Textbook

Good morning.  Yes it has been a minute since I've been here.  I've just been mentally absent from most social media.  Can't STAND the political crap going on so I am just staying off, except to see grands or post an art pic here and there.  We've been hanging around town a lot because of a lot of dance stuff and I just choose not to go to the cabin by myself lately.  There are times, it's true, that I need to be alone, but lately, I'm enjoying his company, quirks and all.  There is a reason we've been married 48 years.  I mean you HAVE to know that when you sign up for the long haul, you accept the quirks, the idiosyncrasies that person has.  They may drive you a bit nuts but you HAVE to just get over it.  They belong to the person you have chosen to love forever.  With that little soapbox thing, my brother and his lovely celebrated 45 years last weekend and our oldest and her hubby celebrated 16 years yesterday.  HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!

"Purple Majesty"

14x11 oil

This little gem of a painting I finished yesterday.  I started it in my little art group on Thursday.  The reference photo I took when I walked into my doctor's office building on Tuesday.  It was on the reception desk and it just stopped me in my tracks with such beauty.  I just knew I wanted to paint it, and so here we are.  I went to the studio EARLY yesterday morning, 7 am with this NEED to finish it, which  I did.  So very please with it and it really makes the eyes happy, at least my eyes.  

I finished these two last week and have already entered them in an online show.

"Pop"

12x9 oil

"Pink in a Bottle"

7x5 oil

(Reference photo by my oldest)

Now, speaking of my doctor, I went in on Tuesday, mostly to check my thyroid, physical is in September.  You know I have a slight problem with the "white coat syndrome" going in but I steeled myself, gathered my confidence and was ready for him.  I honestly have not felt better, health wise in a very long time.  I'm moving much easier, my hair is nearly to my butt, my nails and skin are looking great, and my insides are working so very well.  I feel great and I wanted to show him I did.  He's pushed the diet shot at least three times and I was NOT going to let him get me this time, I was ready for a fight if need be.  Turns out he did not even mention it!  I did see the damned scale go up 5 pounds which kind of deflated me but I was not going to let it get to me.  I still held my head up high and went in the room to have my BP taken.  I was shocked when he said it was TEXTBOOK!  That was absolutely awesome.  I knew it!  I felt it!!!  So I will really knuckle down and continue the OsteoStrong, building muscle, which is I think what is happening.  Hopefully, the scale will start showing some progress along with my better eating.  

Anniversary and Happy (& not so happy) Time

 

First of all, Happy Anniversary to you for three years of wedded bliss and 10 years of knowing each other.  We celebrated with them last night with their little angel, the oldest and her family and Nick's bestie from New York.  It was a wonderful dinner of lots of laughter and good food.  It's quite wonderful to have my family so very close during all this damn pandemic crap.  

A lot has been on my mind lately and has put me in a funk, not bad and not good.  First, just because I've not posted food stuff doesn't mean I've stopped.  On the contrary, I am continuing the road down the weight loss trail.  In fact, I had a 6 month check-up with my regular doctor yesterday and he was quite pleased with me.  At first his nurse took my blood pressure and announced it was 140/72!!!! WTF!  I was alarmed and he was too when he came in and retook it.  Well, I don't know what is wrong with that nurse but it was 124/70.  WHEW!  I don't know what she did but I felt a lot better after he took it himself and so did he and he announced an almost perfect patient with all I'm doing.  I also got the pneumonia shot they give if you are over 65.  It's a more souped up version and I'm all over it.  Then I went downstairs to the lab for blood draw to check my thyroid, liver, etc levels.  The girl called me in and we were ALL masked.  She came over, leaned over to draw the blood and noticed the band-aid for my pneumonia shot and asked if I'd had the Covid vaccination.  I said, "Yes."  She replied that she had not, that she was scared of it and then asked how mine went.  I WAS SHOCKED that she was IN MY FACE (mask on) and admitting that.  I have not been around anyone unvaccinated if I could help it and if I find out I back off immediately.  I've been super careful with myself in those situations and now this.  If I get Covid I will know EXACTLY where I got it.  I was so damn mad.  This person is in the health care industry and afraid to get a damn shot!  GOOD GRIEF!  Really ended a good morning on a bad note there.

I'm also upset with some of my "friends."  I can't and won't go into it but I got a phone call which shocked me the other day.  It pissed me off to no end and continues to effect my mind.  Some people can be so stupid in their tact and how the talk to people.  I (we) are going to pull in for a bit, away from the masses, so to speak, and let some stuff die down, i.e. our anger by unfeeling, out of touch people.  I will continue living my life, being a kind, nice, person the best I can.  Whew,  Ohmmm, Ohmmm, Ohmmm

Back to the easel where I can let stuff go in my head and find my happy place...later friends

Part 2 of Aaaachooo

Yes we are still battling the head cold but mine is soooo much better, in fact this was the easiest cold I've ever had.  They Hubby is still in the throws of  the drainage and coughing up from his chest.  That is usually me.  When I first started coming down with this thing The Hubby said that we didn't have any cold medicine yet when I looked on my side of the medicine chest I found an unopened box of Umcka Care.  It said it cuts the lifespan of colds down.  I was on board and immediately opened and down the hatch it went.  It's an herbal extract and I so sold on the benefits.  In fact my doctor this morning said he has heard of it and the benefits of it working!!!  I'm going to purchase another bottle or two of it and make The Hubby use it.  We've also been using the Mucinex which works wonders too.  Unfortunately, Snicklefritz came down with it Christmas morning along with her mother.  Dang it.  Also, when we went to my Daddy's for Christmas breakfast my brother is in the final states of Type A Flu (he's on the CDC list and he even had a flu shot), my niece has been sick and her momma, my SIL.  None of us wanted to even get close to Daddy.  Tis the season to hack, blow and sneeze I guess.  

The good news is that I am almost over it and when I went to the doctor this morning to have my thyroid checked again my weight was down, slightly, even at Christmas time, and my blood pressure was normal!!!!!  This is the second time it has been in the good range!!!  He was very pleased and so am I.  

Dreamland

I can't believe it but for the past two nights now I have slept, slept like a baby!  Dreams and sleep, awwwwww, I feel great this morning, actually I'm a bit groggy with SLEEP!  It is  a wonderful feeling rested.  

(OLD pictures)

I don't know for sure if it's the weather change or just that my body is doing it, but one thing I did change was meds.  No, not sleep meds, but several months ago a friend was talking about her blood pressure medicine, the same one I take, and she said that she started taking it at night because of fluttering heart when she took it in the morning.  So I started taking mine at night too.  Well, a couple of nights ago I went back to the morning regimen and think THAT may be the key.  I know it's only been a couple of nights but so far so good.  This being said I have always had the sleep issues.  When a young I didn't sleep well either, being the only one awake in the house for hours and hours and hours.  Let's just say my mother didn't like doors shut in the house and Sis and my bedroom was RIGHT NEXT to my parents room....no more explanation needed.  

Here's to SLEEP!