A Welcome Rain....

Of late we have had a few showers, some places to the north, south, and east of us have gotten plenty of late...finally, last night and today we have received our fair share....much too late to do the crops any good, especially the corn, but the farmers will survive, most always do.  Whether it be from the money they get on the crop shortage, or from the Fed...those around here, stay in business...so I tend not to worry much about them.

With the rains of late, although we are still in a shortfall and need more, I expect the grass, long dormant, will start to grow, and I will get back to mowing on occasion...for the past 6 weeks, I think I have mowed the weeds in each yard, one time a piece.....

With the baseball season over, it's time for me to get a few things off my plate....

Painting:

      I still need to re-do the garage, and a few touch up spots on the homestead....just too damn hot, or maybe I just too damn lazy....?  I will get it done, however, I won't paint in the 95 degree heat with matching humidity.

Back on the Diet:

     It's been almost three years{September 2009} when I discovered that I was pre-diabetes 2....I lost nearly 40 pounds and got down to 180 on a fairly simple diet...cutting back the calories to 2000 a day and the carbs to about 200.  Over the past year or so, I have gained some of that (18 pounds) back.  Dark beer, and not counting calories on a regular basis seem to be the issues.  I have remained active, despite the Carotid Artery surgery in March...but some weight has found it's way back....so, as football season arrives, I intend to get back down to 180 or so before the end of football and the holiday and basketball season...usually this has not been a problem to lose the weight, so here we go again.

On a related note:

     I had an appointment to meet the new Doc who took over for retired Doc Bergman this morning....seems like a nice enough fellow, not young, probably in his forties.  I found it amusing that when I took my Blood Pressure this morning before I left for the office, it was a solid 115/73 with a pulse rate of 55 beats per....the medication has worked it seemed.  However, when I arrived at the office and checked in, it was up to 155/104....he came in, we talked and he told me that when he was an intern, he was told to wait for awhile before taking the BP...so it would be down to nearly "normal" levels...when he re-took mine, it was up to 205/110....now somebodies machine isn't telling the truth.

      The results suggested I come back in 90 days...rather than the usual 6 months.  Since I have blood work scheduled in August, and an appointment with the cardio in September, so what the Hell?  The thing is once I got back home, I re-checked and it was back down to the 115/56 and 55 pulse...I had Patricia take her readings and she was actually a bit higher than mine at 120/75.  The Doc wants me to bring my device in next time I come in to check if versus his...I will, but I'm pretty sure my is working well, as Patricia's is usually low, and her readings are just about what she usually takes.  My problem, IMO, is the old "White Coat Syndrome"....and I've had it for awhile, at least since my back issues a few years ago...I don't seem to have any outward signs, but something is different when I walk into that office and plop myself down...and I won't increase medications to drop if further.

Five Years Ago:

     Five years ago, this week, I started writing this blog.....my plans to slow down to 3 or 4 times a week are on course.....more on occasion, less at other times....if I have something I deem worth writing.

     Patricia and I will head for Centerville on Thursday to sit with Kasyn....who turns 8 months old today....the boy is growing like a week...eating jars of food, and wearing 18 month old size clothes...at 8 months!  He is moving well, and my guess is he will be walking within a month on his own....he already can maneuver himself around by holding on to tables and whatever else he can get his paws on....he will be a challenge for Hal and Lisa, bigger than he already is.

back later>>>>