Addicted

I told you it was like an addiction.  Canning stuff, I mean.  Yep, yesterday afternoon, I cut up, pickled, and canned those colorful peppers I'd bought Friday.  

I kind of wish I'd mixed the colors up a bit more when I was putting them into the jars, but I didn't think of it until just now.  But there they are.  I had just enough white vinegar left to do four jars, and coincidentally, I had just enough peppers to fill four jars-- with two of the yellow peppers left over to put into the chicken salad I'm going to go make here in a little bit. 

I had a bit of a scare when I opened the canning pot after the proscribed time to find one of the jars had tumped over in the water.  Nothing seemed to have leaked out of it, though, and it sealed up just fine, so I think it'll be OK.  I did a little research and some folks have suggested putting lidless empty jars into the canner to fill it up, so I might try that next time I only have a few jars to do.  

I've spent most of the weekend switching back and forth between watching an old BBC hospital show called The Royal and watching Olympic events.  I'm not going to comment of the controversy of the opening ceremonies because it's already been hashed and re-hashed to death, but I do want to support the American athletes.  They had nothing to do with what France cooked up, and shouldn't be punished because of it.  

NBC, of course, still has the absolute worst sports coverage ever.  I was trying to watch men's gymnastics qualifying rounds, and they only showed like one or two routines on each apparatus.  I wanted to see the whole meet.  If you don't have to work, you can watch events live on several channels, but I'm going to miss out on that because I do indeed have to work.  I think I'm going to have to stay off FB until it's all over, because there are results being posted everywhere for everything.  That's one advantage of having a memory like mine.  By the time I get to watch any of it, I'll have already forgotten. 

On the other hand, having to get up at 3:30 AM means I can't watch their prime time coverage anyway, because I'll already be in bed.  I guess I'll have to settle for highlight reels in YouTube. 

Anyway, I managed to finish another hat,  

and cast on a new one while doing all that TV watching.  

I've got enough ready to send, but since my printer is still on the fritz, I may have to contact the SCI to send me some.   

Speaking of work, I had a day off today to to my doctor for a follow up about my pre-diabetes.  I suppose I should call it insulin resistance, because my A1C has never really been high enough to be considered pre-diabetic.  It's close, but not quite there. 

Overall, he was pleased with my progress, and my bloodwork showed my A1C was down to 5.8, so apparently I'm doing something right.  I showed him the daily glucose readings and he said they weren't too bad, but optimal fasting glucose is around 80.  We talked about exercise and how important it is.  I said I have good intentions, but right now it's just too hot when I get off work and because I have to be there so early, I can't very well go before.  He suggested I do squats throughout the day, so I'm going to try that, at least until it cools off some.   Like in September. 

He also said I was down 8 pounds from my last visit in April.  I was surprised by that.  I knew I'd lost some weight, but not that much.  I'm not actively trying to lose weight; it's just coming naturally with healthier eating.  We also talked about Christmas and how that's where I struggle.  Every year, I always say I'm not going to go crazy with the sugar, but every year, I go crazy with the sugar.   Eleven months out of the year, I'm fine, but when those Cherry Cordial kisses and egg nog hit the shelves, I totally lose control.  I've googled and there are plenty of sugar free egg nog recipes, but those kisses....they're my Achilles heel.  

I'd had every intention of driving out to the lake after my appointment and walking a Pokémon Go route, but it was already starting to get hot, so I figured I'd better come home and mow before the heat dome settles in.  I got the front and side yards done, but the back will have to wait.  If I can ever get a fence guy to come out and put up my privacy fence, I won't be worrying about the back at all.  I'll mow it when I feel like it.   

Nope, I still haven't heard back from Bulldawg fencing.  I'm thinking I might have to take my friend's advice and go through Lowe's.  I wonder if I can use my veteran's discount for fence materials.  I don't remember there being any restrictions. 

And finally, I've been going through my old t-shirts and tossing the ones that need to be tossed.  That is, the ones with holes in them.  I'm keeping the ones that the design is just faded, as long as the neck isn't frayed or there aren't any holes.  Today, it's the shirt on the left that's going to the great beyond. 

On a whim, I also got the 25 and 30 year anniversary shirts and laid them all out for a photo.  I'm telling you, I never ever thought that place would still be in business after 30 years, but stranger things have happened.  

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'd better get that chicken salad made. 

Laters.