Diet & Exercise: There's Gotta Be More to the Story!

My little weight loss experiment:

I have read and re-read everything I can get my hands on regarding the subject of "calories in vs. calories burnt". Here is what I understand. When one burns 3500 calories more than one eats, one loses one pound. Simple, right?

With the absence of any weight loss despite eating about 1,300 calories a day and exercising 6 days a week I'm wondering what part of this story is missing? So I decided to do a little experiment. I visited The Daily Plate. For those of you not familiar, it is a rather nice, free website that serves as a food/exercise journal, calorie counter data base. I put in my stats and the lovely Plate told me that in order to lose 1 lb. per week I should consume 1,600 calories per day. So I say BINGO! Eureka: I'm not eating "Enough". That's gotta be it, right? Nothing else makes sense - read more articles and we hear about metabolic shut down when the body thinks it is starving, blah, blah, blah. That's it, right? I must be starving. I will be the first "chunky" girl on earth to starve to death and still be technically over weight! The daily plate is really useful because it tracks both calories in and calories out (exercise). So once I put my daily exercise in, usually averaging 400-700 calories, we're up to about 2,000 calories a day and still losing a pound a week.

So, here is the experiment: eat all of the calories I am supposed to (1,600 + exercise calories burnt) in a day, keep a food and exercise journal. Fill the calories with "good" food, in other words I can't just grab a giant bowl of ice cream to make up for the remaining 500 calories at the end of the day. I learned that complex carbs will pack the greatest calorie punch. First lesson - it's not easy to get 2,000 calories chewed and swallowed in one day without junk food. I actually fell a couple of hundred calories short most days and that is with eating 6 times a day. Second lesson, it is hard to pack a complex calorie punch without eating wheat/gluten. Okay, so I "suffered" through my little experiment for two weeks. Eating like a panda bear, munch, munch, munch. I felt good; good energy, well nourished for my workouts, slept well. During this time I did not miss any planned workouts. Ready for the big revelation? The outcome of my ground breaking medical experiment? I gained two pounds!

So clearly all of these articles and professionals that are so eager to tell us that this is quite simple - calories in vs. calories burnt are leaving out something critical. I think this little missing tidbit is the holy grail! I think it is this one missing piece of information that is fueling the billion dollar diet and fitness industry. I think it just boils down to the world being filled with endomorphs and ectomorphs. One can not change genetic predisposition.

And on that note I have read a few disturbing articles recently regarding running. This one appeared last week in The New York Times. Basically declaring that "slow" runners or joggers have no place participating in athletic events, namely marathons. It goes on to say that these people are not "runners" to further fuel the ire or the "slow running" scene I noticed a link to Pearl Izummi's ad on one of my favorite blogs. OOoooooo-eeeee were there some heated comments. So it seems to me that there are a couple of camps here. Fast runners who feel that anyone slower than them are not "real" runners and "slowER" runners feeling like they have every right to be called a "runner". Wow, sounds like a topic fit for the school guidance counselor at my kids' elementary school. I also read an article about how real runners should not wear ipods, they are unsafe and unproductive. The true athlete would become more inspired by their own breathing and listening attentively to their foot strikes.

Enter experiment number two. I decided to take my run today without my ipod (or dogs). I would listen attentively to my footstrikes, breathing and I would ponder the subject of what it means to be a "runner" and more importantly "am I a runner"?

Here are the results: 45 min. run, average heart rate 150, listening to my breathing: thiii-iiii-sssssss--hurr--rrrrr--tsssss, listening to my foot strikes: thump, thump, thud, thump. But here is what I conjured up from my pondering: One of the women that was quoted in the NY Times article, Adrienne Wald, a cross country coach said: "It's a joke to run a marathon walking every other mile or by finishing in six, seven or eight hours". The most absurd part of that comment is that Ms. Wald is a coach. She inspires young people to achieve? Hmmm.

So, back to me . . . am I a runner? Am I a jogger? Holy crap, am I just walking? Then I pause (in my mind, not my jogging, walking, sorta wanting to run, but not really feet) and I ponder this for a moment: Last spring when I ran my first half marathon, I was working hard. I trained hard. I was serious about building my endurance. I tried to build speed, but just could not find any. Then as I was giving it my best shot in Central Park, I came upon (as in caught up to) the Pace Leader. He's the guy who's job it is to "run" at prescribed pace. He was designated by a special

shirt and carried balloons with the pace (per mile) time he was leading on his balloons. Well, this pace leader who I was working so hard to catch up to was speed walking. I pulled up along side him, huffing and puffing and I grunted - Oh, my God!! Are you walking? He said, "yes, but I am walking really fast". So I said, "could I do that"? And he suggested I give it a try. So I changed my gait slightly, stretched out my stride, lost the bounce in my step and attempted to do that shake your booty thing that speed walkers do. Lo and behold, I was going the same speed as when I was "running". That was disheartening! I quickly abandoned that idea and picked up my former stride - my goal was to "run" a half marathon, and so I did!

Here is my bottom line, I do believe that the difference between running, jogging and walking is a bio mechanical one. I believe that the definition is in the stride. I have an odd obsession with looking at photographs of the feet of people who are running. Runners feet both leave the ground at the same time, they actually take flight. I also am a firm believer (and I practice) heart rate zone training. I think it is a rather shallow observation of a runner to refer to another as a "plodder" without more insight into the slower runner's level of exertion.

Am I a runner? No, sadly I do not think that I am. I am certainly not taking flight. I would like to become a runner - I am not sure of any other way other than to keep on "plodding" along, working on strength, flexibility and endurance. Seek the counsel of experts, practice, practice, practice. One thing is for sure, I will certainly not take the expert advice of Coach Wald, and just stay home!

Oh and one last thing - next time I will bring back the ipod - waaay to much brain work without it.

The Gig is Up: GF Food Review

I used to say that all I needed in the life was the three B's. That would be BEER, BREAD and BEANS (as in coffee!). Throw in a Swiss Army knife, a bandanna and some duct tape and I could be happy and self sufficient. Boy have those days changed. My need for comfort items has changed wildly and my B's have been seriously disrupted. Thankfully no one has messed with my coffee but those of us on a gluten free diet know that good gluten free beer and bread can be very hard to come by. This has not necessarily been a bad thing for me as I do credit my lack of beer and bread with a considerable (and much needed weight loss). It has been pretty easy to fore go the gluten free options. But what's happening now? Is my weight loss scheme in danger? A few weeks ago I went into a nice local coffee house and am usually able to just saunter right on by the case of baked goods - nothing for me there, no interest to me, not even tempted. But I stopped dead in my tracks as I came face to face with a giant muffin, oddly named - the fitness muffin, that was labeled gluten free! I had to force myself to look away and keep walking. Several weeks later I am still thinking about that muffin. What will become of me if I am once again faced with choices?!

Before giving my review of a couple of products that I have recently sampled I should add the note that I am picky about my baked goods and my beer. I have spent countless hours baking all types of wonderful (gluteny) breads. I loved baking bread and not only lost out on one of my favorite foods but one of my favorite hobbies. I also loved brewing beer. I never made anything quite as great as could be purchased but it was a lot of fun! So, these acceptable alternatives are just that - acceptable alternatives. I am not sure anything but a cure to Celiac Disease will come close to satisfying the real critic. But I offer these to hold us over in the meantime.

Beer:

I was very happy when gluten free beer started coming to the market a couple of years ago but after trying a few, including Redbridge and Dragon's Gold I actually found that I'd rather save the calories and my money. But now the gig is up - I recently tried Green's Beer. This is an import from Belgium. Clearly they know how to brew beer!! It is offered in a medium amber, a triple blonde and a dark stout. The dark stout being my favorite, I'm a Guinness fan and this was by far no Guinness, but it was an acceptable and palatable alternative. Very rich, a little on the sweet side. The amber was also very good. A little less sweet and more suitable with a meal. I did not care for the blonde, but that would not be my first choice in any beer so I may not be the best critic on that. I found it far too sweet and not "crisp" enough. But other reviews for the blonde are raving and I would give them more credit as again, it is just not my preference in beer. I purchased all three at Whole Foods. They were a bit pricey (as are all things gluten free) but come in 16 oz. bottles - great to share a bottle and not have to commit to a full six pack of crummy beer. Also, nice not to pay $12 (going price in some places for Dragon's Gold) for a six pack of less than mediocre beer. I believe the Green's was about $5.25 for a bottle. Again, expensive but oh soooooo good!

BREAD:

I have spent a lot of time trying to master a gluten free bread recipe. I think I came up with something reasonably respectable. It included every imaginable flour - brown rice, white rice, potato, tapioca, corn starch, almond meal and flax meal. A lot of work - okay return. I tried packaging it into smaller "mixes" so that it would be less time consuming. But ultimately my whole family decided that this bread was not really worth the trouble. After having given up on bread entirely for about a year - I gave in and tried Pamela's Amazing Bread Mix after reading several encouraging reviews. It is excellent! Most excellent is the fact that all you need to do is add oil, eggs and water, stir and bake. Could not be any easier. I also add 1/4 flax meal. Again, I find this product to also be a little on the sweet side. It may be the fact that I do not eat a lot of sugar and so I am a bit more sensitive to the sweet side of things. But this bread has sort of a molasses type sweetness to it. Not at all offensive - although fairly high on the carb count for diabetics. This bread is very moist in contrast to most dry, crumbly GF bread products. It also holds up pretty well unlike the many that go stale within hours of baking. Freezes well too. I use it to make sandwich/burger rolls that are so convincingly "normal" that my kid's friends at school were nervous that I had given them the wrong lunch. The kids came home squealing with delight that their sandwiches looked like everyone else's - that's important when you are 9!

And ONE MORE:

I take baking seriously! I am still prone to watching the Ace of Cakes while I am on the treadmill. I never, ever understood the purpose of "Brownie Mix". I mean, you melt the chocolate and butter, throw in a few eggs, scoop in the flour and sugar and you've got brownies. The same can hold true for GF brownies - and it is very VERY possible to make a delicious gluten free brownie from scratch. But again it involves many different types of "alternative" flours that need to be mixed in the right proportions. If you do not stock all these flours or are not into food science and measurement, this may be a task you just don't take on regularly. So to that end the other night, while making dinner I threw a batch of Betty Crocker's (NEW!) Gluten Free Brownie Mix together and into the oven to bake. Very, very decent brownies, piping hot from the oven and done with by the time I was clearing the dinner plates off the table. I have nothing negative to say about this mix - and huge kudos to General Mills for taking this huge leap in the right direction! I am not sure I can bring myself to try the GF chocolate chip cookie mix but again am so glad that General Mills is getting some skin in the game on this! The new Betty Crocker Mixes (chocolate cake, vanilla cake, brownie and chocolate chip cookie) can be a bit elusive to find. I was unable to find them in my area. But can be ordered somewhat reasonably on Amazon.

Now I better get my training into high gear as I can see this gluten free diet is not longer going to be an easy recipe for weight loss - think I'll grab a beer tonight!

Cheers!

A Special Note from Camryn: Please read!

Camryn speaking at JDRF Children's Congress, 2009

It's that time of year again, the time when we make our annual plea for donations to JDRF. This year Camryn wrote the walk letter (she's growing up in spite of it all!!). PLEASE read it. For those of you that are seeing this on FACEBOOK - please consider posting a link to this on your facebook page (http://www.enduromom.blogspot.com/). If we can leverage the power of FB and ask people to just give a few bucks - it will have a HUGE impact. Please consider helping by posting this link on your FB page!!

And now a word from the girl, herself (for those that don't know, she is a 9 year old little girl with type 1 diabetes):

Hi Everyone, it's me, Camryn . . .

Every year in August my mom writes "the walk letter" asking for donations for JDRF. She tells everyone how hard my life is with type 1 diabetes and asks people to give money to JDRF to help find a cure. This year, my mom was busy training for the 100 mile JDRF ride to cure diabetes, so I said I could write the letter this year.

This year I learned a lot more than I already knew about diabetes. I learned about kidney disease, heart disease, eye disease and nerve damage called "complications of diabetes". That's some seriously scary stuff! I knew that getting shots every day, insulin pump site changes, and pricking my finger 10-15 times a day was lousy but I really do not want anything to do with these complications.

I am doing everything I can to stay away from that. For one thing, I work really hard to take care of myself everyday. I have to watch my diet, exercise, check my blood sugar and take insulin. I have to be careful every minute of every day - no cheating, no days off! The other thing that is just as important to me is to help find a cure for type 1 diabetes.

Last year families like mine, all over the world, helped raise money for JDRF and we raised 150 million dollars! That's a ton of money!! JDRF is using that money to pay scientists to invent something called an Artificial Pancreas which is already being tried out on people. My grandparents got to meet a dude that is actually wearing one! It is like an insulin pump and a continuous glucose monitor that talk to each other and make decisions without the person having to do anything. If I had one of these things I could eat pizza and go for a bike ride and then go have some ice cream and jump on the trampoline all night long. I wouldn't even have to stop once to think about diabetes. How cool is that?!?! That might sound like pretty normal kid stuff, but I can't do that kind of stuff without diabetes getting in my way. JDRF raises a lot of money for other scientists too who are working on a cure, they are growing new pancreas cells that can make real insulin, right now!! They are trying to figure out how to put them into people. And, they are trying to figure out a shot that can keep people from getting type 1 diabetes in the first place. That shot could help my brother, Stratton or maybe your child, or someone you love!

Last year, my walk team, "Camryn's Team" raised over $10,000 for JDRF. I spoke in front of 4,000 people at the walk to thank everyone. I have been working really hard this year, I gave speeches at a bunch of JDRF fundraisers, I was in a parade, I was on the news twice, I went to Washington, DC (with JDRF's Children's Congress) and met President Obama and I learned what lobbying is. I went to meet with my Senators and told them how important research money and health care are for kids like me and how important it is to find a cure for type 1 diabetes.

And now I am asking for your help too. I have heard a lot about this economy problem, but even if you can help just a little bit - it's a really, really big thing for kids like me. Scientists are really close to finding better ways to live with type 1 diabetes and a cure. I am working really hard too. Can you please help?

Here's what you can do to help me out:

You can make a donation to JDRF (please!!!!)

You can donate on my Walk Page (<--- just click that thing that says Walk Page)

You can join my walk team and help raise money and come to Six Flags on Oct. 18th All you have to do is sign up to walk: You can sign up by clicking HERE

Ask your friends for donations

Then come walk with us (and ride roller coasters!)

And, my mom makes really cool T-shirts for everyone!

You can send a letter or an e-mail to everyone you know asking them to support our walk team and make a donation to JDRF - anyone can do that much, right?

We are trying to raise $10,000 again this year so we can use all of your help and fundraising ideas.

Thank you for all of your fundraising help in the past and now!!!

Love,

Camryn

Things I Learned in Killington, VT

At one point during the weekend, Tim St. Claire, the national coach for the JDRF ride to cure diabetes stood up and gave a little speech saying that if this ride does not change your life, please give it one more chance, next year. And if it still has not altered your existence to talk to him and see how he can remedy the situation. I'm the ultimate cynic, really, so I am sitting there thinking altering my existence would be like switching the earth's rotation to the opposite direction. As in not.gonna.happen. Well, ultimate cynic here to tell you, I am not sure which direction the earth is turning right now, but that one little bike ride did, indeed, change my life. No redo necessary, although I am looking forward to redoing it for as long as I am possible.

We arrived in Killington knowing no one. There was one other person riding from our JDRF Chapter, Julie, but she was from CT and we had never met. Aside from knowing no one, and feeling like a 7th grader at summer camp alone, I also was feeling pretty lame about my 3 weeks of training as I saw about 349 other riders who had spent their summers training and were chomping at the bit to get out on the road. I was secretly praying that the ride would be called on account of the weather that was due to be rolling into town. I was thinking we could all just get dressed in our tight little spandex super hero costumes and hobble through the mud in our gimpy little bike shoes and then be told it was no go on account of the rain, wind and cold. I'd say - oh man, that stinks - and then run back to the condo and go back to bed!

Let's set the scene a little more here. There are about 88 JDRF chapters throughout the USA. 44 Chapters were represented at this ride. There were large teams from Michigan, Wisconsin, South Carolina, New Jersey, The Northwest, you name it, they were all there. They had matching T-shirts and were cheering. Lot's of them drove in with their cars painted up with JDRF logos. Some teams rented trucks to send their bikes in, others packaged and shipped their bikes. The amazing guys from Velo Bikes in Michigan set up a full service bike shop in a ski shed - and would you believe that not only did they put together all of the bikes, but they also checked every set of brakes in the shed and they filled every tire (all 700 of them!!). These guys were amazing. They were in there at work until midnight every night. The volunteers are a whole other subject here - back to the riders for a moment - there were about 350 riders and together we raised a total of $1.3 million for JDRF!!! Now there is something to alter the universe, right there. I could go on and on and on about this group of 350 people and I certainly only had a chance to meet and spend time getting to know a fraction of them but I can tell you this - anyone and I mean ANYONE who wants to ride - can and should ride. To me, this is the perfect sport, it can be done for exercise, it can be done for relaxation, it can be done to lose weight, it can be done recreationally, it can be done to race and compete, it can be done inexpensively, it can be done very expensively (for the gear lover). It can be done socially, it can be done for solitude, it can be done fast or slow, by young and old. It can be done to get somewhere, it can be done to go nowhere at all. And, you can do it for a long, long time.

So here are a few people I met:

A woman from OK who bought a bike a year and half ago and on one of her first rides, crashed and shattered her leg. She had 5 surgeries and ended up with one of those hideous hospital borne infections. She could not even walk for over 6 months - she has a teen-age diabetic child. I had the pleasure of riding with her.

A woman from PA who has a 25 year old diabetic son who was just diagnosed a couple of years ago. She has a hybrid (as she called it a "fitness" bike). She had trained with her husband and they decided amongst them that she would do the ride. She rocked that fitness bike up 12 mile hills!! Watching her could only be described as a mother's love. I had the honor of riding with her.

A little girl who was so anxious to ride (you have to be 13 to participate) that she signed up for the ride closest to her 13th birthday which was only 3 weeks before the ride.

Every person there had a story - I guess I can't tell them all but there were parents of diabetic children, an aunt and uncle from NJ who raised $8K to ride for their niece, a type 1 diabetic who is training for Iron Man Kona!, there were people with no connection to diabetes at all who raised money as tirelessly for the cause as if it were their own. And so on and so on times 350!

So ride morning comes and it is 50 degrees, hurricane Danny had rolled in, high winds, pouring rain, not such good pavement lay ahead and some massive hills. The first 12 miles was down, down, down hill, cold, wet, slippery, a little dangerous but otherwise not terribly taxing. But as we descended over the course of 12 miles we all knew that no matter how long we stayed out there we'd have that 12 miles to climb in the end.

The rest of the course was pretty manageable with nice rollers and what would likely have been beautiful scenery - I saw nothing but sheets of rain and fog and the spray coming up from the tire in front of me. I was adopted by the most wonderful team from Seattle. These folks held me up the entire way. Let me draft off them, trained me on how to be part of a paceline and were so genuinely wonderful that I nearly followed them home to Seattle. As for the rain, I learned that it is no big deal, once you are wet - you just have to roll with it and be a little extra careful. Oh, I also learned that putting plastic baggies inside your bike shoes is good for little more than carrying pet gold fish on the ride - best to let the water that enters the shoe, exit the other side, holding onto it for future use is rather miserable. I also learned that sun glasses do little good on a bike ride in a hurricane. And although it is still important to stay hydrated, it is even less fun visiting the porto-potty in the pouring rain. Did you know that TP actually disintegrates when touched with soaking wet bike gloves?

Those are just a few of the many things I encountered on my fabulous trip to Vermont. I would not have changed one minute of any of it. I would not even trade it in for sunshine and flat roads. It was absolutely perfect, just the way it was. And when I got back to the condo and finally got clean and dry and warm, Camryn looked at me and said: "Mom, thanks for doing this for me!" And I promised her that I will keep doing it over and over again until we've got the diabetes monster beat!!

If you want to consider having the a bike ride, and a weekend that will indeed change your life - consider the JDRF Ride to Cure Diabetes. For more info, visit http://www.ride.jdrf.org/

Slaying the Dragon: A Novice Biker's Tale

There is a dragon that lurks at the end of my quiet road in my friendly neighborhood. When I depart from my road I generally turn left . . . turning right brings me into the dragon's lair and even into an immediate climate change. This is a tale of a novice biker's journey up a large hill. So I will freely admit here at the outset that dragons are all relative. One can take that either figuratively or literally but with the knowledge that many of my relatives have now found their way onto facebook, where they can stumble across a feed from this blog - I will point out that this particular dragon is figurative. In actuality it is just one really big MFing hill!

Okay so back to my story . . . yesterday afternoon I picked up my "clunker" bike from the shop where it was being tuned up. The kind folks at the shop took off the pedals that I have been riding with that do not match up with the cleats on my shoes. But in my infinite lack of mechanical ability I was unable to get the pedals off of Sally (my beloved tri-bike) and in frustration was forced to put the bad pedals back on. So there I am woofing down dinner which consisted of frozen something or other and tater-tots because I really wanted to get a ride in before dusk, which by the way seems to be coming earlier and earlier. I knew I would not have time for any decent mileage before the sun fell. Here I am faced with two weeks before the Killington century ride and here I am just going to freely admit to you that I have not yet ridden more than 15 miles this summer. Now I know I have a "good excuse". And I am planning to go to Killington in spirit, etc. But I think I just got suddenly overwhelmed with this "I can't do it feeling" so I challenged myself to "The Hill".

So, you come out of my quiet little road and what lies ahead is a 4 mile climb. The (self imposed) rules: do not stop, do not fall off, and do not stand up in the saddle (this last rule is because using the bad pedals, if I stand on a steep hill I will come out of the pedals and fall off - thereby breaking all of the previous rules at once). Mistakes: not putting on bug spray, rushing out the door on a full stomach of tater-tots, ughhhh! And the ancient Greek problem of hubris.

This is a hill that assaults you over and over and over again. It goes up and then lets up and then climbs again, etc. The climb is from 350 ft. to 1150 ft. over the 4 miles with the steepest sections being at 7% grade. Again, I offer that I KNOW this is relative. If my brother is reading this he would say "what hill?". But I am the ultimate hill slug. I will go 10 miles out of my way to avoid a hill an eighth as daunting as this.

Meanwhile back on my hill I thought about a few things on the way up. Here they are, in no particular order:

1. How tough am I? Not soooo tough, I think I am going to leave my tater-tots somewhere!

2. How smart am I? Really not very smart at all - this was figured out as I decided that the only way to get up the steepest section of the hill was by riding switch back. Did I mention rush hour on this somewhat rural but frequently traveled hill?

3. Like playing chicken with a turtle!

4. How cool am I? Look down . . . note matching spandex jersey and bike shorts = exnA on OOOlcay.

Side bar: when driving up this particular hill one sees very few bikers. But when I do see one I think this person is either an idiot who did not map their ride with the elevation map, or they are lost, or they have some serious you know whats!! I wanted people to at least think I was the latter, hence the matching jersey and shorts - unflattering to be sure.

5. How slow can I go without falling over? Answer: 3.7 MPH, apparently.

6. After a while (and feeling kind of sick to my stomach) I came up with this metaphor for the hill (remember how it climbs in stages): This hill is like the stomach flu. The first time you throw up you actually feel a little better, a sense of relief. The second time you barf you think, oh man, this is going to be a long night. The third time you start getting scared, even making deals with the tile on the bathroom floor. The fourth time - you start wishing you were dead. The fifth time, just dry heaves, nothing left. The body is jerking and lurching but it's completely unproductive.

After all of these profound (and disturbing thoughts) I did it!!! I reached the TOP! No stops, no falls, (no tater-tot fall out) woooooooo hooooo, I DID IT! I made a big U-turn at the top and I started down. And I am here to tell you the only thing more painful than the climb up that hill was the next 4-miles down that hill! That bugger was steep and scary. Gravity is NOT my friend. Being, how shall we say, above average weight for a long time, gravity has actually become something that I dread. When you're big, falling is a scary prospect. And when you are screaming down a hill at over 30 MPH, well, falling is a scary prospect. I tried pumping the break, I tried squeezing the brakes. Brakes full throttle on and still going 25 MPH. Arm throbbing and shaking from trying to squeeze the brakes. Legs trebling from the downward thrusting position. Feet aching in the pedals. When I got back to the bottom I found my family happily chasing dragon flies at the school playground, where I joined them. Relief to be on level ground. I don't think I will ever go up that hill again for a while - but I could if I wanted to!

Misc. Tidbits of Unrelated Stuff

Still not sure what direction this bloggy thing should take, but then again that's pretty typical for me. There are a few things that I've been meaning to note as much for my own memory as anything else. Maybe something will strike a cord somewhere and be useful . . . or maybe not. By the way, I apologize for spacing problems in these posts - this application is totally random with the spacing (annoying!!).

First thing - Gluten Free Travel

Despite the strange circumstances of this summer, we've gotten out and about a bit. The longest trip being to Washington, DC in June. My impression of GF eating in DC is that most places were familiar with the dietary issues and were willing to accommodate. There was certainly no chance of starving to death in DC. If you are planning a trip to Washington and looking for Gluten Free options here are a few to start with, I am sure there are others.

The Austin Grille - very acceptable TexMex fare. Decent prices, good portions, very family/kid friendly. Gluten free menu, knowledgeable staff. Also this is located just a few steps from the Spy Museum and the National Portrait Museum - so you can make a whole trip of it.

The Mitsitam Cafe - This is the cafe at the National Museum of the American Indians. The cafe has many gluten free options that are labeled as such. Upon entering it is very overwhelming but once we realized that many of the dishes were labeled gluten free and we spoke to the Manager who was knowledgeable things got much easier. It is also a very nice museum and a very nice cafe with plenty of seating and good food. Located close to the Capitol on right on the Mall it made for a good rest stop while doing the museum scene - albeit a bit pricey.

Teaism - I have to admit we actually ate here several time, sometimes more than once a day. Just happens to be just the kind of thing we all like - tea house type food. Very tasty - easy to figure out GF options. I recommend byo soy sauce however.

Petes A Pizza - This place is a little off of the beaten path (if you are hitting the usual sites) but gluten free pizza and BEER!!! Need I say more?

We were advised that there are two places to get gluten free cupcakes while in DC, Hello Cupcake and Sticky Fingers Bakery. Sadly we did not make it to either - but plan to return and finished our work!

Oh, and one more that we did actually have a chance to try out was Legal Seafood located in China Town. It certainly did not disappoint. A little pricey, but very good, had a gluten free menu and very knowledgeable and friendly staff.

And here is another one that we did not get to but were told it is excellent (just not really our kind of thing) Fogo de Chao.

So, all you gluten free people out there - go to Washington, DC, have a blast!

Second thing: Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM)

We bit the bullet and ordered the CGM. This device is inserted under the skin (with a needle, which is then removed) and is connected to a transmitter that radios blood glucose reading to the insulin pump every 5 minutes. Wow, technology! A continuous stream of data. We fought hard for insurance coverage and were denied. So we opted to pay out of pocket. For the medtronic device, it is a $1,000 start up cost to order the transmitter and a box of 10 sensors. Like the insulin pump sites, the sensor must be removed and reinserted every 3 days. These sensors cost a whopping $35 each which amounts to an ongoing bill of $350/month that insurance refuses to participate in. Never mind that clinical trials show a reduced A1C and better blood sugar control with its use - no matter to them - no money!

Our first experience with the device, I did a very poor job inserting the first sensor. Not wanting to waste $35 I did not want to test one out before inserting it (even though Cam told me that would be a mistake). Yup it was a mistake. I got the darn thing in (and the needle is like an inch long) and then could not get the needle to detach from the sensor and could not get it out. At this point the whole stinkin' thing was taped town to her belly and I could not get the tape unadhered so as to remove the whole thing. She was freakin' I was shakin' = bad scene. I finally got it out and proclaimed "let's try again tomorrow" this amazing child dried her tears looks me straight in the eye and said "well now that you have one to practice with (the one I just messed up), why don't you take a minute to figure out what you're doing and then try again". Okay, 5 more grey hairs for me - and then she was up and running. 2 hours after the insertion of the device you need to calibrate it with a finger prick and then viola - you are streaming data. The thing comes with warnings that the reading is not as accurate using interstitial fluid as it is with the blood used for finger pricks. But we found with good calibration it was pretty darn close. Her first few days on it she was able to reduce from 12 finger pricks a day down to 5 and had pretty good blood sugar control. All in all I'd say that is successful. The down side is that after about 3 days, when it was time to change it anyway, she got pretty itchy under the dressing (tape over the whole thing). The second time we tried using less tape to keep the itchies down and then the thing wiggled its way out after 2 days. Third problem is that they are too darn expensive to waste so with lots of swimming going on this week - we opted not to use it for now and save the $35 bucks a whack (I'll tell you what I did with my savings in a minute). We'll hook it back up tomorrow so that we can collect some data and make some changes around her horseback riding.

Third thing: Training - on the road again, sorta

I have taken most of the summer off from any sort of real training plan due to surgery six weeks ago. I don't really want to get into graphic detail but suffice to say that I had something the size of a cantaloupe removed from my abdomen -the hardest three pounds I've ever had to lose! Anyway, I am just now starting to get back in gear and realizing that I am starting back very close to the beginning. Was able to get back on my bike last week and went for a little run (read: shuffle) with some friends who were kind enough to keep talking and keep me distracted (and to wait for me). And with my little extra cash I treated myself to a swim lesson with my all time favorite Coach. What an eye opener that was! Not easy to watch video of myself swimming but once I was able to just suck it up (and pretend it was someone else) I learned a lot!! I love tangible things like that where you can see an issue and then try to fix it. I can't say that I am able to fix it - but at least it can be identified and attempted - unlike so many other things in life. I spent a half hour in the pool today just thinking about where my arms and legs should be and counting strokes. Sheer bliss to be able to clear one's head of all the other junk. I highly recommend it! As for cycling - I am up and rolling. The clunker bike that will be going to VT with me is in the shop for a final tune up. I will spend the next couple of weeks just trying to build mileage and then whatever will be will be in Killington. I am looking forward to the ride and meeting all the people who are supporting JDRF. Hopefully next year the circumstances will be different. The ride is on 8/29 - Many, many thanks to all who helped us reach our fundraising goal of over $4,000 (and helped earn me a JDRF/Nike jacket!). When I get back from Vermont I will start to think about training plans and goals for next year. For some reason half iron man is stuck in my head. What's wrong with me?

Rx: Strawberry Shortcake and S'mores

Just what the doctor ordered? Works for me! I'm back on my feet enough to cook (and eat!) but not enough to burn it off - very dangerous indeed!


GLUTEN FREE STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE
This is not my recipe, Can't remember, but think I got it off recipezaar some years ago. It is one of those minimal ingredient recipes that you just can't believe would "work" and if it did, how would it taste? It is awesome, easy and de-flippin'-lishus!

1/2 Cup butter
1 Cup confectioners sugar
4 Eggs
1 Cup cornstarch
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder


Pre-heat oven to 375 deg. Grease a 12-muffin pan.


In a large bowl cream butter and sugar together with an electric mixer. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix until fluffy. In a small bowl add together the cornstarch and baking powder. Then add dry ingredients to the creamed mixture (slowly or they will fly all over the kitchen!!). Mix until blended. Fill greased muffin tins half way. Bake 15 minutes. Test with a toothpick - these may not look done even though they are (they stay light yellow in color). Remove from pan while still warm. Serve with strawberries and cream!! Or use in any way you would use a sponge cake.


For a variation I have added a little cocoa powder in with the dry ing. and made these into chocolate - then I just cut them in half and put whipped cream in the middle - yum!

GLUTEN FREE GRAHAM CRACKERS
What would summer be without s'mores. There are some decent store bought GF graham crackers available but I can't ever seem to buy gf crackers of any kind that are not broken to bits by the time I get them home. And for the price of gold it just makes me mad! These graham like cracker are fantastic!! I take extra care to roll them out as thin as possible otherwise the cracker is too thick for s'mores. They also make an excellent cheese cake crust!!

1 Cup soy flour

1 Cup tapioca flour

1 Cup potato starch

1 Cup brown sugar

1 1/2 sticks of butter

1 tsp. salt

1/4 Cup honey

1 tsp. cinnamon

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 tsp. vanilla

Mix flours together and set aside. Cream all other ingredients together in the bowl of a mixer. Add the flour mix to the wet ingredients one cup at a time. Mix thoroughly. Roll out dough as thin as possible on lightly greased cookie sheet (I get one large and one medium sheet out of a batch). Score with a knife to about 2 1/2 inch squares. Bake at 325 degrees until brown and crispy. Run knife along score lines while still warm and soft. Remove crackers to cooling rack - they will get crispier as they cool.

PS >> these are really great with peanut butter!

Taking it to the Top!

Camryn is in the back row, against the wall, behind Mr. Obama's left shoulder (with the pink head band).

We just returned from our trip to Washington, DC. Camryn was a delegate to the JDRF Children's Congress. 1500 applications were submitted and 150 children were chosen to represent each of the 50 states. Along with a handful of International delegates. The job of these delegates was to bring a very specific message to members of the House and Senate: The need for Health Care Reform and the need to renew the Special Diabetes Program in 2010.

The kids sat in on training sessions where they learned about important research being done at the National Institute of Health, funded by JDRF and the Special Diabetes Program. They also learned how the funding which has helped in the development of their insulin pumps, continuous glucose monitors and other life saving devices is in danger of being slashed by 35% if the program is not funded in 2010. The message was not lost even on the tiniest delegates as every one of them depends on insulin. It was a hard message to swallow as these kids were told that insulin is not a cure, but rather a life line. They also understood the importance of health care reform as many of the kids in the room are not currently using continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) due to lack of insurance coverage - can you imagine that most insurance companies refer to this as a "luxury item"? As if anything having to do with diabetes is a "luxury".

Before going to Washington so much of what we hear about laws, bills, research funding, etc. seemed distant and not so related to everyday life. But when we walked through the halls of the congressional office building every child and every parent knew exactly how these things impact diabetic children every day. One girl in our group told her story about how her insurance company would not cover enough test strips for her to test her blood sugar as many times a day as she needs to. Yet they will cover her admittance to the hospital to treat diabetic complications. We all know that we'd rather test blood sugar more to avoid kidney failure and retinopathy - and we certainly know which is more taxing on the medical system. One clear message is that our medical system is broken is needs fixing ASAP.

It was 10 years ago that a little 8 year old boy, named Tommy Solo, came up with the idea that kids should go to Washington to tell their story and ask for help from Congress. How right Tommy was. And how brave and brilliant these children are!!

The big surprise of the week was that just the night before the start of Children's Congress they got the call from the Whitehouse with clearance for a visit with President Obama. No parents were invited, kids only. The kids had a few minutes to shake hands with the President and thank him for his support of Stem Cell research - critical in finding a way to regenerate insulin producing cells in the pancreas. This has gotten the wheels moving on research that has been stalled for the past 8 years. Research that will cure this disease!!

There were a lot of super stars on this trip, Mary Tyler Moore, Sugar Ray Leonard, Nick Jonas, Jared Allen, just to name a few. They were all sharing the same message with the President and members of Congress. But despite all the great pictures and glitz and glamour, this was a working trip. And Camryn was busy doing the same work as Nick Jonas, prowling the halls of Congress, telling her story and asking for help. She knows that we've taken the message to the very top. And none of us will rest until this awful disease is cured!!

We can't rely on Congress to do this work alone and continue to do our part, like families all over the world, to raise money through JDRF. Last year JDRF contributed $150 million towards research!! This money is raised through walk-a-thon donations, bake sales, yard sales, car washes, etc. Kids and parents continually asking everyone they know and don't know to help us in our fight against this disease. A cure is within reach, closer than ever . . . and so we asking yet again: please help us in anyway that you can. Even a donation of a dollar, or $5 contributes. Or join a walk team and help fund raise.

Our next event is the Ride for a Cure in Killington, VT with a fundraising goal of $5,000

www.ride.jdrf.org/rider.cfm?id=8602

And after that we will be at the Western Massachusetts walk for a cure with a fund raising goal of $10,000.

www.walk.jdrf.org/walker.cfm?id=87366678

So, it is a great honor to meet the President of the United States and a lot of fun to shake hands with Nick Jonas - but a cure for type 1 diabetes = PRICELESS!!

My Worst Nightmare

Yesterday my gym membership expired. . . I did not renew it.

Then last night I had the worst nightmare ever - it involved a giant hole being cut in the side of my house and my very large self being removed from the second floor, where I became bed bound, by RICHARD SIMMONS operating a BACK HOE!! I am still breaking out in a cold sweat thinking about it. The.worst.dream.EVER!!

I am scheduled for abdominal surgery on June 30th which is going to require me to take 6-8 weeks off from any strenuous activity. Hence I did not renew the gym membership. And, hence my looming fear of Richard Simmons! I have instructed my family on what they are and are not allowed to bring me while I am recovering. We've got a month to work on it and the rehearsals go like this:

If I ask you to bring me potato chips, will you do it? NO

If I ask for peanut butter cups will you do it? NO

What if I am in a lot of pain and crying and ask for potato chips and peanut butter cups? Do not, under any circumstances, bring them to me! I am just hoping that they do not cave in when the chips are down (so to speak). We have also discussed the list of acceptable and unacceptable foods.

I am not afraid of having the surgery and am actually very much looking forward to regaining my health and moving forward (preferably on a bike!!). And I am not afraid of the pain or the recovery (though I reserve the right to have a different opinion about that in a few weeks). But I am afraid, very, very afraid of Richard Simmons!!

Other unfortunate news is that it is not the least bit likely that I will be able to do the JDRF Century Ride in Killington at the end of August. We have had many family discussions about what to do about this - only partly because I am so disappointed about not being able to do it, but more importantly because I feel a strong obligation to JDRF and to the many people who have pledged and supported us. We have raised over $4,000 and are well on our way to meeting our $5,ooo goal. After much deliberation and discussion with JDRF we have decided that I will in no way jeopardize my full recovery, but I will ride as soon as I get medical clearance to do it and although I will not be able to do the full ride, I will do what I can, even if it is only 10 miles. And, I will volunteer the rest of my time at aide stations, mechanical stations, whatever is needed to make the ride as successful as possible. It is clear in our minds that the cause comes first and the ride is just the fun part. So with that said, if you'd like to help us make it to the fundraising finish line please pledge your support at: www.ride.jdrf.org/rider.cfm?id=8602

Thanks and as Richard says: Hang in there and never stop dreaming!

DIABETES, CELIAC, TRAINING, RINSE AND REPEAT

A MILLION WISHES FOR A CURE GALA
On May 2nd Camryn spoke at the JDRF Gala Promise Ball. It was a wonderful event that raised over $750,000 for what we think is a very important cause. Camryn spoke from a large stage about her life with diabetes and the importance of funding research. Although she had a harder time preparing for this one (in that we actually tried to get her to practice it) - she was fabulous. She was treated like a rock star and continues to love being part of working toward a cure for juvenile diabetes. She said to me, regarding her participation: "well, I am not the type to just sit around and wait". Other big news for Camryn is that she has finally conceded that she may be ready to try the Continuous Glucose Sensor. This device could substantially change her life with diabetes and is one of the key elements of the Artificial Pancreas (which is still in clinical trials). We will discuss the sensor with her endocrinologist at her next appointment. Insurance coverage is a big issue on this one - but my feeling is if she wants it she gets it - we'll figure out how

IN CELIAC NEWS: WE WENT OUT TO DINNER!!!
We were in Boston this past weekend for a memorial service and went to Legal Seafood (the Chestnut Hill location) for dinner. They have a gluten free menu and the food and service were both fantastic!! The Manager personally came to the table to tell us that they would take good care of us. All three of us had fantastic meals - the menu includes thing baked with gluten free bread crumbs, or fried in chick pea flour , salads with GF croutons, really good dinner rolls. Best GF restaurant we've been to. I am not sure if all Legal Seafood locations have got it down so well, but if you are going to be in the Boston area - I highly recommend it.

SUDBURY SPRING SPRINT TRIATHLON
This has now become my Mother's Day tradition. My first triathlon of the season. So much fun. It was a beautiful, sunny day although very, VERY windy. The wind made the bike portion a bit tough but otherwise just a fun little triathlon. The best part was that my family was there for the whole race and the way the course is set up I got to see them 5 times during the race. And best of all there was no whining or complaining or wanting to go home. They seemed to actually enjoy it. In fact they asked repeatedly how old they have to be to compete in it - probably inspired by the 13 year old who was just out of reach my whole race and ultimately beat me! (doesn't take much). This was my first and possibly my last triathlon for this season due to a pending health issue that needs tending to - so I was all about having fun, and I did. Good weather, nice people, great course, all good! My time was slightly better than last year but not as good as I had hoped - but I think it was due to the wind on the bike. No matter though, it was a great Mother's Day!

MORE/FITNESS MAGAZINE HALF MARATHON: RACE REPORT

I for one love reading race reports and I will freely admit that I read race reports written by people I do not know about races I have never heard of. Why? Because I love stories of personal triumph. An individual facing personal challenges and rising to the occasion, sometimes physically but almost always emotionally and mentally.

As I sit here and try to delineate all of the challenges that surrounded my preparation and participation in this half-marathon I am left with nothing but sheer gratitude for the ability to be out there. For the mere (enormous) blessing of being able to plant one foot in front of the other and remain upright. For the beauty of the cherry blossoms and the tulips. For the kindness of the cheering crowds, strangers handing me cold drinks and my family waving me on. There is no sweeter victory - so if you ask me, I was the winner of the day!

I could list the challenges . . . it would make a waaay better race report, complete with overcoming obstacles like 93 degree heat. But none of that seems to matter. I've had my "Aha moment" - in the beginning of this blog I sarcastically alluded to the privilege of toeing the starting line. I get it now. None of us know how many opportunities we have to be in that place - to have the health, the strength, the means, the support. It is indeed a privilege! And one that I will be careful not to take for granted.

In other news, Camryn is speaking at the JDRF Promise Ball this Saturday at the Hartford Convention Center. Her speech precedes the fund-a-cure auction where bidders will donate funds directly to diabetes research. We'll update with news and pictures from the gala next week.

IT'S NOT ENOUGH TO LISTEN: YOU MUST UNDERSTAND

This is what I have learned in 42 years. I've heard it said a gazillion times "you've got to listen to your body". I know you've heard it to. But the reason I have probably heard it more times than you have (about a gazillion, really), is because I was born hard of hearing when it comes to listening to my body. It is simply a genetic trait. It traveled on the "Y" chromosome. My father is completely deaf when it comes to listening to his body (and now in general too). So, I am lucky to simply be hard of hearing in this dept. The gene manifests itself badly in other behaviors as well. I have always held the strong belief that if something isn't working - just push it harder. Puzzles were never my thing for this very reason. Thank God I'm not a surgeon and I do not endeavor in delicate work. To this day if something is close to fitting but just not quite - oh I just push like the dickens. Unfortunately this behavior gets reinforced over time because in the end, with enough force the darn thing usually does fit (never mind that now it's broken!). And I walk away going "see, I told you it could be done!".

My father has always been a very fit guy. But not listening to his body has been sorely to his detriment. His true love is tennis. He loves tennis so much that he was late to his own daughter's wedding (not to mention countless other important functions) because it fell on tennis day. This guy never played on the pro-circuit and truth be told was never a stellar player. But he LOVES tennis. We all believed that he wished to die on the tennis court. Sadly though he played himself out. He tore both of his rotator cuffs beyond repair. A repetitive use injury which begs the question, didn't he feel it when it was just sore? Didn't he feel it when is started to tear? Why didn't he stop? When the first one was completely severed beyond repair why didn't he stop before the other one went? Completely deaf I tell you! But here is something mysterious - my dad has been living with stage 4 renal cell cancer for about 5 years. He was given 6 months to live several times in the past 5 years. In the past two years it spread to his brain - an absolute death sentence. They told him that renal cell carcinoma does not respond to radiation but they could give a try anyway, just because there is nothing else that can be done. That was 2 years ago . . . and he's still going! My theory, he's simply not listening! Dad, did you hear them say that you should be dead? Nope . . . not listening! He's not going anywhere, not so much because he refuses to die more like he's simply not done living. Don't get me wrong, he's not in good health. In fact it's pretty bad. Right now his body temperature is about 92 degrees and the doctors don't know why. He's basically in a constant state of hypothermia. It slows down his speech, makes him disoriented, etc. He's in rough shape. But he's got meetings he needs to attend and he walks (Lord only knows how) 3 miles a day. He does his modified sit ups and push ups. My mother tells me that he is too weak to get all his exercises or his walk done at once so he often goes out for 4 separate walks during the day to get it done. It is nothing short of truly amazing! I believe there are three things at play here. One is that he has maintained his body in optimal physical form (from an internal organ standpoint - clearly he blew the hell out of the whole muscular/skeletal system) and he is reaping the rewards of his constant, although compulsive work. The second is that he's got attitude, he calls it the attitude of gratitude - I call it insanity, but hey, whatever works for ya Pops! And lastly, yet again he just is not listening. Does it make any sense for this man to be up on a ladder cleaning out the gutters or behind the wheel of a car - no clearly it does not!! But he's not listening. I guess I can't blame him - it's worked for him.

As for me - I'm a lot like him but not entirely. By the time I hit 30 I actually learned how to listen to my body. It started to come in loud and clear, right when I hit 30 - with a gall bladder that expressed the desire to part company and go our separate ways. I heard it, but strongly disagreed with any organ in my body, other than my brain making decisions on their own. I proclaimed that we would not split up, but she had other plans. She talked my pancreas into taking sides with her and together they inflicted me with a rude awakening also known as Pancreatitis. Fine, good riddance to you, you crappy little gall bladder! And off she went. I hate to play favorites but the Pancreas is simply an organ you do NOT want to piss off. This is all part of the growing up process, the learning process. Okay, okay, I'm listening girls, anyone else wanting to be voted out of the house? I suspect there may be another mutiny afoot in there. And this time I am not afraid to take decisive action on the culprit before they all start choosing sides. I'm smarter now, and I'm just giving a little public warning here to my "parts" - look what happened to little ms. gall bladder - I can guarantee you she did not get to walk outa there and go shopping in Northampton. Just sayin'.

But in all seriousness, as we get older the messages keep coming, faster, louder. It is our job to decipher them quickly and respond to them accurately. There is a time to make prudent though unfavorable decisions and there are times to stay the course with knowledge and proper professional input. I now know I need a whole staff of people to help me - I'm just not that good at understanding. I need a coach, a few good doctors, a (better) running shoe expert. I'd probably do well to seek the advice of a good nutritionist as well. Assemble the team! I don't want to grow up to be just like my dad - but I want to stay alive until I am done living, just like him and I really would like to keep all the girls in the house, so to speak. Seek input from all around, listen up, make wise decisions. Your long life depends on it!

A Secret Treasure

My daughter, Camryn, is a prolific author and illustrator. I do not see most of the stuff she writes and draws simply because of the sheer volume. She writes and draws on everything - including the furniture, which we've had more than one conversation about. She does it all over her school work (driving her teacher nuts), her napkins at the dinner table, just everywhere. So, most of it goes unnoticed. I take a quick look sometimes as I am gathering up piles of it to toss in the recycling bin. We've gotten her lots of blank books, sketch books, doodle pads, etc. to keep the abuse to the furniture at a minimum. These books are strategically placed throughout the house, at the dinner table, next to her bed, on the floor in the play room, on the coffee table in the living room. Just literally strewn all over my house. Again, I never really look at them. But the other day I was cleaning up the kids' room and I noticed the composition book on the floor next to the bed. It did not say "do not read" like some of them do. So I opened it. Mostly it is filled with pictures of her "bed stuffed animals" and little stories about them. But as I flipped through the title My Mom, on the last pages, caught my eye. We had quite a little skirmish at bed-time the night before and I was sure she was letting her frustration out in her book (she does that a lot). One thing about Camryn, she tells it as she feels it - she certainly doesn't hold back. And I guess that's why this one touched my heart.

I am a little hesitant about posting this. For one, I did not ask permission, in fact I did not tell her that I read it (I'm not sure why). And for another it's a bit personal. But I do want to share it for all the parents who work hard all day and go to bed feeling like they are just not connecting with their kids sometimes. Reading this hit home for me that parenting is not about the minute by minute stuff that goes on. It's not about the mad rush to get out of the house in the morning and the struggle to get homework done in the evening. I can't even describe it, best I can say is it's in the constancy of being. What the heck does that mean? Well, maybe Camryn says it better, so here it is: (I've tried to use some of her line breaks and punctuation in typing this - since that is part of the cuteness.)
-------------

MY MOM by Camryn, 8 years old.


Gentle in her kind soul
Affectionate at times,
loving, carrying, full of joy.

A wonderful cook, a realtor, a mom.
A kind a caring person,
her love for animals . . .
just like mine.

She's aerobic, athletic,
and strong too.
Sometimes ordery
and tells us what to do.

Sometimes she's harsh
and seems mean.
But inside . . .
we know she's not always that green.

A keen and smart young woman
and when she runs she dashes
and she darts like a bullet.
I think she could be an iron mom
without a doubt, sure to me she is one.

All that hard work is not always fun,
always entertaining everyone . . .
She believes in having fun.

I love ya Hun
she would say every night.
Sometimes we get into a fight
but I don't ever bite.

Every night she turns off the light,
then says, love ya Hun,
night, night!
----------------------------------------------
I still don't know why, but I am going to go put the book back where I found it and not tell her that I read it. Part of the gift is in knowing that she put down her thoughts with no intention of having an audience (me). I love that she didn't present it to me for praise or scrutiny. I will try to remember this the next time she etches a drawing into the front of my dresser with the edge of a paper clip!!

GLUTEN FREE IRISH SODA BREAD

First things first, I have to tell you that this is not a picture of the Irish Soda Bread that I made on St. Patrick's Day - because that one was completely gone faster than I could reach for a camera. Yes, it was that good - or maybe we were just that hungry! And also, this is not "my" recipe, but I did make a few modifications to it. But my review is that this Irish Soda Bread was very fast and easy to make and delicious. It also did not have that sometimes tell-tale "gluten free after taste" or "weird texture". I think that this recipe will also make a very good scone. I will be working on that soon and will post my results. But without further delay - below is the recipe from Whole Foods and below that are the modifications that I made to the original. I hope you give it a try and enjoy!

Makes 1 loaf

This gluten-free version of the classic Irish soda bread is flavorful and crumbly, rather like an oversized scone, and best eaten within a day or two of baking.

Ingredients
2/3 cup rice flour

1/2 cup potato starch

1/4 cup almond flour 1/4 cup tapioca flour

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon xanthan gum

Pinch of ground cardamom

3/4 cup buttermilk

1/3 cup dried currants, soaked in hot water overnight and drained

3 ounces (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted

1 egg, beaten

Method
Preheat oven to 350°F. Put rice flour, potato starch, almond flour, tapioca flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, xanthan gum, and cardamom into a large bowl and stir to combine. Set aside. Put buttermilk, currants, butter, and egg into a second bowl and stir well to combine. Slowly pour buttermilk mixture over flour mixture and stir until combined. The batter will be sticky and thick. Spread batter into a greased and rice-floured 6-inch pan and bake for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the bread comes out clean. Slice bread and serve warm, or set aside to let cool to room temperature and serve.

Nutrition
Per serving (1 slice/57g-wt.): 160 calories (60 from fat), 7g total fat, 4g saturated fat, 3g protein, 21g total carbohydrate (1g dietary fiber, 3g sugar), 35mg cholesterol, 190mg sodium.

Here are the changes that I made (mostly due to lack of proper ingredients):

I did not have buttermilk so I used 1/2 C of plain, non-fat Greek yogurt mixed with 1/4 C. milk. And I did not have any currants so I used raisins. I did not soak them overnight but did let them sit in some very hot water for a few minute to just sort of "plump up". I also added a decent sized glob of honey since honey has moistening properties. I baked it in a 8" cake pan but next time will use something a little smaller for a little bit of a taller bread. I also think this recipe is sorely lacking salt and leaves it falling a little flat in taste (although that can be made up for with butter). Next time I will add about 1/4 teaspoon of salt.

It tasted great straight out of the oven and also toasted with a little butter and honey.

Friday the 13th: A Run with Carl Jung

Today I went for a run with Carl Jung. Okay I just had to use that sentence. But here is what I mean - I was thinking about this quote by Carl Jung, while I was running: "There are as many nights as days, and the one is just as long as the other in the year's course. Even a happy life cannot be without a measure of darkness, and the word 'happy' would lose its meaning if it were not balanced by sadness."

I've had this quote in my head for a while now (maybe about 3 years) and I guess I have been trying to figure out if it is a personal truth for me (okay, I admit, I was watching Dr. Phil yesterday while I was on the trainer, sorry about the "personal truth" thing). But rather, does Jung's philosophy ring true for me? Whenever I try to think about it, it is just too big. For me it is like trying to contemplate the sand on the beach or the stars in the galaxy. I get overwhelmed. Maybe I'm just not the sharpest tool in the shed.

But today Carl kind of narrowed it down a bit by putting it in terms of just one day - or even just one run. So, to back up a bit, I am fighting a yucky little head cold. Nothing serious, but definitely annoying and putting a major damper on my training plans for the week. I was supposed to run yesterday but just couldn't get to it. Today, although feeling worse I figured I had no choice. I dragged all day with a drippy nose and headache dreading the idea of a medium length run with 10 sets of speed intervals thrown in for good measure. I finally resigned that I would do the run but skip the speed. I got my gear on and finally got out the door after debating about bringing tissues or use this opportunity to practice the "snot rockets" I've been reading up on. I won't tell you what I decided . . . so I start out slow and decide to take a route that has a sidewalk now that the snow has finally cleared. A mile into the run I hit a little pot hole at the end of some one's driveway (between sidewalks), twisted my ankle, lunged forward and tried to recover my stride but hit sand and had the dog pulling me from the waist and down I went. When I hit the ground Sam didn't realize what "went down" and kept running giving me a break dancer like spin to finish off my graceful move. I stayed down there for a minute. First thought: crap - I bet I broke my ankle. Second thought: crap - there goes the school bus, I bet all my kids' friends saw me do it. Third thought: call home and get a ride back to the house, crawl into bed and don't come out. I take a quick inventory - hand is bleeding, ankle feels twisted but definitely not broken, hip is bleeding, shin is bleeding. Decision time: Nothing spurs me on like road rash I tell ya! Up I go, I can walk on it so I decide it's going to hurt a lot more if I go home than if I keep my natural meds flowing and finish up the run. Starting out slow again and suddenly there is glass all over the sidewalk and the dog steps right on it and lets out a yelp. I pause the stop watch again and sit down and remove a shard of glass from his paw And I remind him that I was much nicer about helping him out than he was with me! Start the clock again and now we're both limping a little.

Now, if I am going to run with a cold, a twisted ankle and blood oozing from three parts of my body - it's gonna count. Bring on those speed intervals. That's when Carl joined me. First I realized that my head had cleared and I could actually breathe through my nose for the first time in days and the headache was gone. The sun was shinning and it felt good on my back. Then I noticed a road kill bunny on the side of the road. I notice these things because I need to keep killer Sam in check, the last thing I want is to look down and see him carrying a bunny. So as I am instructing him "leave it" an 18 wheeler comes zooming by and pops the thing like a pinata right next to me! Carl speaks up and reminds me that it is good that the bunny is already dead and none of it got on my shoes. True enough Carl, thanks for the perspective.

Nothing else traumatic happens on the run - toward the end I saw a beautiful red tailed hawk overhead and I thought - oh, it will probably poop on me! But it didn't!! And Carl reminded me that I can feel happy that the large bird didn't crap on me, because I fell in a ditch and got all bloody. Maybe I'm a little delirious and not finding the right words to explain this, and well, maybe nobody really cares anyway. But, what I am getting at is that I finally sort of get that quote. Because I have a crummy head cold I can appreciate my ability to breathe through my nose. Because a few minutes earlier I was lying on my back on the side of the road, I can now enjoy the warm feeling of the nearly Spring sunshine heating up my black jacket. Because I just saw a poor bunny get blown to bits on the side of the road, I can take a moment and enjoy the beauty of the redtail hawk soaring overhead.

Carl explained to me that even on just this one little happy run there was a "measure of darkness". And I would have clearly failed to see today's run as a happy run if it had not been "balanced by sadness". And just in case Martha is reading this: I finished all 10 speed intervals!

It is a good thing that I have some very long runs (for me) planned over the next few weeks - because Carl and I have a lot more to talk about. I mean, like I get it about today but I am not sure I can reconcile it with people who endure great sadness, illness, hardship. Does it balance out? Is it reciprocal? And what role does perception have in happiness and sadness. For instance what about the person who feels that they are challenged by something that others would find rather insignificant. And how about those who are pretty easy to please?

I think I need to buy new running shoes, Carl's got some real 'splainin to do!

My Dog Sam - He's a Real Dog's Dog!

I love dogs. I have always . . . . always, always had a dog. I think maybe there was a sum total of about 5 years of my life when I was without a dog. During that time I was in mourning over my dog Meg. She was my transitional dog. She saw me out of my childhood, went to college with me and helped me become an adult. She died just a couple of years short of getting to meet my children. Growing up I always had a dog. They were considered family members. They traveled with us, slept in our beds, ate people food, etc.

After Meg "went off to college" (aka died) I swore I'd never love another! But much to my dismay, my daughter's first full sentence was "I need a dog!". And she wasn't kidding. She's an animal person. She neeeeded a dog. So we held a family meeting and decided that after house breaking a set of twin humans we were really in no position to house train another animal. So we put out word that we were looking to adopt. We read all sorts of descriptions of dogs and decided we'd most like a Samoyed. We started the process of adopting a Samoyed through Samoyed rescue - an extensive project mind you that involves home visits etc. But while we were awaiting the perfect pooch - word of our search got out locally and one day a mom on the playground said - "I know an older woman who is moving to a condo, she has a three year old Samoyed who needs a home". Bingo! Sam came to visit a few times. The kids fell head over heels in love. Then he started to come for weekends and he accepted the then 3 year olds as his "pack". Then slowly he made the transition to being a member of our pack. Unlike all the other dogs I've had in my life - Sam is not a "people" dog but rather we have become his dog pack. He's 100% D.O.G.

Sam spends all of his time outside (except in the height of summer when he can't stand the heat and then retreats to the basement). He comes in at dinner time to eat then goes back outside to bark his head off well past sun-down and comes in at night to sleep but probably would be just as happy if we laid out a pile of straw under "his tree" in the front yard for him.

As a breed, Samoyed are sled dogs, pullers and long distance runners. I held to my promise of never falling in love with another dog for a while. After all this was the kid's dog. Their turn to experience canine love. And they do! And by the way they are excellent at taking care of him - they feed him, brush him, occasionally walk him, etc. They are fabulous, responsible, loving pet owners. But then I started to run with Sam and we fell in love. I bought him a sledding harness which he wears when we run. A friend of mine who is a veterinarian (and a runner) warned me not to take him further than 5 miles, especially as he is getting older - he just turned 9.

But he and I can't resist. He was literally born to run. He asks me at least 3 times a day everyday to run. He sulks and cries when he sees me leave the house with my gym bag, clearly a swimming day. He knows sit, stay and BRICK - which to him means sit and stay as I ride away on my bike 'cause when I come back you're up! He's allowed on any run up to 8 miles anything over that and I worry about him (not that we're moving all that fast). When I put on spandex he squeals with delight - not a reaction I get from any human! And I have to admit, I've fallen in love. I love the way he asks to run - he looks at me and sniffs my knees. If I don't respond he gently nudges my knees with his snout. If I still don't respond he gently puts his mouth around my hand and "herds" me towards the door. How can I say no?

But here is where the love runs a little thin. This incredible sled dog thinks he's out on the tundra or part of a sled team pack. Lately he has been barking at our back woods well into the night. There is something going on back there that is upsetting him. Last week he went into the woods and emerged with a tail! Yes, a tail. After we freaked out a bit, we had a close look and decided it seemed to be either a coyote tail or maybe a fox tail. Today the kids were outside enjoying the warm weather when I heard them screaming. I jumped up thinking someone was hurt and much to my surprise they were yelling at Sam who had emerged from the woods with the entire leg of a deer (hoof and all) in his mouth! YUCK!!

He's a dog through and through. But he's our yucky dog and we love him. Maybe once the snow melts he'll stop having his sled dog delusions of grandeur and go back to being a nice little pet!