June 2014 Weight statistics

Here are the charts for June 2014.

Cast Iron and the 24th of June

Just some small stuff.  

I get a B-12 shot this week, been a month since the last one AND I have to admit that for some reason this B-12 shot hit me like a ton of bricks.  I cannot believe the energy I have had this time around.  And being it is the tail end of the month and I still feel relatively good is just amazing.  My case of the blues/depression/despondency is gone and has not come back.  Just amazing.  Am going to mention it to the nurse Thursday.  Gonna ask her if they have been giving me placebo shots before.

Also.

We have had  a 10.5 inch iron skillet sitting outside for a couple of years.   The wife used to use it for cooking bacon on the grill but when I fell down and played dead she stopped using it.  So just been laying around in the elements.

Well, let me tell you... I found a recipe to rejuvenate the cast iron online and used it and it worked perfectly.  Basic ingredients were/are oven cleaner, water, white vinegar.  So if you run across a cast iron skillet rejuvenator damn sure give it a try.  Just be careful handling the skillet I looked away and ended up burning my thumb.  Had a small inkling on hell thats for sure.
As a matter of fact here it is:

All that is needed for the reconditioning process are a few inexpensive, readily available items: 

Heavy-duty Oven Cleaner (I used Easy-Off)*

Gloves

Garbage Bags

White Distilled Vinegar

Steel Wool (#0000) or a scratch pad

Since some commenters have had some concerns about the oven cleaner, I wanted to give a little more information about the chemicals.
Oven cleaner contains lye, which IS a caustic agent, typically sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide. The lye residue is washed off of the skillet, neutralized with an acid soak (vinegar), then washed again and coated with seasoning.
Lye is used in many everyday items such as soap; it also shows up in food preparation, from olive curing, to lutefisk (eww), to making authentic pretzels. It's also used for biodiesel!

Lye is very hygroscopic, meaning it will pull moisture out of the air. This is why, when being used on grimy cast iron, the aerosol foam ends up becoming a brown liquid. It's dissolving when it contacts the air, which results in VERY little if any of the lye being absorbed into the metal.
Even groups such as the Griswold & Cast Iron Cookware Association RECOMMEND the oven cleaner method for reconditioning cast iron.

Some people advise using high heat or a self-cleaning oven cycle (which uses high heat) to clean cast iron. I shy away from this method mainly because the majority of my cast iron collection is antique. High heat CAN and WILL warp or even crack fragile cast iron. Plus, my oven doesn't have a self-cleaning cycle. I also can't simply throw my cast iron in a fire, being that I live in the suburbs, and setting yard fires is strongly frowned upon here! 

NOTE: This method is for 'plain' cast iron ONLY. It is NOT for enameled cast iron such as Le Creuset. Do NOT try this with enameled cast iron.

Coat the cast iron piece (top and bottom) with the oven cleaner, making sure to wear gloves. Oven cleaner is basically aerosolized lye foam and is very caustic. It WILL burn your skin. Place the coated piece in a garbage bag and seal tightly to prevent the oven cleaner from drying out. 

This is where patience comes in. You will need to wait several days for the oven cleaner to loosen and remove the old seasoning. I usually check after 2 days, then wipe off the cleaner and apply a fresh coat and check again after 3 days.

Griswold skillet after a 2-day soak in oven cleaner.

For especially grimy pieces, letting the pieces soak for about a week is usually sufficient. Once the old seasoning has been removed, the skillet will be restored to it's original cast. The iron will be a silvery-gray color. There may still be surface rust present, which has to be removed before the skillet can be seasoned. 

Remove the lye and old seasoning by wiping off the grime with a paper towel and then washing the skillet with hot water.

Next, the lye needs to be neutralized, and any surface rust will need to be softened to make it easier to remove. Soak the cleaned skillet in a 2:1 solution of hot water and white distilled vinegar for 30-60 minutes. This should soften any surface rust enough that it can be easily scrubbed away with steel wool. Wash the skillet with soap and hot water and dry it thoroughly. 

At this point, the skillet has been cleaned down to the bare metal and must be seasoned immediately to prevent rusting.

To season, place the cleaned, dry skillet upside-down in a 250-degree oven for 15 minutes. Increase the temperature to 500 degrees and let the skillet heat up for 45 minutes. At this point, the skillet will be EXTREMELY hot, so be careful removing it from the oven. Turn off the oven.

Season the skillet with a coating of lard. (I don't but they did ) I render my own lard for cooking and baking, but use inexpensive store bought lard for seasoning. Some people also use shortening (Crisco) or olive oil. Rub the lard all over the entire skillet with paper towels; the hot skillet will absorb the oil and begin to turn brown.  

(THIS IS WHERE I BURNT MY THUMB.  I had a pot holder wrapped around the skillet handle, I turned my attention to getting some Criscoe out of the can and the pot holder opened slightly so that when I went to clamp down on the handle my thumb hit the 500 degree cast iron.)

   The oil will likely smoke as well; this is normal. Using clean paper towels, rub off the excess oil so that the skillet just appears wet. With seasoning, like painting, your aim should be for multiple thin layers rather than a single thick layer.

            Return the oiled skillet to the oven (upside-down to prevent pooling) and let the skillet cool while the oven cools. Wipe any excess oil off every 10-15 minutes to prevent any pooling or buildup. Every 30 minutes or so, repeat seasoning with a fresh application of lard or oil, remembering to wipe off the excess oil. After one hour, open the oven door slightly to help cool the oven faster.  At this point, the skillet should be completely reconditioned, seasoned and ready.

Here is my pan all cleaned up and ready to use.  I, seriously, cannot tell you in how bad a shape it was in.  Really terrible caked crap and rust.

Flooring all done - 7 June 14

Well, the person we hired to do the flooring has finished.  My insides still hurt and now have bloody stools.  Dang it.

B-12 shot kicked in and have way more energy and am finally doing all those chores I just couldn't get myself to do before.  Feels good to not be so emotionally drained and fatigued.  Need to really watch out for the warning signs.

Went to run the weed whacker and found a fairly significent wet spot in the side (west) yard.  Dug down and found a 1 inch Schedule 40 PVC pipe (feeds the sprinkler system) had a crack in it.  Able to shut water off to the house, run to Home Depot, grab a slip joint and fix it.  Ahhhhh, so nice to have the energy.


PS:  Even though it almost killed me to put down the flooring in the computer room I believe I did just as good a job as the pro.  Actually better when it came to the smaller details.  Smile

Day after B-12

Well not quite sure if the B-12 shot is kicking in or not but I am still tired. Emotionally doing better, still a tab bummed out (shades of the 70s...grin).

Run the weed whacker right before lunch and I cannot believe how weak I am. Arms were just quivering when I was finished.  Will mow the yards tomorrow and then plant some grass seed.

In a couple of days will relay the story of my CPAP supplies and the provider..... Will be kinda interesting.

B-12 shot

Went to the doc and received my monthly B-12 shot.  I hope the lack of B-12 is what has been causing me to be so melancholy, or despondent, or just plain screwed up.  Let's hope.

Still have not been able to fill the prescription for Codeine Sulphate.  Seems like no one has any in stock and I am beginning to pay the price for it.

Bought moulding for the thresholds for the bedrooms and the master bedrooms sliding glass doors.  Hope the contractor calls, he is supposed to start on the 3rd bedroom saturday morning.  Getting rid of the carpet and putting wood flooring down seemed like a good idea at the time but doing the computer room damn near killed me.  Twisted my insides pretty good (bad)  sick for a week or so.  Some stress related to the guy doing the work.  Did something not real bright but hope it works out.

  Initially we bought the flooring and I was going to install it.  Was not very hard but the twisting and getting up and down so much hurt my insides so we decided to have some one else do the two other rooms.  Came to find out that it is a racket by Home Depot and Lowes to just gouge the crap out of you.

  They charge X amount to put the flooring down, want the carpet removed?  pay more, want the tack strips removed, pay more. You get the idea.
  Ended up talking with the flooring section employee at Home Depot and he suggested I talk to someone at the contractor desk.  So I did and she (the boss of that area) gave me the name of a guy to call.  His name was Nelson.  I called him, he came to the house, looked at everything, left and called me the next day with a quote which I agreed to.  We talked for a while on the phone, phone got staticky at one point so not sure of words but he did say we would talk again and he would start Saturday morning. 

Yeah, none of the smart questions were asked.  One really good thing was that he would take payment when the job was finished.  No upfront $.
   We will see what happens.

Memorial Day weekend over

Here it is Tuesday, and after having a nice weekend, am back to feeling like crap.  Went to bed at 9 PM or so and woke up at 4:30 AM.  Tried to forced my self to go back to sleep but just laid in bed.  Stupid CPAP mask makes noise on the exhale and I can't ignore it.  Finally up at 5:45 but still tired.  Now laying on the couch with the doggie, decided to do this, and will go back to the couch when done here.

Talked with the wife about how I have been feeling and tried to figure out the why of it.  Could it be a chemical imbalance in my system?  It has been a week or better since I have run out of Codeine Sulphate and can't get the prescription filled because of the lack of drugs.  In other words no one has them in stock and it is going to take at least another week to get any in.

So am I in withdrawal? Maybe not so dumb a question but now am having diarrhea.  My internals hurt and moving around but I kinda figured that was gonna happen when I ran out of the codeine.


At least one thing is sure of, no matter how low I get I am not going to have a 137 page manifesto... 

I am fairly good at hiding it but...

Am as depressed as one could get without getting to the point of suicide.  Don't even cry for the right reasons anymore.  Mr. male macho man has been reduced to a whiny old broken down thing and you know what compounds the issue and really flummoxes me?

Out of the support group (on facebook) I am probably 85% better, physically, than the others with SBS.  I don't have anywhere near the physical problems as described, so why am I like this?

On a different note and maybe the reason for some of the above.  Bought wood flooring (laminate) to put down in the 3 bedrooms.  I did one room that has the roll top desk, futon, bookcases, TV, etc (computer room) and it damn near killed me.  I must have twisted my insides because I hurt really bad.  Then I had to buy salt for the water softener and could not get any help in getting it to the CX-7 and that hurt pretty good.

Soooooooooo, had to hire someone to do the master bedroom and the spare bedroom.  Been stressing out over that so much my stomach has also been hurting.  Why - how come -wtf is wrong with me and stressing over this.  Because I can't do what I could just less than 4 years ago?

No friends since SBS, no family around, totally alone except for my wife and I think if it would not be for her I don't know where I would be emotionally.  She is a rock for sure and that is one reason why I love her.

'Nough. I'll get through this suck ass period but it is hell right now.

April 2014 Weight stuff

   I has been a while and I have not been tracking my weight progress like I did before.  Anyway, figured what the heck might as well add my weight info.  Been awhile and it is sorta bothering me that I am putting weight on.

 

Forgot again.

Forgot that I should be doing something with this.  Maybe keeping up with this will make me less depressed.  And I will be damned if I'm gonna whine to a doctor.

Oh Yeah...February 13th, of 2014 Stroke like symptoms

Been awhile.  Damn near forgot this thing was still alive.

Went of vacation, saw my grand kids and daughter and soon to be (I guess) my ex son-in-law.  But who in the hell knows.  Damn sure my daughter doesn't.  

Hope they work it out.  If not  dat is how it is.

chemical therapy needed - strange shit going on fer sure

Came back home and ended up in the hospital.  While on vacation did not take some of my medications properly and suffered, what we thought might have been a stroke but was not, an electrolyte imbalance.  My magnesium levels dropped low enough to cause erratic heart beat.  Long story short.  Pumped me full of magnesium and came home the next day.
  Now making sure I take the magnesium every day both oral liquid and nightly pill.  No more hospital stays if I can help it.

Wife has jury duty so went with her on the first day for moral support.  Surprised they have never got a hold of me.  They get ya through DMV and voting records.  She has not registered to vote so.........


Check this out:  http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_FACEBOOK_NEW_GENDER_OPTIONS?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2014-02-13-13-02-56 

And I have no idea on how I feel about this:

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2014/02/13/276493889/belgian-lawmakers-extend-euthanasia-to-terminally-ill-children

Gay Marriage really has become the slippery slope after all ! !

Knew this crap was gonna happen.... How do you say.. DISGUSTING... There ya go democrats, this is what liberalism gets ya ! ! 

http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2013/12/16/North-Dakota-Allows-Man-In-Same-Sex-Marriage-To-Also-Marry-Woman

North Dakota Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem filed a legal opinion last week confirming that the state does not recognize out-of-state same-sex marriages, allowing a man married to another man to come to North Dakota and marry a woman without divorcing his husband.

While many wildly speculated that the legalization of same-sex marriage could lead to polygamy, they probably never thought it would be like this. Presented with a legal hypothetical, Attorney General Stenehjem answered three questions: whether someone in a same-sex marriage in another state can also receive a marriage license to someone of the opposite sex in North Dakota, whether they can file legal documents as "Single" when they possess a same-sex marriage license in another state, and whether this would open the individual up for prosecution under another state's bigamy laws. The Attorney General's response can be read in full PDF form here.
The answer to all these questions, essentially, is that a person can legally possess two marriage licenses in North Dakota, because a same-sex marriage license is not recognized. The Attorney General did not comment on whether such a situation would lead to a bigamy charge in another state, suggesting it was "inappropriate" to comment on laws outside of North Dakota.
North Dakota's constitution prohibits same-sex marriage since the state voted to amend it in 2004, and the state has an additional statute prohibiting same-sex unions from valid recognition. Marriages performed outside of the state are also recognized in North Dakota only when they do not violate the laws of North Dakota, which would already invalidate same-sex marriages, but the statute goes further to explicitly cite the illegitimacy of same-sex marriages in that state.
In addition to state laws permitting this activity, the Attorney General cites one of the few provisions in the Defense of Marriage Act still standing after this summer's Supreme Court decision: no state can be made to respect a same-sex marriage license from another state.
North Dakota's strict laws against same-sex unions had previously led to tax issues, as well, with the state requesting that anyone holding a same-sex marriage license in another state file their taxes as a single person, essentially eliminating the tax benefits that come with a marriage. Without even looking at the moral implications of forcing a couple with a legal marriage license to declare themselves single, this clearly looks like a recipe for tax code disaster. This opinion in particular, which allows a heterosexual union even when there previously exists a homosexual one, creates a situation in which three individuals are bound and three individuals are filing as married to each other. Because of the Constitution's Full Faith and Credit Clause, the heterosexual union from North Dakota would have to be recognized in some form in the state that provided the same-sex marriage license--whether recognized as a criminal, bigamous act or as a legal license that yields tax credits.
The opinion also creates the most explicit conflict between states on gay marriage yet. It pits North Dakota against states like New York, Massachusetts, and Hawaii that now have to choose between violating the Full Faith and Credit Clause, and upholding a marriage license they issued or acknowledging North Dakota's intransigence and violating the state's standards on gay rights. The legal opinion's uncanny timing also pairs it in headlines with the easing of polygamy laws in Utah, and provides a stark contrast between what self-proclaimed polygamists want from their government and what the individual wishing to marry twice in this case does.
The "Sister Wives" family that won the Utah suit only have one marriage license among them, and do not wish to receive any more. The man in the North Dakota case wants two marriage licenses, and the right to proclaim himself single on legal documents until he receives his second. The latter creates the bigger problem, because the parties in the case want further government involvement in their lives--not to get the government out of their lives--and this forces state governments to turn on each other.
The good news for all involved is that a case in which a man wants to marry a woman after having married a man is a genuinely unusual one, reading almost as a thought experiment designed to challenge law students on how to apply the Constitution's Full Faith and Credit and Comity Clauses. But there is at least one case--that which inspired this legal opinion, and will provide much to talk about in upcoming months, when the individuals that inspired the opinion will likely receive their marriage license.

This, also, is what is why America will eventually fail.

Shaw Air Force Base was forced to take down a nativity scene because of a complaint filed by the Military Religious Freedom Foundation. 

   Surely everyone knows this Jewish based hate organization by now. A simple nativity scene display was so offensive that they complained to the Air Force in Washington. 

  What is really funny is that the spokesperson for the MRFF is non other than the atheist named Paul Loebe.  He is the Military Director for the American Atheists organization. As the spokesperson for the foundation, he stated the Nativity scene was in violation of the Constitution.
“It was very sectarian in nature and a direct violation of the US Constitution as well as a blatant violation of Air Force Instruction 1-1 Section 2.11,” Loebe said in a statement. Wonder if "ENDA" covers this potential pedophile also.

   A spokesperson for the Air Force, stated Air Force officials want a holiday display that reflects more than a single group, so the Nativity scene was taken down and officials are trying to determine the proper placement and arrangement of a new display.

Loebe thanked the Air Force for taking the Nativity scene down quickly. Yet, no doubt, he tries to tell himself and whatever godless family he has that his doing "good" for this country.

  “Within 2 hours and 15 minutes of initially being contacted by MRFF, the nativity scene had been promptly removed,” Loebe’s statement read. “MRFF wants to congratulate the Air Force on acting so swiftly to reverse this egregious violation and hopes that in the future they will ensure that no such violations continue to occur.”

   If there is a hell, I hope they rot in it. What was this country founded upon again? Not ignorant savages like these Jew and athiest.  Can you believe it an athiest and a jew working hand in hand ! ! !  I hope, and it is not nice, that something evil befalls them and they have to pay a price beyond belief.

   And even though I am ashamed of myself for saying the above I still think these people are no different the the Westboro Baptist church pukes.....

Redefining ‘pedophilia’ as a ‘sexual orientation’ and "ENDA"

Although not an advocate for alternative lifestyles dealing with sexual orientation  (after all I'm an old, not rich, scrawny assed white guy) I have no objections to those seeking love with one major exception.

    Yes, I'm going to rant and rave. Criticize me, hate me, whatever but I will be damned if I will shut up and go away, or refrain, from talking  about damn freakking pedohiles and those that would say this is, or has been, a cultural norm.   If I could figure out a way to get rid of any and all pedophiles I would certainly do it and then let whatever God there may be decide my fate\end.

This  from the University of Southern California:

Pedophilia Now Classified As A Sexual Orientation
People can classify themselves as heterosexual, homosexual, asexual, metrosexual. There are endless sexual orientations under the sun, and now, pedophilia can be added to the list.
In the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM V), the American Psychological Association (APA) drew a very distinct line between pedophilia and pedophilic disorder. Pedophilia refers to a sexual orientation or profession of sexual preference devoid of consummation, whereas pedophilic disorder is defined as a compulsion and is used in reference to individuals who act on their sexuality. 

Tie this into the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) and what do we have, yeah you guessed it,  no discrimination against pedophiles.  

     The Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) would provide basic protections against workplace discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. ENDA simply affords to all Americans basic employment protection from discrimination based on irrational prejudice. The bill explicitly prohibits preferential treatment and quotas and does not permit disparate impact suits. In addition, it exempts small businesses, religious organizations and the military.

Who in the hell would want to have a pedophile working for them.  God forbid the business owner has small children or grand kids...  Gee lets open the door for rapists, surely that is also a sexual orientation.

Read what these folks have to say:   http://www.hrc.org/campaigns/employment-non-discrimination-act 

They certainly don't address it.  Wonder why?  Tacit approval?

http://nypost.com/2013/01/16/empowering-pedophiles/

Blood pressure has risen so I'm gonna stop....

October 2013 Weight statistics

Here, finally, is the weight stats for October.  Notice the weight drop? Now correlate it with my prior posting.

Had an "Left Carotid Endarterctomy"

Came home Friday, the 18th, from the hospital.  Looks like (but does not feel like) I once again escaped/out ran the Grim Reaper.  Maybe outwalked him 'cause he wasn't try to hard.  :)

Quit eating on Thursday.  Last thing to eat was a cheese stick at 6 pm on thursday night.  Showed up at the hospital at like 5 AM for sign in and all of that paperwork.  Then was escorted to the pre-op room.  Boy, did I have to deal with a tough ole broad there.  I actually told her to fell the hell out seeing how stressed I was about the coming operation.  didn't work.  Last person I knew that had this operation done, died.  And that is all I have running around in my head.  And none of their damned assurances made me fell any better.  Even though the doctor does 3 of these a day EVERY week, that is , unless something intervenes.  I just could not relax my self.  Every nurse in the process spoke about the doc in glowing terms... yadda dadda blabba.  We've all heard it.  He/she is the best surgeon since sliced bread was invented.  Oh well.

Long story short, woke up in the cardiac ICU room, with all these gorgeious women surrounding me (to include my wife) - drugs=good.  Even after they wore off I was still saved from the broom hilda versions.  

smile - 

The nurses only had one problem with me and that was because I would not eat.  Had a ton of "things stuck in both arms, had a catheter in me, had a thing or two sticking out of my neck to catch the blood drainage.  I cold hear them outside my room discussing my non eating and drinking. Drinking I was but only sips.  I wanted no pressure that might force me to go to the bathroom.   

It just so happened I had my Iphone on the counter and in it I had a picture of the cover of the pamphlet : "A patient's Guide to Managing a Short Bowel"  That set off a bell with one older nurse and then she scrounged up some kind of other text book that described SBS/SGS and shared it with the other nurses.   I became like a little mini-star then.  
   Funny but I guess you had to be there to really appreciate it.  Was kinda funny though.

Once I became mobile then is when I would eat and then I would use the restroom if needed.  

Heck, even the doc did not truly get SBS even after I explained it a couple of times. No criticism of the doc it is just words to him if he has never ran across someone with it.  I tried to maintain my equanimity ( drugs helped there)  He equated it to "dumping syndrome" and I finally ended up say to him that if that was haw he needed to process my stubbornness then so be it.  It works.

Should have posted this yesterday.  Am now out of words

Sunday the 13th

Week just flew by.........

Weight crap from September 2013.

Sunday stolen 'toon

End of September and the chill is setting in.

  I can't believe the last thing I wrote was around the first of the month and that was weight statistics.

  I am tending to totally forget about this place and just blithely go on about my business doing basically nothing.  

  I finally joined  the "tweeter" band wagon.  I guess I really do like my new phone.  Hell, who would have thought I would become part of the I-Phone generation..... 2 funny.

  We also picked up an I-Pad 2.  Sort of funny.. here we are, both of us in our 60's, and the wife is sitting there doing pintrest of the Ipad and me tweeting on the Iphone while watching tv at night. Damn politicians any way plus those friggin housewives... damn Andy any way.  Hell, teenagers got nothing on us ! ! ! !

Ran across a funny article via Drudge.

Woman enters half-marathon, ends up winning full marathon by mistake

Last Sunday, Meredith Fitzmaurice had planned to run the half-marathon at the Run for Heroes in Amherstburg, Ontario. She hoped to do it as a test run. Then she was going to try to achieve a Boston Marathon qualifying time at a race in Detroit next month.

But on Sunday, she missed a turn for the half-marathon route, and ran the full marathon. And won. By accident.

Article here:

http://www.cbc.ca/asithappens/features/2013/09/25/woman-enters-half-marathon-ends-up-winning-full-by-mistake/index.html

Take the time and read the comments.  Minimalist haters for a change. 

August weight statistics

And I thought I was not going to do this anymore.. Lying to myself again! !

Weight DATA:

Weight GRAPH: