I'm growing

We are all friends here, which is why I have no problem telling you all that I do not cook.

I blame it on my mother. (Hi mom, love ya, but rice, peas and kielbasa mixed together isn't exactly cooking.)


[**side note to my sisters - take cooking in school or somewhere, you'll need it; your husbands will thank you, trust me.**]


There is something about putting effort into making a meal, that just turns me off (color me lazy.) I have a long list of items at the grocery store, that I will not buy because they are "to hard" to prepare; such as any fruit or veggie that requires a knife.

In fact, we had watermelon and pineapple recently, but only because my wonderful, superwoman mother-in-law bought it, cut it up and packaged it for me. Otherwise, it would have rotted in my fridge.


However, tonight I made a break through. I had to go to the store to pick up some juice to mix with my "tasty" diet shakes, and decided I wanted some fruits and veggies for snacks. Watermelon was on sale, I bought it! along with some celery on the stalk, not the pre-cut kind. Oh, and some lettuce, but I did buy the pre-package kind.


[**in my mind I am thinking: I am so proud of you Judie, but will you actually cut it and eat it?**]


When I got home I took my goodies to the kitchen and got the big knife, the cutting board and some napkins and cut into the watermelon. It was so easy, I can't believe it. I just cut it up and put it into zip locks. No big deal. Then I washed the celery and cut it up also. Again, it was so easy.

Why in the world was I afraid of this? Today, cutting fruit and veggies, next maybe a full meal?

Know, first, who you are; and then adorn yourself accordingly

I love indie fashion, but it is not exactly designed for anyone over a size 2. So I have created a little list of indie style items for the real size woman.

Sun dresses with a defined waist

Peplum blouses 

Pencil skirts

Full Skirts

Boatneck or 50's inspired tops

Accessories (anything goes)

Spotted Moth Prim and Proper 

ModCloth Thelma and Blue-ise 

Anthropologie Corseted Cypress Blouse

ShopRuche Dear Creatures Blouse

Anthropologie Convergence 1952 

I might be a perv?

I had to have lab work done recently, which also means the inevitable pee in a cup (sorry TMI, I know, I know), but bear with me I have a point here. 


In the lovely clean lab restroom, the toilet seat covers were not in their container, I noticed the box said "Lavender" in purple writing, with images of pretty little flowers all over it. 

Hmmm I thought, I wonder? I sniff the air, yes it does faintly smell of lavender. So of course I pull out a cover place it against my face and take a deep breath.

No, the toilet seat cover did not smell like Lavender!  ~**Note to self: Just because the brand name is similar to a scent you love, does not mean the public restroom supplies are scented**~

Thankfully there are not cameras in the restrooms, because I am pretty sure I would have looked like a perv. Or at the very least a super weirdo.

The Sunday Seven

Sunday Seven

 a recap of the week and other serendipitous moments. 

1. Baby Shark goes to dinner, which brought up a discussion as to whether The Big Mouth Blue Frog Story was dinnertime appropriate. In case you have no idea what Baby Shark is check it out here. If you have never heard me tell the Big Mouth Blue Frog story, please let me know, I'll be happy to share it with you.
2. Trying to substitute protein shakes for lunch, instead of food from the Cafeteria. I can't stand the taste of the shake, they are supposed to be vanilla. So I mixed them with Naked Juice, it makes them much more palatable. 
3. SYTYCD, no one went home! I think it is time for Jose to go, I am sorry. He just isn't as good as other B-Boys they have had on previous seasons. 
   
   
   
   
   
4. The Force is with me. I needed to give my hips a rest so, I was brave and put my CGM sensor in my arm. Yes, it is out there for the world to see. I prefer NexCare Waterproof Tattoo bandaids to hold the sensor in place. I love that they do not leave any sticky residue on my transmitter. However, they are stinkin' hard to find. Thankfully Rite Aid had one style available; Star Wars. It's not very feminine, but hey maybe Yoda can send some good vibes to my blood sugars? 

5. D-Feast Friday. While I did not participate, many did, and I found some tasty blood sugar friendly recipes to try. Thanks to Karen, Elizabeth and Lorraine for organizing this event. See the recipes here. 




Next Step: Snowplow Sam!

6. The best place to spend a hot California summer day is at the ICE RINK. That is exactly what Miss A and I did. It was her first time ice skating and she did awesome. I am so excited to be the pushy Auntie and get her in lessons. This morning though I am sore and realizing that while watching Miss A skate may be fun, skating myself is not such a good idea. 
7. The Miss California Coed pageant was this weekend. Good luck to all the young ladies, you are going to have so much fun! Wish I could have been there to cheer you on. Please let me know who wins. 

Tomorrow is Monday, have a good week everyone!

The Y

Big news today, the YMCA has a new name. They will now be known as just The Y.  I am a little concerned over this change, not because they are eliminating the reference to religion in their name, but because they are downplaying the importance of the Christian values that shaped the organization. 


Our local YMCA, which host the Great American Youth Circus, was built in 1914 and has "Young Men's Christian Association" painted in a lovely script across the main entryway, visible from Citrus Blvd. 

View Larger Map


The three principles that the YMCA was founded on are; Healthy Spirit, Healthy Body and Healthy Mind. Initially the goal of the organization was Christian discipleship, developed through a program of religious, educational, social and physical activities. Just add the Y to the long list of youth organizations who have dropped their spiritual emphasis.


My experiences with the YMCA helped shape my spiritual growth. I was involved the the YMCA in elementary school through their summer swim program, as were all my siblings. In addition as I've mentioned before I participated in the YMCA Ragger program through Camp Conrad-Chinnock. 

Symptoms of a low

This afternoon, about 15 minutes before the end of the workday. I was low. I knew the symptoms and walked myself to the cafeteria to get the necessary bottle of Naked Orange Juice. As I tried to walk back to my office chugging juice and giggling to myself about how awful it would be to barf the orange juice all over the lobby tile that our wonderful housekeeping staff had just mopped, I realized rationalized that low symptoms would be the perfect blog topic.

I've discussed previously (as a part of Diabetes Blog week) how I prefer to treat a low. But I am often asked how I know that I am low. The truth is the symptoms vary.

When Mr. Harer and I first started dating, lows were preceded by horrible sweating, shakiness and the sudden unquenchable urge for a diet coke. Now, especially since the CGMS has allowed me tighter control over my numbers, the low symptoms are very different, that is when I actually have symptoms. Tighter control means more hypo unawareness.

Lows make me feel nauseous and sick, but not like the swishy, perfect storm in my tummy kind of nausea more like bile creeping into my throat nausea. Pleasant, right? I know this may be TMI for my non-diabetic readers, but for some odd reason I still feel the need to put it out there for the world to know.

So here it is, for whatever it's worth. When I go low I feel; sweaty, sticky, sick, slow, silly, shaky, irritable, nauseous, confused, crabby, uncomfortable, incapable, in a fog, dizzy, drowsy, demented, delirious and down right wrong.

It is no wonder that low blood sugars often leave me worn out.

As I sit here typing away the sensor is whining at me that again I am dropping below the target zone and I need to go eat some tabs or something. I guess that is all for now.