Diet Diary - Day 13

April 29, 2002
     Day 13 Sunday April 28, 2002 Reading All Day

      I again slept in and then got a coffee and read my book. Of course the cat and I had a few encounters. I locked him in the bathroom at 6:30AM but my son must have stumbled up and let him out after that. I put him in again and then let him out when I got up for asthma medication. While I was reading, he came at the door again and I caught him (chased his through the house to do so) and hit him with the kitchen sprayer. Actually water from the sprayer. This only deterred him for a half hour at which point I chased him again and he went to my son's room, leapt on the bed turned and crouched. I promptly shut him in. While I was up, I did dishes, loaded laundry and made muffins.
     
      Being creative I made oatmeal muffins but I added one apple, beat in the blender. I had no liquid (the 1 cup milk being on the 1 Cup oatmeal) so I poured the oatmeal-milk into the blender and whomped it. Make note. Use just milk and keep the oatmeal whole. I used sweet milk and 1 tablespoon of cooking oil. I added Cinnamon. And chopped up pecans (1/2 cup), and since the mixture was loose, two fist full's of oatmeal. The regular baking powder (2.5 Tblsp.) and salt (1/2 tsp.) and flour (1 cup). I added raisins - about 1/2 cup. They are rich muffins and low in fat. Delicious.
     
      For later, I thinly sliced up Turkey kielbasa and fried it in olive oil with onions (thick slice), garlic cloves, more button mushrooms (about 1 cup). When cooked down, I put it in a dish and into the refrigerator. I can add it to bottled spaghetti sauce and serve over pasta. (I added it to Pasta Anytime and we had a fast lunch before leaving to the mall. Great!)
     
      I retreated to my bed and finished my novel by 3PM. My son had come in and out during this but missed disturbing the end of the book. My time-of-the-month temper would not have allowed it. We left for the mall.
     
      My son is a hunter, I am a gatherer. I look in store windows and drool. We have reached Stoneridge Mall, a hefty drive from the house but a big mall. We enter at Sears and I drool over dresses, suits and bathing suits, which are on racks all around us marked on sale. My son steers me to the mall doors. We hunt for Nordic Trak, because we are here to look at treadmills. I have a cheap one and it simply is no good. Need a good one. We spot the store on the map and then below us. And we walk in. There is a crowd. I get on and try out 4-5 machines. I am panting. I try them at speed and at elevations.
     
      Before I know it, my son has selected Nordic Trak's $2100 (on sale) monster. He has a good eye. I try fast walking and inclines. I use my asthma inhaler. I need water! While waiting on the salesman we go to Gloria Jeans and get Mocha Frost (decaf) for me and my son has an iced Chai tea. We go back. We decide on the big, expensive machine. Because it is quiet and I like it. He likes it. All over. We also get a stepper and carry that home with us (leaving its box behind). The treadmill is coming by truck, will be set-up and tested and has an 8-year extended warranty. It does fold up and I can lift it although it is heavy.
     
      It is now nearly 6PM and the mall is closing. No shopping! Drat! I will have to come back. Tomorrow I have to Express Mail the stock check to the CMA account, notify the CPA and check on when we are filing last year's taxes and when I have to pay taxes on the stock sale. Then I must see the EDD office to see if I have messed up the form I am supposed to mail now. I think I did. I was driving to the post office when I rethought what I had filled in and grabbed the envelope back from the to-mail stack. Then I must call the doctor and make appointments for both of us. He lifts 50 lbs now and must be checked by the internist (and have an echo done) to determine how heavy his weights can go. There is a form to send in to the tax people to say I am not in business. (That one!)
     
      I tried the stepper. Oh, I will feel that one!
     
      My phone messages said my older son called and then the HIPP program said I was approved. The state will pay my son's part of the health insurance (COBRA). I will call them tomorrow.
     
      I had a glass of wine and curled up for Nero Wolfe and then Law & Order CSU. Sleepy, I finally went into my bedroom and curled up. My older son will call later. My younger one will bang on the well for his shot and fetch himself his own cereal. Must remember to see if he took his pill.
     
      I am up at 1:30AM and taking an Aleve. The carrying of the stepper pulled my shoulders. Egad! I am in worse shape than I thought. My shoulders hurt along with my hips. The muscles in my legs also reacted to being on the treadmill but only for a short time (you normally walk-trough that initial hysteria). Must get back to the gym!
     
      5:30AM my son stumbled into the bathroom (about as quiet as a loose elephant) and the cat attacked my door. Not being friendly at this hour, the cat went into the bathroom and I went to sleep. Noticed that it was heavily raining, the rain that had been due this weekend. The higher temperature tells me we won't get the "snow on the hills" which is a good thing. Snow on the hills in almost-May in California?