Tuesday, September 30, 2008

This and that...

Oh, it is beginning to really look and feel like autumn here! A strong cold front is going through the Midwest, leaving behind it a cool breeze. Not to mention the leaves beginning to change, as usual the smaller bushes turning a golden glow first before the large trees begin to give up their green.

Our huge black walnut tree in the backyard started changing weeks ago! We've gotten used to walnuts raining on our roof from time to time, although the first few each season brings a startled reaction. The backyard is full of squirrels and chipmunks getting fat with walnuts for the coming winter.

I walked down the gravel lane to the mail box yesterday afternoon. If I felt stronger, I would have stayed outside. (Kristi, your book about diabetes arrived... thank you!!) My blood sugars have been very high so I called the company that makes my new long term insulin today. I had an idea what I may be doing wrong when giving the injection with the pen and I was right, but I didn't want to make any changes until I talked to an expert. I awoke today to blood sugars over 300 again but after doing research online, I found a lot of people had to "tweak" this insulin in the beginning. Until I get that insulin at the right levels, I'm taking extra units of Humalog before each meal (certain blog friends like that info, hehehe).

I did get some inside-the-house work accomplished... just little goals. I reorganized the linen closet in our bathroom, which holds everything from my backup diabetic supplies to cleaning supplies, the bag of fresh kitty litter, safety candles, the iron, ... and even some linens. It was great to open it up and see everything had a place and every object was in that place! I worked on the area under my kitchen sink over the weekend. Just a little at a time is having huge results.

I also typed out a long and newsy letter letter to a favorite elderly aunt on my hubby's side of the family. I printed off a few pictures to include with the letter (just printed on regular copy paper) of the kids when we were on vacation, and Christopher's graduation. I had saved one very pretty card which showed a farm and cattle to send her and I know she'll love it. My father-in-law's family were from a Minnesota cattle farm and this aunt lives in Los Angeles.

Just getting these items finished that I had on my "to do" list for a couple of weeks made me feel energized enough to look through a few cooking magazines and cookbooks for autumn recipe ideas. One of my autumn projects is to type out all of the recipes I use the most and put them in a three-ring binder to keep handy.

I also plan to add seasonal favorites and a few of my mom and sister's recipes. While I want to do this to make meal planning and stocking up easier for me, I'll also make photocopies for my two sisters. You will continue to find my favorite vintage recipe card file on my kitchen counter (stuffed with so many cards it is hard to get them out!) but I think doing this will simplify my life a lot.

I received my Amazon credit from the Amazon Widget yesterday. Since I didn't have much last month, I saved it to add to this month's credit. I ordered What the Land Already Knows: Winter's Sacred Days by Phyllis Tickle from a third party seller (one of those times the shipping cost more than the book). I had heard of her before and put this book on my Wish List. It looks like such a good book... and for a very small amount of credit used. It's about her life on the farm during Advent. :)

Thank you all so much for clicking on the widget to order, especially since I get credit even when you don't order any of the books I have on there. Jo, I did get credit for the order you made for a product. I even got credit when Stephanie and her hubby ordered new shower heads through Amazon by clicking on this widget! When he had to place a big order for big math books, I received enough credit to purchase a couple books for me (which I then sent on to Steph) and the Archaeological Study Bible... put back for Christopher's birthday or Christmas. Thank you all SO much.

Regarding the Bigfoot answer to the previous post and my daughter's comment on it. (She comments as Postmodern Mom, she had a blog before me... for about five minutes.) It is stuff of legend in my family about my "seeing" Bigfoot in any forest area, including the trails where Christopher and I used to do a lot of our nature studies. It all started with seeing one movie when I was a small-ish child and another when I was in... get this... High School! Although I did really like Frank Peretti's fiction book about Bigfoot called Monster. Just don't read it when it is dark... and you are alone... like I did.

Speaking of my daughter... she made me take off the picture of her at the beach on my sidebar. She sent me a replacement. I thought she looked nice and she'd gone to a lot of trouble to dress modestly (wearing a cover up over a bathing suit). However, she informs me only a mother would think she looked beautiful at the beach.

I am so sorry I'm far behind on responding to e-mails. Between being so sick and trying to catch up on housework and such, I have had less computer time. Also, just reading words on the computer gave me a headache. I have a visitor coming over today but hopefully I'll begin to catch up again tomorrow. I do enjoy your e-mails!

Picture: Autumn End of Harvest by Judy Richardson; allposters.com (Love John Deere tractors!)

5 comments:

Nana Trish is Living the Dream said...

I'm glad you are getting your meds straight and feeling better. I love hearing about your daily activities. The farther along in this whole market saga we get, the more I think of how wise you have been to deepen your pantry and shop so wisely. Thank you for always inspiring me.

Kim said...

I just came to your blog and I like it very much. I see you have "The Veritas Conflict" on your list. I liked it a lot.

Vee said...

You are quite an amazing gal! I've been feeling quite well, thank you, and I only wish that I had accomplished all that you have done today! Stay well...

I got a kick out of your daughter's comments about her photo at the beach. I hear those kinds of comments all the time. "Oh, Mom, not THAT one." LOL!

Anonymous said...

< One of my autumn projects is to type out all of the recipes I use the most and put them in a three-ring binder to keep handy. >

Mine too, but I don't know how to write them on the computer, although I do have a printer. I'm not very computer literate...can you share how to do this? I would love to get all my recipes down in an organized binder! :)
jo

Anonymous said...

I wondered why that print looked so familiar. It is hanging on a wall between pictures of my grandparents farms. I live far from the midwest now but I miss the fall the most.