To Diet or Not To Diet!

 I know have to lose weight.  I know that even a 3 to 5kg drop would help a lot.  I also know what I should be eating and not eating and that I need to exercise.  But it so hard. 

I've struggled with my weight my whole life.  The smallest I've been was 48kg, eating disorder, the biggest was 113kg, about 7 years ago.  I've bounced between these extremes for 40 years!  I started this year at 108, this morning I weighed 104!  

January, I stopped sugar.  February, I caught Covid.  March and April I was still knocked about by Covid, just extremely tired all the time.  By May I felt better, had energy again but my eating was all over the place.  Then summer with the heat and the inability to cook or prepare anything healthy.  Now the weather is finally cooling down and I'm back in the kitchen but not making healthy meals.  Some days are better than others, 90% is from scratch but a lot of carbs! So, I'm going to try and do another month of no sugar and watch my carbs.  It's going to be hard, so look out for a lot of moaning.  I would love to drop another 2kgs before my doctor's appointment the end of December, also bring down my blood sugar levels!  I've been on the border line of having diabetes for about a year!

Wish me luck!

Mobility

 Something I never thought about, my mobility.  I've been overweight most of my life.  I've been obese these past 15 years or so and morbidly obese the past 8 years (about).  Through all that my health has been okay, blood pressure, cholesterol, no diabetes, heart health okay.  I never worried about being fat, it's not fun but if all the blood tests are okay and I'm not going to drop dead tomorrow then so be it!  But about 3 years ago I started having pain in my right knee.  Went to the doctors and was told that it was osteoarthritis, basic wear and tear on the knee.  I was told to lose weight.  The doctor wasn't happy when I asked why only one knee was painful when both knees carry the same weight!  He never answered that!  So, I've been trying to lose some weight, from my highest I've dropped about 9kgs!  Taken a few years but at least it's in the right direction!  But walking to the dentist last week shocked me.  It's just a 5-minute walk but took me twice that long, I just couldn't walk at a good pace.  Hannah walked off, she said she was walking slowly but I was too slow.  I was wearing my knee brace but even that didn't help much.  After I was so tired but had to shop.  I noticed that in the supermarket when I use the cart it was easier to walk.  So, I bought myself a walking stick.  Makes me feel very old but if it means that I can move more I guess it's good.  

My walking stick.

Halloween tree at the local mall!

I made scotch eggs the other day.  Easy to make, cheap and filling.  Except for Mikey we had them for lunch.  Mikey had his in the evening.  When I cut his open it looked like eyes.

scotch egg eyes!

Dentist

 At the beginning of the pandemic, I broke a tooth!  It didn't hurt so I decided just to wait.  The first covid viruses really scared me as it seemed to attack the lungs.  Being obese and having asthma I really didn't want to risk exposure.  One pet peeve I have with the dentist is the light.  The dentist or nurse have their hands in my mouth, they adjust the light, hands back in my mouth, then on to the next patient without cleaning the light.  I imagine all the germs, bacteria and viruses having a lovely party on the light! Which is why I didn't want to go during the pandemic. Now two years later the hole is bigger and joined by another hole.  Also, the past couple of weeks I've had pain along my jaw line where there are no teeth!  This morning Hannah and I went off to the dentist.  Hannah wanted a checkup and clean.  Her teeth are fine, no cavities at all.  She was told to go back in the spring!  Me, on the other hand, ended up with x-rays, local antithetic and lots of lovely drilling.  Did I mention that I'm afraid of the dentist and I have a very sensitive gag reflex?  Awful feeling, lying there, gagging and wondering how much his watch cost and if it was hygienic.

Hannah and I walked to the dentist.  Just a few minutes' walk.  But with my knee it took a bit longer.  I'm glad I walked.  I wanted to challenge, to see how far I could go.  One thing I love about living here is how convenient it is.  Within walking distance is a supermarket, drug store, doctors and dentist.  I can't drive so being able to walk to these places gave me a feeling of independence.  But the past few years I've lost my mobility and wasn't able to walk far at all.  I've lost a bit of weight which has helped with that!

Next to the dentist, liquor store

lovely October day

I always wondered how many people go into the liquor store after the dentist!

Steve

Steve, our white cat, ended up at the vets Saturday afternoon.  Saturday morning I found pee with blood in it!  Having nine cats meant following each cat when they went to the toilet.  Hannah volunteered for that job!  When Hannah found out it was Steve we were worried as he had kidney stones as a kitten.  Our usual vets were closed but Hannah found a new vets, just a few minutes' walk from our house.  So in the afternoon Hannah and Christopher took Steve.  Hannah said that Steve hated the echo scan but was alright with the injection!  No stones so it's either stress or infection.  The vet gave meds for this week and we have to watch when he pees.  Also we have to collect a pee sample.  I say we but this seems to be Hannah's project.  Steve seems to be doing better as he was zooming around this morning.     

Steve

New Oven

 I finally got a new oven a few weeks ago.  I really tried to do without one, but it was hard.  I prefer meat grilled, baked or roasted.  Not having an oven meant a lot of frying and steaming of meat.  Also grilled veggies, crustless quiches and of course all the lovely baking, cookies, cakes and pies.  (No wonder I have a weight problem!!) 

New Oven

One problem is the display doesn't have a back light.  During the day it's okay but in the evening it's difficult to see, I use the flashlight on my phone!  It has all the basic functions, oven, microwave, grill and steamer.  I have no idea what the steamer does or how it works as my other ovens didn't have that function.  I'll try it out over the weekend!  So far I've made banana oat muffins, crustless quiches, coffee cupcakes, and toad in the hole!

Toad in the hole

Hannah made banana choco chip muffins. Those went very fast, no chance to get photos!

Suffering

 Every summer I get wiped out!  The extreme heat and humidity are hard for me to deal with. Even with air conditioning it's hard.  I want to go places during the summer holidays, but never do as I have no confidence that I would be alright to enjoy myself.  I look forward to autumn, cooler days and especially cooler nights.  Not having to use the air conditioner at night is such a relief.  But every year I get hit with allergies!  The past couple of years weren't so bad but this year has been awful!  The past few weeks I've been waking up at 4am with a runny nose, then start sneezing and sneezing.  This goes on for an hour or so.  I take over the counter medicine but doesn't work.  I end up with awful headaches, pain around my sinus area and my ribs aching from sneezing so hard!  On Saturday I went to the local doctors and got some stronger medicine.  Just one tablet at night before bed.  I've only taken it twice so can't decide if it's working or not!  But I haven't been sneezing as much as usual, so I'm hoping!

Mikey managed to burn his arm last week!  He had fried sausages and was moving the fry pan off the stove top when the fat splashed out and caught his arm.  Looked awful and I'm sure it must have hurt but he didn't need to go to the hospital!

Mikey's burns!

A few days later David was frying something and Mikey quipped, I don't like that sound.

I don't need a weather forecast to see what the temperature is, just seeing how the cats are sleeping gives me a good idea!  When it's hot they sleep far apart, as it cools down they snuggle together.  The past few days they have been getting on the sofa and curling up together! Also they love to get on peoples laps, one way of staying warm and not using the heaters!

Mama on Hannah

snuggled up cats!

Congratulations Hannah

 Hannah passed her road test!  Next week she has to go to the drivers license center to take her written test, then she will have her drivers license!  Finally!  She should have finished this in the middle of September but between a typhoon and being sick the test date kept being put back!

One of my friends was asking about driving schools here in Japan.  There are two ways to get a license, one is by going to the driving school for lessons when you have time, these can take a few months depending on your schedule.  The other is an intense residential course, which takes two weeks.  Both Mikey and David did it that way, so Hannah decided to do the same.  I feel it's easier as you are focused on driving and nothing else.  The first few days you learn how to drive on a course belonging to the school.  This is off road but has the same basic lay out as roads, with the road signs and crosswalks to navigate through.  Once you have got the hang of it you take a test on there and a written test to get a drivers permit to go on the streets.  You are then allowed on the streets basically practicing every day.  I think Hannah had between two to three hours of practice a day.  Also, there are videos to watch about road safety.  Just before the road test you get to drive on the highway.  Hannah enjoyed that, zipping along at 100KPH!   It's expensive, especially the residential course.  I think Hannah paid just over 2000 pounds.  This was her money from working at the local cram school.  Now she is saving to get a car! 

Hannah with another cat that followed her home!