Calving school

So this term at Oregon State University, I will be attending calving school. I am really excited about this. We recieve our cows and heifers ( a heifer is a first time calver, or a young cow that hasn't calved yet) on the 25 of January and then we start going out and doing checks. We will be learning what to look for and how to properly proceed when a cow is calving. They need to be checked by a student 3.8 times a week. Multiple times during the day. We will be feeding in hte evening so they should calve around mid morning afternoon. Our first group is due the first week of February. How exciting. We will not be working with any dairy cows.

Happy New Year

So, after a year of having episodes, I finally can realize these episodes are anaphylaxis. Woot! a step in the right direction. Now the problem at hand is what is causing me to go into anaphylactic shock, as it is not triggered immediately after eating. I have done some googling, and came across an article addressing delayed food allergy reactions. It is called type 3 delayed onset food allergy. Of course there is a long complicated blood test to determine the allergens, but as I no longer have health insurance (except student health center @OSU), these tests probably will not get done anytime soon. I have reached the point where I am pretty much food phobic, and dread eating anything, and get really nauseated at the thought of certain foods that I normally like. I am going to a nutrition store later to see about a low /no allergen protien shake diet just to eliminate allergens and slowly reintroduce foods back into my sysetem. I would like to go 6 weeks without anaphylaxis, and then start bringing foods back in. Then we will see. Right now I suspect really gluteny foods or eggs. My most current attack lasted over four hours with hives for an hour and a half. Wish me luck.

great caffiene exodus 2

So, I was able to quit caffiene from April to August..but then I was on it again. I just really wanted an ice cold pepsi. I gave in. But now I am determined, starting tomorrow, no more caffeine will enter my body. I am also giving up Soda because it is bad for me, and hopefully that translates into weight loss. So, with excedrine at the ready, I know it has caffeine, but once I don't get the migraines, I won't need it. So here goes, the preamble to no longer being dependant on a drink (I also hate that I NEED soda), and tomorrow, begins the hardest day. Wish me luck!

What spring brings

I discovered that spring brings out a really nice neighbor who weed wacked our yard for us ... maybe he got tired of looking at it, as we have NO gardening tools whatsoever. He offered to loan us his tools as well. How kind, and as far as I can tell he doesn't expect anything in return, except maybe to keep our yard up.

TCE- Day 2

Still holding on strong! Did well today, and will just now only have to take headache medicine. The true test of this will be tomorrow at work, where I have to be there at 6am, and stay there til 8pm! That will be the challenge, but there is milk there, and juice drink mixes. I am going to bring one of my rubbermaid bottles of water that will have been refrigirated overnight with me too. I think I can do this. I know I can do this. I did this in bootcamp. Different environment. great results

The great caffiene exodus-Day 1 (and feeling it)

So, in an effort to save money, lose weight, and be healthier in general, Josh and I have officially decided to cut soda and energy drinks out of our diet, and when we hit the 40 day mark of no caffiene, we are treating ourselves to a nice dinner out-Im a very reward-minded person. Given that we would routinely spend 3.99 at circle k each trip for a soda and energy drink usually at least 2x a day, that is 239.40 a month, and that is the conservative estimate! Wow! That is a good hunk of money. That's a wii, or 6 months of car insurance. I am floored. -- I can buy better ingredients or boots or something, or pay my bills even. We already don't eat out as much as we used to.. maybe 1 or 2x a month, and I have lost 10lbs since doing that, and changing bc, so maybe I will see more results with no soda in my diet. .... so here is how today(Day 1) went... wake up, not in a great mood, and starving, i make brunch for josh and i, and we both are very quiet today. I reach for my cold water in the fridge to have my meal with, and after checking things on the net, I fall back asleep. I wake up, and my friend the caffiene headache joins me. Never fear, I have excedrin migraine, and not only does it rid the head ache, it gives me a fun slightly buzzed loopy feeling. Some of my muscles are twitching, and I want to eat less, as I am not a fan of eating without a soda. I know, its a weird mental thing with me on this. But at this point, knowing how much money I will be saving and that there is a reward, I am pretty sure I can keep this up if I keep concious about it, and not give in when it is free and available to me. I will go forth! I will be successful in this!

my adventures in winging it and a very filling lentil soup

So, I had a bag of Lentils, and thought, hhmm... I should make soup. My hubs and I love lentil soup, and just about any middle-eastern food, and I was low on certain ingredients so soup was the simple solution. It was my first time making lentil soup so off to the web I go in search of a recipe. I could not find one that suited my own personal taste, or the lack of ingredients I had, I took bits and pieces from allrecipes.com, so I don't get originality credit. For my friends that have asked here is the breakdown:

1st in a large sauce pan or heavy bottomed pot (dutch oven, stock), brown and soften half an onion sliced, and 4 cloves of garlic in olive oil on med hi. Add 5-7 diced red potatoes halfway through the browning process (3 min when hot or so). Sprinkle librally with curry powder, smoked paprika, black pepper and a dash of sea salt. stir and add half a can of frozen oj, and half a can of water. Cover and let cook on med for 20-30 min, or still most of the moisture has cooked out.

Dump into big ol food processor and puree it til it is a nice thick paste. Pour paste back into cooking pot. Wisk in 1 can of coconut milk and 1 can of tomato sauce or stewed tomatos..your preference, and mix til thoroughly combined. Add lentils (1lb bag), and cover with addtional water (2-3 cups). Stir, and add same spices to taste, and cook on med to med lo for 45 min or until lentils are soft. I added a slice of bacon in these steps for extra flavor, but then it isn't vegetarian anymore. I also added a couple of bay leaves. enjoy.

This was an impromptu recipe so I hope all who try it are successful! It is quite yummy. Bon Apetit!