Grass Fed Meat, Stewardship of the Land

     We went up to pick up a beef order at a local farm the other day, what an operation. The place is Grand View Farms in Forest Hill. We have wanted to go there for a while, finally got around to it. They are a no till operation, all organic grower, family owned and operated. The head farmer dude took us on a tour, it was great. Piglets in one paddock, hogs in another, a third for finishing. The cattle roam in rotating pastures, followed by chickens who spread their manure and feast on the bugs and larvae. The animals are free to move around, eat what they eat in the wild, it’s got to be better for us, right? Of course the wife fell in love with the hogs, thought she was going to jump in and run with them!

Depression Rules The Day, Vegetables For Those Who Need Them

Depression is rearing its ugly head right now, can't seem to shake it off.  Combination of not feeling good, circumstances with the mother in law, and feelings of having had wasted my life, nothing too heavy.  I can't do anything about how I feel or the mother in law, but I wish I had done a better job with making my life count towards something.  I feel I was nothing more than a cog in the go to work and pay your bills machine, not accomplishing anything of importance.  I dreamed once of making a difference, looks like that ship has sailed?

My dream was to teach the impoverished how to become more food self sufficient by teaching children how to grow food.  180 or so public schools in my county, if each of them grew a 40 x 40 foot garden just think of how much food that would garnish.  I also wanted to turn vacant lots and unused county property into community gardens.  Think what it would mean to people who their only exposure to vegetables are the onions that come on the double cheeseburger they get on the dollar menu.  Oh well, it was a nice dream to have at one point.

Into Second Week Of Wahl's Diet, Planted The Wrong Garden

Seems like it's been 6 years since I started my diet, usually I'd mark such an occasion with a big ole hunkering cake!  But those were the old days.  Now I am having vegetable smoothies or almonds to pass the time.  Added no eggs or nightshades to the regimen, although I had to look up what a nightshade was.  Makes my six tomato plants seem like a huge waste, but I don't know any other way of doing an elimination diet than eliminating things.  Not feeling incredible yet, but have lost 25 lbs, down to a svelte 300.

So my garden this year, planted prior to new eating plan, is loaded with things I'm not eating.  I have tomatoes, green, yellow, and jalapeno peppers, all of which are nightshades.  I have peas, green beans, potatoes, and corn.  Right now I'm only able to have the cabbage, swiss chard, and lettuce.  Worry that as long as I am burning fat I will be burning the bad things out of my system, not allowing me to know when my system is reset.  Be nice to have my biggest worry be that I was burning too much fat.

Hot And Humid, What Do You Eat To Be Healthy

it's going to be a scorcher again today, almost 95° and it's not even 11 AM.  Friend of ours picked today to have her air conditioning go up, poor planning, if you ask me.  Don't know what I would do if I didn't have air conditioning, though I was 13 before I ever lived in a house that had it, but the stakes are different now.  The in- law's are in their 80s and never turn the A/C on!  Maybe that's why they are in their 80s, they are just tougher than me?  all I know is I have the air-conditioning blasting, a fan right on me, and my eyes are still flickering in and out.  Oh well, I guess I'm not 13 anymore?

okay, so I am really, truly, honestly interested in eating better, either the swank diet, or the Paleolithic diet.  Here's my problem, what do you eat?  Mornings  are easy, a mitochondria drink made with kale, grapes, apple, banana, a little water, and some ice, all thrown into a blender.  What do you eat for lunch?  A plateful of greens, sulfur vegetables, what in the hell are sulfur vegetables?  It would be so much easier if it was like when I was a kid and my mother would just give me a plateful of food, sulfur vegetables, indeed!

Dr Terry Wahls Diet, Swimming Pool Ready To Go

So what does everyone know about the Paleo diet?  Had run across info about Dr Terry Wahls a way back, she was chair bound with SPMS and now bikes 5 miles to work everyday.  Seems to make so much sense, I look at the crap I eat normally, know it's not good for me, but can food have that kind of impact?  I think I'm going to do it, what do I have to lose except maybe weight?  No legumes, soy and gluten free and no dairy, so I'd better polish off that 1/2 quart of butter pecan!

Went swimming for the first time today, this year obviously, I mean I've been swimming before.  Had a problem with the liner, when we took the cover off we notice the liner had popped out of the grove holding it in place.  Had a guy come out and fix it, but we had to take 2 feet of water out of the pool.  Filled it back up today, was 100 degrees, so I decided to take a dip.  I do believe my ms is the only thing keeping me from realizing I now have polio?  That water was cold, but it felt grand once I was acclimated.

Aged Pork, And Cribbage Anyone?

Had one of my favorite meals, the mother's ham and cabbage.  She puts it all in a pot, potatoes too, and boils it for about 8 hours, killer!  We were just finishing up when she told me it was good to use up the ham, with just the two of them here she worries about it going to waste.  The ham was from Easter.  Tasted great, and I'm sure they have funeral homes on the Eastern shore.  For lunch tomorrow we are having chicken salad from new years eve!

The father and I have been playing cards, cribbage to be exact.  He beat me the first couple of days like a red headed mule, but I've come back strong and am currently holding my own.  The family has always played a lot of cards, the boy wrote a "what I did last summer" paper about playing poker with the father in a cemetery, he was 10.  The father shuffles the cards for me but shows no mercy, though he claims to when he loses.  Time to go out and see who prevails, feeling lucky!

Atkins Diet Coming To An End, Think I'll Switch To The Daniel Fast?

Have to figure out what is going to come next for me when it comes to my diet plan, I think Atkins is going to make my heart explode if I have any more bacon! I've lost 50 lbs, thrilled about that, but if I don't get some fruit, or some nuts or seeds I think I may explode. I'm getting ready to make a switch, go to something called the Daniel fast, a vegetarian diet plan, told ya it was a switch. So I'm going to go from eating all parts cow, pig and fowl, to eating nada, zip, nuttin. I think it's a more logical way to eat, the way we were built to eat, but I can't argue with the weight shedding power of Atkins.

It's Going To Be An Aquaponic Christmas

Just finished my Christmas shopping, it's the only shopping I've done all year, the best part is that the presents are for me. My inlaws give me money to buy what I want, this year I wanted the supplies to start an indoor aquaponics system. Had most of the components, the rest I got from either the hardware store or the tool store, Harbor freight. I'm going to have to wait until after Christmas, the wife's rules, but I'm looking forward to trying it out. I have my old neighbor intrigued, if I can snag him it's sure to be a success, he can do anything!

Weight Lose, MS, and Mobility

What kind of idiot starts a diet on Halloween, stays on it through Thanksgiving...that's right me! I missed 2 prime pig-out times, what was I thinking? Not sure of my thought process, ever, but I do know I lost weight over turkey day, and the subsequent leftover orgy that followed, something that has to be a first for me. I've faded into the high 280's, at this rate I should be completely gone by early summer! I kid, that's what I am, a kidder. My goal is to stay on my modified Adkins until I hit the 230 range for a 100 lb total lose. I has to make it easier to get around if I can get back into the human weight range?

Aquaponics For Food And Fun

Who knows anything about aquaponics? I am suddenly struck by the whole concept of being able to grow all my own food, including fish in one system, you can even grow shrimp and crayfish! If I can figure out how to hook it all up to a small solar charger and battery I will be in absolute hog heaven! OK, I have a little bit of research to do, see how much it costs to get started, what kind of fish...alright, I have a lot of research to do, but it's what I do! I wonder if I could get the University of MD involved, have them set it up, use it as a teaching tool, and best of all pay for it?

Delawning Plant Selections and Chickens and Rabbits and Fish, Oh My

Played with the idea of delawning my yard last night, looked up all kinds of stuff. Trying to see what plants I would use to accomplish this feet, trying to stick to all Maryland native plants. Looking for native ground covers that are succulents and thrive in full sun, starting to think they don't exist. I want something that my chickens can run around in, and occasionally my rabbits, and no I don't have either of the critters yet. I'm giving the wife a break by no pursuing the Tilapia aquaculture at this point, but just at this point!

Darlington Apple Festival and Me In My Wheelchair

Going to the Darlington Apple Festival tomorrow, was going to bake a pie for the competition, but didn't have the energy after my 2 hour MRI. Music, food, and what should be a beautiful day in a small town just north of here. Love the local little festivals like this. Hope there are a lot local foodies, maybe some local honey, didn't get any this summer. Taking my chair, so I'll be buzzin all over the streets of Darlington, GO APPLES!

Church Chicken Dinner, and MS Leg Death

Church had a chicken dinner tonight, we went expecting chicken that was either raw in the middle, or cooked to a pulp. Imagine how happy we were to have one of the best meals we've had in a while. The secret was they cooked the chicken in the oven before finishing it off on the grill. It's nice to get out and do something you want to do and to have it be so tasty! If church ever gets tired of the religion part, they have a real future in the chicken dinner business.

Legs are pretty well used up today, they hurt from the time I woke up this morning. I've been riding my recumbent exercise bike, kind of hoping this is a good sign, but I'm scared of things these days. What if it was too much, what if that's why my back hurts too? At some point I'm going to have to ignore these thoughts and push through, am I there yet? Think I may be. I think it's time to man the wall at the alamo, put all my eggs in one basket, go for broke, come up with more cliques! Exercise until I feel better, or can't walk at all.

Doorway Bumpers, Human Watching, and Big man in Women's Clothes

I've developed bruises along my forearms, starting to wonder if they'll ever go away? All started recently as I've begun cushioning myself as I go through doorways, which I've started to use as bumpers. I'll walk along, loose my balance, list to one side, throw my arm out like a rudder. The problem, as I see it, is our doorways aren't rounded, so I very seldom don't bash my arm on an edge. I may have to start wearing pads on my arms, will like ridiculous, but maybe the bruises will subside.

Went out for a donut this morning with a friend, sat there for a while looking at the humans. Young mother of 3 with more tattoos than the Pacific fleet. A guy left his laptop on the table, as in left it there, got in his car a left. 7 rather porcine teens came in for ice cream cones at 11, bad form. Mr Leo came in for his morning coffee, he used to ref my basketball games when I was a kid, he's old now. Make me wish the wife would open her tea shop, I'd people watch everyday.

Was accused of having on a girls shirt today, can't argue, I thought it was when the wife brought it home. I'm not very fashion driven, have a few pairs of shorts, a few shirts, one pair of shoes, I'm a rock star. I like the idea of all my clothes being the same, no choices of what to wear today. Uniforms would be cool with me, as long as I could have mine with shorts. In the mean time, I need to research this shirt, see if it's for men or women, I have one in blue, need to see if I'm going to get razzed when I wear it.

Hummingbird Feeders, Multiple Sclerosis and Leg Cramps, and Terracotta Smoker

I went and got another hummingbird feeder today, put it on the back of the house in front of the bay window in the living room. The ruby throated hummers like the new location! It's amazing to watch them, I didn't know how territorial they were. The wife gasps when they fly to the feeder, then she gasps each time they flit around. We had one the flitted so many times, I thought she was going to pass out! I was actually able to see a couple of the hummers sitting in the tree, never saw that before.

Why is it the cramps start about this time everyday? It doesn't matter what I do, little activity, huge amounts of activity, they are going to hit about 9:30 every night. It's starting to really get on my nerves having the yips, and I want it to stop. I've tried bananas, the mother tried to get me to take quinine, must of thought I had malaria. Probably would try anything to see it I could get this to stop, really bothers me.

OK, I have bunches of things I want to try, most of them either cost too much, are out of my ability range, or I figure out they are just stupid! I want a smoker, but I don't want to pay for one. I found plans for one using Terracotta pots and a hot plate, I know, crazy. We got a terracotta pot for cooking chicken as a wedding gift, and we couldn't figure out how to clean it? The looks of this are very cool, but how do you wash it after using it? I think I'm going to find out with this one.

Great Friends, Insurance Runaround, and Visiting Family

Nice day today, even though I was feeling a little off. The wife went to church without me today, I stayed in bed. The minister asked for me by name, it's like I was called out for detention! We had people over for dinner, I was absolutely no help at all. The wife make a killer meal, all from scratch, and I sat and caught up with 2 dear friends, so all in all a good day. Oh yeah, got a picture of my hummingbird, but not a great one yet, but I got him.



Go tomorrow to the doctors, have to have my nutsy pills straightened out. I take 90 mg of Cymbalta once a day, but the insurance company says the therapeutic dose is only 60 mg. My doc is out for back surgery so I have to see her partner for him to write a justification letter to the insurance company. Either way you look at it I have to pay my copay for the insurance company to be happy. For me to be happy I'm going to have the partner check me out from head to toe. If I gots to pay for it, it going to gets me moneys worth!

We go on a trip this coming weekend, visiting family up in New Hampshire and Massachusetts. Spending a couple days with the wife's family first, a couple aunts and an uncle and all her cousins, always a nice trip. Swing back down to my aunt and uncle and cousins, also always a nice trip. It's nice to get away, though will pay the price for being out amongst the humans, but hey, you only live one, you have to see the things and people that make you feel good.

The Boys Vacation, MS Leg Pain, and Mortgage Lifter Tomatoes

The boy is going on going on vacation again tomorrow, ah to be young again. He's not going to be going to school in the fall, and he just graduated, so this is the time to do it, before he kicks work full time. He's at the beach this week, Ocean City, MD., then Myrtle Beach, SC 4 days the following week! I used to love going to the beach with friends when I was his age, everything was fun, everything was possible. Didn't hurt we stayed in the one friend's sister's place anytime we wanted, one of the nicest condos there.

My legs are shot. They not only are getting weaker, they hurt all the time now. I think it should be a law, not a federal law, just a state law, keep it local, one or the other. I can handle one at a time, but both, not diggin it I must say. So I sit a lot more, probably contributing to why they hurt, but don't have the juice to go anymore. A lot of pain all of the sudden in the knees? I'd say it's because of my gross tonnage, but to have it start in both at the same time, seems fishy to me.

I have a new favorite food. Maryland tomatoes are the best in the entire of world, if you never had them, fly in and treat yourself. This year we planted a new kind for us, an heirloom variety called Mortgage Lifter. They are a huge variety, up to 2 pounds each, and make an incredible sandwich. My goal is to get a couple , no a few soft crabs, fry em up nice and crispy, a nice big slice of tomato, and there is, quite literally a little slice of heaven.

Facebook Deactivated, Horrible Day Shopping, and Rude People Everywhere

Deactivated my FB account, realized a countdown was a little, just a tad self centered, like, I'm gonna jump! It was time, too many opinions, too many beliefs, time to go back to what I know, being in charge. I like it here, nobody bothers me here, gets on my nerves, they ignore me like they do in person, so I'm home. I will miss the games, and meeting up with old friends, but the real FB experiment will be if I can keep the ones I already remade.

Went out the other day, was going to run some errands, out amongst the humans. I'm still able to do it, not as well as before, but at least I still can. It was a disaster of typical proportions. First stop was Lowes, looking for light bulbs, pool chemicals, and a bat house. No chemicals, or bat house, but I was able to get light bulbs, though I'm scared to get the compact florescent ones, ya ever see what you have to through if you break one, scary.

Next I was off the Richardson's chicken farm, they just built a huge, beautiful new store adjacent to the very tiny old one. They have everything! Great chicken, obviously, locally grown veggies, baked goods, honey, a buffet of fresh cooked foods, really a treat to visit. Let me correct that, a treat during the week, not on a Saturday morning. There were humans everywhere! You'd of thought we were in the depths of famine the way people were grabbing supplies. I started to worry I'd missed the announcement of the invasion? I wrestle a head of Romaine away from an elderly woman, and left.

My last stop was to get the wife a fountain soda, she likes those better than she likes me. Was going to get one at the farm market, but you couldn't get near the machine for the hoards of people. No biggie,we have tons of places, and I needed gas anyway. So I stops up to the Royal Farm, fill up, and go inside, masses of humans there too. I get the soda, get in line, and patiently wait my turn. Suddenly this woman walks into, knocking the soda from my hand, it hitting the ground like a grenade, and are you ready for this? She tells me to watch where f@#$% I'm going! Proof that some people are alive simply because it's against the law to kill them.

Sarah Palin's Lure, Grad Party, and Diet Slurry

I am confused, wish I had a dollar for every time that's happened. People on Facebook keep talking politics, seen a few pretty good "discussions" about it. One thing that keeps me scratching my head is the hold Sarah Palin has? She came unprepared, unvetted, and overwhelmed by the entire process, quit her day job when she lost, and went on a public speaking tour for cash. She was picked because the E's thought Hillary's people would vote for the woman. I guess we should be glad, if Obama hadn't won the D's nomination we would have gotten Michael Steele, but hey, we got him anyway!

The wife is planning the boy's graduation party, or so she says. She ain't foolin' me, she has had this planned since he was 9! That's how she does it, plans things well in advance. She had our 25th anniversary planned by the time we went on our third date! I guess that's why her parties are so good and people are always trying to get her to do it professionally? Like everything in life, my job is to just show up look pretty. Obviously I have the harder of the two jobs.

My weight has become an issue, something has to be done. It's getting so a guy can't sky rocket over 300 pounds without it slowing him down. I was reading,and have read a lot in the past, info on a Dr Terry Wahls, who claims to have significantly cut down her disability by the way she eats. Obviously there is more than diet to both weight and MS health, but it's a good place to start. I make up a slurry of Kale, pear, grapes, orange, water, and ice. I put mine in a regular blender, gives it a nice texture, and a kale green color! Never was a breakfast person, so this drink that I drink over a period of time fills me up. Now to start eating a healthy dinner.

Dinner With Friends, and the Snow is Vanishing

Me and the wife went out to dinner with our friends, Slammer and his wife, the snow plow queen! Went to a family style restaurant, a place called Friendly Farms. Slammer had pretty serious ankle surgery a ways back, walks with a really cool thing he kneels on, and scoots along. I think he can walk faster with that than he can without it? So, people are watching him scoot, watching me go with my flashing stimulator and cane, and some people can't help but comment. Were you two in the same accident? Told them it was Bobsled accident!

Looks like things are back to normal tomorrow, schools on time, trash pick up on normal day, all is well. It's amazing how much of the snow is gone, thought it would be around til June. We are going to have snow in parking lots when my kids are my age, it's piled 30 feet high! The snow has been beautiful, I've always loved it, but I'm looking forward to to having dry pavement.