Promises - Promise's

Promise & her little Baby Face

Sunday was a great day to go for a drive. Vin and I jumped on I84 toward North Chelmsford, MA. We were meeting Promise this beautiful sable rough collie who will be six in December. We were early and stopped at an Applebee's for lunch before our 1:00 meeting. 

Promise has been looking for her forever home. She gave birth to a litter of four sable roughs in early August.

There were 3 perfect female puppies and 1 male puppy born. The male is the 8-10 wk old recently weaned pup in the picture. He is blind in one eye and wanted a fur-ever home too.

The moment we met his mama - this little guy rushed over to me then to Vin rapidly chewing and untying both our pairs of shoes. Then, he did it again and again. So very grateful for our Sunday drive last weekend. We were back on the road nearly 3 hours later and had a nice visit. Guess what? The dogs are ours now. The duo will be coming home to live with us shortly. We are making arrangements!

Baby Face is on the left

Congratulations Westport Pizzeria Celebrating 45 Years

 Westport Pizzeria Celebrating 45 Years With 25 Cent Slices -
This Saturday, October 12, 11-5 p.m. counter service.

 I well remember the early days at the pizza place on Main Street in Westport when I was a teen.  Pizza there was 25 cents a slice - I had mine with mushrooms and extra cheese so that brought it up to 45 cents - add a diet coke and I was in pizza heaven.

 Frank Mioli was barely out of diapers at the time when I first met the Mioli family.  Frank hit me in the head with a spit ball and got in big trouble with his mother, Carolyn Mioli. 

Today, when I look at Mel and Joe, it is hard to believe 45 years have passed.  They look so much like they did then.


Rita Mioli and a family relation Nina worked the counter on Saturday’s.  They delivered what is likely the first pizza delivery from Westport Pizzeria. The location? It was to the VFW Hall on Riverside Avenue on August 19, 1972. Rita and Nina were both invited to the wedding but only one was able to take the day off – Both gals worked and together delivered a large pizza to the party. It was a great and memorable surprise.

Rita Mioli Carolini and her late husband, Lino are Godparents to our first born. The Mioli Familia is very near and dear to our hearts. John & Tina, Rina, Alicia, Kerri, Gino, Lina, Anthony, all of you are what makes the Pizzeria THE place to go for a slice! Congratulations. 

Ciao – from the Costabile’s

Photos from Mioli family photos.

Thinking Something Is True Doesn't Make It So

I thought I was being kind to myself when I let up on the self care routine I had been following. Using angst as a pass to consume ice cream and food items that are not in my best interest in lieu of healthy carbohydrates was dumb.  As I tried to reign in sadness of loss I lost sight of important truths.

I do not need the ice cream. I do not need the extra bagel in the meal plan either but I wanted them, immediately.  An occasional splurge is okay but it is not okay for me to have a daily reward system in the name of self soothing.

Food is not my friend. It is not my comfort. It is fuel - period.  Any other tag I want to put on a high carb count food it is a lie. I've had enough swings up and down the glucose meter and weight scales of obesity to know the difference between serving sizes, calories, fat grams, fiber, points, carbohydrate counts and so on. The pass I gave to myself was not binge eating, it was out of control eating, it was irresponsible weight monitoring and blatant disregard for my health.  I was screwing around where a smart woman should be proactively faithful.

Have you ever fooled yourself into believing you are not 'cheating' on your plan of eating?   I switched to many organic products. That's a good thing, right?

My dairy is free of hormones and the meat is fresh from local farmers. I'd tell myself "I'm doing a good thing." But, to be completely honest  I admit to you (and myself) that I have not been thoughtful or kind to my body, period.  My type 2 diabetes is not under good control.

I started this blog early in September while I continued irresponsible self care practices a while longer. My average BG #'s increased enough to put my A1-C at 6.4 or average of 160.  A "normal" reading would fall below 99 points. Twenty points above the range I have tried keep to reads failure.  Two hours after a meal when glucose numbers are generally at their highest level, I aim for 140. It is recommended by my doctor that I not swing more than 20 points either way in a day.  If the numbers are too high, cardio exercise and drinking water are the immediate aid to lowering the number.

A return to 'normalcy' began after several daily blood glucose tests were made. I was guided from one step to the next using the tools I already had available to me.  I turned to these: Friends,  Glucose monitor, test strips, exercise 30 minutes a day, low carbohydrate meals, blood work with a follow-up appointment with the doctor on the calendar.

Type 2 diabetes takes work and cooperation with my higher self. I used to think I will beat this diagnosis but I never have quite believed it.  I am working on those thoughts.  I want to BEAT this diagnosis.  I pray I will.  Some have been able to, so I am told.  In the mean time, I will not take time off for the good behavior. A successful run of good habits doesn't add up to a 'spending spree' of carbs and calories. This can be done a day at a time.