Pumpkin Season

Yesterday morning, one of my coworkers bopped up to me and said, "I brought my cooler in today.  I didn't yesterday, and I saw all these coolers still in the plant, so I brought mine in today. I've got it in my locker over there. "

"OK," I replied.

"What about you?" he asked.

"I never stopped,"  I said.  

Apparently, all he'd heard was her saying we'd have to leave our lunches in the car until break time, and didn't hear her back off when I confronted her.  I mean, is she trying to kill us?  If I leave my chicken salad in the car in this heat, that's botulism waiting to happen.  Anyway, I don't see how they can actually enforce this one.  They haven't even been able to enforce the no food or drink or breaks for 8 hours straight (if you come in at 3:00 and lunch is at 11:00)  rule, because honey, if I'm hungry, I'm going to eat.  I'm not going to stand there and starve.  

You know the really bad part?  It's that they think this is an OK way to treat their employees.  No, it is not OK, not by any stretch of the imagination!   

OK, moving right along.  

Since I moved my Orange mint into a pot, I had an empty spot in my raised bed, so yesterday when I was in Walmart, on a whim I went into the garden center to see if they had anything left.  I didn't really expect much what with it being so late in the season and all, but wonder of wonders, I found another cilantro plant.  It was in kind of bad shape, but I bought it anyway because Brennan loves the stuff. 

I put this one into my part - shade bed, so maybe I can keep up with it better.  I'll be sure to cut it back as soon as it looks like it's going to seed, and hopefully, I'll get enough to fill up a jar.   When I got home this afternoon, I went ahead and cut some of the more scraggly bits off, and managed to get a few sprigs that were good enough to hang and dry. 

Then I got on a roll and cut a bunch more herbs and started the drying process.  The bad news is, I found another caterpillar on my orange mint.  I don't know what else to do.  I've tried NEEM oil, diatomaceous earth, diluted dishwashing liquid, and nothing has worked.  I'd read that adding vinegar to the diluted dishwashing liquid helps, so I put some into that and gave the plant a good spray.   We'll see...

In other news, I've been doing my squats throughout the day just like the doctor recommended.  He said to do 10 per hour, but I'm still working up to that.  Right now, I'm doing two...when I remember to do them.  Today, one of my coworkers caught me and said, "You look like you're over here exercising," and I said, "That's exactly what I'm doing."   That got me to thinking.  Thus far, I'd been taking my blood sugar readings first thing in the morning, after I'd spent the evening before eating, then sleeping.  I wondered what it would be right after a long, hard day at work, so I took it as soon as I got home, and it was 83.  Not too shabby.  

That must be why my A1C was good, even though my fasting glucose was a touch high.  And why it always seems a bit higher on Monday mornings after sitting and eating all day Sunday.  So I did a thing at the store yesterday.  And just what is that thing I did?  

I bought almond flour. 

I'm not planning on going full Keto, but I am trying to cut back on simple carbohydrates.  The problem is, I like carbohydrates.  I like bread and cake and cookies.  I'd bought a box of the Quest brownies last week, but that stuff is expensive.  So is this, by the way.  That little four pound bag of almond flour cost $18.  But I figure I can mix it with a less expensive flour and have sort of Keto stuff to eat.  I'll have to look for some recipes and see what I can come up with for Christmas baking.  

Oh, and it's ON!  

And finally, just for fun...

 I hear he wants his dog back, too.  

If I were you, Sharon, I'd give it to him.