Last of the Strawberries

Tonight the temperature is supposed to fall to 0C for the first time this autumn.

Today our breakfast strawberries were not sweet. If there is no heat, they do not develop sweetness. They still have a lovely strawberry flavour, and they are not sour. Attila harvested all of the strawberries from the garden, they were all unripe. Placed in a covered bowl with a ripe tomato, it is hoped they will ripen. The plants are still producing blossoms. But in the next few days the ground cover will be lifted, and the plants will be covered with straw for the winter.

There is still much to come in from the garden. Broccoli plants are still producing, cabbage, squash, and beets as well. The zucchini plant has two zucchini growing a little each day, they may or may not grow to an edible size, they are covered at night. Soon the garden will be completely harvested, and the infrastructure winterized.

Now seniors have dental insurance in Canada, CDCP, which does not cover all costs, but does reduce the financial burden significantly. This is a relatively new benefit, and Attila is taking advantage of it to have some very long overdue dental work done. The work will take about six months to complete, which is wonderful because it stretches the expense over that time, making it much easier for us to manage.

The first dental appointment was today. So far Attila is happy with his choice of dentist, even though the office is an hour’s drive from home.

Attila and I have a busy few months ahead of us, attending health related appointments.

After our vaccinations we took one day off to rest and recover. We are now both feeling completely well again, and are able to get back to our projects, and walking our two miles a day. We really missed the walks.

I’ve been gathering a few items to donate to the local thrift store. I’ve decided not to donate any more clothing for the next few years. My weight has been coming down, a few ounces every once in a while, it is an almost undetectable change. This may add up over the span of years, so I might just want to wear those clothes again. Already two pairs of pants fit me once more.

This creeping weight loss is due to a relatively low calorie but extremely healthy diet, intermittent fasting, and daily exercise. I do not use weight loss drugs. It is only recently that these lifestyle changes have had any effect on my weight, as the changes were made many years ago, and previously had no effect at all. The only difference I can detect is that I increased the proportion of protein in my diet, increasing it significantly to the recommended amount. I don’t like eating sentient beings, and have avoided it for the most part over years. The increased protein is primarily focused on dairy, nuts, seeds, beans, legumes, and pulses.

I do eat desserts occasionally. This year I have had a piece of Carrot Cake that my sister baked, delicious. Another time I consumed three or four butter tarts at my sister’s house, and she and I, on that same visit, polished off quite a few ice cream bars, it was a sweet visit. And the third time I’ve eaten dessert this year was with our Thanksgiving dinner, when Attila and I both enjoyed homemade Mincemeat Squares. Other than these occasions my sugar intake is restricted to less than 25 grams per day. There will be a fourth indulgence in dessert this year, and that will be for Christmas Dinner, it will probably be homemade Mincemeat Squares.

My low-sugar, low-sodium, low-cholesterol, low-saturated fat, low-calorie, high-fibre, high-protein Chocolate Zucchini Muffins, for breakfast, satisfy all my sugar cravings first thing in the morning. Breakfast satisfies my sugar cravings for the rest of the day. I have a sweet tooth, and this is the my way of coping with it.

Worldly

Weather

8°C
Date: 8:00 PM EDT Friday 24 October 2025
Condition: Not observed
Pressure: 102.6 kPa
Tendency: Rising
Temperature: 7.7°C
Dew point: 2.0°C
Humidity: 67%
Wind: WNW 10 km/h

Quote

“Everyone has a doctor in him or her; we just have to help it in its work. The natural healing force within each one of us is the greatest force in getting well. Our food should be our medicine. Our medicine should be our food.”
Hippocrates
460 BC – 377 BC