The "Strolling Down the Healthy Road", edition.

Hah!  iPod shuffled to The Delpnonics, "Didn't I (Blow Your Mind Your Mind This Time). The epitome of the 70's music arrangement with impeccable harmony. Still wondering what a delphonic is, though. ;-).  So yeah, I've stumbled into being healthy. I've stopped smoking. Haven't had a cigarette in almost a year. I'm eating more vegetables and fruits...actually preferring them (!).  I'm moving more, but I was active before this kidney failure thing. I've lost weight and am keeping it off. Lol. Because I had lost so much weight because of the failing kidneys, it was expected that I'd gain back some weight, and I did.  When I got my appetite back, it really came back. I was eating like a 16 year old boy!  Or like it was my job!  Lol lol. I finally stabilized after gaining about 10 pounds.

Jodeci, "Come and Talk to Me". My nieces and I would debate who was better, Jodeci or Boyz to Men. There really wasn't much debate though. We all preferred Jodeci...but for different reasons. ;-).  My choice for being active has always been water related ever since I learned how to swim.  I think I started swim lessons when I was about 7 years old, at the YWCA in Highland Park (how's that for a trip back in time).  It seems I went there every weekend forever and attended the summer day camps.  I eventually moved on to the downtown YWCA when I was about 9-10 years old, now the site of a Tiger Stadium - Comerica Park.  I even took the bus. The Hamilton route. Lol. My brain is sending up smoke by pulling out these old memories. My cousin from Valdosta was staying with us for the summer.  Mom rode the bus with us to show us how to get there.  I can't even imagine putting my kid on the bus at that age.  I've digressed. 

I eventually went to overnight camp. Swimming and other water based activities were the activities of my choice. Even better than arts and crafts and just a tad over archery.  But clearly better than hiking or overnight camping outside. Bleah.  At the cottage we spent almost the same time in the lake as riding the bikes. What's "the cottage", you ask?  The short answer is we had a summer cottage at Shay Lake, about 8 miles from Kingston, Michigan.  Not familiar with Kingston?  Ok it's  30 miles east of Saginaw. More on that another day.  We swam, water skied, jet skied, rode on the rudderless ski board, boated, canoed, fished, lazed in our giant tractor inner tubes and drifted on our inflatable rafts.  Yeah. I like water sports.  Ha!  iPod shuffled to "Summer Madness", Kool and the Gang.  Most of vacations seemed to be close to a beach or a water park.  And yes, my daughter had swimming lessons starting at 2 years old. Did I mention that my husband and I used to be lifeguards?  I swim. :-)   Once I started feeling better and getting cabin fever, I was looking forward to 1 - getting the chest catheter removed so I could 2 - get in a pool. :-D. 

So here I am. Deep water aerobics. Yeah, deep water not shallow water ( yes, just a touch of disdain for the shallow water..bad Pat ).  Here I am craving green beans, greens, corn, peppers, apples, grapes, broccoli, arugula, tomatoes, carrots, celery, cucumbers, strawberries, peas, peaches, cantelopes.  The list goes on. I'd like spinach, banana, sweet potato, or avocado, but they're  off limits.  Way too much potassium.  I'm sure I could have some in moderation, but I'm ok.  We make our own tacos..with real beef - lol.  So no Taco Bell cravings.  We use fresh ingredients when cooking and have almost done away with processed foods. Although I keep a stock of Rotel (yum).  I had a Honeycrisp apple yesterday.  It was like manna from the gods.  Lol. I'd never thought I'd prefer that over a bag of chips. Roflmao. Apparently it's never to late to change. ;-)

Have a great day and try a Honeycrisp apple. Good crunch, juicy and just sweet enough. Signing off with The Main Ingredient, "Rolling Down the Mountainside". Cuba Gooding's voice so smooth.  "Keep the truth in sight".  "We all count".  :-)