Friday, August 10, 2012

rainy day experiment

Today is not the greatest day of my holidays.  It has been kind of cold and dreary.  Rain has been falling on and off for most of the day. 

On a better note, fasting BG was back to normal this morning!

I decided that since I have wanted to do this for a couple days, I may as well do it this morning.

homemade zucchini relish



We have been growing zucchini, tomatoes, and hot peppers.  The tomatoes are started to turn red.  The grape tomatoes have been eaten by my granddaughter.  Every time she's here (which is every day normally) she wanders over and plucks all the red ones off and pops them in her little mouth!  She thinks we're growing them just for you.

The zucchini plants have gone wild!!  We have probably had over 20 zucchini off the 3 plants so far.  We let the one plant just go.  We didn't pick the zucchini and they were mammoth, finally killing the plant.  Each one weighed over 3 pounds!  Apparently once a zucchini becomes that large it is no longer a zucchini.  It becomes a Vegetable Marrow.  Good for making relish and brownies!! 

I started this last night, basically cutting everything up and soaking it with salt overnight.  After rinsing, draining and squeezing out the excess water, into the pot it went!  Below is the recipe I used.  If you have any "Vegetable Marrow" hanging around and you don't know what to do with it, try this!  It smells wonderful and goes well with hotdogs, hamburgers, basically any type of meat dish, mixed into potato salad, tuna salad or even egg salad.

Zippy Zucchini Relish

Ingredients

  • 3 lb (1.4 kg) zucchinis, cut_into 1-inch (2.5 cm) chunks
  • 3 onions, chopped
  • 2 sweet red peppers, diced
  • 1/4 cup (60 mL) pickling salt
  • 2-1/2 cups (625 mL) granulated sugar
  • 1-1/2 cups (375 mL) cider vinegar
  • 1 tbsp (15 mL) dry mustard
  • 1 tsp (5 mL) celery seeds
  • 1/2 tsp (2 mL) ground ginger
  • 1/2 tsp (2 mL) turmeric
  • 1/2 tsp (2 mL) hot pepper flakes
  • 1 tbsp (15 mL) cornstarch
  • 1 tbsp (15 mL) water

Preparation

In food processor, pulse zucchini, a few pieces at a time, until size of rice with a few larger pieces. Transfer to large stainless-steel or glass bowl. Add onions, red peppers and salt to bowl; stir to blend. Let stand for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Drain well; rinse and drain again, pressing out moisture.

In large heavy shallow saucepan, combine sugar, vinegar, mustard, celery seeds, ginger, turmeric and hot pepper flakes; bring to boil. Add drained vegetables; reduce heat and simmer, stirring often, until vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes.

Mix cornstarch with water and stir into relish; simmer, stirring, until spoon pulled across bottom leaves trail that fills in slowly, about 5 minutes.

Pack into four 2-cup (500 mL) canning jars, leaving 1/2-inch (1 cm) headspace. Remove any air bubbles, readjusting headspace if necessary. (See “Canning Basics.” ) If necessary, wipe rims. Cover with prepared lids. Screw on bands until resistance is met; increase to fingertip tight. Boil in boiling water canner for 15 minutes.
Source : Canadian Living Magazine: September 2006

Thursday, August 09, 2012

D loves, D loves me not

I'm not really sure what exactly is going on.  

Is it the weather?  The time of year?  The moons placement in the sky?  The fact that I'm on holidays?

For the last week or more, my fasting BG's have been through the roof.   I haven't been doing anything different than I normally do.  Well that isn't exactly true.  I have been on holidays.  But really the only thing different is that I am not working in the evening after looking after the grandkiddies all day.

Looking at my meter, this really started the first morning of my holidays. These are my fasting BG's for the last 5 days.

Aug 5 ~ 20.3
Aug 6 ~ 21.0
Aug 7 ~ 18.9
Aug 8 ~ 20.5
Aug 9 ~ 19.3


I spend the rest of the day chasing these highs with insulin.  I try not to eat anything carby, so that it won't go up any higher.  Some days it takes all day to come back into range.  Talk about rage bolusing!!! 

I have changed my site more times in the past 5 days than i normally do in 2 weeks!!! I have opened a new bottle of insulin.  I have used temp basal increases.  I am going through test strips like there's no tomorrow!!

I am tired.  My eyes itch.  I am sick of this.  I think it is because I am eating the same but not getting the same amount of exercise as I do when I'm working.  You would think that after 37 years of living this D-life, I would have some idea of what is going on and how to fix it.  

The only good thing is that I am not showing any ketones during any of these highs.  And I don't really feel "sick", like I sometimes do.  No weird smell of bleach either, thank goodness.

This has been the D-week from hell.  

D Loves me,    D Loves me...

Friday, August 03, 2012

it's official

tonight at 8:30 pm, i will officially be on holidays!!!

i can't remember the last time i actually had holidays.  the last time i actually didn't have to get up and look after someone, or put on that stupidstore uniform, and paste a smile on my face (ok so the smile is just a natural thing 'cause i'm actually a pretty easy-going, happy-go-lucky kinda gal!) and go to work.

an open invitation







clearly, the back of my uniform is an invitation for some of the most ridiculous questions anyone can think of.  and because it has been well over a year since my last holiday (which, when i think about it really wasn't a holiday at all ~ damn open-heart surgery!) i am in dire need of some "me time"!

last night at work, while wearing this awesome, loud, red piece of clothing, i actually had a person come up and ask "do you work here?" as i was standing at the Self Scan desk, assisting a customer "self scan" their order (read sarcasm).  yes, they really did!  and the scary part is that that is not the first time someone has asked me that.  i usually just smile, and say "yes, can i help you with something?"

but if you lived inside my head these days, what you might have heard me say would have sounded more like
"no, but i saw this girl in the parking lot walking to her car and i thought to myself 'i really like that vest' so i just went over, knocked her down, grabbed the vest, and now i'm here just waiting to answer your questions" with a big goofy smile on my face!

or sometimes, when someone walks over and says "can i ask you a question?" i so want to say "NO" and just look the other way.  i know this may seem a little harsh, and really i would never do those things, but seriously?  some day i'm going to write a book.  a compilation of stories and humorous tales told by cashiers from all over the country.  all i need is a cartoonist to do the pictures for me.

i think perhaps it's time for a holiday, don't you?