Wednesday, October 2, 2019

We Go To Monticello


Lily and Jessie and I decided to go to Monticello today and thank god. I woke up late, disoriented and already frustrated and angry from my dreams. I needed desperately to get out of the house and into a world with grandchildren.
I got a few chores done and put on a dress and Jessie and her boys picked me up and we drove to Monticello. Jessie said that August had been talking about Terez, the librarian there for weeks and we hoped he would be there. And he was. August, despite his interest in Terez, had already made a plan that he would go directly to the kids' computers but we convinced him to stop at the desk and say hello to Mr. Terez and he did and then he flew to the computers. Jessie and Levon followed and Levon was shy and hid behind his mother's legs but came out soon enough to also sit at a computer. Terez seemed very happy to see us. He is just the nicest guy. Six foot five he is and merry as can be. One of his old elementary school teachers was there and he told us that when he was little all of the kids had loved her because she had a pair of sunglasses that when she flipped them up on to her head, became Micky Mouse ears. "She says she still has them!" he said.
Oh, the power of the fun teacher.
When Lily and Maggie got there, Maggie also became shy. She was wearing a magnificent princess dress with a headpiece that someone had passed down to her with the sparkly shoes I got her when we went school shopping for the boys. She, too, hid behind her mama's legs but Terez went and found her a sequined slap bracelet from the toy box to give to her and she melted and said, "Thank-you," very sweetly.
There was computer time for the kids. August especially loved the games. He doesn't have games like that at home so he was fascinated and all in. He got onto a game where he had to put the internal organs into a human form and bewilderingly, he knew where so many of them went and even knew a lot of their names. Maggie wandered into the book room and stepped behind the little puppet theater prop but instead of a theater, it was her store.


She sold books. Levon and I bought them. Levon found truck books on his own and we looked at those. He even took one to the desk and handed it to the lady behind it. "He loves trucks," explained August. 
This is most definitely true. 
Maggie wanted me to read her some books and of course I did. She crawled up on my lap and cuddled me and we read a few. There was a scavenger hunt where Terez gave us a sheet of paper with Halloween things printed on it that were all hidden in the two kid rooms and if they were all found, a reward in the form of a piece of candy was given. All of the ghosts and spiders and witches were found and candy handed out and the children were in heaven. Terez offered candy to mamas and grandma, too. We spent some time talking to him today. He is twenty-eight years old and he goes on annual trips with his mother's church group. Or possibly grandmother's- I can't remember. But they went to NYC this year and they've been to Washington, DC and Chicago and all sorts of places. I love the thought of Terez on a tour with a bunch of older ladies. I bet they love him to pieces. He is so kind. 

We pretty much took over the kids' section of the library and had to do quite a bit of tidying before we left. Everyone told Mr. Terez "Good-bye! Good-bye!" and he said, "Come back soon!" and we said, "Oh, we will."
The joy of a small town. 

And then we drove around the courthouse and parked and walked to the Rev, where we like to have our lunch. Not only is the food very good but if we eat on the porch the children can play with the large blocks and perhaps more importantly, Levon can see all of the trucks and tractors and heavy equipment that make their way down the road that circles the courthouse. Which is a LOT.



We love how the kids just immediately jump into building and they seem to be very good at teamwork, working together to make tall stacks or long roadways. 
At one point, we spied three huge trucks hauling flatbeds with absolutely massive dirt and whatever-moving vehicles on them and Levon almost lost his mind. He pointed both of his arms straight out, his pointer fingers extended and squealed with joy. It was not unlike a true-believer witnessing the second-coming of Christ. 
He was en-Raptured. 
Wiki Stix were played with. 


Jessie is taking part in a study with the AIP diet which you can read about here. I am not certain that the link truly explains what the diet is but it gives the basics. It's a diet to try and heal the gut and improve the microbiome to reduce inflammation in auto-immune diseases which she does suffer from. It sounds like a really serious study and there are several stages to it, explicit instructions, blood work, and so on. This is the week that the participants are getting their pantries and mindsets together to truly being prepared so Jessie is eating all of the grains and goodies that she will soon be eliminating from her diet now. The portion of the diet which is most restrictive will last for six weeks and then foods will be introduced back very, very slowly and responses recorded. So it's not a forever thing. 
I truly admire and respect her for doing this. She's been trying on her own for some time to do essentially the same thing but this will be a much more controlled and supported effort. It's not easy. No alcohol, coffee, grains, sugar, commercially processed seeds, dairy, nightshade vegetables, and so forth. Even the spices she uses will be defined and restricted. But how worth it it will all be if her pain and skin problems abate! She suffers and has suffered her entire life. 
Vergil is very supportive of this effort and of course her entire family is. So today, as we ate we talked about it all. If I were a great mama, I would do it with her (some of the subjects' mothers are!) but I'm just not that dedicated. It will be very difficult for her to eat in restaurants because even if what she orders is within the protocol, there is no guarantee that what she gets will actually be free of what she needs to avoid. 
But she can do this and we can help her. 
I'm proud of that girl. 

After lunch Jessie brought me home and I didn't have the energy to do a damn thing but sit on the couch, watch some TV and do a little stitching and then I took a nap. On these days when my mind goes to places that are murky and deep and dark, my body follows with its own pains and fatigue. The mind/body connection is no stranger to me. 
Yes. I should probably do that diet. 
To be frank, I am not strong enough. 
My entire life has been spent denying myself foods that I love and flirting with eating disorders and not eating when I'm hungry and following programs- even healthy ones!- that I can no longer seem to gin up any interest in doing anymore. I used to do it to be thin and beautiful. 
I am not thin. I am not beautiful. Not anymore. 
But I can eat cheese. 

And so I'm going to go make some shrimp and grits. 

That's it from Lloyd today. 

Oh! One more picture. 


Maggie had taken off her beautiful flowered and pearled headpiece and August gladly put it on. Can you see the beautiful bracelet that Terez gave to her? Aren't they beautiful children?
I think so. 
I am so grateful for them in my life. 
As always. 

Love...Ms. Moon




22 comments:

  1. I love your kid pictures and how Maggie and August share that head piece. I also love that you have family outings to your library and enjoy your librarian so much. I wish more people did. Best of luck to Jessie. I hope the diet helps.

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    1. August has absolutely no preconceptions about what boys should or should not wear. Or do, for that matter. And that thrills me to pieces. I don't think that Maggie does either although I will say that she does love to be fancy. The important thing is that they are both strong and sure of of themselves.
      And they are.

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  2. I admire Jessie so much for entering on that diet. I know she will stick it to the end and be happy she did. I know twp woman who went through the elimination, addition cycle, and are so happy the went through and know what not to eat anymore, and how to cook what they do eat.
    That last picture is priceless. Little Levon is 110% his age group, August is eyeing Maggie quizzically, and Maggie is contemplating her next move. Levon is the best!

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    1. Oh, she'll stick with it. She did a very strict diet some years ago for the same problem and she stuck with that although it was difficult. Really difficult. Let's hope this shows some results.
      Levon is a hoot and a half as we say around here. Surprisingly, August was really into hugging Maggie for the picture. As we all know, it's usually Maggie being the one who wants to hug. She's sort of going through a I-don't-want-my-picture-made stage so this photo was very special.

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  3. My husband who has celiac but never knew for the first 40 years of his life (but has been pain free almost for the last ten years)because of his diet brings his own food to the restaurant. Nobody cares and he just doesn't make a big deal about it. It is either that or he doesn't eat which he is ok with...a slip up is just not worth it. Needless to say, we don't go out much but it is so worth it.

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    1. That's a pretty awesome point- you CAN bring your own food if others are eating from the restaurant menu. I have a friend with celiac and a few weeks ago she ordered a gluten-free pizza at a restaurant where she's eaten for many years with no problem and they screwed up. Within a bite, she was deathly ill and had to go to the hospital. She's okay but that shit is scary.

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  4. yes, I do agree, those children are indeed the most beautiful. such a lovely day- the best!Experimental diets can be such a life saver! The AIP sounds very strict but is not forever- the keto diet for Mr. Man is a forever diet for him. I just eat everything and will likely pay big time in a few years.

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    1. I keep thinking I should try Keto. But I love my grains and I love bread. I love it all! Sugar is really not a priority for me anymore but beans and grains definitely are. Sigh...

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  5. Grandchildren are such a blessing! I wish I could have seen Levon when he saw those trucks - how adorable! I love how you are able to spend time with your kids and grandkids!

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    1. I wish I could have video'd Levon when those trucks went by but it happened so fast. He was beyond excited.
      And yes, I do so love to spend time with my kids and grands. They are a huge part of my life, my sanity, my heart.

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  6. Wow. That looks like an intense diet. I passed the link on to Dave, thinking he might be interested for his Crohn's, but honestly it looks so restrictive I can't imagine him taking it on. We'll see.

    Terez sounds like a gem. Glad you got to spend time with him and the grandkids! Those are some SERIOUS building blocks.

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    1. I like the idea that Jessie's in a study with very specific guidelines about not only eliminating things from her diet but carefully adding them back. And there is a lot of support, not only from the people who are doing the study but from the participants. I think that's going to be really helpful.
      Terez is a beautiful soul. And yeah- those building blocks ARE serious. The kids love them.

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  7. That last picture, frame that one. What a lovely sounding day you had. I should look at that diet, too, as I have inflammation for sure (or is it just arthritis? maybe the same thing?) and autoimmune thyroid issues. But honestly, I don't think I could give up cheese.

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    1. Cheese. It's the food of the gods in all its forms from the most sophisticated cave-aged to Velveeta, which isn't really cheese but I love it. Not that I ever eat it but I want to be able to if I really want it.
      It's a hard thing to decide whether or not results are worth the sacrifices.

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  8. I couldn't do that diet either. I'm a picky eater and having to cut out large swaths of things I will eat wouldn't work. And I am not willing to give up sugar or baked goods. A life without cookies, no thanks.

    I'm glad you had a good day, and your grandkids look like they had a wonderful day. Sending hugs.

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    1. Sugar isn't a big deal to me anymore but there are plenty of other things that would be eliminated that are. I know exactly what you mean.
      I think the grands had a good day too.
      Hugging you back!

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  9. our food is so adulterated, stripped of everything good about it, refined to within an inch of its life, GMO frankenfood, so many chemicals and fake colors and fake flavors and sugar in everything it's not surprising that so many people have autoimmune problems. humans simply did not evolve eating this shit. I count myself exceedingly lucky to be free of such.

    always a good day with the family. my youngest grandgirl who is 18! is coming out Sunday to spend a few days.

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    1. You're right. And I feel so guilty about whatever it was that I ate when I was pregnant with Jessie and what I fed her as a child to cause all of these problems. But obviously- I had no idea that I could possibly be causing her problems for life. And her aunt has auto-immune stuff going on too so that may be part of it- genetics. Who knows? We just don't yet.
      I can't wait to hear about your granddaughter's visit. I know it's going to be lovely.

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  10. The thing I don't understand about leaky gut is if you're allowing food to leak, are you not leaking all contents of the bowel? Why doesn't this result in peritonitis? I do hope it helps. I would have a hard time with no cheese.

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    1. I do not know but I think it's more on a microscopic level.
      No cheese/ no good.
      Although I have given it up before. And after awhile I suppose it was okay.

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  11. Good luck to Jessie with her diet, it's fantastic that she has the strength of mind to do it. I know that motivation is a huge factor in deciding to do difficult stuff. The question is why we lose motivation so often. Once I've solved that I'll be flying! Your grandkids are absolutely lovely and having the chance to participate in their innocent little world - what a privilege.

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    1. I think we lose motivation because the reward of eating food that we love is so immediate whereas the sacrificing of it is not so immediately obvious. Or something like that.
      You are completely right about the privilege of being able to participate in this stage of my grandchildren's lives. It's amazing.

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