On Flourless Cakes and Injuries

This, dear readers, is my new obsession. Though I have never had an issue with gluten, I have decided to lower my intake of it as an experiment, just to see if I feel any kind of difference.

I began my journey by discovering something you all probably know, which is that you can substitute cooked black-eyed peas or adzuki beans for flour, like in the recipe for the above vegan flourless chocolate cake. I may never use flour again. In fact, I'm going to make either cookies or scones later today because I cooked way, way too many black-eyed peas and I don't want them to go to waste.

If you follow me on Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/mary_martin) you know that I've had an interesting combo grande of physical issues, afflicting both me and my creatures.

• Violet was hopping into the Honda Element to run errands with my husband. Any excuse to go in the see-ay-are is fine with her. Even a trip around the block is fun. Her front legs were in the car but her back feet never made it and somehow were under the car while she slipped slowly backward and onto her back. I wasn't there and my husband isn't great in a crisis–he stands, mouth agape, completely frozen, and watches whatever train wreck is occurring rather than jumping in to try to help. And so we ended up with this–

And after a $250 vet trip it became this–

What we couldn't see until her leg was shaved was that next to the deep wound is a large bloody bump of a wound. But she galloped and pranced this morning and as long as the bandage stays on she'll be fine.

• I was leaving the house on Friday and slipped on a filmy, shiny substance on the tile next to the ironing board, and my feet flew out from under me and I landed, cartoon-style, right on my tailbone. And the iron fell off the board and headed straight for my head, so I blocked it with my arm. I lay there for minutes, in full-on Munchian Scream–

I could scream only to myself as I was in so much pain that I couldn't muster up the energy to make any noise.

Oh, and I forgot to tell you that I had been so run down that I was coughing and had lost my voice (no, not swine flu) and then developed a fever.

• Charles Hobson Booger, III has been to I believe 4 vets (some several times) and hasn't been able to use his back right leg for 5 months (and yes, atrophy has set in). He has had various diagnoses and treatments, and none have made a difference. We will drive about 3 hours north tomorrow morning at 5am for our 8am appointment at Affiliated Veterinary Specialists for an MRI and/or bone scan and soft-tissue scan. He may have a nerve sheath tumor, which is inoperable but can be tackled via radiation. All I want is for my poor boy to be able to use his leg properly. And obviously to not be in pain.

Thanks for all of the well wishes. We deal with difficult times with humor, so though it might sound depressing at my house, it's actually pretty funny. And the dogs' spirits are high, as they get plenty of attention and stimulation. And of course, Emily is just as opinionated and irritable as ever, and still shows no sign of dying from her FIP. It's all good, and we'll get through this just fine. A lot lighter in the bank account, but it's worth it!