If You Graze, Does That Mean You're a COW???

I am keeping a Food Journal, like it says to do for Step One in "Potatoes, Not Prozac".  I discovered that I am a grazer.  I am also trying to eat 3 meals a day for Step Two, instead of eating 2 meals & grazing the rest of the time.  Step 3 is taking vitamins as recommended.  I have a habit of forgetting to take my vitamins half the time.  Writing it in my Food Journal helps me to remember.  I do feel better when I take them, I just have to remember to take them!  Step 4 is eating the recommended amount of protein at each meal.  At this time I am just trying to make sure that I have protein at each meal.  You are not suppose to rush through each step, so I am taking my time.  After all, I've only been doing this for 3 days, even if it does seem longer!

Thar She Blows!

Well, we survived Tropical Storm Hermine!  We received some much needed rain & the winds only got up to about 60 mph.  We lost electrical power for about 3 1/2 hours.  It is so boring in the house when there is no electricity, no computer, no TV & barely enough light to read.  I did get to take a good nap though.  It has stopped raining now, at least for awhile.  My rain gauge in the garden says we received 5 1/2 inches! Yea!!!
I have been reading "Potatoes, not Prozac".  According to this book, I am a Sugar Addict. No kidding! I do watch the things that I eat (from the plate, to the spoon, to my mouth! lol!).  Seriously, I eat freshly ground whole wheat bread. I need to make some more, I ate the last slice yesterday.  I eat very little white rice (only on sushi, if they do not have brown rice).  I don't make anything with white flour.  I do eat flour tortillas (1 or 2) at Sazon's (they make the best tortillas!). I try to cook from scratch.  I haven't been eating pasta much until lately.  I have to cut that out. Bad girl!!!
The book said that Step One is keeping a Food Journal of everything I eat, how I feel physically & emotionally, throughout the day in order to get an idea of how food effects me physically & emotionally.  I am also supposed to look for eating patterns. I started one today. I don't have to change how I eat yet.  I am trying to be aware of what I am eating though.
I am also starting on Step Two - Eating Three Meals a Day at Regular Intervals.  I had not been doing that in the past.  I started today.  I think the only bad things I have eaten is a Hershey's Chocolate Almond Bar (1.45 oz size) & I had to take 4 Excedrin's throughout the day.  I'll be lucky if I go to sleep tonight!  I don't have any Diet Coke's at the house, so I haven't had any of those, but I did drink 2 Diet Root Beers.  Oh well.
Amazing how much hair color I can get all over my bathroom when I color my hair!  I swear I cleaned it all up afterward, but when I go back later it is all over the walls, the door, & the floor! Yikes!

Had Too Much Fun on Saturday!

I woke up feeling like a truck ran over me during the night.  I guess I had too much fun on Saturday.  But I needed to go to Church at least to teach Lesson 6 in the Family History Class. Luckily, Church doesn't start until 2:30 pm.  It took 2 Exedrins & 2 Diet Cokes to get me to Church in time to teach my lesson at 3:45.  I got there at 3:15.  Funny how the Lord will carry through what you need to do.  I felt pretty good during the class and the lesson went great.  As soon as I finished my class, the headache returned full force & I had to go home.
I'm still dragging around the house, but I am tired of laying around.  I read Xenia's blog.  If you haven't read it, you need to.
Family History Advice:  Check with your local public library to see if you can get access to Heritage Quest database or other genealogical databases.  In San Antonio, Texas, you can use your library card to access Heritage Quest from your home computer.  If you go to the San Antonio Libraries, you can access even more genealogical databases from their computers.
 I'm reading "Potatoes not Prozac" A Natural Seven-Step Dietary Plan to *Stabilize the Level of Sugar in Your Blood, *Control Your Cravings and Lose Weight, *Recognize How Foods Affect the Way You Feel, by Kathleen DesMaisons, PhD, Addictive Nutrition.  It's pretty good & makes a lot of sense.  I recommend reading it!

Cruizin' On a Saturday Afternoon!

Kim, Xenia, & I went on a day trip to Fredericksburg to celebrate Kim & my 24th anniversary.  Our anniversay was on Aug 22nd, but we haven't had time to do anything yet.  We ate breakfast at Sazon on Potranco.  Then we took our time going North on Hwy 16 (Bandera Rd).  We didn't stop in Bandera as there was a festival of some kind & it was very crowded.  Then we continued to Medina & stopped at the Love's Apple Orchard Store & Cafe.  Bought some Apple Ice Cream and a slice of apple pie and petted the cat, which chomped down on Xenia because we were petting & tickling her.  Sorry Xenia!  Then we drove through Kerrville to Frederickburg.  We then took HWY 290 east about 8 miles to the Wildseed Farms.  We toured through there & saw all the stores & beautiful plants, flowers & butterflies.  Then we drove back to Fredericksburg & ate a nice dinner at Bejas Restaurant.  Then we drove back to San Antonio on I-10.  I took Xenia home & now we are resting.  It was a very nice day!

Gettin' Thru the Day

I spent the morning talking with my ex-husband's sisters.  Their mother is expected to pass away any day.  All the family is trying to reconnect. It was good to talk with all of them.  I am sad that it had to be under such sad circumstances. 

Nutty Applesauce Breadmaker Bread Recipe

Nutty Applesauce Breadmaker Bread
D. Lynn Johnson

3 cups* white bread flour or whole wheat** flour (or 50/50 or whatever you like)
5½ oz water***
5½ oz applesauce, mixed with the water
a cup mixed chopped almonds and pecans (more or less to taste)
1/3 cup milk powder
2 tablespoons cooking oil
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon active dry yeast****
1 egg

Place the yeast, salt, and milk powder in the bottom of the breadmaker pot.

Add the flour (also add gluten powder at this time). Jog the pot to level the flour. This will compact the flour a little and prevent the liquid from soaking through to the yeast.

Add the nuts, honey, and oil.

Hold a spoon down near the flour and pour the water/applesauce mixture into the spoon to avoid
digging a hole in the flour.

Add the egg.

Place the pot in the breadmaker and set the timer.

Some machines suggest putting the liquid ingredients in first, and floating the flour on top. I have
found that this eventually fouls the mixer bearing, causing it to stick and not rotate freely. Putting
the liquid on top in the manner described above solves this problem. The liquid will not soak
through to the yeast, even if the timer is set for ten or more hours.

* I weigh my flour and water/applesauce. For white bread flour I use 480 grams of flour and
290 grams of liquid. For King Arthur traditional whole wheat I use 465 grams of flour and
312 grams of liquid. I also use 1½ teaspoons of yeast for whole wheat.

** Note: I have found that some whole wheat flours are better than others. If your flour
doesn’t give a tall light loaf, try adding 4 teaspoons of gluten powder.

*** Adjust the fluids content as needed. Adding more will give a higher loaf, up to a point, and
coarser pores.

**** A little more yeast may be needed for whole wheat, depending upon the flour.

Wednesday, Trying to Keep Cool!

I am waiting for the DishNetwork Installation guy to show up.  We have had DishNet for 11 yrs.  I am getting a free upgrade to HD.  Since we have had DishNet for so long, we are getting the following: new Dish, new HD receiver, installation, & HD programming all free of charge!  I have had a HD television for a couple of years, but did not have any HD programming.  DishNet told me that the installation guy would be here sometime between 12:00 & 5:00 pm.  I just rcvd a call from him, he will be here around 4:30 - 5:00pm.  Just squeezing in there.  Oh well, since it's free, I'm not complaining.

Monday, Monday!

I knew I was in for a Fibro Day when after my bath & washing my hair, I tried to put leave-in conditioner on my face instead of my hair! LOL!  I was a little foggy in the morning, but by the afternoon I was fine. 
Kim & I went to the Family History Library this morning from 9:30 until 12:30 as we usually do on Monday, unless it is a holiday.  Sister Zamarripa & Sister Schultz were there as Family History Consultants as well.  Sister Zamarripa & I are well acquainted with FamilySearch, but Kim & Sister Schultz are learning.  Sister Potter came into the Library to work on her family history as well.  Since all the computers were busy, I helped out where needed.
Kim & I came home & rested until he had to go to work.  It took most of the day to get rid of my headache (as usual) but I did get some work done around the house.  I waited until after 8:00 pm to go grocery shopping.  It is not has hot at that time since the sun is going down. 
I'm going to clean up the kitchen, then relax.  Mothers, you actually get to do that after all your kids leave the nest.  It will happen one day!

Sunday at Rest

I had a fairly busy weekend, so to speak.  Saturday morning we went to Sazon Mexican Restuarant on Potranco & Ellison for breakfast.  It is our favorite Mexican restaurant to eat breakfast.  We had the Chicken Tortilla Soup.  They have the best tortillas!  Then at 1:00 pm I went to our Cub Scout Pool Party and met with some of the new leaders for awhile.  The Cub Scouts were having fun swimming at the Lackland War Hawk Pool.  I only stayed about an hour because of the heat.  I'm doing better, but not handling the heat well yet. 
After that, Kim & I went to see the Eat, Pray, Love movie with Julia Roberts.  No, I didn't have to drag my husband to see a chick flick.  Julia Roberts is one of Kim's favorite actresses, so he took me instead.  It was an okay movie.  I'm more of a SciFi/Fantasy person. 
Then we went to China Sea Buffet to eat Dinner.  We always eat way too much when we go to a buffet.  You just feel like you have to eat alot to get your moneys worth.  It's not like you can take the leftovers home with you! Then we visited with Ian & Mickie & the grandkids.  Adrian, our son & Xenia, our granddaughter came to Ian & Mickie's house as well.  We only stayed there a couple of hours.  Then went home.
Sunday, we rested in the morning, then went to Church at 2:00 pm.  Our ward, Heritage Ward, meets from 2:30 - 5:30 pm this year.  After Sacrament was passed, I had to sit in the foyer as it was so crowded that the perfumes were getting to me.  The sound was up loud though in the foyer, so I was able to hear the talks.  Then I taught the Family History Class.  We are on Lesson 5.  Learning how to interview people for Family History.  Afterward, we had a Combined Priesthood/Relief Society Meeting.  It was on the classes that LDS Family Services have.  Kim & I are Home Teaching companions again.  We went by to visit a sister in the ward, but she had moved.  We came home & rested again.  I worked on some Family History & read.  We had chicken sandwiches for Dinner. 
Not too bad of a weekend if you ask me!

Friday's Child

Friday's Child is loving & giving.  Well, if I didn't feel so yucky I probably would be loving & giving.
Amazing how a couple of Excedrin will make your day all better! I had a freakin' headache & felt crummy all day until I took a couple of them.  Now I feel better! Not great... but lots better.  I haven't done much of anything today, but read & fold up clothes.  Now that I don't have a headache, I can clean up the kitchen.  Then my Friday night shows come on (Eureka and The Haven)!
I love my new whistling teapot! I have a habit of putting water to heat for herbal tea, then forgetting about it until the water is nearly gone. Now, I have a reminder. Ahh...Peppermint tea. Good for the tummy!
I spent the evening watching Eurika and Haven, folding clothes & scanning pictures, including some of our wedding pictures.  I posted some of them to FaceBook.

Thursday's Child

Thursday's child has far to go.  Well, I'm not going anywhere today!  I am suppose to go to the Temple today, but still having tummy problems, so I'm staying home.  I tried to get over it so I could go to the Temple, but after taking Pepto-Bismol and 2 Excedrin, taking 1 1/2 hour nap (my 1st hint was that I could even sleep after taking Exedrin), I still woke up with same symptoms & a fever.  Oh well, I'll be working on a lot of Family History instead.
I have added ads to my blog (could make a tiny bit of money if someone clicks on them).  To my surprise, the first ad was for "tatooing"!!! LOL  Just for the record, I am not an advocate of tatooing, but if you are... click away, my friend!  Okay, I later saw that it was for tatoos for your profile, not real tatoos!
Worked on Family History for awhile, but got tired.  Read my library book for awhile as well.
I got so bored sitting around the house, that I made homemade oatmeal raisin pecan cookies (3 dozen).  I hate it when I get the munchies but my stomach is upset!  Oh well, at least I made them from wholesome ingredients!
The part I don't like about cooking, cleaning the dishes!  But I cannot let myself go to bed with a dirty kitchen, so the kitchen is clean now.  I am going back to reading my book until Kim gets home, if I don't fall asleep first.  Hopefully, tomorrow will be a better day.  Good night everyone.

Wednesday's Child

Wednesday's child is full of woe.  I am sick to my stomach today, ugh!  Actually, I am a Monday's child (Fair of face) since June 20, 1955 fell on a Monday, but I don't feel like it today.
My day started out okay.  My sister called to tell me that her daughter, Christi, has had her baby.  Wyatt Ray Gilham was born about 2 am this morning.  He weighed 8 lbs, 11 oz.  Big Boy!!  Congratulations Christi!!!
I ate breakfast (Yogi Cherry Almond Crunch with raw milk, bananas, blueberries & stevia), then I went for a walk at the Duck Pond with Lucy.  We walked 3 laps.  Lucy has to smell every spot of duck poo she passes!  She even hurried a duck away from a spot so she could smell it!  Yuck!  It was cooler this morning than it has been.  I washed a load of laundry & hung/folded a load of laundry.  Kim & his co-workers are eating out for lunch/dinner today to honor a co-worker's last day, so I didn't have to fix him lunch.  I heated some left-over potstickers & rotisserie chicken that I bought from HEB yesterday and proceeded to get sick while I was eating it.  The doctors have told me before that getting sick while you are eating is not food poisoning, as that happens hours later.  I just have a weird stomach.  Well, I won't be going anywhere for a few hours until this is over.  Bleh!!!
Well, a few hours have come and gone.  I felt better until I ate a bowl of chicken noodle soup.  Back to nausea.  Bleh!! Bleh!!
Okay, I'm feeling better again.  I guess I'll only feel nauseous when I eat.  Maybe I'll loose some weight!  LOL.

Tuesday on the Run

Well, my day has started with a walk with Lucy, my dog.  Lucy was very excited as we haven't been walking for awhile because of the heat.  I got up early enough to beat the heat.  It was only 80 degrees when we left.  We walked 3 laps around the park, 3/4 of a mile.  Talked with some people at the park.  One little male chihuahua was very interested in Lucy (110 lb Rhodesian Ridgeback).  I told him he had really high hopes.
Afterward, I had a breakfast of homemade wheat bread, fresh eggs, avocado, homemade sauerkraut, and fresh raw milk.
I played around on the computer for awhile, then Kim & I went to Lackland AFB so he could renew his civilian DOD card.  Before we left, we helped a young, female Trainee on crutches find the building that she was looking for.  The driver had dropped her off at the wrong building.  I'm glad we were there to help.
We went by the Library to return some books I had checked out.  I decided that instead of spending money on novels, I would just check them out at the Library.  You can go to the Library website, look up a book, request it to be held for you, they send it to your library, and you pick it up.  I don't have to search through the Library for a book that may not be there.  Great!!!
On the way home, we noticed CLOUDS in the skys.  Yes!!! The Front is on it's way here.  
I made Kim's lunch for him, left-over roast and vegetables. Sent him off to work!
I've been watching Doppler Radar all afternoon hoping for some rain.  First storm passed up with only a few minutes of light rain (while others were drenched!).  Checked again, there is another storm up around New Braunfels headed our way.
That storm missed us as well.  Temperatures did drop a little bit though.  Hopefully, we will get some more rain soon.  I went to HEB to buy some groceries, then came home.  I bought Lucy a big box of Milk Bones which she recognized immediately.  She had not eaten any of her food today, even the left-overs I gave her.  As soon as she ate 2 milk bones, she went ran over & ate her left-overs.  I guess she was on a hunger strike because I did not have any milk bones for a few days.  That's how she pouts!  She won't eat.

Monday's Blog

Kim & I went to work at the Family History Library this morning.  We have the 9:30 to 1:00 shift.  I helped Kim with his Family History today.  I have been helping others lately, so I guess Kim wanted equal time.  He found some of his relatives & learned some more about using new.familysearch.org.  Kim is so tired after working all last week & the weekend (Reserves) that he is staying home today.
We went to Acadiana Cafe for dinner. Had some delicious Cajun cuisine. Kim had Catfish with Crawfish Etouffee & I had Fried Oysters & Shrimp.  We had a very interesting conversation with the young waitress about Family History. Back home again.  It is too hot to do anything outside! Car thermometer registering 105 degrees!  Front porch thermometer 104 degrees!
Okay, Steve Browne on KSAT 12 says we have some lower temperatures coming by Wednesday, possibly even a tropical storm in the Gulf! We'll see if that actually happens.
Just grinded whole wheat so I can make some more bread.  I discovered that if I put the electric wheat grinder on the concrete back porch, it will grind very quickly.  It took less than 10 minutes to grind 6 cups of wheat!  When I put in on my cabinet, freezer, or washing machine, it took 20 - 30 minutes. I thought something was wrong with my grinder.  Then I realized these were not "stable" surfaces.  On a concrete surface it grinds so fast, I have to keep a close watch on it.
I brought the grinder into the kitchen to cool down, then promptly forgot about it for several hours.  I sent out emails to my Cub Scout Committee & parents. Then had to resend my emails because I had all the new leaders & their positions mixed up.  Bishop Tippetts sent me the correct information.  I'm still not sure if we have the same Webelos Leader or a new one.  I sent an email to Bishop Tippetts again to confirm.
Then I helped Kim with his genealogy.  He is trying to learn how to use new.FamilySearch.org. 
Finally, I remembered that I had wheat flour waiting on me.  I set up a loaf of bread in the breadmaker to be ready in the morning.  I really, really LOVE breadmakers!  Of course, by then I had a flour-ly mess to clean up.  Unless something exciting happens tonight (hardly likely!) I will be reading my SCI-FI book, "The Fall of Neskaya" by Marion Zimmer Bradley & Deborah J. Ross as well as scriptures before I go to sleep.  I have read the book before, but it was so long ago, that I have forgotten the story.  One of the nice things about a Fibromyalgia brain is that you can enjoy things over & over again (since you can't remember it the first time!)