March Is Nutrition Month

"Only 100 Days until Summer.  HANG IN there Fox !"

~Photo Courtesy of Cottage Life on Facebook~

Ha, ha, ha ... when I seen this photo it reminded me of the Squirrel on the ICE AGE Movies.  I have seen every one of those Movies and looking for the 5th one to be released.

Today Rob and I both headed up to the Good Doctors, North of the Checkerboard, to Lion's Head.  After I had gotten my weekly allergy shot in the arm, we went over the results of my neck x-rays.  Not too much more of a significant change showed in the damage to the bone structure.  

There has been an MRI ordered to see what is going on with the muscles, ligaments and so on.  The MRI might shed some light on why my arms from my neck down have been experiencing the most bizarre and scary feeling of paralysing numbness.  The good thing is when this has happened, is it has never lasted longer then 10 minutes, being the longest, of not being able to move.  Something is definitely pinching something in there with hopefully the Degenerative Disc Disease of my neck having not progressed any further then it had been four years ago.  I will remain positive about this until medical evidence says otherwise, as what else it there to do.  As many people say, "it is what it is".

On our way back home, both of us could not help notice the dark loam that was being "scraped" from a field.

"Black Gold ... is it not beautiful?"

The dirt in our back fields is this dark.  It is very wet with "peat" in the very farthest fields.  It would have to an extremely dry Summer for Rob to take the big Leyland Tractor back there.  Our little grey Ford 9N does much better going through the back field to the bush, since it is by far much lighter.  Trust me he has gotten stuck a couple of times back there in the past 9 years we have been here, which was quite enough.

We didn't arrive back home until around 11:00 pm.  What happened when back home? well the bed still needed made, dishes were still in the sink, the Fabulous Four all needed feeding, and the list goes on and on  and on.  What did I do? all of that plus the vacuuming of a whole dog from the floors of the living/dining room and hallway.  The floors are in need of a good washing, however I am leaving that big job until I have a whole day at home myself, probably Thursday.

Even though we had huge fluffy flakes of Snow throughout the day, I have started to feel the itch of Spring feeling the need to get going on the Spring cleaning.  It needs to get started on before the next litter of pups are due to arrive, as I will be busy again with them as well as beginning the outside cleanup left behind by the Winter months.

Dinner was simple, easy and delish.

"Grilled Balsamic-Garlic Crusted Pork Tenderloin.  Marinaded 5 hours, pan-seared, then in a 400*F Oven for 25 minutes."

"Melt in my mouth, served alongside pan-fried potatoes and Peaches & Cream Corn."

Recipe please?  PRINTABLE RECIPE *CLICK* HERE.

This Pork Tenderloin is a perfect lean meat choice, especially since March is Nutrition Month.  Lots of tips and ideas for Good Health, as well as a phone number to contact a Certified Dietitian by going to the following "Eat Right Ontario" link:

https://www.eatrightontario.ca/en/default.aspx

Fruits, Vegetables, lean cuts of meats, along with proportions are all the "KEY" to Eating Right.  

I like to think I am always conscientious of making good food choices, or having smaller portions of those "sweets", but trust you and me, there are days when I go all out and right off that bandwagon !  Sometimes when there have been days like this, I always try to get back on the wagon and carry on down the healthy more sensible path, with better choices of what foods I eat.

Glancing out of the patio doors towards our bush line, it is still day light with a bluster of Snow going on at the moment.  I think I will wrap things up here and see if the Fabulous Four will begin on a third feeding of the day, since they are already going on six weeks old.  Where do the weeks fly to, by and by.

I am off and running, once again, at a slower pace then usual, "Just North of Wiarton & South of the Checkerboard".

Beauty Of The Morning

Just before 7 am, when I walked back into the dining room towards the wood stove something caught my eye outside the window .... I found my camera, hurried to get into my jacket and I was out the door, as I did not want to miss ...

"... the Beauty of the Morning."

It took my breath away with its beauty.  Absolutely stunning it was.  It never last too long; how blessed was I to have been able to take it all in.  I pray it is a sign for better days ahead.

The "Checkerboard Aussies" all taken care of and the bed made, before I headed North of the Checkerboard to my weekly appointment with the Good Doctor Loney for the hour of 9 am.

My appointment this day went well being the allergy shot didn't hurt too much, and my blood pressure was down from last week.  Both very good in my books.  I am being sent for more x-rays on my neck.  For those who know me, know I suffer from Degenerative Disc Disease in my neck which 4 years ago was diagnosed with being Moderate to Severe, making for lots of pain and discomfort some days more then others, hence part of the reason for my headaches, the reason I do not knit or read rarely anymore  The neck pain is just one more thing that has slowed me down from life as I used to know it at 150 miles per hour, along with the Fibromyalgia and Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Four years ago I had seen the Head  Orthopedic Surgeon at the Barrie Hospital.  After the consultation with him, with the MRI results of my neck removed, his personal examination and a discussion in length how and what I felt, his conclusion was I would no longer be able work at regular employment, suggesting I do not subject myself to repetitive activities, however also not recommending surgery as I was way too young and the outcome of  surgery could worsen my condition.

Dr. Loney has first ordered an x-ray before anything else, to see if this will show up anything to be worse then it was when I last had x-rays two years ago March 2nd after being in a car accident, wherein my vehicle flipped three or more times after hitting black ice.  I remember the attending Doctor at Emergency at that time asking me if I realized how bad my neck was, wherein I panicked thinking the accident had caused more damage to it ... a second x-ray at that time had been taken to make sure it had not.

I am pleased to say, Dr. Loney is pretty much "on top" of these things if there have been "red flags" put up.  My "red flags" have been that I have been experiencing absolutely no feeling from my neck down into both arms at times, since just before Christmas, to the point I have felt paralysed, sitting unable to move with a fearful feeling until it passed.  I feel very scared when this happens.

X-rays should be done next week, with it really not being too long until it is determined what the next "plan of action" will be from there on in.  In the meantime he has prescribed a different type of pain medication to see if this gives me more relief then what I have been taking.  I am confident it will be all sorted out in no time.

This is the reason why some days I get less done then other days ... oh for the days when I could do up our house and almost turn cartwheels at the same time.  Ha !

Truly though I am happy for what I do have more then naught,  which is countless blessings even though some days I get weighed down by other obstacles.

Really now, how could I feel down when the day began and touched me with such beauty?

The Chicken Stock I had made the other day needed packaged up and put into the, now working again, freezer.

On to the rest of my day ....

"I took a clean tea towel to strain sentiment and fat from the stock.  Look how rich and dark it is, as  I used a bright red onion along with the goodness of other vegetables when making the stock.  Seven containers there were for the freezer.  I can't wait until I need to make up a Homemade Chicken Soup to try it out... yummy."

"It was cold today but not overly for these two youngsters to be out romping together.  Buddy just turned two, and Missy Mercedes 18 months, it is good for them to play and wear themselves out with each other.  Trust me they both sleep very well at night, with not a peep from either of them."

I received mail this day from young Nathan Reynolds-Furry, who had been visiting last month from Yass, Australia.  Nathan does an article for the local newspaper, the Yass Tribune.

"Nathan was kind enough to mail me two articles he had wrote for the paper.  One was on corresponding with another as a Pen pal, touching on my relationship/contact with my friend, John Daley, who is now passed on from this World, and the other was based on his trip to Canada.  Very good Nathan, thank you for sharing with me."

For those who know me, know how much I love Easy Peasy as 1-2-3, with my Slow Cooker being one of my most favourite small appliances.  I first began my love relationship with my slow cooker when I had went back to College for a Computer for Business Course (at least 16 years ago now I would think), when homework was piled high and good meals needed to be easy and good.  The Slow cooker gave me both with a great meal all ready at the end of a long day.

"Dinner could not be made easier then this."

There is never a day I do not have myself some ....

" Puppy Love "

... for at least 5 more weeks !

I would love to welcome my newest follower, this being Kristen of About a Girl, who lives in Winnipeg, Canada.  I have already dropped over at Kristin's blog and know I am going to love following her too, as she loves to take pictures.  I do love picture taking as they tell such wonderful stories, do they not?  Thanks for the follow Kristin !!!

Oh my "Crabby Cabbie" Rob?  he is hard at work trying to chisel a living out of life for us.  I do love him dearly for that.  In-between he did manage to enjoy the wonderful Slow cooked Roast Beef dinner I had made for him.

I think that pretty sums up the day I have had myself, "Just North of Wiarton & South of the Checkerboard".