Life in the Dust Bowl

This is actually a picture I found online and is from the Dallas area a couple of years ago, but this is what our sky looks like today.  All around Tulsa.  In the more western parts of the state, highways have been closed due to zero visibility and there has been at least one 30+ car pileup with injuries.

It's not a day to be outside, especially if you have any type of allergy at all.  Which we, of course, have lots of!

It wasn't too bad this morning, but the wind picked up early this afternoon.  It hasn't let up much, and it's still gritty & grey outside.  I really didn't want to get out after getting home, but I'm at my wit's end with Frasier and his licking/chewing of the surgical spot and that meant a trip to buy a spray the vet told me about.  Normally, I'd have stopped on the way home and got it but Frasier hasn't gotten as much exercise as normal lately, so he's been up at night a lot.  Noisily!  So, we tossed the dogs in the car and took them with us.  They enjoyed their outing, once they realized that we'd driven past the vet's office!  We were originally going to take the dogs for a walk this evening, but the dusty wind changed our plans.  Besides, some of the wind gusts could possibly make Frasier go airborn!

Otter and I are working on something.  We're going to open at Etsy shop.  Details later on, but it's on the way.  Among other things, it will give me another outlet in my destashing efforts.  Etsy is like eBay, it's an online store but it's for crafts and vintage items.  Vintage is over 20 years old in Etsy's dictionary.  So, along with sewn, crafted, crocheted, knitted, etc., items to infinity and beyond, there are also listings for things like Fenton glass and other collectibles.  Craft accessories such as craft supplies are available on Etsy.  And so are pachinko machines!  I fully expect that Pachinko Restorations (Bill's company) will probably want to list one on our store.  I think I'm going to make him grovel! :)

I haven't mentioned much about it, but Bill and I are working on losing some weight.  We are using a diet plan that we've used before, and had good results.  It's mostly a portion control adjustment, it's a healthy and sensible diet plan and we've been on it for about 3 weeks.  We're getting results, my jeans are outgrowing me!  He needs a new jacket, but he doesn't want me to get him one yet since he wants to be a smaller size.  We don't own a scale, so we don't really know how much we weigh although we have a general idea.  But we're 50 (me) and 51 (Bill), with a family history of heart and diabetes issues on both sides so it's time to get serious.  Also, my knee issues are affected by my weight.  It's an ongoing process, the diet plan is designed to ensure weight loss at a good rate.  It's not a crash diet and it's not a miracle diet.  It's just common sense and is pretty healthy.  Although I do have to jiggle it around a bit - it's not a low-carb diet (low carb is a stupid idea, anyway), but it doesn't have quite enough carbs for me.  Most people that have their gall bladders removed are able to adjust and not all need higher carbs.  But then most people don't have nearly fatal pancreatitis that has more or less permanent effects after it clears up!  We realized pretty quickly that I was going to have to eat more carbs than the diet calls for, it took me several days to find a good level without being so nauseated I could hardly move, but still eat less calories.  I think I'm there, but I still have moments when I realized I haven't had enough carbs.  Saturday is our "free day" but free doesn't mean we go hog wild.  It just means that we can have whatever we want - within reason.  It's working for both of us.

Movie Review:  Otter rented the new Dark Shadows movie last weekend.  I was pleasantly surprised.  The previews and advertisements when it originally came out made it look like a parody movie.  It wasn't.  It had some laughs, but not an excessive amount.  I was not a huge fan of the tv show when it was on, as I recall it was one that Mom did not want me to watch!  But I did see some of the episodes later on and I read all the books that were written in the series so I pretty much know all the characters, story lines, etc.  It did deviate some from the original story but not too much.  It wasn't exactly Academy Award caliber, but it was ok.  I do think that we would have been disappointed if we'd paid theater prices though.  It didn't do too well in the theaters, and part of that might have been because the fans of the original series are nearly as rabid as Star Trek fans!  (I do know what I'm talking about with ST fans).

Because, as we all know, Star Trek rules!  The rest of it (with the exception of the terrific Dr. Who) is just entertainment and some of it's pretty bad.