April 4, 2016. Things in April, 2016

I am incredibly hungry even though I had steel-cut oatmeal from the Instant Pot and its timer at 7:30 this morning. That is usually enough to keep my stomach full for a couple of hours but not this morning. I am going to push the laundry cart down the hall so the clever machines can wash and dry the laundry and while that is happening, I have some bread toasting in yet another machine! I am wondering if perhaps my body is responding to the couple of almost-diarrhea days last week when I ate one good small meal a day and dry toast and tea the rest of the time. I noticed this “More! Give me more! ” attitude of my stomach yesterday also! Anyway, the toast is cooling {and, yes, I prefer cold toast} and I will butter and Marmite it and enjoy it with more coffee. These days, what my stomach wants, my stomach gets. I am still holding at around 160 pounds with very little effort. This is, it seems, is the new “setpoint” for my body after the surgery.

It looks like being another cool day with some sunshine which is my favorite kind of day. Later today I will take a walk if only to the mailbox! The wind is quite strong. I can tell because the hanging wind chime upstairs is heavy and if I can hear it here, there is a strong wind. My little wind chime is very quiet. Ok, time for a short break in writing while I fix the toast, pour the coffee and watch another episode of “Scandals.” I am enjoying it but I also have to say I get the urge to roll my eyes every so often!

I just looked out of the window and saw what I think are two mourning doves wandering by. I had been half hearing them but for some reason, I was thinking we didn’t get them here in North Carolina. I may be wrong and perhaps they are not mourning doves. I have a book of birds of NC and if I can find it, I will look them up. We definitely had them in Vermont and they perched on top of the little storage shed in the yard. Of course, there are also robins here. Robins seem to be everywhere. If you have been reading what I was writing in Open Diary days, you might remember the robin who every year perched on the side mirror of my car admiring himself in the window and pooping all over the side mirror and the door handle!

Last time I went shopping, I bought some bananas with the intention of trying out a banana cake in the IP. Unfortunately, I kept eating the bananas! I can’t decide if I am going to make a meatloaf next or a shepherds’ pie. I think a shepherds’ pie because I have still got to use up some potatoes before they start to sprout. I have one of the Instant Pots being cleaned with hot water with a little vinegar in it. As soon as it is finished {I set it for 15 minutes on “steam”} I will rinse it well dry it off, make the decision of what to make and start cooking.