I can relate to a place like this. (I'm speaking of Portland, Oregon of course). When I was 10 years old I got my first paper route (because that was what a responsible young man did then in 1958). Then I remember working all sorts of places after school, summers and weekends. And by the time I was 21 I was exhausted from all the jobs of being overworked and underpaid and mistreated and I too was ready to retire. So, I understand this point of view.
Yesterday, my daughter and her boyfriend (mid 20s) took me to a gluten free restaurant there in what they described as:'the Haight Ashbury section of Portland'. So, as we got out of the car someone was growing things in their median strips outside their home. A well shaped lady in her late 40s or early 50s was gardening outside on her median strips in a Bikini bathing suit. I thought how amazing both her being in a bathing suit and growing things in her median strips out passed the sidewalk was. My daughter's boyfriend said how people do this all over Portland and some people even grow grape arbors in their median strips. I was amazed that the city lets them do this. However, if the city agrees to this sort of thing people can grow food to share with each other and to live. So, I think this is an idea that will spread across the country in time.
Then we went to a Gluten Free Restaurant to order Scrambled Eggs with Cheese and I got some meat sausage because the vege links had gluten in them. As the obviously gay waiter brought my breakfast and then came back he said, "How's your sausage?" I said, "Great!" But then I realized it was a joke and at first I didn't know what to feel until I realized, "Wasn't it great that he felt safe enough in this environment to say that?" Though I'm straight and always have been I was happy that he was comfortable enough to say something like that to a total stranger without fear for his life in an other environment.
Then I ate the buckwheat gluten free pankcake and it was amazing and dark brown and unlike anything I have ever eaten before with real butter and real maple syrup. Also, I discovered at Whole Foods when we were getting snacks to go to Bagby Natural Hot Springs that there is a gluten free protein Bar there called Kit's that comes in several flavors so if you are allergic to gluten you can eat that instead of other protein bars. I always ate Cliff Bars before to keep my blood sugar in balance when out hiking for 4 to 6 hours without a restaurant or market nearby. So, now I have a replacement for the Cliff Bars. But, someone mentioned that possibly Cliff is making or will make a Gluten Free Bar as well.
Even at the Imax where we saw Iron Man 3 last night I noticed that Robert Downey Jr. Asked for a Gluten free meal during the movie. So, everyone is starting to recognize that 40% of the human race is allergic to gluten in wheat, barley and oats to a greater or lesser degree.
I would say discovering I'm allergic to gluten has probably added 20 years to my life. I probably wouldn't be comfortable traveling alone and visiting my daughter otherwise so far away from my home in California. And since discovering I was hypothyroid also added 20 years to my life when I was 58, I'm doing pretty good right now for 65. If you want to keep going passed 50 you have to stay very adaptable in your mind and in relation to your body or soon you will be gone. So, I write here and I pray and do all I can to keep myself and everyone I know functioning okay and healthy. Traveling is good too, especially now the weather is nice on the west coast. It keeps a person having to constantly adapt to new and different situations so it keeps you sharp in mind and body and spirit.
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