Visualize Whirled Peas

Thanks to our friend David's keen eye, we took time out to read the wonderful messages on the back of this car which is parked in a driveway on Commercial Street in the East End.  The next time I am counting the carbohydrates in a serving of peas, I will visualize world peace...

Tuesday Morning Serenity

I am on the cape. It's a lovely morning and I have 58 hours in front of me where I am completely on my own.   Vinnie returned home to attend to business. I am taking a well deserved vacation.

Sitting here I find serenity. Basic self-care is all that I have to focus on today. I got up, made the bed, checked my blood glucose level and poured my tea. There was that one email to a client that had to go out - I will continue to help take care of client needs that may arise. For the most part, I am unavailable to the world.

 I measured out the egg substitute for my breakfast protein.  I placed the chopped onion and cherry tomatoes in the pan to heat up  before adding the eggs. The finished omelette tasted amazing to me.  How wonderful it is to take my time preparing breakfast.   I counted a small orange as the 2nd carbohydrate - skim milk in my tea being the first.
My blood glucose levels have been steady - I have been consistent with exercise. Weight is dropping.  All is going along as hoped.  I will see the doctor next Friday to find out what the next steps are. 

Having just moved into our condo last week, nobody knows me here and no one cares about what I am doing. Oh they may be politely curious about the new people who moved in next door. They tell me this condo was empty for 3 year.  I have not felt so anonymous.  I'm visible yet I am invisible. I am acutely aware that someone is on the other side of the wall from me and I do not live with them - or do I? I never lived in a condominium before. However, having lived and worked in one community for 50 plus years, I know people everywhere I go back home.  It is a freeing experience - I feel unemcumbered & in the middle of a unique opportunity to reinvent myself,  Somehow, 58 hours does not seem like enough time to do that. But I can make a start.

I spent yesterday afternoon adjusting to being alone. It was nice. I had the doors and windows open and so was able to hear conversations going on outside in the condominium complex I am in.  There is an abundance of agape warmth here. Neighbors here care about one another.  One neighbor volunteers at a community garden coordinating it for the town. He came home after a long day of planting and began watering the flower bed in front of his condo. Then he took his watering can next door to where he has planted a garden for another. People were coming and going, while exchanging pleasantries. Another neighbor was cleaning off her car. She is a shopkeeper in town and had come home mid afternoon. Then I noticed she was cleaning someone else's car along with her own. I wondered about that for a few moments before it occurred to me to sit with this knowledge in gratitude. I witnessed a third and fourth act of kindness outside my window yesterday as well.

There was the 3rd neighbor who brought a big bag of cleaned and ready to cook striped bass from his catch of the day to the neighbor who'd planted him a garden. This exchange of kindness continued when I was included in this exchange.  I was to hand out a plate to the recipient of the fish fillets.   My catch of the day...He filled my plate!   Last night's dinner was a gift to me from this amazing Bali Hai Island which has summoned me for decades.

I'm seriously considering spending a lot more time here. This place is a bit like heaven.  My cup is over flowing.

Thank You Riva Greenberg!

2010,8:36:41 PM

I love a Blog that I came across:  http://www.diabetesstories.com/

I am thankful  for the educational information Riva Greenberg makes available. It was a great relief to find this blog and her inspirational books last month when I waas diagnosed with Type 2. This author / educator is  a gift to all of us and I just want to say THANK YOU Riva!

I am digesting lifestyle changes and learning to be more positive about the changes I am making rather than focus on what I could be doing better. I have started to accumulate files and books on my Kindle and will be feeding "K" more inspirational information as I come across it.   My next purchase will be getting the ABC's of Loving Yourself with Diabetes.  I can't believe I missed meeting her last November when she was in Westport - my dear friend works at the Senior Center where Riva gave a presentation.  My friend told me a diabetes ducator was gong to be there but, in November 2009, I was eating the wrong fat free foods and counting calories and points and cholesterol rather than carbohydrates. Who knew?
See my post on :
Diagnosis - Diabetes Type 2
All the best to you,  D

Baby Blue's Trip to Commercial Street

She owned this town. Everywhere we went, Blue turned heads. It was hard to not be the proud owner of a Blue Merle Rough Collie. Yes, Vinnie and I are proud of our girl -

BABY BLUE'S VACATION IN PTOWN

  I forgot to upload my photos to Picasa before Vin left with the camera earlier today.  I wanted to share my latest shots on the blog..  I will post the rest another day.
  The novelty of Ptown is wearing down for our Baby Blue. She's back to her usual laid back self - and not so interested in checking out the sites and sounds of the area.  It is a lot of work for all of us to get her into and out of the condo and car.  We borrowed a doggie ramp for her.  She is reluctantly using it now.  I think it hurts her pride. 
  We tried to take her to Beech Forest across the street for a nice walk this morning.  She wanted nothing more than to lay on the front walk and snooze.  I have to admit that while this usual activity is a bit boring, I find it is nice to see her so comfortable. I think she's tired from all the activities of our week here. 
  Vinny was momentarily frustrated with her this morning. She is not cooperating with his long awaited dream--to let his dog run on the beach -- Here's the hitch -- Blue doesn't like the sand - and she wants NOTHING to do with the water. In fact, she sat down under the umbrella at the beach to watch the other dogs frolicking.   This picture shows her preferred spot on Herring Cove Beach. 
  We took off our shoes and walked with Blue to the water's edge where the cold water splashed onto the sand.  Alas -- Blue is a Fairfield County Lady AND was just groomed the other day .  She did not want to mess up her pedicure and didn't mind that I messed up mine.  Dear Blue -- we love you.

I WILL SKIP THE WALK ON THE BEACH TODAY - THANK YOU

  We were at the beach and ready to go for a walk when the wind started to blow.  It sounding like sleet on the windshield.  I'd never been in a sand storm before.  We were glad that we'd not gotten out of the car yet when this wind kicked up.  Oh the fun we have on Cape Cod.

A WALK IN THE PARK

VINNIE & BLUE

BABY BLUE CHILLIN' IN THE FRONT YARD