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Sunday, January 8th, 2012,  12:10 a.m.

It is just past midnight and I am still thinking about the entire bunch of asparagus that I ate for supper. With almost five years of limited activity due to arthritis and many related problems plus two hip replacements, I am not considered pre-diabetic, meaning that my body has been shutting down because of the prolonged period of recovery from the issues, including an attack of gout, an inherited thing, I gather, all of which comes down through my father's side of the family along with my learning disabilities. Well, that means a severe diet change and a need to fill half my plate with veggies, a quarter each of certain carbs and then protein. It will take me a few months to get the weight down but such is life. Well, last night I cut up all sorts of veggies and did a wok type of fry up. I ate so many veggies I was afraid of the outcome but I have survived it okay. What I did not eat, I left in the pot and added x-Christmas turkey bones...just in time too. Now I have an interesting soup which I will dig in for lunch tomorrow and possibly through the next few days.

Tonight was asparagus night. I ate the entire bunch I had bought at the store, trimmed the edges and cut them in half to fit the pot, added some water and margarine and the end result was a fantastic beginning to a meal. I cannot believe I ate the whole thing. Asparagus was my father's favourite and I remember we had to watch it grow so as to cut it at just the right time.  Towards the end of the season, some sprouts just got too tall and we left them to grow out. I barely remember what the asparagus looked like in our vegetable garden but the image of the mature stock remains with me to this day. Life can be like that, can't it?

While I have my preferences, I cannot think of any vegetable today that I would refuse to eat. That makes things a bit easier. Trouble is that I am afraid to put the veggies in the fridge because of what the cold does to them so I am learning to leave them out for a few days before I use them up. It worked okay so far. When it comes to a diet though, I also have to think which are the best things to be eating and right, you guessed it! Avacodos from Mexico or somewhere south of there. I love my grocery store but wished it stocked more Canadian veggies. Then again, they would be too expensive for my budget so I would have to limited the amount of them I buy. Well,  it is time for bed while the avacado fairy dances around in my head. Now my body gets to vegetate while I am sleeping....I am looking for a stretch of 4-1/2 hours. ZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzz