Earlier this week I finished the 30-dray régime prescribed by the Whole30 program, not a “diet” as such, so it is claimed, but an introduction to a new way of life, and eating. One is not allowed to weigh oneself until the 30 days are up nor does one count calories. That doesn’t deliver the ease and relief you might think, not when you learn the restrictions. Let’s state the positives first: you can eat fish, meat and eggs, vegetables and fruit, limited amounts of nuts and seeds…but here are the no-no’s:

NO gluten, or any wheat, flour, malt, and so on, that is, no bread

NO sugar – and you have to read every label. If you see sugar in the list of ingredients, it’s a no-no

NO legumes, beans, peas, chickpeas, etc. But you are allowed peas and sugar snap beans

NO dairy products (learn to love ghee!)

And of course

NO wine or alcohol

I hope I haven't forgotten anything.

It was weird at first. I missed oatmeal porridge and cheese, and of course wine and chocolate. I love eggs but I ate far too many. I couldn’t think of anything else for breakfast.

Here’s the good news: I lost six pounds, I’m sleeping much better, between 6 and 8 hours a night (amazing!), and the pain in my lower back when I walk more than 1000 steps has eased, not gone entirely but I live in hope and I’ll exercise more – started pedalling on a stationary bicycle this week. That means I start reading murder mysteries again. That’s the only way I’ll consent to sit there with no scenery.

It’s called Whole30 but it should be called Whole45 and then some, because the reintroduction of the foods you cut out has to be managed slowly, one at a time with a couple of days between each new one to check reactions. - to see which ones cause you sleep or back problems, whatever. (Sugar is a nemesis for a lot of people.)

See, I figure if I’m going to live a long time, and I already have, I might as feel as well as possible while I go on and on and on.

Checking in early today because I know what to do with my screenwriting assignment. Some times I have to ponder a lot. You know when you're working a crossword puzzle and you can't get a word, you go away and come back and then the word comes sailing into your head and onto the page? Well, it's like that (if I'm lucky) with the writing. If I can't solve a problem right away, I let it simmer. A writer is never not writing, I'm happy (most of the time) to say. So...are you still with me?

I can write my blog first because I know what i'm doing. Very rare!

Several old-timers like me have commented or written me directly, if they know me, and most of my bloggers do know me - my only audience, in fact - several have written me telling me that can no longer lift a cast-iron pan. I must admit it takes me two hands with the strength of my arms behind them to life that pan with the roasting chicken. However, that's not all that cast-iron pans are good for. If you don't already have one, get a baby pan. If you live alone, the small pan will accommodate just about everything you want to cook, except that chicken, and you can lift it easily. I just caramelised a mess of onions that had started to sprout of go soft. They looked like too much to go into the small pan, but they shrink, and the closer confines encourage caramelisation. The onions went into a vegetarian chill I made the next day. Waste not, want not.

SOW,I've been trying to remember the little verse that encouraged people to "salvage". That was the word during the War (Two, dear, I'm not that old), long before recycle. Does anyone remember it? I'm missing one line, or got it wrong, and I don't have them in the proper order:

Use it up

Wear it out

Make it do

Throw it out (??not quite right)

Something like that . Does anyone remember?

I looked it up. Of course.

"Use it Up, Wear it Out Make it Do or Do Without” is one of the great mantras of frugality."

It predates the war when it was a rallying cry. It was actually a "mantra" of the depression. I don't know why they don't quote it now in this great age of Recycling.