So, here is the update on my supposed dairy allergy. As you can see, I am enjoying a Brandy Alexander on a recent Birthday celebration. By chance I was listening to a program on Public Radio where they were talking about studies of taking calcium supplements and how it can affect some people's digestive system. Well, I have been on Calcium since my doctors have been prescribing it for many years, as they do most women. I stopped taking the supplement and BINGO, I can now eat dairy with no problems! I could have possibly gone the rest of my life, not realizing it was the calcium supplement and not the dairy!

Birthday gift from Granddaughter Leta!
So, for my birthday last week, My daughter and family come over and she has a present which she quickly explains was Leta's idea. She said Leta (8 years old) knew right away what to get me for a BD present, because "Grandma loves Barbie's" which is so, so true! I still have my original Barbie and the dream house and 2 suitcases full of clothes and Ken, Midge and skipper! Probably THE most fun toys I had and I always wanted Barbie stuff for presents! My BFF Laurie and I would haul our stuff between our houses and set it all up in a bedroom and play for hours! Wish there was video of that!
Well, Leta and I had to play Barbies of course, so I got out a fairly recent 14 years ago, "Gift shop Barbie" that Rich gave me for our first Christmas while dating. My co-workers at Conkey's bookstore used to call me that. Leta was gift shop Barbie and I was Holiday Barbie pretending to be buying a holiday dress. My Barbie to her Barbie, "So what do you think of this dress." Her Barbie, "Oh that is really beautiful" On it went choosing a purse and jewelry to go with the dress, until we became best friends! My Barbie said "we should hang out together", her Barbie paused and said "Well, you won't be able to come to my house, because my parents are alcoholics, and they smoke cigarettes and my dad was in prison!" Imagine my Barbies shock to hear this about her new friend! My Barbie asked her if she wanted to stay with her family because her mother was awesome and made her favorite meals all the time and her dad was great and took her to movies and bought her the biggest box of popcorn. My Barbie said, "why don't you call your parents and ask them if you can stay with us?" Her Barbie says, "Well, I don't think I'll ask my parents, I think I'll call my Grandma instead?" LOL! The most fun ever!

lately I've been obsessing about being closer to age 60. Quite a few people I know have died recently at the age of 83. So let's just say that I live to be 83 if I'm lucky. That gives me 23 years left to live. I've got to really live! The thing that I want to do is travel! I really wish I could sell all of my possessions, my house and travel in a motor home! I'd stop someplace that I liked and hang out until I felt like going someplace else. This has always been my dream!

Food

This is really troubling, but as I get older, I have more issues with food. I won't get into any details of the issues, you can well imagine and perhaps have these issues yourself. See my profile picture with that giant Brandy Alexander? Well, that was the end of my dairy eating days, when I discovered that was causing the problem all along. It is very difficult to have a food allergy. Particularly when going out to eat. I can only eat at places that make everything by scratch. Usually olive oil can be substituted for butter. No cheese of course. That is hard especially being from Wisconsin! OH, and I am also allergic to nuts, but not peanuts, have been all my life, so I am totally used to this lifestyle. Now I've discovered that I am having issues with spicy foods! UGH! What next? Chocolate?

Yesterday I used a gift certificate for a haircut and color from my step-son's girlfriend, Gwen. I usually go to a beauty shop school and stick with a student until she graduates, then get a new one. Well, when you go to a professional, it is definitely a better job! My hair looks great! Gwen is a very hip, younger than me, gal with some pretty groovy tattoos, and I was telling her that I've wanted to get the Barbie logo put on me somewhere, but can't think of a good place. Well, she came right up with a place. The inside of my wrist. She also said to make sure I go to a tattoo artist who does good script work. She knows one. So, now it's just coming up with the guts to do it! And then the colors! Or maybe I'll just get a bracelet made with the Barbie logo on it that I can take off! That almost sounds like a better solution! Ha!