The View From the Plateau....

Hey hey hey....Yes, I am still among the living....but have been busy the last couple of weeks!!  I apologize for those who have been anxiously awaiting the latest blog installment!  Ha!  I had several appointments and then I took a week to spend with my Mom in Kansas and delivered many flowers from my backyard!  On my way to deliver I started on the 2016 Red Nose Tour.  Walgreen Stores have these red noses for sale to help fight childhood poverty.  You wear the nose and take pictures and post on their website.  This picture by the miniature Statue of Liberty is between Portis and Smith Center, Kansas.  

World famous Big Ball of Twine!

And of course, I had to take one with the famous Ball of Twine in Cawker City!  I'm kind of getting used to the red nose and even think it is flattering---it makes my face look thinner.  Right??  So....back to the fitness part of the blog.  I did take measurements yesterday and although I have not had the time to do the 30 Day Challenge workouts lately due to yard work, I still had lost half an inch.  That is just amazing considering that I had not been able to focus as much on the fitness and healthy eating part as much as I did when I started out.  And then there is my Mom who does this to me....

Coconut Cream Pie....mmmmm!!

Yeah....that was a freshly baked Coconut Cream pie...my worse weakness (not going to call it enemy because something that amazing just isn't), plus she also made a Lemon Meringue one.  Did I mention the part about it just being for the two of us?? Thanks, Mom!!!  It was not even going to be possible for me to resist those....no way.  On a positive note, Mom and I did decide to have salads so that we could allow for the pie!!

Aunt Corine's Italian Stuffed Artichokes.

My husband also got into the act by making a childhood dish that his grandmother, aunts and mom used to make....stuffed artichokes, otherwise known as some Italian name that I can't pronounce correctly....Cacocciula.  Thanks Aunt Corine!!  After reading about all of the health benefits of artichokes, I think it would be a good one to add to the weekly list.  Plus it's a good workout while eating them, and you can't eat them fast!! Full of fiber and vitamins, it also packs a good antioxidant punch---it is #7 on the USDA top 20 anti-oxidant list!!  Who knew??

Chloe is so cute!

Not Chloe...that's for sure!!  This is the famous (well maybe now famous) goat that lives near the Big Ball of Twine.  She belongs to a friend of mine.  My guess is that she would love artichokes, even though her favorite foods are Smartie candies, Sweet tarts, chips and cereal.  She may need to join me on this healthy lifestyle or at least add some artichokes to off-set that sugar rush!!

Very cool magazine.

I had the job of cleaning out in the basement of my childhood home last week as well.  That gave me a great workout going up and down the steps and sweeping and hauling bags out.  There were some treasures, such as this Saturday Evening Post magazine from 1942----price was one dime!  Very cool to look through it and see how things have changed....OH HOW MUCH they have changed!!

Crazy clowns!

Did I mention that I brought home about a dozen of the noses??  These are classmates from high school (and honorary spousal classmates) when we gathered to eat some Fajitas cooked on a farm implement disc. An awesome way to cook meats, veggies, eggs, and other things PLUS it is healthy food. 

This is Lefty smiling for the camera at mammogram!

Did you ever feel as if your body (and/or organs) are trying to declare mutiny on you??  In the last couple of weeks I have had my dental checkup...no cavities (yay); then I had my yearly checkup (the dreaded Pap)....no issues there (yay); had fasting blood work to check my thyroid and also my cholesterol.....not so good.  The T-4 was normal in my thyroid, but the TSH level was high---which means that the Adrenal Glands are producing TSH but my thyroid gland isn't responding.  Also, my cholesterol was 225--with the bad one (I get them all confused) in the normal range, but since the overall number is high....I have to go back in three months to have them both checked.  Then I had a mammogram because I had accidentally skipped it last year (oops!!)....and of course there was a problem with Lefty.  So I had to go back for more pictures.  Talk about a fun time!!  But after multiple views and also an ultrasound on Lefty....she was deemed okay for now and I go back in six months to have it rechecked!!  Come on kids....we need to all work together and be healthy in order for my body to function!!!  

Grilled burger with onions and garlic topped with guacamole!

So when that all happens, I turn to one of my favorite meals.....a grilled burger topped with homemade guacamole!!  Sometimes you just need to reward yourself for making it through all of the yearly checkups!!!  Hope you are doing well on your own healthy journey!!  I still have about two and a half months before my deadline.  Keep working and keep smiling!!!!