Fun and Frolic With Long-Term Love

Well the fiber company will be here to hopefully fix things tomorrow. DarkKnight switched us back over to our broadband company since we hadn’t canceled with them yet, so I can use our security system, TV and echo dots now. Hopefully they get this worked out.

No period yet but I am still very crampy.

I had fun last night at belly dancing, though I don’t think I was very good at it. My bestie and I had a blast. I definitely got a work out, and I am looking forward to next Monday’s class. It’s a 4-week course, and then you can sign up for another 4 weeks, but I probably won’t because of the holidays. Actually, MisterMoonbeam and I are supposed to have our regular dance lesson sometime next week. We haven’t been in ages, and we both want to get back to it. We definitely need a refresher for the Hustle, and we had talked about doing West Coast Swing.

I spent an hour this morning sorting donated adult diapers. Funny enough, yesterday I had one of my old volunteers message me and ask if I had any in her size, and I had another senior ask me to mail her some Poise pads. I have a donor who sponsors the latter every month, so she is all set, so I spent this morning digging out diapers for the volunteer request. I sorted and packed up 48 packages! I can say those are going to be completely gone now! I also discovered like 25-30 packs of some adult diapers for people who are a size 60-72” waist. I posted them and the county Office of the Aging wants those. I’m going to deliver them next week.

When DarkKnight gets home, I asked him to grab the diapers for the volunteer and put them into the van. He’s taking a half day tomorrow to be here with the internet installer, so he is going to be able to deliver the diapers right before then. That will clear such a large space in the garage!

Also in the garage I isolated some stuff that needs to go to the dump, so I will get that staged for the guys to load that junk Saturday morning and get it outta here.

We are being slammed lately with migrating birds so I had to refill all of the feeders again this afternoon. We are running through the seed so fast! I took a little bit of time and cleared off a shelf in that storage area, and put away the feeders we don’t need until Spring. The Orioles and Hummingbirds are gone now, so those feeders aren’t needed so it’s nice to have them put away.

I also washed and dried a basket of my laundry, the basket in the shared bathroom is currently in the washer, and while that was all going on, I wiped down surfaces in that bathroom. I ordered a new shower curtain liner too, while it was on my mind. DarkKnight needs some new towels (his are white, MisterMoonbeam’s are yellow, and mine are a white & yellow pattern) in the bath sheet size, but I think I will order those when the tax refund money arrives.

I guess I should start putting laundry away. I have the one load I just did, and there are two full baskets in MisterMoonbeam’s room, and I know he would be very happy to have that all done already when he gets home from Dulles today. This week he has an audit from NASA and he’s really stressed out. I emptied all the litter boxes yesterday for him and he was so appreciative. (That’s his regular household chore.)
 
The internet is now fixed. Apparently the splice job was bad and the modem was also having issues. The mess that the installer made previously was apologized for - the guy that came said that the previous worker was a contractor and he mucked it up. You think? Hopefully everything is better now and will be consistent. DarkKnight is taking a half day and will be home to reprogram the TVs and our echo dot network.

A friend of mine won tickets to the masquerade that I am attending on the 28th, so that is exciting. I am going to pick her up today and see if any of my garb will fit her. She’s larger so IDK. Certainly any of my drawstring skirts will work - hopefully we can figure out an outfit! I’m waiting to hear if our polycule friends have space for her to crash at their house. If not, MisterMoonbeam and I will probably get a hotel to share. I know she can’t afford it. We can, and I would like for her to be able to come!

My bestie is coming over tonight as well, to try on garb and make our flower crowns. I’m excited to do those. We bought a lot of stuff to choose from on Sunday. Her stuff is the first photo - she’s got a burgundy corset with fur trim to wear to Ren Faire this weekend, and she’s borrowing my brown tulip skirt to pair with it. My stuff is the second photo, and I’m making a crown for my autumn fairy costume for the masquerade.

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This was so much fun to make! I added the lights too at the end, and I am so happy with how it looks. I’ve never made a flower crown before and I had a blast in my dining room putting this together. My bestie made one as well. Mine is going to be for an autumn fairy costume!
 
I really enjoyed my diabetes appointment yesterday. What a thing to say! lol Honestly, the specialist is amazing and it always feels like a conversation with a bestie. Anyway, to get right into it:

⭐️ I’m doing awesome. She reiterated that this is a marathon and we are going to keep amassing data and making changes based on the numbers as we get new information.

⭐️ I’m now taking 500 mg of Metformin extended release in the morning, and at night. I’ve already started feeling a bit queasy but it’s mild, so far. She said to expect side effects to last at least a week again. I’m to message her in two weeks so we can discuss if it has had any effect on my blood glucose. She said not to get discouraged - usually 1500 mg is the amount where things start happening, so we might not see anything yet.

⭐️ She directly communicated with my doctor while I was in the appointment, and she got her to write a prescription for a continuous monitoring device for my blood glucose. It’s called a Libre 3 and it sticks onto the back of my upper arm. I am printing out a free coupon for the first one (they last two weeks) and after that I can decide if I want to pay $35 every two weeks. I already know I want to! We have money in the HSA, so affording it won’t be an issue. With this, I will no longer have to stick my finger to check my sugar - this monitors it continuously and there’s an app so I can watch it rise and fall. Pretty sweet!

⭐️ She’s happy with the amount of carbs I am consuming, and now she wants me to start focusing on fiber and fat. It doesn’t matter how much fat I have at each meal, as long as I get no more than 80-90 grams a day. I should aim for 15-20 grams of fiber. My carb counts are specific to each meal: I’m still at 35 grams at breakfast, 60 at lunch, and 60 at dinner. I can have two snacks anytime at 15 carbs each.

⭐️ She also wants me to add more fruit to my diet - honestly I have fresh fruit at breakfast and that’s it right now. Either half a banana, a half cup of blueberries or 5 strawberries - that’s it. She told me that she sees that I’m struggling to add more carbs in at dinner and she suggested to have half an apple or pear, or some pineapple. I’m am stoked to do this and I will add these options in once I go grocery shopping this weekend. Saturday, I guess!

⭐️ I joined HungryRoot as a meal delivery service and we’ll get our first grocery order on Tuesday. We looked over my selections and she made comments and gave me the thumbs up on what I chose. She said she is confident that I am looking at the numbers and I don’t need any direction with that.

⭐️ I’ve lost 14 pounds and I seem to be staying right there the last week. She asked if I wanted to lose more and I told her I’m not comfortable with putting weight loss as a goal, however, if it happens I will just roll with it. Last night I had two friends over and they both saw that the corset I’m wearing for the masquerade could be completely closed. I’m going to have to start selling my collection and I am heartbroken over it.

⭐️ She wants me to start taking a probiotic. She said some people have great results with it helping to lower blood sugar, and others it does absolutely nothing. It’s worth a shot!

⭐️ I have a big jump every morning in my blood glucose, even though I haven’t eaten anything. She said this is common. She said my hormones are like, hey she needs energy to get the day started! But then my insulin resistance kicks in and it just stays high. She said the metformin will have the biggest effect here.

⭐️ Funny enough, my dinner numbers are consistent and she wants me to go visit my favorite restaurant this week! I haven’t been to Mango Grill in two months because I eat rice there and I know it will affect me! She said to go and eat there so we can get a read on how it does actually shift my numbers. Then I should go back in two weeks after the Metformin change has had time to adjust and check my glucose again. An assignment that wants me to eat Chicken Tikka Masala? Yes please!

⭐️ My regular doctor wants me to come in for a checkup again, and they want to take my blood pressure to compare it to the results I’ve been getting at home. They had talked previously about getting me on a low dose of Lisinopril but are kinda waiting to see what effect my weight loss has had. I’m going to call today to set that up.

⭐️ I’m supposed to do a lap around the block each day immediately after eating lunch. She said my rise in blood glucose after lunch is the largest of the day and she’s thinking if I do mild exercise right away, that bump will disappear. She said once I get the Libre 3 we will be able to monitor that and see what happens. I’m also okay to do a workout in my gym, but since that isn’t set up completely yet, I’m going to do that walk!

I think there was more but I am blanking. lol
 
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So I went for a walk after lunch yesterday, and it worked! Instead of seeing a 50+ rise, my blood glucose only went up 19 points! I have to say though, that the walk was a little much. I was feeling dizzy on and off most of the day; I’m guessing it’s my body adjusting to the increase in the Metformin. I’m planning on doing it again today if I can, however, as I can’t argue with the results.

The other thing that was crazy was DarkKnight treated me to Mango Grill for dinner, so I could eat my favorite foods and get a baseline for how it would impact my sugars. Well, instead of 60 carbs at dinner, I had 108. Y’all, my blood glucose only went up 4 points from the after lunch number! I think this increase of Metformin is doing the trick!
 
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I’ve been clearing out my closet so I was happy to get a new Stitch Fix order this week. Most of my size 18 jeans are way too big, and these in the photo are 16s. Y’all, I’m walking around today and they’re sliding off of my butt!
 
I had a lot of fun tonight playing Zombicide Wulfsburg. I picked up a friend to try on corsets together, and she stayed to play for the first time. My D&D regular friend was there as well, and SirGawain, MisterMoonbeam and DarkKnight. So 6, including me. My bestie came over about halfway during the night with her mom - they were on the way to a show downtown. She came to grab some stuff for the Ren Faire tomorrow, and her mom hadn’t ever been to my house before. They left as dinner arrived.

We ordered in wings and pizza, and I put out some fresh veggies. Then we finished up the game - DarkKnight won us the scenario, and that made me smile because it made him very happy.

We’re going to get up early tomorrow morning to head out to the Maryland Faire. We’re picking up SirGawain at 8 am and we will meet my bestie and her partner at the main gates. I can’t wait - I love my costume! It’s the Day of Wrong, so I am wearing a cow print corset with side ruffles. Honestly, I can close the corset all of the way, so this will be my one and only time ever wearing it. I’m going to list it for sale on Monday!

I tried everything on again today because I’m concerned that I am going to freeze tomorrow! It’s going to be chilly. I ended up tying a denim shirt on and I think it might help. I’m a little bummed because it covers a lot of the corset, but I don’t have any better options.

I will post a completed outfit photo tomorrow, but here’s a quick pic of tonight:

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I’m overall happy with it, but it’s a vixen corset, so it’s got a cute collar and I have two pins that now can’t be seen because of the shirt. I’m going to have to put them elsewhere.
 
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I had fun at the Maryland Ren Faire yesterday, and even though it tired me out today, I have a lot to do!

Apparently the pharmacy gave DarkKnight the wrong glucose monitor on Saturday, so I need to exchange that today, and return the modem to our old internet provider. This evening I have belly dancing with my bestie again.

I got my period yesterday and it was A LOT. OMG of course it came in the middle of Ren Faire! Last week I had some brown spotting when I would wipe, but on Saturday all of that had stopped 100% so I figured that was going to be it. I guess the fuck not. Ugh. Now I have the worst cramps ever and it’s heavy AF again today.

I guess my plan right now is to get a shower and then make lunch, and then do the assigned walk around the neighborhood. MisterMoonbeam is home from the office today so I am hoping he’ll go with me. After that, I’ll go do my errands.
 
So my period was the worst I’ve ever had in my entire life. It got so very bad that I had to set a timer on my phone EVERY HOUR so I would go and swap out an Ultra tampon because it was leaking. It was unabated, bright red and absolutely awful. Thank goodness all of our beds have mattress covers, because so had an entire hamper of pajama bottoms and sheets to do on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Apparently this is a Metformin side effect if you have PCOS or endometrial disease, neither of which I’ve ever been hinted at having, ever.

I’m now off all medicine, and awaiting a video visit with my doctor on Monday, to discuss maybe putting me on Jardiance. I’m supposed to pick up my continuous glucose monitor today and I’m excited about that.

I had the turkey & stuffing Thursday special at Cracker Barrel last night (only ate half the stuffing and had carrots instead of the sweet potato casserole). It was within my guidelines but it was definitely more of the processed type of carbs than I’ve had lately. Just for fun, I decided to check my glucose after my dance class with MisterMoonbeam, and it was 178! This is my LOWEST 2-hour post-eating level ever! Go me!

I guess exercise does lower my blood sugar! 🙃

I hope the stopping of the Metformin doesn’t have a negative impact. I was supposed to weigh myself this morning, but of course so forgot and ate breakfast. Sigh. Hopefully I will remember tomorrow. I seem to be stalled on that, but since my glucose numbers have been behaving, I don’t care at all. I am definitely down into a size 16 and a 1X, and depending on the brand, some of those are ready to swap lower already.
 
I didn't know I had endo until I went in for a appendectomy and came out with a full scrape done (awesome surgeon just did it rather than making me come back for a second op). It wasn't until I started googling it I realised I really had been experiencing symptoms. Like what I thought was a grumbling appendix was actually endo on the appendix. I'd been inadvertently controlling it somewhat for years by being on the pill.

Talk to your doc about the possibility.
 
I had a fun time at the masquerade this past weekend. I didn’t win the costume contest (I did come in third in the forest category) but I did win several of the raffle prizes - including a $200 gift certificate to a watercolor realism tattoo place! I’m super excited about that. I’ve been looking at fox tattoos today for a bit - I want to get something to show my love for The Little Prince!

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MisterMoonbeam and I stayed over afterward with our poly triad friends, and on Sunday two of them asked us to go on a walk with them. Which was like, okay? The second we were out in the woods they started asking us about play parties and clubs. Like, we were pretty blindsided but we shared our experiences! They said the other member of the triad isn’t interested in exploring, but they were very much interested.

When we were driving home, MisterMoonbeam and I discussed the fact about how we were uncertain about if they were interested in us! He has been in MFM threesomes with the guy previously and said he would totally be down to mess around. I was excited about it, but cautious. I don’t wanna ruin a long standing friendship.

Last night I texted with the one woman and helped her set up a Fet account, because she didn’t have one yet. I kept the messages very generic. There’s a kink 101 event this coming weekend, and I told her this morning that we would be okay with attending that with them if they’d like. 🤷‍♀️

Honestly I think that is awful short notice, but we could make it work. It’s held every month, so we will see.

I had a telephone call with my doctor today and I’m again in a holding pattern. I’m going to go get my fasting A1C read mid-November, and I have an in-person appointment on November 17. She wants me to go back on the Metformin 500 extended once a day, and to see how I do. She doesn’t want to make any other changes for now.

My blood sugar counts have definitely dropped since September - I’m reading between 179-215 before AND after eating. Still high, but the changes are working.


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This week’s numbers have been interesting! I’m bouncing up 10 - or less- points with my blood glucose after eating! It used to be 50-70, so this is definitely an improvement. I’ve been keeping track and on point with my calories and carbs, as well as fats, proteins and fiber! I thought it would be difficult to keep those at the correct levels, but so far, so good.

I woke up late today so I am behind schedule with what I wanted to accomplish today. I am 100% going to get the primer up on the basement paneling. I scrubbed and cleaned the one long wall earlier this week (so gross!) and now is the time to get the Kilz Mold & Mildew primer done! I want to get the wall fully painted tomorrow, so the guys can assemble the furniture. I joined a decluttering challenge like I did back in July, and that starts next week. So, I have to have this wall looking spiffy, with the Kallax bookcases put together. Then I have a place to unpack all of the boxes. This is going to be my craft room.

Here’s the wall I cleaned - the photo was taken when it was still wet! I got a toothbrush in between the cracks with bleach water, then wiped down everything with Lysol wipes, and finished up by spraying everything with Lysol disinfectant. It’s going to be light green when I get done!

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The stairway walls have been given the same cleaning treatment, but those will only be painted today if I have the time. I know I want to update the entire staircase, but I haven’t decided what to do there yet. Say hi to Milton in the bottom left photo. :)

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Here’s the mass of boxes that have yet to be unpacked. The dark window looks into the sauna. I’m not painting that wall yet. My priority is the long paneled wall. I’m thinking it is going to suck up all the primer and I’m worried about how many coats it will take!

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The gym is still a mess as well. At this point, the walls in this room aren’t on the schedule for this year, though I did purchase the paint already.
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Wow, I think your basement is bigger than my house.
 
Evie said:
Wow, I think your basement is bigger than my house.
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lol It’s 1500 sq ft. This is just the craft room and gym! You can see the entrance to the guys’ office through the gym in the one photo, and that has two large closets.

There’s also a bedroom-sized storage room, a full bathroom and the sauna.

It’s crazypants. When we first saw the house, we were sold on it because it was so huge. Then I found the door that lead downstairs and we were like, you have GOT to be kidding me!

Long term we want to turn it into a separate apartment to rent out. That’s like 15 years from now. It would help us cover the remaining mortgage once MisterMoonbeam retires.
 
I had to Google a converter and 1500 sq ft is ≈140 sq m. My house is 110 sq m LOL.
 
Evie said:
I had to Google a converter and 1500 sq ft is ≈140 sq m. My house is 110 sq m LOL.
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My overall house is 4,482 sq ft. According to google, that’s about 416 sq m. I never imagined owning something so spacious and with all of the windows, it’s so very lovely. We’re in a subdivision, but our backyard makes me feel like we’re on vacation every day!
 
The ridiculous part here is, my section is 1/4 acre, or close enough. It could have a big house AND still have garden space. But NZers build small homes for some historical reason (and now, cost of materials and labour.) We have a detached garage and a detached studio (with power but without plumbing). Most recent valuation is half a million because the housing crisis is very real here. We're considered very entry level housing.
 
Evie said:
The ridiculous part here is, my section is 1/4 acre, or close enough. It could have a big house AND still have garden space. But NZers build small homes for some historical reason (and now, cost of materials and labour.) We have a detached garage and a detached studio (with power but without plumbing). Most recent valuation is half a million because the housing crisis is very real here. We're considered very entry level housing.
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Holy shit that’s crazy. It is all about location though. I’ve had so many people tell me if I were on the other side of the mountain, our house would easily be worth over a million and a half - probably much more. But our mortgage is for $475,000. I’m happy with that!

We have an attached two car garage with an additional storage section along the back. It’s full of boxes and junk at the moment.
 
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