9/17/2026 Diet 3

            Getting fat. Why?  To me, it's not caring and being lazy.  You make choices on a daily basis. I want what I want. Looking no further than the end of our nose.  The ramifications are beyond said nose. That,  mainly being our future health. With me, it was high blood pressure and now being pre-diabetic. Also wearing clothes that don't fit right.  In hindsight it's totally ridiculous. Blind eye syndrome. Had it for decades. Most of my life. One of the first signs was more than 20 years ago I started to get a head of sweat on my forehead after drinking coffee. I use to drink about 4 cups a day.  I switched to decaf and the bead of sweat went away. The coffee was restricting my blood vessels. This was probably the start of my future heart problems. I  eventually went on blood pressure drugs. I take the max. Even taking it was not a great BP. In the upper 150s over upper 90s. Now it's lower. 

           Eat 3  smallish meals a day. My snack is a banana. I carry a grocery store cold bag with me. It's in a shape of a cube. Flat bottom. I used to put in one of those freeze bags in the cooler bag. But much later I got rid of it, because it had a slimy feel to it. Now, I use a half gal milk container. I washed it out good and fill with water and freeze it. I also put in 2 frozen 9 oz drinking bottles. And I put in 2 bananas before I leave for the day. For lunch, I eat at Taco Bell. I get the small taco salad for $2.50.  once a week I'll get the chicken stacker or beef burrito. If I eat a little too much during lunch, I only eat a slice of toast with cream cheese and a little blackberry preserve. Before bed I'll take about 8-10 grapes.

           For dinner. I will take for week one a tuna can in water. I add 1 cut up radish and a table spoon of coleslaw or chopped lettuce. Mix together with mayo. Make a slice of toast put half of contents on bread and save the other half. I use head lettuce for my top piece. The dill pickles come from the Dollartree 1.25.  I  eat one of these. Plus another radish. I get a half pound of baked beans at supermarket at the deli. I mix these with whatever can of beans I have at home. This makes a good taste. I will heat up in microwave a tablespoon of beans as a side dish. The other half of tuna U eat like 2 days later for dinner. Next week I will go with salmon and do the same. I use liverwurst as well. Ground chicken, I fry up well done in little pieces and mix it in pasta in my small bowl.  I add grape seed oil and hot sauce plus mustard. No second helpings.

           For veggies I like the frozen mix at Wallmart or Aldi's about a dollar. Carrots, cauliflower and broccoli. Microwave them, eat half and put the rest in fridge. From wallmart I get pre- made salads. I fill my small bowl and add radishes and carrots and mushrooms. I used to get pre- cut cauliflower from Wallmart. But they don't keep as well. I'd have to use my knife and rub away the black coloration off them. It's shiny white underneath it. Now, I started to buy the whole head of cauliflower. I also like brussel sprouts. I put 3 small cut up sprouts in with my bacon and potatoes fry pan. I like the smell of the cooked sprouts that lingers in the air. Most noticeably when you leave the room and come back in.

          I get discounted meat from the grocery store. Like pork. Usually 1 in thick chop. I get 2 per pack. I cut each in half making 4 dinners. I keep frozen small  chicken breasts in freezer as well. And I just bought some liver cuts. They're frozen. Haven't tried them yet.

           13 weeks in and I'm at 219. My new plateau. Instead of every other day in pop tart I will go to every 3 days then eat one. You constantly have to modify what you are doing during the diet. I can now tell when food is too salty easily and also the sugar levels. For my cheese and crackers I would use Ritz crackers , the hint of salt kind and I can taste the salt. I would eat my sharp cheese and Swiss cheese as my adour ve with grapes and half an apple. I got a cheese slicer that helps me keep cheeses serving size low. I've now cut down in this adour've alot. I was able to eat this when losing the 20 pounds. But it's not working now. More stringent moves by me is necessary. Another thing to watch out for is bread. This carb puts on the weight. Potatoes I buy the small packages of mashed just add water. I do a tablespoon from the bag.

           The banana snacks help alot. Cantaloupe  I buy and leave it out for at least 2 weeks before eating it.  When taking bites if something good like bacon use your front teeth and just take small bites. To spice things up red pepper shaker, ground stone mustard from Wallmart and Louisiana hot sauce from Dollartree.

            Dieting is not about giving up. If you have a setback on the scale, well it's ok. The next day you get back on the diet. When you get to your desired weight you can have what you want but you now know what has to be done. Your stomach is smaller now, don't over stuff. Use your scale at least 3 times a week. I do it every day.

           We become what we focus on and then take action in getting it. Focus on the positive even if things happen to be negative in your life.  You can do it!

9/15/2026 Update

            Right off the bat. When on the road, I saw a semi in the left lane . We were stopped at a light. Words on the back of the truck was  (promises will be kept). That has big meaning to me. The rest of day was normal. Which is good. I'm thankful for that. I'm thankful what I have.  My gal, a  roof over my head, a car, food and health. It helps to count your blessings at the end of the day.

           Sometimes DS does things in big ways and sometimes it's quick and to the point. I will do this experiment next week as well. In the same way. We do what we can do to help ourselves and when we hit a roadblock, invite DS in for an assist. The DS can use any means to get it's point across. When you ask, the answer is on it's way. It's up to you to spot it.

           I told this before. A woman was recognizing she was seeing quite a few empty oil bottles on the road. Way more than usual. One day she was getting gas and a service guy said can I check your oil. She remembered the bottles. Yes. Turned out she was fine 3 quarts. So, DS can help out without being asked as well.

9/15/2926. DS

            Divine Spirit. Today the 15 th I decided to do an experiment. I've given it over to DS on how my day is going to go according to it's ways. I will write about it at the end of the day.

9/14/2026. A Hickup

          Last Tuesday, I stepped on the scale 219. First time in a very long time. I entered the teens. That day I went to have my rear brakes done on the car. My mechanic cancelled on Friday. Always delays of late. Like for the last 8 mos. So, this day is hot near 90. The restaurant is a short walk. Take my wife there. Everything is expensive. Order cheapest burger for 13.50. At one time I could get a steak at that price. My wife gets a side order of pasta 8 bucks. I bite into the burger with cheese and bacon and  I get squirted with an orange liquid on my hand. Yolk! What the??? Didn't read there was an egg on it. Still it was a good burger. I had a little potato salad and some of my wife's pasta that she was done with.  The brakes got done, finally. Next day step on the scale,and 222 staring back at me. A week later  today Monday, I'm at 220 pounds. One pound heavier. Losing weight is a serious business. The burger was real good but you pay the price. I'm now back on the diet. Three meals a day and fruit for a snack. Dropping 22 pounds, I do see the difference and it does keep me motivated.

         Today  my car is getting a new water pump and timing belt. If the belt were to break the motor would be screwed. This 4 cylinder Hyundai has 208,000 miles on it. First owner got it in a wreck and it got fixed. The second owner also got in an accident. Messed up the hood and trunk. That didn't get fixed. In the manual it says to replace the belt at 90,000 miles. I doubt that ever happened. I've owned at least 29 vehicles and never got a timing belt replaced on any of them. I called around to service stations. One guy wanted 1300 for parts and labor. I took to the Internet and found parts for 50 dollars up to 200. I found the name of a good timing belt and water pump kit for 123 dollars. I got that one. Most service stations won't install customer parts. My guy will. Took me over a year to find my guy. He's working on it today. So total price would be 630 instead of 1300.

          When looking for something, think about what you're willing to spend and try to keep near it. Whether it costs 5 bucks or  1,000 and up. Check online and ask questions of friends or people who are associated with what ever you're after. I've made mistakes along these lines but I'm getting smarter.

           One other cavette I have here. I noticed there are alot of car washes around. Seems like they want their cars to look good. Yet, they drive crazy. I see more damaged cars being driven around then the last place I lived at, on the east coast.

           I've been seeing these signs for years,  be careful with motorcycles. Been seeing that a long time. So, it is always in the back of my mind. Drive up to a 4 way stop. Motorcycle guy to my left pulls up. So, it's my turn to enter the intersection. The guy pulls into the intersection cutting me off. I don't say or do anything. I'm in a Walgreens. Not too many cars in lot. You have to pull in toward a curb to the left next to the store or to the right next to the bushes. I pick the store side. Front in. To pull out front wise I'd have to back in. After the store, I get back in and check mirrors. All good back up and hit the brakes. Just missed this blue car backing up at the same time as me. I pull forward . No hit. Jeeze. I guess next time I better back in. Now, I'm thinking this all the time when parking.

9/13/2026. Meat

            Recently, the government is now allowing tainted meat from South America to come into the country. They grind it up and mix it in with good meat. Some of the meat has lingering anti- biotics in it as well as pathogens. Also some of meat is way over a year old. They will not tell you where this meat comes from on the label. Not only that but vegies as well have been hurting us as well.

           There are way less inspectors hired to keep us safe. It used to be different. Weakening government controls has made us less safe than ever. More food borne illnesses for us to deal with.

          What to do. I remove the outer layer of a head of lettuce. Then hold it under the faucet. Wash all fruits & vegies as well as cuts of meat. For chop meat find a trusted butcher and buy from them. With chop meat, I put it in a pan and make it well done. Then I drop it into some pasta. If your out in store buying food ask DS in your head is this safe. See if you feel an answer. Listen to your gut. When eating out I ask for my burger to be well done. Before going out for food in a restaurant or grocery store, ask DS to help you keeping you safe.

9/02926 Dumbell Update

          Lifting the dumbbell. I use 25 pounder. You choose your own weight. They make them as low as 3 lbs.  I do it sitting in a chair. Before it was 3 reps of 30 on each arm. 30 then stop 30 the next arm, stop. Then lift dumbell above my head and lock the elbow for count of 50. You can do way less. Then do again with your left arm. Then do it again. This time I do 40 each arm. This is the new part. Then lift over head for the required time. Then another rep back to 30 each arm. So, that's a total of 100 lifts for each arm. And 100 overheads. Next new thing is holding the weight behind my head in a vertical position so my 2 hands are near the one end of the dumbell. The other end dangles behind me. I am sitting. U hold for a 50 count. I gently push my shoulders against back of chair and slightly arch my back, when doing this exercise. 

           At least once a month I do the stretch in the open doorway for my neck and back. Also turn your neck to the left as easy as you can go, then back to the right 180 degrees. Do 25 times. For the neck. And get out and do some walking. Or swimming.

9/08/2026 A Follow Up

            Last night, I went to a different guy who was at the desk and told him about the upstairs neighbors. This was just before 10 pm. He said he would contact them about it. After 10pm if there is still noise, then call him. Well, it was after 10 and still with the pounding. Called him, he said I'll get on it. The pounding stops.  Great.

           So I take action by going to the desk. Now, I also invoked DS on my behalf. I believe that DS will help in assuaging the upstair person's feelings, in not becoming mad about having to modify their behavior.

           I picked up a little notebook from a thrift store. It's 31/2 x 5 inches. It has a thicker outer cover made of paper. It has a top flap that folds over and locks by a magnet. I'm going to use this little book to write what I would like to happen. I look at it first thing in the morning, at night and during the day. I'm going to focus on getting stuff done. So, today I had an appointment with my mechanic to put rear brakes on the car. It got delayed by him for an hr. Ok I will work with that. Anyway it worked out good. I got the brakes done just in time.  Because one of them just had a whisper of a pad left on the shoe. If the metal touched the drum it would wreck the drums, which would be more money. Wheel cylinders were ok as the drums. Great. The timing belt is up next.

           One thing I like about the smart phone is I can stay in touch with family members via texting. It makes it way easier, to stay in touch. If you have loved ones stay in touch with them. It's a good thing. 

           This here is a dream I had. A small furry guy with a small beak scoots up near my foot. I pick him up with my hand. He's like a mini furby. What's it mean. There is a strip of woods where I'm staying.  The remains of a wooded area at one time. The critters and birds have this for their home. Trying to live is tuff for them. They had an easier time 200 years ago. I read decades ago of a farmer who would feed the deer and other mammals melons during the winter. He would walk it to the tree line and drop the food there. They were waiting for him. Once where I was living, I buried some food waste on my property a ft down. The next morning I saw they dug it up. So,  I would just drop it on ground instead after that. I'd do it once a week. This way they're not to depended on it. So I do the same here. I freeze the food and then throw it in the wooded area. So back to the dream. The small mammal with beak was a combination of the wildlife being appreciative to my efforts. Birds and mammals. It was a thank-you note per say. You definitely don't want to do this more than once a week. They have to fend for themselves as well. Which is tuffer than it used to be.  They just filled in a low area with real tall grass, up the street. Probably more apartments. Dropping truck load after truck load into the mini valley. Unbelievable.