GOT A MINUTE OR TWO

Several have ask me about my weight loss journey.  I've struggled with 30 pounds for years...up 30 ~ down 30...but never able to maintain the healthy weight.  I finally think I've got it!!  So here is my story! January 1st 2019 I started a "Discipline" to lose 30 pounds.  It took me six months ~ June 1st I had lost the 30 pounds by sticking to a regiment of  "no bread" (which meant very little butter ~ what are you going to put it on...HaHa)  I had crust less vegetable quiche for breakfast and a cup of coffee with cream.  For lunch I would have a salad or lettuce wrap of tuna or chicken salad.  At 3 pm I would treat myself to a cup of coffee with cream and a scone, or cookie or slice of banana bread (whatever I had made).  Dinner was whatever I fixed for Don but mine was on a small plate.  I drank lots of water and didn't eat after dinner.  I did that religiously for six months and wrote down every thing I ate on a note book in ...

With my dearest new regiment of "NO SALT" (as much as humanly possible) has becomes a challenge to make some of his favorite dishes and have them taste the same as the old way! One is my homemade Minestrone Soup.  Yesterday I gave it a try.  Most of the salt comes from the canned food in the recipe.  Like the beans, stewed tomatoes, and mostly the rich salty broth! So I used low sodium chicken broth, and drained and rinsed the beans.  The onions, cabbage, carrots, celery, zucchini are all fresh.  I added fresh dill, basil, cilantro, and garlic.  Then used the salt free seasoning from Costco and a cup of pasta noodles. It actually tasted really good, but next time I will get low sodium "BEEF" broth for the rich color and taste.   WHEN MY HONEY IS SATISFIED ~~ I'M SATISFIED! We have had weather in the 90's in October!  Sweater Weather in the morning, and swimsuits in the afternoon.  Go Figure!!

On Wednesday nights, I teach the 4 and 5 year olds at our KID'S TIME program.  Last Wednesday night, one of the little girls looked at my hands and said,  "Miss Wanda, you have OLD hands."   To which I replied, "That's because I'm old, Emery."   Then she looked down at my feet, and said with a smile "But you have YOUNG feet".   You just have to love the honesty of children.  How about that ~ my feet do look younger than my hands.  I think these old hands do more work,  HaHa.

It's been a while since I posted, but things are going very well as my dearest gains strength every day.  Has put on some weight that is "good weight" not water!! We needed a new shower head so off to Home Depot we went.  He was walking with his cane, when an employee came by in the cart on her way to put it back at the front of the store.  She saw his cane and ask if he would like to take the cart.   Being the kid he is, he said sure.  Since he is suppose to be walking...his excuse was Home Depot is REALLY A BIG STORE, and the shower heads were all the way down aisle 16 and then down to 37!!!  A long walk, HaHa. So off he goes with the cart, and I can hardly keep up with him.  A boy and his toy.  I knew immediately he was feeling better. Besides the exercise we do on our own, he joined me this week down at the clubhouse for an hour of exercise for Seniors.  He did great, and stayed the whole hour. December 13th he is going to have ...

    Our little grandson, Tristan (age 6) continues to amaze us with his fishing ability.  Jill sent me these pictures that show him pulling in a big salmon by himself.  Look at the arch in that pole!  He reels it in, and his daddy nets it for him. I don't know how much it weighed, but you can tell by his expression it's heavy!!   Back home, it's cleaned and filet for a yummy and healthy dinner! How I wish I was in Oregon right now enjoying a piece of that fresh fish. A big event in any boy's life is a dog.  And this is "Lucky".  A beautiful female golden lab.  She's 8 weeks old and will be so loved by Tristan and his family. On the home front ~~~ My dearest continues to improve and get stronger every day!  It's so marvelous to see him gaining weight that is from a good appetite and not that water retention.  He is doing arm and leg exercises and we walk in the complex twice a day.  The goal now, is ...

One of my favorite memories of childhood was going to my Aunt Cassie's house.  She ALWAYS had goodies on her coffee table.  One was a container of "Bugles", some kind of candy and nuts. They were not a decoration, but she expected us to enjoy them.  And we did, and all of us kids loved Aunt Cassie. We have children that still come to our door for my cookies.  Now they peek in to see what is on the coffee table.  HaHa.   I have been keeping a jar of "unsalted" nuts on the nesting table, and some different candies in a pumpkin shaped bowl, Jolly Roger hard candy in the yellow leaf, and in  the covered pumpkin dish is corn candy.  I can be assured the kids will show up! I didn't give it much thought until I was sitting on the couch the other morning drinking my coffee.  I had a flashback of Aunt Cassie's coffee table and how much we loved visiting her and her "Coffee Table".   I'm proud to be "Turning into my Aunt Cassie".  I...

You are looking at a "Happy Camper" praising the Lord for the work He has been doing in our lives.  It's been a long and bumpy road, and much has happened since my last post. First of all, even though I was not blogging, I heard from many of you that you were continuing to pray for my dearest.  God has heard and is healing! We are past the worst and now gaining new strength for the future.  I won't bore you with all the details, but over the past few months and three hospital trips, finally the 30 pounds of fluid from the congestive heart failure is gone!  It took my dearest down to 135 pounds.  But PTL after 3 months of Cardiac Rehab and now a salt free diet (as much as humanly possible) and a regulated intake of water and fluids we are back up to 141 pounds.  We had home nurse care for two weeks after his last stay in the hospital and they were wonderful.  Showing us how to exercise at home, how much and how often.  A walking regiment and ...