Mindfulness

Second day of setting a task.  For today, I'm going to stop and try to be completely in the moment for at least a couple of minutes.  I'll try to do this 4 times throughout the day.  I, like most of us, go through my daily routine as just that - a routine.  I'm on automatic most of the day and my mind wanders wherever it wants to wander.  Most times, I'm not even aware of my thoughts.  If I was to look back on my day, I have to say that I lived maybe 10 minutes if that much. For the rest of the time, I existed like a zombie.  I know that I need to meditate, and have all the good intentions but never seem to find the time. 
So for today, I'll try to catch myself at whatever my activities throughout the day and be totally 100% conscious of what I'm doing.

Folding laundry: Achieved maybe 50% concentration.  I felt my fingers against the fabric, inhaled deeply the fresh scent of my clothes right from the dryer. I put the warmth of the cloth against my cheeks.  I carefully folded my pants, my shirts, my underwear, my socks.  It felt really wonderful.
But there was always a background chatter reminding me that I need to hurry.  Maybe with enough practice, I'll slow down?
Taking a Shower:  What a nice experience.  First thing I noticed when I tried to be in the moment was my posture. I was aware of how hunched I am.  So I straightened out and felt at least a foot taller!  Then I listened to the water as it ran down my back, my legs and into the tub then into the drain.  This was truly a wonderful experience!



WALKING for today

In my effort of living a simpler life, I've decided to set a task at beginning of each day which will help me toward that simple and healthier lifestyle.  I need each task to be simple - not at all complicated.  I deal with enough "complex" matters all day long!

So for today, I'm going to try to ft in some time for walking.  It's a beautiful morning with a promise of clear blue sky all day long. It's actually a perfect day for taking Weston for a walk. Unfortunately, he is a bit under the weather. As with most pure bred white dogs, Weston is prone to get allergies.  His white skin is puffy pink and he's scratching and biting like crazy. He scratched and bit so hard at the lower end of his tail that it's difficult for him to remain standing! The poor little guy!
But, I digress!

Walking will help me work toward my goal of losing weight and getting healthy.  It'll also clear my head of brain fog.  I'm not sure when I can fit this in, but I'll do this before nightfall.


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I accompanied my daughter to her dentist appointment and had some time to wait.  It dawned on me that I can make use of this time and go for a walk.  Since this was her first visit to this dentist, the area was totally unfamiliar. But I saw a small residential area across the street and decided to walk there.  I turned on my "MayMyWalk" app and off I went.  What a great decision that was. I could have stayed seated and read a magazine or a book all hunched up in my bad bent-over posture, or walk briskly under clear autumn sky.  I could have sat by a shuttered window with filtered sun light or walk happily as the warmth of the sun enveloped my arms.

I came across a field full of flowers that I've never seen before. They were bright pink and looked like orchids. Even the leaves had that long green orchid look.  

 

I'm so glad I chose to walk. I got in 1 mile and exceeded my UP goal by a few hundred steps! Most of all, I took the time to enjoy flowers. 

Oh, my aching back!!!!!

I had a wake up call yesterday! I've been down with a horrible lower back ache which to me, felt like it was originating from my left hip where I had a total replacement 7.5 years ago.  I finally went to see my ortho surgeon to make sure my hip prosthesis was still in place.  Good news is that my hip is fine.  But they did take an x-ray of my back and found that I have a small indication of arthritis in my back.  They think the lower back pain is actually from muscle strain but wanted to let me know that I do have some arthritis.  WOW!!!! 
I'm 64 years old.  Most my friends have arthritis somewhere in their body, and most of them, in the lower back.  So I know it's not unusual.  But I guess I always thought of myself as being relatively healthy for my age.  At least, on rare occasions when I turn on my Wii and insert my Wii Fit disc and do that little test for age, I'm told I'm 35 years old.  So I've been going on believing that I'm 30 years younger than my real age.
I don't take any blood pressure medicine, and I'm not a diabetic.  But the truth of it is, I don't go to doctors so I don't have to find out. I do have a blood pressure monitor which I use once every other month or so.  It tells me that I'm at stage 1 hypertension.  I borrow my dad's blood sugar reading machine, and measure myself some mornings - not often.  It tells me I'm good (60 to 70 range).  But I don't take it in late afternoons after my 4th bar of chocolates!
This arthritis in the back really is forcing me face the truth. The truth isn't that I'm old and need to plan for death.  But truth is that I really need to get going with being healthy and treating my body right. Eat simply! Live simply!  EXERCISE!!!!!

Oh Christmas Tree....

We lost our Christmas tree this summer in the flood.  So it's time to buy another one.  You'd think that would be an easy task.  But it's never easy for me, because I'm not a big fan of traditional Christmas trees.  I'm not artistic by any means, but when it comes to Christmas trees, I like to walk to the beat of a different drummer, maybe that of a little drummer boy?
Here is a photo of a Christmas tree I made 3 years ago.  I cut off some branches from one of my bushes, painted it all white, and decorated it with white lights and small red bow ties. 

 

It cost me a lot less to do this (free) than to buy a new tree whether fresh or artificial.  I also got a lot of compliments on this.  But my daughter missed the traditional tree with all the ornaments. So I bought a cheap small artificial tree and placed in a corner of our TV room. 

 

I suppose I could do this again, but I'm looking for another idea. Just what, I don't know yet.  But keeping with my attempts at simplicity and frugality, I need to look for an idea that won't cost much and won't be complicated.

 

Anyone has any ideas?

 



 



Re-Creating Leftovers

I'm trying to get back to normal and healthy after my binge eating from Thanksgiving weekend.  Despite all the self talk about discipline, eating the right food, cutting back, exercise... nothing worked.
Problem is that I still have tons of foods leftover, and I really don't want to throw them out. 
I did manage to freeze most of my turkey meat, turkey chili that I made on Friday, and some pies.
But I still have a lot left, and I didn't want to eat it again!
So I took the left over rice,  left over peas, salad ingredients still in the refrig from last Thursday, salmon from my freezer, and made a meal.  I have to say, it was delicious because it wasn't that heavy, fat laden food of the past few days.

Salmon was baked in my NuWave oven with sprinkling of salt. I mixed the cooked rice with left over peas and seasoned with salt and pepper and some olive oil to loosen the rice.  The green mound you see to the left is fresh spinach that I had to cook before it went bad. I made a small mound and indented the top, then poured a small amount of rice vinegar into the hole.
Very simple, healthy, good for you kind of dinner!

Buddhist Prayer

9:30am and I need to get in the shower and get going for the day.  My routine of coffee and reading is done.  Currently, I'm reading The Ambassador by Morris West. It's an old book and I think it's out of print.  There is a quote of a prayer in this book that I love and hold dear. 
     
If there be light, show me light.
If there be power, extend it to me.
If there be forgiveness, forgive.
If there be tomorrow, grant me a hope in it.
And if there be all these things, but not for me,
Give me the patience to endure the not having.

I need to print it out and frame it and read it every day.

My life is changing again.  I'm waiting for a call or an email from my most likely employer some time this week.  I retired 7 months ago, but got an offer that I just couldn't refuse.  It's 99% that I'll take the job, but still waiting for the contract offer to make sure that compensation and benefits are what I want, and worth coming out of retirement.

Will check in later.

My Dad at Masonic Nursing Home