Chantel's Blog

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You could say I am a very picky eater. I try to eat healthy. No artificial colors, artificial flavors, artificial sweeteners, high frutose corn syrp or gmo's. I limit soy and proceed foods (but sometimes you need an Amy's meal night). And I buy organic when ever I can. For as long as I can remember I have stomach issues. And I have taken medication on and off for the past 20 years to try and help. But the meds didn't fix the problem, it help it from hurting as much. But I was taking a muscle relaxer 4 times a day. And if I didn't take it right on time, I would still end up sick. So knowing that there are some foods that I just can't eat. I thought I would play with my diet and see what happens. My diet had very little red meat and some chicken. So I thought that would be a good place to start. And so I cut meat out and I could tell a difference. Then eggs came out, until finally dairy. Ice cream was the hardest to give up, but I have found some good

One of the things that I do is volunteer in a elementary school library. I am in the library about 15 hours a week. I know some people don't understand why I help where I don't have a child, but middle school doesn't need me. In elementary school on top of the normal librarian duties. The librarian also see every class, every week and does a lesson with them. So the school I am at the librarian see about 500 kids a week. And when you have a fourth of them are not reading yet. You need an extra pair of hands. And I have a great librarian to work for. I enjoy volunteering at the library for a lot of different reasons and its great occupational therapy. I do a lot more than shelving. I help with the kids, do the bulletin boards, book displays and more. One thing that we are doing is weeding books out. With a library that's 25 years old you find books that have been well loved and may just need some repair or other that just need to be replaced. I also find books that ar

I am still trying to find the best was to write my blog from my iPad. Google and Apple don't always like to work together. But Google has come out with a very basic app. So we see if this helps me post more frequently. “You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You're on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the one who'll decide where to go...” ― Dr. Seuss, Oh, the Places You'll Go

It has been so long since my last post. So hold on! I am still have issues with headaches but my ear has stopped hurting. We did find out that it was sinus related. They did give me meds for it, but I am trying to only using them as needed. Because when you add four more meds to my mix it bring my total to 15. I have moved to a vegan diet and managed to get off one of my meds. I am getting ready to start training. Due to a lot of different factors. I was unable to do See Run Jane Austin (and it ended up being cancelled due to weather). So I have not been walking as much as I should be. Having access to a car a few days a week has inferred with my walking schedule too. But it's time to get back in gear. I have a 2 month 22 days still the Austin Marathon. I will only be doing the half marathon again this year. If I wasn't so lazy I would have already started to train. It only has been the last month we have been getting some cold nights. So I still have some things coming out of

If you read my "Flying" post you will know that I have having some ear issues. I had taken some benadryl before the flight to try to avoid any issues. But on the flight home my right ear popped. When it popped the sound and pain that followed woke me. Now I was hoping that the pain and now headache would subside after some ibuprofen and a good nights sleep. Since I was sleep deprived. After five days of eye crossing pain from my ear and head I headed to the doctor. And nothing they could see nothing wrong with my ears and I was not having any other symptoms. They gave me a list of symptoms to look for and to come back if I develope any. They also gave me some eardrops. I had an appointment with the audiologist in a little over a week. So I was hoping for some answers then. Now two weeks into my ear pain and headache I also have a cough. (And my balance is Really off, not sure if this do to my ear or other issues.) A cough was one of the symptoms to look for, so back to the

I did have an interesting time in my air travels this trip. I bought the cheapest tickets I could find and in return we had a few stop overs on the way. This was my fifth trip home and I had never any major traveling issues. On the way to Seattle we made it to Houston. Then got onto my second flight and after everyone was aboard they told us we had to get off the plane. They had over fueled the plane and everyone had to get off so they could fix it. Now I was not going to make my connecting flight and all the other flights to Seattle were full so I had to go on stand by. I was lucky only had to wait on standby for five hours.(There were four service men trying to get home that waited longer than me.) And I got to Seattle only a few hours later than I was planning. Now I thought my travel worries over. But my flight back to Austin was even more exciting than my flight to Seattle. Well maybe exciting is not the right word. I made it from Seattle to San Fransico. We left SFO a few minute

This is not the post that I was planning on writing but it's the fast way to tell everyone. For now I have no Internet at home. When I moved into my current home there was only one cable provider in the area. The service was never great I have always had problems. So after three years of spotty service and paying too much for it, I was done. Unfortunately there is still only one cable and internet provider in my area. So I am taking a break for now. I have been able to deal with out tv just fine and I am not going to get cable back. I have netflix so I can still watch lots of movies. And when I have internet I can find most of the tv programs that I like online. The lack of Internet is getting to me and I will have to turn it back on but I am not in any hurry. I got an email from them saying I owe them $1559. Now I know that this not true because I had my equipment picked up and he gave me all the paper work and I owe them $59.98. Now I do have my iPad and there is wifi around so

I have my second half marathon of the year done. My time was 2hours 52mins This was a little slower than my time from the Austin half-marathon, but I did it with my sister. So we talked and just had a good time. We could not remember the last we had three hours of just sister time. So with a little time off from training and the fact I was in Seattle. I had time to spend time with my family and see some old friends. I had a great time but it's was time to get back to summer weather. It's hard to show off your tattoos when your wearing your winter clothes.

If you get my blog via email. Sorry for the last post you got before I was done proofing it. (Still playing with the iPad) If you don't get my blog in your email but would like to just let me know. I am working on getting new pictures of the garden up. The garden don't look as green do to heat and plant lose. But I have been eating cucumber, onion, cantaloupe, basil and tomatoes  from the garden.  One thing that I have not been successful at growing here is corn. And I am still having a hard time with the pumpkins. We should have had only one generation of squash vine bores but do to the weather we are on generation two.  I know what the adult moth looks like so I am keeping a close eye on the pumpkins. (I did catch one the other day. They are bight colored and day time flyer's so that helps) Saturday was an off day from training and Sunday was a cross train day. I slept long than I was planning on Monday, so I was going to wait till the evening to get my run in. (I thi

I feel so behind in getting a blog post up. Life has been keeping very busy but all in good way. Now I recently got myself an ipad to replace my laptop that had died. So I have been trying to figure out the best way to write on the ipad. I think I found the best way for now. With less than a month before my half marathon and trying to train in the Texas heat is a challenge. But getting out early and lots of water make it manageable. I am swimming on my cross train day and sometime on run days too. (I am already at the pool six days a week and it gives me something to do vs standing around for an hour.)  The garden is coming a long. I have twenty beds in area 66' x 7'. So I have a lot  of plants in the ground and still have some beds that I have not planted yet. But this Texas and I do have a long growing season. So they will end up with plants in them. My biggest concern with the garden right now is water. We are under tight  water restrictions . When the rules were made th

I am once again in full training mode. I will be doing the See Jane Run Half-Marathon in Seattle on July 17th.  I would like to run/walk this race but because of leg issues I think it's going to be more like walk/jog. I will be doing the race with my sister, so it will be fun no matter the speed.(My sister walks as fast as me and she runs faster. So if anything I am going to be the slower one.) Right now I get my run* in after I drop off my youngest at school. So with only week and a half before school gets out for the summer,  I will have to find a new time. And with this being Texas the low temp not is below 70 now. Running earlier is the day works much better for me. I have already gotten to the point were I have to carry water with me and it well only get warmer.  I will most likely switch to a sunrise run time. I think that the sunrise has to be the coolest time of day when it is light out. I don't run in the dark. I street run it's just not safe, to many hazar

I love tattoos. Well most of them there are a few scary ones out there. It has been almost 20 years since I got my first tattoo. And I am not done yet.  I don't plan on a body suit. I have the little black dress rule. Meaning that all of my tattoos must be able to be covered by a little black dress. One of my reason for my rule is that I worked with the public and I never wanted anyone to judge by my ink. I am weird enough all on my own.   And I have had jobs were all Tattoos needed to be cover. Over the year I have many people do my work. But I have found an artist here in Austin that I am very happy with. (Bart Willis Southside Tattoo ) So he has a repeat customer. Update on my hand. I am happy to say that I am out of the cast and building strength back. Saturday was my first pain free day.

One of my garden project that I been working on is: How to irrigate the garden. In the Texas summer heat vegetables need lots of water everyday. And I am already under water restrictions. I can only use a sprinkler head or system two days a week. And it also not the most efficient way to water the garden. And I wanted an idea that I could use recycled materials. After some searching on the Internet. I found IcePop-Drip-Irrigation . The short version: A frozen water bottle wrapped with a mylar chip bag. (Because I am anal about what I eat and about recycling. Both water bottles and chip bags are not some thing you find a lot of in my house. But it amazing what you can find at your local construction site.) I did change one thing to suit me and the garden better. I have a lot of more plants to water and it will be and early morning chore. So I drilled holes in the lids. Now I can just set them out in the garden and I don't have to wait for daylight. Hand Update: It is healing an

Almost nine months ago I quit smoking and as a side affect I gained 20 pounds. As bad as that sound I needed the extra pounds. However I didn't need it all in my ass and thighs. So I am weeding out my closet. And this take time because you can never just look at a size in something and know if it's going to fit. (Example: I have two pairs of pants that are made my the same company and I bought them at the same time. But one is a 4 and the other is a 7.)  I don't mind a pair of tight jeans but when it looks like your thighs are going to burst out of jeans. I recommend moving up a size. And I know I have a few pairs that need to make there way to the give away box. Hand Update: For the most part it is doing good. I still have some pain but if I don't use I don't have pain. I have stopped taking pain killer. I found it hurt less when I am not on pain killers because it forces me not to use that hand. I need it heal quickly. This whole not being able to do my norm

lavender Being one handed has slowed me down. Like how to write this post without the computer keyboard and I don't own a smartphone. But as you can see I figured out a way. The thing that gets to me the most is that I can't walk pace or jog. The doctor said no and it painful. Thankfully there is still yoga that I can do. I switched to little projects that can be done one handed. And there are plenty of them.  Since I put building the garden on hold. It has gone through a whole redesign. Before I was hoping to have room to grow a few extra plants and now I will have plenty of room. Check out My Garden page to see the redesign and other updates on the garden. The best thing over the weekend was. Having a friend come over to help me out with my housecleaning. She sweep, mopped, emptied the dishwasher, loaded the dishwasher, wiped down the counters and sweep the stairs. It was so nice to have them done. They were all things that needed to be done.

Only one post this week and it's going to be short and sweet. Last Saturday when I was out making garden boxes. I managed to hit my hand with a hammer. I did stop working and put ice on it and took some Advil. I did all the things that you would think to do for a hammered hand. But by Tuesday I was still having eye crossing pain, so I call the nurse to see what they recommend I do. She said I need to come and be seen. Off to the doctor I went. I didn't think that I had broke anything but I was wrong. I have a Scaphoid Fracture of the Wrist.

It's Picture Day! My Garden By Zones                                          Zone 3 Zone 4 Zone 7 Zone 8 Zone 9  Added an other Jasmine           And some pineapple              

Time to start my spring cleaning. Well I have started. My biggest project right now is the yard and garden. My wildflowers are far and few between this year and the grass is brown. Do to a dry winter and a freeze in late February. Here in Austin there is only a small window were you can do a lot to your lawn  before the days get too warm. So right now my focus is outside. I have a list of things that need to be done inside, but they well wait. On a different note. I went in for a polish change (something I do every two weeks) and the lady even painted the sliver of toe nail that I have left on my bad toe. So from a distance you can't even tell that I am missing most of the toe nail.

Jasmine :-) Do to spring break my normal route was thrown off. But I still managed to work in the garden, go to a doctors appointment, do a big haul grocery store run, get a hair cut, visited with a friend, work on this blog...... ........became an honorary boy (I had to say "Boys are fantastic, girls are elastic!" 3 times) so I could play "Dangerous Book for Boys Board Game" And  lost a toenail. :-) Mike Tyson 3/13/11 (He was hard to get a picture of. He moved around a lot. And I was using my phone to take pictures.) :-)

With my goal of posting twice a week and it's already Wednesday. I thought I better start writing. It's not that I don't have a lot that I can write about. It's just finding the time to sit and write. It is spring break at my house and it's also SXSW week. So there is lots of entertaining to do but there is also a lot of entertainment this week. I spent the weekend at SXSW Screenburn. Got to see storm troopers, lots of new games and Mike Tyson.  And I plan getting some music in later this week.

:-) Lately I have had a few people make comments about my tooth brush collection. Yes, I have thing with toothbrushes. I currently have six tooth brushes in rotation. And one is always a travel one, because you never know when your going to need to brush your teeth. I am not a stand in front of the sink and brush. I like to multi- task and brush. So I need more than one tooth brush. Then I don't always have to hunt down where I put my tooth brush last.                                       

I feel I was productive this week. I got a ton more seeds in dirt. Started to put a little running into my workout and managed not to fall down.  I do have a hamstring that is not happy with me. But most days it's not happy with me. I also got all the library bulletin boards and the big case updated for March.(I volunteer in an elementary school library.) And even started on some spring cleaning at home. (Look for the Spring countdown clock.) I am happy that warmer days will be here soon. I have never been a fan of winter. Living in Austin my winters are shorter than other places. But it still get cold and I don't like cold.

 Gardening is something that I have always liked to do. Over the last 12 years I have always made sure I had a garden. When I lived on a boat I had a plot through the city. In a apartment I container gardened. And now I have a big yard.  This will be my third growing season in this house. I started out with three raised beds and now have seven. I am hoping to add a few more but I have to built them first. And as you can see I have cold crops growing right now. Living in Texas gives me a much longer growing season then I ever got in Washington. And I can grow a lot more crops.

Testing mobile blog

It has been almost a week since I did the Austin Half Marathon and I am feeling great. I am ready to start my new training program on Monday. I am going to put some jogging into my program, as long as I don't fall. (I am high risk for falling, since my balance is not what it use to be.) But I am going to give a try and see how things work out. On a side note: As I get back to writing this blog. I am playing with all the new setting and templates. Like right now I have it set so all Comments are reviewed my me before they are published. So bare with me.

Take a cane to help stabilize your walking when visiting unfamiliar places. Usually, people will try to be more careful not to bump into you when they see a cane. (So I got myself one) And it folds up nice. So I can pack it and just use as needed. (I only have problems in crowds.)

I think I need a pair of these

I promised myself that I would get back to this blog once I finished the Austin Half Marathon. Well I did it today. So look out.

BP 113/76 Glucose 127 Cholesterol 185 Body Comp 24.7% BMD -0.8 BMI 21.7 Waist 27"

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Watch for changes soon.