What to eat

Kelly: I've been having GI issues (we'll leave it at that just in case anyone is eating while reading this blog) on and off for a while now and other seemingly random nagging health issues. I found a doctor who had treated random symptoms and visited him while I was home. He confirmed that as I had thought but had been dismissed by conventional medicine that my thyroid wasn't functioning up to speed. But because the one test that conventional docs run didn't showed up just within the "normal" range, I was fine. Nevermind, that my symptoms were a mirror image of the textbook definition of hypothroidism. Okay, done with the mini-rant. In addition, the proactive doc mentioned that I might be allergic to foods and that the food allergy was driving the thyroid issue. So, I had more blood drawn and received the results of the tests Monday night. He told me, in no uncertain terms, that the tests indicated I was allergic to almonds, dairy, milk, eggs, and beef. WHAT??? What will I eat. Hmmm. I had just swallowed my dessert of organic raw cheese and almonds. Not good. "What about gluten?" I had asked. Gluten didn't show up on the test. To mourn my loss of ice cream (thank God I got my fill of gelato in Italy!), I tested my gluten allergy by eating a couple of handfulls of Matt's organic granola. Within 30 minutes and three trips to the bathroom, I had my answer. Yep, still allergic to gluten. So, with tears rolling down my rashy face, I called my mom to tell her that I couldn't eat anything. She went in to mom fix-it mode and started brainstorming how I could survive. After we hung up and I started researching a little more (shocker, I know...me, reasearch), I pulled myself together and looked at this newfound knowledge as an opportunity to be healthier. I have repeated that little mantra several times this week and it will likely become etched in my neurons as I navigte through our processed food world. With that, I'm off to the farmers' market and then yoga. To health!

Lazy Sunday

Kelly: When the weekend rolls around, if I'm not on call which forces me to stay at home, and Matt isn't leaving to return to the states, and the weather has not unpredictably dropped autobahn-closing levels of ice and/or snow, then we are TRAVELING. This weekend was an exception to that. I went to the Farmers' market with a good friend yesterday, did lots of chores around the house (Yes, I truly appreciate all that Matthew does when he is here) and cooked. Today, after a nice long walk and the dreaded Sunday morning Commissary trip, I have really done...nothing. I made a delightful breakfast, drank tea, gardened a bit outside, planned for our London trip, cooked the kale from the farmers' market, read nutrition research online, and chatted on the phone. A delightfully relaxing day. I feel rested. The sad part is that that rested feeling doesn't usually last longer than 45 minutes once Monday morning rolls around. This week, I'm going to try not to let the usual chaos of work and last minute "emergencies" flip me into stress mode. That will be a challenge, given that the first three days of the week are going to be a whirlwind of meetings, patients, and after-work commitments.

Matt is doing well in the States. He's a social butterfly when I'm not there. I guess we both rely/enjoy one another as our primary social outlet when we are together. Healthy, yes, but it would probably benefit us to also spread our butterfly wings while in one another's company. Life lessons. Keep learning.

The Emerald Isle

Kelly: I'm not a big fan of emeralds. I, however, have become a fan of Ireland. We spent last weekend traversing the country of Ireland from the Dublin airport to foggy, misty Dingle to sophisticated Kinsale and the amazing B&B in Killbrittain and back to explore the approachable city of Dublin. It was a whirlwind of a trip. I tasted amazing Sea Bass, drank great wine, spent time with a good friend (in addition to my hubby), had long breakfasts of strong coffee, free range eggs, fresh fruit, and delightful grilled tomatoes. The people were welcoming but not intrusive. Overall, a great trip. I am continually amazed by the education I receive while traveling!

The Waiting Game

Kelly: So, Matt and I had a fabulous weekend in Maryland. It was jam packed with have-to-dos (doctor's appointments, meetings, etc.) and want-to-dos (house hunting, good food, long walks). Now, I'm back in Germany, and reality has slapped me in the face pushing aside the light-hearted, creative spirit that embodied me. Reality came in the form of negative co-workers, long workdays, a cat-hair laden house (good thing she's ridiculously cute), and being on-call this weekend. There has to be a way to hold on to that feeling. If anyone out there has suggestions, please let me know. I had started yoga again, but I haven't had the time or energy for that since returning, even though I found Tara Stiles and her anytime, anywhere, anybody approach to yoga really resonantes with me. Goals...I'll keep moving toward them.

We're waiting. Waiting for the contractor to tell us what it will cost to turn the studs, plywood floors, and exposed brick walls of an early 1900s rowhome into a simple, modern oasis. If the number is right, we move forward. If the number is too high, it is back to the drawing board. I've been trying not to get too excited, but I haven't been able to help myself from stealing peeks at modern design online. In the process, I stumbled upon a mid-century, Charles Goodman-designed neighborhood in Silver Spring...who knew???? The contractor is supposed to have an estimate for us tomorrow.

Stateside

Kelly: I spent an amazing weekend in Austin, TX with a great friend. I swam in Barton Springs pool which was on my life list of things to do. It was amazing...cool and refreshing for two very sweaty pals :) We ate amazing food at Whole Foods, shopped but didn't buy at Anthropologie, drank Konbucha, walked along the lake, and had great conversation. A simultaneously relaxing and energizing weekend. Oh, and I wore dangley earrings (gasp!). Thanks for sharing the weekend with me, MA!

The parental visit

Kelly: Wow, what a whirlwind of a visit. Mom and Dad arrived on a rainy, cold Thursday. We took the train to a cool, cloudy Paris, explored the streets, climbed the Eiffel Tower, and ate really great Parisian food and wine. Quote of the trip was from Dad, "My self esteem goes up when I stop reading!" in response to his difficulty reading French words and our subsequent hysterically laughter...the kind where you get the ugly face because you can barely breathe because you are laughing so hard!

Then back home long enough to wash our clothes before venturing off through Switzerland and Lake Como. Switerland was breathtakingly beautiful, and Lake Como was top notch. Mom loved loved loved both the gelato and the views in the Lake Como area. We stayed at a slightly out-of-the-way small hotel with a great buffet breakfast and even better views of the wind-surfers who filled our end of the lake from 6-8 am and provided us with "interesting" views during breakfast...let's just say that mom and I enjoyed the views more than the boys :) Then, it was off to Rome but when we found Lucca and Tuscancy, our plans took a detour. The Tourist Information office booked us a night at an agriturismo (working Italian farm that hosts guests) and we drank wine from the barrel, picnicked by the pool on top of the hill overlooking vineyards, and slept in rustic but comfortable and quiet rooms. Ahhh....so relaxing. We jumped back in the car the next morning and headed to an Italian Riviera town called Sestri Levante. We walked on the pebbly beach, stuck our feet in the water, and climbed out on some massive rocks. Dad almost lost his shoe to the Med, but luckily rescued it no thanks to Mom and me laughing hysterically up the beach. We dined at a cute outdoor cafe where Dad learned that he liked Italian beer, that antipasta salad doesn't mean that you get lettuce, and that pizza comes at the very very end of the meal. We packed back in to the car and headed north. Our goal (okay, my goal) was to make it into southern Germany where our dollar went farther than in Switzerland to the south. Switzerland was breath-taking and Samantha's "time-saving" detour showed us the neat-as-a-pin Swiss villages filled with modern architecture at the foot of the most rugged and beautiful mountains I have yet to see. We took Rick Steve's advice yet again and headed for a Gasthaus (German Inn) in the reportedly charming town of Staufen in the black forest. Given Samantha's route through tiny towns in Switzerland, I didn't doubt her accuracy as we navigated swtichbacks and hair-pin turns through the black forest, until we arrived at the inn in Staufen only to find the owner smiling and telling us he had no rooms and that we were really looking for a different in with the same name in a town named Staufen, 70 km from our current location. So, at 8:00 PM, we drove on though more of the black forest to arrive at the second Staufen. Even though darkness was setting in, we were utterly delighted with the story-book flavor of the sweet town and even more so the kindness of the host who graciously kept the kitchen open well past closing to make sure we had plenty to eat. Our rooms were traditional and comfortable, and the breakfast buffet was the best I've ever had...coffee (free refills much to Dad's delight), eggs, yogurt, fresh berries, breads, jams, tomatoes, and more. After breakfast we waddled to the cobblestone streets for some shopping. Dad discovered a sports store and found a new love named Jack Wolfskin...don't be alarmed, Mr. Wolfskin is a very famous German outdoor store. Mom and I delighted in a super-cute thrift store where she got a fab pair of red leather sandals and I scored a black German bag. We met up with the boys who had joined in their own favorite activity...cafe sitting and coffee drinking. We reluctantly packed the car and headed to Baden Baden. Although it wasn't what I had pictured, we still enjoyed our time there and had a lovely lunch outdoors in the perfect weather. The traffic on the way home was not-so-perfect. Many hours and detours later, we arrived back in rainy Ramstein. We recovered the next day with a trip to the farmer's market and then more shopping in Ktown. Mom found great gifts for my sisters and Matt found a 700 euro bag, which he did not buy but dreamed about the rest of the day. We spent the remainder of the weekend working on the lawn (Mom and Dad doing most of the work), playing beanbags and cards.

It was an awesome trip filled with great food, laughter, and memories that will last our lifetime. I love you Mom and Dad!

Flood

Kelly: Last night, my capris weren't a fashion statement, they were a necessity. I awoke to the sound of hail pelleting the windows. I ran to the window to see hail moving horizontally, carried by the vicious winds and torrential rains. I checked the attic to ensure no leaks: all good, or so I thought. I went to the main level to check on Miles, and I heard water running...that's odd. Then as I looked down the basement stairs, my heart stopped and quickened at the same time...water was flooding under the door. Approximately two inches covered the floor. I called our landlord who said he couldn't get out of his house but would call the fire company. I rescued Mialley's floating litter box from the freezing swirling water...two and a half inches. The rain let up. Three inches. The first fireman arrived, slipped on the stairs, confirmed my basement was flooding, and called for a back-up truck with a pump. The truck arrived an hour and an inch of water later. The two young Germans hauled the pump into the house and down to the basement. Through gestures and broken English, I supplied them with the brooms they desired and they went to work. An hour or so later, my basement was less flooded. They left stating that the did all that they could. I called my landlord again who said that he'd come over the next day. 2:30 AM. 5:30 Alarm...not happening...6:15--wet nose on my forearm...thank goodness for my furry, four-legged alarm clock and her grumbling belly. I scrambled...sort of...out of bed, to the shower, and out the door in less than 30 minutes including packing my lunch. Coffee. Black. Strong. My fellow co-workers did not receive the deluge and resulting mess that I did, so they were somewhat numb and removed from my story. When I arrived home, my dear landlord had not only pumped the remaining water out but had also cleaned the nasty sediment, leaves, and God knows what that had washed in. I called him immediately with many thanks.

I didn't react as I would have in the past. I stayed relatively calm and level headed. Maybe the yoga of the past and meditation of the present are paying off!

My honey arrives tomorrow. After my day at work, I want nothing more than to spend a slow weekend hearing the details of his adventures over a nice cup of tea. Simple. Love.