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View Full Version : Homeward Bound...ideas and tips



Autumn
04-28-2005, 11:13 PM
Hi all,

I am leaving in a few days to go home for a visit. Yiiiiiiiiiipppppppeeeeeeeee!!! I haven't seen my baby sister, brothers or grandmother for a year and a half. Mom and Dad were here in October, but that is STILL too long to go without seeing my parents. (Am I a baby, or what?!) We are surprising Mommy for Mother's Day, plus we'll see my brand-new nephew, and then we're having a big family barbecue at which my siblings and I are presenting my parents with their 40th anniversary present- a trip to Disney World for the 12 immediate family members next spring. This visit is going to be so much FUN! :D

Nowwwwwwww, the hard part - staying raw in Cheesteak Country, Hoagie Heaven, Pizza Paradise. Trips to the Italian Market are referred as "going to the Market" since we go so often. Antipasta, cannolis, etc. etc. (And no, my family would have no desire whatsover to try the raw counterparts.) I would consider myself lucky if I were to keep completely vegan during the week I'm there, but I want to be as raw as possible. The trip up, by car, usually included stops at various fast-food dumps. This year, I made a list to take dates, carrots, celery sticks, cauliflower pieces, bananas, apples, oranges, grapes and raw bars for the ride. My parents aren't big on breakfast, so no trouble there, I'll just eat fruit. I forget if they have a blender, but if they do, I'll make some smoothies. If not, I'll just eat a couple pieces of fruit. Lunch will start the temptation, because my hubby will start his pursuit of "The Big Three" - a foot-long cheesesteak, a foot-long hoagie, and a super-sized meat lovers' pizza. Dinner is mostly Italian, with pastas, veal, coldcuts, gelati, cannolis. My mom also prepares a lot of seafood dishes.

I seriously doubt that I will be tempted by the non-vegan foods, but I'm worried about the bread and pastas and of course, the desserts. I'm not asking for recipes or substitutions, (I know what I can do to substitute) just prayers and wishes of good luck!!! LOL!

Did I mention again how excited I am to see my family??? :D :D :D If you see her, don't tell my mom, it's a suprise. She looks like this: :D

RawTruth
04-28-2005, 11:30 PM
Do you have a southern accent now to surprise them with? LOL. I remember when I lived in the South how I thought at first that everyone was part of an elaborate joke on me -- with their "fake" accents. Ha!! Yeah, the joke was on me! I was young and naive and couldn't imagine anyone speaking other than in "accent-less" Californian English!

Hey, when I visited 400 miles away last month, I took my blender with me. And a cooler filled with lettuces and veggies. And a container of my crackers/breads. And a jar of almond butter. The cooler was mostly because I didn't want to leave a fridge full of good produce to rot in my absence; I could have easily just bought stuff there if I'd planned ahead to run low on groceries before I left. Then, I just fixed my own eats when they were fixing theirs and we all sat down together -- it didn't detract from the togetherness at all. I didn't try to win them over at all - so we had a great time visiting.

I know you aren't asking for suggestions. I'm just sharing!! And hoping you'll have a great time. Sounds like you're really close to your family. What a gift!

VeganVixen
04-28-2005, 11:40 PM
hee hee autumn I think your moms been around here!!!!

I wont tell -scouts honor!

lol rt ,I consider myself SO lucky to be accentless in texas!!!!!!!

Autumn
04-28-2005, 11:47 PM
I try very hard to keep my native tongue. :D My family says that I am "slipping" on some words-like "home" and "school". Hrmph! I even go out of my way to call groups of women here, "youse guys" and greet friends with a hearty, "YO!" :D

RT, that's what I plan on doing. Just fixing my meals and sitting down with the rest of them and trying to ignore the things being passed around in front of me! Hopefully I'll be so full with my own food that I won't even be tempted. Almond butter! Thanks for the reminder. I must add that to my list.

RawTruth
04-28-2005, 11:51 PM
I also took plenty of sweet treats so I could stick them in my mouth when they were having dessert (which was always my favorite part of the meal!). Oh! And I froze bananas as soon as I got there so I could have that orgasmic ice cream as one of my desserts. Turned out to have it every day!

Revvell
04-29-2005, 06:28 AM
Best wishes on your journey and remember the FUDGE!!!! :D

Revvell

joy
04-29-2005, 10:30 AM
Travel is the hardest part of being raw for me, and I'll be taking a short trip this weekend, so my thoughts are with you!

I made a kind of energy bar in preparation. It had:
cashews
almonds (soaked, then dehydrated)
raisins
dates
figs
nutmeg
cloves
ginger
allspice
pepper
orange zest
vanilla

Improper food combining, I know, but it's better than a quesadilla. And my husband is taking me out for a raw meal, which will make things much easier ;)

SimplyRawesome
04-29-2005, 11:20 AM
Do you have a southern accent now to surprise them with? LOL.
ROFLMAO!!! NOT!!! She sounds like a pure-bred, sexy Yankee from New Yawk!!! (even though she's from PA).

Hi Autumn!!! xoxoxoxox

Autumn
04-29-2005, 11:56 AM
*THUD*

Thanks you sexy thang you!

RawTruth
04-29-2005, 05:33 PM
NutriMom!! I'd been wondering what happened to you -- even mentioned it in a private email today. You were so active when I first joined this board in January. I hope your raw journey has continued ... I enjoyed so many of your posts (and my tattoos tingled in acknowledgement when the subject turned to body art!) :D :D

Okay, Autumn, the pic's back -- at least for now -- just for you.

VeganVixen
04-29-2005, 05:46 PM
I LLLLLOOOOOVVVVVVEEEE your pic ,your like a pretty raw greeter ,Its SO welcoming!!

Autumn
04-29-2005, 06:01 PM
Thanks RT!! WHY on earth you'd want to take it down is beyond me! You look just bursting with sunshine and fun and all that happy stuff!! VV is right-you could be this happy, smiling, joy-filled poster child for raw!

RawTruth
04-29-2005, 07:43 PM
Oh, my. Aw, shucks!! JUST what I needed! I've been kinda stuck in that self-critical, comparing, down kinda place. I've been doing affirmations like crazy. But, sometimes, it helps to hear others besides just my own voice. Sad but true!

Actually, I'd pulled the picture because I had a wave of paranoia about the "old" stalker even though it's been quiet on that front for about 2 years. I just started feeling very vulnerable. I'd been pretty careful about not divulging identifying info here. I try to listen to my instincts, and, at that point, they told me to remove it. But, now, it feels safe. And, ya know, there just comes to be a point where I say **** it! I'm not gonna keep on hiding.

So!!! Since I decided to start posting again, also, I figured .... why not.

Thanks for the feedback, ladies. I've always wanted Autumn's red hair, though. Wanna trade for naturally curly brunette?

SimplyRawesome
04-29-2005, 10:48 PM
NutriMom!! I'd been wondering what happened to you -- even mentioned it in a private email today. You were so active when I first joined this board in January. I hope your raw journey has continued ... I enjoyed so many of your posts (and my tattoos tingled in acknowledgement when the subject turned to body art!) :D :D

Okay, Autumn, the pic's back -- at least for now -- just for you.
Hi RawTruth! I've been hanging our with truckers! LOL!!! Actually, I'm waitressing trying to earn the money for my bike! That leaves little time for the computer. Thanks for missing me!! I'm almost ready for my next tatt!! ;)

Just seems like the raw food lifestyle doesn't really go hand-in-hand with body art! Whaddya think?!!! :rolleyes:

Hey Autumn ... the last few times I travelled, I brought bananas and dates and raw almond butter. It wasn't the easiest thing to do, but I'd cut my bananas in half and put the raw almond butter on the cut side of the banana, then cut my dates lengthwise and place them along the banana. Then I'd munch on them. Kinda like ants on a stick (celery with raisins) except that these are more like roaches on a log. LMAO!!! hee hee hee....

For easier snacks .... grapes and apples. Ya know, easy stuff!! Also, sunflower seeds go everywhere with me. I buy the snack size plastic bags and put about 1/2 cup of sunflower seeds in each one. Sometimes I mix in cut up dried apricots and raisins. Then there's always baby carrots.

Four more days and off you go! That's going to be one heck of a drive, ya know! Ya'll be careful.