Author: Heather

Garden Update & The Girls

The girls have been having a blast the past few days.  In between the bouts of rain they have been exploring our small berry patch in search of ripe berries that have been left untouched by the local free range bunnies.  Below is our first haul.  Not bad.  Unfortunately they are a bit on the tart side.  I have had to break down and mix them with sugar to get the girls to eat them.

Glenn had a fun Baba’s Day.  The girls woke him up with presents in bed.  Katrine with a hand made CD case card showing him getting a goal at hockey.  She was greatly relieved that he did not think that the puck was too large for the stick (she had been worrying about that since bringing it home on Friday).  Elspeth was super proud to be able to give him her hand made card along with the popsicle stick tool box.  “Baba, you have to put tools in it when you make tools.”  Not sure which tools Glenn will end up storing in it, but he can honestly say that he does not yet own a handcrafted popsicle stick tool box! (Don’t worry, his real gift was a bottle of wine and some beer)  Then the girls made him breakfast which meant that he was able to have a nice lie in before his bacon, eggs and veggies were ready.  The rain today also left our yard too wet to mow and the garden too soggy to work in so he ended up with a relaxing day instead of the planned day of chores!  Happy Father’s Day to my hubby and my wonderful dad.

Being Celiac can be an…Adventure

I have lived as a celiac for a long time now.  Usually it does not phase me.  I have truly been blessed.  My familyand friends have embraced feeding me.  They have learned to check ingredients, create ‘Heather friendly’ menus for family dinner, allow me to check the ingredients on things that they have used in their cooking and most importantly, they do not get insulted if I just don’t eat something.  I love them all for helping to normalise me in the outside world.  

I have navigated re-learning to bake.  In the process I also learned that I was no longer capable of making my famous pastry.  This process  began as very frustrating and turned into a more academic pursuit especially once I began to encounter baking with food allergies.  Along the way I had many, many failures and some resounding success.

After my diagnosis I rarely went out to eat.  I was sure that they were going to kill me with food.  With time, we ventured out more.  I think that surviving our first adoption trip to China went along way to help.  I mean, if I could eat there without dying (granted I ate mostly rice) then I should be able to eat here at home.  I am always excited when we find another restaurant with gluten free options.  Most of the time if a restaurant has gluten free options they are aware of making “safe” meals.  Then other times you are lulled into a false sense of security.  They can answer your questions and you think that they Get It but they don’t. 

 This past weekend this point was brought home to me.  I was out for dinner with friends enjoyed a lovely gluten free cesar salad and got halfway through a bowl of rice pasta when there it was – a wheat noodle.  Carelessness in the kitchen.  An uncleaned strainer or frying pan caused by a rush?  A new cook who just didn’t get it yet?  A server who had not properly conveyed who the chef was cooking for?  The manager was beside himself with concern but once the gluten has been eaten there is not much that can be done.  Does the free meal help me feel better as I am curled up in pain?  Will it give me back energy the next day to play with my kids? Unfortunately no but I can appreciate the gesture.  It will also not help me to ever eat at your restaurant again.  That said, I refuse to go back to those early days where I ate only a baked potatoe and had my drink.  I simply will not.

I will not let this beat me.  I will continue to force myself to push the boundaries.  Try new recipes at home, hang out with friends, travel.  This all involves risk but without risk there is no growth.  In that I will be showing my girls resiliency and strength; something that they will need as they grow.

A Field Trip/Playdate & BBQ

Have you noticed how busy the end of school can get?  Today was no exception.  A field trip for Katrine and I to Black Creek Pioneer Village.  A playdate adventure for Elspeth (thank you Ashley).  Topped off with a nursery school barbeque.  End result?  Happy kids who have already fallen asleep and a slightly rosey faced mother who got too much sun.

1. Black Creek:

In 15 years of teaching I have been on many field trips.  However, I have never gotten the opportunity to go on one as just a mom.  Today I got the chance.  I put on my mom hat, climbed aboard the bus and went to learn with a group of third graders.  It was a lot of fun because I had none of the stress!  I was warned not to embarass her as we left the house.  I tried to stay good all day but I may have pushed the limits when I gave her a quick hug.

We had a really fun tour guide in the morning.  She explained a lot of things to the kids and worked hard to make history begin to come alive for them.  I think that the highlight of the day for me was lining up with all of the students (and grownups) to learn a pioneer dance.  We all sashed, skipped and turned without crashing into a unruly pile which is pretty darn good.

I also learned how many children Katrine’s age already have their own cell phones and ipads.  It seems like we are behind the times in our house.  It was surprising to see almost 85 – 90% of the kids walking around snapping photos with their phones or using them on the bus.  Some of them aren’t even 9!  Heck, my cell phone is older than some of theirs.  Below is an example ot the type of photo that they were taking about half of the time.

2. Playdate Adventure:

Elspeth was a super happy little girl today because she got to spend the whole day playing and interacting with a close friend.   To top it off, they went swimming!!!   Who wouldn’t enjoy being the center of attention? Apparently she also ate her weight in watermelon today so we know that she is well hydrated.

3.  BBQ:

Our second last BBQ function of the month (the last one is tomorrow).  Yet another round of burgers could have been redundant but it was in actual fact quite fun.  The fact that there were apples hanging from trees, even more watermelon and ice cream cones may have greatly influenced the evening.  As usual, I did not get to eat there but it is always nice to have an excuse to chat with Elspeth’s teachers and her friends parents.

Then the cherry on the cones…we saw a baby bunny on the way home.

National Celiac Conference

It seems that I have been posting a lot about food recently but then, food is an important aspect of my life.  This past week I was able to attend the Canadian Celiac Association National Conference.  A whole weekend focusing on food, fellowship and learning about recent research developments.  I can sum up the research as exciting.  The idea of a pill which will eventually help to guard me against intestinal damage caused by ingesting gluten accidentally!  No more being scared while eating out.  A great piece of insurance still some years away.

I can sum up the fellowship as providing a sense of being normal.  At the conference, I was normal because I was surrounded by celiacs.  Some newly diagnosed, some old pros but all just like me and all interested in the food!

Cocktail reception on Friday, 3 meals and snacks each day.  All safe.  No questioning if there is any hidden wheat.  It was great to just have to worry about nuts instead of it and gluten.  Top it off with a marketplace full of vendors offereing free samples.  Mmmm.  Now that makes for a delicious weekend…although not to good for the waistline!

The free samples at the Gluten Free Marketplace offer an excellent way to taste various products before purchasing.  This is pretty important in my food world.  The taste, texture and quality of gluten free products has improved drastically since I was first diagnosed, as has the amount and variety of products available.  The price of such products has remained high (almost like I get one small box of cookies for the same price as two ordinary boxes).  It feels good to be able to pick up a bag of bagels and know that I will enjoy them because I have already eaten them.  I pay without worry that I will end up with an expensive batch of breadcrumbs.

I can’t wait until the national conference is once again in Ontario!

Exciting accomplishements to start the month!

Elspeth has been scared of going up inside of indoor playgrounds.  We recently went to two of these places in one weekend.  I must admit that I was a bit nervous going in that it would become a cling – on weekend instead of one full of play.  I was delighted when Elspeth allowed herself to be led into the bowels of the playground.  At first it had to be Baba or her sister (Did I mention that they are both awesome?)  but then friends were okay and then she actually tried it out by herself!!!  So very proud of her.

Katrine got to get yogurt again today and it is all the fault of her coaches. (Yes, I blame them.  They are simply too good at what they do!)  She landed her double salchow and immediately started signing to me that it was to be a frozen yogurt night.  Only this time it had to include her coaches too.  Proud of her too.

Happy Garden Season!

It is that time of the year again…garden time!  The girls were really into it this year.  They actually planted the soil around Katrine’s tree baby (with minimal parental help on spacing the seeds).  They decided that this would be a good location to plant the pumpkin seeds.  Then they used the left over room for sunflowers.  Right now, all you can see is a nice crop of weeds waiting to be pulled.

The large bed?  Cukes, tomatoes, carrots and onions.  Nothing fancy but the girls can’t get enough of home grown cukes and I am hoping for a bumper tomatoe crop because I want to try my hand at home made salsa again.

And now for just cuteness.

Our pretty eldest.

Our cute youngest now has enough hair to put into a ‘bitg girl’ ponytail.  Along with her ponytail she has also figured out how to blow the fluff off of a dandelion.

Loch Lomond

By yon bonnie banks,
And by yon bonnie braes,
Where the sun shines bright on Loch Lomond,
Where me and my true love
Were ever want to gae,
On the bonnie, bonnie banks of Loch Lomond.

Oh! ye’ll take the high road and
I’ll take the low road,
And I’ll be in Scotland afore ye;
But me and my true love
Will never meet again
On the bonnie, bonnie banks of Loch Lomond.

‘Twas then that we parted
In yon shady glen,
On the steep, steep side of Ben Lomond,
Where in purple hue
The Highland hills we view,
And the moon coming out in the gloaming.

Oh! ye’ll take the high road and
I’ll take the low road,
And I’ll be in Scotland afore ye;
But me and my true love
Will never meet again
On the bonnie, bonnie banks of Loch Lomond.

The wee birdie sang
And the wild flowers spring,
And in sunshine the waters are sleeping,
But the broken heart it kens
Nae second Spring again,
Tho’ the waeful may cease frae their greeting.

Oh! ye’ll take the high road and
I’ll take the low road,
And I’ll be in Scotland afore ye;
But me and my true love
Will never meet again
On the bonnie, bonnie banks of Loch Lomond.

(Of course we sang that to the girls…well the first two verses.)

Loch Lomond:

Loch Lomond Aquarium & Park:

Loch Katrine

Just wanted to give you a glimpse of the origins of Katrine’s name.  Family history has it that a doctor once traveled from the loch, down the winding roads to Callander in order to deliver a baby.  This baby girl was given Katrine as one of her names to honour his journey and the name has been passed down since then.  Loch Katrine is really very beautiful.  The surrounding hills offered shelter to many a cattle thief including Rob Roy MacGregor.  It is also the setting for Sir Walter Scott’s Lady of the Lake.

Katrine’s first visit to her Loch in June 2005:

2013 visit:

Just in case you thought that we had forgotten Elspeth.

Scenic Shots:

Sheep, Coos & Heather

Look!  It’s me as a bush.

Some good, old fashioned hairy Highland Cows/ Heilan Coos.

Elspeth’s sheep Aberfoyle Woolen Mill.  Even if Elspeth was a little scared by the fact that these sheep both moved and made a lot of noise, it was quite interesting to see such a wide variety of sheep.  They really did not look like the walking cotton balls we commonly think of.

“I am not so sure about this mom.”