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Happy Saturday! This week feels like it kind of went by in a whirlwind. Isn’t it strange how when you’re older life does that?
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Tony and I have been feeling kind of clunky the past two weeks so that has put a damper on things. Then, a couple of days ago I ended up with shingles. I haven’t had them in over a year and was really hoping that virus had gone dormant for good. Lyme Disease taxes the immune system and the reality is that along with it comes other unpleasant things. Throw in a little life stress and it’s the perfect storm.
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I’m not one to lie in bed sick unless I’m very, very, sick. I have a high tolerance for pain and illness. Not that I’m “special” or anything, I think that I’m just used to it, and I cannot stand being cooped up. So I’ve taken epsom salt baths, rested when I needed to, taken ibuprofen, slathered the shingles with Carmex (I’ve found it works great for pain and healing) and got on with life.
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I think that’s important when you have a chronic illness…the getting on with life part. I can choose to not do it, or I can choose to do it sick. So most of the time, I choose to do it sick and try my hardest to keep a positive attitude. Biscuits help.
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My husband was home a few more days than usual this week, which was nice. Thursday afternoon we drove to Steptoe Butte State Park so he could go hang gliding.
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He hasn’t been able to go much in the past two years so it’s important that he keeps up his skills.
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Checking the wind speed and gusts.
Plus, we pay $5,000 extra per year on his life insurance policy because of the hang gliding. Go ahead and gasp, I did. And then some.
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So the goal is to get enough flights in every year to make it worth that ridiculous clause in his policy, not to mention the expense of the gear.
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Takes about 30 minutes to set up the hang glider.
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My job is to help stabilize it now and then while he’s setting up so it doesn’t blow away. Then, when he’s ready for take off, I also need to help keep it balanced. The last time (my first time) we did this, it was gusty and the wind kept picking me up off the ground while I was trying to hold the hang glider down. We ended up having to scrap it because it was just too difficult and the weather was dangerous. Very nerve-wracking and made me question his sanity. But this time things went much more smoothly.
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High tech wind direction equipment.
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One last check for the best place to take off.
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Suited up and ready. There’s a parachute in the pack on his chest in case of an emergency.
I was shocked at how fast the wind took him up! I had planned to get step by step photos of his take off but before I knew it he was flying around.
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It wasn’t a too lengthy a flight this time because there wasn’t enough lift, but it was perfect for his first flight of the season. He had a safe landing, which is the important part. We ran out of time and wind for him to make another flight so we headed the hour and a half drive home so he could pack for another flight (on a plane) to LA the next day. He had been feeling wonky all day and unfortunately, some bug really got a hold of him because he was violently ill all night before his flight to California. Being the person he is, he mustered the energy to get on that plane Friday morning, and I don’t know how he did it.
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I would have been terrified I’d have to throw up in front of people. A lesson for the rest of us…stock up on immune boosting aids when you get on a plane because you never know what someone is bringing on board.
But, one must earn a paycheck, so off he went.
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Romeo and Abigail had great fun running around in the field while Tony packed up the glider.
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I woke to Abigail’s feet in my face and song birds chirping this morning. We’ve been guaranteed to have a beautiful day and the next 10 days are supposed to be in the 60’s. Spring is early this year and you won’t get any complaints about that from me. I thought I would start the morning off with a batch of grain free biscuits. I had such luck with the first batch, I decided to experiment with another one.
And now I’m off to sun myself on the patio. Blue skies and sunshine. Food for the soul!
Grain Free Biscuits
*Makes 4 biscuits
1/2 Cup Coconut Flour
1/8 Cup Arrowroot
1 teaspoon Double Acting Baking Powder
1/8 teaspoon Sea Salt
1 Tablespoon Coconut Sugar
6 Tablespoons Cold Dairy Free Butter
3 Large Eggs, separated
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Measure all the dry ingredients into a medium bowl and whisk to combine. Measure the butter, and work through quickly with your fingers until it has a somewhat large mealy texture.
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With a mixer and whisk attachment, whisk the egg whites on high until frothy and doubled in size, just before they hit soft peak stage. Add the yolks and whisk until thoroughly combined, about 20 seconds. Pour the egg mixture on top of the flour mixture.
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Fold with a spatula, just until combined.
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At this point you will say, “April, there’s no way this runny mixture is going to turn into biscuit batter”, but it does. Let it sit for 5 minutes. Line a small baking sheet with parchment paper. Use a 1/4 cup measuring cup or scoop to scoop out four biscuits.
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Bake for 17 minutes.
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Allow to cool for 20-30 minutes. They’re a bit fragile when they come out. You could probably safely cut them while warm after 15 minutes.
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Grain Free Frosted Blueberry Orange Biscuits
1 Cup Coconut Flour
1/3 Cup Arrowroot
1/3 Cup Sweet Potato Flour
1/4 Cup Coconut Sugar
1 Tablespoon Double Acting Baking Powder
1 1/2 teaspoons Baking Soda
1/4 teaspoon Sea Salt
1/2 teaspoon Xanthan Gum
1/2 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
3/4 Cup Cold Dairy Free Butter
2 Eggs, separated
Zest of 1 Medium Orange
Juice of 1 Medium Orange (1/4 Cup)
1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
1 1/2 Cups Frozen Blueberries
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a pie dish with parchment paper and spray (under and over).
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Measure all dry ingredients into a medium bowl and whisk. Measure butter. Work through with fingers quickly until combined and mealy.
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Whisk eggs in a stand mixer until they reach soft peak. Add egg yolks and whisk to combine. Add zest and orange juice.
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Pour we ingredients over dry ingredients. Fold just until combined.
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Quickly fold in frozen blueberries just until combined. The blueberries will stiffen the batter if you take it too slowly.
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With a 1/4 inch scoop, generously scoop 9 biscuits from the batter into the prepared pan starting in the middle.
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Bake for 27 minutes. You may have to lay a piece of tin foil over them the last 10 minutes.
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In a small bowl melt 1 Tablespoon of dairy free butter. Add the juice of 1/2 orange and 1 Cup of corn free powdered sugar. Stir until combined.
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Drizzle over the biscuits once they have cooled for 15 minutes.
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Allow to cool completely before serving.
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