Unemployment means...

...enjoying cozy fall days.

it isn't cold yet, 

but it is coming. 

and i have some great tips for getting into the fall mood.

via turkey feathers

Different things appeal to different people. This isn't news, of course. I have a variety of methods of putting myself in the perfect fall mood. One way is to watch the right movies/shows. Suggestions: Gilmore Girls (for the backdrop alone). Little Women (good for wintery moods as well). Mona Lisa Smile (for the intellectual soul). Another way is with the right music. When I want to brace myself for cold weather, I pop in Michael Buble. And the music the defies all seasons - Mumford & Sons. duh.  You can also perk up the fall festiveness through taste. Add cinnamon to your teas and coffee. Pumpkin Spice up your life (oh yea - spice girls reference was intentional). Make soup (recipe below!) One of my greatest mood boosters is through my sense of smell. As I type, I am burning two of my favorite candles. One is a Pet Odor candle from Hollywood Feed (glamorous, I know) in Pumpkin Spice. The other is Bath & Body Works Candle called Leaves. Needless to say, my house smells cozy. Finally, getting out in the ambience is helpful. Go to a pumpkin patch. Take the dog on a walk and feel the crisp breeze. Photograph the changing leaves. Buy some mums. Well, I think that covers all the senses. Now, there is no excuse not to have a cozy, spirited Autumn season.

In other news, this is a diabetes blog, so how about a diabetes update? I've been off of shots and on pills for 1.5 weeks now. Things are going swimmingly. There are still some similarities. For example, pizza  is still a foe. I had almost gone this whole time without ever hitting 200mg/dL, but pizza ruined the streak. The Januvia I am on now has no side effects that I have noticed, which is great. On the Jentadueto, which contains Metformin, I had no appetite and felt nauseated all day. No wonder they say it can aid in weight loss. So, I take my Januvia once in the morning. At night, I still take Levemir, but I have reduced the dose from 13 units to 8 units. I was advised by the endo to lessen the dose if I wake up below 80, and I was routinely waking up in the 60s. The attitude I am approaching this with is one of open-mindedness. This Honeymoon could end anytime. Or maybe it won't. There is a lot of joy lost in wondering which way it will turn out, so I am endeavoring to enjoy it one day at a time.

TOMORROW - is the great MidSouth Walk for Diabetes. I am walking with Team BadaBing! What a great network of friends and family who routinely come out to support this worthy cause. I feel so blessed to be included in this team. Without the Bada family, I would be so much more lost. I owe a lot of my mental and physical well-being to their encouragement, and that's why I consider it nothing short of an honor to walk alongside them tomorrow. So, to the whole family - a heartfelt THANK YOU. 

A little iPhone panorama - pumpkin patch with mom!

This is my mom's vegetable soup recipe. Ingredients: Tomato Juice + Sirloin Steak + Beef Broth + Veg-All (one can of small veggies + one can of large veggies) + Can of Corn + Can of Green Beans. You can put the tomato juice + broth in the pot early in the day. Cut up the steak and brown it. Put the steak in the pot with the juice. Cook on low for hours. About 30 minutes before you want to eat, add the veggies (draining the juice). My mom makes it with cornbread, but cornbread is diabetes unfriendly, so I used unsalted crackers.