Picklesdad

A couple of weeks before Christmas, after a long time of not feeling well with various ailments, Picklesdad went to an allergy tester in Woodbridge. The GP's have been unable to pinpoint anything causing the problems, so a different approach was called for.
The therapist tests for 'intolerances or allergies' by muscle testing as described below.

Muscle Testing
One method of allergy testing, recommended by The British Institute of Allergy & Environmental Therapies, is allergy detection by means of muscle testing (applied kinesiology). Muscle testing is usually to be preferred in that it is simpler to use and involves the patient in no discomfort. It may be used with children, infants and the elderly. The goal of this particular method is to identify all the patients allergens whether they are foods, chemicals or environmental pollutants such as traffic fumes and other chemicals, dusts, hair, pollens and so on.

From using this method she diagnosed Picklesdad with a few intolerances which were...

1. Cow Dairy Products
2. Yeast
3. Chocolate (NOOOOOOOOOO!!!)
   
4. House Dust (Damn!)
5. Cats (awkward, we have 3)
6. Dog
7. Mixed grasses
8. Potato (mild, allowed rarely)
9. Ethanol (drinking alcohol, see chocolate for my reaction)

As a vegetarian, and just a couple of weeks before Christmas this has made meal times very complicated in our house.

Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

We have tried sheep or goat milk and cheese but to be honest they taste like a warm wet sheep (or so I would imagine, not ACTUALLY having tried one), so it has been rice or soya milk for Picklesdad. The rest of us have stuck with cow, thank you very much.

Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

The yeast is proving the hardest as not only is it in all bread type products (withe the exception of some tortilla wraps) it also covers Marmite (NOOOOOOO, again), mushrooms, vinegars, some fruits which apparently have some on their skins and as an additive (yeast extract) in numerous foods.

So for Picklesdad it has meant avoiding lot sof his favourite foods, and for me it has meant rethinking nearly every meal we have ever eaten. I think though that we are eating better as a result, many more fresh foods and Picklesdad is feeling that it is helping.

A fairy has been.....

Yes, a Ruby fairy has been to our village and left presents for those of us who live here.

Am I one of the first to get a copy of Ruby's special delivery? I think I am! I found my copy in the post office, but then there were more in the Co-Op too!

Well done Ruby and 21st Century Mummy, it looks fantastic.

This just gets worse......

I know the picture isn't great, but you can get the general idea from it. Even with bunches (one side, slightly thicker than the other) Pickle STILL manages to twiddle. A small strand of hair had fallen down after school and she managed to twiddle it into a beautiful, fine TIGHT knot.

AAAAAAARGH!

Guess what I found.....?

Lurking, under the television unit in the living room, was a TWIDDLE! I don't know how long it had been there, or if it was before or after the mittens, but I am not happy with Pickle!

My latest buy on EBAY....

For the bargain price of £3.89 including postage, I have bought Pickle 4 pairs of magic mittens, from someone on Ebay, not for those cold winter days at school, but to wear in bed.

Yes, Pickle is a twiddler. A hair twiddler. She will twiddle day and night if given half a chance. About a year ago, before the night mittens, the left side of her hair was so much shorter then the right side and had bald patches in.
She twiddles the hair into such a fine, tight knot, gets her finger stuck, then......PULLS the finger out taking the knot with it.
She wears the mittens at night, as they are more effective than gloves.

Does anyone have any ideas as how I can stop Pickle twiddling? It had started to grow back, but the twiddling is returning.
She is happy during the day and seems to twiddle to relax rather than be worried about anything.

Is this a compliment?

On Jo B's blog, she had taken an online test to see 'What Age Do You Act?', hers had come out exactly right...mine however.....

You Act Like You Are 17 Years Old

You are a teenager at heart. You don't quite feel like a grown up yet, but you don't feel like a kid. You question authority and are still trying to find your place in this world. You're quite rebellious, and you don't like being told what to do. You like to do things your way. You have your own unique style, taste in music, and outlook on life.

What Age Do You Act?

Hhhhhhmmmmm? So I act half the age I actually am (less a tiny bit more too), is this a compliment? I am thinking probably not. But it is very acurate!

Watch Out Nigella....

Watch out Nigella, Picklessister has discovered the joy of 'COOKING'! Now at Middle School Picklessister is a few weeks into the 'Food' block of her ADT subject. It was affectionately known as 'Home Ec' in my day.

Week 1 - Toast, yes my daughter was taught how to cook toast.
Week 2 - Cheese on Toast - Slightly more challenging.
Week 3 - Spaghetti Hoops and Toast - Spaghetti Hoops? Are they kidding?
Week 4 - Bread and Butter Pudding - That's more like it.
Week 5 - Flapjacks -Woo Hoo!

Each week the ingredients have to be weighed out and packaged up AT HOME. Surely this should be a part of the lesson, not to be dumped on Mum at the last minute.?

I helped Picklessister to weigh the ingredients for flapjacks, which then got her in the mood to cook right there and then, so with Pickle happily playing Sims 2 on the PC, Picklessister and I cooked.



This is the Quorn Lasagne she made by herself (I only took it out of the oven for her). It was delicious.



This is the bread and butter pudding which she made on her own ( I broke an egg for her ). It tasted lovely as well.

Both were a little high in fat, so this morning it is onto the healthy breakfast, I am trying some cereal called 'just right', (other healthy cereals are available).



Now forgive me but I think it looks like the sweepings off the factory floor. There are tiny broken bits of cornflakes, odd pieces of rolled oats, sultanas, dried fruit, nuts, and some pieces I have yet to identify. I can't bear milk on my cereal so it is hard work to eat but does actually taste quite nice.

I wonder if it will see me through till lunchtime though?

**Leaves computer to make coffee**

An important step in Pickle's Life

Pickle is LOVING school (3 days in) and yesterday was given her first reading book.

Nowadays we don't have Janet and John books (I never did personally) or Dick, Dora, Fluff and Nip books (These were at my school) now we have Kipper, Biff, Chip and FLOPPY (a dog).

As you can see the plot is thrilling!! But seriously, it is amazing to listen to Pickle actually reading to me. I look forward to Floppy's next adventure.

It seems like only yesterday....♦

1734 days ago




Pickle made her entrance into the world.

TOMORROW

She starts full time school.

Where did those 1734 days go???

New Year♦

Why oh why do I do the same EVERY year? That is buy too many 'goodies' to eat, then not let ANYONE touch them till the afternoon of Christmas Eve at the very earliest.

Now I am left 3 days into January with boxes of biscuits, chocolates, crisps etc. that still need eating up when it is JANUARY and I should be on another diet.

PANTS!

I am also a little concerned that 21st Century Mummy and Ruby are both gleefully blogging about their children going back to school today, when I am SURE that Pickle and Picklesister don't go back until Monday 7th January.

I can see the school from our house and there are lights on, but I am hoping it is a PD day for the teachers and not a back to school day.

Someone from either the primary or middle school would have phoned by now if they were supposed to be at school today?

Wouldn't they???