What do you know about the plant-based diet? I have friends who are following a strict plant-based diet, and it seems to be effecting their health in a positive way. She has diabetes as a health marker, and she told me that her A1C (the three-month indicator of sugars in the blood stream) is now 4.9. The desired number for someone with diabetes is under seven – or, maybe, six. My A1C hasn’t seen seven for a long time.
When and why was Mother’s Day thought up? We’ve been celebrating Mother’s Day since before 1959 (for his mother and my mother), Then, when my first daughter was born, Mother’s Day brought new meaning to Larry and me.
I’ve admitted to making mistakes in my life. I’ve come to realize that one of the greatest mistakes was when I said – at about age 50 – that if I knew “then,” what I know “now,” I would never have children. What a bone-headed statement that is! I have learned, now that I’ve grown up, that having children is a joy that “makes the world go round.” It makes
I tell you what. I was going to use this article to whine about the ugly houses that are springing up in my area. But, spring is too beautiful a season to whine about ugly houses. I’ll do that in a later article.
On my way to a medical appointment, this morning, I had occasion to look – really look – at what has been developing in our spring air. Yesterday, Bryan started clearing the flower beds in the front yard to make way for this year’s vegetation. There is still way too much grass that has encroached into the beds, but removing it will need to wait a week or so.
Earth Day 2021 is Thursday, April 22. My granddaughter Rose wrote this month’s poem for Earth Day 2019. I decided it was better than anything that I could write. Marj
Still There
A glacier moves across a plateau.
It flattens the land until it comes to a halt, bringing a rock with it. Then it recedes.
But the rock is still there.
The snow and ice give way to a cycle of seasons; warm and rainy, hot and humid, cool and breezy, cold and dry.
With each step in the cycle, the plants and animals grow, then flourish, then die.
But the rock is still there.
Note: I’ve included a few outdoor spring flowers for your enjoyment!
Last September, when I began writing this blog, I promised that religion and politics would not be part of it. Well, this blog does have some religion in it. But, it is mine, alone. There is no proselytizing, here, I promise. There used to be an ice-breaker game that people played at the beginning of a conference or workshop. “Who are you in three statements,” was the challenge. Since middle age, my answer has always been: “I am a child of God. I am a wife and parent, and, now, a grandmother. And, I am an educator.”
My calendar says that spring started this last week, but if I look in my front yard, the winter snow is still there. The tulips and crocus Bryan planted last autumn are still tucked in their beds. Waiting for warmer weather, I suppose..
About this time of year, I like to bring a little spring into the house. Not from a hot house. Or the grocery story plant department. I bring sticks into my house. Sticks that I cut from the quince bush. At this time of year, they are just dead sticks. Brown, apparently with no life in them. I have to be careful cutting the sticks – they have inch or inch-and-a-half thorns on them and can really hurt the old paper skin on my hands and arms. Those rose gloves that I’ve talked about help, keeping my hands and arms safe.
For more than a month, I listened to my dishwasher tell me that something was wrong. I contacted my preferred service company. A repair technician arrived, checked out the dishwasher as it went through its paces, and pronounced it to be okay. Really? Okay? It was still making the noise that caused me to call for service. But, who am I to argue with the “expert” dishwasher technician?
For another month, I continued to listen to the suspicious noise; the machine continued to wash the dishes. Each day. I have been using the dishwasher every day, whether it has five items or is full. I LIVE ALONE! It would usually take a week for me to fill the dishwasher. And, when I was a child, I lived in places that had cockroaches. Cockroaches! Ugh! I don’t want those critters in my house, and who’s to know that if dirty dishes are left in the dishwasher, they won’t climb out of the drain pipes into the unit to seek out the food left on the dishes? Understand that there is no one in my neighborhood who has this vermin. No one. But, how far do cockroaches go for a meal?
She’s little. She’s all white. And, now, she has her forever home. St. Patrick’s Day was a good day to drive to Gail’s house, five miles south of Pueblo. Bryan and I started out at 9 am with a mist in the air. By the time we drove through Colorado Springs, the clouds had lifted and sunshine burned off the remaining snow.
Breakfast in Pueblo at the Southwest Grill brought us closer to our goal. Five more miles to meet the object of our affection – the white miniature schnauzer we were on our way to pick up. And, then, we were at Gail’s house and in her front office.
Gail is the breeder of schnauzers, miniature and teacup. Years ago, Larry and I bought two miniature schnauzers from Gail. Liza Jane came home before Libby We wanted Liza Jane to be the alpha dog, so we had her a month before we picked up Libby (Liberty was her name but we called her Libby). Daughter #2 Jane went with me to get Liza Jane; Liza Jane bonded with Jane so much that when Jane would come to the house for a visit, Liza Jane would just about go through the front door to get to her. Libby was supposed to be Larry’s dog, so when we picked her up, she sat on his lap all of the way home. Bonding with Larry was difficult for Libby. Her only experience with people was Gail and, of course, Larry was a man, making her bonding with him very difficult. It eventually happened, though, and when he passed, Libby had a terrible time grieving.
So, we make our schedules for the day. Or, maybe, for two or three days. Good idea.
And, the day comes to execute the carefully thought out schedule. As a crone, I’m retired and my schedule should be pretty open. Especially, now, with the pandemic in full force.
It’s Wednesday, and I really don’t have anything to do. Well, except for the dishes, the washing and drying of clothes, getting lunch, having any allowed snacks – just regular things. And, I’ll have time to write the children’s story for the on-line class I’m taking.
Before all of that, though, I need to go to the basement to use the TRX exercise unit and the recumbent stepper. First, though, I’ll see who can’t wait to talk with me on e-mail.
Last Christmas, I received a gift that never in my wildest dreams, did I think would ever be mine. It was Alexa. You know, “Alexa, put water in the dish.” “Alexa, play a classical radio station.” “Alexa, do what I tell you to do.”
When Bryan brought gifts into my house, he gave them to me saying, “You have to open one of the gifts while I’m here. I don’t want you to be afraid of it. … It’s technology.”