Tuesday, June 1, 2010

It's difficult being Gluten-free


I’m not feeling well. It is discouraging, since I’ve been so careful to watch everything I eat. The Pepto Bismol bottle is almost empty. I take a quick look at the label, but nothing registers as a danger, so I drink the rest of the bottle. I think: does it really matter at this point whether there is gluten in it?
I go over everything I’ve eaten in the last few days. It was difficult to eat at the conference and be gluten free, but not impossible. The only thing I can think of that I knowingly ate with gluten in it was the Sacrament bread. I did talk with the Bishop after church on Sunday. He is willing to do whatever is needed to make it safe for me to take the Sacrament. The steps are a little intensive. The tray would need to be washed, so no crumbs are left. I would need to bring rice bread, which would have to be kept separate from the other bread, which cannot be put on the same tray. The Priest who will bless and break the bread would have to remember not to touch the other bread before the rice bread. Difficult, but not impossible.
Not knowing if what I am eating will make me sick, regardless of how careful I’m being is… well, it makes me not want to eat anything at all. Since that isn’t an option, I eat. It is comparable to walking down a hall in the dark, not sure that you’ll end up in the right place without falling down stairs or tripping on something. Tiptoeing in the dark makes me cautious.
Tomorrow is my birthday. My husband says he’ll take me out to eat. I’ve got to decide where to go… which is not as much fun as it used to be. Any suggestions?

Monday, May 31, 2010

Summer Fun: Bowling

My kids love bowling. I've found two programs that let them bowl this summer:
Fat Cats and
Kids Bowl Free The Kids Bowl Free link has centers all over the US!
Let me know if you sign your kids up.
This picture is Jane bowling last summer. She is the only one of my kids that didn't beat my score! 

Sunday, May 30, 2010

Sunday Song: God Bless America

This Sunday Song is in honor of all veterans. God Bless America I'm adding a photo of my dad during his Navy years, taken around 1970.

Friday, May 28, 2010

Which way?

I can't tell you how many times I've gotten in the car, only to get half way somewhere and not know where I'm going or how to get there. I know I have a doctor appointment or a visit with a friend at 10am, so I jump in the car, only to realize I'm not sure what the address is or the name of the place. I'm so grateful for cell phones! Hi, it's Pam... I'm on my way... what is the address again? 
To prevent this, I write down appointments, complete with name, address, and phone number. I also use Google maps to plan trips, even local ones, if I'm going somewhere I'm unfamiliar with.  
What promoted this post? I'm off to the Casual Blogger Conference and I want to get there without getting lost!

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Forward this to everyone!

Virus warnings. Food contamination. Crime warnings. Someone said something offensive. Gang warnings. End of the world warnings. Political propaganda. Conspiracies. Weather pattern revelations.
What do these have in common? People (because they are a good guy making a stand!) forward (it is quick, easy and it doesn't cost anything!) these emails (because they are helpful!) to everyone (because they care!) in their address book (because you are their friend!).
Please, before forwarding, be sure your email is not just an urban legend. Try snopes. Awesome website. It reveals what is true and what is bogus. Beware what you read. Surprise! It may not be what you were expecting. 

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Chickens and more chicks

We have 12 chickens that are now over a year old. A few weeks ago, we picked up 12 more chicks. We purchased white, tan and black ones. The black ones are proud looking fluffy chicks. They are all friendly. Jane, just six years old, loves to pick them up. The new chicks are in the shed coop where the older ones were last year. The older ones are now in a A-frame coop Jay built, with plenty of room for them to roam outside. In the bottom picture, you can see the PVC pipe across the coop for the chickens to roost on at night. There is a loft there for the chickens to lay eggs in. Egg production from the year old ones has increased since the weather has gotten warmer... even if it has been rainier and cooler than usual. My teenager hasn't been able to eat every egg the day it was laid. Having chickens has been a fun step toward self-reliance. The kids seem to enjoy it too. We don't hear complaining about helping keep the chicken coop clean either--I think Jared likes eating all the eggs he can!

Monday, May 24, 2010

Book Review 1: The Book Thief

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak is set in Nazi Germany in 1939. I like not only the story, but the writing style. It is about real people living in difficult times. Liesel is a young girl who steals books in a time when books are dangerous and are being burned by the Nazis. This is a time when decisions are important and sometimes disastrous, though the end results may not be evident immediately. When I read this book a few years ago for a book club, I checked it out of the library but when it came across my son’s school list of books he needed to read, I bought a copy. It is one we all should read.
Warning: there is some swearing, mostly in German.