A Little Jewelry Making

Today I hit a bead sale.  I had to make a birthday present and since I didn't really want to knit any socks for a present, I decided to update the birthday girl's jewelry collection.  So, I used my bits and pieces to create this necklace for her.  It is called Rocking Roccoco.  Believe it or not, it is very hard to work with reds.  I have no idea why I find it so difficult in necklaces and not yarn.  I love using reds in my yarns...it is so passionate.  This necklace has reds, it has browns, it has astral pink and it has beiges.  I am hoping it will be well received. I know she wears a lot of reds so, I am thinking this will be perfect.  The pendant I created with a hot fix flat back and some E6000.  The pendant came blank and needed that little bit of red to tie it into the necklace. 

I used copper wire and copper accents to make the necklace feel more like an Autumn color palette plus it is something different.  My first pendant wasn't working out and so, I tried another one and that didn't work with the rest of the necklace, it was too plain so, I settled on making this one and I think it came out great. 

I am slowly working on getting my beads into boxes and it is going to take forever.  I didn't realize I had so many of the things.  Apparently, my niece, Maribeth has a bad bead habit as well.  Oh and my sister blames me for it.  Oh well. 

I am still knitting on that shawl and I am really starting to hate the yarn.  It is so unforgiving since it is mostly cotton with a little bit of wool.  It blows.  My fingers are starting to cramp from working with it.  I can't stand stiff yarns.  I love how well wool stretches and gives, that lovely amazing fiber. 

I went to lunch and shopping with my sister today.  It was fun to get out of the house.  I hit the grocery store on my way home from her house and bought what I needed and I was out of there mucho pronto.  I wanted to beat the rain.  I made it.  I came home and the dogs were so happy to see me.  I love my boys, they are wonderful doggies.  You know how much you are truly loved when your dogs greet you at the door and their tails are wagging and they are squirming to lick and love on you.  Yep, I have to say...dogs are the best. 

One Found Camera

I finally found my camera, the couch had eaten it and I decided after tearing my way around the house that it was the last place I saw it.  So, I stuck my little hand into the couch and yep, there it was.  Damn couch! 
Top photo is a hat out of merino/alpaca, it is gone.  My SIL took it.  It actually fit her nicely.  The second hat is going to be a gift for a friend, and the bottom one is the hat that I knit for my friend's son. 
Currently on the needles, a shawl out of Knit Picks Main Line in Red Velvet Cake, no pictures of it yet.  I bought the yarn on sale a couple of years ago and decided to use it for the shawl.  It is such a pretty color and yes, it does look like red velvet cake. 

I am reading a book about designing shawls.  I want to try my hand at that next.  I also have sock yarn sitting around waiting for me to get crafty with it.  I am doing one thing at a time, I have learned that lesson well.  I no longer try to do two projects at one time.  Too chaotic for me. 

Tonight found me in my pool.  I love cold pool water and well, it did cool down some.  I was able to do my 30 minutes and I killed one water proof watch within 2 minutes of dunking it in the pool on my wrist.  Apparently, the people who sold it to me lied.  It wasn't water proof at all.  So, it went to the trash.  I realized that something was wrong when there was water underneath the bezel.  Okay then.  It killed it dead. 

I am trying to change up my work outs since the end of pool season is almost upon us.  Unless I find a pool that is heated for the winter season.  I do not like hot water so, this is going to be a big challenge.  Unless I go with bike riding and dog walking like I had intended.  I need to do something.  I can walk the boys one at a time and it is 1 mile.  They really like going for walkies on the leash.  I know Ody can use it since he is so damn fat.  Tell me about a Corgi that is skinny and I will tell you that dog has worms.  Mine loves to eat.  We have him on a frozen veggie diet to help combat his over zealous eating habits and he loves them.  I share my bananas with the boys, too.  They love bananas.  All three of them start drooling when I break out a banana.  I also let them lick my yogurt containers when I am done.  That helps out so much with stink.  They don't stink if they have yogurt. 

Today I had to head back to the grocery store to pick up a few items for dinner.  Gary made bbq ribs and I needed some items for my side dish.  I decided to try my hand at asparagus with a cashew butter sauce.  Oh my word!  Talk about fantastic...that was so good.  You have to love cashews and we can't seem to get enough of them over here.  It complements the asparagus quite nicely.  I found myself wanting to lick the food processor container.  Yummy!  1/2 cup butter, softened, 1/4 cup of salted roasted cashews, process in your food processor until smooth, cook your asparagus in a cup of chicken broth, until fork tender, remove the woody stems before cooking, then drain the chicken broth and spoon the cashew sauce over the hot asparagus and serve.  We didn't have any left.

Tomorrow is a curry sauce asparagus.  That one involves capers and mayonaisse.  We needed a new jar of capers so, I had to get those when I was at the store.  I can't wait to try that one out.  I am making pork chops with the asparagus and bulgur will be our grain.  I am thinking a lovely rosemary gravy over the bulgur.  I might even skip it since we will have the curry sauce over the asparagus.  I do love to cook and my one thing is that I have to have a well stocked pantry and fridge to do it.  If I am missing items, forget it, we are going out. 

I need to get myself back to work and get the new sock yarns into the shop.  I am really having a hard time getting movtivated this year.  I think with the economy being as awful as it is and then with the heat we have been suffering through this year, it just has worn on me.  I can't seem to get excited about much of anything.  The only thing I want to do these days is stay inside the cool a/c and then go for drives with the top down on my car in the cooler evenings.  It is very nice.  I did find myself driving with the top down this morning with the Judas Priest blaring on my way to the grocery store. I had convertible hair by the time I got to the grocery store and of course, I happen to attract every man in a 10 foot radius with my little car.  I get more dirty looks from wives...trust me, I don't want your hubby, I have enough with the one I have.  I couldn't handle more than one.  Last week it was an old Marine talking to me at the traffic light.  I am nice, I talk to them.  It was just how I was raised.  If someone speaks to you, speak back and always treat them like you want to be treated. 

What The...Hey!

I know it has been ages since I have posted but, so many things have been happening and blogging isn't chief among those things.  I lost my camera and I am tearing my house apart trying to find it.  My wallet was stolen out of my purse and that made me feel completely awful and violated.  I had to cancel credit cards and thankfully, I was able to cancel them before said individual went on a buying spree.  I found out from my bank that those lovely aluminum wallets are targeted by thieves.  Since they can't scan the cards through them, they steal the whole damn thing.  So, I don't have one anymore. 

I also learned that you want a purse with a zipper and a flap if you can find one...something to make their miserable lives even harder.  Why make it easy for the damn thieves? 

I have been knitting like crazy and I even managed to paint yarn for the shop but, since I am without a camera, it makes my life harder.  Where did I put that camera?  I thought it was in one place and no it isn't.  Dang! 

I was thinking life was going to get better since I had found skinny sticks down at the grocery store, come to find out, they do not have room for them.  I had bought 4 bags of the things and when I went back last night...no room for them.  The guy was talking to me about them and when he mentioned things to do with grocery stores, I tuned him out.  Gary was stuck talking to him.  I admit, if it doesn't interest me, I tune it out.  Yep. 

Gary has decided that my bead collection needs to be organized and he is right, I am trying to get them all sorted and separated, talk about a chore.  I have lots of beads.  They make pretty things and those pretty things make great birthday presents.  My sister tells me I am a shopping ho.  Well, okay I can accept that.  I found a new place that sell purses and accessories.  Melinda and I have spent way too much time in that store.  Yesterday was her turn for a new purse.  After perusing the whole store, she finally found the one she wanted and then the search was on for the matching wallet.  Oh boy. 

It has been so damn freaking hot here that it is next to impossible to go outside in the middle of the day, the heat will drop a cow.  So, we have been staying indoors more often than not.  I was talking the dogs for walkies in the morning but, that stopped when the sore throat started.  I am not happy with the amount of ragweed in the air.  The crap is about to do me in this year. 
 
I was asked to make something pretty for a relative.  The first thing that was mentioned was a blanket, oh yeah, can you see me doing that?  You would have to peel my ass off of the ceiling.  I don't do big projects, I get bored so easily.  I am currently working on a shawl for the family reunion, we do a silent auction each year to help out with the cost of the hall rental, etc.  So, this year, I am taking a shawl with me for it.  I may even take a few necklaces to it this year.  I took a necklace and a bracelet last year and raised money from those pieces.  I have to look and see what I have this year to go. 

I am not doing Rice Harvest Festival in Katy this year.  My health wasn't the best when the sign up came to me.  I decided to skip it this year.  I don't want to deal with the stress of it.  It is a huge stress filled weekend.  Not for me right now.  I don't even have the yarn for it.  Someone contacted me for it and wanted to sell me signs and business cards.  I declined since I will not be going. 

I am about to start cleaning out my kitchen cabinets and selling stuff that I haven't used in years.  It is going bye bye.  Why keep it when it hasn't been used?  I have some seriously expensive cake pans that are going to be sold.  If I make a cake now, it has to be sugar free and I have to use spelt flour since regular white flour is so completely awful for me.  I made xyla short bread the other day.  I will say this...they are wonderful if you need a good cleaning out.  I call them the laxative cookies.  With the amount of fiber I eat, this isn't such a bad thing. 

I am making pepper steak tonight with either quinoa or bulgur instead of rice.  Rice is off limits with me.  I can't touch it.  I need to find a Spanish rice recipe and convert it to quinoa.  It should work.  The family recipe of mushroom gravy and steak turns out really well with the quinoa.  The original recipe calls for rice but, if you can't have rice, you need a substitute and the quinoa is my substitute.  I use bulgur on pasta days.  No pasta is allowed in the diet, either.  I miss having lasagna.  I think what I am going to use in place of the noodles is zuchini.  Gary read about that.  I hope it will turn out well.  I love bolognese sauce.  I have found that chicken parm with bulgur works great. 

I know it doesn't sound great but, if you can't have the bad stuff, then you must find a way to have your favorite recipes, with other things.  The one item I draw the line at is lentils.  Oh my God, those are the nastiest things I have ever had besides those icky no calorie or carb noodles.  Your taste buds would have to be completely dead before those things would taste good.  I guess if you smoke and can't taste much of anything anyway, they would be fine. 

Ready for the Weekend

I am taking a break right now from knitting.  I might pick it back up tonight.  Currently on the needles, a hat.  I am at the crown of this particular hat and it is the third one I have done this week.  More hats will follow this one.  The shawl that I started in the middle of the week is resting.  I will pick it up later.  I have found that if I do continuous projects of one variety I get bored really fast.  So with that in mind, I am going to work on hats for a bit then move on to something else.  This will get my hat quota out of the way and someone always needs a hat for winter.  Never fails. 

I have a ribbon yarn coming in that I snagged on sale.  I can't wait to get it.  It is a cotton/nylon blend.  It should be fun to work with.  I have plans for it.  I chose a pale pink mix for it. 
I have yarn sitting on my desk for mitts and mittens.  I have my color combinations worked out and I need to create a new pattern.  My software is on my laptop downstairs.  I will have to sit down and work out my charity mitt pattern for the year.  I have several options that I like.  I just have to work out what I want it to look like.  I haven't retired the original charity pattern, I will still use it.  I just like the idea of a new one. 

I still haven't started to paint the fall line up for the shop.  I am being lazy and I really don't want to start until I have to.  I admit, I have the procrastination gene.  It is rampant in my family. 

I worked on the chapter scrapbook and managed to get it caught up.  So, I am ready for the first meeting.  I just have to get the box tops and soup labels taken care of for my schools.  I am behind on this but, I will sit down one day and work on it.  It is a pain because they want the labels and box tops in stacks of rubber banded 100's.  It is ridiculous. 

It is big points for our chapter if we get them into the schools.  We get a nice big credit for it on our end of the year report card. 

My camera has pictures on it, I just haven't had the time to bring it upstairs since I am in the middle of the hat.  I want to get it finished then take more pictures of it.  So knitting candy Friday is on hold this week. 

I am washing laundry right now.  Yeah, it is supposed to be on Mondays but, my schedule is screwed up right now.  I have no idea what happened other than being lazy.  Yes, I have that in spades right now.  I am firming up nicely with my swimming and my diet.  I have actually noticed improvements on my body.  Okay so, I still have the turkey fat under the arms and the thighs need help and of course, I still have the spare tire around the middle but, the rest of me is looking good.  I am in a smaller size and working to get into the next smaller size.  I can't wait to get back down to the size I was when I met Gary.  Let's face it, if you are happy in your marriage, you get FAT.  We both did.  Gary has lost about 40 or more pounds.  I am behind him at 30 pounds.  He has been at it longer than I have.  I am slowly getting there and I was at a point when I couldn't get past my last weigh in number for about a month.  It was terrible.  I plateaued but, I am starting to lose that number.  Yay!  I got on the scale the other day and I had slipped past that number.  By the way, I still hate that damn scale and I did read that if you have lots of fat...the water in your body is hidden in the fat.  Lovely.  So, if the scale says that you are dehydrated, technically you aren't it is all in your fat.  I never should have bought the fat percentage scale, it is depressing.  I just want to slam it against the wall when it tells me my fat percentage readings and it is just damn wonky because it says a different number each time.  One day it is less fat, the next it is more.  I don't think it knows what it is talking about.  Or it could just be me.  Who knows.  I have some great advice, if you think you need the body fat percentages on your bathroom scale...save yourself some heartache and anger and don't do it!  You don't need that kind of misery! 

I would love one of those doctor's scales but, I am not parting with about $2000 for one.  No thanks.  I can live without it. 

I really want to have my body back to normal at the next blood work in October.  I really don't like being in the pre-diabetes stage but, it is better than being a full blown diabetic.  It has taken a lot of hard work on my part and a major lifestyle change but, I will tell you this, I no longer crave hamburgers and greasy foods.  I get sick looking at a fat laden burger.  It just sickens me.  I know it sounds really weird but, I drool in the produce department at the grocery store.  All those yummy veggies just look so damn good.  A good ripe juicy peach will have me drooling like mad.  We had some great ones in the fruit bin of the refrigerator.  I had one last night and it was so juicy, the juice was running down my hand. 

I am still collecting figs for my next batch of preserves.  I have to say that tree is going mad with fruit.  I think with the heat we have and all of the sunshine with some rain thrown in here and there that tree is going crazy.  I am sick of figs.  I can't wait to see the end of them fruit producing for the season.  I pulled up my green beans, the heat was killing them and they stopped producing.  The tomatoes are dead in the garden and I need to take the time this weekend to rip out the plants and pull all of the grass out and get it ready for my fall planting.  I am thinking we are going to do broccoli, lettuce, carrots, radishes and kale this year.  I hope it will be a big harvest.  I have one okra plant right now and it is slow going, it still hasn't flowered.  I planted it too late this year.  It is sympatico right now with the last of the cucumbers. 

I do enjoy gardening and producing my own food.  It is very stress relieving and restful.  It is a lot of hard work but, I do enjoy it.  The tall grass has taken it over this year.  I will chop it all out.  It also harbours lizards and geckos which I hate with a purple passion.  Ugh! 

Knitting Candy

Vlad is completely finished and blocked.  The top photo shows the shawl in it's entirety.  The middle photo shows a close up of the stitches and the yarn and the last photo is the hat I am working on for my friend's son. 

The shawl was fun to knit except for the 7 repeats of the body pattern, if you are one of those knitters like myself that gets bored on repetitive patterns, then avoid it.  If you love repetitive patterns, try it out.  The yarn was an absolute dream to work with and I think this is what kept me sane.  It stretched quite nicely as well.  I would definitely use it again.  I have several more skeins of this yarn in different colors.  Who knows they might be used to make simple shawls.  I didn't even use the whole 450 yards of this skein.  I have a pretty huge skein left.  I will be able to make someone something with it.  Who knows, it may become a smaller pair of socks.  The yarn is a lilac blend, not gray as many people think.  It just doesn't photograph well. 

The last photo is the hat that I promised my friend I would make her son.  I decided to give it more of a spiritual motif since he is highly spiritual and this will represent his beliefs quite well.  I love knitting Fair Isle.  There must have been someone in my ancestry who was seriously in love with this form of knitting because I can't seem to get enough of it.  I am using a bulky weight wool from Elann for this hat in Navy and the white portion is not white but, oatmeal and I chose to use Brown Sheep's worsted weight Oatmeal for this one.  I love Brown Sheep wool because you get a lot for a nice price.  It never fails, either.  It is a seriously good wool to work with. 

I am still trying to decide what the next project should be...I have loads of yarn in my stash that needs to be used up and I have many patterns to work with.  My goal, use enough yarn out of the stash to get rid of one plastic bin out of my house.  Next year I will try and get another one out of here.  The stash is out of control. 

I have to find my size 10 dpns to finish the hat and then on to the next project. 

Ramblings by a Mad Knitter

I sat down last night and managed to knit two rows of Vlad.  I just find that I am losing patience with this project.  I want to start something else already.  I was asked to knit a throw or blanket for a family member.  ugh!  Do I really have to?  I am not one of those people who does those things.  I said no and sent her on her way to my MIL.  She will gladly do one for you.  I do not have the patience or the time for that.  You would have to peel me off of the ceiling for one of those.  Gary shook his head when I mentioned that tidbit.  He said "there is no way you could do it, you would be insane and I have to live with you."  Oh yeah, he knows me.  Quite well. 

Right now, I am trying to figure out postage to Nova Scotia for a customer.  American shipping is outrageously expensive to other countries and yet, other countries do not charge much at all to get their items to us. 

With that thought in mind...I am having a yarn sale.  Yep, if you want lace weight yarn, hit the shop, I lowered the prices to get ready for my fall paintings.  I am only carrying lace weight due to the high cost of sock yarn from the wholesaler.  I can't afford to purchase it right now since it is out of this world.  So, with this thought, I won't be carrying it until the prices come down.  I pass on my savings to my customers and honestly, charging someone $33 for 440 yards of yarn is too dear for me to deal with.  If you don't like lace weight yarn, sorry.  I am doing the best I can. 

It looks like my knitting stack is getting bigger.  I have to start the hat project as soon as I finish Vlad.  I promised and I also want to knit him a pair of mitts for the winter season.  I have the pattern I want to do and I just have to sit down and do it.  I want the hat and the mitts to match. 

Also in the planning stages, a stole pattern will be forthcoming from my needles.  I have my pattern, I just have to sit down and knit it.  I have the yarn to do it, just finding the time...that is the problem. 

Yeah, I Know...

I was supposed to finish the Vlad shawl this weekend...so what happened?  I slept on the couch.  Yep, lazy the whole entire weekend.  I fell asleep sitting up watching some tv with the hubby.  I have no idea what happened, one minute we were talking and the next, I woke up a couple of hours later. 

We did our major grocery shopping on Friday night and then Saturday I was going to be good and finish the shawl, fell asleep.  Didn't even pick the thing up.  I did make homemade beef enchiladas...recipe as follows, simple and it is quite tasty. 

Beef Enchiladas...what you will need before you make them.  Package of corn tortillas, get a package big enough to feed your family and make sure that you get enough for everyone to have 3 or more, they won't be able to get enough of them.  Ground beef, I use ground sirloin, less fat.  Again get a package big enough to feed your family, ground chuck will work as well.  2 bottles of Pace Picante sauce, I have the huge jumbo bottle because it is a staple in my household but, if you can't find the huge one, then get two of the regular bottles, if you can't stand the heat from jalapenos, get the blue lid, if you can handle the heat, grab the mild green lid or if you want to vamp it up, by all means the yellow or red lid.  I use the mild for the most part, you never know who is going to come to dinner.  Gary and I love it spicy but, since family comes by every now and then we use the mild for just such occasions.  A huge tub of sour cream, not for the lactose intolerant, shredded cheese, I use the Mexican blend since it melts nicely.  I usually use 2 packages of this cheese.  One package of taco seasoning.  One baking pan big enough for your family. 

Turn your oven on to 350F.  Grease your baking pan with cooking spray.  Or if you use Temptations stoneware, you don't even need to add the cooking spray, you can just put the tortillas in and not worry about the extra calories. 

Get your cheese ready and stir your sour cream. 

Season and brown your ground beef, add the picante sauce, let it cook to let the sauce mix in quite nicely with your beef.  I usually turn it down to 4 on the stove and let it simmer for a bit.  Mix it so it won't burn.  Take your corn tortillas and put them in a sauce pan of hot water to soften them up so, they won't tear, do not leave them in for very long, they will turn to mush, do a dip in the hot water and then start the process of filling and rolling.  Before you work with each tortilla they will need a nice dip in the hot water bath.  Take your newly moist tortilla and place it in the pan, take a spoonful of your ground beef mixture and place in the tortilla, then add sour cream and cheese, roll it up and place the seam on the bottom of the pan.  Take another tortilla and give it a dip in the hot water, then start the process all over again, but, this time, as you place the seam side down, press the tortilla up against the first one and repeat the process all over until your enchiladas are sandwiched in the pan.  If you have any sour cream and cheese left over...sprinkle and liberally apply to the top of the enchiladas and if you have any of the beef mixture left over do the same.  Cover with aluminum foil, and bake for 45 minutes in your 350F oven. 

Let cool for about 10 minutes and then enjoy.  If you can't let them rest for 10 minutes, I understand completely, they are fabulous and quite yummy. 

That was Saturday night's meal and I was going to be good and grill chicken breasts for Sunday but, I fell asleep on the couch and woke up cranky and not willing to cook.  So, we headed out the door to a new Cuban restaurant in the area.  It was okay, we have a few more things that we want to try out to see if we will be going there more often than once in a while. 

I was bad and had more rice than I should have.  The guilt kicked in when I got home.  So, today I have to be good and yes, we are going to have the chicken breast tonight grilled with some fresh corn on the cob and a salad.  I am using a Trinidad lemon marinade from Penzy's spices.  It should be quite tasty. 

I also want to go swimming at some point since I have been out of the pool for 3 days but, I have a wicked rash from my pool right now.  Specifically the meds I am on are biguanides for the diabetes and my pool has a Nature 2 Express on it and it says do not use biguanides with it.  Well, it sucks but, my skin is covered in the rash from hell and so, I have had to stay out of the pool so it could heal.  If I swim in the morning, no problems but, in the afternoon with the sun beating down on me, rash...big time.  Lately, I have been swimming in the afternoons with my sister and niece.  Now that I know better, I need to fix the problem.  I coat myself down with zinc oxide ointment to protect all of my spots and hit the pool.  No, it isn't a wonderful thing but, I still am able to get in my exercise.  One great thing besides being a pre-diabetic is that I was able to lose one of my inhalers for my asthma.  Oh that is such a great feeling...this was the freaking expensive inhaler at $249 per pop.  Ouch, right.  I know. 

My goal is to lose enough weight and get the blood sugar so under control I can go back to being normal and off of the meds.  My doctor seems to think that in 3 months time if I keep up what I am doing, I will be back to normal and off of the meds.  Will I ever go back to sugar?  NO!  I was telling one of my nieces about what is happening and she asked what I was using...no sucralose for this girl...too many bad things associated with it.  I use xylitol.  Tastes like sugar, but none of the awful side effects with it.  Although, I do have to have a cup of yogurt every day since the sugar alcohols do mess with the good bacteria in the gut.  Good thing I like yogurt. 

One of my friends when she found out I was a diabetic told me I wouldn't be for long...she knows I am a fighter and not willing to go down without working out something to get myself better.  I refuse to let this damn disease win.  So, when I told her that I made it to pre-diabetes status...she was happy and asked how I did it.  Lots of changes, is the first thing and I know I am on the right track because those hamburger commercials no longer make me a drooling idiot when I see them, I am frankly quite disgusted with them.  They do nothing for me.  I was drooling in the produce department the other day...I noticed the fresh ears of corn on the cob and the green veggies and my mouth started to water.  The fruit also did the trick.  I knew I could mow through it and it wouldn't make me feel bloated and weighted down.  If you are ever diagnosed with diabetes, do not sit down and take it, go to a dietitian and then start a low glycemic low carb diet.  Get rid of all of the pasta and sugar loaded crap out of your life.  I gave all my bad foods away to my nieces.  I discovered that I actually love kale.  It makes wonderful soup and it works well with eggs in omelettes.  I refuse to give up my eggs, they are full of so many wonderful things.  I used to love bacon, not anymore. I have lost the taste for it.  I prefer turkey these days over ham.  I never thought I would not like bacon but, I really could care less if it is in the house or not.  I don't have to have it.  Invest in a fish pill...I have one that is a special order down at GNC.  It is lemon based and when you burp it, you don't get the attacks of the ick from the fish oils...nasty!  It is a nice lemon burst.  It does help with the bad triglycerides which is another item the diabetes likes to contribute.  It is a terrible disease.  It also contributes to heart disease and if you aren't willing to help yourself, there is vision loss, the possibility of losing your feet.  I love my feet and I am willing to fight for them.  I am not going down with out a fight.  Someone asked me why I was doing what I was doing...why not let the disease do it's thing...oh no..I don't want to be a statistic in this thing.  I am willing to research and see what I can find out about it. 

I will admit it...I am the food police.  I know my sister has been telling me this for a while.  I seem to be affecting everyone around me.  Sorry people, I know how much you love your breads and fat but, I am trying to be good.  I honestly do not want them to go through all the hell and issues I am dealing with.  If you had the chance to change your life with your diet being changed, would you do it?  I did.  It is amazing what I find to be less than tasty these days and what I used to think I couldn't live without.  I can live without it and I have. 

My biggest down fall used to be cake...don't even think about it much these days.  It doesn't thrill me the way it used to.  I would look at one and be salivating like crazy.  Not anymore.  I don't need it, nor do I want it.  I can't stand the sugar burn anymore.  It hits the back of my throat and it burns like crazy.  I bought some cola the other day to use in the laundry and my sister told me that I would be on it like a duck on a june bug.  Nope, haven't even opened a can yet.  It is sitting in my kitchen waiting for me to use it.  I read an article that it will help get grease stains out of clothes.  I am more than willing to try that out.  I guess we will see if it works or not.  The rest of the cans will be saved for our next swim party.  I know several kids will be after it.  They can have it.