Yes, I'm really posting.  It's been so long since I was inspired to report in, to say anything.  I'm not sure that I even have anything worth sharing today.  But I want to start with this:

This hymn is speaking to me.  I belong to a lovely little church in New England.  It's a UCC (United Church of Christ) church and our denomination is on the progressive, liberal side of mainstream Christian denominations.  My church is small, and we are aging, but I do believe that we attempt to do more than just talk and pray.  Prayer is important, no question, but action is equally important.   And my little church acts its beliefs, thoughts, and prayers.  I'm not sure how we will act in response to gun violence yet, after all, this is a small town in New England, and many in our little community are hunters and gun owners.  But we already act through our food pantry, community suppers, our Open and Affirming, and Just Peace missions, our commitments to environmental and  opioid addiction causes.  So we will find a way to do more than send thoughts and prayers to the victims of gun violence. 

Carolyn Winfrey Gillette

February 15 at 2:42pm · 

Permission for free use of this hymn is given for local church and ecumenical worship services. Email bcgillette@comcast.net for a copy of it in MS Word formatted for a worship bulletin insert and a PDF of the hymn with music. More hymns about gun violence, including one in response to a school shooting can be found at www.carolynshymns.com

Please share this hymn with church musicians, pastors and others who are concerned about gun violence.

Empowering!

I challenged myself this past Monday.  I climbed a 1.2 mile long hiking trail to the top of a tiny mountain, more like a hill in terms of mountains, but it sure felt like a mountain to me!  I went by myself, having taken most hiking precautions.  (I had water, a cell phone, a map, insect repellant, I had checked the weather, was dressed fairly appropriately, and I'd told someone where I was going and when I'd left).  I knew it was classed as an easy trail, and it was hiked frequently.  Somewhere I read that an "fit" hiker would manage it in half an hour and a couch potato would need at least an hour.  So I figured I'd need somewhere in the middle.  I started an aggressive walking program last summer, and I felt I was ready for something more, so up I went.

It took me about 45 minutes to reach the top of the trail, so I'd guessed correctly on the amount of time I'd need.  I was really impressed by my stamina too.  I stopped to take pictures along the way up, which was really all I needed to keep my breathing even.  The trail was forested, with many roots, pine needles, and flat rocky surfaces for most of the way.

  In a few spots there were some tricky rocks to climb.

 I did get tired; the last 50 feet of the trail was steep, and a bit tricky and my thighs were complaining, but I did it!   The top of the trail was granite covered, and clear with a lovely view of "our" mountain, Mt. Monadnock, to the north. Since I had cell reception, I let people know where I was.

   I basked in the sun and rested for about 20 minutes before tackling the descent.  That was actually trickier than the ascent.  It's much harder to control your forward momentum!

However, I did it,

and reached my car safe and sound.

Things I learned:  

• Bring my day pack so that I don't have to carry my water bottle
• Bring a hiking stick -- snowshoe poles --- with me, especially for the descent
• I can do a lot more than I thought I could
• I need to buy some hiking shoes with ankle support. My NB walking shoes had great traction, but I realized how easily I could have twisted my ankle in a few spots.  I also need shoes/boots where my feet don't slide forward in the shoe.
• Other hikers are helpful and friendly - great conversations too.
• I love taking pictures of fungi

         

• I loved it, even with the pesky deer flies  and mosquitoes

My big take-away?  

I CAN DO THIS.  I CAN DO WHATEVER I SET MY MIND TO DO.  I AM CAPABLE OF MORE THAN I THINK.

This is different from the past, in that for the first time that I can remember, I am realizing I can do PHYSICAL things.  I've always been successful in other areas, but never have I been successful in activities involving my body.  I hated PE because I was terrible at everything that involved running, catching, throwing, having stamina.  Because I couldn't keep up with other kids, I stopped doing those things, and therefore stopped doing other physical things.  NO MORE!

That's why this little hike was so empowering for me.  I'm not planning to hike the Appalachian Trail or back country.  But I am going to buy some supportive hiking shoes, and hit some other easy trails, and this fall, by golly, I'm going to climb Mt. Monadnock!

Good News!

I had a checkup with my endocrinologist yesterday.  I've been seeing her for about 7 years, for 2 different conditions, and I've been taking 2 different medications. One of those conditions is diabetes, and I've been taking 2250mg of metformin daily for over 5 years.  As a result of my hard work with my diet and exercise program, the last 2 A1C checks have brought my numbers down to 5.6%.  So yesterday we cut my metformin down by half, and eliminated the other med entirely!  If my A1C stays where it is when I have it checked again, I will be off the metformin entirely.  And as much as I have liked her, she said there would be no need to see her anymore - I could save money on my specialist co-pay, and have my PCP monitor my A1C!  So I'm doing a happy dance on my way out to yoga class!

Early Morning Joy

For the past week or so, I've gotten back into the habit of heading out to the deck with my coffee BEFORE heading to my computer.  I sit out there, weather permitting, with my iPad and read my Bible as the sun peeks up over the trees that line my yard.  The birds are busy, and sometimes their songs distract me from my meditation.  Usually though, the morning music reminds of the beauty of God's creation.

This morning was cool and dry, especially compared with the heat and humidity of the past few days.  A house wren was singing its heart out at the top of a pine tree, and a cardinal was calling from the other side of the yard.  A robin sang its cheerful morning song as it searched for breakfast.  Such delight!  Even the vehement argument that suddenly broke out between two blue jays and a crow just added to the morning.

I need to figure out a way to bottle the joy and delight and share it with others.

Turning Yourself into a Pretzel

I've taken up yoga, or what my husband calls "Turn Yourself Into a Pretzel".  It's something I've always wanted to do, but never felt confident or competent enough to try it.  As I mentioned in an earlier post, I'm finally giving myself the go-ahead to try a lot of new things.  When a "beginners' yoga" class was offered early in April, I decided to check it out.  I persuaded a friend to join me, and the two of us found ourselves on a mat in an art gallery with a peppy instructor about our age.  She made us feel very comfortable and over the course of a few weeks, I found out that yoga was fun, and that I could do it -- not well, not competently, and certainly not prettily, but I was doing it.  That class has now ended, so I signed up for a class at a local fitness center.

What I've learned:

1.  Anyone can "do" yoga.

2.  Yoga is a practice, and it takes practice.

3.  Yoga is individual.  You do what you can, modify where you need to.

4.  You can use props to help you with some of the poses - a chair, blocks, a belt.

5.  I am more flexible than I thought.  Not as flexible as I'd like to be.  I'm improving.

6.  I still have a weak core which means I lack stability for some of the poses, like warrior II.

7.  Balance can be an issue, but as my core strength improves, my tree pose improves as do other standing poses.

8.  I'm not burning a ton of calories, but I am gaining strength.

9.  Yoga class day is my favorite day!

10.  I'm pretty sure I won't ever be able to do this:

So Kings, Wise UP!

Psalm 2  - Common English Bible

Why do the nations rant?
    Why do the peoples rave uselessly?
 The earth’s rulers take their stand;
    the leaders scheme together
    against the Lord and
    against his anointed one.
        
        “We will tear off their ropes
        and throw off their chains!”
 The one who rules in heaven laughs;
    my Lord makes fun of them.

But then God speaks to them angrily;
    then he terrifies them with his fury:
        I hereby appoint my king on Zion
        my holy mountain!”

I will announce the Lord’s decision:
    He said to me, “You are my son,
        today I have become your father.
 Just ask me,
    and I will make the nations your possession;
    the far corners of the earth will be your property.
 You will smash them with an iron rod;
    you will shatter them like a pottery jar.”

 So kings, wise up!
    Be warned, you rulers of the earth!
 Serve the Lord reverently—
    trembling,  kiss his feet
        or else he will become angry,
        and your way will be destroyed
    because his anger ignites in an instant.

But all who take refuge in the Lord are truly happy

This psalm just seems so appropriate for today's times.  I love the line:  So kings, wise up!

If today's rulers could just understand that a world where the needs of people are put first, a world where LOVE reigns, nothing else would matter.  

Psalm 1

I was up a bit earlier than usual today, and I took my coffee out to the deck.  Watching the sun come up over the trees and listening to a pine warbler singing, I was surrounded by a deep peace and feeling of oneness with nature.  After a few minutes I opened my newest Bible and felt pushed to read Psalm 1.  I've just purchased the Common English Bible and am exploring it.  I read this several times to myself, and I also read it aloud.  I find reading scripture aloud helps me hear it and understand it.  I sat with it for a bit, and then read it in my usual NRSV version.   I like both versions. I think both are true to the meaning intended.  I do like the way the NRSV titles the psalm "The Two Ways."

I have no great insight to share today.  Just the feeling of calmness and peace at the beginning of what promises to be a hot, busy day.

Psalm 1 - CEB

1 The truly happy person
    doesn’t follow wicked advice,
    doesn’t stand on the road of sinners,
    and doesn’t sit with the disrespectful.
2 Instead of doing those things,
    these persons love the Lord’s Instruction,
    and they recite God’s Instruction day and night!
3 They are like a tree replanted by streams of water,
    which bears fruit at just the right time
    and whose leaves don’t fade.
        Whatever they do succeeds.

4 That’s not true for the wicked!
    They are like dust that the wind blows away.
5 And that’s why the wicked will have no standing in the court of justice—
    neither will sinners
    in the assembly of the righteous.
6 The Lord is intimately acquainted
    with the way of the righteous,
    but the way of the wicked is destroyed.

Psalm 1  - NRSV

The Two Ways

1 Happy are those
    who do not follow the advice of the wicked,
or take the path that sinners tread,
    or sit in the seat of scoffers;
2 but their delight is in the law of the Lord,
    and on his law they meditate day and night.
3 They are like trees
    planted by streams of water,
which yield their fruit in its season,
    and their leaves do not wither.
In all that they do, they prosper.

4 The wicked are not so,
    but are like chaff that the wind drives away.
5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
    nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous;
6 for the Lord watches over the way of the righteous,
    but the way of the wicked will perish.

I have no great insight to share today.  Just the feeling of calmness and peace at the beginning of what promises to be a hot, busy day.  

A Typical Day's Meals

As June gets underway, I realized that it's been a year since I started my journey to better health.  I'm feeling better than I have felt in years, much more fit, and there's definitely a lot less of me - 78 lbs less as of this writing.  I've posted a lot about the journey on my Facebook page, but not so much here.  Several people have suggested that I share what my meals look like so here goes.

This is what I ate last last Wednesday:


For breakfast I had a Joseph's Flax and Oat Bran pita spread with 1 tablespoon of peanut butter and then rolled up.  It had 142 calories, 9 grams of protein, 12 grams of carbs, 5 grams of fiber, 1 gram of sugar, and 9 grams of fat.  Sometimes I spread the peanut butter on a slice of whole grain bread which adds another 50 calories and lowers the amount of fiber and protein by a gram, adds 7 carbs and 3 gr of sugar.

I also drank a cup of black, unsweetened coffee.

I went out to lunch with a friend at Sunflowers, one of my favorite restaurants and enjoyed a Greek salad with a grilled chicken breast. 

The salad had lots of baby spinach, about an ounce of goat cheese, a couple of sliced olives, red onion, and tomato.

I had to estimate the nutrition part of this, since I hadn't made it myself, but it was just under 350 calories with about 4 carbs.  I had a vinaigrette dressing which was on the side.  I left more than half of the dressing in the cup.  I had unsweetened ice tea with lemon, and water to drink.

For dinner, we had grilled lamb, a quinoa and pineapple salad, and steamed green beans.  My serving was 4 oz of lamb and 1 serving of the quinoa salad. (Recipe follows)  Total nutrition was 457 calories, 44 carbs, 16 gr fat, 33 protein, 9 fiber, and 18 sugar.  I had ice water with lemon to drink, and an apple a bit later for dessert.

Most days I eat 1250-1300 calories, and while I'm ready to eat at meal time, I rarely am "starving."  When I do need a snack, I munch on cucumbers, celery, pickles, or fruit. Or I have a second coffee, or an iced coffee, or tea.  I also allow myself a tablespoon of half and half in my iced coffee or in a second cup of coffee, but no sugar.   I think I've been successful because in addition to recording everything that I put into my mouth, even the "naughty" food, I am getting lots of exercise.  I try to get a minimum of 30 minutes of cardio-type exercise most days of the week.  Lots of time it's a pretty intense water aerobics class or a really brisk walk, but sometimes it's just 10 minutes here and there over the course of the day vacuuming with gusto, or shoveling walks, or sweeping the deck.  I try not to deprive myself of treats, but I do PLAN for them, so that is another tool that's helped.  

So if that helps anyone, I'm glad.

Here's the Pineapple Quinoa Salad which my anti-quinoa husband liked.

This serves 4 at 220 calories per serving.

Combine the following:

1 cup cooked quinoa

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1 cup baby spinach, lightly chopped

1 medium cucumber, diced

2 cups fresh pineapple chunks

1/2 cup green onions (scallions), chopped

1/2 cup cilantro, chopped

Dressing:

1 oz (about 2 tbs) lowfat Greek pineapple yogurt (I used Chobani)

juice from a small lime, about 2 tbs lime juice

1 garlic clove, minced

honey to taste (I used about 1 tbs)

Mix dressing ingredients, either with a whisk or by shaking in a jar.  Pour over quinoa mixture and mix gently.  Chill salad for a couple of hours.

Five Things On My Mind

First of all, I can't believe how long it's been since I posted.  I've been SO BUSY!

Some things have been on my mind:

1.  Retirement is wonderful.  I am busy, but I'm busy with things I CHOOSE to do, not what I HAVE to do.  I do my housework when it needs doing, or when I'm motivated to tackle a major chore.  I keep up with the business bookkeeping on my schedule.  I exercise regularly.  We've done a bit of traveling on the spur of the moment.  I read, relax, watch TV or Netflix.  I deliver Meals on Wheels.  I've gotten involved again (after a longish hiatus) with church committee work and church events.  I lunch with friends.  It's a lovely life.

2.  I am doing NEW things.  I don't know what is so freeing about being in my 60's but I am doing new things - tubing down a river, joining a yoga class, snowshoeing, going to a paint night.

3.  I'm healthier.  Since June 1, 2016 I've lost over 70 pounds through diet and exercise -- ON MY OWN, not through a program.  I've seen success with a fitness tracker and a fitness app (MyFitnessPal).  I have striven to get at least 30 minutes of cardio exercise at least 5 days a week, through fitness classes like water aerobics, water tabata, Zumba Gold, and through rowing, snowshoeing, and WALKING.  I've gone from a size 30 jean to a size 18 jean, and from 3x tops to XL.

4. Because of my weight loss, I'm learning a new sense of body space!  I still think of myself as enormous and am always pleasantly surprised when I fit in a booth, or put the tray table down on an airplane.  I give myself more space than I need to get by people or past obstacles.  I need to re-learn personal space.


5. Partly because I have time, partly because I'm feeling healthy, partly because we can afford it, and partly because I realize how fleeting life is, I am not putting things off that I want to do.  I'm learning how to identify bird songs, I'm planning trips (off to California to visit our son and daughter-in-law soon, and to the Grand Tetons and Yellowstone (tour) in the fall.  Despite the perilous times we are living in nationally and world wide, I am more optimistic about the part of life I can control.  It feels good!

Review: I Love You Like a Tomato

I Love You Like a Tomato by Marie Giordano
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

An interesting book. The narrator, Chi Chi, tells us about her childhood and adolescence, starting with her earliest memories of life in Italy and then immigrating to St. Paul Minnesota with her brother, mother, and grandmother. Her memories are both clear and hazy, at the same time. As is true of all children many of the things she hears and sees are misconstrued or misunderstood. In addition she has a vivid imagination. Born at the end of WWII, Chi Chi is raised by women. Her father, an American soldier, is absent, and when Chi Chi is told he has died, she cherishes his wooden leg. Her family is poor and it takes them a very long time to acclimate both to Minnesotan winters and the new American culture. I liked this book although it was also at times, quite depressing. The writer is also a poet, and her prose leaves a lot of space for the reader to fill in. I did find myself wishing for a little less "work" sometimes; I'm not sure that I always made the intended inference!


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Review: Boar Island

Boar Island by Nevada Barr
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

While Anna Pigeon, obviously, is part of the story, she is not the focus of this installment. A friend of hers, Heath, has decided to spend some time on Boar's Head Island in Acadia National Park where Anna is temporarily assigned. Heath's high school daughter has recently been the victim of an attempted sexual assault and is currently being cyber-bullied and cyber-stalked. At the same time, one of the park rangers discovers she has an identical twin sister whose husband has physically abused her. The two sisters decide to get revenge. The two situations eventually get tangled up together, and Anna's presence puts her in danger. I didn't like this book as much as others in the series. The plot felt a bit too contrived, and the motivations of most the characters seemed a bit farfetched.

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Review: Pennies On a Dead Woman's Eyes

Pennies On a Dead Woman's Eyes by Marcia Muller
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

It's been quite a while since I'd read anything from this series, but it didn't take me long to re-orient myself. It did take me longer to read than I expected; I couldn't concentrate very long. That was due a lot more to personal circumstances than any fault of the book. I did find the plot a bit slow-moving, but the ending was a surprise to me.

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Review: The Calling

The Calling by Inger Ash Wolfe
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I almost abandoned this book. I had a hard time liking the lead character Hazel Micaleff, and the plot was pretty dark. However, I eventually got to the point where I wanted to know how Hazel made out, personally and professionally. The plot was almost too dark for me, too. I would say that the author did an excellent job setting the atmosphere for the plot, and a good job helping the reader understand the motivations of Simon, the "villain" of the book. I got interested enough in Hazel as a character by the end that I will probably look for book #2 - just not right away.

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Review: Presumption of Guilt

Presumption of Guilt by Archer Mayor
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is a solid entry into the series. I like the characters, and I especially like the way Willy Kunkle has finally found a way to let some softness into his life through Sammie and his daughter. I also like the way the characters have been able to face some devastating challenges and lived through them, scars and all. I also enjoy the series because it's set not far from where I live, and although I don't live in Brattleboro, I recognize it. This book revolves around the discovery of a skeleton buried in the concrete floor of a warehouse that's being torn down at the now-shut Yankee nuclear plant. This discovery sets off a chain of events dating back 30 years to when the plant was built. One of Willy's informants is central to uncovering information that leads to the murderer. This book has less graphic violence in it than some of the others, which was also pleasant. Good story!

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Knitting Mojo is Back

I have finished several projects in the past month, after a slow summer.  Here they are:

1.  This is Mindy.

I originally knit a year or so ago, in a lovely purple varigated alpaca.  I washed it, and accidentally felted it. It had been by go-to sweater all last winter so I decided to make another one.  It took me 6 months, and unfortunately, during that 6 months I decided to lose 40 pounds.  Unfortunate because it's WAY too big now.  I'm not sure whether I'll frog the sweater or find someone to give it to.

2. These are Garter Rib Socks - a go-to pattern for me.

3.  Next up is a Medio Cowl by my favorite designer Laura Nelkin.

4.  And finally is another cowl by Laura Nelkin, the All-Ways Cowl.

I've started another sweater, Breezeway by Karen Hipksy. And I will probably do another All-Ways cowl or two for gifts.  We'll see.

Review: Thrice the Brinded Cat Hath Mew'd

Thrice the Brinded Cat Hath Mew'd by Alan Bradley
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

While not my favorite in the series, I still enjoyed this outing with Flavia de Luce. She's returned from Canada to what is a very disappointing welcome: her father is in the hospital with pneumonia, and with the exception of Dogger, no one seems very thrilled to see her. She discovers a dead body while undertaking an errand for the vicar's wife, and of course, sets immediately to trying to figure out who the victim is and why the death has occurred. I enjoyed Flavia's excursions with Gladys, but there wasn't enough interaction with other characters. Flavia was a bit too introspective for me in this novel. She needs to play off characters more directly for the reader to experience her true "Flavia-ness".

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Review: The Body on the Beach

The Body on the Beach by Simon Brett
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This started off slow, and I found it hard to like Carole, at least at first. However, by the end of the book, I liked her better. Carole is a retired Home Office administrator with very definite ideas on how a retired older woman should act, dress, and live. She has a new neighbor, Jude, who defies all of Carole's ideas of proper behavior, and in spite of her prejudices, she gradually comes to think of Jude as a friend. The two get acquainted and Carole's "properness" wears off as the two of them decide to investigate a possible murder. Carole has seen a dead body on the beach, but when the police can't find it, they write her off as a hysterical woman. The two women successfully figure out who the body is, where it is, and why it was on the beach. I will probably look for book #2 in the series at some point.

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Review: All Summer Long

All Summer Long by Dorothea Benton Frank
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A new-to-me author. I really enjoyed this story. Olivia Ritchie is a very successful New York City interior decorator married to a retired history professor. She's fallen on some tough financial times she hasn't shared with her husband. They've just "downsized" to a beach house in Charleston, SC Low Country, and Olivia is desperately trying to figure out how she will adjust to a new way of life and manage to find clients to rebuild her failing business. Over the course of the summer, Olivia and her husband experience the life of the 1% as guests of client/friends Bob and Maritza on a private Caribbean island, and later in Mallorca on Bob's yacht. And over this summer, both couples discover new aspects of their respective relationships and come to value each other in different ways. I liked Frank's characters, and appreciated the general mood of the plot, despite a bit of overwrought drama.

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