Just Some Random Thoughts

Well, I have been extremely busy and then went to Colorado. I am now back and have been playing "catch-up" for a few days. And let me just say that is always the hardest part of coming back from vacation..........that and trying to get back into your old routine!

So whenever I travel, I always go with a certain amount of anxiety and trepidation. New places, new restaurants..........new ways to become glutenized and taken unaware! But anxiety does not seem to be beneficial in my world any longer, so it takes some strategy and common sense to try and navigate through the unrelenting pitfalls of being a stranger in a strange land. When I travel I rarely bring much of my own food.........too much of an inconvenience, a big hassle, possibly no refrigerator available and it is just basically a big pain in the butt!! But I do my homework before I leave on my journey and that makes things much easier. There are so many places that offer gluten-free alternatives now that it is reasonably safe if you know what you are doing. Do some research on line and then call ahead to restaurants that claim they have a gluten-free menu to verify that fact. Make a list and keep it with you when you travel. I had some happy surprises while I was in Colorado. Places like zoos and museums (which I thought would only offer junk food), had wonderful healthy selections. Delightful salad bars, gluten-free pizza, fresh fruit, and many other "safe" choices. Let's just say I never went hungry and that my options were many and varied. Also, as many of you probably already know, Mexican restaurants have many gluten-free options. Just stay away from anything made with or near a flour tortilla! I am still having problems with Oriental restaurants and the wheat-laden soy sauce. I solved that by getting some little to go paks of soy sauce and carrying some with me all the time. One never knows when one could get a mad craving for Oriental food and I am always prepared. They are always more than happy to make the dish you order without soy sauce. And believe this or not some restaurants actually use gluten-free soy sauce.........not many, but a few.

I feel like my trip was successful on several levels including the choices that are now available to us. And just as an aside............I think Colorado is way more cognizent of gluten-free living than Nebraska............I'm just saying...........

HyVee Stores are now carrying Udi's Gluten-free Bagels. They are really good and they make the best sandwiches ever! I am trying to get them to carry Udi's Cinnamon Rolls.........I have heard they are very lovely.

Have you ever been in the grocery store and walked by the bakery section and looked at all the Artisian breads and rolls as the fragrant aroma of their wonderfulness surrounds you with a dizzing sense of longing? Me too...............once and awhile I even get a little crazy mad about it and then I think about people with real problems and keep moving right past the bakery! Then the feeling of being deprived passes and I move on to the gluten-free section! And how often have you ever had someone say to you.............."it must be so hard to try and eat anything good". Most of the time I correct them and say "not as hard as you might think", but sometimes
I just nod my head and say yes, you wouldn't believe the difficulty......sigh.....and then I realize again that some people have real problems that can't be solved by not eating wheat and I just keep smiling.

Have a safe and stupendous 4th of July and keep smiling! Linda