It has been a long time...

It has been a long time since I posted on this blog. After moving, it took a bit of time to get settled in. Still working on that part!

I feel much better since moving. I know that others think I have gone to extreme measures to keep gluten contamination problems out of my life, but it is working for me.

Cross contamination was always an issue with having a dog, due to dog food. I could not afford to feed both myself and a dog gluten free, especially a larger dog that would have suited my needs. I do not have those issues of cross contamination with Earl.

I am very thankful that I have Earl. He made all the difference in my life. My needs have changed, but my need for my Earl has not.

I will be moving into my tipi real soon. First we had to build a shelter and do fencing for Earl. Here is a short video of us working on his fence line. Hope you enjoy!

Horse Poop

Earl is stall trained! When Earl came to the farm, he did not know that good horses, do not poop in their stalls (if they can go out). Earl has free choice to go outside any time he wants. Last summer I hung out with him in the barn and pasture a lot. When he was inside and started to lift his tail, I would shoo him outside. When I found manure in the stall, I showed disgust in voice and body language. Earl got the idea. I had to start training him somewhere, and still have not found a place to house train him yet. Oh well.

I gave notice to Central Vermont Community Land Trust that I would not be renewing my lease. I have about two months to get out. They would have let me out of the lease with a month notice. I was told it would be very hard for me to get back into housing. At this point I pray NEVER to have to go back into assisted housing. I am glad there is assistance for others who need the help. Someone else could use the wheelchair accessible apartment, more than I can at this point too. I have been out of the wheelchair for almost 6 months now. I still at times may need it, I get tired real fast, especially if I have gotten into gluten and feel sick.

Gluten Intolerance

Having celiac diseae and dermatitis herpetiformis means that every item I use or eat has to be checked for gluten. I thought this was a curse at first. Now I realize that it is a blessing and I am thankful for having to eat a good diet. My diet made it much easier to eat good wholesome food. Yes my diet cost a bit more, but the benefits make it worth my time and effort.

For a long time I craved fast food, donuts, and the ease of convenience foods. When I shopped it was hard to see all the cookies, and processed food, I could not have. I would wander through the store, gazing longingly at the items on the shelf, envious of others who could eat gluten. I was like a little kid in a candy store, that could not have sweets.

My diet is easier to cope with now, but it took years. The easiest way I found to eat, is to cook from scratch. I follow the paleolithic gluten free diet. There are more gluten free items on the store shelves now, but the cost is prohibitive. I do splurge a couple times a month and eat Gluten Free Ginger Molasses Cookies, made by Liz Lovely. Liz Lovely is a local company. My cookies do not even come close to being as good as theirs. I guess I have to work on my cooking a bit more!


Here is a link to Liz Lovely Gluten Free Ginger Molasses Cookies on line:

http://www.lizlovely.com/webstore/_product.php?p=80&PHPSESSID=63f8129d9c208865c565cb32577e086a

Chicken Soup

Today I cooked chicken soup. Homemade chicken soup hit the spot and was easy to make.

I took one BIG pot.
Put in one whole chicken and three cups of water.
When almost done I added onions, celery, carrots (from the garden), and potatoes.
When the chicken was done, the veggies were not. So I took the chicken out and de-boned it. When the veggies were done, I put the de-boned chicken back in the soup.

I saved one cooked breast to slice up for dinner tomorrow. I will make a gravy out of some of the stock, using rice flour to make a rue to thicken it.

Most of the time I do not eat meat. I like chicken soup in the winter time. Maybe it is true that chicken soup is good for the soul. It always makes me feel a bit better!

The soup was yummy! I have enough left overs for several meals! Cooking it myself assured that it was gluten free.

Rex

I watched 60 Minutes last night. The segment that I watched was about a disabled person who is a savant. His name is Rex Lewis-Clack. Lesley Stahl has been doing stories about Rex since he was 5 years old.


I want to buy a book written about Rex. Considering we have been trying to get rid of books and I read on line mostly, I have tried real hard to NOT buy books lately. The book is coming out this week and the name of it is Rex. His mother, Cathleen, wrote the book.


Rex is blind and born with brain damage and is autistic. He is a savant though and a genius on the piano. He can play any song after hearing it once. Rex has also taken up singing. I would love to hear Rex play live.

If you want to read more about Rex you can go to the story at 60 Minutes. Here is the link:

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/11/14/60minutes/main4604368_page2.shtml

There is a video there too!

Canes

I made these canes a few years ago. Each one was dried for several years before carving. They had to be very dry before inlaying the stones and gold leaves. I had a lot of fun making these and hope to make more this summer.

Winter Snow

There is snow on the ground. Earl is now on his winter diet of hay and grain. He sure likes his grain!

I cut the base of my thumb by the palm, on my right hand, badly last week and did not receive proper medical care until the next day. The Mad River Valley Health Center, in Waitsfield took me as a patient, right after it happened. I was taken into a treatment room. The bandage the EMT put on was taken off. My medical history was taken and I was quizzed on the medications I use. The nurse had me wash the wound under the water in the sink, then gave me a gauze pad to hold on it. Then the nurse left the room. A short time later I was told they did not have time to treat me. I left. An EMT took me home and wrapped up my hand. He said to leave the bandage on for three or four days and it would heal.

By the next morning, my thumb was infected. When I cut my thumb, it was due to falling. A plant pot that had been outside all summer, broke my fall, so I did not land on the concrete floor. The planter was made of plastic and was brittle and broke. When it broke I sliced the base of my thumb by the palm on my right hand. I had to go to Gifford Hospital Emergency Room. They treated me there. The wound had dirt in it and had to be cleaned. It was too late for stitches and the infection was so bad they could not give Novocaine to numb it before cleaning it out. They were able to use some ointment that had some numbing effects, but it was not like getting a shot. It hurt like hell. Worse than when I cut it. I had to go on antibiotics and had to have a tetanus shot. Gifford treated me with dignity and respect. That is something I did not get at Mad River Valley Health Center.

A week later, it still hurts. The medication is making me nauseated. About all I feel like doing is sleeping. Earl had to take a break from training for the week. He was very interested in the bandage on my hand, and seemed to know I was hurting when I visited him.