Good news/Bad news

[dreamflower]

It's been one of those kind of days.

Good news: we've been approved for the loan to replace our central A/C
Bad news: it will add $99 a month to our electric bill.

Good news: Our new health insurance covers new glasses. We had our eye exams yesterday.
Bad news: Looks like my husband may have glaucoma. *And* a cataract.

Good news: I volunteered to be a categorizer at the MEFAs
Bad news: I can't seem to get in to do any categorizing; yahoo hates me.

Good news: I've been working on my Challenge 17 story
Bad news: It seems to have fizzled out; I may have to start over

Cut for rant

Why is it that it is so hard to find products with "no salt added" at the stores? You would think with everyone being told that we should not eat so much of it, that it would be more available. And then there's this: if something has no-salt, then an ingredient has been *left out*. Tell me, why is it more expensive to *leave something out*? Why do they charge more when something is *not there*? And what is it with Mrs. Dash and the other no-salt blends? They *don't taste salty*!!! So how can you substitute them? And why do they make a fake salt that the doctors tell you not to use either, as it will mess up your potassium? Why is there ever only *one* package of No-Salt Added Potato Chips in the store, and why does only *one* company make them?

In better news, both the DH and I have a day off tomorrow. Together. The two of us. And it's payday.
We're going to see the new Star Wars.
And have some fun.
I hope.

Comments

[slightlytookish]

Eye problems. *shivers* I hope all goes well for your husband. My dad had surgery to correct the cataracts in both eyes, and now it seems that my mom might be getting glaucoma. I can ask them what it's been like for them, if you ever have any questions.

Bad news: I can't seem to get in to do any categorizing; yahoo hates me.

Is the problem with your Yahoo email account? I had all sorts of trouble with Yahoo and so I switched over to Gmail. I have loads of Gmail invites left, so if you want one just email me and I'll sent it to you. (slightlytookish@gmail.com)

*hugs* You have a lot on your plate right now! Lots of luck with everything, and I hope you have fun at Star Wars. *more hugs*

[dreamflower]

I'm not sure what the problem is. Yahoo tells me I'm not a member at the staff site, but someone else checked for me and my *name* is in there, and I have some categories assigned to me, but I can't get in to do anything to them.

The optometrist wants to refer my DH to an opthalmologist for some more tests. Fingers crossed.

I think we'll have a good time tomorrow. He was lucky to get a day off--he was supposed to flex one of his staff, so he picked himself, LOL! The way things are going, I work most weekends and him working during the week, we don't see a lot of each other. It's the only thing that could make me think about giving over my job.

[obeliamedusa.livejournal.com]

Why is it that it is so hard to find products with "no salt added" at the stores?

I asked myself the same question when I first moved to the U.S.! The answer seems to be, "because mainstream America doesn't care about its health". :-\ There are actually some foods that I've bought here, exact same brand as what I got in Canada, same label and everything (except without the French), that were so salty I could not eat them. Go figure. You'd have no trouble at an organic grocery, but then that would cost more too. Alas!

[dreamflower]

Well, we are beginning to. But it's hard to give up salty things when you've been used to them all your life. I made spaghetti sauce tonight, and even with all the extra herbs and garlic and stuff that I added, it still didn't taste right with no salt.

I've found that on veggies, chicken and potatoes, a squeeze of lemon juice works--the sour *almost* compensates for the lack of salty. But it doesn't work so well with other things.

[obeliamedusa.livejournal.com]

Yup, that's true. It's all a matter of what you're used to. I just wonder how the U.S. got so salty in the first place! :P Someone told me recently that Heinz ketchup uses a DIFFERENT RECIPE for "regular" ketchup it makes to sell in the U.S. and Canada. The U.S. recipe is saltier. Weird, eh? Maybe in the days before refrigeration, Americans had to use lots of salt... to preserve stuff... because the weather was hotter than in Canada... Heh, I don't know. There must be some reason, though.

[slipperieslope.livejournal.com]

Hi : )

Please excuse me for butting in here but I am kinda doing a PSA/FYI thingie. You were one of the few that seemed interested in reading Tolkien online and I am contacting you because it seems to me that the community we joined to read "the Hobbit" is at present non-functional. But if your heart is set on doing the online reading of Tolkien as mine is, danachan has started a different community called backtothecanon that will start reading LOTR next week. You might want to read there. I just wanted you to know in case you were disappointed.

I did read your post, which may have been rude on my part, but I am so sorry for your series of unhappy events.

I have early onset glaucoma and just wanted to say that the drugs work really well. They will find one that works best for your husband. And while the diagnosis is unsettling, the actual condition is one they have been treating effectively for years. He will just have to see the eye doctor more often, use drops daily and have a field test once a year or so. The dry eye stuff he was probably experiencing will go away.

My condition was brought on by some radical drug therapy I had to endure but of all the things I have had as a consequence, glaucoma is by far the least. I hope it proves to be as stress free for your husband as it was for me.

Now, I will shut up. Sorry for the intrusion. Cheers.

B

[dreamflower]

Don't shut up, you aren't an intruder. I don't post stuff if I don't want people to comment, and if I just wanted those on my flist, I would friends-lock it. I've only ever done that once!

I'm please to hear about the new community and will check it out. My fix on discussing LotR over at Chapter of the Week on the rec.arts.books.tolkien and alt.fan.tolkien newsgroups is beginning to come to an end, as we are now on the appendices. Since I am a discussion junkie, I would love to find another forum.

[grey-wonderer.livejournal.com]

Enjoy Star Wars and I do hope the vision problems get sorted out. My grandmother has had glaucoma in one eye for about six years now and she puts drops in it to equalize the pressure. So far, she's had no vision loss to speak of.

Relax and enjoy the movie and the day off together. Sounds as if you've both earned it!

[isil-elensar.livejournal.com]

I'm like you dreamflower... I have to have my salt. I've cut back a lot, even though my best friend says I haven't. :-) I know it's bad for me, but danged if stuff doesn't taste right without salt.

Okay... this is coming from someone who uses A1 steak sauce on any cut of steak she gets. Even the kind that comes with au jus. I think. Expensive cut of meat, but definitely calls for A1. ;-)

[rhapsody11.livejournal.com]

It all should be sorted now, regarding the MEFA staff thingie. Ainae send you an invitation. I know Lea had problems joining as well. I am near completing my final category, so if you get lost, let me know.

Oi about the diagnoses of hubby's eyes.. I hope all will be fine. As for challenge 17... yeah, I hope to finish it this weekend. I've been forced to take it easy for a while, not that I don't mind, but this combined with MEFA things, my writings suffer.

Take care {{{hugs}}

[ansostuff.livejournal.com]

Eye problems are not fun! I`m born with it so I know that. Not those you mention but still... *hugs*

99 dollars extra a month is a lot of money. I hope your airconditioning will behave very nicely then.

I`ve never heard or no salt potato chips! :) There should be food out there with no salt though.

Have fun today!

[melilot-hill.livejournal.com]

Enjoy your day off!

I don't really buy many "ready made" products, so I wouldn't know if many have salt added here, but I don't think all of them have. I hope you do find some.

[gamgeefest.livejournal.com]

Ouch, sorry you're having such a rough time of it lately. I too get frustrated with supermarkets at times. Trying to find something that isn't made with partially hydrogenated soybean or veggie oils is near impossible. I just finally gave up.

Hope you enjoy SW. :)