Luna is still a poorly puppy. After her meds finished last week she got a UTI so we had a weekend of drama which included an overnight stay in the vet hospital where she needed IV fluids. We're stuck in the cycle of her having an immature immune system so she's picking up all the nasties. And because she's been poorly the vet can't give her the vaccines against the nasties!! It's all been rather stressful and we're not quite out of danger yet. She's on yet more antibiotics so fingers crossed they work to get her stable enough for the vaccines.
I managed to visit the allotment for a few hours. My polytunnel was a riot with blackfly so I picked all the tomatoes and pulled up all the plants. The green tomatoes should ripen on my windowsill. I've left a few cucumber plants and nasturtiums that were ok so we'll see if they produce any more.
I brought home my chilli plant so I could watch it ripen here in case I don't get back to the plot often enough. This one is Apache. Apparently they are mild when green but rather hot when red!! I might pick and use a green one to gauge the heat level.
As expected the weeds were having a field day so I cleared the path and entrance at my gate. Rabbits and pigeons have eaten my carrots, pumpkins and my recently planted purple sprouting broccoli. My fault as I didn't net them!! They've not touched my onions or potatoes though! And I picked some of my thornless brambles (blackberries) to add to the freezer fruit collection!
Since I'm still confined to the kitchen areas with Luna (laminate floors clean easier!) I've been cooking. I pulled these lamb steaks out the freezer and did a basic slow cooker stew.
Red onions were from the plot and the potatoes (Pink Fir Apple) were from pots in the back garden. It was delicious and did 2 full meals 😋
I've got a sourdough starter on the go using organic white flour. I've been using the 'discard' to make sourdough pancakes. They're delicious with jam and I've had no issues with the gluten content (so far!) I've cut out all processed foods and now eat my big meal of the day at lunch time. This seems to be helping my digestive system as I really haven't had any 'issues' for weeks now. My trousers are a bit looser so I think I'm starting to shift some weight. I'm still reading Ultra Processed People to keep me motivated! I need to be fit and healthy to get the most out of retirement!! 😊
Aww, poor little Luna, get well soon puppyx
ReplyDeleteThe meal looks great especially nice with your homegrown veg
Alison in Wales x
She really is a wee soul. Everyone keeps telling me it's just bad luck but I'm really concerned as to where she's caught it all. Using my home grown veg always makes me smile :-) xxx
DeletePoor little Luna. I hope her breeder is paying all the vet bills. I wonder if any other puppies from the litter have also been so poorly. It must be a real worry for you. I have also just started reading 'The Ultra-Processed People' book and was very interested to see you are trying to follow the diet. I am interested to know if the rump steak is UPF since it contains a long list of ingredients. Have I misunderstood the definition which I read as more than five ingredients is UPF. I would be interested to know how you have interpreted the definition. I am only about 60 pages in. I plan to remove all UPF once I get to the end of the book. I would be really interested to know how you get on with it. I absolutely love your blog and as a fellow retired teacher of the same age I always look forward to your updates. I hope Luna recovers quickly and can get her jabs soon. Helen x
ReplyDeleteAccording to the breeder Luna is the only one who is sick and I have no way of disproving that! I have insurance which is covering some of the cost. But I am baffled as to how she got sick if it didn't come from the breeder.
DeleteThe lamb steaks definitely had 'stuff' in the topping but I'm using up what I already have in the freezer (Dr Chris says keep reading the book until the end and don't make all the changes at once!) I think it's unrealistic to be completely UPF free but I'm aiming to get as close as I can over the next few months. I'm also doing TRE (time restricted eating) along side it. Basically I'm eating unprocessed food during the day then don't eat in the evenings. Took me about a week to get into the routine of not eating (ie fasting) for at least 12 hours overnight. Look up Dr Mindy Pelz on Youtube if you're interested! And thanks for reading! :-) xxx
Aww, poor Luna, as the vet said on one of your first visits it does look like her problems initiated at the breeders, but I guess they won't admit to that. I do hope she picks up soon.
ReplyDeleteThose sausages under the lamb steaks look just like fingers, I did a double take when I saw the photo!! :-)
I think getting to the recommended 80/20 split is about the best we can hope to do with not eating UPF, I do TRE too. It turned out I had virtually always been doing 12/12 so I upped it to 14 hours overnight of not eating. I don't think it's made a difference to be honest. So maybe 12 is the magic number.
The 'sausages' are the Pink Fir Apple potatoes and yep they look like fingers!! I can do the 12/12 easily enough but have been experimenting with 18/6. That seems to be the most effective according to the fasting experts. I know that restricting what or how much I eat doesn't work for me so I'm trying when I eat this time :-) xxx
DeleteI eat healthy but it is almost impossible not to eat UPF as it includes anything with sugar and probably preservative. As my gran ,born 1879, said anything in moderation. I don’t eat ready meals, don’t like them. I have Muesli for breakfast with home made yogurt and fruit, but even the muesli is processed. I have food allergies/intolerance to healthy foods additives and preservatives so most of my food is cooked from scratch, but I still eat UPF. I have reach 73 and only medication is inhaler for asthma think I will just keep going as normal.
ReplyDeleteI think you're right, totally avoiding UPF is impossible. Moderation is the key. It sounds like you've hit the right balance for you! :-)
DeleteYour pfa are early! I'll have a look at mine tomorrow. If I could only grow one variety it would be this; I remember how excited I was the first time I grew them, a tattie that tasted of tattie! lol
ReplyDeleteThey're not my favourite but I'm encouraging my DIL in her efforts to grow stuff. She was keen to harvest them but I guess they could have gone another few weeks to get more bigger ones :-)
DeletePoor Luna, a terrible start for such a bonny wee pup 🥺 is there anything online about this breeder?
ReplyDeleteI would (almost) kill for a pink fir apple. I first had them when Sue in Suffolk grew them on her small holding. Have occasionally and too rarely found them since then.
By all accounts it's a reputable breeder, properly registered, good testimonials etc. It may just be really bad luck but yeah it's been a tough start for her. The pink firs were part of a selection I got at Dobbies with a Christmas voucher :-)
DeletePoor Luna, I do hope the antibiotics work long enough so she can get all her vaccines.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
Fingers crossed as she has a lot of energy when she's feeling well and needs to be outside!! :-)
DeleteReally sorry to hear about Luna-it’s horrible to see wee ones suffering be they four legged or two. The weather has been so variable and humid so that won’t have helped at the allotment. Catriona
ReplyDeleteShe really has been a poor wee soul but fingers crossed we're finally over the worst. The damp and hot weather seems to have encouraged the weeds to grow like triffids!!! :-)
DeleteSending poor little Luna get well wishes. It's a real big worry when they're ill at such a young age. My own little nutter cut his mouth yesterday- whilst I put my trainers on ready for a walk, I put him behind the baby gate & he got so excited at the prospect of a walk that he bit and gnawed at the bars a bit too hard!
ReplyDeleteIt's a constant worry keeping them safe and alive, isn't it? I don't remember ever being this stressed out by a new puppy. Hope your wee one's mouth heals quickly :-)
DeleteI've been using my sourdough discard for pancakes 2x week, flatbread 2x week, and pizza; I need 3 days of discard for one pizza. They are so delicious! ~ skye
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