A little bit of news went a long way this morning......turned that off and doing some things that are more productive. 

Coffee with sf skinny syrup and water with crystal light so far along with a multiple vitamin, extra c, extra D, extra omega, zinc, elderberry, turmeric and a baby aspirin.....

Not hungry so not eating yet......lately that has been an issue...old habits creep back in so easily........fighting that off again.......there is no way that I allow old bad habits to sabotage what I have done...............They say only 5% of people who lose weight can keep it off indefinately......with that in mind........I can't let my guard down.....so I wait...for hunger and won't eat just because it's breakfast time.

Breakfast

coffee = 4

skinny syrup = 0

crystal light drink mix = 10

instant cream of wheat = 260

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274 cals

Lunch

2 sizzle steaks =365

1/2 cup fried mashed potattoes/butter = 155

red/yellow peppers = 25

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545 cals

Dinner

chicken tenders sauteed with a few pepper strips in olive oil = 225

veggie straws = 130

spinach dip = 200 or less

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555 cals

Total cals for the day was 1374

Rained all night.........and will continue all day....so that will cool things off a bit.

Another day where quarantine is easy....we need for nothing so I'm staying in...although D will possibly take the pup to the vet for his shots.  It is time and I know he gets antsy........me...not so much....so I stay home.

The dentist called yesterday....and wanted to reset D's 2 appointments.......they set them up and then she proceeded to tell him of the mask on/mask off protocol.......I guess the idea of her with her hands in his mouth while she was in full protection.....and him with no mask at that time was a bit much....and he told her he changed his mind and wasn't going...of course he knew he couldn't wear a mask during the dental work....but the vulnerability became a little more obvious.....I'm glad he told her he would call her when this is all over with...........

Breakfast = coffee with sf syrup, yogurt, crystal light

Thinking that with all of the chaos that is going on maybe I need to just turn the TV and Computer off for awhile..........and accomplish some things that make me feel more in control......I always seem to revert to that when the world outside my door is losing it. 

Decide what I need to do and set my day up for success.

It won't hurt to be oblivious to what is going on for a few hours and do things that bring me peace. 

An hour after breakfast a leftover chicken patty was calling me...gave in and ate that.

Stripped the bed and got laundry going......on second load now.........mailed bill.

I had a pile of laundry to fold......and did part...and was tempted to quit.......but something kept popping into my head....the phrase...FOR THE GREATER GOOD.....it's

 old...and I find that my mind reminds me of it...when things are especially chaotic.....and I tend to listen...it's only there in bad times..........so...while I wanted to stop folding laundry.....I asked mysef...WOULD THAT BE FOR THE GREATER GOOD?  I kept folding until it was done.  I'm glad it's done for now......it was for the greater good.  My activity around here spurred D on to start doing things too........the laundry is folded, D is doing things that need to be done...it was for the greater good.  I usually find plenty of excuses to do or not do things.........FOR THE GREATER GOOD needs to occupy my mind more often.....maybe I will print that out and hang it on the wall!!!  When things are totally out of my control and it feels like the rest of the world is falling apart........I need to spend that time especially..........doing what is just and right and calms me.

Thinking about the greater good remined me that I had made some resolutionf for this year.......and one was to post pics of everything I ate daily....i did that for awhile and grew bored with it...but it truly was for the greater good.........too late to do that today....but...it's an idea to get back to tomorrow.

Back several months ago I ordered 2 of the 23 and me dna test kits for us.  The plan was to do them in April.....but with things the way they are now...we put it off......today I got them out and looked at the instructions....we will probably do that on Monday......The kids keep asking if we did them yet...I think they are more excited than we are.......should be interesting though.

And OH YEAH....when I was reorganizing food.......found several things I couldn't live a moment without.....UGH....got that out of the way BUT....while none were horrible...none were really needs....they were wants............call it a food fit.

Lunch was chicken peppers and mashed potatoes and I just realized that I ate lunch automatically and really wasn't hungry........that proves it....I'm definately off track......and my pants are tight today too.

Found this in my FB feed today and found it interesting...I've always wondered about these things.

Just planning to keep busy today....nothing special.....

The local station isn't working today.....it popped on just long enough to tell us that it would be in the 80's today.............so I could wear summer clothes for sure...YET......with the AC...it will be just like winter in here...so i need warm clothes....LOL....my summer quandry has once again started........layering......my only answer.

Poor cat.....his worm meds and his harness and leash both arrived yesterday.....my guess is that he must think yesterday was the worst ever.........fight to get him in the harness ( which he escaped from outside).....me yelling NO...when he finally found his chance to explore the yard for the first time ( lucky for me that he automatically stops whenever I say no)...then...getting back in his house prison.to get wrapped in a towel and .. to have worm meds forced into his mouth......poor guy....totally confused and suspecting that we aren't such nice people after all........

Of course......after making a trip to the bank yesterday...a check for 48 cents arrived in the afternoon!!!!!!    48 CENTS....the cost to mail it was more than the check.........this has been happening for the last year.......stock that splits off into small little companies must issue dividend checks...........and .........it's crazy.......I could toss it.......waiting for another ck to arrive would take too long........so.......I end up adding 4 dollars and 52 cents in cash....and depositing it.  This will be done the next time I go to town........I probably spend more gas money doing this than the 48 cents.  BUT...I will be darned if it stops me from cashing it...it's the principle of the thing!!!   They will not force me to rip it up!!!!     I'm getting that 48 cents if it costs me a couple of dollars to do it!  OKAY.....rant over.

Plenty aroung here to keep busy with. 

Going to follow Annies lead.....and make a list of things to do......and then pick one each time I get the urge to accomplish something.........that will get at least 1 thing done per day.....and likely more.

coffee with sf skinny syrup.......( note to self...don't buy that anymore....way to artificial to be enjoyable for me).....but i will use it up...because that is how I am.........( choke that stuff down...because i bought it...LOL)  Teach myself a lesson....be a lot more careful whart I buy...because I might just HAVE to eat it)

Breakfast ended up being chicken, a RX bar and a fiber one bar

Lunch was chili, brat and tater tots....using some odds and ends up

Beautiful day....have to head out to the bank and then back home........Stimulus check showed up on friday....so need to take care of that............Slept a good 7 hours last night and feel like I'm full of energy today...so taking advantage of that....got a lot done yesterday which spurs me on again today.............

Coffee....and multi vit, extra c, extra D, extra omegas, zinc, turmeric, baby aspirin, elderberry...not hungry yet...so waiting on that.

Big order of a lot of small things coming from Amazon today...( things we would have gone out to buy ourselves....Amazon sure comes in handy sometimes).....( cat harness and leash so I can take him out on the deck, wormer for cat and puppy, multiple car cleaning things that D wanted, D's glucosomine, can opener, MCT oil....to try out)......Amazon is quite amazing.....just not ordering magazine subscriptions form them anymore...that was a disaster....in fact no more magazine subscriptions for me anymore at all....D gets lots.....but I'm not renewingg anything...I need to read all of the books we have here...and then pass them on.........lots to work with there.  I like to finish a book and then if it isn't a keeper i put it in the free library at the grocery store...(in their foyer)....I see they have removed that for now understandably....but hopefully it comes back in the future......I will hold onto donations for that until it returns.........

Did the big overhaul in my clothes closet yesterday and love it......still working on the mess I created in the bedroom though....today I tackle that.......no need to keep suitcases in my closet if we aren't going anywhere.....to the basement with those now.

Dressed and ready to start the day.

banking done, bills sent, trips to town are short when i don't stop at any stores....and that could be a good thing. 

Yogurt for breakfast

Lunch = chicken, potatoes, granola bar, chocolate

Dinner = shaved beef with cheese, rice with kale and granola bar

Thought this was interesting...according to Dr Berry...any oil higher that 20%  is not conducive to a long healthy life.

Bright and sunny today....birds chirping so that makes me happy

There has been a huge police presence around here since friday.......still plenty of non residents here....but very little racing on the roads.......they are now driving at the posted speeds..........so.....that is fine..........I've seen more police cars on our dirt road in the last 3 days....then I have seen in the entire town in many years.......we can deal with that.........even though we are still in lockdown......they are here....but I guess that isn't a crime?  At least they are not going 100 miles an hour anymore.

Still working on reorganizing my walk in closet....and I like it......but wow...the mess in the bedroom now.....LOL....today....I work on all of that.........will just be making a pile of donations and leaving them in the basement I guess,.......that stuff used to go in the car right away for dropoff....but no place to drop things off now....so no need to fill  the car up with that........I used to do the same thing with cans...also....no place to drop off now.......so they sit in the garage.

20 years of prepping is paying off........if we want or need something specific....I go.....but if we can make do with what we have here....we can last a long long time..........there was one other time when the prepping paid off.......and again now.......I sometimes have asked myself if it was worth it.........( the room it takes up...the continual rotation, D's aggravation about just the numbers of supplies......being called a hoarder( although this stuff was bought before the pandemic).).......and just the aggrivation of having it in my face all of the time....and my final answer is...YES YES YES...it was worth it........do I get irritation with the quantity of it...ABSOLUTELY!!!  Yes...some things have gone bad...it's obvious when you open a package and it's rancid( that happens with drygoods that have oils and grains in the package)........you know immediatly.  I've only had one can actually leak....and it was in perfect condition otherwise....it was cranberry sauce......well....out it went......there are some dented cans....I'm using those myself...and so far..they have been fine.........could I end up getting botulism?????  I suppose...but I think I would sense something is wrong before eating it......I have thrown out some things that I just didn't want to take the chance on.......I'm fine with that.  The bottom line is in the US...our supply chain has been broken.........and it's not improving............it will only get worse from here........it's time to pick up a few things each time you shop...to just set aside in case.  My family is all doing that.........they aren't buying out the store...they are picking up some extras each trip and stashing it away......the fact is....unless you have a garden and can or freeze extras..., have chickens for eggs and meat.......or....you have some things that keep stored away....you could be very sorry at some point in the next few months or years.....besides......if for some reason....you will be able to purchase what you need....it sure is nice to have that stash set aside....if you just don't feel like cooking, or you have a loss of income....or you just don't want to go to the store..........it is up to all of us to plan for these things...........Even our government tells us to have up to a years supply of food........they mention a minimum of 3 days...(OMG)......suggest 6 months and a year even better.  We are not mormon....but mormons have been keeping a years worth of food for a very long time. 

We have been happy to share with family and friends when they were in need.....that makes us very happy that we could ease their burden a bit......that will continue. 

It makes me happy to be able to have a back up when D says.........do we have anymore almonds, olive oil etc.......so far...I have been able to hand him what he asked for within minutes.

My frustration comes with the fact that I need to have it organized better.........and that is a ongoing issue.....working on that again today also.

As soon as D's prescritions are able to be renewed...I do that.....I would rather have too much of that for him...than not enough.

I'm just so much more relaxed knowing that I can come up with a solution...at home ...I may have to open a few bins....but I usually find it......and if not...it goes on a list for the next shopping trip.

I never clear shelves....I've built this up over time....1 or 2 at a time......it's not hard.....but it sure comes in handy at times.

Currently...we have enough food for at least a year....will me miss some things...absolutely......but will it keep us alive?  ABSOLUTELY.  We have enough dog food for more than a year...and enough cat food for several months.......( need to get a little more of that each trip)

When people were in a panic over toilet paper.......while I noticed there was none here for sale......and so many were going without.....we had plenty, as well as kleenex, laundry soap, dish soap, hand soap........

Being prepared for everything is not necessarily being a hoarder........instead...I believe that that it is being prepared to take care of myself and family when needed.....without stressing about it.  When what you need to survive is right there in your home there is such a feeling of peace and contentment.

Ok....enough about me and my suggestions..........I was raised by parents and grandparents that lived through the great depression......I have had many times in my adult life when there was only a couple of days worth of food in the house....and I wasn't worried..........but....there has also been lots of time pass...lots of water over the dam and under the bridge...lots of unemployment, prosperous times and weeks when the bills took up all of our income so we just didn't buy food......we never missed a meal.....but lets just say...that sometimes...there was  an awful lot of pancakes and macaroni and cheese..............but we made do..........and that is what I aim for again..........survival.....and while I can pick up an extra can or soup or 2 to set aside...I'm doing it...because it adds up.....and gives me peace. 

I hope everyone has what they need...wants are one thing...needs are something else....and once I started to prep....it became fun and a new hobby that actually has had a calming side to my life.  Times are changing....and i'm not as worried as I could be..........

Breakfast = coffee, multi vit, extra c, extra omegas,, extra D, zinc, turmeric, elderberry.....not hungery yet.  Building up our immune systems...so that we hopefully stay as healthy as possible.

Breakfast ended up being toasted english muffin with peanutbutter

Lunch was philly cheese steak sandwiches, baked beans and brown rice with kale and chia seeds

Another governor rant here from me......after the midland floods that cleared the town and evacuated so many............Whitmer dropped into the shelter where so many are evacuated to.....quickly told them that they were standing too close together and then got back in her car and headed for Traverse City...where she is having a graduation party for her daughter.......refused to open the hotels, restaurants, or thrift stores in the next town over so that those who lost their homes or homes are flooded can at least eat, sleep and buy some used clothing. 

Anyway...no more about our witchmer.

Poured rain all night here....and that's ok...because there was a large forrest fire a couple of days ago and the rain will help with that kind of issue.

Doing some heavy cleaning here today....already have a lot of things out of my closet.....and some won't be going back in......luggage to the basement........no plans to use that anytime soon.

English muffin for breakfast

Maybe leftovers for lunch and dinner......definately working on using up food....not a good time to waste it.  

Getting the ladder out......the cupboards that are waaaay up at the ceiling are usually just empty and kind of hard for me to reach...but now I have to say....I'm finally thankful for them....canned goods going in there today....and out of my way.

I also have to say that the printer that took so long....is working like a charm......so cheap and wifi and the best printer we have ever had.......so the wait was well worth it....HP Deskjet 2600 series..under $70.....and can't say enough good about it.

Cat jumped right up on the kitchen counter in front of me today.......shocked...i yelled GET DOWN NO NO........he jumped like he was onfire...turned around and told me NO NO right back..........I'm not sure if he was mad that he got caught or embarassed......a little later he jumped on my lap and was giving me little head bumps ( a cats way of saying YOU BELONG TO ME).....LOL......I so wish that I knew what kind of life he had previously lived for 8 years....I think someone must have loved him very much......and taught him many things......he is a little smarty pants.......and I keep learning things about him....if I tell him to sit down...he sits......the couple of times that I told him he was being a bad boy for scratching the woodwork....he just collapsed like I was breaking his heart.........then I felt bad.  A friend and I had a conversation about pets yesterday...and how some just seem to exist around us and we take care of them...but there is little connection otherwise...and others have a personality that just jumps out at you and there is a real connection.

Very wet and gloomy today...so basically no outside.  Last night as we were heading for bed...it became very obvious that the next door neighbors were roasting hot dogs over a campfire...LOL..........D couldn't get that thought out of his head for at least a half hour........LOL......New neighbors on the other side....a state policeman and a nurse expecting their first baby soon....he grew up  in this town and didn't know that there are bears here............We can't figure out how that got past him for 27 years.....really cute couple and happy to have them here.

Another beautiful day here....but the noise and dust will start soon I'm sure....all of the chaos around here even had D mentioning moving...and I never thought I would hear him say that........lots of talk also about the place we had made 2 offers on that was very remote and private and way off the road..back about 5 years ago......but it wasn't meant to be I guess.

I need to get myself in line I think.....too much sitting around.......and it isn't very productive in any direction.....so I will set some goals today.

1.  Both D and I slept terribly last night,.......so I need to work on that again

2.  I need to get cleaning here....dust from the road has come inside over the last couple of days

3.  I really should count calories today.....the rolls just seem to take me over yesterday...and I truly didn't care as I was shoving them in my mouth

4.  I need to get back to reading so will start a new book today

5.  I seriously dislike where I moved the filing cabinets too...so I need to move those again...and get a couple of pictures on the wall.

6.  Broke a mirror a few days ago and immediatly thought of 7 years bad luck.........I had left it on the floor for a moment and then turned around and stepped on it...........set myself up for failure there.....

7.  Decided that we will be keeping an eye out for places for sale that might just be more peaceful.........that doesn'rt mean that we will move...but just keep our options open.......this week so far has been the most miserable we have spent here.......the people that are here temporarily are destroying this tiny town........hopefully things calm down...but we have never seen it like this before..in quite this way.........and it's more like an invasion than we have ever seen......and not what we wanted for retirement.  The odd part is our governor did not even open our area up yet...on the other side of the state yes...but here no........we are still in stay at home mode...........well...at least we...and our immediate neighbors are.......This quarantine has brought the worst out in a lot of people.......and I think they all came here.....

Spent a lot of time playing with the puppy this morning and friends came over......to see him..........we kept apart by the 6 feet.....and since they are both still working and haven't been sick it will probably be okay...we also all stayed outside.

I've also been looking online  to see what is available house wise.....nothing at this time....the choices are few...and none are appropriate for what we want......

Another beautiful day here.........

Woke  up craving yesterdays leftovers

Breakfast was chicken, egg rolls and pineapple habenero sauce........and it hit the spot...and made my nose run...LOL...also coffee

Early 7:00 call from son B...........insurance questions..and changes to their policies....(he had waayyyy too much coffee this morning...LOL)

Makes me think that I really need to get our files in some kind of order since I'm the only one around here that handles buisiness things....I really do need to make up a book of directions for D and the boys....My dad did that for me....and it was such a help when he passed because I followed that completely when my Mom knew NOTHING about their business at all...and she didn't even know how to write a check....and died at 89 herself never having written one.......so his notebook of directions was so much appreciated.......I need to do that here......( not today but time to compile all the paperwork to do that.)

Luch was cjili and rolls

afternoon snack is chips and spinach dip and iced tea

Went for a ride the last 2 days........just through the woods....In the past...this was my day to decorate graves......but no traveling this year............it feels weird.......but thats the way it is......Last year I had to stop going to one cemetary because there were gun shots when I was there ( very bad area).....this year...had to drop the other 2 cemetaries.......first time not going to my parents.  Just feels strange.

It's very obvious that the quarantine has sent more people than I have ever seen up north before.......constant quad runners, motorcycles, everything.......travel trailers etc...dust flying on our dirt road like I have never seen it before......we went to the carwash...came home...and parked it in the garage.....so nice and clean now.........but the road is like a super highway.......quite unreal around here....noticed that the motels in town were all full.......restaurant serving food in the parking lot....non stop traffic..........I'm staying in.

It's a pretty day here today....lots of birds chirping...wish I could send you all a sound bite.  I wish it could stay this temp all year long. 

Had the last bagel with butter and peanut butter and a cup of coffee for breakfast........( I am addicted to bagels...there I said it)

Lunch will be salad with chicken and egg rrolls

Since the last "meal"...is always whatever we individually want....who knows........