I've been meaning to add to the stickys here and at original BT but just haven't got to it yet. I have some information on my pc and some on cd now.

I'm getting ready to dump my computer and have it rebuilt. So I'll be offline soon for a bit - need more ram, upgrade windows, etc. It's due seems I got this one back in 2001 and have only added memory to it. I'm hoping to get this done yet this week so I can get it back sooner.

I'm doing ok, the weather is just killing me and I'm having a hard time again with social events. Just feel like an outsider, try to show up after the food stuff but never works and people just don't understand cross contamination and how it can effect me. Maybe part of it is feeling sorry for myself because their food looks so darn good but I keep telling myself it's poison. After nearly two years being GF I just don't do well with aspect of it. Plus the holidays are coming up and that just makes it worse.

[jccgf]

Hi Becki~

Take your time.

Sorry you are feeling in a slump about the social situations. They just aren't always easy.

I'm not sure I ever shared a good news story about my neice's wedding this summer. We had taken food along in a cooler, just in case there was nothing for us. We went to the buffet line and I started asking the servers about ingredients, and they took my table number and said some one would be out with the information shortly. Well, the chef came out himself and assured me that the only thing that had wheat/gluten were the rolls, and explained that he used cornstarch to thicken the one sauce, and what seasonings were used on the potatoes, etc.... We were able to eat both the salmon and chicken, roasted potatoes, asparagus and other grilled veggies, salad. I felt like I hit the jackpot!!! My daughter just beamed.

Then this weekend we went out to eat for a birthday dinner for my MIL. I found a gluten free meal I felt safe with, but forgot to mention no croutons on the salad. I forget to mention it when croutons aren't listed on the menu because I don't think there will be any! Anyway, she spotted them after hearing me just start to say something to my husband about it. She apologized profusely that she should have caught that~ and came back with a new salad...and told me it wasn't mixed in the same bowl, that she had kept it all separate, with dressing on the side.

Then there was the birthday cake we had at home afterwards that my MIL tried to send home with my husband. He eats gluten, but not in our home. He declined the cake because it had gluten...and everyone was confused because "he" isn't gluten free. He explained the house gets contaminated, and I felt that was taken with eye rolls. My husband is really very supportive, but he let this answer out with just a twinge of sarcasm/exaggeration. I know he didn't mean it that way...because he really is supportive and has been outspoken on our behalf in the past. I couldn't help but add, "plus it just isn't very nice to sit eat and cake at home in front of my ten year old (or me) who can't have any." Geeze.

Food is always an issue whenever we step foot outside of the confines of our homes. It can be hard to deal with . I still find the better food we can treat ourselves to within our homes, the easier it is to deal with away from home. So, treat yourself to something really extraordinary .

I still can't believe we could eat all the food at that wedding we went to. It made me wonder if my sister had actually planned the food with us in mind .

Cara