Thursday, February 25, 2010

The glory of a red bicycle!!!

I have my "new" vintage bike--and I have ridden it to work!!! WOOHOO!!! Did have to stop a couple of times to gasp for air but hopefully when I've gotten more miles under my belt that will stop. After I got to work and after a few minutes I felt soooooo great--maybe the endorphins kicked in. I'll try to post a picture of it, but I have to find my camera first, I've put it "somewhere" safe--evidently safe from ME!!

Sunday, February 14, 2010

Forgive me blog, for I have neglected you!!

Well, so much for resolutions about blogging, but I've resolved to do some everyday or so. I have found a reason for my recent weight gain and hopefully will be able to reverse that soon. I found out last summer that I have celiac which means anything with wheat or wheat products cause an awful immune system response that involves the small intestine. I saw my gastro guy a week ago and he said the fact that I've gained weight since I've gone gluten-free indicates that my body is now absorbing nutrients etc. Hmmm...kinda a double-edged sword, me thinks. Also, gluten-free foods tend to have more fat and sugar to make them taste better. So I've bought a vintage Schwinn Hollywood Cruiser bike from G. Oscar's Bike Shop in Tulsa and I plan to ride it to work. Ok, I only work a mile from my house so I'll have to ride a little more than that every day to really help me much. But I've always LOVED to ride bikes and this bike is just like the one I used to have and sold in a "garage sale frenzy fit". I'm excited to replace my old bike. I had bought a Free Spirit bike a few years ago but it just didn't sit like my old Schwinn so I didn't ride it much. I have a couple of friends who are thinking of getting bikes also and we can meet up at the River Parks and ride there some. WOOHOO!!

I'm going to be blogging more about my experience with celiac--I guess I could term it a love/hate relationship. I hate that I can't have fresh hot yeasty bread anymore (or even stale cold crusty yeasty bread!!!), I wandered the bakery side of Reasor's this afternoon looking for some gluten-free options--didn't find any there but almost left crying because the cakes and bread looked sooooo good, and would make me feel sooooooo bad if I ate them. I told my husband that I just wanted to fall face down in them and wallow all over them. Oh, well. I did get a Pillsbury gluten-free chocolate chip cookie mix and made that, added English walnuts and oh, man!! They are WONDERFUL!!!! Enough to banish the "gluten-free woe is me" feeling. Mike said they were outstanding, and the chocolate cake I made a few weeks ago he said the same thing about it. So this is a good time to have celiac as there are more and more good things coming out. Now if I can just find a good bread mix!! I haven't made any bread yet so there may be some!! I hope so.

I am one of those few people this year who is loving the cold and snow, that's another indication that my body is using the food nutrients. Last winter I was cold and miserable the whole time but I'm not feeling the cold as much. I am almost ready for spring though and certainly will be by the time I get my bike home (I'm picking it up probably Tuesday). I'll be ready to ride--to work and all around the town. I'll be the crazy librarian on the red retro bike!! WOOHOO!