Mar 26, 2020

SEVEN THINGS


In the spirit of sharing too much, being completely new-agey hippy-dippy, self-carey, and holding hands and singing KumBaYa, here are seven things I try to do every day to stay healthy.

(Betty, before you start typing, I also bathe and pray and tidy and load the dishwasher, so zip it. These seven things are touchy-feely, in my spinster head taking good care of myself things.)

(You know. All of the crap you hate.)

READ: This is a no-brainer, especially for somebody who has had her nose buried in a book for as long as she can remember. I love to read the paper in the morning, perhaps flip through a magazine in the afternoon, and then jump into a good novel before bed. Books have been a constant and soothing companion for me, and being surrounded by them is bliss.


WRITE: Before I started writing this here blog, I used to send emails to my friends and family sharing all of my silly antics. And before that, I used to scribble little thoughts and notes in various and sundry notebooks and journals. Mrs Giokaris is to blame for this. She was a favorite teacher from high school that asked us to keep a daily journal. I remember mine being decorated with lots of Ziggy cartoons and hearts and whatnot, and as the years passed, I continued the habit and filled dozens of notebooks. (I still have every single one of them down in the garage. Burn them immediately when I go, will you please, Dearies?)  Now, my daily journal is visiting with all of you. I still hanker a bit for pen and paper (which is where planning comes in...see below), but we'll get to that later.  I also write a bi-monthly column for Needlepoint Now, and might get enough courage to actually assemble a book someday.



EAT: The wheels are off the bus with what I have been shoving in my face lately, but I know that how and when I eat is an enormous part of how I feel. If I stick to two meals  day and eat between noon and 6pm, that's an A+ day. And if the first meal is a yogurt or a BelVita breakfast bar and the second meal a salad with protein, I've really hit it out of the park and I do a little Happy Dance on the dialysis scale. Egg McMuffins, cheese and crackers, garlic stuffed olives, and chicken wings, though.  Not so much. I know, I know. Staying on track and keeping within the transplant guidelines is critical. I guess I allowed myself a few days (OK, weeks) of eating like a frat boy because of the stress of it all, but I'm back on track today, Dearies. Operation Keep Going is....back on track.


SLEEP: Yikes. My sleep has been a complete mess, but thanks to the Benedril I think we're OK now, I am also making a concerted effort to go to bed at a decent hour and let myself sleep as long as I want/need to on non-d days. I finally gave up the guilt over sleeping so much when I realized it was one of the best things I could do for myself.



STITCH: No need to explain this to those of you who are in this thing of ours.


COOK: I finally came up with a brilliant solution to our dinner dilemmas around here. While I was at d yesterday I texted Magoo and directed him to the cabinet over then fridge where I keep all of my cookbooks, I told him to pull one of the Ina cookbooks, flip through it, and pick something for Sunday dinner. (Of the billion and a half things he could have picked...he went with chicken piccata.) I can't shop for the ingredients, but he can, and then on Sunday afternoon I can go into the kit hen and dice and chop and stir and sautee' to my hearts's content, and we will have a good meal. We're kind of winging it (no pun intended, since we had the Hooters) other nights, but preparing meals makes me feel good and like I'm contributing in some way, so prepare I shall.


PLAN: I know it's very silly for a person like me to use a planner, but pasting stickers and writing little notes and decorating Erin every Sunday night gives me hope.


I know, I know. TMI. But I figure there might be one or two people out there bored enough to have read this far, and sometimes I think writing and visiting with you all everyday is the only thing keeping me semi-sane. Let's face it, kids...these are strange times and any little thing we can do to survive is good.

So there you have it...my seven things.

What are yours?

17 comments:

  1. Coni, I loved the John O'Donohue poem you posted. You and your followers might also enjoy watching Youtube videos by an Irish woman: https://www.youtube.com/user/BealtaineCottage

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  2. Coni, I love reading everything you write. You say things that are in my head all the time. I love all seven of your things. I have a planner, target brand, no stickers, but I keep my daily lists. I’ve been cooking way more than usual, and that’s a good thing. We share the planning too.
    I love to read, I try to journal, I love to stitch, and doing lots more now!! Yes, sleep is one of the best things you can do for yourself. I’m trying to get out and walk everyday. I try to eat healthy!! Some days I should try harder!!
    I support you in all you do, and how hard you work at caring for yourself!! The are an amazing and brave woman. I don’t comment often, but I wanted you to know I’m thinking about you, and I hold you in my prayers. I’m working hard at staying in contact with our church family at our little church. It’s tough not being together. All will be well.
    Donna from Streamwood

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  3. Hi Coni, I've been reading your blog for about 2 years but have never commented before. I appreciate your posts, especially in these crazy times!

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  4. 1. My husband - he's my college sweethesrt, we reconnected after 25+ years apart
    2. My dogs (I have 3!)
    3. My job allows me to work from home
    4. I had a pretty serious health issue this winter bit now it's almost fixed. I am grateful to my doctor for catching it and the specialist for curing me.
    5. Stitching! And your inspiration to do so
    6. My kids are beginning to fly. Maybe I didn't totally screw them up 🙂
    7. Having an employer who cares so much about our community did they gave us each some money to support a small business. We're sharing ours with two of our favorite restaurants

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  5. Conni,

    To combat my astronomical stress level this is what I am trying to do:

    1) Start the morning with a cup of coffee and a flosstube.
    2) Check in with my daughter. I have not seen her or my granddaughter in 14 days, but I can talk to them (as much as you can with a 4-year-old) on the phone.
    3) Be physical. Maybe a little walk, maybe a little vacuuming, but something. Work in the garden if it is not too wet.
    4) plan dinner
    5) Sort something. (My life may be chaos, but my sock drawer is impeccable) By the time this is over I will have the most organized house in the universe.
    6) Stitch. I am usually a monogamous stitcher, but for now I think I need to become a serial stitcher.
    7) Read. I always read. I am burning through my library books, but the library does e-books so I will never run out.
    And #8: Try very hard not to eat everything in sight.

    Good wishes and blessings to you all. We will get through this.
    Martha near Seattle

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  6. Coni, I loved the image at the top of this post. Enjoyed reading your list of seven things.

    Here's mine...
    1. Coffee and pondering
    2. Stitch
    3. Read
    4. Walk
    5. Write a note (either snail mail or email)
    6. Do a chore(s)
    7. Sleep

    Some days, I hit all 7 and other days, some of the 7 changes!

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  7. I wake up and drink coffee so that I can be reasonably sane when I need to go help my father. I stitch. I knit. I crochet. I pet my cats --- I have three --- two boys and a Little Old Lady who is over 20 years! I talk to my daughter in the next town over and pray that this thing comes to an end soon. Reading your blog daily helps me stay sane. Thank you for sharing your life with us!

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  8. Thank you for sharing so much of your life with us. I look forward to reading your posts. I have several of the same things I try to do each day: for me, it's cups of tea, reading, stitching, baking (or looking at recipes), walking with my dog, petting my dog, house chores. This is such an overwhelming time lately, we all need to focus on the happy things in our lives as we're taking good care of ourselves. Stay safe and be well!
    Mary

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  9. You are very inspiring. I like to read your blog. I hope you get through this scary time without getting the CoronaVirus and I hope you get your transplant soon! Keep on keeping on.

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  10. I like yours. I've never thought about it for me. Something to ponder.

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  11. Lovely lists everyone. I'm afraid I have so many SQUIRREL! moments that it is impossible for me to have a list - those I get to make soon go haywire! But here's my normal routine.
    Depending on when I get up - coffee and breakfast. Or birds out (throwing things on in a zombie mode to rush out the door before they are making enough noise to be heard in Scotland) and then coffee and breakfast. Or 2 or 3 coffees!
    Read my emails and catch up with as much as I can otherwise it's lunchtime before I know it, so some things are rationed!
    If it's sunny then I'm outdoors.
    If it's rainy then it's chores and sewing - or chore sew chore sew - I reward myself for every task completed!
    Take time to watch some nature out the window. Surprising how my mind wanders to allowing the pheasants to have imaginary conversations under the wild bird feeders! Husband cooks dinner, which we have at lunchtime now. It seems to help with our diet - and it gives him something to do while I'm busy doing other things. And then he experiments. Avoid dandelion soup. It is vile! Or as we read "it is an acquired taste" - which we decided we wouldn't live long enough to acquire it.
    The ducks have an extra layer of bedding regularly and then it gets an overhaul with fresh. Called a deep layer system. As long as it isn't smelly then it works. Chickens get cleaned out probably every 4 days - as they are outside it is much cleaner in their coops. The joys of poo picking in their run is also not as much as a chore as the days lengthen and they are out and about in the field, garden, orchard spreading fertilizer as they go.
    More pottering in the greenhouse, tea time for birds, replace duck pools water (not necessarily at tea time) and then have our own tea which is usually lighter than lunch. Watch a video/Netflix/Amazon Prime/Youtube or just upstairs sewing. Sometimes I read, but not often - but when I do, I hate putting books down. I'm an owl so turn in late, husband is a lark so goes to bed early. That gives me time to myself and I can wind down nicely. He has his "me" time in the early morning.
    Soooo sun is up, I've had a coffee, he's dashing to the village shop for fresh fruit and I'm off to start the day all over again!
    Keep well and safe everyone.

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  12. Isn't Where the Crawdads Sing a wonderful book. I just finished it last week. You are a more prolific reader than I. Only read 38 books last year. Yup, I keep a list, one of several types of lists. May you have a great day.

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  13. Enjoying everyone's comments and lists, and your ponderings, Coni! You're doing everything you can to survive-and-more. That counts. My seven: 1: Being still able to get around with scoliosis, even on stairs, with the help of acetaminophen and my nice African cane. 2: Recovering, though slowly, from shoulder replacement (after a fight with a curb); can't go out for PT but am keeping up the exercises (not on my list of Fun Things to Do). 3: morning Joy Juice. 4: Sleeping late (yes, yea for sleep). 5: Frequent calls from son and daughter, who are managing to keep afloat and who are full of advice. 6: Spring violets all over the yard. 7: Hubby able to work in the garden after all the rain. There are more, but I'll shut up now and take the chicken out of the oven. Here's to gratitude!

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  14. I know I keep saying it, but I have to say it again. "I love your posts." Now I'm wondering about my seven things. Hmmm. Let's see.
    1. I enjoy walking. Especially since Planet Fitness is closed for the time being. So, I've gotten out and walked two to three miles a day.
    2. I love to sit in the room that I've named, My Stitching Room, first thing in the morning with my cup of coffee. No lights on. TV off. Just the quiet and my coffee.
    3. The birds. I love watching them and feeding them. Bird feeders are always full, as are the bird baths. We always make sure the bird houses are cleaned out and all.
    4. Letters. I like writing letters and notes to people just because.
    5. I love to eat. I've been a big eater my whole life, and weigh more now at 107 than I ever have before. Well, I did gain weight will my two boys of course, but the day they were born I was right back down to my usual 98 pounds at the time.
    6. My cross stitching of course. It relaxes me more than anything else that I do. I enjoy all types of needlework, but cross stitching is my favorite. I love colors, and believe that if you love colors, you can feel them indeed. So the many colors of floss always makes my heart smile.
    7. I really love it when I pick up a book and enjoy it so much that I can get lost in it. Maybe I'm a fussy reader, as it doesn't happen often, but when it does......Oh yeah!
    Now you take care Connie. Stay well. Love you lots my dear friend.

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  15. I love this kind of post, thank you for sharing this. My seven things that I am doing every day to help me at the moment are:
    1. I being by going through my Bloglovin' feed to find new posts to read because they cheer me up.
    2. Some stitching every day and I really am getting through my wips.
    3. Lighting candles because I love them even if my husband doesn't.
    4. Reading, I usually have two books on the go, one upstairs and one downstairs.
    5. Herbal teas, I enjoy them and also find them calming.
    6. I am ringing someone different every day for a chat and also to see how everyone is doing, no one wants to feel unloved in these difficult times.
    7. Chocolate, obviously. x

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  16. I loved reading your list! Hope you and JB are well!

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  17. Good idea. I think I’ve let this situation get me off my routine. Going now to work on my 7 things.

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