Blood test results

As many of you know I have been on the Keto way of eating for the past 3 months so being due for a blood analysis I have been anxious to see the results.  I have MyChart online so I checked this morning and ALL, EVERY SINGLE TEST was in the normal range!! I fully expected that result but so nice to have verification. So let me brag a bit. Cholesterol is 180-under 200 is okay- Good Cholesterol (HDL) is 53. And that is good.  My A1C is 5.4- down from 5.9 a year ago.
And that isn't counting the thing that cannot be counted which is the difference in the way I feel. This is not a diet but a WOE (way of eating). I have no plans and no reason to change a thing. Once you get onto it and it becomes second nature and you know the enemy (sugar) and how to avoid it becomes easy and pain-free.
I will now step down from my soapbox.

The "Boys"

It is a big weekend for the boys. Butch, Rich, Gary, and Jason will be going to Atlantic for a golf tourney at Nishna Hills Golf Club. The four of them played last year in Missouri and decided they would like to make it an annual event to play in a tournament somewhere. Gary will get here later today so they can get some practice in beforehand.

I doubt that I have any trouble filling up my time.

Keri and I have managed to get our walk in the last two mornings, however, she will have grandkids at her house the next few days so it will slow her down in some aspects and speed her up in others!

Team McDugan came in 3rd last night at the casino trivia event. We always have a good time regardless of the outcome. There were plenty of laughs and chuckles throughout the evening. Our ages range from 16 to 80 and yet we are a pleasant blend.

The latest addition to my photos:

New trivia game-Half Truth

Spotted this article this morning and it is of interest to me. I need to know more about it. Not carried by Amazon yet. I checked!

https://www.polygon.com/2019/8/21/20813175/half-truth-trivia-game-kickstarter-richard-garfield-ken-jennings

Yesterday

We left home a little after 8:00 am and returned at 6:30 pm. The services in Prairie City for Myron were very well done. I can say that with full knowledge that isn't always true. The pastor captured Myron's spirit very well. Someone counted and came up with the number of 28 Magnolia park-related people in attendance.

We did some shopping in Costco and Walmart on the way home and stopped by Jason and Laura's for a brief visit.

Senior Discounts?

You know you are getting old when all your children, even the baby, qualify for senior discounts!

And even worse, your circle of friends becomes smaller. We lost a good friend from our Magnolia Park days. Myron Van Houweling. Myron and his wife Susan would meet us at Costco because it was about the same distance for both of us making a meet in the middle situation. And while we were all in Magnolia, Butch, Peggy, and I would stop by their place on Aspen street on at least one of our daily rounds. We will be attending services for Myron tomorrow in Prairie City.

There is a woman in our new park who keeps everyone informed of the happenings in Trophy Gardens. We only know a handful of people in that park but in the message from Trophy sent out yesterday a few sentences from a woman who lost her husband struck a chord. "It’s a path we all face at some time but it’s so hard. You not only lose your spouse but your best friend. Hug each other often. "

Website of the day

Big list of senior discounts
Wow! If you’re over 55 or 60, you can save a bundle of money at hundreds of businesses across the USA. Here’s an exhaustive list of restaurants, grocery stores, and retail establishments. And, just as an example, if you’re 55 or older, don’t pay “retail” for a cup of coffee at McDonald’s.

This is my life

Quote

" Youngsters of the age of two and three are endowed with extraordinary strength. They can lift a dog twice their own weight and dump him into the bathtub. "

Erma Bombeck

First and Fourth

Mowing

The renters on either side of us (same landlord) will not mow their yard until pushed and sometimes not even then. Fortunately, the city takes a stand on this and if it comes down to it they will mow it at $150 an hour. My guess is neither of these renters mowed and the landlord was warned by the city. I drew the conclusion that the landlord hired a man to mow it. The rent should go up considerably in both places.
Did a wonderful job, Right?

Road trip today

We will be off and running today. Our agenda is a preliminary stop at the drugstore to pick up our "all-the-time meds" and another at the courthouse to pay our taxes before venturing east to Ames Iowa where we will be returning an item to the UPS Store and a 3-month appointment for Butch with the plastic surgeon to look him over for skin cancers. Hopefully, none will be found. Then we will be heading south to Costco. We do not make it there very often when we are in Iowa but today is the day. And then home to Jefferson to get ready for trivia night at the Elks. A very full day.

Yesterday Butch went south to mow the Tallman's yard on Lake Panorama. It is a win/win for Butch. He likes to mow and enjoys being near the lake. I went to JIGS at Casa del Sol and met with 10 of Jefferson Iowa Girls. We all grew up in Jefferson and many of us were in the same class of '61.

The days fill up amazingly so!

Taken a few days ago. A simple house finch. I became intrigued with the feather pattern.

Patti Miller(Class of '61)

Another talented member of the class of '61 Jefferson Iowa.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M15m_U4Z6WE&fbclid=IwAR20hOOrPigVL7y8EOJbNdUgoP3YYbSRTy6q5zIvPrnyJp78e3AzZblU8PY

One Lone Squirrel

It seems we have just one squirrel this season. I do not know why that is so but despite there being only one it is sufficient enough to keep Butch on his toes.
Here is some backyard action from this morning. To my knowledge, the squirrel has made it to the new feeder one time and it did not go well for him. He still covets however.

Noodle-less Tuna Casserole

Easily adaptable recipe
Noodle-less Tuna Casserole
Janet Greone's
No Noodle Tuna Casserole

    There is no extra step in this recipe for boiling water, cooking noodles, draining and mess. Just put everything in a pan for the stovetop or a baking dish for the oven. Serve it over biscuits, toast, crisp Chinese noodles or (my favorite for a healthier plate) shredded cabbage or spiralized zucchini.
     Make it ahead and keep it cold to bake or nuke up to two days later. Double it for a potluck. Vary it by adding different vegetables or none at all. IT's best to use low-sodium condensed soups, then add salt if needed and pepper to taste.

1 can cream of celery soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
½ soup can dry sherry OR
½ soup can milk
1 bunch scallions, trimmed and sliced
8-ounce can mushroom pieces, drained
½ stick butter, melted
2 cans, 10 ounces each, albacore tuna, undrained
Optional topping:
1/4 stick butter
About ½ cup bread crumbs
   
    Whisk soups with sherry or milk until smooth. Stir everything else in a pan and heat gently or and mix it in a bowl and turn out into a buttered baking dish to bake at 375 degrees until it’s bubbling. To make the crumb topping, melt butter in a small skillet and add bread crumbs until they’re toasty. Serves 6.

See new shortcut  recipes every week from Janet Groene at https://campandrvcook.blogspot.com

Great Photo Tips

If you study and practice these tips long enough they soon become automatic. This is a well-written article.
https://www.rvtravel.com/eight-tips-for-taking-professional-grade-travel-photos/

One beautiful day after another

I have been reminded of South Texas in a normal year as far as the weather is concerned with one beautiful day followed by another for a whole string of nice days. One of the peculiar things about South Texas weather in a normal year and yes, I do need to repeat, is that the poor weatherman is given about a 30-second slot of time to state his case and then he is done until the next time. It isn't long before the weather is once again taken for granted and rarely if ever mentioned. As a person who is used to that kind of weather on occasion, it gives me a start when we are on the bike trail and a passerby goes on and on about how wonderful the weather is this morning. It will most likely take a 3-day stretch of the icky kind to snap me out of this happy bubble I am in.

Butch and I had a full day yesterday. Butch worked on waxing the motorhome in the morning. The common comment on that is "Didn't he just do that?" and the answer is, " Yes, he did." And I worked on trivia questions for both places-the Elks and South Texas.

And then we went uptown to see Elizabeth Warren at https://www.rvp1875.com/ . It was packed to the rafters-literally. One of the surprising things to us was the amount of out of town people who were here. In fact, I would say it was mostly out of town. Iowans but out of town Iowans.

And this was followed by Butch taking a quick turn around the Hot August Nights Car show uptown on the square and beyond. There were at least 300 entries.

And then we went to Pete and Jerilynns for a party. We were supposed to be meeting their friends from Wisconsin but due to a snafu they were not arriving until today. Hey, it happens! You will be having these kinds of snafu's too. Sooner than later depending on your age. The company was great and the food was delicious. Cannot ask for much more than that!

And of course, from there we had to hurry on out to the casino for trivia. There were 8 teams and the event seems to be growing. We did alright but not in the money. Many of the questions were aimed at a different generation. As I remember it, there were 3 questions answered by Devon and Karla that we would have missed had they not been there. When you need assistance on 3 out of 20 it tells you what a sad shape it would have been without their help. We have told them to bring their friends!

So today is starting to feel like a day off!!
Leo sent me these from the car show. I know nothing about them...they are green.

Iowa's Butterfly Invasion

Many people, including us, have been horrified at the number of butterflies we kill with our vehicles every time we hit the road. Here is the story for the summer of 2019 invasion of Painted Lady butterflies.
https://whoradio.iheart.com/content/2019-08-02-painted-lady-butterflies-thick-in-iowa-this-year/

Walking

I have been walking more frequently and the difference in my overall health is astonishing. I think the most apparent benefit is in my state of mind. When you are doing something good for yourself it changes everything.
Another aspect of that could be stepping on the scale. I had made the decision to not step on it more than once a month. Smart decision. Today was the day and it shows fewer pounds than the last time. And that is enough to make me cheerful.
Here are a few pics taken on the trail with my phone. My phone is easier to carry than my camera.

Special Pet Momento

Theresa is my sister.

 "I am a retired art teacher with time on my hands and wanting to draw. My master's degree from the University of Nebraska at Kearney had me drawing animals for my masters' thesis. I am interested in taking commissions. My prices are very reasonable and I have a short turn around time. My drawings are done on poster board in pencil. I do not paint. These make great gifts and memorials for beloved pets. 

Let me draw someone who pulls at your heartstrings.

Oh the things you'll forget!