Thin Slices of Joy
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Hmm, next spring I may plant an aloe arborescens pup outside to see if it survives the following winter. 🤔 I doubt it, but it will be nice to see it grow over the summer.
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Serenity - Thanks for the filter idea (for next time?). I haven't heard about anything like that. I know they say that our Covid masks aren't good enough, because the smoke particles are too fine and can get through. They always just tell us to keep all the doors and windows closed and to use an air purifier if you have one. We finally got a real good rain last night and this morning. Talk about a nice slice of joy! It was so great to go outside and breath that clean, fresh, rainy air, and to finally be rid of all the smoke, headaches, and irritated throats, etc.
I know what you mean about an old dog looking like a puppy. Back in the day when I was married and raising kids, we had two dogs. The first one we got was a poodle-terrier mix and she was real cute and "puppylike" all her life. A few years later, we added a German Shepherd pup, who even when she was only a few months old looked older and larger than the poodle-terrier mix. We would sometimes take them out to the park or wherever and people would always come up to us and assume that the older terrier-poodle mix was our "puppy" and ask things like, "Oh, how old is your little puppy?" It was our large Shepherd pup that was the "puppy" but no one seemed to notice. We always found it amusing and even started calling the little older one "Puppy" instead of her name sometimes, due to those comments from people. She made it to 19 and I was still calling her "Puppy" up to the very time she died.
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threetree - Your pup had a good run at 19 years! We haven't made the DIY filter for Covid. It's supposed to be much cheaper than an air purifier and may be more effective. You use MERV-13 filters that work on smoke particles and viruses. Next time! Glad your air cleared up.
My daughter left earlier today. She had a slight cough still but otherwise recovered. She usually visits once a week so this has been the longest period that I haven't seen her. Think she missed the dog most. 🤭
The Hot Sardines - When I Get Low I Get High - 😎
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Serenity - Making your own Covid/smoke filter - sounds like more than I am up to. I think you've got more energy than I do. You do a lot of baking, gardening, and now you're talking about more do it yourself stuff. I'm just too wiped out for that much. I'd bet anything it's the AI that's doing this to me.
Yes, that little dog"puppy" of mine (Sally) was the best! I never would have picked out a poodle-terrier mix at all, but my mother "reserved" her for us when a friend of hers had puppies. She just thought the puppy was so cute and that we should have her, and we just couldn't tell my mom, no. My oldest daughter named her for the mother dog, Sally, in the children's book, "Where's Spot?" Sally turned out to be one of my best buddies in the whole world. When she got to be about 16 I started to get real worried that she was going to die any time due to her age and declining health, but boy did she ever hold on to until that age 19! It made her the only pet I had left when the divorce hit. He moved out, the kids moved out, and the other two pets died, and it seemingly happened all at once. Little Sally stayed with me through it all and transitioned with me from the family home to this apartment place where I still live. That was another 19 years ago now! I'd have her here all over again in a heartbeat if it was at all possible.
So glad to hear your daughter is improving and didn't have too bad of a case. I just hope she doesn't wind up with any of those longer term "post Covid" symptoms. So glad that the two of you have had each other as she's navigated through this. Even mild cases are rough.
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threetree - I understand not having the same energy as before. These meds zap me as well. I think the DIY is engrained in me though. I don’t bake as much as before. Partly due to lack of energy, but mainly because I shouldn’t eat so much of it. I’m glad Sally was around when you needed her most. Pets are such a comfort. My daughter missed ours so much. It would have been hard to keep them apart if she were here when sick. I do worry about any lingering issues, but so far it’s ok.
The weather has been gorgeous here. We appreciate them more since we know they won’t last.
Dusty Springfield - Spooky 👻
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Serenity - Just the thought of maintaining sourdough as you do for your crackers, much less going to the trouble of making and baking them, wears me out. And to think that you tend plants, etc. as well is amazing. I think Covid added a real extra layer to my tiredness, on top of the Letrozole. That's what I'm really hoping doesn't happen to your daughter. You can have a fairly mild case after being vaccinated and all, but then you can still wind up with this ongoing brain fog and terrible fatigue on top of the AI. At least your daughter won't have to worry about the AI part of it. I truly hope she doesn't wind up with these lingering "post Covid" problems - it's worse than having Covid, since there is no seeming end to it.
Absolutely love Dusty Springfield, but this video doesn't show on here. No trouble finding it on YouTube though.
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threetree - I'm so sorry that you have long Covid. I hope it lessens soon. I know that even vaccinated people can get it. I have read that people who have been practicing intermittent fasting a long time are less likely to have long covid. Maybe it could reduce symptoms? I have recommended to my daughter that she try to fast 14 hours overnight. Since she's young I don't think she should fast too long. I also want her next vaccination to be Novavax. There are some anecdotes that it reduced long Covid symptoms probably in those with residual virus remaining. My husband and I have had one Novavax and experienced no side effects other than a sore injection site for a short time. My first mRNA vaccination (with Ibrance and existing small rash) resulted in a huge rash that lasted months. I will only take Novavax in the future.
That's weird about the video not playing. Glad you found it yourself.
Fasting is moved to Wednesdays. I forgot on Monday and put a teaspoon of sugar in my coffee, and then my older daughter asked if I wanted to share apples and Brie with her. Then my husband said fasting on Wednesday is easier for him.
I’ve restarted regular salty baths. My skin is much happier for it.
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TMI warning. Had an unexpected bout of loose BMs last night at the end of my 38-hr fast (better than at the start). I looked up which foods to break my fast gently, and we happened to have them. They worked.
Banana (with a bit for the pup)
Some Greek yogurt with cinnamon
Leftover rice with bone broth and egg (makeshift rice congee)
Prunes - risky, but had no problem
Another bananaDrank half my normal amount of coffee throughout
In the afternoon I made sourdough crackers. My husband declared them my best batch yet. Italian seasonings, garlic, salt, little cayenne - 👍 . Normal dinner of fish and veggies.
From my readings on foods for gut health: Greek yogurt has probiotics, leftover rice has more resistant starch than fresh, bone broth has gelatin and assorted goodies, sourdough has prebiotics, and black coffee is liquid love for the liver. I already eat prunes and eggs most days.
Nina Simone - I Put A Spell On You
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Ah - Nina Simone. Great song & good memories.
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My older daughter who loves all things pumpkin thinks this is the perfect animal. I won’t tell our pup she said that. But it glows in the dark!
https://twitter.com/natgeo/status/1586206441089671169?s=46&t=FrRP5dxgtS2EgoRwtJhRvQ
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That's truly weird!!!
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Well - try to form this stupid site won't let me edit or add to my post, so....
Did you know Nina Simone died of breast cancer? Here's her version of one of my favorite songs.
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Serenity - So sorry about your GI problems. I think these AI's contribute to it too.
I also do intermittent fasting. I do the overnight thing, not whole days or two at a time. I usually don't eat after about 5pm and then not again until about 9am. Whether it's helping with the cancer or not, I have no idea, and will probably never know, but I'm giving it my best shot. I've been doing it for 2 or 3 years now. Sometimes I do wake up "out of sorts" in the morning and then feel better after I eat something.
I found it interesting that some of the things you heard would help you break your fast, have wound up being the very things I have as my last meal around 4:30pm of each day. In the late afternoon I almost always have a bowl of Greek yogurt with Ceylon cinnamon, but I also add ginger as it is supposed to be a real cancer fighter. Additionally, I add a tablespoon or more of flax seed, a banana, 3 prunes (for my osteoporosis; have the other 3 for the day in am), and an ounce or two of raw organic walnuts, as they too are supposed to be a good cancer fighter. It's quite a bowl full and one's gut needs some time to adjust to it all, but it no longer bothers me at all. I tolerate it all very well, after gradually working up to it. It's really helped with a lot of the GI trouble I've had that has come with these cancer treatments. Even before I was diagnosed I discovered that a bowl of yogurt with a banana was one of the best things I could ever do for my GI tract. I've just expanded a bit on what I discovered back then.
There seems to be some pro and con, but mostly pro about the intermittent fasting and breast cancer. While most of what I read is in strong favor of it, there appear to be a few studies out there that suggest that autophagy (what occurs when we fast) can help some of those breast cancer cells that lay dormant for years and then later invade the bones, hide. I'm going with the "pro" side of what I've read and just hope I'm doing the right thing - adds to the crapshoot nature of all of this.
On another note entirely, my mother's birthday was Halloween. She would be 99 this coming Monday, if she were still with us. In her memory, I am posting this Halloweenish video. She bought a Stanley Holloway record when I was arouin12 or 13 if I remember correctly, and this song was on it. (He was an old English Music Hall performer.) We all enjoyed the whole record for years, but especially this cut. I don't know whatever happened to that old record of hers - I took some of them with me when she died, but didn't come across this one or some others that I had remembered. I'd almost forgotten all about it, but then heard it played on an old time radio show last night. This was a slice of joy for my mother and me, and I hope it can be for others here as we enter the Halloween week-end.
Serenity - Also forgot to mention, that I sent your Halloween pumpkin frog post on to my youngest daughter, who used to just be nuts about anything "frog". I made the assumption that you wouldn't mind, but please feel free to correct me if I was wrong.
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Minus - Love that Nina Simone version! I've had the same problem trying to edit. It's ridiculously sad that we continue to have problems on this site.
Threetree - I think my recent issue was due to the increased dosage of Ibrance in my latest cycle. I'm just finishing the 3rd week of this cycle, and that's usually when I experience side effects from Ibrance. I was expecting mouth sores, but they haven't appeared yet. Been using a peroxide rinse most nights. I've had more side effects from chemo and Ibrance than Exemestane. I had some stiffness in my fingers when I first switched from Tamoxifen, but that only lasted a few weeks.
It's good you're doing IF. I think it helps many things. I think fasting and prunes have helped my gut more than anything else. I don't regularly eat yogurt and bananas. My husband has them in his morning smoothie.
I love the Ghost of Anne Boleyn video. That's a nice memory of your mother. Like you I sent the link to my family. I think it's good to share these with people who would enjoy them.
I made sourdough flatbread to have with sardines. 👍
Santana - Black Magic Woman ❤️
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threetree - oh my goodness, I hadn't thought about "Her Head Tucked Underneath Her Arm" for years. What at fun memory. My Mother would have been 99 in December. One of Mother's favorite songs was Stardust. I'm posting Nat King Cole in her memory because I doubt she ever hears the Willie Nelson version - although she would have preferred the original Hogy Carmichael. I particularly love Contrane's version, and Wynton Marsalis'.
I don't adhere to an intermittent fasting schedule, but I normally eat only one meal a day. I rarely eat anything before 3pm and usually closer to 4pm. That's my one meal of the day. Although I occasionally indulge in something thing like popcorn later in the evening, I watch the sodium pretty carefully so I don't wake up in the middle of the night with horrible 'dry mouth'. Somehow several days this week I've been out for a substantial lunch before 1pm - pizza & salad one day, patty melt yesterday, loaded baked potato w/pulled pork today. I really don't get hungry again, but I will pour my daily GIn & Tonic and might have a couple of Tate's cookies around 8pm.
My goodness Serenity - I had no idea prunes were good for osteoporosis. Wonder why no docs (including my endocrinologist) ever mentioned it since I have Prolia shots twice a year?? And probably forever!!! Hoping you don't develop mouth sores this time.
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Serenity - Glad you liked the Anne Boleyn video/song.
Sourdough flatbread with sardines sounds great. With sardines it's either love 'em or hate 'em. I love them. I've been having them lately on rye crackers with a slice of Jarlsberg. I usually have them on some sort of cracker, or I just dump them in a stir fry. I think it was Alice Bastable though, who posted last year sometime that she likes sardines on rye crackers with a slice of swiss cheese (at least I think that was what she said). That sounded real tasty to me, so thought I'd try it too. I also saw something fairly recent about Jarlsberg having something good for osteoporosis, beyond what most cheese has, so that encouraged me further. I don't normally eat much cheese at all. This rye cracker, Jarlsberg, and sardine combo has become one of my favorite lunches lately.
Santana's Black Magic Woman takes me back to high school and thoughts of week-end parties. Trippy!(smile)
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Minus - Wow, your mother would be 99 this year too! I think it's nice to remember them in this way; with the song posts. It makes for lots of good memories of them. The Nat King Cole "Stardust" was lovely. I always liked his voice.
As I noted above, I hadn't heard that "With Her 'ead Tucked Underneath Her Arm" in ages, and had just about forgotten it, until I heard it on the radio last night. So glad I did!
Yes, there's info about prunes and osteoporosis out there. Apparently 6 prunes a day are supposed to slow, stop, and possibly even improve osteoporosis over time. It takes several months to see a difference. I've been doing it for three years now, and I'm due for another Dexa in something like January, so I will be curious to see how it goes. I started eating prunes when I started Letrozole, because I didn't want to take the drugs (I declined my dr's offer/recommendation). The first Dexa I had showed the osteoporosis and then they did another one I think 6 months later to check, and at that time there had been no change. Nothing improved, but nothing worse, and that was good enough for me. I just didn't want worse. If you just google something like "prunes and osteoporosis", a lot of stuff will come up.
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I'm not a sardines fan. But I LOVE smoked oysters. Sometimes a can of those is my entire dinner - with crackers or not. For some reason I particularly like smoked oysters with Triscuits.
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Hello ladies!
My yoga instructor I see on Friday nights for a restorative yin yoga practice always plays this song. It's so peaceful and comforting and thought some of you might like to have this for those days that are harder than other. Blessings to everyone!
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Thanks Jazzy. Peace is always welcome.
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Minus - I love smoked oysters too. Sardines and smoked oysters with crackers were some of my dad's favorite Saturday afternoon snacks when he was home from work, and he would often invite me to join in for some, so I pretty much grew up with that stuff and came to love it, while others were gagged by it all. Smoked clams too.
Jazzy - I love choral music (with the exception of some 20th century boring and tuneless stuff). Very nice piece you posted. It would be real nice to drift off to sleep to. Some of the harmonies and structure actually reminded me a bit of Russian Orthodox choir music that I really like. (No fan at all of Russian politics these days, but I've always liked the orthodox choir music - it's unique among choral singing.)
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Jazzy - Thank you!
Minus - I haven't tried smoked oysters. I'll ask my husband to put on his list.
Threetree - Totally agree about Russia. They must be stopped.
My older daughter had a short visit with us. She sounds much better. Still worried about long term effects.
Loved this Thriller dance video. 🧟🧟🧟
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Perfect for Halloween!!
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Oh ThreeTree - I had forgotten about smoked clams. I'll have to get some. When I was a child my parents served canned smoked oysters (of course transferred to a pretty bowl) & crackers in addition to cheese & crackers when they occasionally had people from my Dad's office over for dinner. My foiks didn't drink so they always served appetizers with hot consume. We were allowed to pass the snack trays before we were sent upstairs to bed. And we always had one or two families for New Years Eve and we were treated to smoked oysters. The other thing they served was Bumble Bee canned smoked sturgeon. I haven't seen that in years but if I google apparently I can order another brand for $12.50 for a 6 oz can. Whew!!!
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Serenity - Thriller! I bought that album years and years ago and think I still have it in a box somewhere. That whole album was one that I used to put on when my husband was at work, the kids were at school, and I could just close the blinds and "dance like no one was watching" (smile). As a side note I think it was Quincy Jones, the subject of some of our earlier discussion, who produced Thriller.
Minus - Yes, I just love all that shellfish. The Foodforbreastcancer site recommends against shellfish, in spite of their positive omega 3 content and more, largely due to the heavy metal content in those "bottom feeders" and the polluted waters of the places that so much shellfish comes from. I think that site generally has stuff down pretty well, but I still like to occasionally indulge in shellfish. I'd wound up anemic a couple of times throughout treatment, and I would just dive into those smoked clams and my B12 and iron levels just shot up to almost off the charts real fast when I decided to try and remedy the problem with 2 cans of smoked clams a day. Clams especially are loaded with iron. I'd rather eat clams than take iron supplements any day.
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Couldn't find smoked clams at the store today. So I substituted Mackerel fillets. No idea how those will be. Dinner was shrimp scampi. Yup - LOVE shellfish.
Ear worm - Leonard Cohen:
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Soooo - a comparison. I really Pentatonix - and I'm trying to decide which I like better - the original Cohen (above) or this version.
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Long day. Fell asleep before and after dinner. 🥱
Minus - Hallelujah is such a beautiful song. I love the original, but I think k.d. lang’s performance at the Olympics is my fave.
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On Tuesday I had an appointment with my MO. Told him I was to call RO clinic after 3 weeks if I hadn't been scheduled yet. He wasn't pleased and told me to go to RO clinic (downstairs) to remind them. The receptionist wasn't happy that he keeps doing this, but the next morning I got a call that my SBRT starts this Friday. Guess he knows what works. 😏
I saw the charge nurse and let her know I had a good experience with Novavax and that I have a new met. I really like her. Afterwards she saw me sitting in the waiting room and asked what else I needed. I was waiting to make my next appointment, and she led me to one of the schedulers to get that done right away. 👍
My appointments coincided with the Tuesday concerts so I listened for awhile. This time it was a pianist and a violinist. ❤️
My first SBRT appointment is tomorrow. 🫣
I saw Crowded House at an outdoor concert. Wonderful day.
Don't Dream It's Over ❤️
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Always really liked this song a lot. Nice to re-visit it. I read some years ago that it was written after getting inspiration from listening to the old Procol Harum, "Whiter Shade of Pale" (loved that too). You can hear it in this for sure.
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