I love the change of seasons and always look forward to the upcoming one (even winter!). I love snow, and stormy days. But as February moves on, I find myself with more and more thoughts of spring! Oh, to be able to go outside without a coat, or go to the mailbox without worrying about falling down (I am 65, you know!).
I decided the best antidote I could think of for this winter-weary condition was to start a new quilt. I have had some thirties fabric since last April when Jill and I shopped in Lancaster and decided today was the day to cut it out! It was Go-cutter friendly, and I did lots of cranking, and my shoulders feel it some tonight! I didn't used to like thirties fabric, but it has grown on me, enough that I want to make a quilt.
I am resisting the urge to make a few parts and sew them into blocks. For this quilt, I want to make ALL the components and then start assembling them. There are 20 blocks in the quilt, and 4 4 1/2 inch HST's in each block. I have all 80 of them sewn, pressed, and the dog ears trimmed off them. Then I started sewing the 2 1/2 inch HST's. There are 16 of them in each block, 320 total. I got 50 some done and pressed tonight. Progress! It is always a thrill to start a new project. Wish I had some pictures!
My decluttering project continues. Right now the path through our bedroom is pretty narrow. I will need to work on it tomorrow!! I have three file boxes of convention notes that are going to go under the counter top in our bedroom. I have been hauling them in and out of the laundry room for a few months. I treasure them very much and will be glad to have a good place for them. I worked on a shelf in my laundry room today. There were some old clothes there in a laundry basket, probably to be ironed. Some went to the garbage (Ouch! I sewed them myself!) and some went for donation. Great! I found space on the shelf and started stacking tablecloths and table runners. How nice to have a home for them, too!! Little by little, I am making progress.
Friday, February 9, 2018
Monday, February 5, 2018
Gathering Up More Stuff
Decluttering the Dana White way is interesting. Instead of just hauling everything out, you just grab some obvious things that need to go. There is something about doing it that way that feeds my motivation to do more. I think I wrote that I pull out skirts to donate every laundry day when I am hanging my clean skirts back up. Little "tricks" like that keep the whole project from being overwhelming.
Today I gathered up a large box of yarn to give to a lady who knits and crochets for charity. I may have some more stashed in my laundry room to add to it. That will mean more room in my laundry room cupboard!
I also boxed up some old, old books to give to Ross or Roy. Both seem to be enjoying doing ebay this winter. And both seemed somewhat interested in trying to sell them that way. Ross and Kate are planning a 25 cent yard sale in the spring, so perhaps if they take them and can't ebay them, they can move them that way. Room on the bookshelf will be used for cookbooks, which I have loads of, but can't part with...yet anyways. Maybe some will go when I move them.
The important thing is that these things are going OUT OF MY HOUSE! And, they are leaving some space behind, which will be good to re-adjust things I DO want to keep and use.
I have an ongoing project in our bedroom, which has badly needed some help. In our futon room upstairs, we had a small desk with four drawers in it. We brought it down to our bedroom to put the laptop on. The printer sets on the left side, with a lamp in between. The computer mouse sits to the right of the computer. Wow, not much space. But, guess what--there is not room for junk and untidiness! Our printer paper and ink tanks are stowed away in the drawers instead of setting on the countertop.
The goal behind the desk move is to get the counter top by the door of the room cleared off so Ken can put his scroll saw items on it. I didn't work on that project today, but hope to tomorrow, some anyways. Today's focus was laundry and finishing a twister table topper.
All in all, I am pleased with my progress so far. Even though I know I have a long ways to go, it feels good to be getting unnecessary stuff OUT. And, I am looking at things in our house differently, too--like noticing an old Mr. Coffee sitting down cellar on my canning cupboard. No, I am not going to ever, ever use that, and I don't think it is good to anyone else. Next trip there, I will bring it up to the garbage.
Until next time...ALG
Today I gathered up a large box of yarn to give to a lady who knits and crochets for charity. I may have some more stashed in my laundry room to add to it. That will mean more room in my laundry room cupboard!
I also boxed up some old, old books to give to Ross or Roy. Both seem to be enjoying doing ebay this winter. And both seemed somewhat interested in trying to sell them that way. Ross and Kate are planning a 25 cent yard sale in the spring, so perhaps if they take them and can't ebay them, they can move them that way. Room on the bookshelf will be used for cookbooks, which I have loads of, but can't part with...yet anyways. Maybe some will go when I move them.
The important thing is that these things are going OUT OF MY HOUSE! And, they are leaving some space behind, which will be good to re-adjust things I DO want to keep and use.
I have an ongoing project in our bedroom, which has badly needed some help. In our futon room upstairs, we had a small desk with four drawers in it. We brought it down to our bedroom to put the laptop on. The printer sets on the left side, with a lamp in between. The computer mouse sits to the right of the computer. Wow, not much space. But, guess what--there is not room for junk and untidiness! Our printer paper and ink tanks are stowed away in the drawers instead of setting on the countertop.
The goal behind the desk move is to get the counter top by the door of the room cleared off so Ken can put his scroll saw items on it. I didn't work on that project today, but hope to tomorrow, some anyways. Today's focus was laundry and finishing a twister table topper.
All in all, I am pleased with my progress so far. Even though I know I have a long ways to go, it feels good to be getting unnecessary stuff OUT. And, I am looking at things in our house differently, too--like noticing an old Mr. Coffee sitting down cellar on my canning cupboard. No, I am not going to ever, ever use that, and I don't think it is good to anyone else. Next trip there, I will bring it up to the garbage.
Until next time...ALG
Friday, February 2, 2018
Donating, Donating
Yesterday I posted on two facebook pages, one from DuBois and one from Brockway. I asked the question--where can I donate clothes, household items, and yarn? Wow, did I get feedback! I had already taken things to the Salvation Army, but wanted to know what other options were available. We are not enamored with Goodwill. Come to find out, there are a couple of churches that accept clothing and shoes and have times when needy people can "shop" for free. Sounds like what I want! Another lady responded that her elderly mother knits and crochets caps and scarves for veterans and items for NICU in DuBois. I will box up my yarn for her!
Somehow, my mindset is changing and I am starting to get my mind around the concept of TOO MUCH STUFF! For many years I kept things because, "I might need this someday". Now my thought is, "Am I using this or just storing it?" There is so much useful information in the book How to Manage Your Home without Losing Your Mind, I figured out that many of my drawers and cupboards are full if things that I am storing, and the things I am wearing/using sit on top of the counters, etc. Solution: Donate what I am not using!
Another epiphany: It seems to me that when I reduce the amount of stuff I have, organization will be unnecessary!
My method for reducing my number of skirts is: when I put my clean laundry away, I must take out as many skirts as I am putting away. That way my overload will be reduced by seven or eight skirts a week.
And, if I donate two bags and one box a week, how long will it take me to get my house pared down?
At least I am making a beginning...
Somehow, my mindset is changing and I am starting to get my mind around the concept of TOO MUCH STUFF! For many years I kept things because, "I might need this someday". Now my thought is, "Am I using this or just storing it?" There is so much useful information in the book How to Manage Your Home without Losing Your Mind, I figured out that many of my drawers and cupboards are full if things that I am storing, and the things I am wearing/using sit on top of the counters, etc. Solution: Donate what I am not using!
Another epiphany: It seems to me that when I reduce the amount of stuff I have, organization will be unnecessary!
My method for reducing my number of skirts is: when I put my clean laundry away, I must take out as many skirts as I am putting away. That way my overload will be reduced by seven or eight skirts a week.
And, if I donate two bags and one box a week, how long will it take me to get my house pared down?
At least I am making a beginning...
Wednesday, January 31, 2018
There are a few things this winter that I am "into". One is milling flour with a Nutrimill that I got in November. Next is that I have started collecting Pioneer Woman kitchen items, thanks to daughter Jill's inspiration. More recently I have read a book called How to Manage Your Home Without Losing Your Mind by Dana White. She also has a website/blog/facebook page called A Slob Comes Clean. These three things I will probably be writing about. I wish I were better with pictures. Someday I would like a smart phone to better post pictures here and on facebook.
Well, I have made a start at re-enacting my blog. Here goes!!
Well, I have made a start at re-enacting my blog. Here goes!!
January 31, 2018
I am trying to decide if I want to write my ramblings here or start a facebook page for them. Facebook is SO easy, but maybe if I practice here it will seem easy. I have just had a yen to share some of the things that are going on in my brain and life in my 65th year--or is that 66th? I turned 65 Dec. 7. This is a test.
I am trying to decide if I want to write my ramblings here or start a facebook page for them. Facebook is SO easy, but maybe if I practice here it will seem easy. I have just had a yen to share some of the things that are going on in my brain and life in my 65th year--or is that 66th? I turned 65 Dec. 7. This is a test.
Sunday, March 8, 2015
Food Changes
I have radically changed the foods that I eat.
Eight weeks ago, on January 10, I decided to take my health matters into my own hands. In a desperate effort to relieve chronic pain in my mid-section, I radically changed the food that I was eating.
Three months prior to that, I began to be troubled with pain in my upper back that kept me from being comfortable enough to sleep at night. A visit to the ER gave me a diagnosis of a muscular-skeletal problem and a prescription for Celebrex. Three days later I was in my doctor's office with a badly upset stomach(from the Celebrex) in addition to the pain. In the succeeding weeks, I had numerous trips to the doctor's, another trip to the ER, and test upon test- blood work, MRI, CT, x-rays, ultrasound, and gall bladder. Everything was normal except my Vitamin D was low, and I have the beginning of osteopenia. Somewhere along the line, I got a prescription for the pain killer, tramadol. I don't think it helped the pain, and it certainly led to constipation, and then my bladder began to be very sluggish. I quit that stuff, then seemed to have some withdrawal symptoms at night from it. In the middle of the various tests, the doctor sent me for physical therapy, which only helped a little bit. Some therapy sessions caused me increased misery for a day or so.The pain moved to my shoulder blade area. Then the dr. discontinued therapy and prescribed prednisone. Wow, what results I got from that!! I was pretty comfortable for a week or 10 days.
Ten days after the prednisone, the pain returned to my front right mid-section. All these many weeks, about three months in all, I slept very, very poorly. I could not get comfortable because of the pain. I went from bed to recliner to couch to a chair to walking the floors to try to get some relief. A heated- up corn bag gave me some relief or comfort. A hot bath helped some, too. There were several nights in that time that I took an evening bath and another in just a few hours. I figured I probably did not get more that three or four hours of sleep a night during that time. I hated to go to bed, but was too weary in the evening to stay up til my normal bedtime of 11 PM. It was awful, just plain awful. Ken was very supportive of me. One night I was up and seemed so short of breath that I was afraid I was going to die. I woke Ken up, and he realized I was hyper-ventilating. He helped me overcome it.
A very painful night just before Christmas sent me back to the ER. I was afraid my bowel had kinked or something. The doctor was rude and very un-helpful to say the least. He said my constipation (thanks to tramadol, which I had discontinued a couple of weeks prior) produced a back-up of stool which could cause my symptoms. They gave me a bottle of laxative and sent me home. I took two more bottles of that stuff in the next couple of days, and I got a good clean-out, but my pain remained unchanged.
All along here, with these numerous doctor visits, I did not get any diagnosis of my problem. Dr. and his PA could not figure anything out. The last time I went to them, December 31, I begged them to send me somewhere else if they couldn't help me. But, oh, wait a minute, we want you to have a test on your gall bladder. We will give you another week of prednisone tablets to help you in the meantime. An earlier ultrasound had showed it to be normal, but this test was more specific. Of course, it came back normal, too. Finally they referred me to a rheumatology clinic in Altoona, PA.
At about the time I got my referral to Altoona, I had decided to try to change my nutrition. I did some research on the internet and talked to our daughter, Jill, who is an RN and is also doing the paleo diet. Since I had had such a good response to prednisone, an anti-inflammatory, I figured I must have inflammation in my system. It wasn't too hard to find out that there are foods that decrease inflammation and foods and medicines that increase inflammation. My thought was to eat plenty of the good foods and leave off the things that contributed to inflammation.
That meant going off of sugar, cold-turkey. I am talking about foods made with sugar, which I had eaten in abundance. Cookies, candy, homemade bread & rolls, cakes, ice cream--all those things I enjoyed and craved. I also gave up any artificial sweeteners, which took care of my Diet Decaf Coke and my Equal on cereal. What I did eat was, and still is: berries, particularly blueberries, broccoli, sweet potatoes, spinach. I eat just a little pasta, rice, and noodles, but not often. I haven't concluded yet that wheat bothers me, or dairy and eggs either. The sugar I know was a huge offender. I stay away from processed foods, too, since most of them have sugar in them.
The first few days were rough. I wanted sugar so bad! At about day 5, I noticed a difference in my level of pain. It was still there, but not as troublesome! At that time I was taking Alleve and Advil, which I now know were not good choices. I diminished them and stopped altogether when I learned that Advil makes leaky gut worse. My night's sleep began to improve. Now, after eight weeks, my sleep is wonderful and back to normal.
I have read several books about the anti-inflammation diet, and keep doing research on my health. I still get sore in my middle when I stand up for a long time. That is improving little by little. Going shopping is improving, too. When I was in misery, walking through a store was painful, now it is not too bad!
More and more I am eating out of the produce department! Just the last couple of days I have started juicing with a borrowed juicer. It consumes lots of veggies! Today's carrot juice, a little over a cup, was five carrots and one apple! No way could I every eat five carrots! But I can drink down the juice. I have also made green juices with spinach and kale, etc., and it isn't bad either. It is certainly something I can do if it improves my health. It's an easier way to get vegetables in.
My appointment with the rheumatologist was scheduled for March 5, but I rescheduled it for late April. If I were symptom-free at this point, I would have cancelled it, but I didn't really want to "burn the bridge". Little by little, I am improving.
As a fringe benefit, I am slowly dropping pounds! I had lost about 10 pounds in those three months of miseries before I changed my diet. Now I have lost an additional 12 pounds on my anti-inflammation diet. I think my soreness in my middle will decrease as my belly fat decreases. We shall see.
And, to top it all off, I have not been to see a doctor since December 31!!
Eight weeks ago, on January 10, I decided to take my health matters into my own hands. In a desperate effort to relieve chronic pain in my mid-section, I radically changed the food that I was eating.
Three months prior to that, I began to be troubled with pain in my upper back that kept me from being comfortable enough to sleep at night. A visit to the ER gave me a diagnosis of a muscular-skeletal problem and a prescription for Celebrex. Three days later I was in my doctor's office with a badly upset stomach(from the Celebrex) in addition to the pain. In the succeeding weeks, I had numerous trips to the doctor's, another trip to the ER, and test upon test- blood work, MRI, CT, x-rays, ultrasound, and gall bladder. Everything was normal except my Vitamin D was low, and I have the beginning of osteopenia. Somewhere along the line, I got a prescription for the pain killer, tramadol. I don't think it helped the pain, and it certainly led to constipation, and then my bladder began to be very sluggish. I quit that stuff, then seemed to have some withdrawal symptoms at night from it. In the middle of the various tests, the doctor sent me for physical therapy, which only helped a little bit. Some therapy sessions caused me increased misery for a day or so.The pain moved to my shoulder blade area. Then the dr. discontinued therapy and prescribed prednisone. Wow, what results I got from that!! I was pretty comfortable for a week or 10 days.
Ten days after the prednisone, the pain returned to my front right mid-section. All these many weeks, about three months in all, I slept very, very poorly. I could not get comfortable because of the pain. I went from bed to recliner to couch to a chair to walking the floors to try to get some relief. A heated- up corn bag gave me some relief or comfort. A hot bath helped some, too. There were several nights in that time that I took an evening bath and another in just a few hours. I figured I probably did not get more that three or four hours of sleep a night during that time. I hated to go to bed, but was too weary in the evening to stay up til my normal bedtime of 11 PM. It was awful, just plain awful. Ken was very supportive of me. One night I was up and seemed so short of breath that I was afraid I was going to die. I woke Ken up, and he realized I was hyper-ventilating. He helped me overcome it.
A very painful night just before Christmas sent me back to the ER. I was afraid my bowel had kinked or something. The doctor was rude and very un-helpful to say the least. He said my constipation (thanks to tramadol, which I had discontinued a couple of weeks prior) produced a back-up of stool which could cause my symptoms. They gave me a bottle of laxative and sent me home. I took two more bottles of that stuff in the next couple of days, and I got a good clean-out, but my pain remained unchanged.
All along here, with these numerous doctor visits, I did not get any diagnosis of my problem. Dr. and his PA could not figure anything out. The last time I went to them, December 31, I begged them to send me somewhere else if they couldn't help me. But, oh, wait a minute, we want you to have a test on your gall bladder. We will give you another week of prednisone tablets to help you in the meantime. An earlier ultrasound had showed it to be normal, but this test was more specific. Of course, it came back normal, too. Finally they referred me to a rheumatology clinic in Altoona, PA.
At about the time I got my referral to Altoona, I had decided to try to change my nutrition. I did some research on the internet and talked to our daughter, Jill, who is an RN and is also doing the paleo diet. Since I had had such a good response to prednisone, an anti-inflammatory, I figured I must have inflammation in my system. It wasn't too hard to find out that there are foods that decrease inflammation and foods and medicines that increase inflammation. My thought was to eat plenty of the good foods and leave off the things that contributed to inflammation.
That meant going off of sugar, cold-turkey. I am talking about foods made with sugar, which I had eaten in abundance. Cookies, candy, homemade bread & rolls, cakes, ice cream--all those things I enjoyed and craved. I also gave up any artificial sweeteners, which took care of my Diet Decaf Coke and my Equal on cereal. What I did eat was, and still is: berries, particularly blueberries, broccoli, sweet potatoes, spinach. I eat just a little pasta, rice, and noodles, but not often. I haven't concluded yet that wheat bothers me, or dairy and eggs either. The sugar I know was a huge offender. I stay away from processed foods, too, since most of them have sugar in them.
The first few days were rough. I wanted sugar so bad! At about day 5, I noticed a difference in my level of pain. It was still there, but not as troublesome! At that time I was taking Alleve and Advil, which I now know were not good choices. I diminished them and stopped altogether when I learned that Advil makes leaky gut worse. My night's sleep began to improve. Now, after eight weeks, my sleep is wonderful and back to normal.
I have read several books about the anti-inflammation diet, and keep doing research on my health. I still get sore in my middle when I stand up for a long time. That is improving little by little. Going shopping is improving, too. When I was in misery, walking through a store was painful, now it is not too bad!
More and more I am eating out of the produce department! Just the last couple of days I have started juicing with a borrowed juicer. It consumes lots of veggies! Today's carrot juice, a little over a cup, was five carrots and one apple! No way could I every eat five carrots! But I can drink down the juice. I have also made green juices with spinach and kale, etc., and it isn't bad either. It is certainly something I can do if it improves my health. It's an easier way to get vegetables in.
My appointment with the rheumatologist was scheduled for March 5, but I rescheduled it for late April. If I were symptom-free at this point, I would have cancelled it, but I didn't really want to "burn the bridge". Little by little, I am improving.
As a fringe benefit, I am slowly dropping pounds! I had lost about 10 pounds in those three months of miseries before I changed my diet. Now I have lost an additional 12 pounds on my anti-inflammation diet. I think my soreness in my middle will decrease as my belly fat decreases. We shall see.
And, to top it all off, I have not been to see a doctor since December 31!!
Tuesday, January 27, 2015
Just a test post!
Do I still remember how to do this?? I am thinking I should share some things about life now in my 60's, but want to test out my skills in doing this.
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