Tag Archives: hot weather

Friday things.

Posted in Blood test, bread, budgets, cancer, Myeloma by

I had my consult with my PCP about my slightly higher LDL #. My HDL was very good and the ratio was good but he wanted/needed to tell me to try and cut out some higher fat foods like butter. 😦 I love butter but I told him I will do my best and he said we can test in another year. So that’s that. I will try to cut back on butter and cheese and some carbs. I cook with a lot of butter but usually in combination with olive oil. I’ll just try and be more conscious of using butter like on toast and bagels etc. Also, my thyroid numbers came back normal. Last time when my LDL was slightly high it must have been about 6-7 years ago, I started eating oatmeal for breakfast 4-5 times a week and within 6 months my cholesterol dropped 60 points.

My Myeloma labs came back almost the same as last month. So hurray on that. Another month of freedom so to speak. All my other labs were normal and the same as before. So all in all, it’s good.

Our anniversary is next week and B said I should go buy the Louis Vuitton. I said I’ll think about it. It’s not a cheap purchase and I’m quite happy with my Coach bag I bought that is similar in size to the Neverful. Still, a Louis is a Louis. I think my obsession( sort of) is that it’s French (although not many are made in France anymore) and the quality of workmanship. I only love the LV monogram and the black ones. The others are really quite gaudy in my opinion. Well, I’m certainly not getting younger:( That purchase would definitely NOT fit into Frugal Friday!!!

Today is a home day and I’ve done my morning reset, bathroom swish and swipe, and kitchen tidy. I plan on going to the farm this afternoon for a few things. I also am feeding my sourdough starter and plan on putting it into one jar instead of 3 1/2 jars. I might make some sourdough bagels this weekend. If I’m cutting out some carbs I might make bread with whole wheat as that is better on the glycemic scale.

Tomorrow after swimming I’m planning to go to Trader Joe’s for a few things. I know they have Ezekiel bread which is good and whole wheat tortillas too. I’m certainly willing to switch things up a bit. Besides, I always like a challenge.

Our hot weather continues. It’s very depressing after what seems like forever of 100 degree days. The nights aren’t cooling off hardly at all. Next week temperatures are all in the mid 90s so maybe that will be a little better.

I’m waiting for the next batch of tomatoes to ripen so I can process them. I’ll probably just do the tomato sauce again. I don’t think there’s too much else I’m interested in doing except getting some corn to quick freeze. Last year I did about 12 bags of corn and we used them all. Safeway usually has the best prices. I’ll check their flyer later.

On the spending side, I put an order into Rancho Gordo for 8 bags(1lb). Since they are in Napa they arrived in record time. If you haven’t tried their beans, you should. They are all heirloom and absolutely delicious. I ordered a new one to try called Whipple bean. I also added on a jar of Mexican oregano. When I opened it, it didn’t smell too much different from my oregano. So I’ll have to see how it is in recipes. Let’s see, I ordered falafel mix from Amazon because TJ’s doesn’t carry it in their stores anymore and finding it in the regular grocery store is a PITA. I bought some salad stuff from Holiday Market too. Even with cash envelopes, I’m still spending @ $700 a month on food. I guess that’s just the norm. At Costco, I did mostly cash and then the rest on the debit card. Costco is always more than I think it will be, of course!! Well, B did buy Sierra pale Ale beer but it’s really the best price for it if you drink beer. I also picked a few bulk items like sugar and some more flour.

Hot Weather continues

Posted in California, cooking, Uncategorized by

Today we are 100 degrees. It is really getting old that it is just day after day of heat. The mornings start off nice and then by noon it’s hot.

It looks like this will continue for at least the next week. I mean it is July/August in California but still…

The NP, in the video conference, did tell B to lower the Jakofi to one a day till we see how the hydration is going. I’m pretty sure she talked with Dr. Abedi and voiced my disapproval/concern about the creatine being linked to when he started the 2nd Jakofi. So I guess we’ll see.

I haven’t been too inspired to cook( too hot) but I did make a nice brown rice salad last night for dinner. It was brown rice, carrots, green onions, a few olives, a nice zucchini from the garden, tomatoes from the garden and some parmesan cheese. It was good.  I also made kinda a green dressing with parsley, basil, and a little thyme. I put it in the Vita-mix with lemon and olive oil. I had tried it in the food processor before and it didn’t seem to pulverize it. I’m wondering if the food processor just doesn’t do that. If that’s what you have happened let me know.  So I think my son is planning on cooking some fish tonight( mahi-mahi).  Not sure about the vegetarian option but the rice salad and maybe a beyond burger. No one seems especially hungry at dinner time so maybe we should do a few YOYO nights.

I ordered a few used cookbooks to purview.  One is actually one I gave away years ago. A vegetarian cookbook from Ananda.  I found it on amazon used so with our pet bookstore closed I decided to get it. I had ordered a book on eBay about southern cooking but then it was not in stock even though I paid for it so now it’s hanging out there to be refunded. Oh well, not good communication on the seller’s part.

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I offered up some sourdough starter on our Nextdoor neighbor site. I have way too much starter. So I had one person interested so I gave them 2 jars. I still have a quart in the fridge.

 

Simple Sunday and the best $15.00 I spent this year.

Posted in California, cooking, husband, Uncategorized by

Hot!

A hot week in Northern California. I guess we will need the coolers all week. Fortunately, we can and do turn them off by 9pm. I got out in the pool on the floatie yesterday and it was nice.

Happy Father’s Day to B.

I made pancakes, scrambled eggs, and some veggie bacon. Plus fresh coffee. It was pleasant to sit out on the patio.

This week is the bedroom zone for those that follow  Flylady. I want to declutter the closet some and wash the bed covers. I do the sheets every Sunday but the covers only once every couple of months. The linen sheets from Ikea have held up well( they are a year old) and the cost is very reasonable for linen.

 

The best $15 I spent this year was for the Lodge crepe/ low side griddle pan.

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I bought this at Target so I could make crepes this spring. Now I use it for almost everything I used the other two cast iron pans for. I still use my vintage cast iron that I’ve had for 40 years.  When I was given these they were already antique. So I’m guessing they’re @ 80 years old.

It’s not at Target right now but at Amazon

It is a great pan for crepes, pancakes, chicken, tofu, and lots of other things that benefit from a small edge.

 

Tonight I’m going to make the Impossibe burgers with all the trimmings. Safeway has just started selling the block( looks just like beef). I’ll let you know how it is.

 

Simple Sunday

Posted in cooking, Flylady, MDS, Myeloma, simple foods, Uncategorized by

Wowza, it is hot!

We’re hitting the 101 mark today and I have the coolers on already at 75.

I just finished the LR zone and am deciding whether to go to the gym. I don’t want to aggravate my rib pain. Plus, I’m trying to decide whether this merits an x-ray.  If it’s a pulled muscle then it’ll slowly get better. If it’s a rib fracture, the question would be why? So, I think I’ll wait and see how it is tomorrow. I told my husband, that I’m pretty sure this happened last year but can’t find any notes relating to it.

I’m making a new recipe tonight ‘Roman Chicken’ that’s from Food Network. Mostly it’s just chicken, peppers, capers, onions and tomatoes. Not sure what makes it “Roman” but I’ll try it.

I finished a good mystery by Baldacci; ” The Fix”. It was a good spy mystery. Now I don’t have any books left so I may need to go down to the pet bookstore and see if there’s anything there.

It’s now later, and I decided NOT to go to the gym. Sunday is my favorite day there as all the regulars aren’t there. Plus there are no jump around classes although there is a yoga class.

B has two appts this week. Getting his orthopedic boot on Monday and Tuesday is clinic. His counts all went down a little but I guess that’s to be expected.

 

Simple Sunday​

Posted in cooking, simplicity, Uncategorized by

Boy, it is still hot, hot, hot!!!

Actually, it’s only 98 degrees, .maybe 99, so not over 100 but it feels hotter. I’ve been out in the pool daily with my glass of wine and float around for an hour or so. That’s where I’m headed now.

I went to the gym this morning and did weights.

Tomorrow I head down to Roseville to see the podiatrist FINALLY. How ridiculous is waiting 4 weeks and being referred to 4 different ones till finally, this guy could see me?

But my foot is feeling better so that is a good sign. I’m hoping to get back to walking at least .5 mile a day this week.  🙂 We’ll see…..

It’s too hot to do much but the zone this week is entryways and dining room.  We don’t have a dining room per se, just a table and chairs in the living room area.IMG_1432.jpg

So that’s always an easy zone. The entryways have geraniums and both look good so that’s done too.

The entryways have geraniums and both look good so that’s done too.

It is supposed to cool into the 80’s so I’ll probably get out to the barn for some tidying. It is coming along and I think we may get it pretty well sorted out this summer. There’s a back room in the barn and that needs clearing out and I’ll wash the windows. It’s a hot room as there are windows on the one wall.  But I’d like to move all the extra stuff out of there and just start fresh.

Dinner is unknown except for a salad….

 

Happy Father’s Day and a simple Sunday

Posted in Blood test, Uncategorized by

Happy Fathers Day to my dear husband who was and is the best Dad ever. Since I did’nt have a Dad around growing up B is everything I would have wanted in a Dad.  Our son made waffles with Farmers Market strawberries, scrambled eggs and bacon and veggie sausage. Pretty darn good.

Today, I’m going to the gym with my daughter and then home and float in the pool. B’s fathers day present, and anniversary, and birthday and Christmas is a new Intex pool. The one we bought from Costco 8 years ago finally bit the dust. So hopefully we will get lots of years out of this one.

I’m in the bedroom zone this week, so I may tidy the closet(again), and then wash windows and that’s about it.

It is so freaking hot here, it’s hard to breathe. It’s suppose to be 109 in sacramento.  That is pretty darn hot. So we will be @ 103-4.

Tomorrow are my labs, and then a dentist(invisalgn) appt. Then Thursday is my oncologist appointment. We’ll see what the numbers say.

I have a load to go to Goodwill(small load) and I’m trying to get stuff out of the barn for my son to sell at the flea market. Hopefully he does this soon as I want it out of the way. There’s the 2 chairs and a bunch of other stuff.

It’s HOT!!

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It is very hot. Today 100, tomorrow a 101. then a little break of 93, then all next week close or at 100 degrees. I do not like the heat. I feel like the air is suffocating. UGH…

The doctor visit was good even if he was an hour late. Good thing we don’t schedule anything else. He did say, after I asked him, that to up the dose of Pomalyst will make my neutrophils go even lower. So, obviously thats not good. I also told him I was hoping to get an appt with Dr. Libby in Seattle. He didn’t say much about it. He did think since i’ve had a lot of chemo, the 3 targeted drug regime would be hard on my bone marrow. Not sure if down the road that will matter as, it’ll be do what we can. I’m even thinking of discussing another SCT but for me I think that would be a last resort. If Pomalsyt is too hard on me I will need to go to Velcade. So, on a positive note theres still options.

Well, on to news. YES… my kappa light chains went down over 200 points. very good. But my neutrophils need to come up before I start another cycle. Im really hoping by next Wednesday when I get a blood test. I guess we will see. I have felt a little off the last day or so, not sure what that is.???

Today is the coffee chat with Friends of the Applegate library. I’m going to go and see who shows up. Its also a book club day which I will not go to. Not so much as I don’t want to go the library as its going to be too hot to go out at 4pm.

B and I went to Trader Joes after the doctor appt. I will put that on July’s grocery bill. Everythings paid for the month, with just the water bill and Verizon still out.

Dinner is pita bread stuffed with spiced tofu, veggies and a blue cheese dressing fromTJ’s that i really like.

Hot, very hot!

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It is so hot herein Northern California . On my drive home from the library, my car registered 102. That’s hot. In our small house we have 2 window air conditioners. Yes, I use them when it’s this hot. We do turn them off at night though. This is suppose to continue till Friday. Ugh! I do not do well in hot weather.

On a happier note, yesterday was my day 30 of walking everyday. I’m starting today to do month two. My motto has been just walk. So if I did one round in the park(.5) or 3 I did it. So I’m very excited.

Haven’t worked out the budget yet, but B’s tires were a whopping $584. So $84 over budget.

I’ll work on posting goals and budget tomorrow.

On another note, one of the myeloma specialists on the myeloma beacon responded to my question of should I start back on drugs. Basically he said since it is a trend he would be leaning going back on. So, I’ve decided that if my numbers go up again, I will ask to go back on revlimid and dex in August. I just think waiting is not an option if it goes up again. It’s harder to get numbers to go down if they’re going up. 😦