Saturday, December 8, 2007 - New Website

http://frugalabundance.com

My new site is called Frugal Abundance. It's more centered towards healthy recipes and there are lots of vegetarian dishes. Hope y'all enjoy it.

:-) Miss Maggie

Tuesday, October 30, 2007 - HBHW has a new owner

Hey Yall

I wanted to let everyone know that HBHW has changed hands and has a new owner named Susanne.

HBHW has been a labor of love for about 8 years and my time as it's owner has come to an end. I will still be an online presence, at my homeschooling site Old Fashioned Education, here at my Blog (which I hope to pick up again soon) and also at a new site I hope to have up and running in the next few weeks, or at least by January 1st, hopefully before then. I'm not exactly sure what the new name will be but will share it on my blog, my mom's blog and at OFED as soon as I know.

The new owner of Hillbilly Housewife is named Susanne. Her email is susanne@kinderinfo.com. She is already the owner of one site called Kinderinfo. She's a lovely woman, solid Christian with a heart for serving other mothers. She and I have prayed individually and together about this process and we both feel firmly that we are doing the will of God.

I know many readers will be disappointed but I hope you will treat Susanne with the affection and loyalty you have always shown to me. You have probably noticed that I've been much less active here and on HBHW this year than ever before. Part of this is due to the extra demands of homeschooling highschoolers. Part of it is because I have lost a bit of the inspirational spark that I felt for HBHW in the early years. Susanne assures me she will have new content to share, which I know all of you will look forward to, especially after I've made you all endure such long absences. In addition she will keep all the current content so your favorite articles and recipes aren't going anywhere. They'll still be there for you to use and print as you like.

Susanne has my full confidence in her ability to take over HBHW and lead it to the next place the Lord needs it to go. I hope you'll take the time to get to know her better and to offer her congratulations on her new duties.

If anyone has any questions, please feel free to ask, I will do my best to answer them here.

Hugs & Blessings
:-) Maggie

Sunday, July 1, 2007 - Server Temporarily Down

The site is down. I am fussing at the hosting company. I haven't heard back from them yet. There is a standard message on their help screen that such and such server is down. That would be the place that houses my server. I will hear back from them or it will be repaired soon, or I'll have to find a different place to host it. HBHW isn't going anywhere there are simply some technical issues that are being worked out.

My welfare is fine, and I appreciate everyone's concern.

Friday, June 15, 2007 - Kilted Eric's Blog

My intelligent, adventurous, creative, hunky and happily married brother Eric (my little brother, not my bigger brother) who is also a devoted father to the biggest baby I have ever seen, has his very own blog. You can reach it here--Kilted Eric.

Any readers who are especially conservative will probably not be so interested in his blog and may even find parts of it offensive. That's okay. You don't have to go there.

I love my brother, and sharing his blog with my readers is a joy to me. He has some great stuff on how he's building a chicken coop, on the joys and challenges of fatherhood and some other imaginitive stuff that I found interesting. You have to be registered to comment. I haven't registered yet, so I haven't commented yet.  I am sending out great encouragement and appreciation though, to Eric for being a great dad, an excellent husband, and the best brother a girl could ever ask for. Besided all that, he is a talented and professional cook! Pretty cool eh?

P. S. He really does wear a kilt. And he wears it so well he puts Sean Connery to shame, and that is saying a lot!

Wednesday, June 13, 2007 - Open Source Radio Interview

Howdy All,

I did a radio interview tonight at 7pm with Christopher Lydon on the Food Stamp Challenge for Public Radio. I think there's a way to listen to it online if you didn't catch it but I'm not sure exactly how that works. Our speakers are busted for the moment and until I get new ones I won't be able to hear it myself.

My mom listened on the computer and she said it went well. "That's my Maggie." was her response. It's nice to have someone in your corner cheering you on.

Fred couldn't stay in the house, he had to go off for a long motorcycle ride. Some things are just too intense. I don't go to work with him, he doesn't go to work with me. We talk to eachother about these things, but beyond emotional support, we keep these things separate. Whatever works as they say.

I'd never done a radio interview before and it was fun. Earlier today I contacted a new friend who has done interviews in the past and she was very helpful telling me what to expect and how to manage myself. It gave me a boost of confidence that really helped me focus on what I was doing instead of on my belly and the butterflies fighting a war therein.

I wanted to thank everyone who listened and all the readers who are so kind to me and give me so much encouragement. It makes all the difference. Now I'm exhausted and really need a nap. Phew!

Monday, May 21, 2007 - The Bathing "Back Story"

Sorry to disappoint, but this story doesn't really have a back story. What I can do is tell why and how regular bathing is significant to me.

When I was in highschool I knew a guy who swore up and down that his odor was attractive to women. He was wrong. He believed it though and it was his practice to bathe no more often than twice a week so that he would better able to attract dates. I explained to him that he was nuts, but he never believed me. Later, as an adult, I had a girlfriend who said the same thing. She truly believed that her lack of washing was the sexiest thing in the world to guys and that they were all turned on by here smell. I explained to her also that this was not true, but she never believed me either.

In my family running water hasn't always been a constant. My grandmother, who is still living at 86, spent far more of her life without running water than with it. She has bazaar notions of water "conservation" in regards to bathing that have always driven me nuts. When I have lived with her off and on during my life she has had unreasonable regulations regarding bathing that changed according to her whim. People who live with her today must still struggle with her issues regarding running water. She bathes a couple of times a week, and generally doesn't smell bad, but her rules and regulations are a symptom of having lived without running water for so long.

When I was a girl at my Granny's I took a bird bath in the sink everyday, as instructed, and then they filled up a galvanized tub for me in the back room, where the coal stove was, and that is where I had my Saturday night bath. They put a big pot of water on the coal stove to heat and filled the tub with the garden hose, shinnied thorugh a window. After filling it about 1/4 full of cold water they'd add the hot water from the stove and that is where I bathed. When I was done, my sister had her turn, yes in the same water. Sometimes she would go first and then I would be next. If you have a tall, narrow container to bathe in, it takes much less water. You have to bend your knees up next to your chin, but it's not too bad and  you can soak for a while. After bathing, 2 adults would carry the tub outside and dump it in the yard.

In the summer we had the same tub, but filled up in the morning and then allowed to sit until warmed by the sun. The tub was placed under the clothes line, with 2 sheets draped on each side for privacy. My sister and I would pretend we were the Queen of Sheba or Bathsheba bathing on her roof. They were the most glamorous characters we could think of at the time. We soaked in the water, washed our hair and then the water was eventually dumped over the garden.

When I was a young mom I had trouble finding time to shower and had to adapt a lot to get it in every day. Mostly I let the baby cry while I bathed. It was never pleasant, but it got the job done.

I've taught my boys to be regular bathers. They have never complained much about bathing and rarely given me any trouble about it. Fred is a regular bather and so am I, so for us it's not so significant an issue, however Fred and I both have family members and used to have a neighbor family, who were not regular bathers, and it's not exactly pleasant. I've also had friends who didn't always bathe regularly and when I have confronted them with it, they have had very strange excuses, including my favorite "But people will think I'm weird if I start showering regularly because I never do it now."

Since I've had all of these things running around my head, I finally decided to put them on paper, so that the next person I meet with this problem, well I can just print it out and give it to them, without having to go through the whole thing over and over again.

As for running water, please remember I am the "Hillbilly" housewife. I live in Appalachia. Running water is not exactly a fact of life for everyone around here. As Wendy BlueBird pointed in the comments below, some of us live without running water and learn to manage as best we can. Wells can run dry, pipes can burst and there are still plenty of people who tote water from the creek for all of their needs. Appalachia is a different kind of place to live, especially when you get back in the hills. More third world than modern world.

Friday, May 18, 2007 - An open letter to all the people I've ever met who feel that bathing is not the right option for them.

  Some of us need a reminder in this area and others don't. You know which you are. Feel free to skip to over this entry if it isn't an issue for you. If it is an issue for you or a loved one then read on.

When we don't bathe regularly then it's a sign that something big is wrong in our lives. Something very big. We need to seek out counseling or anti-depressants or better yet—both.

Human beings begin to smell after a day or two without washing. You may try wearing an overshirt or jacket to cover up the odor, but you aren't fooling anyone. The rest of us can smell you and we don't like it. It makes it hard for us to get close to you, and hard for us express our love for you. When we don't bathe regularly we are more likely to get sick because we aren't washing off the germs we collect over a day or two. Dirt clogs our pores and makes it harder for normal excretions to dissipate through our skin. Sweat reacts with bacteria and produces odors that make others keep their distance. All of these are bad things that should be avoided.

If you're like most non-bathers, you probably have a lot of excuses like the following . . .

My odor is appealing to the opposite gender. It's like an aphrodisiac.

You may have entertained notions that perfumeries should pay you a million bucks so they can scrape off your sweat and bottle it for mass consumption. I hate to be the one to tell you, but somebody told you a big fat lie once upon a time and you've believed it ever since. This notion of yours is a fantasy. No one is attracted to the odor of an unwashed body. It isn't even close to sexy; it's stinky and gross. I guarantee you, you'll get a lot more attention from potential mates if you bathe regularly than if you don't. And just in case you're really stuck on this idea and think you are the one exception, I'm here to tell you that you aren't. Body odor stinks. There are no exceptions. Nope, not even you.

I just don't have time in the morning. I have to rush, rush, rush all day long and I never get a minute to myself and when I do, the last thing I want to do is bathe. I want a minute to catch up on my sleep!

Baloney! Millions of people are in the same boat and they find time to wash their bodies and put on clean clothes every single day. Good hygiene is just as important as getting enough sleep. If you have to rearrange your schedule to make time for a shower then do it. Get up earlier. Or if you won't shower as soon as you wake up, then do it before you go to bed. Give up some of your nap time for doing the laundry and taking a bath. Make it a priority. Other people do it, and there's no reason you can't except pure laziness.

But what will I do with the baby?

Mothers all over the world are in the same boat. There are ways around the situation. When the baby is big enough, put her in the tub with you. It's a bit complicated, but you can kill two birds with one stone by taking a bath together. When the baby is too small for that, try to take your shower when the baby naps. But what about the other kids you may be wondering; bathe with the door open if necessary. Or strap the baby into his car seat and put the car seat on the bathroom floor while you shower. Even if he screams bloody murder, as long as you can keep one eye on him while you wash your hair, he'll be fine. Anger and crying never killed a baby, and the five minutes it takes for you to get clean will do both Mommy and baby a lot of good.

I don't have running water, how do you expect me to keep clean?

There's this old form of bathing called a bird bath. It's when you fill a bucket or basin with water, get a towel, wash cloth and soap and wash up. Wash from the top down. Do your face first and then work progressively down to your feet. Wash all of your warm areas like underarms and crotch thoroughly. Then dry off briskly with a rough towel. If you have a helper, so much the better. Finally put on clean clothes. Do this every day, after you wake up in the morning or before bed at night. Make it a family affair if necessary. You can help one another reach the hard-to-get areas. No matter how tired you are, do not omit your daily bird bath. Finally, once a week fill a big plastic or galvanized tub with warm water and soak for a while before washing your whole body and hair. It's not particularly easy, but it's better than going around smelling bad all the time.

My Mother, Father, Husband, Wife, etc. grew up without running water and they have all of the dumb rules and hangups about bathing. It's just too hard so I avoid it as often as possible.

Their problem doesn't have to be yours. Normal people wash every day. You can too. Even if the other person has to follow a lot of complicated rituals or limitations for their shower, you do not. Just take a normal shower or bath in the bathroom with the door locked and don't bother discussing your hygiene habits with anyone else. Every human being deserves to wash the way that is best for them, and you don't have to satisfy another person with your method.

Every time I step into the shower the entire house erupts into chaos. It's like their punishing me for taking 10 minutes to myself.

Take the bull by the horns. Either bathe before everyone else is awake in the mornings, when they are all down for their naps, or at night when everyone else is asleep. If all of these are impossible then discuss the situation in a family meeting. Then when it's time to bathe, announce to everyone what you intend to do and what your expectations for them are while you're busy. Or you can make everyone have a time out in separate rooms or corners while you shower if necessary.

But I've gone without bathing regularly for so long that people will think there's something wrong with me if I start to do it every week, much less every day.

This is in your head. It isn't real. If you do bathe every week, or better yet, every day, then people will be happy for you. They will not think you are weird. They will think “Oh, you're getting better.” Then they will stop thinking about it because your bathing habits really matter very little to the rest of us as long as you don't stink. And trust me, if you aren't bathing, then you stink.

I would but everyone is always nagging me to so I just don't. I'm not going to let them rule my life and when I don't bathe, they know they aren't in control of me, I am.

The reason people are always bugging you to take a bath is because you smell bad. It is distinctly unpleasant to be around people who smell bad. Also, your skin is dirty and greasy. Touching someone with dirty, greasy skin is icky. Having someone with dirty, greasy skin touch you is even ickier. People want you to bathe because it's good for you. Just like using the bathroom, getting enough sleep and eating right. You have a choice to let the people who are nagging you be in charge of your behavior or taking charge of it yourself. It may seem like you are in charge by refusing to bathe but this is a false notion. In reality the naggers are still in charge because you are reacting to their nagging. The only way to take charge of the situation yourself is to bathe regularly because you want to. As long as you are saying “I'm not going to do it because you told me to.” you are still letting the nagger have control. Why let them have any more control over you than they already do? Empower yourself by taking charge of your own bathing habits. Do it for you.

Every time I take a shower my skin tingles and hurts. It's like pins and needles and my hair feels like it's falling out.

This is a common complaint for people who seldom bathe. What happens is that our bodies have become unused to the process and it feels a little weird. I know that if I go for several days without washing my hair I can feel my scalp tingling when I do wash it. It's an uncomfortable sensation and the only way to avoid it is by bathing more often. Every day in fact. If you shower today, then do an experiment and shower again tomorrow. You'll be surprised to discover that the tingling sensation will be less intense and maybe even nonexistent. Then try bathing again on the third day. Miracle upon miracles you won't notice any sensations at all. Your body has adapted to being clean. Don't let those tingly feelings prevent you from taking care of yourself. The only way to make them go away forever is to take a shower every single day. If you do that, then pins and needles will never bother you again.

While we're on the subject, remember to brush your teeth too. You may notice a little blood on your toothbrush. Don't worry. When we don't brush our teeth very often, our gums may react by releasing a little blood. Dentists call this Pink Brush. It's nothing to worry about. Just keep brushing your teeth every day and before you know it, Pink Brush will be a thing of the past. Remember, no one wants to kiss a person who hasn't brushed their teeth. Dirty teeth make for bad breath which makes people keep their distance.

If you want to make friends, please your spouse, find a spouse, or encourage people to visit more often, then practice good hygiene. You'll feel better. You'll be healthier and the rest of us will enjoy being close to you more often.

Thursday, May 17, 2007 - Recipe: Spicy Beef & Sweet Potato Stew

Spicy Beef & Sweet Potato Stew

6 servings.

• 1 pound ground beef or turkey

• 40 ounce can sweet potatoes, drained and rinsed

• 8 ounce can tomato sauce or 15 ounce can tomatoes

• 1/2 cup raisins

• 3/4 teaspoon salt

• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

• 1 teaspoon chili powder

• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

• 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper

• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

• 2 tablespoons dried onions

• 1-1/2 teaspoons dry parsley

• Hot Cooked Rice

This dish has a Moroccan flair. If you like spicy foods, you'll love it. If you hate spicy foods, then pass this one up for something more traditional.

First put your rice onto cook according to your preferred method. Next plop the ground meat into a large skillet. Cook over medium heat, breaking the meat up into small bits, until the meat is well browned. Drain off the fat and rinse the meat under hot water. Return the meat to the skillet. Add all of the remaining ingredients except the cooked rice. Make sure you drain the sweet potatoes completely. I like to rinse them under cool water too, to remove as much of the canning liquid as possible.

Stir the mixture and break the sweet potatoes into smaller chunks with a fork or spatula. Add enough water to give the mixture the texture of thick spaghetti meat sauce. Simmer for about 10 minutes. Serve over hot cooked rice.

This recipe is a little weird by American standards but it's surprisingly good, especially if you already like sweet potatoes.

Not including Rice. Per Serving: 376 Calories; 8g Fat (18.6% calories from fat); 16g Protein; 62g Carbohydrate; 7g Dietary Fiber; 35mg Cholesterol; 609mg Sodium. Exchanges: 3 Grain(Starch); 1 1/2 Lean Meat; 1/2 Vegetable; 1/2 Fruit; 1/2 Fat.

Thursday, May 17, 2007 - Food Stamp Challenge

First off, my weight managment progresses nicely. I'm far from perfect, but having a support group makes a world of difference. I can honestly say I would have given up by now if not for them.

Next is this nifty thing called the Congressional Food Stamp Challenge. A couple of readers wrote me that my site had been mentioned there so I had a look and it is a pretty wonderful thing.

From May 15-21, 2007, U.S. Members of Congress will live on a food stamp budget. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the average food stamp benefit is approximately $3 a day.
Spouses and staff of Members of Congress are invited to join the challenge, as well as advocates and local and state officials. Those participating will record their experiences in this Congressional Food Stamp Challenge blog.

Several Links from Google.

Governor Ted Kulongoski of Oregon did the same experiment in April.

Food Lifeline more info about the Food Stamp Challenge and lots of info about helping the hungry too.

I love anything that brings attention to hunger in America. It is my pet political issue, because to me it's not political at all. It's more basic than that. When children are hungry you feed them. Doesn't matter where the children come from, hungry children should always be fed.  It's the way I run my household and quite frankly I think that if every family felt that way, that there wouldn't be much hunger in America at all. I don't have enough politcal savvy to know how to feed them on a governmental level. I do know that Food Stamps kept my sister and I from starving when we kids and that we looked more forward to Church Food Boxes than we did to Christmas. I wonder, if every family had the same compassion for hungry children, how would our country deal differently with hungry children? I mean, if we translated the kitchen sink policy of feed all the hungry kids who are sitting at your table, into a political policy, how would it work? And could it even been done? Maybe it's not possible to translate kitchen sink policies into politcal policies. Anyone else have any ideas?

Monday, May 7, 2007 - Crisis of Faith Averted

Over the weekend I had a minor crisis of faith. Not my faith in God, but my faith in the diet. The peanut butter Monster visited me in earnest and I gorged on about 300 to 400 calories worth. On the bright side, I'm gettng so used to my lower calorie intake that after my binge I wasn't hungry again until time for a midnight snack. I couldn't have eaten supper if I'd tried because I was just too full. This is partly due I believe to the power of protein and fat. They are a powerful appetite deterrant. The day I binged I still made it in under 1200 calories, so that was a sweet blessing.

I tend to mess up on my diets a lot. The first 3 days I do fine, but the 4th day is always hard on me, Most the time I have trouble sticking to my guns through the 4th day. When I do manage to make it through I'm usually good to go for a while. But that "Hump" day is a mental land mine. Everywhere I try to rest my brain, I come up with reasons to dash it all and be fat for the rest of forever. I prayed a lot this time, and when the 5th day rolled around I had some peace of mind about it. I will make mistakes on my diet. I will have boo-boo's and cheats and all the rest. In spite of it all though, I will keep getting back on the horse. It can throw me, but it can't break my spirit. As long as I keep trying my efforts will add up.

My diet is easier now than it was last week. The terrible hunger has passed. I have long periods of time where I don't even think about food. I'm able to manage my meals with less effort and I feel much less deprived than I did on the 4th day. When I feel sorry for myself I put myself in a mindset that is ripe for mistakes to breed. Self-pity, it's murder on my good intentions. I plan to watch out for it now. To recognize it when I see it and replace it with empowering thoughts instead of poor-me thoughts.

Sticking to my diet does make me feel like I have more control over my life. With PCOS it's easy to feel like the "victim" of a disease. It's easy to feel like there's nothing I can do and just give up. My momma raised a fighter though, and I'm not giving up so easily. Today I feel pretty good about doing this for the rest of my life. I think it will help me achieve a level of health that has illuded me, and that is worth giving up my old routine of eating what I want when I want it. The benefits outweigh the discomfort.

 [snip,snip, delete]

That's all for now. I am finding the diet much easier to stick to now, and I hope it just gets easier with time. If anyone has any links to Healthy sites that offer encouragement or support for very low calorie diets, I'd love to know about them.

P.S. I do exercise, 1-1/2 to 2 miles almost every morning. Exercise doesn't make me lose weight. I have blogged about it extensively in the past and choose not to go over it all again. I am confident that my doctors have given me the right course of action and if anyone feels that it's not the right course of action for them, then by all means choose a different one. I don't think mine is right for anyone else but me, and I shall not be dissuaded from this belief. Blessings--MM

Friday, May 4, 2007 - Being Hungry

I once read a few articles by a well-known nutritionist and she claimed that the downfall of any diet was being hungry. She said that if a diet left you hungry it meant you needed more food and that no one on a diet should ever go hungry.

She was an idiot.

I have never been on a diet when I didn't feel hungry. Well, the only exception was the Atkins diet, but I didn't lose much weight either, and I think the two go hand in hand. For me being on a diet, especially the first week, means going hungry. There's no beating around the bushes, there's no soft-sell. Hunger is a part of weight loss and anyone who says different, well, I suspect they never had much weight to lose in the first place. I'm sure there are exceptions, just like there are to anything, but my belief is that dieting and hunger go hand in hand. There is no divorcing the two.

So let me share about my hunger. I have learned to discern between different stages of hunger. The first is not actual hunger, it's just not beign full. This is the stage where I can eat, but I don't have to. There is no physical discomfort.  The next stage is feeling hollow. There's not much food left in the belly and it lets me know that refueling now would be a good option. This is the stage at which I most often ate in the past. If you ignore this hollow, somewhat light feeling long enough it will go away. Next comes genuine hunger. It's a dull discomfort in your belly telling you to eat, and the sooner the better. It's hard to put off this feeling. Keeping a drink to sip on helps assuage it some, but it never really satisfies the ache. After genuine hunger comes real-life hunger pangs. They hurt. They are nearly impossible to ignore. This is now the point at which I eat. I find it very challenging to wait so long between meals. After acute hunger passes, you go back to the hollow feeling, the one that is easily ignored. And then comes starving. I've never really experienced starving, but I've heard tell about it. The worst I've felt is Acute Hunger and it's as far as I ever want to go.

What I do is eat 3 meals a day and 1 midnight snack of light yogurt. I'm eating about every 5 or 6 hours and doing my best to make filling, enjoyable meals. Below you'll see some pictures I've been taking. My meals are so fleeting that taking pictures of them makes them last longer visually, and in turn that makes me feel like I've eaten more. I may turn into an obsessive compulsive picture taker and take pictures of all of my food for the rest of my life. It may just be a passing phase that I get over in a few weeks. I'm prepared to live with both eventualities.

Yesterday's 325 Calorie Lunch--Cantaloupe, Veggie Sticks (Turnip Sticks, Celery, Carrots & Radishes); FF Ranch Dip; Diet Dr. Perky; Hot Beef Bouillon for drinking and dipping; Roast Beef, Onion & Swiss on a Light Hot Dog Bun. It was delicious.

Close up on the Roast Beef Sandwich.

Last night's 325 Calorie Dinner--Sauteed Lean Ground Beef, Mushrooms & Onions; California Veggies; 2 new potatoes with paprika and chili powder seasonings; Diet Gingerale. It too was yummy. I"m having leftovers for lunch today.

Since I can only eat so little, I'm doing my blasted best to make each morsel I eat as infinitely satisfying as I can. I hope my stomach shrinks soon, so it takes less food to fill it.

Thursday, May 3, 2007 - Mammogram & PCOS stuff

Having a mammogram is like putting your boob into a pancake griddle or a tortilla press. It doesn't hurt. It is a little uncomfortable, but only for a few seconds. Sort of like if your husband stepped on your bare foot with a smooth soled shoe and pressed down some, but not all the way. Only not on your foot, on your breast. I feel really good about having done it. It was easier than trying to nurse a wiggly baby, and if you've ever been bitten by a teething baby, mammograms are a cake walk compared to that.

I saw my endocrinologist too, a new one, and he talked with me for over an hour about PCOS and the treatment options. He gave me some new pills, that will hopefully help with some of the symptoms. The big thing though was that he explained why weight loss is the best treatment. It is the only way to reduce all the symptoms and many women are symptom-free when they reach a low enough weight.

Doctors have given me the ideal goal weight of 120 and the less optimistic "settle for" weight of 150.

So anyway, this new Doc explained the recent studies done on losing weight with PCOS and told me that he recommends 800 to 1000 calories a day for all of his patients with PCOS. That's not a typo, 800 to 1000 calories, per day, I read this online last year and even tried it for a while, but so many readers told me it was unhealthy, that I eventually gave into peer pressure and decided they must be right. Now I am happily vindicated that I was on the right track then and have been  sticking to 1000 calories, going on the 3rd day now.

Before anyone worries that I'll lose muscle tone or starve to death I want to mention that women with PCOS use calories differently than other people. What might be a starvation diet to you, could be the perfect diet for me. Also, remember my endocrinologist and nurse practitioner are supervising my weight loss, so I'm not doing this without a safety net.

The other thing the doctor said is that I will probably have to live the rest of my life on a diet of no more than 1000 to 1200 calories a day.

I've been in deep prayer over these changes and God is giving me a lot of grace about it. I'm thinking about how I'll never be able to eat the way I used to, and how that will affect my my cooking websites, and cooking habits. I'm contemplating the expense involved in buying low calorie foods. I know God had given the mission of sharing my low-cost methods up to now. I wonder how my mission will change? Don't worry, my main HBHW site isn't going anywhere, the recipes will be there a long time yet. I'm just wondering what God will have me do next.

Changing body, changing mission, changing eating habits, changing the way I think about the  next 40 to 60 years. Lots to think about. Will share more about my eating plan later. Also working on some menus to share, but it will take a couple of weeks to finish them.

Thanks to everyone for all the support. It means so much to me.=)

Thursday, April 26, 2007 - No Longer Accepting Members for 12 Healthy Weeks

The small support group--12 Healthy Weeks, is no longer accepting new members. We are full up. I even extended it to 3 dozen. In the future I may consider hosting another one and allowing more members, maybe up to 50, that might be too many to make it work though. I'll just have to try this one first and see.

Thanks to everyone for the overwhelming response. I had no idea there were so many of us in the same boat. I'll continue updating my blog as per usual, and keeping everyone updated on my progress (or lack there of if necessary, hopefully not)

For everyone who has been accepted into the group, be sure to register as soon as you can. On Sunday afternoon I will be shutting down all new registrations, so if you aren't registered by then, you won't be able to participate. I would hate to see that happen to anyone, so please, make it a priority.

On the home front, things have smoothed out nicely, it's been a lovely peaceful day. I've caught up with my dishes, enjoyed the sunshine on the deck and done a lot of prep work for my dietary goals. I'll be starting officially on Wednesday next.

Thursday, April 26, 2007 - More Doctor Stuff & the 12 Week group

We have a few more openings left in the 12 Healthy Weeks group. If you are female and have at least 50 pounds to lose and are interested in joining then please email me at hillbillyhousewife@msn.com.

I saw my nurse practitioner today. She is so wonderful. I wish she was my doctor and more qualified to treat all of my problems. She did manage to get me in to see a new endocrinologist. We joke here at home that my endocrine is broken. I had an old endocrinologist but there were signs on all the walls saying "The doctor is busy, don't bother him too much." They didn't say that exactly, but that's what they meant. Essentially, keep your mouth shut and don't ask too many questions. Grrr. Didn't like that doctor and only saw him twice.

So I'll see the new endocrinologist next week, same day as my mammogram. Thank you soooo much to everyone for the reassurance about that specifically. I'm feeling much more relaxed about it now.

We had some trouble with the Asperger's Boy today and made a visit to his psychologist. It was a productive visit and I hope things will continue in a good vein.

This Saturday we're visitng our grandbaby and her momma and the baby daddy. The mom and baby may be moving to Oklahoma soon, maybe with the baby daddy and maybe without, we still don't know. Anyway, we are praying furiously that whatever God's will is, that it will be done. And that we will be loving and kind about whatever the outcome.

Things at home right now are not even and peaceful, but I expect they will get back to that soon. I am loathe to say more becasue I seem to have acquired some critics and I don't feel strong enough to give them more food for fodder. For the most part it's just every day stuff that gets worked out eventually. Hopefully my instinct to censor myself will pass soon enough and I can get some more good entries made.

Thanks to everyone for the warm and encouraging response to the 12 healthy weeks group. I hope we'll be able to do some good with it. If it goes well, then I will consider another group, at a later time, and allow those with less to lose to join in. For now though, I've got nearly 100 pounds that are weighing me down and I need the security of other ladies who are looking at similar numbers. I hope those of you who have less to lose will understad and be patient with me.

Tuesday, April 24, 2007 - I'm Cranky & 12 Healthy Weeks

I'm getting my first ever mammogram next week, and I'm very nervous. Also getting the yearly gyn. exam and am worried that I have edometriosis becasue a very close friend recently had it and it was turning cancerous and she had to have a radical hysterectomy. Eeek! Also feeling very frustrated about PCOS symptoms. Made appt. with eye doctor, for new prescription & contacts, and with Nurse Practitioner to discuss PCOS symptoms. Grr! Argh! I hate the medical stuff but it is the right thing to do and I'm doing it and getting it all out of the way so I'll be prepared to enjoy my summer without any nagging worries over my health.

In a previous post a commenter said a lot of stuff about not succeeding with weight loss being my fault and nothing I can blame on anyone else, certainly not God. Fine. Grrr.

Anyway, I have been tossing around an idea of 12 healthy weeks, and I am looking for up to 2 dozen other ladies who are interested in doing something along those lines. I intend to have a small, private Yahoo Group for support, or maybe a small private message board. I don't know exactly yet. But the premise will be weight loss through calorie counting and eating healthy foods and exercising. All the things we are told to do, but sometimes don't do because it's not exactly easy to make that stuff a priority. The group will be free, and for support, to help us all stay on track. The group will be private for the entire 12 weeks, meaning new members won't be allowed to join. We'll all start at the same time, and all finish at the same time.

The requirments for membership are that you be genuinely dedicated to 12 whole weeks of doing your best. You have to be willing to respect other member's privacy. Losing weight  makes some of us very vulnerable and if you can't keep the stuff you read to yourself, or if you are often tempted to gossip, then this isnt' the best place for you. Confidentiality is vital. You have to be nice to other people, and have at least 50 pounds to lose. If you have 100 or more pounds to lose, then you're in good company. The method is counting calories and exercise. Other plans such as weight watchers for examble, are not allowed. I'll only do this if there are other interested parties. If not, I'll just drop the subject.

If you're interested then email me at hillbillyhousewife@msn.com.

If you have any questions, feel free to ask. If you've ever had a mammogram before, then I could use some comfort. That's all for now.--M

Monday, April 23, 2007 - Making the Best of Leftovers

This entry may only be of interest to die-hard foodies, so feel free to skip it if it gets too deep.

I have been working on canned meat and bean recipes and hope to eventually have a nice PDF e-book to show for my troubles. It won't be done any time soon, much like my Vegetarian Cookbook, Cooking for 2 CB, Only the Cheap Stuff CB, Quick Bread CB and all the ohters that clutter up my hard drive. These things take time, so I am patient to create them as I have the energy and hopefully will get some finished before the year is out. Maybe even before the summer is out.

So anyway, I was thinking through all of the standard ways to handle leftovers, which is what canned meats really are--leftovers that we pay extra for because someone had the good sense to can them and market them as "convenience foods." My interest in canned foods stems from their availability in food pantries and also the common use of them in Long Term Storage. Anyway, I made a mental list, which I am now sharing, of all the standard ways to handle leftovers and make the best of them. Now is when I go deep into foodie territory, so feel free to skp down to the bottom of the list.

1. Crepes
2. Curry, Tomato
3. Curry, Coconut
4. Quiche
5. Creamed, or in gravy, served over a starch
6. Pot Pie
7. Creamed and Baked with Biscuits on top
8. Creamed with a very thick white sauce and rolled up in biscuit pinwheels
9. With Italian Tomato Sauce
10. With Italian Alfredo Sauce
11. With Italian Garlic & Hot Pepper Sauce
12. Oriental Stirfry
13. Oriental Sweet & Sour
14. American Chop Suey
15. Mexican Tomato Sauce
16. Mexican Cream Sauce with Green Chiles
17. In a Soup with Beans
18. In a Cream Soup
19. In a Soup with Stock or Tomato Base
20. Chef Salad
21. In a Salad with Pasta or Potatoes or Rice
22. MIxed with Mayo for a Sandwich Filling
23. Mixed with Cheese for a Sandwich Filling
24. Mixed with Barbecue Sauce for a Sandwich Filling
25. A La King
26. Tetrazzini
27. Divan
28. Casserole with Rice
29. Casserole with Pasta
30. Casserole with Potatoes, Veggies & Cheese
31. In a Tortilla or Quesadilla
32. Croquettes or Patties
33. Cooked into an Omelet
34. Rice Pilaff with a suitable vegetable

I'm sure there are more, but that's all I've come up with for the time being. Making lists like this helps me create new recipes because I have a better understanding of what my options are, and then I can focus more tightly on testing and creating current recipes.

Anyone else have good ideas about how to handle leftovers? Am interested in reading them.

Friday, April 20, 2007 - Conservative Christian Vs. Crunchy Christian

VA Tech is near us, and we've had lots of local coverage along with TV News people everywhere you look. Fred was really hoping to see Nancy Grace or even better, Greta Van Sustern. He has alas, so far been disappointed. The massacre was terrible and gave me an anxious feeling in the pit of my stomach that I've become unaccustomed to over the past 15 or so years of living the good Chrsitian Life. When you know that Christ's your savior and follow God's will instead of your own, life becomes a darned sight easier.  All those scary, worried feeling that you get in the pit of your stomach while waiting for the last shoe to drop disappear. Instead you get to live in that nice warm spot of serene security, knowing that the Big Guy upstairs has got your back.

So I was suprised to feel that awkward hint of angst in the pit of my belly. It reminded me that I used to live with that feeling on a daily, if not hourly basis and I was grateful that it's become so foreign to me that I didn't recognize it at first.

The last time I felt it was during September 11th and at that time my reaction was to become extremely conservative, moreso than I had ever imagined being at any point in my life. Well now I have felt that anxiety again and this time around I am reminded that God is in charge and I don't have to worry over things so much. When he says my time is up that's that and there's nothing I can do, or really would even want to do, to change His mind.

This has left me with a great sense of security and a desire to throw off some of the ultra conservative notions and practices that I've developed over the past 5 years or so. Nothing major mind you, but I do sense a new, joyous freedom that I haven't felt before and it's something I'm interested in exploring, at least as far as God is willing to let me explore it.

Which brings me to my rebellious, hippified, alternative lifestyle history. Granted there are many elements of it that were less than Christian and that I am not interested in revisitng. There are some parts of it though that I feel excited to re-introduce myself to. For instance, home decorating. I'm envisioning a few more Gothic and Moroccan elements and maybe a nice curry colored paint job for the walls with some burgundy and azure accents. Maybe a few dresses in flowy brown or tumeric fabric, and perhaps even a trip to ebay to pick up an outfit or two that remind me of the freedom I have in Christ.

I used to pride myself in living a Crunchy, Green, Earth-Mamma existance and I miss some of those things and looking for ways to incorporate more of them into my modern life. I also (please don't be shocked) find myself wanting to put earing in all of my old piercings. It makes me wonder if God can use me to bring people from "alternate lifestyles" into the Chrsitian fold.

None of this is written in stone, and all of it is new enough that it may simply be a passing phase that I get over before the month is out. My oldest son's extreme conservatisism adds somewhat to my desire to live more  authentically, with the way I feel on the inside and the way I look on the outside marrying one another in liquid harmony.

For his part, Fred just sees the real me no matter what I look like, so he doesn't really notice what I do one way or the other. Praise God for good husbands, and for Fred in particular.

I like to reinvent myself every 5 years or so, and I know I'm due for a change. I'm interested to see who God will help me become, and what type of woman he will mold from this old lump of clay. I know whoever it is, I will like her.

Another thing is that I tried diligently, and privately, to lose weight again and feel so frustrated by the effort that I am going to spend some time loving and living in the body I have. I think if God had meant for me to lose weight that it would happen according to His will, and while I would be expected to make an effort, it would happen. I have made monumental efforts and nothing is happening, so I have come to the conclusion that this, at least for the time being, is the thorn in my side. I am content to make the best of it. Afterall, I am very happy in my life, and there's no reason I can't go ahead and embrace this body, with all it's lumps and bumps and roundy curves. Fred, the love of my life, has been kind enough to share with me that he considers me just as sexy and beautiful as ever. Bless him, he honestly thinks I am the most beautiful woman in the world and living with that kind of support makes this particular thorn easier to bare than I think I deserve. It almost makes it thornless.

So that's where I am tonight and that is where I feel myself traveling, at least over the next couple of weeks. I'm interested to see what comes of it. Like the adage goes, it's the journey, not the destination.

Resting in Jesus's warm and loving embrace,

=) Maggie

Monday, March 5, 2007 - Asperger's, Elsie Dinsmore Dolls, & Sewing

Howdy All.

I've been doing well, as have my children. My oldest son Tom is the one who has Asperger's Syndrome. He is 14 now, and in deference to his teenage privacy I have chosen not to write too much about him on my blog. I will cover some basics in this entry and then maintain his privacy on most other things.  I would have been mortified if my mother had written all about me on her blog when I was 14, and I think Tom deserves some courtesy in this matter.

As for how I'm dealing with things, well, it's hard to say. For the most part we're doing what we usually do which is keep our family flexible so we can accomodate one another's needs. Tom says he doesn't think he has Asperger's and then other times he says maybe he does. He may never be "normal" socially, but niether are his Father or I, or his grandparents or cousins for that matter, so it's not such a big deal to us. Also, in my family there is a long and well documented history of mental illness, so we are used to making allowances for people who are different from us, whether in thought, behavior, or socially or whatever.

Tom is very high functioning for someone with Asperger's syndrome and the doctor's say that we have done well by him so far, which is a relief to a mother's heart. He wasn't diagnoses earlier because when he was younger Asperger's was brand new and no one was looking for it the way they are today. Also his IQ is way up there, so that always confused the doctors. Social challenges are difficult to diagnose when the doctors don't see the child in social situations. Also, he was my first child, aside from his half-sisters who I didn't meet until they were 4 & 6, so I didn't have anyone else to compare his progress to. He was on the slow side of some developmental issues, but within normal for the most part so the doctors said he was fine. When he was 5 I tried to take him to a child psychologist to see what was up and all he could talk about was sexual abuse. I explained that Tom had been with us or his Aunt or Grandparent's his whole life and that there really hadn't been any room for someone to abuse him. Besides, he was such an honest child, he would have told me right away if someone had touched him in a way he didn't like. But he literally hadn't had more than 5 minutes without Fred or I or Grandma or Aunt, so I was positive that the opportunity to hurt him hadn't existed. By the time the Doctor figured out that Tom had not been molested, he decided that he was fine, perfectly normal, except for a little slow about a few things. So I just decided the doctor must be right.

I knew all along though that there were a few things that were odd, like someone else mentioned, laboring over homework that should have only taken a few minutes, only for him it took hours. Also his social functioning was limited and he often felt a lot of stress in social situations. Well, most of you know my husband Fred (Tom's dad) is Agoraphobic, so it was normal for us to be accomodating of social anxiety. Also, Tom was stressed by situations that don't stress the rest of us, he was (and is) sensitive to smells, textures, sounds especially, and things of that nature. It's over-stimulating to him. He likes to wear long sleeves even in the summer, which we let him do. He likes to snuggle with a blanket during his leisure time, which we think is fine. He always uses a quilt, either one his great-grandmother or an aunt or his grandma made, and in our family snuggling with a blanket is pretty normal, so we don't think much of it. He likes to sit in laundry baskets, always had, and so be it. I liked boxes when I was a girl, though I didn't play in them so much when I was a teenager. Still, it helps with the sensory problems, so that's a good thing. He chants, he runs in place, he blurts thing out at inappropriate times. All of these things we've already encountered in other family members with various diagnoses of mental illness. While Tom isn't mentally ill, he does have some issues that are easier to deal with through counseling and that's the main treatment we're seeking right now. He's on Concerta for the ADHD and it helps him a lot.

The diagnosis, I"m not sure how it was made. I told the doctor he had it, the doctor said okay, and suggested which Counselors would be the most help. There's not so much they can do for it one way or the other, I mean with medicines and things of that nature. For the most part it seems to be a matter of learning how to take care of oneself and accomodate one's discomfort as best as possible. Like "How can I take care of myself when my mother takes me shopping?" or "What can I do to relieve my stress when I have to sit still in church."

We've spent years teaching both of our guys the difference between appropriate and inappropriate behavior in public and at home. They know the difference between how to behave in the store and how to behave in your own livingroom. What to do when there are guests and what to do when it's just close friends and family. Mostly we've just taught them good manners and while they still need some work, for the most part they are well behaved.

Over the past few months we've seen a lot of improvements and we are confident that things will continue to improve. If Fred and I had different parenting techniques then things wouldn't be as good as they are now. Our flexibility and willingness to accept our children as they are, as God made them, regardless of their foibles and eccentricities has given Tom a leg up on how to accomodate his needs and deal with them. As parents Fred and I are very strict where it matters, like don't run into the road or tell the truth as often as possible, and more accepting where it doesn't matter, like being a social butterfly, wearing "normal" clothes or singing and chanting when necessary to deal with stress. We're an eccentric family by nature and having Asperger's in the family is more "normal" to us that having average children. God knows what each child needs and gives them the parent's who will best serve them.

As for dieitng, I"ll be climbing back on that horse in the next few days or weeks. I've gained 6 pounds and am loathe to keep them.

I'm also working on doll clothes again, and have fallen head over heals in love with Elsie Dinsmore Dolls from A Life of Faith. I've read 6 of the Elsie Dinsmore books and am enjoying them more than I can even describe. The dolls are so beautiful too. I had a 25% off coupon for my local Family Christian Book store and bought an Elsie doll with income tax return money. She's the most expensive doll I've ever owned and I adore her. She has curly brown hair just like me =). A Life of Faith Dolls, like Elsie, are all vinyl, they don't have a soft body like other 18" play dolls. They are about the same size as American Girls (AG) dolls though, except for slightly larger feet and slightly narrower chest and waist. All the AG doll clothes patterns fit them just fine and I'm sewing lovely wardrobes for my all dolls, Elsie and her adopted sisters from the Springfield Line. Springfield dolls  are the poor woman's answer to American Girl dolls. They're $16.00 at craft stores like Michael's and if you use the 40% off coupon available in most Sunday papers then they are about $10. They are pretty dolls too, and the same size as AG.  Their hair is a little thin and that makes it a little harder to style, but they're still fun to sew for. One day I'll sell handmade doll clothes on a website, but until then, I'm enjoying the sewing and cutting and desiging and all of that fun stuff.

I hope to get back to regular updates, for the time being at least, and I want to let you all know how thankful I am for your prayers and encouragement. --MM

Saturday, January 27, 2007 - Sorry for the absence . . .

Hey all, I apologize for being so busy. I'm fine. Taking a break from the diet for a few weeks, but determined to get back to it as soon as I can.

My oldest son Tom, has been officially diagnosed as Autistic. He's 14, and has Asperger's syndrome. We're having to revamp a lot of household policies like family rules and discipline and lots of other things too. Essentially I'm relearning to parent him from the ground up.  He's got a great counselor who is helping a lot. We've made some good progress, but still have a loooong way to go.

My weight loss is important and I fully intend to share more about it when I get back to it. So far I'm maintaining the weight I've lost since Thankgiving, for which I am giving much thanks. But I'm sure y'all will understand that my son's health is more important than my online business right now. I want to understand Asperger's Syndrome and learn as much about parenting my son as I can. That takes my full commitiment and all of my attention for the moment.

In addition, I'm homeschooling 4, my 2 and my Aunt's 2 adopted kids. Two of them have ADHD, one is Autistic and one is Bi-Polar. I think the time I invest in the kids now will have a HUGE payoff in their future, so I'm happy to be able to have the time and brain power to devote to them. Just bare with me and before you know it I'll be back here with bells on.

Blessings

and thanks for all the friendly concern.

Maggie :)

Saturday, December 30, 2006 - DAY 20

Down 3 more pounds. I'm not sure why the Lord is doing this to my body, but I'm not complaining. I have been praying and praying and giving my body to Him every single day. I'm not hungry much, although I still have cravings. I've been eating lots of veggies, for the fun of it, and because they are more interesting than meat. I am eating lots of fat, because it tastes good and keeps me full. But I have been keeping my calories at 1500 to 1600 and that is the main thing I think.

Meat started tasting icky to me this week, so I haven't had any since last Sunday. When I was pregnant and nursing (both times) and for most of 2002, I couldn't eat meat. It happens sometimes, and I just listen to my body. I won't say I'm vegetarian because I still eat gelatin (which is usually made from boiled hooves and animal bones) and I'm sure some of the things in my cupboards have animal products listed in the fine print. Still, my body is very happy and I have that lean, strong feeling most of the time now. I like it so much better than the over-stuffed, sluggish feeling I had been living with for so long. I'd like to work exercise into my schedule, but that is still a few days (weeks) away. Too much to do around here, and not enough time to focus on making it a priority.

Maybe I'll be pescatarian, that's a vegetarian who also eats some fish. When I was young there were lots of vegetarians in my life and most of them still ate fish every now and then. Nowdays that is taboo, to be a vegetarian and still eat fish, but back then, it was fairly common. In my life I've spent a little over 4 years as a vegetarian, and I always feel a relief when my body craves it again. Don't mean to alienate all of my meat-eating readers, but all any of us can do is listen to our bodies, and if I can continue my weight loss, then I'm willing to do pretty much whatever the Lord calls me to.

The addition is looking really good. I'm keeping it clean and we all sit there in the mornings and look out at the mountains. We can see the sun set at night and it's like an oil painting. Just gorgeous. The challenging part is cleaning up the old rooms, and getting them looking as good as the new one. There is lots of painting to be done and cleaning up of grime and grit. It's a lot of work, but the results are satisfying.

Fred has been sick the past week with a terrible cold. The doctors gave him anti-biotics and a full week of his vacation has been sucked up by the cold. A little disappointing because we had several projects we wanted to do, and we've had to put them off for a while.

Fred had to take his company physical the day after christmas and his blood sugar was up to 411. That's about 4-times what it should be. They took him out of service, meaning he can't work, until he gets it down. He's been working so hard at getting it down, eating an Atkins type diet with only 20 to 30 carbs a day, and it has dropped some, but not much. Yesterday it was about 250 and today it's been 300. With his extra efforts to control it, it should have come down more, but it's not. We're worried he'll have to start on insulin shots. All the while my weight's going down and that makes him feel worse. Plus he's gorging on meat, and I"m not eating any, so there is some conflict there. Not between he and I, just between our chosen diets. I"m praying for him. I think he'd feel better, and his sugar would be under better control if we could exercise together. But he's not interested in that for now, so I'm biding my time. When I do start walking, I'll invite him with me. That's all I know to do.

One other good thing happening with me is that my PCOS symptoms are getting better. My monthly cycle was absolutely normal this month, which is a minor miracle in itself. So I'm plugging along, doing what I can, and the Lord is giving me success where I haven't had it before. I know it's Him because I have tried to do this on my in the past and failed every single time. God's grace and mercy are an incredible thing to experience.

Evening Update:  Fred's sugar is down to 189. Phew, some progress at last! 

Corn Meal Mush