Deliveries, diets

I took a few minutes yesterday at work to compose a list of chores I could get done over the evening once I got home. It was not to be. Mama called about 3:30 and asked if I would go with her to deliver a puppy. The meeting was scheduled for 7:30 pm at the rest stop just north of Gainesville, TX. The buyer was coming from Oklahoma City. I did manage to get some watering done before we had to leave but the other items on my list will have to wait – probably until Friday evening.

The pup being bought was a female Victoria and Mama were calling Dakota. I only remember that because I watched the buyer – who was very excited about getting the pup – write it down on the box he had brought to carry her home in. She handled the trip there very quietly. However, we had not even made it out or Decatur before we had to pull over and clean up the little dog carrier I had her in. She emptied her belly into the carrier and soaked the towel we had in there for her. It was mostly clabbered milk where she had nursed just before we left the farm. Mama used the entire store of napkins I had accumulated in the truck to wipe out the portion the towel did not soak up. Other than that, we made the trip without incident; except for getting to the rest area.

The rest area was only accessible from the southbound side of the highway. We were heading north so we had to go a couple miles past the rest stop to make the turn around. It was one of those turn arounds placed under the overpass just at a river or other body of water. Not unusual for Texas. It caught us by surprise, but we made the U-turn and headed back down the service road toward the rest stop. Instead of getting back on the highway for the short distance we lacked, we stayed on the service road. That was not the best decision. The service road did not connect to the rest area parking lot, so Mama and I had to park on the side of the service road and walk to the rest area with the puppy to meet our buyer. With Mama’s knee problems it was a bit of a chore, but we succeeded in getting the puppy and her new owner united. We got home later than I had hoped, but it was worth it in my book to move out another of the puppies. Tonight, we are expecting a family to come to the farm to buy a puppy before we leave for church. That will leave only four puppies to find new owners for. I always anticipate that day.

Mama has started looking at a new consumption method. I hesitate to use the word “diet” because of the negative connotations, because everything we eat is our “diet”. This method has a particular focus on limiting foods that cause or exacerbate inflammation. It is a very workable food regimen. One that will work for us if we choose to follow it. A common theme in all suggested normalization food plans is the elimination of sugar, the reduction of carbohydrates and the promotion of dietary fiber. Added to this diet is the restriction of foods that are highly suspect in promoting inflammation. The article that Cori sent Mama struck a cord with her when she finally did the calculation for the stress in pounds that is added to the knee and hips for each additional ten pounds of excess weight. Mama’s number was high enough to alarm her. It was not that the information was new to her. I have told her how to make the same calculation several times in the past. This time, when it was presented to her, she as willing to know the answer.

I have no problem following whatever she decides to do. I am on a restricted diet that I will continue to follow for the rest of the year. Supporting her in her change of eating will further help me. We just need to decide to do it – and follow through.