Gluten hell

The hardest part of a vacation is maintaining the diligence about being gluten free.

The Hilton restaurants were great in helping me with my dietary restrictions. There was an AJ's market just down the street, and while they didn't have any flourless cakes currently available, the berries/chocolate/cream desert was nice.

I've come to accept the fact that group camping events and the dietary restrictions are very difficult to manage. I try not to be a major pain in the ass about things. Boyfriend is always quick to interject "she's allergic to wheat" while I grit my teeth and smile in agreement.

We stopped for lunch at a BBQ place. After the manager brought out the BBQ sauce to make sure I can eat it, I think it was the seasoning in the rice that did me in. Not a great start to a vacation.

Recovered pretty well, and enjoyed my days at the resort. But think it was something at a Mexican restaurant that did me in again. I try not to be a pain in the ass about asking what's in the red enchilda sauce, since most are okay anyway. But Friday things were not pleasant, and I was glad I had a long drive in a car by myself.

Friday night, things had leveled off a bit. Boyfriend and I hit the stores to get lettuce for sandwich wraps, gluten-free lunch meat, Potato Crisps, and I had my bag of Rice Chips that I had bought in Tucson. Fast food dinner was okay since I didn't eat anything - I had had a late lunch of salmon on my Almond nut crackers.

Saturday, us girls starting hitting the wine bottle and left it to the men folk to prepare our dinner. Mr. Matchmaker asked if garlic salt for the steak was okay. First they had built a roaring fire for lots of coals. Then we tossed the potatoes in, and after 45 minutes, it was time for the steaks. Mr. Matchmaker had taken over by this point, and I wasn't too worried.

But he's having a hard time keeping up with the steaks. The pile of red hot coals for the potatoes was too hot for the steaks, and he was afraid of overdoing the steaks. He asks for a can of beer to help cool the coals down a bit.

In my slightly intoxicated state, I thought he was going to lift the rack, pour the beer, and replace the grill rack. To my horror, he pours the beer on the steaks and along side them to cool the coals.

Boyfriend chimed in before I could find my voice "Don't pour anymore beer on that one steak. She can't have that beer on the steak, dumbass."

I apologized for the dumbass remark. People that don't have to live gluten free don't think about those things.

Then when it was time to get the steaks off the rack, he puts my steak on the bottom. Boyfriend chimed in again "Here's her plate, separate that steak so the juices from ours doen't get on hers."

It was quickly getting dark by this point. I ate a couple bites of steak, and quietly gave the rest to the dog. He was very happy to receive it. I was disappointed I had to give up such a tender and tasty steak. I instead ate baked potatoes, and beans to get my fill.

It was good the next day we were back to indoor plumbing.

The worst was that the next night I had horrible leg cramps. Something that I haven't had for many months. I think it was the repeated gluten exposures in such a short amount of time.