Glad to Be Out Walking Again!

We've had a long season of snow...

Last week, spring seemed to be here... But then we had another snowstorm!

Fortunately, warmer weather is back and the snow is melting again. For several days now I've been able to get out and walk.

I don't really care how long the snow on the side of the road lasts - as long as I can walk on bare pavement!

Knitting Dilemma

I'm knitting another sweater for myself. I've knit the back and front - and am currently working on the sleeves.

My mother would often knit two sleeves at the same time, to ensure that they were identical. I've been doing this and am at the point of decreasing stitches for the cap of the sleeve.

I've suddenly realized that the sleeves are shorter than I thought they would be.

In the picture, it appears that the model has pushed the sleeves up - but I'm suddenly aware that they are probably three-quarter length! I really don't want them that short!! Now what to do?!

Should I take them apart and try to construct a sleeve that is longer (and tighter at the wrist)? Or should I knit downwards and add on to the wrist?
I think I'll complete the pattern more or less as is... though I may add another inch before beginning to decrease for the sleeve cap... I can always add on to the wrist (knitting in the opposite direction!) if I don't like the way the sweater looks.

Colonoscopy Prep

I have had a colonoscopy every five or six years since I was 50. My mother had colon cancer twice, so my doctors think it's important to monitor it.

There is a three-day preparation before the procedure, which requires an empty colon. Cutting out meat and dairy three days before isn't as hard for me as the final prep day, when I had to follow a clear liquid diet - and take purgatives to totally empty my digestive tract.

It was a day of drinking tea and other clear fluids - and staying close to home.

When I arrived at the hospital outpatient clinic the day of my half-hour procedure, I was reminded that - without health insurance, the test could be very costly!

One polyp was found and removed. Now I'm awaiting the lab report.

I'm so thankful for this less invasive way of having cameras check what's happening inside the body. When my mother had colon cancer for the first time, they had to do extensive surgery to find out what was wrong. Afterwards she wasn't able to do any strenuous work for more than six months, until everything had healed. I remember that she found this very hard: She loved to be active!

Very Flexible Vegan Soup Recipe

I've been trying to eat more vegetables. (They're good for us in every way...) I've also realized that I prefer cooked veggies to fresh ones. So vegetable soup is the perfect answer!

A new soup recipe that I've made several times is roughly based on the minestrone soup recipe in the book, The 30 Day Diabetes Miracle. But I've modified it, as I usually do!

This is how I make it:
In a large pot, heat a tablespoon or two and briefly fry:

• a chopped onion, 
• a clove of garlic  
• one large carrot, diced

After a few minutes, add:

• a large can of diced tomatoes
• one celery stalk 
• about 4 cups of vegetable broth or water 
• a can of beans or chick peas, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 a teaspoon (each) of oregano and basil
• one bay leaf

The first time I made it, I also added one sliced zucchini. 

The second time, I added a little chopped cauliflower and broccoli and left out the beans and zucchini. 

It was good both times! 

The original recipe also calls for 2/3 cup of whole grain pasta, but I've never added that. 

A few tablespoons of rice would also be nice.

My "secret ingredient" is to also add something spicy, like a few tablespoons of salsa or a tablespoon of hot sauce.

Simmer for an hour or so. Enjoy!

A New Game

A while back, Terry and I started playing a game of scrabble after supper. I thought it would be good for our memories, to have to search for words we may not use on a daily basis. I'm the retired English teacher - but Terry usually wins... Not sure how that happens. His mother was apparently good at scrabble, as well. Maybe the skill is hereditary!

When I mentioned our new habit to my friend Janet, she suggested a few more games we could add to our roster. (Apparently she and her husband also play board games.) One of her favorites is called Patchwork. It's a 2-player game based on the premise of putting "patches" on a "quilt."

It uses a different skill-set, she told me.

Why not give it a try?!

When Janet showed me how to play it, she mentioned that her daughter also enjoys playing it - and had even downloaded the game app to her cell phone.

I was intrigued. Terry didn't show any interest in learning this new game. Perhaps I could hone my skills this way... So I did.

My only comment (and complaint!) is that it's very addictive. (I must have an addictive personality when it comes to playing computer games!)

The thought has crossed my mind that I should download the scrabble app and improve my skills by playing that game that way as well!

Orchid - All in Bloom!

The orchid my mother had in her nursing home window always seemed to be blooming - unlike the orchid I had in my classroom during my teaching days.

Inspired by my mother's success, I purchased this small orchid last year. It bloomed for a while, dropped its petals - and now it's blooming again... In fact, all the buds are now in bloom!

Not sure how that happened... though I love looking at it during these grey winter days.

But I'm left wondering:

• How much should I water it? 
• Should I fertilize it? 
• Should I transplant it into a larger pot once the blooming ends? 
• Or should I simply water it once a week as I have been doing and leave the pot and soil as is?!

Maple Syrup Soda?!

A few weeks ago, I posted a picture of a small van with French writing on it...

What does that mean? I wondered. I read it to mean: This vehicle rolls on maple syrup... (Surely they don't use a new kind of maple syrup fuel!)

My neighbor Mary translated it to mean: Maple syrup on board.

Intrigued, I did a google search of the company... Did they sell maple syrup?

I discovered that Bec  was a Quebec company that produced an organic cola sweetened with maple syrup...

That sounds interesting! I'll give it a try next time I come across it in a store.