31 January 2012
I am a creature of habit like most of us are. I have a morning routine that I follow but it’s not strictly so. I like to get up before sun rise in the morning. Now that its winter, the sun doesn’t rise until almost 0700 here in Texas. So getting up at 0500-0530 is a good time. We have an alarm that goes off every morning but that is normally set for 0600 or 0700 and rarely heard. This is normally “My Time”. My wife sleeps in a little longer as she is a night owl often times staying up to 2 – 3 in the morning. So the house is quiet and calm when I get up. I love the quiet in the morning. Real peace.
The first part of my routine is the turning on of the computer and the making of the coffee. I prefer to grind my coffee beans each morning. My coffee of choice is normally from Starbucks and is usually one of their “Dark” blends. “Komodo Dragon” is my favorite followed by “Sumatran” and then the “Café Estima”. I make enough coffee for a full pot, usually four scoops. I have one of those Pur water filter pitchers and I use the water from that. It takes almost a full pitcher so I begin to refill immediately after I pour so as to ensure its availability for next use. Any excess ground coffee beans go into an old Folgers plastic container I have ad is kept as “emergency coffee”. I also put any extra grind in there from when I clean the grinder. When the coffee is finished brewing, I pour a cup and the remainder of the pot goes into a thermos/carafe and the coffee maker is unplugged and the lid left open so the inside is allowed to dry. My coffee cup has two scoops of Benefiber in it.
While the coffee is brewing, I take my blood sugar (BS), blood pressure (BP) and heart rate (HR) counts in that order. My BS reading is normally in the 110-120 range. Sometimes it’s higher. Rarely is it lower anymore though I had a couple of readings in the 90’s this month. I use the standard finger pricker thing with the digital LED monitor and test stip. I then take my blood pressure using the old fashioned sphygmomanometer (cuff and stethoscope). I trust the readings from this better than the automatic digital ones. Mine is calibrated and in good working order. I’ve had this one for over a year now and they can last for a good two years at least. My BP readings are normally in the 120/70 range. I check my HR by counting my wrist pulse for 15 seconds and multiplying by 4. It’s normally around 60. I then document the numbers on an Excel worksheet that I maintain and give copies to the doctors I see when I have those appointments. They smile every time I give it to them.
I then get my coffee turn on my Pandora and my Facebook and begin my day. At this point anything can happen, but I find that if the above sequence, which takes all of maybe 10 minutes to do, is interrupted in some way, I get a little agitated. Just a little. I like my routine though. It’s my morning yoga and it brings me a measure of peace and serenity in my life.
Have a Blessed Day!
Todays “Did Ya Know”: Today is “Inspire Your Heart with Art” Day today? How this holiday came to pass is unknown right now but it’s meant to get people out and enjoy your local artisan’s efforts. Check out a library in town or a museum. They say that doing so is great for your heart health and that’s something I am definitely into! So do something good for yourself and do something “artsy”!
Related Links:
Inspire Your Heart with Art Day
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