Gluten-Free/Vegan Update!

A while back, I discussed the possibility that I may be going Vegan and Gluten-Free for my health. I was advised by my doctor that it is a beneficial diet, but that I would need to work my way into it gradually, so as not to shock my system. So, here is what I have done so far.

I have tried making recipes that use little or no gluten products. I've made some pretty nice soups/stews/chili's with no gluten products (using rice or potatoes as my starch). I've been introducing products I have traditionally despised into my diet and I am doing OK with them.

Starting this week, I introduced a goal to have a Gluten-Free/Vegan breakfast. My breakfast, thus far, has consisted of 1/4 cup of almonds and one Fuji apple. Actually, it ends up being a mid-morning snack, as I usually don't leave enough time to sit down and enjoy a meal, I just eat at my desk through out the morning. I cut the apple into slices and put the almonds in a bowl and eat it all morning long. I also have a cup of coffee with sugar added, no cream. I've taken my coffee like this for quite a while, weaning myself off cream several years ago. It also helps tht we have VERY GOOD coffee in my office. I want to say that coffee is gluten-free (but I'm not 100% sure)...

I'm going to see how long I can support the everyday breakfast goal and occassionally cook a gluten-free meal (if not vegan). In July, I will introduce a new goal to replace something in my diet. Probably my lunch... although I am not sure right now how to go about making that Vegan... This week I have also made "tuna-wraps" for lunch - drained a small can of tuna, mixed with salt/pepper and a little Bragg's, wrapped up in a leaf of lettuce like a burrito... Makes a nice, high protein, high Omega-3 lunch. But, it's not exactly vegan... I don't remember if Bragg's is gluten-free... I'll have to check the label when I get home. I know regular soy sauce is not gluten-free.

Strange happenings at the grocery store...

The strangest of which was the checker that I was lucky to get (did you detect the sarcasm?).

Normally, my forays into the grocery store are pretty mild, especially since I tend to do the self-checkout thing... It minimizes the exposure to idiots...

Anyway, back to my checker... He was friendly enough, but he was a talker... And I think he had diarrhea of the mouth or something, because it was a steady stream of garbage and he just didn't stop... First, he commented on the fact that I was purchasing some chicken broth (what do you do with it - he asked). I'm thinking to my self "ohhh...kay... Who in the world doesn't know what to use chicken broth for" but I say, "I use it in chili, in soups, and all kinds of things." Which apparently was the wrong thing to say because that launched him into a story of what he ate for lunch today (basically describing the "i-don't-remember-the-name-of-it" concoction he pieced together at the store's deli earlier that day...) - yeah, I'm not sure how he made that connection... Now my thoughts turn to "should this guy be medicated while in public?"

I was also waiting for this gem of a checker for about 10 minutes... I should have picked another line... I don't know what made me stay in his line as he was R-E-A-L-L-Y S-L-O-W and took a long time to move everyone through... In the amount of time I was in his line, 3 other lines around me backed up and were cleared before he even started ringing up my groceries... I must have been out of my mind...

He also needs to go back to Bagging 101 to learn not to put health and beauty products (foot powder, in my case) in with produce... So not cool... Luckily, it was just my apples and not my celery...

The importance of wind...

To see my take on "The importance of wind," click over to the Pilot Wives Club!

Everything will be OK

So much to do... so little time to do it in...

I am currently working on a video that will be played at my Grandmother's memorial service in two weeks. I didn't get nearly the response I thought I would when I requested photographs of Grandma... But, I'll make do with what I have and honor my Grandma :)

My current stress level is adding to my health problems, according to my doctor. I need to let at least one of my commitments go... But what to cut? They are all vitally important to me. I think I have figured out a way to alleviate some stress, but it is just in the thinking stage at this point... Next week will bring the answers that I seek, at least about my options to reduce my stress level.

I am feverishly working on my school work... To get caught up again from this past week and to prepare for when I will be traveling and unable to work on my school assignments in depth... Yes, I know, this is just adding to my stress...

The next time I see my husband will be in Seattle (I hope) on our way to Colorado for the memorial service. Rather than come home first, we decided that he would jumpseat from ANC to SEA directly. This option allows him to work a day longer than I wanted him to, but whatever. It will be nice to travel with him to Denver, where we will then drive to southern Colorado for the family onslaught.

I haven't seen my immediate family in all one place for almost 10 years. My older brother is in the military and he and his family live on the east coast. The rest of my family is scattered in the Rockies. It will be nice to see everyone again.

I am already starting to get anxious about it. I share the same anxiety for crowds that my Grandma had. She would definitely NOT enjoy everyone getting together... Oh, she would love seeing everyone, but she would feel overwhelmed at the sheer number of people... I can relate... In addition to the anxiety I will feel at the Memorial service, I will be just as anxious flying. We had to buy a ticket for me to fly to Denver, and most of the seats were taken... I am sitting in the middle seat most of the way... This is not good... The middle seat is where I get the most anxious on a plane... Maybe I should start practicing my meditative breathing now, in preparation?

I've been contemplating my behavior lately... I think I am still grieving my Grandmother... Ever since her death, I haven't slept well. I haven't been able to concentrate as much for school. My appetite has been up and down... I find myself having depressive episodes, where I get extremely lethargic and apathetic. Or I get extremely moody and lash out at others. I am making a conscious effort to control this behavior, ever since I first noticed it. But it is difficult. At times, I want to say "Screw you guys! I'm going home!" (said in my best Cartman impression). Even as I write this, I want to go curl up in bed, pull the covers over my head, and forget about everything... Forget about my commitments for school, forget about taking my dog for a walk, forget about cleaning my house, forget about my responsibilities at work, etc... As you can tell, I am currently in a dark place right now... But I look out the window and see blue skies (a rarity here) and I smile... That smile warms my heart and reminds me to breathe... Everything will be OK.

Being healthy is not my reality...

I have been sick more often this year than I can remember... Pardon the pun, but I'm kind of sick of it...

If it's not for weird symptoms that prompt a visit to my doctor, it's the flu or something else that has me in bed for days at a time... I'm pretty sure my employer is tired of me taking sick leave... I'm also pretty sure that my instructors at school are tired of hearing "My assignment will be late because I've been on my death bed..."

OK, I don't actually use the term "death bed" when I write to my instructors about why an assignment is late, but it was just about to that point this past week...

So, once again, I am behind at work (during a really busy time that I can't really afford to take time away from) and am behind at school... Granted, the class I'm behind on is a rather difficult and fast paced class... But still...

One good thing about being sick is that I got LOADS of sleep... Like almost 4 days worth of sleep... It's late and I still have stuff to do, so I'll most likely stay up to get it done... With any luck, I'll have my paper submitted by the morning and my assignment that is due tomorrow completed.

All caught up...

I finally got all caught up from my week from hell (about 2 weeks ago). In celebration, I took yesterday off from school work. It was a relatively nice day, but too windy to go fly (comfortably), so we went for a drive.

We started out our day at Subway, to try out their new breakfast menu. It wasn't bad, and it was nice to be able to get breakfast after 10:30, the cut-off time for McDonald's.

After spending some time catching up with friends at the airport, we drove up to the ski resort here. It was a nice drive. I can't believe we've never been up there before. They are still skiing, but you can tell it is getting to be the end of the season.

After the ski resort, we drove around Douglas Island to the trail head at False Outer Point. We had fun hiking through the woods, trying to get to the leeward side of the point (to get out of the cold wind, mostly). It kind of reminded me of Rivendell from LOTR. Noni had a lot of fun running around off leash. She had so much fun that she worked her way out of her harness a couple of times... Not quite sure how she did that, but it was quickly remedied.

We took a lot of pictures hiking yesterday. Unfortunately, they are all on Aaron's camera, and he went flying today, so I can't get them... I'll post the pictures later :)

After we were done hiking, we went to lunch at The Hanger (a local restaurant here, not where we keep our plane). I tried their chicken burger, while Aaron had fish & chips. Lunch was really good. The downtown experience was rounded out by some gelato! Who would have thought you could get gelato in Juneau? Prior to last year, I wouldn't have thought it possible either. But it is really good. They don't make as much during the "winter" months as they do during the summer, so it was slim pickings, but I enjoyed my combo of pistachio and caramel. Aaron had mint-chip and caramel. Yummy!

We did go back to the hanger to do a favor for one of Aaron's forum friends. He needed to get pictures of a certain part of the airplane and it ended up being more work than anticipated. We were there for about 2 hours disassembling, taking the picture, and reassembling (several times).

Needless to say, my day off wore me out. After a hot bath with epsom salts and lavender oil, I felt better.

Today is being spent doing my assignment for today (which is almost done). Then I'll start reading my assignments for the coming week, to keep from getting so far behind. I should also have my medical test results by Tuesday, so I'm hoping for a promising result - something that is easy to fix. Cross your fingers!