Yesterday I cooked a pot of field peas with goat meat in the crockpot. I had never had them before and looked up recipes. They are not regular peas that have matured and dried but a bean, and are common in the South. They are really good combined with Rao's tomato sauce with sausage and mushroom.

Green Plantains

 My health care clinic advertised that it was giving away free food this afternoon. I had visions of produce laid out on tables. But when I showed up there were grocery bags all packed with the same thing: 3 green plantains, 3 mangos, red grapes and a package of baby kale. I have never cooked green plantains before so I spent the afternoon looking at recipes. I can roast them, peeled and sliced, or I can boil them and mash them up. The grapes are delicious although I haven't been eating them because of the sugar. It was a good long walk go the clinic.

more scans

Today is Saturday and I woke up at 7:30 to go into Manhattan for some scans. I know the way to the radiology clinic of Mount Sinai now: take the L to 14th St and then the 6 going up town to 103rd and Lexington. I don't even need to use Google Maps when I get out of the station because I know what direction to go. Got there for a 9:30 appointment for a thoracic CT scan to follow up on a lung nodule and then had a radioactive injection for a full body PET scan to follow up on the endocrine mutation. I'm anticipating that both of them will be fine. Only paid $30 for one of them. We'll see if I get another bill. 

I'm watching Six Feet Under and I actually stayed up all night to watch it and then lay down most of the day and then watched some more. I lost track of time and went to bed at midnight last night. Still managed to get up in time for a shower and went to the store on the way home. I will cook some brussels sprouts later. I'm a little frustrated that I've plateaued on the scale again; holding steady at 177.  

heat wave

 I took my short morning walk today even though it was 88 degrees. It's 92 now but the temperature is going to drop at least ten degrees this evening: thunderstorm!

 

heat advisory

 We've gone from sweater weather to heat advisory. Today's temps were in the 80s so I stayed indoors, and tomorrow it will be even hotter. After Wednesday it will cool off. Tomorrow we are doing our Prediabetes meeting by zoom, so if I want a walk I need to get out of bed earlier than I have been. The topic is adding more exercise. I have been on target with the program goals so far but this will be a challenge. I can add exercise by using YouTube videos; I just haven't done it. 

Rosemary called from Minnesota. She and Loren are doing well. She's using the barn as her studio and working hard. This weekend she'll go into town and spend the night with a friend so she can attend some gatherings. I'm so glad for Facetime! Nancy and Mark are in Mexico. Johnny and Dana have just moved into the new condo they bought. I'm glad they are able to become homeowners. I saw some pictures of their place from the realtor listing and it looks spacious and bright. It's in the same school district so Morgan can continue in her Spanish Immersion program. 

 

I attended my last opera in the series. It was a newish opera in Spanish about Frida and Diego. The production values--sets, costumes, choreography and use of chorus---we're quite wonderful. I was less impressed by the score but the singing was good.  

 

Mother's Day

 On my walk to the cafe this morning I was wished a Happy Mother's Day by six men! 

Oncologist check-in

 I saw my oncologist today., after my DPP class in the morning. We reviewed the results of the blood work my liver doctor ordered and I asked about the meds and liver markers. We agreed that the progress I have made in lowering my A1C, my glucose, and my liver markers, and the good results of the Fibroscan, are all signs that I'm doing the right thing by making diet and exercise changes for reversing fatty liver and prediabetes symptoms. She noted that I am due for some more scans: a PET scan to follow up on the endocrinologist's recommendation for monitoring and a chest scan for the nodule on my lung. I scheduled the chest scan for two weeks from now.

I had a big kale salad at the Delancy-Essex marketplace and regretted my choice because it had some higher calorie ingredients (although healthy ones). Walnuts and dates and pumpkin seeds pushed the calorie count up. But I had a chicken breast and leafy greens, cucumber and tomato, garbanzo beans and tahini dressing and no rice; all healthy choices and only a few calories over. I was tired while walking but I got in my steps and went up and down a bunch of stairs, I checked my phone app for step and stair counts and got in quite a few.