So, what are you saying, exactly?

The other night:

B:  Oh crap, I think I left my book at the gym.  Yep, I definitely did.  I'm gonna call them.  You don't think anyone took it, do you?

G:  Oh, trust me.  No one is going to take one of your books.

...

G:  I mean, one of our books.

TGIF, people!

Between a rock and a hard place

I want so badly to tell you people that my life consists of more than medical issues.  Or at least it used to.  I try to resist the urge to whine and complain about the kidney stone experience, but earlier this week I found out that I have:

another kidney stone!

in the other kidney!

and it's stuck there!

I'm actually running out of witty post titles.  I almost called this one "Stoned out of my mind."

This week, I went in for a follow-up appointment with the urologist who removed the kidney stone a few weeks ago during my lovely Tour of the Local Hospitals.  The plan was for us to discuss the chemical composit of the stone, and tips for prevention of future kidney stones. 

Not mine - just a sample shot of a stone

As it turns out, my stone was what most people experience:  calcium oxalate.  Calcium, in most of its forms, is very good for me and I should continue to eat it.  The tricky part is the oxalate.  It exists in foods that are typically good for people, but there's something about the way it bonds with calcium that frikkin' wreaks havoc.  Foods high in oxalates are:  spinach, beets, chocolate, nuts.  I intend to avoid these like the plague from now on.

Here's the other thing:  the most effective thing anyone can do to prevent kidney stones is to drink water.  Like a fish.  Like a man dying in the desert.  Drink it on a scale that was considered unimaginable and possibly dangerous in one's life before.  My goal is to drink 8 full bottles a day.  That doesn't sound like much, does it?  I have a 23-oz bottle and I'm a determined person.  Still, I have yet to reach that goal.  Even though I work out.  Even though I carry the bottle with me everywhere and sometimes down the whole thing in one sitting.  This baffles me.

G is trying to help me deal with this.  He stands outside the bathroom door and shouts things like, "Water is great for your skin!" and "Water is a proven weight-loss tool!" and "The body is like 70% water - just think how great this is for your health!"

Now let's address the fact that I have a ticking time bomb in my own body.  As far as we know - and I'm sure we would know otherwise! - the stone is lodged in my right kidney.  It's smaller than the previous stone (thank you Jesus and all the Heavenly Host) so it *should* pass on its own when the time comes.  But WHEN IS THE TIME GOING TO COME?  As much as I don't want to live in fear, the reality is that at any point in my future, I will be wracked with unbelievable and uncontrollable pain.  Again.

So here I am, stuck between a rock and a hard place.  Yes, that swishing sound you hear is my stomach.  And yes, my pants are too tight and I look like I've put on 5 pounds.

TGIF, people!

(Seen in a cathedral door - a renovation project.  HA)

Fall Cookies

In addition to pumpkin bread, zucchini bread and other "fall-flavored" goodies, I like to make oatmeal chocolate chip cookies in autumn.  There's nothing particularly fall-themed about them, but they're too hardy to make in spring or summer...enjoy!

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Heat oven to 350.

Mix:

1c shortening

1c brown sugar

1c granulated sugar

2 eggs

2 Tbsp water

1 tsp vanilla

Then add:

2c flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

3c oats

2.5c semi-sweet chocolate chips*

Mix together until relatively smooth.

Bake 9-10 mins or until very lightly brown.

*You can substitute raisons, cranberries or other dried fruit.

Model Mondays: Warhammer Dreadnought

Model Mondays is back after a brief hiatus due to travel and the aforementioned kidney stone, and all the fun things that went along with that ordeal.  This edition showcases the Space Marine Dreadnought, from the Warhammer 40,000 tabletop miniature wargame.

In the universe of Warhammer 40,000, the Imperium of Man is in constant conflict with aliens and heretics that threaten mankind's very existence.  The tagline for the game is "In the grim dark future, there is only war."  The Imperial Guard (whose vehicles have been the subject of a few of these posts) is essentially the army of the Imperium.  They are an incredibly large, often cumbersome organization who more often than not wins battles through sheer numbers and not out of any particular skill.

However, there is another force that wages war on behalf of the Imperium:  the Adeptus Astartes, more commonly known as the Space Marines.  The Astartes warriors are genetically engineered super-soldiers, bred specifically for combat and fanatically loyal to the Emperor of Mankind.  They are 10 feet tall and are incredibly strong, even without their power armor.  The Adeptus Astartes are divided into chapters, each with its own lineage and battle history.  At the time of the "current" events in the game, most of these chapters have existed for several thousand years.  Space Marines themselves are nearly immortal; they will not die of natural causes, due to their physiology.  They can, however, be injured or killed in combat.

The Space Marine Dreadnought is a piece of technology designed to extend the life of mortally wounded Space Marines.  The Astartes warrior is basically entombed in the body of the Dreadnought; he continues to live inside the Dreadnought, and controls its actions with his mind.  The link is permanent, and the warrior will continue to live as long as the Dreadnought is not destroyed.  In this manner, the chapter does not lose that warrior's skills, knowledge, or experience, and he can continue fighting for centuries.

This specific Dreadnought is from the Ultramarines chapter.  It is equipped with a twin-linked lascannon and a power claw.

The model itself is about 4 inches tall, but has a pretty fair amount of detail.  I finished it a few years ago.

Enjoy the pictures; comments are always welcome!

Thus Far This Fall...