I'm back down to my sig weight again. Strange considering how I've been eating. Otherwise not much change. My bs is still high. Mornings to about 4 pm I am at my best so I try to get a few things done then and I mean few. Today I plan to finish cleaning the main bathroom and hopefully my office a little.

Dh went to the gym this morning and came home exhausted, because it's his first time back in several weeks too. Last night we just ate leftovers, but tonight I'm planning to broccoli beef stir-fry and rice. Hopefully I can slice the beef thin enough for dh to eat easily.

Hope you have a good day.

Good afternoon GG's,

A little sunny, a little rainy. I didn't get out to get the papers before the rain started, but thankfully it was just raining lightly and hadn't been raining very long, so the papers didn't get wet. They are in plastic bags, but sometimes the angle they are laying at ~ the water runs into them and gets the paper wet.

We have a pool pass and I haven't been very good about using it, but wanted to try harder and was gonna go today, but am having to go to the bathroom too often, so will have to try again on another day.

I've been working on a mini quilt for a fund raiser at my old grade school. I have it all done except to hand stitch the binding on the back side. Then put a little rod pocket on the back and with a dowel make a little thing to hang it up with. I was pleased with how it came out. At first I had a little trouble with the stitching because I was using two different kinds of thread. I learned that you have to use the same kind for the top stitch as the bottom stitch. And thanks to videos on Youtube, I was able to learn how to do the corners, joining the ends of the binding and refresh my memory on how to do some embroidery stitches.

Mary ~ I'm sorry it is taking so long for you to get to feeling better. No fun feeling crummy. Hope for you it doesn't go on too much longer. The root beer floats you had sound yummy. Funny ~ when I was up in Ohio with my sister, we stopped at an A&W and she had one. Then a couple weeks ago, my son was having a sweet tooth attack and got stuff to make some. He said he hadn't had one for years.

Carol ~ Seems like every once in a while there are problems when trying to navigate around this site. How is the work on the sewer hook ups going? Your meal at Bob Evans sounded good. We (my sister, her daughter, granddaughter and I) ate there when I was up home. So many things look good ~ hard to know what to pick. I can't remember now what I had.

Hope you all are doing ok.

Our son was here overnight because he had to get up very early this morning and we are closer to his work than where he lives. Halo was very happy to have him here and slept in his room. I guess he took her out when he got up and she hasn't been out yet since! She was asleep when dh left (went to get a new tire for the old car) and I got up very late and have tried to get her to go out but she refuses. Hope she doesn't wait too long and go in the house.

Last night I started coughing a lot so I finally took my OTC med and it helped until bedtime so I took some more then. I'm down to one pill but have ordered more so hoping it comes soon.

We ate late last night as I didn't start cooking til after the debate. I made Cowboy Casserole...ground beef, onion, salsa, and beans (I used white but wished I'd had pinto or black beans), and topped with cheese and cornbread batter. I used a mix for the cornbread and forgot to put the melted shortening (I was going to use butter) in it, but it still tasted pretty good. I drizzled a little butter over it when I realized what I'd done. My son liked it and said the little bit of butter was plenty. Served it with a salad.

My bs remains quite high so I took an extra Amaryl this morning. The doctor thinks I take it in the morning anyway but I haven't been since starting the Januvia. Right now I think I need it and probably should have started it sooner. I just hate that med so didn't want to do it.

Glynne - At first I didn't understand what you mean about the papers, because we haven't gotten a paper for many years. We never read them and they just piled up, so we stopped our subscription. Between the TV and the internet we get enough bad news. I think it's neat that you are so crafty and that you make things for your kids/gk and the school! Yes youtube is great at teaching us all kinds of things...my son learned how to clean a deer from youtube! There is so much online, I think I could spend my whole life online. Guess for every good thing in this world there is also a downside.

Hoping to mop my kitchen floor today but so far I haven't gotten to it, my energy level is actually better when I get up and do something but sometimes it just takes too much energy to get up. I need someone to give me a good kick in the rear I guess.

Gayle, I still get a newspaper. Part of me wants to stop because there isn't that much in it that I read, but there are things in there that I wouldn't know about if I didn't read the paper so I continue. It costs me $5 per week, and I get some coupons from the paper, so using those coupons helps to pay for the paper. That's the way I figure it. Our local Civic Association recycles newspapers so DH takes them there and puts them in their bin every month or so.

I have never been a pool lover but recently I have been hearing about how good it is to walk around in a pool when you have problems with legs and knees. There really isn't anywhere around here for that, and I don't want the problems that go along with maintaining a home pool.

They haven't done any more with our sewer but they are still working on other homes on our street. About a half mile of our road is homes, and the other half mile is woods. It's strange. The part of the road with homes has one street name, and the part with the woods has a different street name. The wooded part is actually in a different community, and in the next county. LOL But it's just one continuous road. DH always goes out and talks to the sewer workers. He asked the one guy about the trap, and he said that if we already have a trap, they will cut through the asphalt and open it up, and put a lid on it. When they paved our driveway they covered up the trap and it's supposed to be open. I don't really understand it. I'm still hoping we will not have to pay anything, but I might not find that out for a long time. They are milking this job.

Mary, that Cowboy Casserole sounds good but DH wouldn't eat it. He doesn't like beans very much, but puts up with them in chili, and does not eat cornbread. Also, doesn't like casseroles because he doesn't want his food mixed together. He told me casseroles are for women. LOL They are easier to make than standing at the stove cooking all the different foods.

I have 3 pressure cookers. I have had one for years that came in a set of two. A big one that is like a normal pressure cooker, and a smaller one, just a few inches deep. I never used the bigger one but used the smaller one a lot because it held enough food for the two of us. There is one lid that fits either cooker. Now I don't use it much, because I too am afraid of it, but yesterday I used it to cook the beef I was putting in my vegetable soup. It gets very tender, and I just put the meat and water right into the soup, and I don't have to cook the soup as long to get the meat tender. Now I bought an electric pressure cooker. I like that. They are becoming very popular. The most common one is called an Insta-pot, but mine is a generic name that I got at Aldi's. It was only $39.95 and suites my needs. I don't use it alot. It can also be used as a rice cooker, but I know you already have one of them. Look at them on Amazon.

It's possible that your cold is still lingering because of your age. It's always harder on us. If it was the flu, you would probably have a fever, too. Maybe a touch of pneumonia? What type of OTC meds are you taking, if I may ask?

I think it's great that you and DH still go to the gym. I know you haven't been going lately because you haven't been feeling well, but you do go much more often than I exercise. I have been doing more lately and I'm noticing a difference. Normally, I have a hard time walking in stores without a cart to use like a walker, but yesterday after we checked out I realized I forgot sausage. DH said "I'll take this stuff to the car and you go back for the sausage." So I walked through the store all the way to the back where the sausage is without a cart, and I was almost all the way back there before I realized I was walking very well without the cart. That made me so happy. I might try it again the next time I go in for just one thing, but usually as I am walking through the store I see more things I need and end up needing the cart. Besides walking on my treadmill I am using the weight machine, and also doing leg lifts when I'm sitting in my recliner. My legs seem to ache all the time, but maybe that's just muscle soreness from doing the exercising.

Something must have been going on with my computer or server yesterday because the site is working fine today.

Dh went fishing this morning, so it's just me and Halo. Last evening and night I think I coughed a little less but woke up coughing a lot this morning. Carol, you can have the flu without a fever even though it is common. The last time I had a cough like this was in Dec 2012 and I was tested and did have the flu and I had no fever. Viral infections esp do not always present with a temperature. I do not feel this is in my lungs. I have no congestion or other discomfort in my chest. My left ear is plugged up and on that side I do hear wierd signs sometimes like wheezing, sometimes rather growly and sometimes musical but as far as I can tell this is not from my lungs. It's possible it is coming from the bronchials perhaps but I feel no discomfort from any place below my neck. My throat is not sore but in the earlier part of this (mid-Sept) I did have a minor sore throat on one side. It is mostly just a tickling in my throat which leads to my coughing, often prolonged coughing. I have a doctor's appt coming up before long and hopefully it will be gone by then but if not I'll have him check me. I don't often have sickness (usually it's just aches and pains with me) but when I get anything it tends to hang on me a long time. This started about the 12th of Sept, but didn't get this bad until the first part of Oct.

I love beans and my lunch yesterday was the rest that was in the can, a good size serving. I added bits of cheddar cheese to it and salt and pepper and it was yummy. My dh is like yours Carol as he doesn't care for beans either. He will eat them though, just doesn't want them often. I could eat them more often instead of meat or with a little meat. Since dh won't get home til late I may not cook. If I do it will be baked panko chicken tenderloins and a veggie stir fry and of course rice. I ate a small amount of beef and broccoli stirfry with a little rice as usual, but then later I was hungry and nothing else sounded good so I ate quite a lot of rice..the way I was raised with milk and sugar....you know I rarely use sugar but I had a little left from some baking months ago, so I used it! Not much tastes good so overall I'm not eating much but when it tastes good I eat it and it's not always a good thing. My bs shows it. I also think the infection maybe keeping my bs up somewhat too. I think I'm going to start taking the extra Amaryl more often for a while. Dr thinks I'm taking it anyway.

I've been looking on Amazon for a pressure cooker. I think I want an electric one. I don't remember seeing the brand you mentioned but when I check again I'll look for it. I have some reward points from our visa that can be used in payment on Amazon so was thinking if I found I might get it free that way, but the one I looked at mostly (high reviews) was a Cuisinart and I only had enough points for about 1/2 of it. So thought I'd look in town and see how they cost here. I've heard Costco has this same one too. The price you mentioned sounds great...I'd really prefer not to pay more than $50 for sure. The one I was looking at on facebook after my rewards points are applied would be less than $50. Not sure about shipping cost though as don't think it qualified for a Prime membership free two day shipping. If I can get one in town I'd prefer that but not up to shopping right now.

So glad to hear you are exercising more again! It does help even though the body suffers for a while in the beginning. I actually feel better (even now) when I'm up moving. I notice my energy improves for a while but then all of a sudden I crash! My legs sometimes feel better when I'm moving but afterwards I will ache too. I think that's mostly just getting back into it...if we don't do it regularly our body rebels for a while. Of course some exercises aren't good for our particular conditions sometimes so have to think about that too. Most of my conditions go in cyles...they take turns, LOL!! Isn't it fun getting old?!! Guess I should say being old, not getting old in my case. Depends on the perspective, my sister who is 82 says I'm young... I think she just wants to be the "oldest" one. LOL

Never got to the kitchen floor yesterday but today's better as dh is not home.

Glynne - hope you are having a good day.

Carol I'm sorry I forgot to tell you what OTC med I'm using. The brand is Major and it's called Cough and Cold. Its a antihistamine and cough suppressant and it works better than anything I've tried OTC. It's also recommended for those who have high BP. I've been told I don't have allergies (although I don't see how they can know that for sure but I was tested for the usual stuff)...but anyway the antihistamine helps me sleep. I didn't take any last night and did pretty well so that's a good sign. I'm glad cause I only have one pill left.

Carol what size is the pressure cooker you like? Mostly I will only use it for the two of us. The smallest I have seen online has been 4 qts. and I notice most of them say you can only fill it about 2/3 way full? Is that true and if so, what size to you think we would need. I plan to mostly use it for 1# or less of beef and chicken (not ground beef), but occasionally might use it for beans. Also do you know the psi (think that's what they call it?) of the pressure of yours?

Mary I have not seen that Major brand anywhere in our stores, but I googled it and it said it has the same ingredients as Coricidin HPB. DH always uses Alka Seltzer Plus but I don't like to use that because of my BP. I think I will try the Corididin the next time I get a cold.

I looked at pressure cookers online and the brand I mentioned is Instant Pot, not Insta Pot. I did not see any as low priced as the one I got at Aldi's. It was Country Living I think, sold only at Aldi's. Some people online complained about it but you get what you pay for. I bought that one because I knew I would not be using it often. If someone is going to use it on a regular basis they should invest in a good one. I am happy with mine.

I make a black bean and corn salsa that I like and serve with tortilla chips, and I sometimes like to just eat beans plain. When I make stuffed peppers I will mix the filling and fill his pepper, then I add some beans to the filling for my pepper. DH never liked the kidney beans in chili so I have started using canned pinto beans in it. The last time he asked me if I put beans in it, as the pinto beans are smaller and softer and he doesn't even realize they are in there. Beans are healthy, so they say.

Today I had to pick up a prescription at Target. Normally I take a cart even if I'm not buying anything else, but today I didn't. I made myself walk over to the pharmacy without it. I just get used to having that cart. Normally, I might buy other things and need a cart, but I just went in for the RX today. I usually have a really hard time at the mall. That really bothers me when I think of how I used to run all over the mall shopping, even carrying my packages. I need to make myself do it more often. Use it or lose it! 20 years ago I used to walk outside, 3 miles a day. How things change!!

Mary, we were posting at the same time I think. My pressure cooker from Aldi's is Kitchen Living, not Country Living as I said in my other post. It is 6 qt with two settings 9psi and 13 psi. I think most others are 15psi and that was the complaint that some people had. I think you could use a 4QT if you were never going to use it for more than that small amount of meat. I got this one because it was the only size it came in. Someday you might want to use it for more, do you think? I will say that with my regular pressure cookers I used the smaller one but never used the bigger one. I just cook a small roast in mine, and sometimes the meat I'm putting in my soup. I should be more adventurous with it.

Ok thanks for answering so fast. I actually just ordered an Instant Pot with 6 different things it can do...the next up one in price can do 7 but the only one it lacks is a yogurt maker and I doubt I'd ever use that. I do have a slow cooker and I have a rice cooker but I want the pressure cooker for hopefully more tender meat. It's not really that my meat isn't tender, it is, it's just now that dh has only dentures he can't seem to chew as well. He regrets getting his remaining eight teeth pulled but according to the dentist they probably wouldn't have lasted long and one already had to be removed. So I really hope this will help him. One thing I like about it that I don't have with my slow cooker without removing the pan and using in on the stove is sauteeing the meat before cooking. It sounds like I can do that right on the cooker and then start the pressure cooker. I hope it works as it says. I was able to get it for less than $40 before tax and free shipping as this one was a prime qualified item. So glad you are able to walk better now!! I got my floor mopped. Had a terrible coughing fit right before I did it but took some homemade cough "syrup," and it calmed down enough. Didn't want to waste my last pill that I may need tonight. Funny thing is the last time I had a bad cough I tried the Corricidin one you mentioned and it didn't help me at all but this product helps a lot.

BTW, my pressure cooker is a 5 qt.and the reason I got $36 off was because I used my Visa rewards. Mine also does not have two pressure settings. It got pretty high reviews so hope I made the right decision.

This is the one I ordered: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I wonder whether I should have gone for the more expensive one to get the two pressures, high and low. This is just one. It's also only 900 watts but I thought perhaps with the smaller pot that is enough. Others seem to like it.

That looks like a really nice one, Mary at a good price. I'm not a good one to be asking about this because I have only used mine to cook roasts and I have never used the lower pressure. I don't know what you would use that for. Mine is only 3 function. I made yogurt in a slow cooker once at the instructions of Bobbi. It turned out great. Then I tried making it in a yogurt maker that has these really nice glass jars to make it in individual servings. I wasn't as satisfied with that yogurt. I am not a big yogurt eater. I want to be, but sometimes when I buy it, it expires in the refrigerator before I get around to eating it all. I like the idea of getting the probiotics from it, but it is my nature to prefer eating foods that are hot/warm and savory rather than sweet. DH makes pudding a lot, but the only way I can eat it is while it's still warm. Once it chills in the refrigerator, I'm not interested. LOL

The first time I used my electric pressure cooker I put it out on the deck in case it malfunctioned and exploded. LOL Pressure cookers can be dangerous, and I was being cautious because I didn't know much about using it, and it was a cheap no-name model. The only people I saw online that complained about mine were those who wanted to use it for a variety of things. You can do so much with them if you know what you're doing and are into a lot of cooking. I like it because it makes the meat very tender in a short time period. Most of the time if I cook things like beef stew or beef soup my meat wouldn't get tender enough. I think there are a lot of pressure cooker recipes online, plus it would be nice to get a pressure cooker cookbook. I have a big collection of cookbooks but I don't think I have one for pressure cooker.

Mary, they sell these electric pressure cookers on TV, either QVC or HSN. When they have the shows, there have several of them lined up all at the same time, showing all the different recipes you can make with them. It always looks good, but I have never gotten that adventurous with it. I will be anxious to hear how you like it.

Its a beautiful day...sun shining so nicely and flowers still in bloom despite the falling leaves and fall look. Dh is working outside but I got up very late again. I didn't go to bed til past midnight but I think I slept fairly well, only up once. Halo got dh up about 3:30 and I was awake then and then again about 7. Dh found her in our spare bedroom, which was her master's room and where she slept for 15 mo and still does when he is here. I had blankets stacked in a corner and she pulled one down and slept on it. The door was closed but somehow she managed to push it open.

Carol - I read some more articles about pressure cookers and it said the higher the pressure the higher the temperature which makes sense.The pot I ordered is not the highest psi so it may just take a little longer for food to cook. I am not really looking for fast cooking but do want it faster than a slow cooker. If it cooks meat very tender in an hour I'll be satisfied.
The writers also said that they (like you) almost never have used the low setting which made me feel better. I'm assuming when you prepare vegetables on a med to high setting you just don't cook them very long? From what I understand what I'm buying has more of a medium setting rather than a very high setting. I don't expect to cook vegetables in it much...as usually we eat stir-fries...but I might occasionally with a roast or a stew or soup. I can understand your trying it first on your deck...I've always been afraid of them as I remember my mom using one canning. I also canned in one of the big ones for several years and never got comfortable with it really. I mostly canned tomatoes (and we don't even like canned tomatoes!) and peaches, but also tried green beans and a few other things. The high acid foods turned out better and I was more comfortable with them. I will probably be a little scared the first time I use the new one but I doubt it will be as scary as my old one or my moms. I'm hoping it comes with full instructions and recipes. Some people say it does others didn't feel it provided enough that way so I probably should buy a book. And it will be a back up in case my slow cooker ever stops working, not sure about making rice in it, I've heard it's not that good for rice. And I already have an old small rice cooker we use all the time and a large one I bought when we used to have some gatherings in our home. It's only been used a few times. If all our family ever is here, we might use it though.

Nothing new here...I stayed home while dh went to church. I'm now out of my OTC so dh bought the Coricidin HPB and I hope it will help me this time. I was going to try to get along without it because my order should come soon but nights can be so miserable for both of us if I'm hacking so much. Then I check ed my order and it's been cancelled! I was a bit concerned about it because I get $15 credit each month but had already used it, so when I ordered the cough med I meant to pay for it, but it put it in as free. I think it was because they had not yet processed the first order so thought it was my credit order. So if this med dh bought doesn't work I'll call and buy the other one. Should be over this thing soon but won't hurt to have some of these type meds on hand this time of year even though we rarely need them. Dh also brought home Subway for lunch but I had my mocha and am not hungry so will wait a while on that. I got up very late.

My pressure cooker is to come today sometime before 8 pm. I have a little stew meat so if I'm up to it, I may try cooking it in it, and I'll put a potato and maybe some celery in too. Seems like the veggies would be mush but I'll find out.

You ok, Glynne?