Today was an A+ day. It was not just a positive day but an A positive day!!

This morning I went to an American Red Cross Blood Drive at Christ the Good Shepherd Church. The church sponsors three blood drives annually and I try to make each one. I have always enjoyed good health and so I am happy to participate and help those who need blood … my little one pint donation today can help save three lives. A trip to the blood bank is like a “mini physical” and to ensure you are fit to give each time, it is imperative that you eat and drink properly so you are not disqualified and miss a donation opportunity. I loosely follow the Mediterranean Diet, and I no longer eat any fast food, fried food, sweets, salty snacks, nor anything else with salt. Today, my blood pressure was its usual low 110/70. My height and weight of 5’ 9” and 135 pounds, respectively, is perfect for my frame, and at age 57, I gotta tell you – I feel terrific. I started walking in late 2011 as I was too sedentary, working from home and not getting as much exercise as when I worked on site. Since heart disease runs in my mom’s side of the family, to keep my ticker strong, I added a walking regimen to my occasional exercise bike riding. I so enjoy walking!! The abundance of rain through June allowed me to walk nearly every morning rather than watering the shrubs and flowers. It looks like we have another stormy and unsettled week in the forecast, and if so, this will bode well for more walking. I have now walked 135 miles so far in 2013; I even squeezed in two miles this morning back-and-forth to the blood drive. I always gave blood in my early 20s, then with several back-to-back international trips, especially the cruise with various Middle East ports of call, the Red Cross prohibited me from donating blood for many years. But I’ve been back to donating regularly over three years now and it is a good feeling to help out my fellow man. Side effects? None at all for me – I do admit to being a little waterlogged right now (I drank over a gallon of water yesterday and another half-gallon overnight and early this morning). Glug, glug, glug … can you say “sloshing” around? P.S. – Nothing like a blog post that is all about me. (Smile)