Life Rolls On

This is a quiet time of year for me.  The fall produce at the Farmer's Market - cabbage, apples, and squash - aren't quite ready, so my canning and dehydrating has slowed down until probably mid-September.  I did order 10 lbs of onions that are on sale, so Thursday I will get them to drying.  I seem to go through more onions than anything else.

This summer has been a stinker for arthritis flare-ups.  One would think that our bitter winters would be a worse time, but the opposite is true.  Maybe it is the humidity.  I don't know.  At any rate,  we are having a bit of a cool down, with temps in the mid to high 70's, and that has helped.  I have an appointment with my Dr. next week.  They won't write refill prescriptions unless you show up and donate some blood to test so they can tell you nothing has changed.  I wish it was like it used to be.  We went to the Dr. when we got sick.  Instead we are being held hostage to our need for refills.  Sigh.

Has anyone but me noticed that Doctors seem to want to just throw another prescription drug at you instead of discussing alternatives for a problem?  I am up to four different pills every day, most of which I think are unnecessary.  I have been reading about an herb called Moringa that is good for everything I am taking meds for at the moment.  Including arthritis.  It is readily available like over-the-counter vitamins.  Has anyone ever tried this herb?  I am thinking of giving it a try.  I would much rather go with an herbal remedy than prescription drugs.  Especially when there are no known side effects.  Ever read those reports that come with each prescription drug?  There are more side effect warnings than information on the benefits of them.  That alone seems to be a good reason to go with an alternative.

I'm excited.  I have been thinking about getting a bread machine.  I already have a Kitchen Aid mixer, but my counter space is so small that it isn't practical to leave it out.  It is too heavy to live on top of my freezer, which is the only space available.  But a bread machine could sit there, no problem.  And with my limitations, kneading bread is becoming difficult.  Seemed like a good solution for someone who prefers homemade bread to store bought.

Anyway, I mentioned this to my son's friend the other day when she dropped by for a visit.  She told me that her Dad was in the process of downsizing and she was sure he had one he was going to put on his upcoming garage sale.  A phone call confirmed this.  The machine is like new, having been used only a couple of times.  Son and his friend are going to see him this coming weekend where he lives in the northern part of the state.  They will check out the machine to make sure all the parts are there and that it works.  So with any kind of luck, I will be baking bread Monday.  Woo Hoo!!

Takes very little to make me a happy camper.  :)