Had A Great Vacation At My Parents!

[Roda]

I am glad to report that I had a sucessfull vacation at my parents house. This was my first visit to PA since being diagnosed. I cleaned a section of the counter for myself to prepare all the shared food and mine. I didn't get glutened once which is amazing since there were crumbs everywhere I turned around. My mom and I were pretty diligent. I couldn't expect them to change their whole routine just for me. All it took was a little extra planning and cleaning up and all was well.

I even braved eating out at my parent's favorite fish fry place. My parents know the one waitress and talked to her ahead of time. I was going to have broiled fish in butter but they did not have butter. All they had was whirl or margarine. I don't eat margarine so I did not know if it would be gluten free. They brought me the bottle of Whirl and in little print at the bottom of the ingredients it labled barley! Boy I am glad I checked and was suprised it labled the barley. I ended up getting a salad (used my own dressing), baked potato with sour cream (felt ok with chancing it), and applesauce. Not the most extravagant dinner, but I did not starve or get glutened.

We held our reunion on the last day I was there. My brother smoked all the meat. I made some things gluten free and what wasn't I just avoided. I overate and I looked like I was 10 mo. pregnant. I ended up with the D on Sunday morning. Since I was the only one with the problem I thought that had something with gluten(unknowingly) or cc'd. I was pretty upset about it. In the car my 4 yo was complaining of his belly hurting. He gets car sick so we gave him a dramimine and he fell asleep. He ended up with the D after we got home and so did my husband. So I guess it makes me feel better that It most likely was not a cc issue. We either had a bug or the smoked meat was just a little too much for us since it is something we don't eat on a regular basis.

I am really glad I took my own gluten free stuff. There is only a Walmart and Bi Lo in the town. I did get some stuff at both and even found some Bob's Red Mills stuff at the Bi Lo. We went to Jamestown, NY to Wegmans and was not too impressed. They did have Betty Crocker mixes and a section of "gluten free snacks" but most of it was junk food that I didn't need anyway. I found more gluten free things at the Bi Lo which was much to my suprise. So for all of you who are dreading a vacation or a visit to grandma's house, a gluten free vaction is achievable with supportive family and a little planning.

[mamaw]

glad you had a great time. Where in Pa were you? I live north of Pittsburgh.

[Roda]

glad you had a great time. Where in Pa were you? I live north of Pittsburgh.

I went to Tidioute, PA a small town in Warren County. I did most of my shopping in Warren and went to Jamestown, NY since it is just across the state line by 45 min from the farm. I lived in Mercer until I was 10 and after that my dad bought the family farm. It's nice to go back to your roots I don't get back there as often as I would like. My dad is third generation to own it.

[mamaw]

I know exactly where that is! We camp up there & fish! I love small town USA! Wegman's in Jamestown does not carry what the Wegman's in Erie Pa carry in gluten-free. We go to Jamestown about twice a year.

Next time you come to Pa let me know & we will come & meet you!

mamaw

[Roda]

Where do you camp at? There are a bunch of camps up the hill from our farm that my grandparents sold years ago. They are on Rt 337 about 5 miles from town. Heck, my dad knows so many of the people that own the camps. There are several people he knows from the Pittsburg area.