Day 390

The obsession with juicing is taking over, at least for now. While some folks do nothing but juice all day everyday for months, that's not our plan.

The plan isn't permanent for us. We wanted to reset our bodies, go cold turkey off the bad foods and hit the good foods hard. We were planning on nothing but juice through spring break, but already changed just a bit. We're doing juice for two meals, with the third meal being a salad (either fruit or veggie). The strong need to chew something is overwhelming. The need to continue to pursue the all plant diet is just as overwhelming so we had to make a concession.

We already see how the juice can be a part of our lives once this week is over. You wouldn't think a plate of fruits and veggies would turn out so tasty (and yet so ugly). This version tasted like apple juice.

 

 

 

And for those with no interest in juice here are some words from Ruth, who was lucky enough to captured these photos...

This owl has been in our area for nearly a month. Here he is sitting on a house roof next to the chimney. First time ever in our area.

Day 389

I'm not a napper, but between the juicing and finally getting a new bike and doing lots of miles, the combination wore me out today.

We knew going into the juicing we'd hit a wall. We knew we'd lose some energy and some pep as our bodies were transitioning from sugar, salt, and fat-laden foods to healthy, plant-based diets. It just came earlier than I thought. I was expecting it after four or so days but it hit me here on the third day.

We prepared for it, though. That's why we started the juicing over spring break - so that we wouldn't be obligated to go anywhere or do anything, and if need be we could nap our time away.

So I napped today. I didn't exactly awaken refreshed, but I did feel better. Thank goodness it didn't take much brain power to take a picture of this strawberry before it hit the juicer.

Day 388

My mom called today about the blog. Really, about the juicing. When she called I was in the middle of my bike ride (back to double digit miles - yay!) and in the middle of still working on downing my breakfast. A big glass of kale, spinach, carrot, celery, strawberry, grape, and peach juice.

Yum. Well, not exactly. Yum on the fruits, yuck on the veggies. Even with the fruits outweighing the vegetables in my mix, I could still taste the kale. And I don't like hate kale. But I'm drinking it because I know it's good for me. It's good for my health. All this juicing is probably a good way to rid my body of all the toxins built up with all the rheumatoid arthritis medications. A good way to jump start my system.

So I'll continue. We're planning on doing five days (with a break Wednesday night because we're going to our daughter's for dinner), then back again for at least another four days. Then spring break will be over and we'll see where we'll go from there.

I do have to say that as much as I dislike veggies and the juice isn't the tastiest thing (at least not yet) it does fill me up. Last night I had my juice at 6 PM and wasn't hungry the rest of the evening. That never happens. Same thing today - my morning juice filled me up for the day. We'll see what tomorrow holds. Maybe I'll be starving!

If I starve, I'll just hide in my sewing room and do more sewing for kids. Today I was able to get another kids quilt top done. It didn't turn out as pretty as I thought it would, but I still have more of the kid fabric left so I'll have another shot at it.

Day 387

I usually like being right. But today? Not so much.

I was right about the whole juicing thing. Yep, hubby is planning on doing a juice fast and yes, he remembered I agreed to do it with him. He even put some money into the project. I paid for all the fruits and veggies from yesterday, but today it was another purchase.

A juicer. A highly recommended, five star juicer. And wouldn't you know it, it went on sale at my daughter's work today. 40% off. And wouldn't you know it, she had an extra 20% off coupon she received as an incentive at work. She put the juicer on hold for us as we hopped in the car and drove to Boise to pick it up. And wouldn't you know it, as soon as we got home hubby made a concoction. A concoction I had to pass on. I need one more meal before I start.

So tomorrow morning it is.

But this morning, my daffodils were blooming.

An evening update...

I decided not to back out on tonight, so my first night of juicing is complete. I consumed more fruits and vegetables in one sitting than I probably ever did in an entire day. The taste wasn't too bad, but the color sure was disgusting (no picture of that).  Take a look at the pretty version of everything I just drank.

Day 386

I was planning on taking a picture of my new bike today, but I didn't. I also thought about taking a picture of the next kids quilt in progress, but I didn't.

After an impromptu trip to Costco with my mom today, the picture was an obvious one. Not necessarily because of Costco itself or my mom, but because of my husband.

A little while ago we watched a movie called Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead. A guy goes across country doing a juice fast - and losing weight - along the way, extolling the virtues of juicing. After the movie my hubby got to thinking and asked if I would do a few days of juicing with him. I agreed. But we never talked about it again.

Skip ahead a few weeks to today. I gave him a call at school before I went to the store to see if there was anything he wanted. Boy, did he have a list. Apples, bananas, berries, lemons, kale, celery, carrots, and on and on. Then he again asked me if I thought I would do the juicing with him and again I said yes.

Only when I hung up did I realize I think he's planning on us starting pretty darn soon. Since his spring break begins tomorrow, I'm starting to wonder if I've eaten my last bite of solid food for a while.

Whether they wind up in juice or not, we certainly have plenty of fruits and veggies now.

Day 385

It's time for a roundup. An update. A look at where things stand.

First and foremost, I've taken myself off all rheumatoid arthritis medications. After the last doctor visit where he suggested sending me to Salt Lake City for further tests and treatments I decided to become a rebel. Or maybe I'm trying to hide or just go into complete denial. I've had enough. I'm tired of the shots, tired of my hair falling out, tiring of feeling icky from the medications. So no more chemotherapy injections, no more anti-malaria drugs, no more $2000+ month TB-causing shots. No more. That plate of pills and shots from Day 352 is quite smaller and I'm happy about it. The absence of all those medications certainly hasn't made me feel any worse, and in fact my bad-feeling Thursdays and Fridays are now better without all the side effects dragging me down.

My biking hit a bump in the road. With the broken bike I was able to limp along a few miles a day until this weekend when it complete busted. My new bike is supposed to arrive today - daily double digit miles, here I come! Sisters, Oregon, 315 miles from my house, is my next destination and I hope to be there next week.

And the most important update - after a little bit of a break, the charity quilts are on the move again. I just finished a top using some of the fabrics from Paula O. I still have lots of the cutest kid fabric in the world that she sent and will start on another one using some of that same fabric.

Paula, thanks again for your generous donation!

Day 384

Patience.

My new word for the week, my new lesson to be learned. As in I'm showing great patience as I wait for my new bike to show up.

Actually, maybe patient fits better today.

I know that it snowed today on the first day of spring, but be patient Mr. and Mrs. Rosebush. It'll be time to bloom before you know it.

Day 383

I finally got my sewing room back together.

I've been dragging my feet for some reason. But after procrastination nipped me in the rear yesterday with missing that pheasant picture, it was time to get moving. I mostly just moved furniture around, swapped some furniture out, and did some re-organizing of things.

I've even found some time to get moving on the next project. I'm making a kids quilt with some of the fabric Paula O. sent me on Day 336.

It was only when I sat down to get back to work on the quilt project that I noticed I had a visitor on my ironing board. (You'll have to look closely.) Guess she thought the best place to be on the last day of winter was a padded surface next to a sunny window.

Day 126

Day 382

I'm mad at myself today. I procrastinated and wound up losing in the end.

My camera has been showing low battery for several days. But since I'm not taking tons of pictures and I'm not doing videos right now, I've kept putting off charging it. And now I'm sorry I did.

As I was opening the living room curtains a bit this morning so kitty could sit in the window, I was excited to look down and see some tulips about ready to open. But then I looked up and saw something even more exciting.

A beautiful, brightly colored boy pheasant walking right across our lawn, just a few feet in front of me.

I ran (I don't run, so it was more of a super fast walk) to grab the camera. I turned it on as I left the den so it would be ready by the time I got back to the front window. But the camera beeped at me. And beeped again, and beeped again. As I tried to take a series of pictures of the pheasant (so I could get the best picture) it only snapped one before it shut off. I tried to turn it back on with no luck. Completely dead battery.

So today's picture is the only picture left in the battery charge. Not the best picture of Mr. Pheasant, but at least I got something.

Day 381: Blue Mystery Revealed

When we first moved to Marsing back in 1987 we lived south of town. South of town meant towards the desert. South of town also meant no city water or sewer. Which then meant well water heavy in minerals and alkali.

While we had a water softener, it didn't prevent the water from developing a rusty tint. It didn't keep our bathtubs and sinks from turning orange. It didn't prevent heavy alkali deposits on everything.

Even though we are now in town and on city water we still have deposits. Nothing like that ugly orange that ruined everything back then, but we do have minerals that leave a white residue behind. It's like that science experiment I did in school - take a pie plate of water and add some salt. Let it sit on the windowsill in the sun and see what's left behind.

So for the answer to Day 377's mystery picture...

While this bowl didn't have any salt added, you can clearly see what happens when just plain tap water winds up evaporating in a blue cat bowl.

Day 380

I tried something new today (and it didn't have to do with my new shoes). It had to do with my camera.

Every day when I take my picture I wind up doing some editing. I almost always wind up cropping it. Sometimes I take out some of the shadows and sometimes I make the color more vibrant. But today I decided to use one of the pre-chosen style/color/format options.

I don't remember what I chose, but I think it makes the picture more interesting. We are having some hard rain - hard enough to make bubbles - which isn't all that exciting of a picture. But I do like it even more now.

Speaking of pictures - tomorrow I'll reveal what that picture was on Day 377. It sure has been fun seeing everyone's guesses!

Day 379

Several years ago I realized I was wearing the wrong size shoes. Ever since high school, I've been buying the same size in all shoes, no matter the style - dress shoes, athletic shoes, hiking boots, sandals. But a few years back when I was buying a new pair of shoes I tried on a bigger pair and found they fit better.

It would have made sense that if a bigger pair fit better, I should start buying other shoes in that same bigger size. But I'm not a shoe person and don't like shoe shopping. Other than that one pair about six years back, all my shoes are old, old. Like eight or nine years old, and in some cases 10+ years. So all these years I've been continuing to wear the same wrong size.

Too-small shoes worn every single day causes bruised toes. Bruised toes bring about bruised toenails. Bruised toenails (sorry for being gross here) brings about a big toe with a toenail that looks like it might want to fall off. And this week I learned that too-small shoes worn for 100+ miles of biking make a big toenail (sorry, again gross) really look like it wants to fall off.

So today was enough. When stopping to pick up prescriptions and some groceries I ran across some athletic shoes 50% off the last marked clearance price. I left with two new pair of shoes in my cart. Guess who is going to wear new shoes (that fit) for tomorrow's denim day at work?

How about you? Are you wearing shoes that fit just right?

Day 378

I think I got the message. It was one of those I never thought of it that way messages. And it was all about Pajama Boy. Between the comments on posts and the e-mail I've received, it seems that PJ boy (AKA hubby) has quite the support from my readers. Ever since I posted a picture of him on Day 374 (a picture he was more than happy for me to take - he wasn't the least bit embarrassed) I've been having to re-think the whining.

I whine about hubby never getting out of his pajamas. I whine about hubby going outside in his pajamas. I whine about hubby going into the casino in his pajamas. Guess I need to stop the whining.

When I get home from school, I change out of my dress clothes into my most comfortable clothes -sweats. When he comes home, he changes out of his dress clothes into his most comfortable clothes - pajamas.

When we walked away from the casino with $1500 back in March of last year, most of that money was won by him. In his pajamas.

When the mail is handed to me on Saturday morning, it's because he walked across the street and brought it to me. In his pajamas.

When the lawn is full and green and lush in the summer, it's because he fertilized it when he was wearing his pajamas.

When my crocuses bloom in the spring it's because he watered them in the fall. In his pajamas.

Day 377

The Sunday edition of the Idaho Statesman (the Boise paper) has a contest in the Outdoor section. They post a picture and have readers submit guesses about where the photo was taken. Sometimes the picture is a trailhead, a lake, or some other "outdoorsy" place.

Since my brain is fried after just getting home here at 7 PM, I have a guessing game for you. Unfortunately I don't have any prizes to award, but I hope you have fun seeing what everyone thinks.

What is this picture of? Leave me a comment with your guess!

Day 376

I'm still in a bummed state over my exercise bike. I've worked so hard at getting double digit miles in every day, I just can't give it up right now. Maybe the luck of the Irish will heal it?

Speaking of Irish...tomorrow is treat day at work and the theme is green for St. Patrick's day. Since typically Tuesday is my full day of meetings I might not be able to partake, but I did make a couple green-themed items. A lime jello poke cake (I love poke cake) and peppermint spiral cookies. I was planning on adding a bit of chocolate and crushed peppermints to the outer edges of the cookies, but hubby said they tasted great as is.

Day 375

I have butterflies in my stomach every day. Every morning I wake up and set a time for my biking, but up until that time when I ride I'm nervous. I try and keep myself busy beforehand, but sometimes the anxiousness creeps in.

Every day before I bike the same thoughts race through my head. Will my knees make it? Will my feet and hips and back make? Will I make it? Is my goal too extreme? Can I focus enough to get through it? Is this going to be the last day my body holds out? In the last week I've biked over 120 miles and my knees, feet, hips, and back have not been too happy about the venture. But I'm determined to exercise mind over matter and continue, with the hope that it can only get better with more exercise. Every day when I get off the bike I'm pleased with what I've accomplished and I'm looking forward to having fewer butterflies the farther along I get.

Except I didn't plan on the bike itself being something I should be nervous about. But it should have been. Because for several days my bike has been broken. Multiple attempts to repair the ten year old bike have failed. While I've been trying to continue my 15+ miles a day, the miles are starting to (temporarily) decrease. A new bike has been ordered so until then I'm limping along. (Or whatever the equivalent of a limp would be while pedaling a bike).

With the whole butterflies in the stomach thing going on, I was certain when I went outside I'd find a butterfly. The closest thing I could find was a bee at work.

Day 374

With today's temps being in the 60 degree range it made it the first day of the year that I worked outside.

As I was deadheading the wildflower/perennial garden (how did I miss doing that last fall?) my mind was wandering. Will this summer be better? Will I be able to work more outside this year than last year? Then it got me thinking about why I'm moving onto a year two on the blog. I want this year to be better than last year. I want my life to be more active, more positive, and less pain filled than last year.

It was nice being outside. Nice getting fresh air and doing a bit of work. Hubby even got into action, fertilizing the lawn.

But check out what he's wearing. Pajamas and slippers. Maybe I need to add "getting Pajama Boy dressed" on my list of wants for the year.

Day 373: The Shoe Tree

Tennis shoes. Cowboy boots. Ballet slippers. Heels. Flats. Hiking boots. What do all these things have in common?

They grow on trees. On one tree, to be more exact.

I've biked 80 miles down the road from Homedale and have arrived 17 miles east of Juntura, Oregon. There, right along side the road on Highway 20 stands a lone tree. In a somewhat boring section of a drive, in a somewhat boring section of the state (apologies to anyone who lives there), resides a shoe tree. Hundreds of pairs of shoes cover the tree.

Every year when we would head out to the Oregon Coast for spring break, we'd pass by the shoe tree. But since we always left home in the wee dark hours of the morning, it was still dark when we passed by the shoe tree. Then when we headed home from the coast, we were always dog tired by the time we got to the shoe tree and never stopped. But one year we did.

And we're glad we did. Because since these pictures were taken, vandals have burned the tree and the shoe tree is no more. We have yet to come across another shoe tree in our travels, but I'm sure there are others out there, just waiting to have their picture taken. I hope you're lucky enough to see one first hand.

Next stop - a long jaunt to one of my favorite places, some 226 miles away from the shoe tree - Sisters, Oregon.

Day 372

I do appreciate how blessed I am. While things aren't ever perfect and something always comes up to throw a wrench in things, there are a lot of good things in my life.

• I have a home that's paid for. A new roof over my head. I can look out the front windows to the river or look out the back window to the rose garden or the mountains. I can look out the sewing room window to the soon-to-be vegetable garden.
• I have a cat who has become a lap cat. No matter where I am or what I'm doing, she's either along side me or plopped down on me.
• I have a daughter who is self-sufficient. Who can pay her own bills and not ask for anything from her mom except advice.
• I have a husband who offers to make breakfast for me every morning. If I take him up on it and I'm awake before he leaves for work, he brings it to me in bed. If I'm asleep, he'll leave it for me to warm up.
• I am able to serve others through my quilting. I can remain at home, yet provide comfort for kids in need.
• I have this blog and the people who read it. Making this past year's struggles public has made me stronger. It has held me accountable for my thoughts and actions and has motivated me to be a better person. 
• I have a job that I go to where I feel respected and valued. The position fits within my limitations, fits within my schedule, fits with my strengths. A job where on my drive each morning I have views like this.

Day 371

I'm not a vegetable fan and I'm certainly not a carrot fan. But yesterday something made me change my mind about carrots. Well, at least one kind of carrot.

Every morning when I go to school I check with the school secretary to let her know I'm in the building for the day. Yesterday before I got a chance to turn around and go to my office, she stopped to show me her huge carrot. Her huge, gorgeous, vibrantly colorful carrot.

Even though she used the carrot last Easter and thought it was fine, she pulled it out again last Saturday. She needed something to do and didn't want to go to town and get something new, so out came her carrot. And she finished it. She's SOOO glad she did because she likes it even more now!

It was a quilted carrot tablerunner.

According to her, it was really a quick and easy project. It may have just taken her longer to pick the material out than to sew it, but it doesn't matter much. Whether she uses it as the tablerunner it is, or opts for a wallhanging option, it's the prettiest darn carrot I've ever seen.

Don't you agree?

Day 370

I had to give something up. To bike, to sew, to work, to keep trying to focus on the positive meant I had to cut something out.

Tuesday Tutorials.

I know they've been popular and I've gotten lots of warm and fuzzy comments about them (and I love those comments!), but I have to temporarily (or maybe permanently) stop doing them. It's a combination of time constraints and a lack of creativity. My creativity has been slowly draining away and what creativity I do have left I want to spend on trying new quilting techniques for the kids' quilts. And the time issue? Probably kind of obvious.

Trying to focus on the positive becomes another draining activity. I'm doing my best to keep my mind off rheumatoid arthritis issues. I hope my writing reflects more positive thinking this year than it did last year.

Something that is just like last year is the rose garden. On March 7 of last year (Day 5) I awoke to the rose garden covered in snow. Since yesterday's temperatures were in the 60s I didn't expect today, March 6, to see snow. But I did. Here in March, almost to the exact date, the garden is covered in snow. I didn't snap a picture of it this year, though.

I went with the Amaryllis that is blooming (again).

Day 369

I was oh-so-close to going to work today.

It wasn't a work day for me but I almost went in anyway. The pile of things that need to be done this week keeps growing and without the scheduled work days to do them, I am getting a bit antsy. But I held back. I did what I needed to do for me.

I stayed home. I stayed home and biked. I stayed home and worked at putting my sewing room back together. My mom and I are trading pieces of furniture - I get an armoire she doesn't need and she gets one of my bookshelves. The plan is to put the armoire in the sewing room, but it's not here yet. My daughter and her boyfriend are doing the switcharoo tomorrow so I'm in a bit of a holding pattern.

With the sewing room in a holding pattern my sewing is in a holding pattern, too. That one thing that grounded me, kept me thinking about others and kept my mind off my own issues isn't there right now. I need to make sure once it gets up and running again I get my behind in there.

I don't want it to turn out like the sunsets. For months the sun in my eyes over the computer screen bugged me like crazy. It may have bugged me, but it gave me the opportunity to see lots of gorgeous sunsets. Unfortunately now that I have curtains up I haven't even thought to look out the window.

I'm glad I caught what I was doing and started looking out the window again.

Day 368: Homedale, Idaho

It seems that if I'm planning on making an official cross country trip I need to start at one coast and go to the other. Being that I'm in Idaho, I guess it makes sense to start at the west coast.

My mom and I were talking on the phone yesterday, laughing about me probably having to do some multi-tasking. For as many miles and hours that I'll need to ride, I'll have to be doing something else at the same time. Something like biking and sewing.

While I didn't bike and sew at the same time today, I did bike and fold a couple loads of laundry. I don't think my husband was all too pleased that he had to hand me the items. I just couldn't figure out how to take things out of the basket, fold/hang them and return them to the basket, all while trying to balance the basket on my lap. That multi-tasking - and plenty of miles - wore me out so much today that as soon as I came upstairs I took a nap. I was darn tired!

But thanks to multi-tasking like that, in two days I've covered 33 miles so far. I was only planning on biking 11 miles to get myself to Homedale, Idaho but it seems I overshot it. So no story on Homedale, just a pic I took on my way to work the other day.

Next stop, a roadside attraction outside of Juntura, Oregon some 80 miles down the road from Homedale. Might be a while for me to get there. Or, if I can figure a way to sew and ride, maybe not.

Year Two Begins

Thanks to all who stopped by yesterday as I finished up Year One. It sure was nice hearing nice comments from the nice people out there!

Now it's on to Year Two.

With another year comes another goal. A huge goal. A goal bordering on unattainable. An I can't believe I'm aiming this high kind of goal.

It started with an inspirational story I saw about a guy named Steve. I don't know Steve but I read his story here. Steve joined an "Everest Challenge" where participants climb enough stairs to equal the distance up Mt. Everest. He was the first participant to reach the "summit", climbing up to 440 floors in a day. But that's not the most inspiring part. Steve did this while a patient in the hospital, not long after being diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia.

So it got me thinking. I can't do stairs, but I can do the exercise bike.

What if someone like me - someone who is looking for a lofty goal and needs to find a focus, someone who loves to travel but needs to stay close to home because of health reasons, someone who certainly could use some exercise and doesn't mind the exercise bike - rode that exercise bike mile after mile?

And what if those miles added up? Added up to equal a cross country trip?

So, here we go. I'm heading out on my exercise bike with specific towns, cities, and destinations in mind. I'm only traveling to places I've been before and I'm only "riding" on roads I've driven before.

I hope you join me as I head out on the year-long trip. You'll get to learn about this great country as I make my stops. Being that I've been to all 50 states, the possibilities are tremendous. Just check out the map of everywhere I've traveled!

Day 366 of 365/366

Today is it.

One year.

I have no words for how I feel about today, but I need to say thank you. Thank you for your support, advice, and words of encouragement. Thank you for caring, for reading, for commenting. Thank you for being part of my life for the last year. I wouldn't be in the land of the living instead of the land of existing without this blog and without the people who read it.

And if you've been here a while you know about my love of Peeps. I just couldn't resist buying something I found at the store for my special treat for today.

But an even bigger treat would be hearing from you today. Please leave me a comment - I really would love to hear who is out there!

Day 365 of 365

It should be the end. But thanks to good ole Leap Year Day, my days are off. To make it a full year, I'm going to have to go to 366.

So no celebrating today.

Just a regular schedule with my regular things. A to-do list that keeps growing.

Gotta get that sewing room put back together. Still have to get those computer cords tucked away in the den. Carpets still haven't all been shampooed and my kitchen and bathrooms are lacking their shine.

But that to-do list will have to wait.  I spent yesterday with my daughter and mom and spent the night.  We awoke to snow, snow, and more snow.  And it's still snowing.  So I am parked at my daughter's apartment with no internet access, dictating my blog over the phone to my mom.  It only seems right that Day 365 wound up being a family affair.

Until I can get home and post a snow picture (done!) this one will have to do.  An investigation outside yesterday shows that the icky kale wasn't the only thing to survive the winter.

 See everyone tomorrow for Day 366!!

Day 364 of 365

An amazing thing happened yesterday. Something that might appear commonplace to everyone else was big for me.

I took a shower in the morning.

For all the years and years I worked, I always took my showers in the morning. Then when I hurt my back at work I spiraled into the pain-filled life. Then the arthritis got worse, the knee had to be replaced, and both shoulders had to be repaired. For all that time - over two and a half years now - the pain and stiffness consumed my mornings. It was debilitating enough that I couldn't get myself showered. I resigned myself to only showering in the late morning when the joints warmed up or in the evening before bed.

But not yesterday. I got myself in that shower. For the first time since 2009 my body let me take a shower in the morning.

I wanted to jump for joy. I wanted to laugh. I want to cry. I wanted to run around the house saying I took a shower out loud. I did none of those things. I kept it inside. I went to work, knowing that I had accomplished something I never thought I would ever get to do again.

It's amazing how I took life for granted. I didn't know how good I had it before I got hurt. Taking a shower in the morning. Such an inconsequential thing to most made my day.

Unfortunately, I didn't get to do it again today. After sitting in meetings for nine straight hours yesterday, my body isn't happy. But that's okay. I got yesterday.

And today I got a picture of something that, unfortunately, survived winter. Hubby's kale.

Ick.

Apricot Shortbread Cookies Recipe - Day 363 of 365, Tutorial Tuesday

Today's tutorial was born out of necessity.

Hubby wanted dessert. Usually his first choice is a pie but we had no frozen pies, no cherry pie filling, and he wasn't interested in turning the red delicious apples into a pie or our frozen peaches into a crisp. We've had a cake mix in the cabinet for months now, but cakes typically don't tickle his fancy.

Which left cookies. While he enjoys eating the rejects when I make sugar cookies, they're not his favorite. I went through the whole list of backup alternatives - peanut butter, snickerdoodles, gingersnaps, oatmeal, chocolate chip. And with only one egg left in the house (yeah, grocery shopping is looming over my head again) the choices were limited.

Shortbread cookies, a recipe that requires no eggs, won out. Shortbread cookies with the leftover dried apricots. He loved them (yay), but once I dipped them in melted chocolate they became one of the best darn cookies we've ever eaten.

Unfortunately, the dipping in chocolate part didn't make it into the tutorial. But you've seen me do enough chocolate to know how that part works.

Click on the video below to see how they're made:

Day 362 of 365

It's getting closer, except...

I didn't count on there being a February 29th this year. That means to complete a full year I need 366 days. All these days - all 362 of them - I've been claiming "Day ___ of 365".

So that leaves a quandry. Do I celebrate on Day 365 or make it an official year at Day 366? Do I celebrate for two days? Do I celebrate on Day 365, take Day 366 off (like a bonus day), then start on Year Two the following day?

Decisions, decisions!

At least it's a cheery decision, cheery like the yellow crocus blooming in my front flower bed.

Day 361 of 365

On this Sunday last year I was living at my daughter's. Two months out from shoulder surgery, I was still in my sling and could only use one arm. My daughter was at work and I was doing what I usually did when I was at her place. I was sitting where I slept - in the recliner - and flipping through the local channels (no cable).

I came across the Daytona 500. I rarely ever watched car races, but knowing I was heading home the following week and would need something to talk to my husband about when I returned, I chose the car race. When I got home, I did talk to him about it.

That conversation started our NASCAR routine. Our weekends from March - November began to revolve around race time. And here it is, Daytona 500 day again. Our schedule was going to revolve around the race today, but it was postponed due to rain.

I wish my car was getting that Florida rain. After driving in snow and rain and then a couple days of huge windstorms blowing dirt from the farmers' fields around, my car, even though it has been under the carport, is a mess.

Day 360 of 365

I hesitate to say it. I'm afraid if I say it, it won't really come true. It's almost too impossible to believe.

I think this new medication I started after last week's visit to the rheumatologist is working. I think the pain is decreasing.

I first noticed it these past couple days. Over the past several years, stiffness in my joints has prevented me from getting dressed in the morning. The excruciating pain has kept me from doing anything for a few hours until the joints get warmed up. During this entire school year I've had to be up several hours before work time so I could ease into everything. Lots of wincing occurred every morning.

But these last couple days the wincing has subsided. While the stiffness remains, the pain associated with it appears to be diminishing. Not gone, but lessened. I want to be optimistic, thinking I'm going to head into my 365th day feeling unlike I've felt before. (At least unlike I've felt in 10 years or so.) I want to be excited, but I need to wait and see.

I can't even imagine what path my life would take without pain.

I don't know what to think about it. I do know what to think about the blackberry buckle. Yum.

Day 359 of 365

Things are getting wrapped up.

• The curtains are up in the den. No more complaining about the sun in my eyes.
• A new roof is on. No more putting off calling for estimates, no more complaining from the cat about the noise.
• I'm starting on the re-do of my sewing room.
• We've started shampooing our carpets. No more dirty socks.
• I'll be filming my last tutorial here in the next couple days. Unless I come up with some brilliant ideas, the tutorials are taking a break.
• I'm into my last week of the 365 picture-a-day project. The plans are coming together for what the next 365 days will hold.
• The last batch of kids' quilts (at least for a couple weeks) are heading out the door.
• A new roof and facia and soffit are on the shed. No more woodpecker issues or blackbirds nesting issues. But now it looks like I need to paint over my old artwork to make it really look sharp.

before

after

Day 358 of 365

Kitty is mad.

We made her sleep outside last night.  But she's not mad about that. We didn't give her any treats this morning. But she's not mad about that. I finally put curtains up in the den and she can't jump in the window anymore. But she's not mad about that. She lost the ponytail holder she plays with in hubby's pjs that he left on the floor. But she's not mad about that.

She's mad about the roof.

Since she stayed outside last night she was looking forward to a nice long doze in the house today. That little cat nap lasted all of two hours for her because right on the dot at 9 AM, the noise began. The footsteps turned into scraping and ripping. Then it was rolling. Then it was hammering. And she was scared.

The roofers came to replace our roof today. They tore off the old shingles, put on new paper, and re-shingled half the house so far.

Poor kitty couldn't stand it. She slinked into my sewing room and climbed as far back under the table as she could get. Behind the plastic containers, behind the polyester fiberfill, back to where no one could get to her. Even that didn't offer enough protection. She slinked out and away, down to hide somewhere in the basement. She didn't return until after they were gone for the day.

And she has been mad ever since. (I don't dare tell her they'll be back tomorrow.) Even without knowing that, tonight she'd rather glare at us instead of eat.

Day 357 of 365

My husband and I are always on the lookout for articles that talk about ways to prevent dementia (it's on both sides of our families). Everything we read and see has one thing in common - keeping the mind active.

The other day hubby was talking about taking classes when he retires as his choice for keeping the mind active. I told him to go for it. But I won't be taking a class with him.

We first met in the college library 29 years ago. We wound up taking a couple classes together after we were married, but I found out we take classes for different reasons. He takes a class for the social aspect; I take a class for the knowledge aspect. Those two don't necessarily combine when you're sitting next to each other in a classroom.

So no classes for me. Quilting is mentally challenging enough, especially when I'm trying to figure out measurements for a quilt. My Keepsake Quilting catalog came today and my mind is already swimming with possibilities for the next quilt. I don't buy the patterns, but rather look at the pictures to create my own custom-made size that fits the requirements for the different charities. I've already decided that the next quilt will be one from some of the fabric Paula generously donated to me on Day 336. (Thanks again, Paula!)

I only get to start on that next quilt because this batch for Quilts for Kids is ready to head out the door. It only seems fitting that the first donation quilt I made for a child on Day 11 was heart-themed and the last one I'm making during my 365 day run is heart-themed as well. (I even used some of the same fabric in both.)

Boy, how things haven't changed.

No Bake Chocolate Oatmeal Cookie Recipe - Day 356 of 365, Tutorial Tuesday

Our daughter doesn't come home all that much, but when she does we're always glad to see her. And not just because of the cookies she likes to make. In fact, this time when she wanted to make her cookies we only allowed it because she promised to take them to work with her. (Don't need extra cookies around here!)

So today's tutorial was filmed as she made the cookies she makes 99% of the time - her Chocolate Oatmeal No Bake Cookies.  Here's her recipe and her tutorial:

2 c. sugar
1/2 c. milk
1/4 c. butter or margarine
1/3 c. cocoa
1/2 c. peanut butter
1 tsp. vanilla
3 c. quick cooking rolled oats
1/2 c. coconut

Combine sugar, milk, butter, and cocoa. Boil 1 minute. Remove from heat. Add peanut butter and vanilla; stir until peanut butter melts. Add oats and coconut. Drop by spoonful onto wax paper. Cool before eating.

Click on the video to see how they're made:

Day 355 of 365

Between complaining about my medication regiment, making cookies for work, having my daughter home, Mr. PJ man, going to work on non-work days, teaching the kitty tricks, getting a new computer, and re-arranging the den, I actually have done something else. Something I deem as the most important thing of all.

The kids quilts. I had the top for this one put together using Quilts for Kids fabric on Day 347, but now it's quilted. I did some tight meandering and I think it's my best quilting work so far. I don't know if it shows up in the picture, but I really like how it puffed up after washing - it looks like it's textured.

How should I celebrate?

Tell me how should I celebrate Day 365. Please leave a comment below - I'd love to hear your ideas!

Day 354 of 365

The other day my daughter told me not to be like Grandma (my mom).

My mom came into a bit of money recently and has been making some purchases. A new laptop. A new sofa, recliner, end tables. A new TV stand and a new TV (darn, that thing is big). She bought new bedding, new curtains, a bedstand, a lamp, and a new phone. (At least those are the things I know about.) Her place looks very nice.

But it's the computer thing that made my daughter give me a warning. Our home computer is probably 10 or so years old and it is showing it. It spins and whirls and freezes. Trying to edit and upload videos take several restarts. Even pictures throw it a curve sometimes and my husband has a hard time doing his grade reports on it. So we bought an external hard drive and moved everything we could onto it, hoping the problem would be cured. No such luck.

When my daughter found out we were contemplating a new computer she said, "Don't be like Grandma".

My daughter changed her mind. When she was home last week she did her taxes online on the old computer. And the computer froze for a while, whirled and spun just as she was submitting. After a brief period of panic, we now have her blessing to replace it.

Today's picture has our new computer, but also the work I did today in the den.  Some things to know (or maybe they're excuses)...

1. The before is a bit messy as I had started moving things then stopped and realized I should do a before and after.
2. The after is a bit messy with the cords and some of the shelves. I'm pooped out from working on it so I didn't get it all finished. Moving a rolltop desk and bookshelves is hard work!
3. Still no curtains up yet.

before

after

Day 353 of 365

I've been watching this show on Animal Planet called My Cat From Hell. It's about a tattooed guy named Jackson who visits homes where cats are out of control. Biting, attacking, hissing. While our cat has none of those issues, it's quite an interesting show. I've learned a lot about cats in general just by watching it. What I find surprising is that you really can train cats. (Too bad training doesn't work to get you-know-who out of his pajamas today.)

So I started training our cat. We have bags of treats we never wind up using, so I decided to use the treats as, well, treats. I'll hold the treat over her head and she'll stand on her back paws. I've trained her to use her front paws to grab my hands and pull the treat into her mouth. She gets the treat along with a "good girl" from me.

My daughter was excited that kitty responded so well when she tried it, too.

Day 352 of 365

I read a blog today that talked about what people liked in blogs. They liked blogs that had:

• lots of pictures. Check.
• stayed with their true focus. Check.
• tutorials. Check.
• sewing and quilting projects. Check.

They didn't like blogs that had:

• music. Check.
• posts that were complaining. Oops.
• people talking about their illness. Oops.

Guess some of those folks won't like my blog tonight.

I still have been processing my rheumatologist visit. Here's the deal - he wants to switch out one of my medications for another one in hopes to try and get insurance to see that we're trying different things. The two medicines are almost identical, but manufactured by two different companies who have named them two different names. But we have to get insurance to approve this new, highly similar and highly expensive medicine too, so I'm not crossing my fingers. Then he wants me to start on another additional medication and possibly add another one after that.

The thing that has been bugging me these last couple days is the other thing he had to say, though. With the intensive and extensive medication regiments, my symptoms as well as my bloodwork should have shown improvement. So he thinks I need to go to Salt Lake City for further testing and treatment. The hospital at the University of Utah. Something is missing. Something in my treatment is not working and there are no facilities around Idaho that can do what they can do in helping to determine what is going on.

I didn't ask a lot of questions when he talked about it. I didn't ask about the number of days my first initial visit would be. I didn't ask about how often I would have to return. I didn't ask any questions at all.

Because I'm not going.

I'm starting the one new medication he put me on today, but that's it. (Although I said that about the medicine before this one, and the one before that, and the one before that.)

I'll give it some time. No heading to Salt Lake, but also no going off all meds right now. I'll give it a few weeks and if this new cocktail doesn't work, I AM going off everything.

I'm maxed out on daily medication. At 46 I shouldn't have to do this every day.

Day 351 of 365

I'm still processing. Processing how the doctor's visit went, processing how my work day went when I didn't even work today. I should have know when the first line of my horoscope read: You are not the first person to have problems at work...

Being that today was a day off I thought I was in the clear. I received a phone call after my doctor's appointment that required me to drive to work (which is about 25 miles out of my way) and drop something off. Not long after finally returning home I received a second call that required some more immediate attention. That call necessitated making another call, which led me to having to ask our school secretary to find something in my office. That called turned into a return call to the original caller. Not long after that call, an important e-mail requiring a quick response came across my BlackBerry. Which turned into a couple more e-mails and now has turned into needing to make some phone calls first thing tomorrow morning (on another day off). Several hours spent just on work-related fires to be put out. Hours I really didn't have.

But probably a distraction that I needed. I needed something to keep my mind off what I was thinking when I left the rheumatologist's office. I have to let my mind settle from the conversation. I haven't even told my family about what happened. I can't deal with it or think about it right now. It just needs to sit.

On a got something else checked off my list note, my daughter, mom, and I went shopping at Costco yesterday. I loaded up on lots of berries again, of course. My daughter cut some up and served them up on some soft serve ice cream I picked up at Frosty Palace. Yum.

Day 350 of 365

My capacity for listening to others has greatly expanded in the last year or so. I don't know if it is because I was away from everyone and everything for so long, or the trials and tribulations and surgeries and pain I had to endure. I don't know if it is because I lost my confidence, my zest, my passion and became more introspective. But it's different.

I ask more questions than I ever have before. Questions about people, their families, their lives. And I'm learning things I would have never known otherwise.

I have someone I work with who has rheumatoid arthritis. She takes the same chemotherapy shots every week. She's been on the anti-malaria drug. She goes to the rheumatologist frequently and has a battery of tests at each visit, just like me.

I have someone I work with who had a knee replacement (like me), but this person has also had both shoulders done recently (like me). We have gotten to know each other a bit better by going through the same kinds of things.

Just today I found someone I work with who quilts and does crafts, too. I never expected she would be doing those types of things in her free time. If I hadn't listened and asked questions, I would never have known.

I like listening and I like knowing about other people's lives. It's good for me to stop thinking so much about myself and start focusing on others. And it certainly more interesting to hear others' stories than dwelling on my own.

At dinner I did have to dwell on my own. With our daughter home tonight, my hubby wanted us to have a family conversation. I had mentioned to my husband last night about wanting to tell the rheumatologist I want off the merry go round. I want to stop all treatments. I want to stop putting heavy-duty toxic medications in my body. I want a treatment that works, but it is painfully clear that my only option at this point is my twice-denied by insurance infusions. My husband didn't think I should be making the decision on my own since it has the potential to affect them. We left the conversation with the agreement I would discuss it with the doctor, not make any decisions ahead of time.

So we'll see what tomorrow holds.

As for today, it held surprises at work and surprises on the road. A bit of snow dusted the roads and made things quite slick. But, oh so pretty when the sun came out. The bright sunshine made the picture not nearly as pretty as what I saw in person.