Close Encounter Experiences

aklap · Joined: 02 Oct 2004 Posts: 10612 Location: WI, USA

Close Encounter Experiences

This thread is for those of us that met up along the way. Any Close Encounter we experience with another board member "requires" a photo(s) and a little story.
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Al

“We cannot all do great things, but we can do small things with great love.” Mother Teresa

aklap · Joined: 02 Oct 2004 Posts: 10612 Location: WI, USA

Wow - I'm surprised the others hadn't post out here already!

When: August 4th, 2006
Where: Deby's Gluten Free Bakery & Cafe, Denver CO
Who (R to L): Heather (5150) holding Renee, Jessica, Laura (TenKLady), Al (aklap), Monica (owner of Deby's)
Why: We were attending my neice's wedding in CO and Deby's was on the way! Luckily Laura & Jessica [with the rest of their family], and Heather & Renee [with hubby in tow], were kind enough to take time out of their busy schedules to meet myself, Peg & my mother at Deby's.

It was great to finally meet some of you in person! Everyone was so nice. Even though you share your story thru written words, it's nice to be able to physically hear the stories from those that lived it. Monica's stories about Deby [her daughter], were just amazing. Deby had a lot of neurological issues resolve after removing gluten & casein. Laura and her gastro's appointment...ugghhh. Jessica being a lovely young lady, was shy and quiet, but we did get to hear her speak a few times. Smile

Even though Renee is too young to verbally share her story, her actions speak very loudly!! It was great to see this very happy, very adorable, and very well behaved child coloring while we waited for our food. What a doll!! Luckily, in the end, things turn out pretty well for everyone.

It was also nice to have the spouses/loved ones of us gluten intolerants to share and swap stories too. They suffer right along with us, albeit a bit differently.

The only thing that would've made it better, is having more time to talk to everyone. I hated to go Sad

You know how it goes at gatherings like that - you never feel like you get around to talk to everyone.

I will say a bit more about Deby's in the Meeting at Deby's for Lunch post, but I want to thank Monica for allowing us come in and "take over the place" Laughing

There were 10 of us all together. I'm sure the other guests there were wondering what t'heck was going on. Smile

Thanks for everything Monica! Deby's Rocks!!

I don't remember if I thanked everyone for taking time out of their busy lives to have lunch wth us! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! Just because it was on the way for us, didn't mean it wasn't out of the way for everyone else. Jessica & her sister, I'm sure had much better things to do than to sit around listening grown up's yammer on about medical issues! LOL.

I didn't think about it until right now...I never took a picture of my food. I ALWAYS take pictures of my GF food!! RATS!! I think I was so overwhelmed that I could order ANYTHING off of the menu and not have to worry about it. The other cool thing...I was able to eat the fries & part of a hamburger that my Mom couldn't finish [that was something that I always did when we'd go out to eat. It felt good to do that again - kinda silly - I know]

Edit to add this link:More Deby's Pix on Page 4 of thread
_________________
Al

“We cannot all do great things, but we can do small things with great love.” Mother Teresa

Eeyorific · Joined: 13 Mar 2005 Posts: 812

awww, everyone looks like they had a great time, great picture!!
I wish we could have been there! Thanks for sharing your experience with us. I look forward to the next Close Encounter.
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Kristie M.

"The truth of God's love is not that he allows bad things to happen....
it's his promise that he will be there with us when they do!"

Marsha · Joined: 23 Jul 2006 Posts: 47 Location: New Jersey

What a great photo! So glad you all had such a good time!

Ahhhh... To order ANYTHING off a menu, and not have to worry!!! Sounds like heaven to me!

Hopefully Torrey and I will have someting yummy to share from Risottria's sometime soon!!!

Can't wait to see more photos!
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"We may not have it all together...but together we have it all!"

jayhawkmom · Joined: 19 Apr 2006 Posts: 851 Location: Midwest, USA

What a great pic! And, Al... dude, are you tall or what?? =) =)

So, how was the food? What did you have?? (Besides the rest of your moms lunch??) = ) =)

aklap · Joined: 02 Oct 2004 Posts: 10612 Location: WI, USA

TenKLady · Joined: 19 Jan 2005 Posts: 121 Location: Westminster, CO

Thanks for posting the pic Al! The pictures that my husband took didn't turn out very good so I'm glad that yours did! Very Happy

We enjoyed meeting you, Peg and your mom. If you are ever out this way again, let us know and we can have a Reunion at Deby's.

Glad you made it home safe!

Laura

Noatak · Joined: 13 Nov 2005 Posts: 497 Location: Massachusetts

I cannot believe that I was in Colorado last October and missed knowing about this great place! Mad

I have since ordered a few items from Deby's, via mail, and the cinnamon rolls were yummy!

You all look and sound like it was a great deal of fun. I will definitely return to Colorado as I loved the place and have family there so next time I will make a point of going to Deby's. It really must be mind blowing to go into a restaurant and order anything off the menu. I have only been GF a little over a year and already I've forgotten what that's like! Rolling Eyes

gluten-free-mike · Joined: 07 Sep 2006 Posts: 349 Location: Cleveland, OH

I was wondering what the odds of a "close encounter" were. So, I went to the memberlist and sorted by location to see how many others are in Ohio or Cleveland area and so on. I was disappointed by the fact that very few people put anything at all in for location, or put something super-general like "USA". Maybe it is a cyber-security concern. But, I figure a metro-area isn't too specific, and certainly a State wouldn't be. Oh well, I guess I can just hope people update their profiles so we can all get a feel where everyone is from -- aside from EARTH (close encounters joke. heh).
_________________
Mike
GF Since 2003
Severe weakness for Desserts

aklap · Joined: 02 Oct 2004 Posts: 10612 Location: WI, USA

Hi Mike,

The odds of a CE happening on their own are pretty slim. They pretty much happen only by design - particularly when you live states apart. I try to connect with someone if I am in their vicinity.

Beside Isto...I don't know too many on this board from OH. Sorry Mike Sad

We like to travel, so we could wind up on anyone's doorstep Wink

Who's next??

Hey...you ladies on the east coast (Torrey and Marsha, Marsha, Marsha)...we need some new pics in here!! heheheheee
_________________
Al

“We cannot all do great things, but we can do small things with great love.” Mother Teresa

jayhawkmom · Joined: 19 Apr 2006 Posts: 851 Location: Midwest, USA

Hey, Westwalker and I will both be at Stanford this weekend.... =)

Anyone else heading to Cali for the Celiac Conference?

ETA: I figured people could tell from my screenname where I'm from... LOL!

*ROCK CHALK JAYHAWK - K U*

Torrey · Joined: 11 Apr 2005 Posts: 1084 Location: Hawthorne, NJ

Hey all,

Sorry--we didn't take any pics this weekend, but that just means that Marsha and I will have to get together again soon! Smile

In any event, we met up at the Starbucks in Ridgewood (my hometown) on Saturday morning. It was a really nice day, so we were able to sit outside at one of the tables. I got my "staple" SBUX drink--a double tall nonfat caramel macchiato--and Marsha got an Awake tea (black tea). Marsha totally came prepared with a box of Whole Foods GF Cherry Muffins. YUM! Surprised

It was so great to meet someone *in person* from this forum! We had a really nice time and definitely have to get together again! Smile

And next time, we'll have to take pics!!! Wink

_________________
~Torrey Smile

August 24, 1975
GF BD July 12, 2004

Anthony · Joined: 22 Nov 2005 Posts: 23 Location: Central MI

Al, stop being a giant. Thanks.

-Anthony

P.S. I read the topic title and thought of "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" then I thought "Great, Al is seeing aliens now." I was throughly disappointed.

aklap · Joined: 02 Oct 2004 Posts: 10612 Location: WI, USA

Anthony · Joined: 22 Nov 2005 Posts: 23 Location: Central MI

Even though I am not 6'5" I get picked at due to my size all the time. On Thursday I play basketball at a local church and have other players tell me all the time that it'd be more fair if I cut my feet off or something. Then I have others that tell me that I am too big to play because they run into me and get knocked into the wall.

Also we are all glad that you are not going to talk about the anal probes...which reminds me...I need to play more of Destroy All Humans. They let you use a hilarious anal probe gun in that game.