The View from Here

Recovery

I'll be having surgery in the morning. I'll post when I can...

Fatally Fat

Yesterday my appointment for some pre-op testing resulted in two hours of “people watching” in the main lobby and the pre-assessment waiting rooms of a nearby hospital. It only took me a few minutes to come to the conclusion that COVID is not our only epidemic.  Obesity is rampant…and slowly, but surely, killing us. I’m not talking about everyone carrying a few extra pounds due to quarantines and online jobs. I’m talking about seeing several people, including staff members, who weigh well over 300 pounds. One was carrying a bag of peanut candies and another held a foot-long sandwich- staples of the American diet.

The World Health Organization says that over two million people die each year as a result of being overweight or obese. Name almost any disease or condition and chances are great that it would be improved by a healthy diet and normal weight. I am still amazed that my own weight loss has resulted in a dramatic improvement in my ability to walk. It seems that carrying a lighter load is much better for my back, knees, and ankles. I also have more energy.

Yes, I know that my current medical condition may have been a contributing factor to my weight-loss success. Thyroid function affects metabolism. But I also know that I have done the work. I cut my portions and reduced my intake of bread, pasta, and potatoes. I’ve maintained a healthier diet and exercise plan for nearly a year. Now I’m seventy pounds lighter.

I’m not going to talk about the best diet to follow. Google can help you with that. However, I will tell you that the best first step I took was to simply cut all of my food portions in half. Same favorite foods, same tastes, same emotional satisfaction…fewer calories. That was the jumpstart I needed to make changes in what I was actually eating. And I’ll be honest and tell you that the first food I gave up completely was ice cream. The last was French fries. Everything in between has been negotiable in terms of portions and substitutions.

Yes, I know that anyone who has improved their lifestyle wants others to do the same. Yes, I know we can be annoying. But we only nag because we care. Start today on the path to a thinner, healthier you. Please…

Spring...soon to be official...

The young man who mows our lawn will be arriving some time today. I didn’t think about the date when I contacted him last week to tell him that the henbit is out of control and needs to be trimmed. It will be a few weeks before we actually have a lawn to mow, but a couple of our neighbors have been tuning up their mowers and trimming some weeds. There are redbuds, pear trees, and daffodils adding color to the neighborhood. Looks like spring to me!

Each year my husband bemoans our short spring. He seems to think that spring should last for at least two months and the weather should be just right for a drive in a convertible. Sorry…our spring is more likely to include some warm sunny days followed by a quick freeze, followed by a plunge into summer heat. And you can throw in some 40mph winds and a tornado or two before we get to June. Don’t forget hordes of insects!

We went to the wildlife refuge yesterday and there are signs of spring everywhere. Of course, most of the action is going on out of our sight. Hard to imagine how many nests and dens are being prepared for the new season. The area will soon be teeming with new life!

Tomorrow we hope to gather with our son’s family for a multi-birthday party. In another week we’ll celebrate our 49^th anniversary. Then it will be Easter…

Spring. I pray that because of the vaccine and an abundance of caution, it’s a much more joyful season than it was last year.

Stay safe!

Mixed Messages

I have to admit that as I’ve grown older I’ve become more critical of our society and the mixed messages we give to the world and to each other. The news media, Facebook, and casual observations lead me to believe that most of the time we say the “right” thing, while actually doing the exact opposite.

I could list a dozen or more behaviors, from trivial to tragic, but the one that really concerns me this week is nudity.  The way some women who claim to be role models present themselves to the world is disgusting. There isn’t a nicer word to describe some of the images I’ve seen on television this week. Yes, most of the women are in entertainment, but our children and grandchildren are mesmerized by them, so I think we have a right to ask what they are trying to say by covering less than a third of their body with fabric. And I’m not just talking about how they dress while performing…I’m talking about what they wear on award shows, talk shows, news interviews, etc.

On the one hand we tell young girls that they can be valued for their minds and skills and creativity. We tell them they can excel in science, engineering, and technology. We tell them not to tolerate sexual discrimination or harassment. We tell them they can achieve their career goals without compromising their integrity. Yet what they see on a daily basis is women relying on their sexuality to garner wealth and awards.

Mixed messages about women, their appearance, their roles, and their expectations have always existed. I can recall some discussions with my mother about women we saw on television or clothing sold in stores. However, it seems to me that there are fewer boundaries now. Decency and modesty aren’t even considerations in some situations. I shudder to think what I might see on television in the next ten years.  

Spring...

Took these yesterday. 

I saw a butterfly today but wasn't fast enough to photograph it. 

I'm currently using a Nikon 5600. I also have a 3300, but it's getting old and cranky...like me. 

Happy, happy place...

We visited Hagerman yesterday and even though the water levels were very low, we still encountered some happy feathered friends. 

A New World

Yesterday when Gary and I returned from our trip to the wildlife refuge there was a large package under our carport. It contained the 25lb. bag of sunflower seeds I ordered three days ago, when once again, I couldn’t buy any locally. Earlier in the week I received a case of my favorite tea…ordered because our local store has discontinued it.

This morning at 6am I paid our phone bill online.

A few minutes later I sent some photos to a friend in CA.

Later today I’ll complete my weekly column for the newspaper, attach it to an email, and send it to my editor.

Last week I completed my “new patient” paperwork by downloading it from my surgeon’s website.

My great aunt sent me a copy of her autobiography when I was a young adult. In it she described arriving in Oklahoma in a covered wagon and then living long enough to see a man walk on the moon. At the time I was stunned that so many changes had taken place in her lifetime. And yet…here I am, thinking about the changes that have taken place in mine.

I won’t enumerate a dozen or more changes that have affected my daily life. I won’t bore you with fond memories of things that I miss. I won’t predict what I think will change next…because I have no clue what someone is creating in a lab or garage or kitchen that will be the next innovation essential to our lives.

My thoughts this morning concern how changes accumulate and multiply and permeate our lives in such a way that we don’t notice them. Then one day we find ourselves living in a new world with new expectations and new consequences. I read a statement yesterday that many times the actions that have the greatest impact on society are the subtle ones that don’t get press coverage or national attention. I agree, and this morning I’m praying that most of those actions are good ones that benefit us…not destroy us.

Thyroid

I wasn't aware that anything was wrong with my thyroid until a nodule showed up on an MRI done to assess a disc problem in my neck. I understand now that most nodules are discovered in the same way...during a test for something else. I'll be having surgery in a few weeks, so I thought I would share this thyroid information site with you. If you have any concerns about your own thyroid health, please consult your doctor. 

Women

March is Women's History Month, and while I will be posting and celebrating stories of some famous local women on my history blog and my FB history group pages, I want to also take time to recognize the dozens of seemingly ordinary women who have influenced my life. I inserted “seemingly” because I don’t believe any woman is truly ordinary. The term means “with no special or distinctive features”. Have you ever known a woman without a special skill, unique personality trait, unusual ability, or distinctive feature? Just their ability to “multi-task” is remarkable!

I won’t attempt to name the many women who encouraged me, advised me, taught me, and sometimes scolded me over the past seventy years. I would surely leave someone out. I won’t even attempt to share photos of them. I just want to acknowledge that women have always been the guiding force in keeping me on the path God created for me. Men added their “two cents” from time to time, but even my dad was often heard saying, “Go ask your mother.”

So…please know that if you have shared even a few moments of my journey, you are appreciated.