Heather Shrinks in Houston!

[Houston Heather]

No, I let it expire in 2005. I already had a cell phone by then and the Houston 2 meters and 440 circuit just isn't that lively here. In the SF Bay area they were jumping, all the time. You were easily categorized by the repeater you used. Did you use "Mother" in San Francisco? They were picky, so you had approval. We did. The "Cave" in the East Bay was just plain weird. There were "Bad Boy" repeaters in the East Bay, too, but woe to the Ham who "keyed up" on one of them, once your call sign went out you were on the bad list and no good ham would want you on his repeater. Very much a club membership scene. Ron and I had the "Joel" repeater. We found out one day we were talking on his input. He was very nice about it and said, why don't you use my repeater? We did. He had heard plenty of us by this time. It was very nice. He even gave Ron a few codes so he could check his signal and all.

We had 2 antennas on the roof of our apartment. The landlord was only interested in cashing the rent checks and didn't care.

Ron installed them himself, actually, one was 20 feet tall, and the other was 30 feet tall. One was connected to a motor that would swing the antenna around and point it. The wires ran down the side of the building and through our patio door. The other was an "Omni" and broadcast in all directions. I had a panic attack when I tried to go up on the (third floor) roof. I was useless. So, Ron had me stand at the top of the ladder while he used the white cane to navigate on top of the roof. He ran a wire from the ladder to the antenna. He could climb the ladder, put his hand on the wire, and walk straight to the antenna when he needed to service it.

You can see why I get so frustrated when people try to tell me Ron can't do things. They just don't know him.

Here? Nothing. Empty, dead air. Too many repeaters, in fact. In San Francisco you only had a limited number; in Houston you have hundreds. They only do the weather alert stuff on "our" bands, so we gave up. Not to mention, in thunderstorm country an antenna on the roof is a very bad idea - no landlord would allow it. We even have a deed restriction in our subdivision, no ham radio antennas. Frankly, they ARE an eyesore so I don't mind.

I do plan to run a copper wire around two sides of the house to make a basic shortwave antenna for Ron's little radio. It ought to be easy. My Dad's an engineer and I have a lot of the left-brained "get under the hood and figure it out" mentality.

We had planned to go to Walmart this morning, early. We did that. Ron had also made a trip to go to work, but he slept badly and cancelled it.

We just went to Walmart and home. Due to the great soda escapade, we have to get up at 2:30 tomorrow morning, so early to bed for me.

I think that we're going to work, the bank, going to Cracker Barrel and home. Today at Walmart I got Ron a bunch of TV dinners. He is able to eat them now, so that'll help with the weight gain. He had beef taquitos for "dinner" with some cheese sauce. And a glass of milk. Mexican food always makes Ron fat.

I'm up around 175 still - heavy whipping cream? Most of the water retention is gone so I'm going to cut back a little, more meat and veggies for a bit. I don't want to gain. I don't mind maintaining for a bit but I don't want to gain.

My sister called, I gotta call her back.

[Houston Heather]

A good dessert: a cup of decaf vanilla coffee, with a little bit of cinnamon added in. Tasty.

[Snowman]

Originally Posted by Houston Heather

He wanted Macaroni and Beef - if I fix something out of a can or box, he loves it, but not fresh, real foods.

Heather ~ My DH is the same way....go figure!! He'd rather have canned soups
than my homemade soup!!

I think you are doing a FANTASTIC job taking care of Ron & yourself!

I'm glad Ron gave you some love and thanked you for taking care of him. Even though I know you do it because you love him, we all need a little pat on the back sometimes!!

I think of you often and YOU are such an inspiration to me, more than you know!!

[Houston Heather]

Awwww....

Two people yesterday, one of them a Walmart employee with FAS (he had the characteristic behavior and features), told me what a wonderful wife I was. I was kind of confused, but pleased.

The other guy was a friend of Ron's, he kept going on about how "most" women would have dumped him at one of many points along the rocky road. Ron was so lucky to have me, why did I pick him? I just shrugged and said "I'm not most women. Ron and I take care of each other.". I told Ron, he's going to want to watch that one. Not that I'm stupid enough to leave.

We got up at 2 AM. Went to work, earrrrrlly. Got there before 4 - I didn't look. I cleaned all the old stuff off the pallet and put it up, then dragged the old pallet across the hall. I gave Ron a couple hundred pounds of coffee stuff and drinks, it took him over an hour to put them away on his own! The biggest case is about 40 pounds. His doctor would be pleased to hear he was wrangling heavy things.

He went up on his Neurontin - he's doing the "I don't want to need them" thing that I went through with my medication - but I never skipped doses or went way down on his dose. According to the insert, he could have a seizure if he keeps playing around like that. It might serve him right! Wake up in the emergency room... because he was an idiot. I've told him, repeatedly, take your pills. He hurts both of us when he doesn't because he gets VERY cranky.

I put up the soda. About 5:30 the driver showed up. I checked in our pallet, wrote the check, and rotated the old stock. We stack the cases up on milk crates. Say we have 6 cases of orange, which we did. I pulled them all out, stacked the new stuff in the back, and put the old stuff on the top and in the front. I moved well over a TON of soda that way. Grrrr. Me bad. It was a good workout.

Ron had a 3 hour workday and I had 5 hours of work. I saw a bunch of trainees so I had to do snacks. They are kind of like locusts, they will clean me out if I'm not completely stocked. That is a very, very, good thing, let me emphasize. If no one is buying then we're screwed.

I filled them up. Towards the end of the day, I was running around, several more things to do, REALLY had to pee, and Metrolift was due 5 minutes ago.

I ran out in the hall and the door slammed behind me. It locks automatically. I was halfway to the bathroom when some contractors started shouting at me to unlock the door. They're supposed to have an escort when they're in the building, I'm NOT a Postal Worker, and frankly it's not my job.

I stopped, they were demanding I open the door and I was very overwhelmed. I said the first thing that came to mind "I need to go to the bathroom!". It was obvious I had way too much on my plate. I've gone out of my way to be nice to these guys. And they start laughing AT me. Trust me, I wasn't laughing, I was almost in tears, and these guys are basically taunting me.

I told them "I don't have time for this" and left them. They must have found someone else to let them in because when I went to help Ron they were moving their junk out of the cafeteria.

I was pretty upset, not that I had too much to do on a tight time deadline, and Ron was being a butt again "I have to do 10 bottles of water!" Or what? It was that, when they saw me wounded, they laughed at me in a cruel way.

I have a hard time forgiving people who do that. Yes, I am different. I am "weaker", mentally, than normal people. I have trouble processing audio information, and don't do well juggling multiple tasks on a tight time deadline. But I don't leave my husband to rot in a nursing home because he's acting weird after a head injury, either!

God will judge them. I hope to God I have never done anything unkind like that.

[Houston Heather]

My gallbladder is acting up again.

I am SO ready to lose the thing. I figure, if God wants it out, He'll make sure I have spectacular symptoms the require a trip to the hospital. Ron has the address of the county hospital.

Right now it's just some mild pain, nothing major. I actually think my fatty dinner blew the stone out of my gallbladder

[Houston Heather]

Ugh. Still bugging me. It doesn't really hurt much, but kind of a heartburny pressure sensation - ick.

I went to bed early last night and slept at least 10 hours. Woke up, still tired. Took my pills, went to work with Ron. Did the "pull" - took the money out and counted it. Then I got REALLY medicated.

I managed to get everything done and then outside to wait on Metrolift. We waited over an hour and fifteen minutes. The good news, it was warm (low 70's) and humid, so it wasn't bad waiting outside. The bad news, we waited over an hour.

We went to the bank, I got paid. Then I pushed Ron, in his chair, over to the mall. He ate a fried chicken sandwich ("not bad") and some chili from Wendy's. I had the insides of a Calzone and 2 hamburger patties. For some reason today, I was really tempted by the nice warm bread. I didn't eat it, though.

I am vain enough to admit I want to be as slim as possible when I see my aunt and my doctor on Thursday! Vain girl! Bread would inflate me.

I poked around at a couple of cute juniors stores, looking for a possible dress. I didn't see anything at the first couple, but the last one had these really cute romantic style blouses with some daring lace inserts. I plan to get a photo taken on Thursday so you can see. It's something I can wear in front of my "mature" male doctor and my aunt.

They had a sale on accessories, so I got some - I don't have any accessories really. We were supposed to go to Walmart, but it was not going to happen.

I told Ron to cancel it. We planned tomorrow so we go to work, go to Burger King, eat, he goes home, I go hit that cute belt store, go to a thrift store or 2, go to Walmart, and take a cab home. Sounds like fun!

Today, after we were done at the mall we came home and slept. I just woke up. Our driver from the mall told us all about her mother-in-law issues. She married a convict in prison and now his mother hates her. I don't know what it is about us, but people always want to tell us their problems!

We made sympathetic noises, which was all she wanted. When we got home, after the driver left, Ron wondered aloud at the man's crime. I told him "I don't WANT to know!"

I wouldn't have felt right riding with the wife of a rapist, for instance.

I am BLOATED. Too much whipping cream! 32.5 waist! 175 pounds! Ugh. I am hoping to process it all out in the next day or two, just stay away from the whipping cream. Should be easy enough.

I was very active today so that ought to help. I tend towards exercise bullimia so I have to be careful.

I ordered a couple of things, but they aren't here yet. If that's the worst, I'm not doing badly!

[Zer]

Heartburny? Sounds painful, worrisome too. Hope you feel better soon. Love how you hit that fancy belt store, to find something that highlights your waist. That's a terrific incentive to keep on keeping on with your LC program.

So glad that R is eating more, tolerating more tastes, not quite as picky. Surely this will result in him developing some love handles. Let's hope so!

Can hardly wait to see those lacy tops. New pix coming?

[Houston Heather]

Yup. I'm gonna play with the digital Mom sent me - she gave me her old one a while back. My aunt takes good photos, so on Thursday, I'm gonna hand it over, maybe have a wardrobe change or two, and have her fire away.

One of my favorite things about the belt store, Zer, is the fact that thay're all $4 each. I can load up on all my favorite colors! I have a nice list of food for Ron; I know it's not ideal for him to eat junk, but it will fill him up and it's fattening.

A cab ride home means I don't have a time deadline for shopping, spontinaeity if I choose to pop into a store, and no guilt at poor old Ron sitting up front, waiting. He'll be at home in bed with the cats!

Oh, I forgot to put my jeans in the dryer. I dripped ricotta cheese on them today at the mall while eviscerating my calzone.

[Houston Heather]

Sorry to get here so late!

Busy day, got up, went to work. BUSY BUSY! Something funny happened, though.

OK, Ron's got me running around at the last minute. Metrolift can come 15 minutes early so if your pickup is at 9, you need to be out there at 8:45. Our pickup could have been there 5 minutes ago, and Ron wants soda in our breadwinner soda machine.

I run into the stockroom. Mike, who is legally blind and works for the other vendor, is standing in the doorway talking to me as I load up my cart. He's playfully knocking his hand against the cart and waving it around. I notice something... red.

I look closely. He's BLEEDING. All over my cart! He must have cut his knuckle opening a box, and is bleeding all over my cart! I have soda on that cart!

I tell him "You're bleeding on my cart, you cut your knuckle somehow." He runs off to bind it. I run into the other stockroom and get gloves, disinfecting wipes, bleach, etc. Metro WILL be there in 7 minutes. I clean up the cart and bleach it. Poor Mike comes back trying to apologize and I basically run him off, telling him about Metrolift.

Ron's like "What took you so long?" I told him Mike had a "Code Red" (bleeding) on the cart. I'm still laughing thinking about it.

When I left, I called Mike "Hazmat". I got outside and the driver is loading Ron into the cab. I wave, and bolt for the cab, dragging my cart.

The cart and I get loaded up. We ride around for a while and go to Burger King. If we got the driver lunch, I couldn't say. We had a good lunch at Burger King, though. However many of us ate.

Ron went home, I went to the Beauty Supply store. I got belts! Several cute belts that work now, and when I am at GOAL! Cute cute cute.

I have been feeling the urge to do something fun colorwise with my hair, so I got some temporary spray. I like the hot pink. I will be Hot Pink Heather tomorrow.

I plan to pair a cute top, belt, and jeans. I got the cutest colored sneakers at Walmart for $5.

The blouses I got would require a strapless bra, and for some reason the fitting room at Walmart was incredibly unkind to me today. After the beauty supply store, I caught the bus, no waiting hardly, and went to the Salvation Army.

It was a really cold day so I was wearing my hooded sweatshirt, tshirt, jeans, and "big blue" my long puffy coat. I found 2 extremely cute dresses, one in black silk, very simple lines. The other one is a tank style dress in black linen, very dressy, simple, and classy. They are both a little tight - the silk didn't get past my hips, but it's only about 2 inches, and the linen fit great except for the bust again.

When I lose an inch or two off the bust, I'll have the cute eyelet dress, the linen tank dress, and a black and white floral that's adorable. While trying them on, I took off my wool had and stuck it in my hand basket.

Me and my cart got in line and paid up. It was Half Off Wednesday, pretty crazy at the SA. I left. It was COLD. Then I was like, where's my hat? I finally found it in my bag.

Yes. I was so medicated I bought my hat all over again! Oh, well, I like Salvation Army. I'm sure they can use the $1.

I went to Walmart next. I tried on some jeans and ADORABLE turquoise capris. They are just knee length and so cute. I got a 15, but it was laughable. It was pretty horrible in the fitting room. No way. Neither the jeans, or the 2 strapless bras worked either.

I felt very jiggly. I've been thinking recently, it is very impressive that I've maintained right now - in the last 4 months I've had a major hurricane, work downturn, way more responsibilities, Ron very sick and at the doctor constantly, both cats sick, and my Dad got very sick and almost died in December. All that, and I didn't gain!

Way to go, Heather. I don't give myself credit. Yeah, I'm still jiggly. But I got down to 152 before, and even if I can't do it again I'm still a winner.

With no evidence that it would work, I combined lithium and a low-carb diet and proved that weight loss and a better life is completely possible! My doctor says I'm a "Very smart woman" - other people call me "Amazing". My husband is proud of me and relieved that I'm a lot healthier now.

After that, I went off to hunt up Slimfast Low Carbs. They only had one! One! I snatched it out from under a baffled old lady in the nutrition aisle and rolled off to get cat food.

They love their tuna and shrimp. I give it to them on disposable foam plates. I am too tired to wash a cat plate every day. So, I got "cat plates". I wonder what people think when they read my list.

"Ron pears
Cat plates"

I am sticking to my no-aspartame policy. I had hoped to lose some weight as a result, but no. I am cutting it out because it's a neurotoxin - brain poison, according to some and I believe I lose better when I don't touch it. I don't miss it as much as I'd feared. I got a plain iced tea at Burger King and a plain iced tea at Walmart McDonald's, and they were good. Iced tea is supposed to have antioxidants so I'm doing my body a favor.

I got Ron a 6-pack of the Aquafina Flavor Splash Mixed Berry bottled water. He loves the stuff.

I got myself another gallon of the splenda sweet tea. Yum. Besides, I was taking a cab and had my cart. Ron wanted biscuits, strawberry jam, and butter. I got that. I got some taco flavored ground turkey. I just throw it in the skillet and cook it. Seems easy. I also got myself a 12 pack of the raw frozen hamburger patties. I like them and they're easy to cook. Bacon, cheese, all the good stuff.

After I got all the food (Ron proclaimed the Walmart fresh strawberries "delicious" when I bought them home), I went to McDonald's. I bought 3 (bunless) double hamburgers and ate 2. I left the other one - somewhere. I was feeling goofy.

Thank God I don't have a baby! Oh!

I waited outside for a while, it was nicely sunny even if it is "cold" (high in mid 40's), for the cab. He drove up eventually. I had a nice straight trip home, and everything fit in my cart. After I paid the man ($15 included a good tip) I just rolled the cart up my driveway.

Put up the cold stuff, feed Ron, and naptime! Then I woke up, played with my temporary hair stuff, and came here.

Tomorrow we go to my doctor (all the way 'cross town), a long ride probably. Then after I see him, my aunt will take us somewhere to eat. Ron is thinking, Chilis. Then she drops us at the doctor's office and we wait on Metrolift. Another long ride, and we're home.

I didn't do my deposit and I forgot to get Ron's TV dinners, but other than that I did everything today. I really love my job, I love helping Ron and the customers. One day is NEVER the same as the next. And I wouldn't have it any other way.

I'm going to make sure I get my camera going. I may even upload a few photos tonight just for tests.

Tomorrow, progress pictures! I feel like I need to tell you, I haven't "lost" more, but they ought to be cute.

[Houston Heather]

Well, up and at 'em an hour early. I just woke up ready to go. Good.

I decided, since I had so much time, to check my blood sugar before I ate. It was 110 - a pretty normal reading. I'm even hungry this morning for a change. Normally I have no appetite until I'm away from my delicious fridge and freezer.

The only difference between this reading and the last one was the fact that I've removed aspartame from my diet. Interesting.

So, pretty soon I'm going to get dressed, do my hair (hot pink), put my face on, and get ready to go! It's just doctor's office and home on Metrolift, but my aunt will be taking us out to lunch (Ron will insist on paying) in the middle there. Ron was even making "I want Chilis" noises. That would be great!

I had a nasty gallbladder attack last night and I feel fine this morning. I know it's in God's hands. He'll make it obvious if/when I need help. I have great faith in Him. Ron needs me able to work right now so I'll just keep doing what I'm doing.

Oh, I keep meaning to eat a veggie with breakfast - I'm going to go fix something to eat with my sausage and cheese.

[Zer]

Cannot wait to hear how your Auntie reacts to HOT PINK HAIRDO!

Originally Posted by Houston Heather

I'm going to get dressed, do my hair (hot pink), put my face on, and get ready to go! It's just doctor's office and home on Metrolift, but my aunt will be taking us out to lunch (Ron will insist on paying) in the middle there. Ron was even making "I want Chilis" noises. That would be great!

...I keep meaning to eat a veggie with breakfast - I'm going to go fix something to eat with my sausage and cheese.

Best breakfast vegie, far as I am concerned, is a mess of wilty dark greens slathered in butter and baconfat! After the meat is cooked, toss a handful of mixed greens - collards, mustard, kale, turnip, spinach - into the pan and slap a lid on to help wilt the greens! Top with a sprinkle of flaxmeal (best done at table, so heat does not damage the nutritional value of flaxmeal) and maybe a bit of bleu cheese to melt nicely atop the greens. For a while, I was adding a dollop of canned pumpkin - for glorious color and to stir into the greens as a colorful creamy flavorful taste treat. It creams the greens nicely. So does cream cheese, but it lacks the pizzaz that bright orange pumpkin gives!

[Houston Heather]

That sounds yummy, Zer!

I just cooked some mixed l/c veggies (broccoli/cauliflower/green beans) in the microwave. Then I slathered a little olive oil on top. 2 sausage patties and I'm done.

My aunt LOVED the hair. She took pictures! I just need to find my cord (pray for me!) so I can put them on the computer. More later.

My gallbladder is spazzing again and I need a nap.

[Houston Heather]

Well, good and bad news. I can't find the USB cord, but I found a photo CD.

Did you know I have a stuffed brown bear in my living room? We named him Henry.



What else have I got? How about, some vending machines!



Frosty in my lap. Ron calls him a "Cog" cat in a dog's body.



And my famously unpopular low-carb vending machine. I tried, I really tried.

[Jean@125]

Originally Posted by Houston Heather

Well, good and bad news. I can't find the USB cord, but I found a photo CD.

Did you know I have a stuffed brown bear in my living room? We named him Henry.



What else have I got? How about, some vending machines!



Frosty in my lap. Ron calls him a "Cog" cat in a dog's body.



And my famously unpopular low-carb vending machine. I tried, I really tried.

Heather,
Did you really do this?! I wish I could find something LC in a vending machine while at work. They used to sell packaged peanuts I would eat in a pinch now I can't even get those anymore. Jeanie

[Houston Heather]

Yeah, it was a great idea... but no one bought anything.

The books all sold, I left the $1 price tags on them so they knew I was selling them at cost. I moved probably 50 or so low-carb books.

Most wise business owners are yanking the peanuts now, what with salmonella. A couple of ideas: go to a wholesale club like Sam's or Costco - they sell individual bags of peanuts.

We get a lot of our merchandise there. You could even buy some stuff, portion it out, leave a note on there so your son doesn't eat them, and have your own snacks. I have some vienna sausage, slimfast low-carb, and I occasionally buy a bag of pork rinds off the other vendor. If they didn't sell pork rinds, I'd bring in a 3 ounce bag. I have my own stockroom, no one except Ron and I are allowed.

[Midnight Blue]

OMG. I would love to see an LC vending machine at stops when I travel. How wonderful that would be!! I'm so sorry it didn't work out Heather, but I think that was a marvelous idea. Truly!

[Zer]

Heather, how interesting that the LC books sold but the products did not. Still, you can work some LC products into your vending machines, can't you, for the folks who forgot to pack their snacks before leaving home? Just a few in a vending machine MIGHT save someone - like me, for instance - from going all to pot. Do HB eggs sell well? Maybe the high-fat stuff won't sell, but some of the stuff can be small cans of tuna. Sardines? Probably not, sad to say.

[Houston Heather]

They are very breath-conscious at work. I can't spell today.

I do sell some pork rinds and peanuts, but the average Postal Worker where I work does not low-carb. The healthy-minded ones bring their own lunches.

We have a lot of unhealthy eaters!

Overall, I had a good day. The other vendor's brother - the one who was bleeding all over my cart when I was already late for my ride - is angry at me. He didn't like the way I reacted? He made a very obvious point of saying 1- he and the other guy - the one who screwed us out of $90 "couldn't" help us with the vending machines in June. Fine. I didn't want the guy who screwed up the order anywhere near my machines. In addition to being incompotent, he is very lazy when the boss isn't around.

2. He also refused to talk to me today. I asked him "Are you OK?" and "Is it something I said?" and he was just like, no, Heather, leave me alone. That is COMPLETELY unlike him.

So, I figure he's angry at me? For what? For saying you're bleeding on my cart, and I have to do biohazard protocol because that's what the health laws say re: blood and food service?

I don't know. It's not my job to please everyone and Ron said I was fine, that I had done nothing wrong. He is my social advisor so I believe him. He once told and employee her attire was making the customers lose their appetites (too small, too tight, exposed belly), and had her laughing about it. She got some appropriate clothes and that was that. If Ron can make someone laugh while telling them that; you know he's good. Badly handled, it would have resulted in her quitting!

So, I just said "OK - he is mad at me, I did nothing wrong, just forget about it." I did. I talked to "Hot Legs" - the blind vendor and the boss, I talked to his wife, and I helped Ron and the repairman.

I got LOADS of compliments today on my weight loss! Everyone is talking as if I lost 10 more pounds! My measurements are the same, but I was happy and pleased enough to have the other vendor's wife take some photos of me.

I cut my antidepressant into quarters today, and felt a lot sharper. I had very few low blood pressure spells, and I'm not depressed. Yay!

After work, I made a deposit, Ron stayed on the van 'cause it was the same one picking us up. I just went in and did it, came out, got on the van, more trips, then eventually Walmart. She was a very nice lady.

I answered some questions about bipolar disorder and told her how I was so "mean" Ron had wanted to put himself in a nursing home to escape me. It's a telling story when you see how happy we are now.

I was pretty rushed at Walmart, and I picked up the flash card drive that said it worked with any media. It lied. Now I have to return it AND no photos for you. Maybe Sam's Club will have something tomorrow.

They had my Slimfast Low-carbs, AND a good deal on cube steak. Yummmers! I love my cube steak! I got Ron his TV dinners and he's happy. I got him some more strawberries, too. He loves to dip them in the granulated Splenda. I also got some drinks - splenda sweetened.

OH! I almost forgot. I checked my blood sugar today, and I looked at the history on my meter. When I was consuming aspartame, it was 117, borderline diabetic. Off the aspartame, 101, and 100. Safe. It would be nice if it were a tad lower but it's not bad. I plan to check my sugars every morning; I need to add sunscreen into my routine also.

I remembered my hamburger today, and I got Ron a fried fish sandwich. He only waited about 45 minutes, and I got all the business done. It worked out great for both of us, except me being mostly broke now.

Tomorrow we go to work, to pick up some invoices so he can do his accounting, go home, and then later on Sam's Club. I can eat some pizza tops and get a case of the chocolate slimfast lowcarb. I like having them at work.

I also went down a pound to 174. Yay!

[Houston Heather]

My sister sent Ron a goodie box full of CD's. He's having a blast.

He told me to use his debit card to buy myself some camera batteries, an SDRAM card, and a card reader! Yeah! It only cost $22.

He said I could get "something else" if I wanted but I thought I'd think about it for a good while first. I could maybe use a new MP3 player, but I'm very partial to the kind that run on AAA batteries.

We had a nice dinner together - nothing fancy, I had a bunless McDonald's hamburger, leftover from lunch (and veggies); he had a $1.08 Mexican TV dinner.

[Snowman]

Originally Posted by Houston Heather

I could maybe use a new MP3 player, but I'm very partial to the kind that run on AAA batteries.


[COLOR="Red"]DARN....I just bought one to use for walking at the gym! OH well, it was cheap. I have to wait for DD to download songs for me. DH and I tried and couldn't figure it out! Really, in our defense the stupid thing doesn't have directions!![/COLOR]

We had a nice dinner together - nothing fancy, I had a bunless McDonald's hamburger, leftover from lunch (and veggies); he had a $1.08 Mexican TV dinner.

[COLOR="red"]WOW, big spenders![/COLOR] Tonight (for a change!) I cooked a good meal. I made pork chops, mashed potatoes & corn for DH and I had a pork chop and brussel sprouts.

Ron's right, you didn't do anything wrong! CHIN UP!!

GREAT JOB giving up aspertame! I need to follow your lead!

[Houston Heather]

I'm still firmly in love with my diet Rc's - splenda and caffeine.

I checked my sugars this morning, 106. I really do need to keep an eye on them, my doc said anything over 125 is diabetic.

Ron had asked me to get him some of the Yoplait yogurts. I got him some cherry cobbler flavor. It said "contains splenda" on the package. I gave it to him this morning for breakfast, but imagine my horror to discover that high fructose corn syrup is way high on the label, and way down the label is the splenda! Yuck! Ron decided he didn't like it and would rather sugarfree yogurt next time.

We went to work this morning, took care of the machines, we have a soda machine next to the only TV in the building. We filled it up - Superbowl = supersales. We also mailed our property tax - about $1,500 because Ron is disabled.

We came home and Ron wanted something to eat. I fixed him a Banquet (88 cents) corn dog meal. It had corn, potatoes, and a brownie in addition to the corn dog. The brownie smell was SOO GOOD! Then dummy says "You can eat my brownie if you want".

NO NO NO. I reminded him I am already prediabetic and did he think a brownie would HELP my sugars? No. I told him I don't want to end up going to dialysis and no thanks. It smelled delicious but it's not worth it.

Ron decided he didn't want the brownie either and asked for some fruit salad, which I gave him. Way to go, Ron! I'm very pleased.

I had some sugar snap peas and cut up cheese, a good snack. We're going to Sam's Club - we don't need to buy anything for the business but I want to check out their electronics department and buy some Slimfast Low Carb - they sell a case of Chocolate for pretty cheap. I could also go for some pizza tops.

I'm going to try to either find a USB card reader, or take my memory card out of the camera, take the photos off, and put it onto CD. If I can't do it at Sam's I can definitely do it at Walmart tomorrow, so you'll see some pictures soon.

Nothing good on Sci-fi until tonight, so I don't mind running around today. Tomorrow should be nice and quiet and we may even take Monday off, too.

Oh, and something funny. I was looking at the TV dinner box. It said the daily serving of veggies was 2.5 cups.

I aim for at least 4 cups a day - 2-3 cups of raw, and at least 1 cooked! And low-carb is unhealthy?

[Houston Heather]

Here's a photo of a REAL MAN.


Me, on Thursday:




Me on Friday, when I kept getting the compliments:

[Houston Heather]

This morning:




Honestly, I think the turquoise top photos are more flattering.

Anyway, that's it for now.

[Houston Heather]

These signs just thrill me to bits; I get so happy I almost cry. They really did a good job of explaining the risks and consequences:

[Zer]

What a great warning against alcohol for anyone who MIGHT be pregnant. I met a woman who said that she stopped all her unhealthy habits when she was just STARTING to plan becoming pregnant. She worked at becoming as healthy as possible as part of the preparation to conceive. I gather that she kept her vow to create a healthy child all through pregnancy and nursing, then slid back to a comfy use of alcohol and meds and whatever her habit was. She was aware of what a difference her abstinence from alcohol and drugs would make to a child that was growing inside her, even before she conceived. Amazing woman!

Love your HOT PINK HAIR! Your saucy belts are hot too!

[Houston Heather]

Aw, thanks.

Something sad today. I took off my belt. The cat was in the bed. He looked up in terror and fled.

Someone beat my baby with a belt, before he came to live with me.

On a happier note, Mom kept RAVING about my hair - the regular brown hair. She loves my stylist.

[Zer]

So sad, that a belt reminds a furbaby of a horrible experience. So glad it's past and no longer a threat on that furbaby, but what a thing to see a cat remember and SCOOT to get away. Got to give some extra cuddles when you have a chance and the cat recovers its senses and remembers that it's safe with you.

So glad your hair is getting such good reviews - at HOT PINK or regular brown!

[Houston Heather]

Frosty forgave me and got in my lap.

I tried some taco flavored ground turkey - AWFUL. It was so horrible I threw it out. Oh, well. I know it's horrible now. I always would have wondered.

I'm cooking some rice right now. Why, you may wonder, would Heather cook rice? Well, Ron wants chili and rice tomorrow and he is still awfully skinny. I figured, while I'm doing that I can do a post-meal test as referenced on Blood Sugar 101 "Am I Diabetic? Test your blood sugar to find out" link.

Basically, I'm going to get up and test my blood sugar. Then, I'm going to eat a cup of rice, by itself, no fat or protein. Then, I will check my sugars at 1 and 2 hours. It should give me a good idea what I'm dealing with.

My fasting blood sugars are in the prediabetes range - mostly due to my medication; but any reader knows I'd have been dead years ago without it. I just have to be smart about it.

Knowledge is power. Today, on the paratransit service, we dropped off a blind diabetic with neuropathy (he was shuffling and dragging his feet) at a Dialysis center. No, thanks. Not if I can avoid it!

I did some research just now - the reason for the edit. Yup, my sugars are definitely in the prediabetic range. I'm hoping, since I literally cut my antidepressant in half, and they've been linked to diabetes, that my sugars will normalize on their own.

Tomorrow looks to be VERY interesting.

[Houston Heather]

Ever since I reduced the dosage of my antidepressant, I've noticed my dreams are a lot more vivid. I'm not as tired, either.

Well, this morning, I got up and checked my sugars 106. Under 100 is good, under 90 is better... so I need to work on this.

I ate a cup of rice. Sugars went up to 180. Ack. That's one hour reading.

In 10 minutes, I'll take my 2 hour reading. So far I am definitely prediabetic, eating lowcarb already. Thank God I am eating low-carb. Ron asked me why I check my sugars and I told him "So I don't end up like that guy yesterday, there's a reason God keeps shoving them in my face". Them being diabetics with major complications.

I'm going to get my cube steak started, so I can eat after I take my hour 3 reading. I'm hungry, I'm sure I've dropped my sugars.

Ick. I hate to think what I'll weigh tomorrow! EW!

Edit: 2 hour reading is.... 141. Definitely prediabetic.

I'm glad I started checking. The test has only cost me the price of a bag of rice, 66 cents, three test strips ($1.20) and a lancet (4 cents).

12:10 - hungry. Headache. Cooking food that smells SOO GOOOD!

[Houston Heather]

Well, it's 1 PM now.

I took my sugars at 12:30 - 110.

It's interesting, a lot of times I have a general crappy feeling and headache. Guess what? I had EXACTLY that feeling today when my sugars were high.

Very, very interesting. My headaches may very well be blood sugar related.

I ate 2 cube steaks, about 8 ounces cooked, cooked in lard with garlic and black pepper. So good! Then 3 strips of bacon, no-sugar sweet iced tea, and sugar snap peas.

So good. I already feel better. Boy, it just goes to show, how what I put in my mouth truly does affect - everything!

God knows I'll never eat rice unless I'm doing another test. Ugh. I feel crappy!