It's Party Day

Time for a party at the center.  Hoping my tummy holds up.  IBS-D can be crippling in that you're afraid to leave the house because you need to be near the bathroom.  Don't know what triggered yesterday's episode.  I'd been doing fairly well lately.

Last night's wind howled away.  Haven't heard wind like that since Sandy. It's pretty darn cold out there this morning.  Wind chill makes it feel in the low 20's.  Yikes!  Going to feel it more after having a few warm spring like days.  Had a very light supper last night, and I woke up super hungry.  

My son, Jerry, gave me this.  It smells so good I have wanted to light it.  I love scented candles, but the problem is, when I buy them, I don't want to light them because I don't want them to burn away.  That's a waste, I know, but if you could see all the scented candles that sit around never lit. 

Have a fantastic day.  

Happy Hump Day

 It's a warm, but wet day here.  Some heavy storms and wind comiing later. I ad already decided last night that I was going to stay in today, and I am glad I did.  Having some tummy issues this morning.  Been awhile since it happened, and I've spent the morning trying to figure out the trigger.  All I could come up with was the Woman's Alive vitamins I just started taking.  Discovered tummy issues can be a side effect. Just going to eat lightly today. 

I'm pretty pleased with my building now.  A lot of millenials (I keep wanting to call them yuppies, but that fazed out) living here now,  and they have really taken the bull by the horns.  Our old super, who was wonderful, bought his own home, and now we have the super from hell.  He lies, ignores you, does inferior repair jobs, and many times will leave you waiting all day for him and never shows up.  Thanks to the millenials we now have a Tenants Association and hold meetings at least once a month.  Major jobs such as the front door have been fixed, but minor ones?  Forget about it.  I've had drips in my bathroom and kitchen faucets for a year now.  Both need a new fixture, and we are not going to buy it.  He promises he will be here this Saturday...after some threats to notify management on my part.  We shall see.

We have a lot of feral cats around here. They have a pretty good life for ferals.  They are well fed and have a home under a trailer next door.  But, we tenants wanted to do more for them so we got them this insulated dog house, and some are actually using it.

This very sweet, very friendly little girl showed up last night outside our building wearing a diamond studded collar and a bell.  Turns out she is the super's cat and he left her here knowing there were lots of cat lovers in the building who would take care of her.  Lucky little girl found a new home on the second floor.  Glad for her, but shame on the super for just dropping her off like that.

And that's all for today.

 

Tuesday Odds and Ends

 Oh, my what beautiful weather we had yesterday.  Temperature rose to 50 degrees.  It was wonderful to put on a lighter jacket.  Heavy winter jackets weigh me down.  I certainly didn't mind waiting for the bus.  Of course, I know it's not going to last.  Rain coming tonight and tomorrow with temps reaching close to 70, but by Thursday the bottom falls out.  Well, not so bad.  32 degrees in the morning, but after this nice warm weather, we'll feel it. 

Made a few new peices in my jewelry class yesterday.

This is for our St. Patrick's Day party at the center.  

Chakra bracelets I made for gifts at Christmas.

I love dangly earrings.

My galaxy bracelet.

That's about it.  Monday is usually pretty quiet.  Today will be even quieter.  Going to do a little watercolor painting this morning.  

Have a great day.

My Sunday dinner

 

My dinner last night. Chili rice and beans wrap, Chinese yams and a salad.

1 can chili beans with sauce

1 cup rice

peppers

onions

cumin

Red pepper flakes

Soft flour taco shell

Tomatoes

The Golden Age

 They call them the golden years, but I wonder what 'golden' really means.  I'll be 77 in a few weeks, and to be honest, I sometimes wonder how that term came about.  Actually it was cooked up as an advertising campaign for a retirement community in 1959.  

After all, what is so 'golden' about living with chronic pain in shoulder and back, giving up some favorite foods because the old tummy won't tolerate them anymore, needing your glasses just to zipper up your jacket, and forget cutting your toenails.  That's become a major endeavor. My blood pressure is up, my kidneys are an issue, and my body has aches in every part.  I laugh when I tell people I have braces at home for every part of my body, but it's true. Back, wrist, knee, shoulder, even an ankle bracelet.  Not much missing.

But, it's not all bad.  And there is some, a lot, of golden in these years.  First, I no longer have to color my hair every 4 weeks and am the envy of a lot of young people who are  trying to get my color.  (I don't know why I always close my eyes when taking a selfie).

Secondly, I am not a slave to my alarm clock anymore.  I can sleep as late as I want.  Unfortunately, my body clock is already set from so many years of waking early, but now when I get up early (which is every day), it is because it is my choice.

Thirdly, I don't have to feel guilty when I call in sick because I don't have to call in anymore.  Going to the center is my choice and if I don't feel like going, I don't go.  I do go in for my classes but the few times I don't, I just get someone to cover me.

Fourth, I have time to do all the things I could never do while working.  While the activities are fun, the socialization and friendships are more important.  The only friends I had were my peers on the job, and although I considered them friends, I didn't realize what true friendship was like.  

Fifth, half price bus fare.  Saves me a lot of money.

Sixth, people get up to give me a seat when I get on the bus.  I always got up to give a seat to my elders, and now people are doing it for me.  

Seventh, parties.  Every month we have a party.  And in December I attended a Christmas party for volunteers and a Christmas fund raiser.  I NEVER attended parties when I was still working.  Just no time for fun.  

And finally, SCRIE, the rent freeze program for senior citizens.  The building owners can raise my rent, but I continue paying the same amount and the program picks up the rest.  Without it, my rent would be over $2,000 now.  

I know there is so more to be thankful for, but I just can't think of them now.

Have a joyous Sunday.
 

Saturday Rant

 So, I think I mentioned my kidney doctor wanted me to start on Jardiance.  He doesn't want my disease progressing further, or at least, slow it down. I am always leery of starting a new medication, but even more wary of dropping a medication I've been on for about 6 years, and he had told me I'd have to drop my water pill if I went on Jardiance.  Memories flooded back of the time I decided my Amlopidine was causing may ankles to swell so I stopped it....abruptly....and just as abruptly I ended up in the ER with heart palpatations.  Lesson learned.  I called my PC to ask his advice, and he told me to stop the pill and come see him in a week to check my blood pressure.

I discovered that one of the ladies in my class has takes Jardiance with the exact water pill I am on with no problems.  Hmmm!!!! Maybe her doctor didn't take her off it because she takes Jardiance for diabetes and I would be taking it for kidney disease.  After talking with her, I felt more assured that I'd be okay on the Jardiance and decided I would take it.  I was not happy about the $47 co-pay though so I called the pharmacy to see if I could get it cheaper with Good RX, a card that cuts co-pays almost in half.  Here is the conversation.

Me:  (after giving her all my info)  I understand I have a $47 co-pay.  

Pharmacist:  Ma'am, you have a $347 co-pay.  They took $300 toward the deductible. 

$347.00??????

I asked about Good RX and was told that there was no generic on Jardiance so I was up a creek.  Had to tell her I couldn't afford it.

I looked into special coupons and looked into the assistance plan the pharmaceutical company offered, but my income was above the income limit so again I was up a creek.  Makes me so darn mad.  I'm not rich.  Hubby and I are both on Social Security and small pensions.  We just manage to get by.  Might as well say we live check to check.  But I am not poor enough to qualify and not rich enough to pay.  So what does an in-between person do?  I'm not rich and I am not poor according to them.  Go without their medication or go without other staples like healthy food just to pay for the medication?  $347 a month would break me.  Simple as that.  So I go without the medication.

Thanks for listening.

Taking Control of my Health

Wednesday already.  My goodness.  How time is flying!  Seems the older I get, the faster it goes.  Went to the doctor on Monday and didn't get good news.  I knew I'd be read the riot act because of my blood work, but I hadn't realized how concerned the doctor would be.  Figured I'd just explain the my diet went to pot over the holidays but I was back on track now, but that didn't help alleviate his concern.  In fact, he put fear in me.  Maybe that's what I needed to hear so I would take this kidney stuff more seriously.  

Ny GFR went from 59 to 50; that's 9 points in 8 months.  The doctor advised me if it continues like this that in 3 to 4 years I will be on dialysis. That's something I didn't want to hear.  He gave me a prescription for Jardiance which has recently been approved to treat CKD and lectured me on my food choices.  Poultry only twice a week.  Get my protein from beans, eggs, and fish.  Stay away from red meat and processed foods.  Time to knuckle down.  

He didn't test my cholesterol or trigycerides which were already high.  These past few months have been a lesson learned...albeit the hard way. I just can't eat like I did when I was young and hope to stay healthy.  I also need to get more exercise in my life.  I've become far too sedentary.  So from today on begins a new me.  Won't be a happy camper until I get used to it, but hey, I was able to give up my nightly ice cream a month ago and now no longer miss it.  Wish me luck.

GLUCOSE 

110 H

Reference Range: 65-99 mg/dL

Fasting reference interval

For someone without known diabetes, a glucose value  ... Show More

UREA NITROGEN (BUN) 

28 H

Reference Range: 7-25 mg/dL

CREATININE 

1.14 H

Reference Range: 0.60-1.00 mg/dL

EGFR

50 L

Reference Range: > OR = 60 mL/min/1.73m2

BUN/CREATININE RATIO 

25 H

Reference Range: 6-22 (calc)

SODIUM 

138

Reference Range: 135-146 mmol/L

POTASSIUM 

4.0

Reference Range: 3.5-5.3 mmol/L

Sunday chuckle

Ready for a Sunday morning  laugh?  Painting people is not my strong point. In fact, it's pretty sad if you ask me.  

From this...

Came this...

It was so bad I didn't even finish it. 😀

Bored With Food?

 The other night we ordered out from our favorite Dominican restaurant.  I usually order the roast chicken but decided on something different so I ordered the ribs they are famous for.  I wasn't happy.  It wasn't that the ribs didn't taste good, they were delicious.  I am just bored with food at the present time. I mentioned this to Ralph and he got all upset thinking I was ill.  But, no, it's not that I don't want to eat.  I want something different. A different restaurant, maybe.  Not the same one we have been using for years.  

And the food at the center?  I once loved it, but now I'd prefer a Lean Cuisine.  Totally boring.  For example, last Monday we had Italian chicken, gondulas and rice, and mixed veggies.  Next time they make Italian chicken, they will have it with the same sides.  This goes on month after month after month.  Every meal is always the same.  In the above example why not make Italian chicken, mashed taters, and string beans once in awhile, or maybe with a nice pasta.  Why not alternate the sides?  That would make a big difference. 

And sometimes they don't even make it pretty.  

Not very appealing, is it?  Everything the same color. It is supposed to be stir fried chicken with brown rice.  

This is supposed to be chili with cheese.  I won't even say what it looks like.  

And we are supposed to eat that slop.  I don't know what happened.  Same cooks, but the food has gotten terrible.  No love put into it.  It's become nothing more than a paycheck to them.

So last night I made something completely diffent for myself.  A bean dish with homemade potato salad and tossed baby lettuce with olive oil and Balsamic vinegar.  

Ingredients in the bean dish are: a combination of navy, lima, pinto and kidney beans,  crumbled bacon, tomato sauce, garlic, mustard, chili powder, black pepper and a little apple cider vinegar.

As Friday Rolls Around

As I sit here listening to the 40 mph winds out there I am thinking that I really don't want to go out today.  It's only my coloring class, and unlike jewelry, this one can basically handle itself.  Got a few hours left to make up my mind.  I've been missing a lot lately, but I find as I get older, I can't take the cold, windy, or snowy weather as I did in my youth.  Heck, I don't even like going out in the rain, especially a cold rain.  I love rain, but not trying to balance and umbrella, a purse, and a cane.  Especially now that I have shoulder issues. 

 On Monday they took some pictures of my jewelry class.  It's become very important to the center and is bringing in new people.  I never expected it to grow like this when I started it, but I am glad to be able to give back in a small way to the center for all they have done for me.  (That's me in pink. I am letting my hair grow.)

Brr!!! It's Cold Out There

 It was a miserable day out there yesterday.  Didn't get much snow, but the sidewalks were a slushy mess.  Party and Bingo were both canceled.  Still a few people braved the weather to go in. Just a few.  Since I got older, the snow is no longer my friend.  Oh, it's pretty to look at, the first day, but after that it turns into a slippery, gray mess of slush.  Not my cup of tea.  

Won't be heading out today either.  By afternoon yesterday the sun was shining and snow and slush were melting. (strange storm)  However, during the night the temps went down, the wind revved up, and now everything that melted is ice.  They are having Shepherd's Pie today at the center, one of my favorites, but it's not worth risking an injury to get there. 

Can't complain about this winter though.  Up til now it's been pretty good.  A few cold days here and there, but just last week I was wearing a spring jacket to the center.  

Had some cabbage and carrots I bought over the weekend so I threw a cabbage soup together.  Great for dinner on a nasty day.

Ground beef, carrots, celery, cabbage, onions, peppers, kidney beans, garlic powder, cumin, chili, onion powder, beef broth, diced tomatoes, salt and pepper. 

No Party for Me

So, my dream of arriving to the party and finding no seat will not be happening after all.  Mother Nature had other plans.  Snow is falling, and the winds are blowing.  I'm surprised they haven't canceled, although they still might.  City schools are closed, and students will be on remote learning, but the Valentine's Party for senior citizens is still on.  To be fair, I do realize it is the choice of each person whether they or not they trek through the falling snow to get there, but, when you dangle Bingo as an incentive there are some who are just not able to stay away. 

Perhaps I am biased, I don't know.  Bingo is just not my thing.  Actually, I don't dislike it, but I am not obsessed like the Bingo players in my center.  They could play Bingo 7 days a week and do little else.  And since it is NOT offered that much in my center, only Monday and Friday, they go elsewhere to play elsewhere. 

Biased or not, I just don't feel that Bingo during our party hours is the way to go.  First of all, we get a nice crowd for parties so you don't have to offer Bingo to bring people in.  Secondly, that hour is usually the time people are arriving and greeting each other, especially those that come a distance to see old friends they don't often get to see.  From 11-12 we usually set out our snacks, wander about from table to table greeting everyone, then sit and just socialize while stuffing our faces with candy, cookies, and chips.  At 12, lunch is served, and at 1, the DJ starts and the dancing begins.  And I'm not alone.  Several of my friends, all who play Bingo, believe Bingo is taking away from the party fun.  

Here are some pictures I took at the festivities on Sunday.  I do have a wonderful video but can't figure how to get it off my phone and onto hee.

Weekend Over

 What a wild weekend it was!  They went all out for Chinese New Year.  Didn't make it to the parade yesterday because, frankly, I was too darn tired.  Fireworks kept me up both Friday and Saturday.  Not very much sleep to be had, although I did manage to catch a few winks.  And when I did sleep, I dreamt.  Hopefully, two of the more vivid dreams are not signs of things to come, prophecies.

The first dream was about the center.  Tomorrow we are having our annual Valentine's Day party.  Tables are split up, 6 to a table, for those who paid for the party, they are reserved.  The decorating committee takes pride in their work and it shows.  The party basically starts at 11 and usually eat the snacks we bring in and socialize for the hour before we eat at noon.  This party is going to be different, and I'll admit, I'm not too keen on it.

(From a previous Valentine's party)

They want to have Bingo from 11-12.  Now, I'm trying to picture how people are going to get all those Bingo cards on a table when we usually have trouble finding room for our snacks.  Hmmm!  Plus, there will be no socialization during that hour because one is not allowed to talk during Bingo.  Heaven forbid.  They'll all give you a piece of their mind.  (I don't play).  That, plus the fact that Bingo does bring people in and not all of them are going to be coming for the party, so where do they sit?  

Hence, my dream. I come to the center, all dressed and ready to party.  I sign in and head over to my reserved table only to find a bunch of strangers sitting there with their Bingo cards.  There is not a seat available in the place.  I go back to the desk and am told to wait until the games are over, and then I'll get a seat.  But, the people sitting there are planning to eat lunch, so there will be no place for me to sit.  I say I am going home and leave.  This scene plays not once, but several times before I am awoken by the sound of a blockbuster.

(May not even go to the party tomorrow.  They are forecasting a storm, and I don't go out on the snow anymore.  )

My second dream had to do with my apartment.  Since our old super left, we have been blessed with the worst super ever.  I have been waiting a year to get a new faucet piece for the kitchen and a drip fixed in the bathroom.  He tells me he is coming, and then doesn't show.  Last time was two weeks ago Saturday.  Not even a phone call.  I'm still waiting.  Meanwhile, about six months ago I discovered that the pipe under my kitchen sink had a small leak and notified him.  Still waiting on that one, too.

(When a pipe upstairs burst.  My ceiling)

So, in my dream I am doing my dishes and suddenly find myself standing in a puddle of water.  Now you can see why either of these dreams have a possibility of coming true. 

Off to my jewelry class this morning.  Not feeling much motivation because I am so darn tired, but I don't want to let everyone down.  So it starts at 10, lunch at 12, and then I head home.  I can take 2 1/2 hours.

Have a wonderful start to the new week.

  

Daily Acceptance Prayer

 

I accept myself completely.

I accept my strengths and my weaknesses,

my gifts and my shortcomings,

my good points and my faults.

I accept myself completely as a human being.

I accept that I am here to learn and grow,

and I accept that I am learning and growing.

I accept the personality I've developed, and

I accept my power to heal and change.

I accept myself without condition or reservation.

I accept that the core of my being is goodness

and that my essence is love,

and I accept that I sometimes forget that.

I accept myself completely, and in this acceptance

I find an ever-deepening inner strength.

From this place of strength, I accept my life fully and

I open to the lessons it offers me today.

I accept that within my mind are both fear and love,

and I accept my power to choose which I will experience as real.

I recognize that I experience only the results of my own choices.

I accept the times that I choose fear

as part of my learning and healing process, and

I accept that I have the potential and power

in any moment to choose love instead.

I accept mistakes as a part of growth,

so I am always willing to forgive myself and

give myself another chance.

I accept that my life is the expression of my thought,

and I commit myself to aligning my thoughts

more and more each day with the Thought of Love.

I accept that I am an expression of this Love.

Love's hands and voice and heart on earth.

I accept my own life as a blessing and a gift.

My heart is open to receive, and I am deeply grateful.

May I always share the gifts that I receive

fully, freely, and with joy.

Author Unknown

Chinese New Year

 

The arrival of the Chinese New Year is a time of renewal, reflection, and the rekindling of family bonds.  It is an annual 15 day festival in China that begins with the new moon which occurs sometime between January 31 and February 20th.  Festivities generally last until the full moon.

The origins of the Chinese New Year are steeped in legend.  One of thse legends said that a thousand years ago a monster named Nlan (Year) would attack villagers at the geginning of each new year.  The monster was afraid of loud noises, bright lights, and the color red.  These things are what was used to chase the monster away.Today they are used every Chinese New Year in celebration of ushering out the old year and bringing in the new one, thus bringing luck and prosperity.  Fireworks, firecrackers, red decorations and clothing is wornl  Money is given out in colorful red envelopes to young people in celebration.  In addition, Chinese New Year is a time to feast and to visit family members.  

I live one block from Brooklyn's Chinatown. It's going to be wild out here today and tonight. I think the parade will be on Sunday, but  already there were fireworks up until 3:30 in the morning, and I'm sure tonight will be the same, if not worse. No sleep for me this weekend.   I'll be finding silly string on the sidewalks for days.  The streets are already decorated in reds and golds.  Most of my friends are going out to dinner, but I have one friend who takes traditions seriously and has been running about all week.

She has educated me on a lot of them. House must be clean, clean linens on the bed, all laundry done, bills must be paid.  And cooking?  Red envelopes with money for those of a certain age unmarried. My goodness.  She has spent hundreds of dollars on food.  Whole chicken which symbolizes prosperity; whole fish which symbolizes new beginnings and endings; pork belly for prosperity; a special soup with ingredients totally about a $100; vegetable dishes, dumplings, shrimp chips.  Why, when I was heading to the center yesterday morning she hopped on the bus in my neighborhood with two lobsters in her bag. And when I asked how many she was having, she said 6 people. Wow.  Seriously, I was wishing she invited me for dinner. 

Not sure what I'll be having tonight.  I always like traditions, even those not in my own culture, but if I do decide to do something, I won't be spending that much money for sure.

Happy Chinese New Year.

Friday Roundup

A regular non eventful week.  Seems there is a lot of them lately.  Sometimes I wonder if that's something good  or perhaps it has me stuck in a rut.  Maybe I need some excitement.  Not much at my age, but a little something to stir things up which is why I am anxiously awaiting the new center.  There we will have an exercise rooms with state of the art machines, a dance room, a technology room, and art room, a health and wellness room, a pool table and a ping pong table.  And many more classes to choose from.  Frankly, I'm bored with watercolor and guoache painting.  I have always liked working with acrylics but figured I would give the two a try. Just not into it anymore. 

On Tuesday we had our monthly council meeting.  Still no news on the grand opening.  Lately those meetings are boring me, too.  Since we got a new director each meeting turns into a war of words with someone.  I turn myself off at that point.  I don't like confrontation.

Wednesday I chose to stay home.  Not much sleep the night before so I spent the morning watching Murder She Wrote while dozing off and on in my chair. 

 Lunch at the center yesterday was macaroni and cheese, brocolli, and carrots.  This is one of my favorite lunches that they serve, and I end up eating it all.   I love mac and cheese, but don't make it at home because hubby won't eat it, and it's just too much to make it for one. I wasn't very hungry when I got home, but about 5 pm my tummy started to rumble.  I thought maybe a sandwich, but my body had a bit of a chill so I decided some easy, hot, and spicy.

Healthy dinner last night. Stir fried veggies in chili sauce (nice and spicy) served over brown rice with sliced tomato on the side. Blueberries for dessert.  

Have a wonderful weekend.

Signs

 

Christmas.  2024.  In April it will be 4 years since my son Anthony  passed away.  When he first passed, his brother and I were both receiving signs that he was still around us.  For example, I'd be watching television and something would drop from the counter in the kitchen.  Another time my son was visiting and as we were sitting around chatting, the new memorial vase I had purchased rolled off the chair I had put it on. 

But, there has been nothing lately......until I went to set up my little tree this year.   A strange thing happened when I went to untangle my lights. I always just toss them in with the idea that I'll untangle them the following year. Then I ask myself the question "Why didn't I untangle them before putting them away?"

This year they were especially tangled and as I got closer to the center of the tangle I discovered the following Angel necklace was wrapped tightly around. Took me forever to get it out. The thing is,  I am the only one who handles the tree and decorations, and I have NEVER seen this necklace before. I have no idea where it came from. Very strange and has me wondering if this was a message that my Angel is watching over me. Or is it a message from Anthony.

My son and I went to visit Anthony's grave on a very cloudy day.  While we were there the sunburst through the clouds with rays landing on my son's grave.  The clouds are still in the sky but the sun is blinding. We couldn't even look in that direction.  The same thing happened at another visit.  Unfortunately I didn't get a picture.