2024 Winds Down

 

This year is on track to be the least posted Blog since I began this thing back in 2007 over 17 years ago...

Blogging is just not that high on the Internet Food Chain these days, but I will keep this up as long as I am able...I was 58 years old when I began and already retired from both Broadcasting {part time} and my full time work in Environmental Health.  I will turn 76 in March of 2025, God willing.  

Despite Diabetes 2 and some Neuropathy, I still can get up and go with the best of my age...and especially so since I went on the Carnivore Diet back in August, thus losing 25 extra pounds down to 171 {at 174 this morning} and A1C down from 8.7 to 6.1, along with Bad {LDL} Cholesterol down big as well.  I've since moderated my diet, from all meat, eggs, cheese, extra lite beers and coffee with swell sugar free cream, by adding some green veggies, along with darker, richer beers, and so far the weight has been maintained from 172 to 176...which is where I wanted it to be.

The VA visits of late tell that my left Carotid Artery is closed somewhat?  That I decided was strange, since when I had my right one stinted on my 63 birthday they said they couldn't do my left, because it had already found a new route...but they were ready to put me to the knife this time anyway.  I balked and have pushed any decision back until my next scheduled visit in April at Columbus.  I'll be past my 76th birthday and really have no desire to get cut again, I hated the last, the blood thinner things, metal stiches, etc...but I was much younger and quickly recovered...at this point I lean to saying "No" but will decide again after the next checkup.

Looking back at 2024...

The new Airedale "Pup" Millie who we got last December, a year ago next Monday the 16th, when she was 8 weeks old, is now a fully grown 100 pound 13 1/2 month old Mini Monster, at least size wise.  She is a great dog, like most Airedales I have owned, but is so damn strong that she has to jump on anybody she greets and lick and paw them...all out of love, but frankly it hurts like Hell when she does...we, especially the wife, is great with her, but work needs to be done.

Spend much of the year attending the two oldest Grandson's games, especially the middle one's travel baseball coached by his dad, my youngest son...he has potential and had a great Summer Season, and decent Fall Season as well. and for the 2nd time in 3 seasons he scored high enough to participate in Champions Day at Cincinnati's GABP, after a Red's Game in September.

Older Grandson is good at Soccer and Swimming, but is not quite as Gung Ho as the middle one...the youngest will turn 4 next March on my 76th BD...

Took a trip to South Carolina with the middle grandson to hook up with his parents and brothers, stayed a day or two, then headed to Flagler Beach, Florida, solo, to fish, enjoy the beach, and smoke a few good cigars.  Wife took her own vacation to Wisconsin to see her family and we took turns watching the Critters when we each took off solo.  

Older son and I took our annual Road Trip to an Ohio State Road Game, and the Buckeyes came away at Michigan State with an easy win.  Now after the loss to Michigan, we shall see how they do in the CFB Playoffs.  Next season, we will do the Illinois game on October 11th at the Illini Home...quick trip for him, since he lives in the Chicago west bergs, and frankly not  that far from me.  Other than that, not a lot of fixed plans for 2025.

Photography wise, I didn't do a lot...at least by my standards...the Full Eclipse did come out well, and I got some decent baseball shots of the Travel Season.

And then there was the election...needless to say, I'm smiling and laughing at the fools and suckers that have Terminal TDS...I wish them nothing but political {not personal} misery for the next 4 years.

Back Later, probably not until 2025 unless something big happens...

Carnivore/KETO Diets...What's in a Name?

Dropping Down...weight wise:

Back in the late Summer of 2009 it was discovered that I was Pre-Diabetes II and had high Blood Pressure...that was 15 years ago.  I went on a somewhat D2 Diet, and cut back on lots of things, beer drinking was not one of those "things". By the Spring of 2010 I had just turned 61 and my weight was hanging in the 183-187 range, that was down a good 30 pounds and I was satisfied with that...after all I was into weight lifting and could only drop so far {at least that's what I told myself}.  Over the next 15 years the weight fluxed between that 183 and 200, usually the lower number in the late Summer and high numbers around the Christmas Holiday Season{no surprise}.  Meanwhile I had developed full blown D2 and was on Metformin and 2 kinds of BP Meds, part of the Blood Pressure was my 'White Coat Syndrome"...every damn time I visited the VA Clinic in Columbus my BP was through the roof...I could never convince them that my BP was usually not that high, but was somewhat above normal...but the handful of doctors and nurses just looked at me with Jaundiced Eyes.

Anyway the Metformin doses increased and the PB Meds doses did likewise...the weight as I entered 2024 remained pretty steady between 183-195...still, now that I was turning 75, and just a shade over 5' 10"  ... I became bound and determined to rid myself of another 15 to 20 pounds and get down to about 175, while losing the weight and dropping the A1C and Bad Cholesterol numbers too...

In 2023 I had a new VA Doctor, and I call her "Doctor Helen" since I cannot pronounce her last name...she was more open to my "White Coat" and my claims my BP was overblown.  Last winter they hooked me up with a pad and new BP Home Monitor which went directly to the VA ...my numbers were indeed better, Blood Pressure wise at home...but still no lowering of the Meds, at least not yet.

On my first visit to Columbus in April, Dr Helen was out of town at a conference, and the new guy, was OK, however my blood worked sucked...A1C was way to high at 8.6 and my Bad LDL was 84.

Fast forward to July, vacation with son, his wife, and 3 grandsons for a couple days at Hilton Head Island, the solo to Flagler Beach for some beer drinking, cigar smoking, and fishing...a bit of soul searching too...I wanted the damn weight to drop a bit, but most of all I wanted those A1C numbers down, along with the LDL numbers.

So August 1st upon my return I did a bit of research and discovered the KETO {which I had tried and found it a waste of my time} offshoot the CARNIVORE Diet...basically meats, cheese, perhaps a green veggie or two, but not much else...Beer?  Not really but maybe extra lite beers with few carbs...worked for me, because at my age, I'm not giving up beer completely nor good quality hand rolled cigars.  So off I went on the Carnivore...meats, even deli, plenty of cheese, and "Diet" beers, plenty of flavored water and gallons of coffee.  The so called "Health Experts" hate this diet...well I don't know if it will increase my life longevity, but the results on October 16th at the VA, with Doctor Helen back, were something that she said "Made Her Day"... and personally I feel as good as I've felt in years...170 from a top weight of about 220 in my weight lifting and fried food/any beer I could find days, is something I wish I had discovered 20 years ago.

Even though my BP there was still somewhat high @ VA...147-76, when I showed her the screen shots of two days worth at home testing, the numbers were actually way too low.  On the other hand, my weight had dropped from 198 in street clothes in April to 173 now, the A1C took a dramatic dip from that 8.6 down to 6.2 and the Bad LDL dropped to 56 from 84.  Amazing...she was amazed and dropped my one BP med to 1/2 dose, which will be dumped completely after a PC/Phone conference on November 13th...if the numbers remain low, and so far they have, I was in the 80-96 over 53-60 range today, so I've taken it on myself to dump the one BP med totally...and see what she says next month.

As for the diet, I did midway thru give up the Deli Meats and most of the cheese...instead opting for Burgers, Chops, Fish, Eggs, and no skin Chicken breasts, along with some Bratwurst ...a few green veggies remain, along with the coffee and sweet water.  I did buy some darker Christmas Ales, and have sipped those for the past week...NO weight increase thus far...

So a Cat Scan in early December to check heart and carotid {the one that I didn't get "cleaned" out} back at VA...and hopefully I can dump or at least reduce the Metformin intake by Christmas...The ONLY Drawback of this diet is you have to adjust, I did get quite a bit of constipation and not wanting to drink the sugar and carb loaded Prune Juice I opted for some mild laxatives, which seemed to overdo things, but so far I'm managing to find the happy medium...

Hopefully I will never go back, most diets don't work long term, this one however does seem to reduce your appetite and so far I have no desire to return to those days of Breads, Added Sugars, Chocolate, Pies, even Cheesecake, and frankly the Dark Beers and Ales, so far, after a week are not even that big a deal...



If I fall off this wagon, I'll let you know, right here...

Back Later>>>>

Photos-Me at 62 back in 2011..I was still pumping iron and weighed in about 195, the other photo is an AI image of me of how I wanted to look when finished up with this diet, at least size wise, and I pretty much hit that nail on the head.  The key will be to moderate and keep it below 175..and the photo below was me and the two older grandsons at Great American Ballpark in late September weighing in at about 177, with still a handful to lose.  Grandson on the left was again participating in "Champions Day" at GABP, he finished 6th overall out of some 1300 participants at the various Red's Camp this past summer, he had finished 9th back in 2022, so he is into baseball, like the his uncle, his dad, and both grandads ... but it appears, if he stays focused, he will be the best of the lot.

Summer winds down 2024 Style

 Just keeping the old Blog alive past year 17...hard to believe I started this in July 2007, and for the first few years was posting semi-daily, now perhaps once every other month on average.

It's been a hot and mostly dry summer around Grand Lake but we finally got some overnight rain last night perhaps giving the parched yard grass and crops some relief...my Sunflowers did well and are now, except the Mexicans, being bird feed and seeds for next year...much of the spring and early summer we spent watching Grandson's baseball and swimming, and now fall baseball and soccer are on the agenda.

I did get a vacation in...while the wife stayed home and took care of the critters, including the now 10 month old Airedale, Millie, I gathered up one grandson and hauled him to Hilton Head Island to meet up with youngest son and the rest of his family for a 2 week vacation there, I stuck around for a couple days, then headed to Flagler Beach, Florida, for some relaxation on the Atlantic side this time around.  Then over to a buddy, Tom's, around DeLand, where we headed to Daytona Beach for some Oysters and Beers, stayed on his waterfront dwelling overnight.  After that the long ride home, in the 2024 Jeep Wrangler I had rented...more comfortable than my 2009, the new Jeeps, while not a off road friendly are for sure more like luxury cars than rough and tumble old time Jeeps.

After the vacation, and back to grandson sport watching, I have began a modified KETO\Carnivore diet, not giving up beer, but switching to the sickening extra light brands...been trying out a few different varieties, and will stick with a few of them until my Semi Annual VA check up in mid October.  This morning I weighed in at 183.0 my lowest since 1984 and topping last September's low of 183.6.  The goal is to hit 170 by October 16th...I frankly have little doubt that I can reach that, the plan is to keep it off until after the Christmas Holiday...then I will return to more carb, beer friendly, fare and see if I can hold my own in the 170-175 range.

Those are a look back at Summer 2024 and the goals for the rest of the year...besides seeing that lying whore Harris and the Stolen Valor POS Little Timmy Walz, defeated in November.

Back Later...

Photos...Me, Hal, and the 3 Grandsons at Hilton Head Island, July 2024...Oldest Grandson K~Man drives towards the Goal, he scored 4 of his teams 7 goals in this game last weekend and assisted in other in the 7-2 win.  Sunrise over Flagler Beach late July 2024.  And finally the middle Grandson Kam in the on deck circle...Kam had a grand spring and early summer season landing him a spot on the Dayton 10u all star team...and now is continuing that success in Fall Ball...

Just checking in...again

 2 posts in a couple of days...don't visit much but I saw 3 potential comments from some gutless asshole name of Butthead, or Bunson, or Dickless, something like one of those, using the tired old phrase of "Old Man" blah, blah, blah, saying he wanted to "Kick my Ass", on a February 29th comment...Just another in a long line of Leftist Internet Tough Guys, who would piss their panties if we every met face to face...age doesn't slow the trigger finger nor my aim...so tough guy, bring it.

The dumb son of a bitch left 3 comments and demanded, using Capital Letters in the last one, that I post his comments, I did the piss ant a favor and posted one...it's all the little bastard gets, and doesn't deserve even that.  And if he ever shows up on my door...well good luck punk, "Do you feel lucky"? 

OK enough of that...

Busy Summer continues...travel baseball, swimming, etc with the Grandsons...

Spent most of the week down south and finished up yesterday with the middle Grandson at GABP in Cincinnati, where he finished 3rd in his age group in the skills competition, with the two finishing ahead of him being a year older and somewhat larger to say the least...

Meanwhile oldest Grandson took a first, second, and a third in his 3 individual swimming races ...winning the Breaststroke by a finger nail...

Those activities will continue for a couple more weeks...then off to Florida to experience more heat and humidity for awhile.  Then there is Millie the now 8 month old Airedale is using the old Kiddie Pool to escape from the heat and humidity these days...

Back Sooner maybe rather than later...

Another Summer is Here and an Old Friend passes...

 

Yeah, it's been since February, so thought I would post a quickie...

Been spending most of the Spring, first day of Summer is today, chasing around with youngest son and middle grandson at their travel baseball games and tournament...

Just a quick note, and old friend and riding buddy Bob Reynolds passes today at James OSU in Columbus...he lived one Hell of a life, although the last few years have been brutal with the various cancers...

On the positive side he did find Jesus Christ a couple of years back...

RIP  Bob, safe travels in the afterlife.  Photo Bob and his Hym and me at my TW200 October 2022 in Ohio's Hocking Hills...

ps:  I plan on getting back on here more as the baseball and swim seasons winds down, because at 75 I cannot afford to be looking back, the grim reaper might be gaining on me...

Before February Ends...

The plan is, is to get at least a post a month here for 2024...so here we are in later February so let's do it...

It has been, for the most part, a snow free and mild winter..."Man Made Global Warming"?  Bullshit...just nature doing what it does, going through a cycle of change...and turning 75 next month, I'm damn glad to see the warmer winter weather...and hopefully Spring, as they predict, is warmer than normal as well...

Millie, the new Airedale pup, is growing way fast...on her 3rd and last for now, visit to the Vets, for here final set of pup shots, she weighed in at just over 40 pounds...and she is just turning 4 months old this week...even for the Oorang/Ohio Strain, that is a big girl...100 pounds?  I hope not, but if it happens, we will adapt.

Only a few solid plans for the spring...watching the middle grandson during his 9u travel baseball season from March thru early July down in Dayton, another Vietnam Security Police get together in April at WPAFB and the Air Farce Museum in Dayton...and {maybe} some fishing in... 

I will, God willing, turn 75 on March 16th...does that bother me?  Not really, given the track record of the surname men in my family, I will be only the 2nd one that has reached 75 years old...my Uncle John made it to 75 and a couple months, but he had 3 heart attacks and some other later year health issues before he passed.  As for me, despite the Agent Orange related Diabetes 2 and related Neuropathy, I am pretty healthy.  On a few drugs from the Columbus VA, but all in all, I still ride the Dual Sport Motorcycle on occasion and get out and about ... we will see how that works out as time moves on...

OK there is my short February post...back in March, if not sooner>>>>

Welcome to 2024...

 2024 off and running...

Almost a month in to the new year...first few days/weeks were cold and windy, last 10 have been miserable, wet, above average temps, but now closer to normal temps but still damn, not seen the sun since at least a week, and not even before that...

The new Airedale Pup, Millie, is growing like a weed...turned 14 weeks on Sunday 28th} and is right at 30 pounds...mostly house broken, still a few mistakes on occasion, but doing as well as expected.  Training is moving along, wife is better and more patient than me...Millie is still over aggressive with Old Cam Dog, the Schnauzer Mix who is at 16 years and mostly blind...it all is a work in progress.

Not much else going on...I do need, approaching 75 years on this planet, to get back to working out more...I can feel the winter moving along slow...but spring can happen IMO at any time...the sooner the better.

Well that's about it...getting the year moving, and I will be back later, God willing...

When we had a bit of Snow Millie did enjoy playing out and about in it...