I want. I want. I want.

Blessings Darlings!


I'm having one of those days where my personal 'wants' list is growing exponentially. 


I want a new used car (since our current only car is STILL not running in the rain).
I want a new bicycle, that actually fits my under 5 foot tall frame instead of being too big. And that has fenders so I can ride when it's wet. 
I want a bike trailer.
I want to learn how to maintain my bike on my own.
I want to learn how to do my own at least basic car maintenance.
I want the hardware to do my own basic car maintenance once I learn how to do it.
I want to split another grass-fed organic steer with friends.
I want a share in an organic local CSA.
I want to own my own home.
I want to live where there is no HOA.
I want goats.
I want chickens.
I want a really good deer fence around my garden.
I want to lose 70 pounds.
I want to be able to bike 40 miles a day, on hills.
I want dental insurance.
I want my son to make more money, so he can pay off the university and then save money to pay for those two more semesters he needs to get his Bachelors Degree.  In Psych. Which is marginally more useful than a BA in Philosophy.

Too many of these need money.  But I'm working on the ones that need my efforts.  I'm biking regularly .... even if today I could only do 4 miles on the local hilly roads.  And I'm afraid to bike to Suz's, since the road she lives on is hillier than the one I live on!  I'm exercising and eating better, which should eventually lead to weight loss.  I've signed up for my first bike maintenance/repair class.  I've looked for local (like, within 35 miles) classes on car repair and haven't found any yet, but I'm still looking.  I'm taking the existing car back in to the shop this week, to point out that it still dies in the rain (but that's going to include money.  OTOH, it will include less money that getting another car). 

Oh, the car. I admit it only died in the INCREDIBLE rain we had, not a normal rain.  But we haven't been driving in normal rain because we're afraid.  This time the rain hit while the Spawn was at work.  I suppose I should have driving him since there were thunderstorms predicted.  He waited an hour after it died to see if it would start, then had it towed home.  $90 for the tow. Should he have waited in the dark another hour?  Dunno. 

Spawn is applying for jobs in OUR town, instead of the larger/busier town he works in now, so we can get around the car problem.  It's not like he's making a penny more than minimum wage, so if he gets one his hourly wage won't go down.  And since the restaurant isn't getting much business he's getting sent home early a lot, so he's likely to get a job with as many hours.  Since there doesn't seem to be any advancement where he is - heck, he hasn't even been allowed to watch all the training videos for HIS position since they don't want to have him on the clock due to their low sales - darn near any other job will have as much promotion potential. 

He's not likely to get one locally until fall, when the students get back.  But if he applies every fortnight over the summer they'll get used to seeing him AND learn that he's persistent.  Okay, what they'll really learn is that *I* am persistent in kicking his butt out the door to apply for jobs. 

Anything you want?  What are you doing to get it/them?

Frondly, Fern

CPT #1

Blessings, Darlings!

I'm going to use "CPT" for the Cancer Prevention Tips series, just so you know.

And the first tip is one of the ones I'm finding hardest to implement - drop your body fat index to under 25%. Why? Because it seems that obesity increases the risk of cancers of the breast (postmenopausal), endometrium (the lining of the uterus), colon, kidney, and esophagus. 

I'm starting with this tip because this one takes the most time to reach, unlike a 'don't do this/do that' quickie. 

That said, I'm NOT willing to say that it's the obesity itself that directly ups the risk, although that could be it in some cases.  For esophageal cancer, for example, the largest risk factor is gastric reflux.  But being obese increases the rate of reflux, just because of the weight/pressure on the stomach pushing the contents up to the esophagus.  And, as we'll get into later, many of the activities involved in losing weight are also associated with lowering cancer risks.

So, to repeat - Cancer Prevention Tip #1 - start work towards dropping your weight.

Frondly, Fern

Dramatic Sigh

Blessings, Darlings!

Remember the series I did earlier this year, Life Wellness?  How's that going for you?  For me, it meant I stopped GAINING weight, I am now dealing with arthritis in my knees, and my physical endurance has improved.

My diet, however, is still pretty miserable, I'm still fat, my blood pressure is still high as are my triglycerides and   cholesterol (total and LDL). So, as of this afternoon, I'm kicking up working on that.

Why?  Because I hate looking at myself in the mirror.  Is this a good time to do it, with the move and all?  Of course not.  There's never going to be a good time.  I did have the CH take my picture for a 'before'.  CH has not made any noises about joining me on this, BTW.

So, I got my 2 servings of fruit and 3 servings of veggies today.  I don't know if I should count the sweet potato as one, so I didn't.  I had a good serving of beans with lunch, and a little lean organic beef for dinner.  Alas, that's the last of the lean organic beef I have, so I'll be eating regular grocery beef for a while.  I'll probably pick up some whole grain bread tomorrow.  Or not.  I may try to avoid stuff with flour in it and just to less processed grains.  We'll see. 

I also got 45 minutes in on the exercise bike, at increased resistance.  My knee is not amused, but not whining too much.  Did an upper body workout with the heaviest weights I can use, obviously almost no reps.

Doing this while moving and while trying to keep the grocery budget on track will be kind of a challenge.  We'll see how it goes.  I'm sure that I'll slip at times, but I guess the point will be to just get back on track.

Stay tuned.

Frondly, Fern