A Scrappy Lady / That is Now Gluten-Free

The garden is calling

2011-07-30T23:04:00.000-05:00

The garden is calling, but I can't get in. We had a down pour of rain today, high winds laid over some of my corn. I just can't wade in mud to my knees to pick the corn, okra, and squash.

Last week I did a little canning; 6 pints of Bread & Butter pickles and 3 1/2 pints of Spaghetti Sauce. EVERYTHING was grown either in my garden or Mom & Dads and is Gluten Free. I have food I know is save for me to eat, yippee!!

I would have frozen more corn by now, but I eat it as fast as I can pick it....well not really. I've frozen about 2 dozen ears on the cob, but I've only eaten about a dozen, yep a dozen. Think of it, an ear of corn, a fresh tomato, sliced cucumber, man it just doesn't get any better.

Well now that I've talked about all this food I'm getting hungry.
It's 11:03pm and as Taco Bell would say, I'm ready for fourth meal.

Gluten Free

2011-06-21T20:04:00.000-05:00

It's been an adventure finding out what foods are gluten free.
So, I've planted squash, tomatoes, peas, corn, okra, bell peppers, all the stuff that is good for me.

Guess what....MARSHMALLOW CREME IS GLUTEN FREE!! Most Dark Chocolate is Gluten free, cinnamon Hot Tamales, corn chips, pop corn, all kinds of junk food....I know, but I was getting bored with my options.

So for now I am searching the Internet, reading blogs, buying books to see what is "legal" for me to eat. Believe me, if it has gluten in it, my body tells me, and it is not fun times, puts me down for days.

One more thing, that jar of marshmallow creme, well it didn't make it ;-(

Eating Out

2011-05-25T22:21:00.000-05:00

Rose and I ate at Outback Steakout in Madison on Saturday. We had the best service ever, we will always ask for Joel.

Now don't all of ya'll go use up our waiter. ;-)

I ate from the Gluten Free menu, and gosh I couldn't have made it better myself, and all of you know I can cook. It may have had something to do with the fact that I knew I wouldn't have to wash dishes..heeheehee

I think the Owner/Manager Chris visited our table as well. I guess this was one of the best hours we have had "eating out" in a long time.

Rachel

Playing in the dirt

2011-04-26T17:51:00.000-05:00

OK, I played in the dirt yesterday. Well that is what I call it when I'm in the garden, I love it so. It took all day, and many breaks, but I got 15 tomato plants in the ground, 6 spaghetti squash, 4 yellow squash, 4 zucchini squash, 1 green bell pepper, 1 yellow pepper, and 3 jalapeno peppers. After the storms go through Mr. Kyzer and I will plant the corn, field peas and okra.
My body is so sore I can hardly move, my back is killing me. My fall in Feb. already had my knee killing me, now it's unbearable, but knowing all the fresh veggies are coming is worth it.
I'll be playing in the dirt again soon....

Spring is here! ;-)

2011-03-20T23:23:00.000-05:00

Wow, Spring is here! I have my first bit of red skin on my shoulders, but I'm not complaining, it feels good to be able to get outside. I feel as if I've been in a cave for the winter. Those of you that know me, well you know that I have been hibernating.
I finally have a doctor that seems to care about the entire body, and I think she has found a connection between all my symptoms to on major thing, Celiac Disease. I have a lot to learn, read and change about my diet and my life to get better.

I've tried to keep myself busy since the sun has been out. Rose and I planted Buttercups at Kenny's grave. I cried, the pain is still so deep, I miss him everyday. Not a day goes by that I'm not reminded of him in some way; an Alabama Roll Tide sign, a side walk full of flowers, Talledaga, Red Hots, M & M's, and just 9 days from now, his birthday will come and go without him.
I know the Angels love him as we do/did, but the tears still flow regardless.
This is not where my post was going when I started, but I guess my heart is hurting more than I realized.

I have flower beds to work on, and I know Kenny will be looking down on me smiling, and wishing he could plant his sidewalk flower beds too.

Forgot I had a Blog

2010-01-03T12:16:00.005-06:00

With Facebook, work, night school and my space I forgot about having a Blog.

What would I talk about here? It's been over a year since I've been here. This is the year I will be 50, the mile mark year, a time to reflect, to look back, to look forward, to wear the RED HAT!!!

My life is good, I want for nothing but companionship, yet that seems unatainable. Seems everyone of my close friends have a wonderful husband/wife, solid roots and their life is there waiting for them to live, to share.

I have no regrets, I've learned what I know from the things I've done, things I've seen, and the things I've been through, that is what makes me the complex person I am.

The next chapter in my life will be to live life to the fullest, make the most of everything, either alone or sharing with someone. I figure that God has a plan for me, and maybe the perfect person just hasn't crossed paths with me.

So with 2010, my heart is still open, my mind may be a bit slower, and my body is getting older, but I'm ready for anything.
Bring it on!

Ready to begin, in 2010

My scrappy friends

2008-09-14T06:40:00.003-05:00

Well it happened this past week, I got another year older. My daughter set up a special dinner to be prepared by my best friend Dianne and her family on Sunday. It was SOOOO good and I ate too much, I just couldn't stop myself. Dianne gave me a Southern Living at home Bowl that I had been druelling over. It was wonderful to be with friends, and yes Rose had to drag me out of the house, I just didn't want to go anywhere, but in the end, I'M REALLY GLAD I DID.
So Friday night was our monthly scrapbook class, I've missed more than I've been to.
Rebeca was the host and made us a complete dinner, dessert and Margarita's, how could it get any better, right??? Well then there is this wonderful cake that has birthday candles lit, that birthday song was song, I smiled and was thankful to be surrounded by wonderful friends. Beth is not only a great friend, she is talented beyond anything I can ever imagine when it comes to creating beautiful cards. Everyone there signed the card and I felt all warm and fuzzy.
Rose gave me a book to read for my birthday "A Wonderful Mess", now those of you that know me can figure this one out.....
Mom, Dad and Kenny sent birthday cards with money (this is a good thing), heck my sister even called me.
My Space has well wishes, and facebook has been written upon, I feel loved!!!!
Thanks to all of you!!!! It couldn't have come at a better time.
Love to all of you!
Rachel

The card Beth made is posted on my link to "a stampin good time"

WOW

2008-08-14T12:00:00.002-05:00

It's been a ton of days since I've posted. Rose is back in school, I'm off of work. Can't get the right meds for my migraines. To top it off, I was denied short term disability and did not get a pay check today....
Life is just messed up for now, it will get better.
I'm trying another medicine, I think it is the 4th one now. I've had allergic reactions, paid for medicines that I can't take because I've had gastric bypass. Some medicines will just not work in my system.
I guess this is my journal page for now. I'm a bit depressed, and am stuck in my backened out bedroom.
I'm bored.
Anyone out there???

Painful to be alive

2008-07-30T22:00:00.002-05:00

Today just had sunshine, storms and thunder, and that was just in my head.

I suffer from Migraines that just don't go away. I have days when I don't leave my room, my prison cell lined with black sheets draped over my lilac curtains so that the sunshine doesn't show.

I don't understand why pain can be so bad, why a good day is never long enough, why I can be surrounded by so much good, so much beauty around me, and yet the pain can dull all that is good around me. Today is just one of many days that just don't seem to end, a day when my "cell" is closing in on me.

I want to be outside working in my yard, enjoying the gifts that God has given us to enjoy. I just need a normal day, when I can speak and think clearly; A day where I don't have to wait for the words to come from my mouth, when the thoughts don't just sit there waiting for the brain to let them out as words of intelligence from my mouth.

I'm a happy and blessed person, just debilitated by my migraines, no medicine I can take to take away the pain, to dull the sunshine, to make my life better.
I want to enjoy life again, to cut my grass, pull weeds and grow things of beauty.

Today is just another day filled with pain.

WOW

2008-07-19T08:56:00.002-05:00

What a difference a good night's sleep does for your soul.
I'm going outside now to enjoy the sunshine, do some things I love, and a few that I don't............but I will be outside!!!
Wishing all of you a smile on your face that will not go away!!
Rachel

A full moon week

2008-07-18T20:51:00.003-05:00

So the last two days have been "full MOON" days. Anyone that works in customer service, a hospital, or just one smart cookie, knows a full moon means that all the weird and mean spirited people come out of the woodwork.

It sure has been a long week, I'm drained and I miss my daughter.

She was gone one week to stay with my parents in Florida, home for one day just to leave for Michigan.

I've been really busy trying to keep my self together, and my critters keep me company.

So tomorrow is Saturday and I plan to be busy all day.

My squash are ready again, I need to cut my grass, weed a few flower beds, but this is how I UNwind.

You know life is funny, I've spent my life trying to be so independent, just to realize I want someone to share my everyday life with. Go figure!!

Check out my plants??? I plant, they grow, we share and we eat.

Today is almost over, I'll be happy to see tomorrow.

Just hanging out

2008-07-04T22:05:00.005-05:00

Today started of with a horrible nights sleep, nightmares, guess my life is creeping in to my sleep.

I go to a different doctor on Tuesday for my migraines.

I saw on the news tonight that Botox and/or a face lift can help Migraines.....I told my Doctor that 2 years ago...........yes I did Botox 3 times in 2006/2007!!!

The Botox that keep all those (ripples) off of my forehead, also keep away those nasty Migraines and I told the doctor then, ANYONE want to donate the $170.00 for me to have it done now?????

I told my doctor then that I didn't have any Migraine when I had the shots.... Guess I'm smarter than the average JANE....

Mom and Dad called this morning, since Rose quit her job on Thursday, they wanted us to meet them half way for her to visit for a week or so. YES, I drove to Prattville @ 10:30 this morning, and drove back alone........:-(

Even though she's in the hormonal teenage years, and we fuss a lot, we do spend a good deal of time together, and I already miss her.

Felix is on the bed with me, go figure.

Hope everyone is doing well, and who knows, I may get to do some scrapbook pages this week-end. I really need to make several cards.............anyone game???

The picture above was after my volunteer session last Sunday at the AirShow. Rose and I both were soaked, we had to put my canvas shopping bags on the car seats before driving home. Rose said I looked like a drowning rat, I agreed. We had to peel our wet clothes off after we got home.

The pictures were taken at least an hour after we got rained on, and Rose's shirt really shows how wet we were.

Hope everyone is doing well, good night!!

Rachel

MIGRAINE

2008-07-01T08:38:00.002-05:00

Another migraine, another day not being able to work. I can't stand up straight with the meds. Certainly can't think straight, makes talking to the public a real nightmare.

I'm going back to bed now.

On a brighter note, I spotted a few baby squash in my garden last night. Can hardly wait to share with my buds.

Rachel

Heavy Heart

2008-06-28T18:25:00.003-05:00

Today we gave our Jack Russell a new home. We loved her very much, but she and our cat Felix just couldn't see eye to eye on who was boss. I've cried for hours, even though I know we did the right thing.

Allie is living with a couple about the same age as I am, and they recently lost there girl JR, Sophie, to illness and her brother Harley was lonesome. I've already received pictures of them playing together and having fun. We stayed an hour before Rose and I said good bye.

I didn't know it would be so hard, I didn't know I would be so SAD. I can't fight the tears and I miss her being here to greet me when I get home. She stood on the back of the couch so she could be in the front window, I miss that.

Tonight will be long without her being curled up under the covers in the bend of my legs. OK, I know she is only a dog, but she had become family to me.

Thanks for sharing my life, my stories, my emotions, all of you are dear to me.

I can't "talk" about it know, so words on "paper" is all I can do.

Love you all !!!

Rachel

Just checking in to say hello!

2008-05-21T22:13:00.004-05:00

Hello world!!
Isn't it just beautiful everywhere? Even though my grass is too tall and needs to be mowed, I know the clover is blooming and the bees will be buzzing soon. To most of you that doesn't mean much, to me that means my squash, tomatoes, etc. will be pollinated and hopefully I will have fresh veggies to eat in the summer. So I'm not only saving fuel by not cutting my grass every 7 days, I'm attracting bees to my little patch of growing veggies. Did I mention that everything is attracted to my newly turned garden?
Let me go back to the beginning. The dirt has never been broken where I live in the 19 years I've lived here. Since it's the backside of a mountain; the dirt is not only the hard red clay Alabama is known for, it is also filled with those pesky rocks.

Well the day I began running my Troy-Bilt "HORSE", it really ran me....it was dragging me around the yard for hours and it felt good.

I was breaking ground for my own garden, my own private place to pick my fresh peppers, eggplants,squash, and tomatoes, so being dragged around my yard for hours was a small price to pay.

Well after four hours, and equity sweat I noticed that my dog was enjoying this as much as I was, he had a brand new place to play!

Now our Snappy is 14 years old, but he still loves to lay on his back and play in the dirt, and this dirt was new, this dirt was cool and soft, he was having the time of his life. I couldn't help but laugh out loud.

OK, I've gotten a bit of track, but ADD does that, I'll try to explain the planting process later, Snappy enjoyed that process as well, he's such a good boy.

NEW STUFF

2008-03-27T07:52:00.001-05:00

For those of you in Madison/Huntsville.....OUAS has a huge amount of new stuff..........again, I spent waaaaayyyy too much money there.
Go check it out, tell Sunny, Becka, Karen, and Deloris I said hello!!!

Rachel

NO pics today, just saying hello

2008-03-27T07:44:00.002-05:00

Just logging in to say hello to everyone. It's been a bit crazy around our house lately and I'm thinking it just my slow down for a bit. I'm getting ready to dig around in the yard. My Parents are bringing me plants today. My Mom has a porch sized green house and has grown seedlings of tomato's, squash and such....I'm so excited.
While I was visiting them last week I went to a WONDERFUL scrapbook store and spent waaay too much money on new and exciting things to work with, a girl can never have too much pretty paper, right?????

I looking for suggestions to work on my Parents 50th Anniversary invitation, party, scrapbook, etc.

Hope everyone has a GREAT day, I'm headed into work. Got to punch that clock again.

I've started selling ARBONNE products, and maybe one day the time clock will go away.....
I'll share more about that later, the clock is ticking away.

Love ya all and see you soon!!!
Rachel

I finished with the altered box

2008-01-27T17:17:00.000-06:00

So, today I've been a bit on the UN-organized side.

Rose and I repaired the washer today. The water mixer froze last Saturday night, but due to that nasty ole' bug, I just didn't feel like dealing with it. So I called A-1 about buying the part Friday, $35 plus tax...... THEN I remembered my friend Big John and his wife Susan gave me their old machine for parts. Now "ain't" that cool??? So Rose & I put on our insulated underclothes (the washer is in the garage) and WE fixed that puppy today. I'm washing the 5th load now, we stripped the beds and such. We make a pretty good handy woman team....Mother/Daughter Team for the day award....tee hee hee

NOW for the fun stuff. Michael's had their ROCK STAR paper on sale, and I had been really wanting it for a long time, but just could not pay full price for it.

I took one of those display boxes from Costco and altered it. Now I have the neatest little storage container, right now I have my rubber stamps lined up in it. I plan to do a series of these. I covered it with the matte Mod Podge. ANYWAY, take a look, let me know what you think, it was so much fun.

Another Sunday gone by

2008-01-20T22:04:00.000-06:00

Today was a good day, for those of you that know my life, the extra person that had been visiting for the last month is now gone..........YEE HAA!!!
This past week has been stressfull and I've been sick with a yucky stomach bug. I think I'm all better now, and life goes on.
Yesterday I sat at my craft table and organized things that had just found a way to stack up. I'm ready to do some scrap booking, but the pictures I want to use are sitting here on my computer.

I'm planning a scrap booking retreat with friends, and a spring vacation too.
LIFE IS GOOD!!

Got to turn in the Girl Scout cookie order forms tomorrow, and we lost it before we could make our rounds.....so we will do the cash and carry this year. I'll order all the faves, and sell from my trunk.....LOL

SO, what are all of you up to?

Rachel

Lazy Sunday

2008-01-13T16:59:00.000-06:00

Just taking it easy today, doing things that just need to be done. I've sorted my chipboard, filed paper, taken out all the recycle things. I've even posted a few things on Freecycle to get out of my way.
I want to make some cards.....got inspired yesterday at a workshop with Beth and Yazmin.
When I got home I spilled my "Mary Poppins" bag and had to re-organize everything, guess that's where that it where it began.

Wish me luck, and great inspiration.

Rachel

december 2006

2008-01-13T08:22:00.001-06:00

Back to work

2008-01-11T22:47:00.000-06:00

So this is my Mom, Sarah.

She just turned 67 in September, been married to my Dad for 49 years, and cares for my brother, Kenneth.

So it's not Mother's day, but why not have a day just to talk about Mom??? She Grew up in Athens Alabama and lived there, well a VERY long time. She worked all of my school life and continued for 15 or so years more until she retired from East Limestone. My Dad and Brother keep her very busy with the gardens.

Doesn't she have just the sneakiest smile....is that a word????

Rachel

A busy lazy day.........

2008-01-10T22:22:00.000-06:00

So here I am, the day is done and I took a vacation day because I'm sick, lucky me. It could be worse, I only have a sinus infection with both ears infected as well, what, did you say something????? This could come in handy with a teenaged daughter....LOL

Rose will be in Atlanta Friday evening and all day Saturday, so who is cropping and where???
YES, I'm inviting myself to have fun and to communicate with adults with the same interest.

Jury Duty ended Wednesday....;-(

I met Brooke at the Court House this week, and I know all of you will like her as much as I do. She wants to scrapbook, has a Cricket, and just needs help getting started.

I went to a "doc in the box Wednesday evening after I left the Court House. The steriods have me "STARVING" and I've been eating all day long. I made 4 quarts of chicken soup last night, and I must admit only a small bowl is left now.
My hip hurts from the antibiotic injection, and my wallet hurts from the 3 new prescribtions, anyone have a violin?????

The good news, I've been online looking at all the new and wonderful things I can do with my STASH of papers.
So what have all of you been doing lately?

Happy New Year

2008-01-01T07:05:00.000-06:00

So I awoke to a new year, sleep threw the ball dropping in Times Square. I guess I was just too tired to do anything last night but sleep, I was in the bed at 9:00, I woke up at 2:00 am to find that Rose made it home fine and had a good time at Johnny Mango's.
So what are you doing different for the new year? ME, well the thing that I have to do for my self is give up the bedtime dark chocolate, yep I'll have to eat it all day now!!!!!
Seriously I want to do more for others and volunteer more than last year. I also want to learn more in the Arts, I've had that dream on hold since I was 12 years old, and it's been 35 years now, so dreams are coming out of the closet. I'm still looking for some place warm, think I'll take a long hot shower for now.....Jamaica will have to wait.

Today

2007-12-30T10:54:00.000-06:00

I awoke with many ideas of all the things I COULD do today....complete a scrapbook page, take some winter photos, download and print photos, just get out and drive. What did I really do??? Well so far I've washed a couple of loads of clothes, checked all my emails, and played with the cat, Felix....he doesn't always allow this, so I take it when I can.

Rose and I are headed to Athens to visit my Mom in the hospital, see my Dad and take my brother Kenny to a movie. With enough prayer, Mom may get out tomorrow, she is tired of being there. She was admitted on Christmas Day with blood clots in her leg.

Today will be blessed, I will spend it with family, doing everyday things, but I WILL be with family.