fall down, get back up, repeat.  But the falls get fewer  and the get back up comes sooner.  It is progress. 👍

Daily Food Diary – Day 135

Breakfast:

(1) c coffee (2)

(1) sausage patties (190) (5 grams)

(2) Classic Eggos (180) (1.5)

(1) tsp butter (34) (2.3 grams)

(1) tbsp Maple Syrup (55)

Lunch:

(48) oz water

(1) BBQ chicken thigh (160) (1 gram)

(1/2) c potato salad (220) (2 grams)

Supper:

(1 1/2) c white rice (363) (.2 grams)

(8) oz stir-fry (pork tenderloin, leek, red onion, mushroom, carrots, celery, cabbage, baby Bok choy, water chestnuts, terriaki-oyster-soya sauce, black pepper, crushed hot peppers).  (349) (3.8 grams)

(3/4) c French Vanilla Ice Cream (240) (7.5 grams)

(1) tbsp Chocolate sauce (52) (.1 gram)

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

Total net calories: 1736

Net calorie goal: 1243 – 1736 = 493 over 👎

Total saturated fats:  24 grams

Saturated fats goal: 13.75 grams 👎

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

Daily Food Diary – Day 130 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

It is 130 Days since I started my Daily Food Diary!  🎉

It is also Mother’s Day 2025.  This is me, ready for a beautiful relaxing day.  I just bought myself a new summer dress to lounge around in on days like this – and you will note that I do own a real pair of shoes!

Happy Mother’s Day!

Best parenting advice EVER. 

My favourite thing always is my family.  My favourite thing lately is seeing my family putting more focus on their health and fitness.   (I like to think that my own efforts over the past three years have helped steer them in that direction.) 🤗

Daily Food Diary – Day 130

Breakfast:

(1) c coffee (2)

(1) slice low sodium ham (50) (.7 grams)

(1) egg (80) (1.5 grams)

(2) potato patties (240)

(54) oz water

Supper:

Caesar salad:

(2) oz shredded Habanero cheese (223) (10.2 grams)

(4) oz shredded mozzarella (168) (7.4 grams)

(3) oz. Chicken breast (140) (.9 grams)

(2) slices bacon (87) (2.2 grams)

(2 1/2) c lettuce (15)

(1/2) red onion (15)

(4) tbsp dried fried onions (67) (2.2 grams)

(3) tbsp Caesar Dressing (240) (2.2 grams)

Total net calories: 1149

Net calorie goal: 1243 – 1149 = 94 under 👍

Total saturated fats: 27.2 grams

Saturated fats goal: 13.75 grams 👎

My saturated fats were a big miss yesterday. To be honest, it would have been worse if I wasn’t on the meds for my bronchitis.  I was in a mood for ice cream after supper last night but I can’t eat for two hours before taking my antibiotics AND I cannot go to bed for at least an hour after I take them.  So… Ice cream at 8 pm just wasn’t doable. 😕🍧

Daily Food Diary – Day 95 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

Today marks  95 Days since I began this Food Diary. 

Today is also my husband’s birthday AND his sister Joan’s birthday.   I find it rather fascinating that, not only do they share the same birthdate (other than a four year  difference), but they have sibling cousins who also share the same birthday (also not the same year) on April 12th. 

Speaking of coincidences,  a few days ago I posted a link to a You Tube video highlighting Buddhist wisdom.  It was one of those things I share on here, knowing that our granddaughter Genie follows my blog.  If it was on here, I thought she would see it,  check it out, and probably find it interesting and unique. 

Yesterday, Genie stopped by to lend me a book that she had recently read.   We shared a  cup of tea, a good visit and my giant bag of mini candy coated chocolate Easter eggs.  She is looking and doing great.

Genie’s book – based on Buddhist wisdom

I don’t have a solid grasp on how evolution works, but I was always amazed at how my three children seemed to naturally possess knowledge and skills that I struggled to learn.  I am even more amazed by how emotionally mature, intelligent and strong, our grandchildren are.   All of them – from the time they were tots.  Is that coincidence or evolution?

Food Diary:

Breakfast:

(1) c coffee (2) (4.7 mg)

(1) egg (80) (220 mg)

(1) tsp olive oil (40 mg)

(1) sausage patty (190) (430 mg) (1 g)

Snacks:

(1) c Licorice Tea

(44) oz water

Supper:

(1/2) pkg ramen noodles (190) (600 mg) (1 g)

(1) c broccoli w/salt & pepper (60) (291 mg)

(3) tsp butter (103) (95 mg)

(3) oz pork chop (236)

(1) dry gin martini (180)

(2) garlic stuffed olives (32) (620 mg)

Total Net Calories: 1147

Calorie Goal: 1269 – 1147 = 122 under 👍

Total Sodium: 2706 mg

Sodium goal: 1500 to 2300 mg 😳

Total Processed sugar: 2 grams

Processed sugar goal: 25 grams  👍

🍸I spent a fair amount of time choosing an alcoholic beverage last night, looking for the least processed sugar.  Apparently, 2 oz of  dry gin has zero sugar, 1 oz of vermouth contains only natural sugar.  A martini seemed an excellent choice this month, until my lips and knees went numb and I remembered that 3 oz of alcohol is way more than I typically indulge in – during  any week much less one day.

🫒 The garlic stuffed olives were simply a bad decision.

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

Daily Food Diary – Day 69 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness

I have been recording and posting everything that I consume for the past sixty nine days.   Being mindful of every single thing that I eat is a bit challenging, less so as time goes on.   Being mindful that everything I eat (at least at mealtimes), also affects what Dan eats, is slightly more challenging.  It isn’t that much of an issue.  Having been married for almost twenty six years, we have worked out meal plans that work for both of us.

Then there is Molly!

Molly is fed Blue Buffalo dog food, two cups twice a day – plus the occasional dog treat, popcorn, or nut.  For the past several months, we have been putting one Omega gel cap in with her morning food.   Molly would get up every morning, head outside to do her business, walk the perimeter of our yard to make sure everything was in order, and come back in the house to snarf down her breakfast – including the Omega. 

A few days ago, Molly decided that she was offended by the Omega gel cap.  She would balk at eating her food, take the Omega out and place it on a small mat, and finally eat her food.  THEN, she decided she could not eat until she removed the offending gel cap AND we dumped her food and replaced it with fresh, non Omega tainted food.

This week, Molly will eat her breakfast AND her Omega, BUT only if she sees Dan putting her food and the Omega into her bowl.

Trying to improve my eating habits, and Dan’s by default,  has its challenges.   Living with a Pyrenees – and feeding one, these days, takes that challenge to a  whole new level. 🤦

Food Diary – Day 69

Breakfast:

(1) c coffee (2)  (.3)

(1) c Honeynut Cheerios (147) (2.7)

(1/4) c 2% milk (31) (2)

Snacks:

(24) oz water

(1) c Tumeric Tea

(2) pc’s  matrimonial cake (278) (2)

Supper:

(12) oz carbonated water

(1/2) c brown beans (300) (20)

(3) Pork Spare Ribs  (300) (16)

(1) Side salad with dressing and dried fried onions  (180) (7.7)

(20) oz water (after supper)

Total calories: 1238

Total Protein: 50.7 grams

Daily goal for protein: 46 to 58.5 grams

* The recipe I used for the matrimonial cake called for Maple Syrup instead of sugar, plus it omitted the lemon juice,  in the date filling.  I am not sure why it would need Maple Syrup or sugar with dates.  We didn’t notice the difference in taste using the Maple Syrup, but I certainly missed the lemon juice! 

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

Daily Food Diary – Day 46 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025

It is Sunday morning and I am celebrating 46 days in, eating more mindfully by tracking and posting my Daily Food Diary.

Dan, Molly, and I are also celebrating Molly’s third birthday!  We aren’t doing much but Molly is going for a ride out to the cemetery for a visit with Dan’s dad,  Nick who would likewise be celebrating his birthday today.

Molly – 3 Years Old Today!

I can’t believe how fast these past two years have gone since Dan has been home full time.  The first year of Molly’s life, Dan was working thirteen hour shifts, twenty four seven.  That year lasted forever!   I felt a profound sense of relief and gratitude for every day that we survived and counted the days until Molly  would be a year old and capable of reining in her attitude and exuberance.  (Spoiler alert – I’m still waiting, but things have improved now that Dan is retired.  Dogs choose their own pack leader and Molly chose Dan to set some boundaries.)

First Day in Molly’s forever home.
Exploring the pond
Eating the cedars 🤦
Also, eating numerous harnesses! 🙄
Cooling off.  Also…. Wet fur is great for collecting sand, dirt, leaves, branches – pretty much anything she could drag into the house.
Molly going through her lapdog phase.
Having her first bath – thankful for Pet Smart bathing centres!
She loved company – especially if it was the grandkids
And she liked working out with me…

Over the past two years, Molly has dialed it back a bit. 

With the grandkids…(Primrose & Molly)
Lounging with Dan…
Taking nature hikes…
Running at the dogpark (until four feet of packed snow turned the fence into a suggestion) 🤦
And just being our big, beautiful, goofy, girl MOLLY!

Food Diary – Day 46

(1) c coffee (2)

(1) c Shreddies with milk and sugar (247)

(21) Tater tots (300)

(24) oz water

(1) c tea (1)

(25) Ripple chips  (270)

(4) oz dark skinless turkey meat  (183)

(1 1/2) c macaroni & cheese (350)

(1 1/2) c steamed brussel sprouts with butter, salt & pepper. (120)

(1) Side salad (150)

(12) oz carbonated water

(2) mini chocolate cupcakes (200)

Total calories: 1822

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

Happy Birthday Molly! 🎂

Daily Food Diary – Day 4 of 365

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2025, Health and Fitness, Uncategorized

I’m just burning through this challenge.  I’m already at Day Four and I haven’t had a miss yet! 🤗

We are still huddled down in our extreme  cold spell, so Dan and I spent a good part of the day in the kitchen yesterday whipping up some comfort food to take the chill off.

Dan chopped and I cooked for a pot of Beef, Vegetable, and Barley soup.
I mixed and Dan formed a tray of Baking Powder Biscuits.  The big ones are for yeastless breakfast sandwiches in the days to come.

Food Diary – Day Four

(1) c coffee

(23) mini wheats

(1/4) c 2% milk

(8) oz water

(1) Apple

(2) Bowls of Beef/Vegetable/Barley soup **

(2) Baking Powder/Cheese Biscuits – made with butter and served likewise

(12) oz carbonated water

(1) cookie

** Soup was made with beef broth, beef, barley, onion, leek, carrots, celery, mushrooms, cabbage,  baby Bok Choy and a dash of salt, pepper, and ground hot peppers.

Fun fact… Barley is one of the best foods to eat when dealing with high cholesterol.   Butter is not.  But butter tastes better. 🙂

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

Is anyone else ready for birthday and barbecue season?  ( Genie & Prim)

Molly is Two

by annemariedemyen, posted in 2024

Last week, our Molly girl turned two years old.  It is amazing how fast she has grown up and how much has happened in these two short years.

First trip to the vet…

We got Molly in April of 2022, one year after I retired.  Dan was still working shift work so it was typically just Molly and me.   I worked with her a lot in those first few months.  She is very smart so she was a quick learner.   She crushed commands like ‘sit’ and ‘stay’  in no time!

Molly, ‘sitting’ and smiling.

We made regular trips to the vet for vaccinations, spaying, and post surgery check-up.  Molly handled it all like a pro. Her $ value increased exponentially.  💸💸

Even getting around our little house with her BIG conehead.

Dan came with us to help Molly maneuver her first bath.  He bathed, I assisted, Molly enjoyed!

One clean, happy, pup!

The steel company that Dan worked for ‘temporarily’ closed down their pipe plant where he worked in February of 2023.  He was now home full-time.   Molly quickly adjusted to having Mom and Dad cater to her. 

And it was perfect timing since I was recovering from the broken arm I received in a collision with Molly at the dogpark.

Taking Molly to the dogpark soon became one of Dan’s daily ‘chores’.  I went with them until late last fall when my lungs couldn’t handle the wind in the open park.   They kept up the routine except for a couple of bitterly cold weeks this  January.

At the off-leash dogpark last summer with Ripple, and Willie, and Artie.

Last fall, we also started hiking some of the trails in and around Regina.  Molly loved being out in the country.  Walking on a leash, not so much.

Out hiking Wascana Trails.

In November, Dan officially retired.   Molly went from being ‘MY’ girl, to being ‘OUR’ girl, to being ‘DAD’S’ girl. 

Most mornings, Dad feeds her.  Later they head to the park, while I do my workout.  Molly runs and wrestles with her friends, while Dad hangs out and chats with the other humans. 

Afternoons are for resting and waiting for Dad to get back from running errands.

Where is he?

And evenings, after I get to feed her, are dedicated to lounging with Dad.   Occasionally I  try to join them, but then  Molly has to choose between her spot next to Dad or her spot by the window.  That never goes well, so it is generally easier to stay in my own little rocking chair.

Just chillin’

I have to admit, I had no idea what we were getting ourselves into when this little ball of fur came into our lives.  What I thought would be just a ‘big old dog’ has turned out to be anything but ‘JUST’ !  When people see her, tell us how beautiful and ask us where they can get a Great Pyrenees of their own, my first inclination is to warn them that we make living with a Molly dog looks way easier than it actually is.   

Molly is indeed beautiful and happy.  She can be gentle, chill, polite, patient, quiet, obedient and well behaved.   She prefers to be stubborn, loud, boisterous, destructive (as in an “I accidentally ate a tree”  sort of way).  She prefers to get attention when she wants it – in any way she can get it.  Her favourite way, is to snatch Dan’s slippers or my pillow or any towel, blanket, cardboard box, pail,  or well – pretty much anything! 

Regardless, life with Molly is life worth living.   Two years down and the best is yet  to come. 💞😊

Molly – 2 Years Old 🎂

Take care and have a great day! 💞🌞