What Rhymes with Orange

Last night I whipped up some more sugar cookies and started decorating them. I didn't feel like making new icing, I had a small bowl of white and some ... red. 

I figured I would color the hearts red. The little ones solid with either sprinkles or an M&M, the big ones red with white drizzle to make it look tie dyed. No worries, no sweat. I baked a few more trees and stars, those are yet to be frosted. I was happily drinking wine, and just in the nice zone of quiet self contemplation. I had the Christmas lights on, Doug was reading, it was all just very nice and quiet. 

This morning, I got up to look at what was decorated and think about fitting in some more decoration time for stars and trees later today. 

The icing I thought was red, in the low light of Christmas glow, was actually fire orange in the bright light of day.

Everything I made looks like it is on fire. Kind of hilarious. I wasn't drunk, I must say, but the low light sure did play a part in this silliness. It is the most atrocious orange. Like, maybe one or two small stars could be this color but wow it is all the cookies. 

Still, they taste good so does it matter? no. Digits below. 

digits

exercise: 12/12 hours.  20 min. / .99 mile (argh!) walk inside. 7100+ steps by bedtime

blood glucose:

9am: 160
5pm: 136
10:30pm: 245 (see dinner)

food:

coffee/water
11am: metformin; Grilled turkey & colby jack w/bacon on sourdough bread
5:45pm: very large bowl of ham and 15 bean soup; 2 generous pieces of cornbread (home made, with actual corn) red wine & ginger ale

From Crusty and Rusty to Fine and Shine

I put in the service order for the plumber last night, and they texted me at 9am to ask if 1-3 pm was good. Dude was here at 1:30. Pronto! 

His name is Jose. He was super sweet. I took him down to the basement to show him the issue. Doug had bailed the water out of the sink as far as he could, and there was still about 6 inches in each of the sink compartments. 

It stank to high hell. I apologized. He said "no I've been at worse!" 

So Jose did his best to clear it and found we have a busted drain pipe. Lord knows where any of the water has been going up to this point. Out against the foundation? No idea. He left at 2:15 to go get a replacement part. He said it was the original drain pipe, close to 80 years old. 

It had a good run. 

He was back and it was all buttoned up by 4. 

Geoff made burgers for dinner and I ended up baking some fresh cookies for decorating since Doug hates the sugar coated decorated cookies and has been just eating all the plain ones I've made. Rude. 

It was a good day.

Below: Before and after images of the drain pipe! 

digits

exercise: 12/12 hours. 15 min/.7 mile indoor walk. 8500 steps by bedtime (could have pushed it but. Meh.)

blood glucose:

9am: 174
4pm: 163
11:15pm: 187

food:

coffee/water
11am: metformin
1pm: bowl of BST - Bacon Spinach Tomato salad w/mayo. Forgot my red onions. That would have been BROST!
6:30pm: one cheeseburger on a potato roll w/ pickles; 10 tater tots; metformin+jardiance.
wine

First Day

I should have taken tomorrow and Friday off. But I work from home, and I have no real big meetings. I put in that service request for the sink. We'll have to do some tidying downstairs near the sink, but other than that we're good to have a hero come in and rescue. 

Mom called while I was making breakfast. She is all about the current events. 

• Well, that's something down there in New Orleans.
• 3am is the devil's hour. People shouldn't be out at 3am. 
• When your sister was in New Orleans some guy tried to pull her up in a tree! (I will need the story on that, Lin).
• Jimmy Carter died (yes mom, I know). 
• He kept his looks (did he? he was 100!) but his wife sure didn't. She looked horrible in her old age!

I informed her sometimes people don't have control over how they look when they age, be nice to the late Mrs. Carter, please. Doug sat on the couch and laughed. When I hung up I said "jeeeez she's just doing a monologue about today's happenings!" 

"At least I bet she knows what day Christmas was."

True. That. Mom is on top of it even when she's not on top of it. So thankful that she's not in a position like Doug's aunt. 

After breakfast, which felt like another Sunday morning, I made some carrot muffins w/pineapple and pumpkin, using a that basic banana bread recipe, and they came out really nice. A little floury, doughy, but, tasty. The pineapple saves the day.  

One of my co-workers texted me and we chatted a bit. His entire family caught a norovirus. His kid brought it home from school or they picked it up at a restaurant in Vermont right after Christmas. I remember when everyone didn't even catch a common cold for a while there, and now people look at you derisively if you're wearing a mask in public. Lord have mercy. I feel for him. He worked Monday and Tuesday and if he just said "I really can't do this," I would have jumped on. 

The only things I've left undone that I was sure I'd do is mop the kitchen, and, put basement things back in order. I did a lot of other stuff.

Doug made us the traditional western PA roast pork for dinner, it was incredibly good. I don't even really like the sauerkraut portion of the dance card but, on the mashed potatoes it makes for a tangy treat. 

Alright. That's how we're starting 2025. So excite, much wow. 

Digits below. 

digits

exercise: 12/12 hours. No walk, full of regrets. Gym was crazy crowded, too cold to walk outside. 5700+ steps by bedtime.

blood glucose:

9:30am: 146
4:30pm: 190
11pm: 183 

food:

coffee/water
11:30am: 2 egg mcmuffins w/bacon
noon: metformin
2pm: glass of wine
3pm: 2 carrot pumpkin muffins (homemade!)
6pm: roast pork, sauerkraut, mashed potatoes, one slice of rye bread and butter
7pm: metformin+jardiance
white wine