What Are We Going To Call This Now?

• Josie must ALWAYS know what is going on!

• I'm getting tired of the title "Monday Meanderings" and so it is hereby retired.
• I haven't yet figured out what's going to replace it.

So how have I been?

• I have had the flu. Again.
• This is the second time in the last fourish months that I've had some sort of nasty tummy bug, and while this one isn't quite as serious as the last, it's pretty bad when I don't even feel like reading or knitting!

However,

• Overall my energy levels are definitely improving. I don't feel any more awake or alert than I normally do, but I've noticed in the last couple of weeks that I am accomplishing a whole lot more on a daily basis than I normally would - and I've been attacking big projects with great joi de vive.
• A lot of that is housework. (My husband is happy.)
• But a lot of that is fun craft work as well!
• I've:
• Finished all of the pieces for the girls' Christmas sweaters,
• Sewn in the ends on the bodies (sleeves still to come),
• Knit an entire vest for myself (shocking!) in less than a week,
• Organized my spinning and sock knitting plans, and have
• Started working on my first-ever design project (lace shawl from handspun, for the curious).

Whew!

And because we haven't talked about it in a little while...

• I've now been on my allergy diet for a little bit more than 5 weeks, and it's going swimmingly.
• Now that I've adjusted, it's really not that difficult to follow and I really don't miss any of the forbidden foods.
• I am quite frankly flabbergasted that I don't miss all of that stuff any more than I do.
• Seriously...who would ever have thought that brownies wouldn't tempt me...or that chocolate chip cookies would just sound meh.
• However, the proof is in the pudding, and it's been long enough now that I'm really starting to feel better. (See the above note about my energy levels.)
• More importantly, my overall mood has calmed and my mind feels much clearer. It feels as if I've stepped off of a 20-year-long emotional roller coaster while a fog has been lifting.
• Pretty freeing!
• Also, the weight is dropping off without any effort on my part. I'm back to presurgery weight - having dropped about 15 lbs. since this started.
• Yes, I do periodically track my food to make sure I"m getting enough calories. AND, I've also cut back on my exercise a bit to be nicer to my body. No, I'm not ever hungry, or really ever dissatisfied with what I'm eating.
• Mom says she read a women's health article about yeast and sugar problems this summer (She wisely didn't bring it up to me at the time.), and according to the article this type of fairly rapid weight loss is very common once sugar and yeast are eliminated from the diet.
• And can I just tell you how happy I am that this is happening without needing to weigh and measure everything?
• Breakfast still stinks. Turkey burgers, fish and eggs are the easiest things to eat first thing in the morning.
• I do worry about my birthday and Christmas. Those are going to be more difficult than Thanksgiving was.
• Also, big thanks to my parents, who've gone out of their way to make sure I had plenty of food to eat when we've been at their house...and who also made sure that my first adventure in eating out with food allergies was not only pleasant and tasty but was also completely stress free.

Speaking of my birthday -

• Every farm girl needs farm duds. I mentioned this to my parents and guess what?!
• For my birthday they bought me insulated coveralls, rubber work boots and work gloves.
• Yep, I got very excited about those coveralls...for all that they make me look like a gingerbread version of the Pillsbury Dough Boy. (They flatter no one.)
• I once got really excited because they'd given me the metal saw horses I'd asked for.
• I'm a funny girl....
• Meanwhile, my husband keeps asking me what I want to do for the big day, and I have no idea.
• Part of me just wants to quietly rejoice for the fact that this last year - with all of it's craziness, surgeries and losses - will be OVER.
• 37 is bound to be better!

Finally, some random tidbits.

• The state of my wardrobe is appalling. Insulated coveralls aside, I have very little to wear...but quite frankly until my weight/size stabilizes I don't want to spend anything on clothes.
• Bedtime without my cat still stinks.
• We have almost all of our Christmas planning done...and not a whole lot to do.
• We need to take our family portrait and do our Christmas cards....but the Pixie fell last weekend and seriously scratched up her face. I'm at a loss as to what to do.
• Methinks...perhaps New Years cards again?
• I have really nice friends.
• I'm really glad that my geriatric dog is a happy dog.
• Audio books are wonderful when one is feeling productive.

Ok, now I'm just blathering.

Have a great week everyone!

PS. I saw my OBGYN today, figuring I needed to talk to her about my medications and how they relate to the food allergies. She was thrilled that I had received some answers, and very happy to hear that I've responded so well to the treatment. As a result, we've decided that I can stop taking the thyroid meds. I never really responded to them - the diet has certainly made bigger changes in my overall health - and it's entirely possible that the surgery triggered the slightly elevated (VERY slightly elevated) TSH levels. Also, the allergies explain the Vitamin D deficiency as well. They ran a blood test today to check my thyroid and my Vit. D levels. As soon as we get the results I should be able to drop the massive daily dose of D, and we'll retest the thyroid in six weeks to make sure that it is indeed ok to give up the medication. I can't tell you how happy I am about all of this!