After an appointment with my doctor yesterday, which consisted of a rather loose list of aches, pains, and complaints, a discussion of my recent food journal, and a fairly frank discussion on the benefits/shortcomings of the existing tests for gluten intolerance and celiac disease we decided that rather than do the test, I would test myself by cutting gluten out of my diet and seeing what difference that made in my health.

Today is day 1.  So far, so good.

The food co-op here has a pretty good selection of gluten-free food and I stocked up yesterday.  I bought some wonderful frozen chocolate chip cookie dough and went right home and baked them!  They were delicious and I think I need to go get some more tonight.  I’m feeling my way through the change - trying to educate myself and looking online for books that might help.  If you eat gluten-free or have celiac disease, I’d love to hear which books have helped you.

Here’s to feeling good in 2010!

Happy 2010!  I hope you all had a wonderful holiday season and are getting back into the swing of things in the “real world.”  I know this week has been a struggle for me, but I’ll eventually get there.

10 Things I’m Looking Forward to in 2010:

Knitting ~ I suppose that goes without saying, but I feel like I’m more motivated to knit than I have been in a long time.  I think getting involved in blogging again has really helped, but I’ve also been spending some quality time on Ravelry looking at what you all are knitting and I’m finding things that I’m excited about.

Photography ~ I got a great new camera for Christmas and I’ve spent some of my Christmas money on a 50mm lens and Photoshop.  I don’t have Photoshop yet, but I’m anxious for it to come even though I’m a bit nervous about learning it.  I guess that’s what online tutorials and friends are for, right?

I really want to spend some time learning to take better pictures.  It occurred to me a few weeks ago that I haven’t done a very good job of keeping track of the major events in our lives.  We live in a gorgeous place (even in the miserable cold of winter there are some breathtaking views) and I’d like to document the events and places in our lives.  But, I want to take great pictures, not just snapshots.  I know this is going to take a lot of time and commitment on my part, so I’m not sure what else is going to have to give, but I’ll figure out how to make it work.

Quilting ~ I am enjoying quilting.  It’s a fun hobby that gives me a break from knitting and allows me to hone another skill.  I like working at the quilt store - lots of fun people and great fabric!  Every project makes me better and we’ll see what projects come to fruition in 2010.

Team Roping ~ This is one of the few things TA and I do together.  It’s something I have to work hard at to improve, but it’s worth it because I like having a hobby that we share.  I’d like to take a clinic this year, but we’ll see how things shape up in the time and money department.

Yoga ~ I started practicing yoga in late 2008 and have really enjoyed it.  I had some periods during the summer when I let my practice lapse - the layoff and the kidney stones were contributing factors, but I’ve gotten back into it and have found that a regular practice makes a huge difference in my mental and physical health.  I want to continue to improve and expand my comfort zone - try new things, embrace those things that I struggle with, and try to be ok with where I am now (that’s hard for me).

Being Healthy ~ I struggled a bit with my health in 2009 and I’m really not a good sick person.  In retrospect, I haven’t felt “great” in a long time.  I’m not sure why, but I continue to try new things and hope that eventually I’ll figure out what’s going on with me.  I don’t have a lot of faith in doctors, but I’m reading about natural and ayurvedic medicine and I’ll see what I can figure out.  If anyone has a good suggestion, please let me know.

Living Life for the Moment ~ I tend to get wrapped up in what’s next and what I need to do to make things better.  Yoga is teaching me to be happy with where I am right now.  I think I will continue to improve and embrace this idea, but it takes work.  One of my goals for my life is to be grateful for where I am right now and let that be enough.

Taking a Vacation ~ TA and I haven’t taken a get-away type vacation since our honeymoon.  We’ve talked about some places we’d like to go and places we’d like to see.  I think this is the year we’ll make that happen.  If you have suggestions of great tropical locations, please share - it’s always easier to decide when someone recommends a place.

Writing ~ I enjoy writing and I’ve let that lapse as other things have taken over my time and creative energy.  I’d like to figure out a way to schedule some writing into my week.  I think the creative outlet is great and I enjoy sharing my crazy ideas with all of you (since you’re the only ones who will actually read it!).

Not Feeling Guilty ~ Guilt is a huge obstacle in my life.  I tend to feel guilty when I don’t live up to my own expectations.  Why?  Why do I put expectations on myself?  Why am I so much harder on myself than anyone else is?  I really want to work on that.  I want to be ok with the choices I make because they’re right for me at the time I made the choice and to leave the second guessing for someone else.

So, that’s my list.  What are you looking forward to in 2010?

In my continuing quest to be more social, Sarah and I have decided that we’re going to try to do an online book club.  I know, it sounds strange, but I really think it could be fun!

So, we’re going to read Knit Two, the sequel to Friday Night Knitting Club.  The thought was to start after Christmas, but maybe before the new year.  We’re both pretty flexible and we’re just trying to gauge interest and see who wants to participate and what your schedule looks like.  At this point we’re still trying to work out the technical details (and if you have suggestions, I’d love to hear them), but I’d like to do some sort of video chat discussion.  That way we can discuss like a “real life” book club and we can knit while we do it!

What do you think?  Are you interested?

I saw this on Claudia’s blog this morning and it seemed like a good way to start off the week, so here we go:

Looking at: My Christmas list and realizing how much shopping I still have to do.  Yikes.

Drinking: Water.  I had some yummy Highlander Grogg coffee earlier (something like Irish cream, vanilla, and caramel roasted with the beans - I bought it at a really cute cooking store in Sheridan, WY), but now I’m trying hard to drink all that water I’m supposed to (doctor says 12 glasses a day, but I rarely manage all that).  I didn’t do a very good job this weekend and I can tell I’m quite dehydrated.

Listening to: Pandora country Christmas music.  I’m trying to get into the holiday spirit.  Music seems to help.

Hoping for: More time than there is before Christmas because I’m beginning to think I’m not going to get everything done in the 10 remaining days!

Knitting: Log Cabin socks for a friend who was recently diagnosed with brain cancer.  I thought they might help keep her feet warm while she’s having kemo and radiation.  At least I hope so.

Dreading: My lunch appointment.  I am meeting a donor for lunch to go over her endowment agreement, but I’ve heard she can be difficult and kind of scary.

Wondering: If the consistent headaches of the past couple of weeks are stress or sickness.  I have a massage appointment this week because nothing else seems to be working.  Let’s hope for the best!

Reading: Nothing.  I just finally finished Friday Night Knitting Club.  It made me cry and wish I was part of a knitting group like that.  I’ve tried, but I just don’t seem to click with the groups around here.  Oh well, maybe I’ll eventually find one.

Need to Blog About: French Press Felted Slippers for me and for my Grandma Toots.

Happy Monday!

Carole came up with the great idea of Thankful Thursdays in November.  Even I can come up with three things (and it gives me a reason to blog another day this week).  I’ve meant to post one of these for the last 2 Thursdays, but as usual, time got away from me.  However, today is a new day and it’s never too late to be thankful.  I’m thankful for:

1. My health. So many of my friends and acquaintances have had major health issues lately that I’m really thankful that my issues have been relatively minor.  In the grand scheme of things, kidney stones aren’t that big of a deal and I’m fully recovered (or so I choose to believe).
2. Happiness. Happiness is such a relative thing.  It’s so easy to get mired down in the daily stresses and think about all the things you wish were different in your life.  It’s so much harder to look at the glass as half full, but it really is so much better for you.  I’ve recently been making a real effort to look at all of the things in my life that really are so wonderful and be grateful for those things.  Happiness truly is what we make of it, and I choose to be happy.
3. My husband. I am blessed to have a wonderful, talented, and sexy husband.  He loves me despite my craziness (and I love him despite his - or maybe it’s because of) his craziness.  He is always (usually?) willing to jump in with both feet and tackle whatever crazy project I come up with.  Recently it has been the new craft room in the basement.  If I can just get it painted, I can move all of my stuff down there and we’ll have show and tell.

Happy Thursday.  What are you thankful for?