Eat, Pray, Love ( Minus the Pray and Love)

                     

My kids were away on vacation with their dad, and while it was only for a week (not a year, like in the book, I was trying to figure out a way to best take advantage of that time.  I sat down in front of my computer, and researched the possibilities.

 First, I stumbled upon a week long women's hiking trip, cleaning up the Appalachian trail. 
"I can do this!" I thought to myself, "I SHOULD do this!"

I had never experienced a solo excursion before, and those volunteer vacations had always captured my interest.   I was just about to push the button that said, "Sign me up!",
when I remembered -

MY BROKEN FOOT. 

While it may seem strange to some of you that I could forget such a thing, you'd be amazed how easy it is to do.  After all, my foot is almost five feet, two inches away from my brain, and once I put my attractive, protective boot on in the morning, I honestly don't think about it until I take it off, before I go to bed at night.

UNLESS I AM AT A GREEN DAY CONCERT,
where it felt like I was carrying around a
TWENTY-THREE POUND OVEN on my foot.

Anyways, once I recovered from the disappointment of not being able to go on the hiking trip,
I began to consider "Plan B".

Through the suggestion of a close friend, "Plan B" was to stay home and accomplish things around the house (clean, organize, rearrange, etc.), and take "mini" vacations every day, by treating myself to lunches and dinners out with friends.

I put the word out, and before I knew it, my social "meal" calendar was full.

This is what my week looked like:

Sunday dinner - my favorite Thai restaurant, Courtside Thai.
Monday dinner - American fare at a local neighborhood restaurant.
Tuesday lunch - Sweetwater cafe & micro brew, for my favorite salmon salad (and a cold beer).
Tuesday dinner - Asian Grille for good Chinese food.
Wednesday dinner - Cock & Bowl, for mussels, frites (and beer).
Thursday dinner - Bar food at Hard Times Cafe, for chili, wings (and beer).
Friday lunch - Lebanese food.
Friday dinner - Quarterdeck for steamed crabs, onion rings (and beer).
Saturday dinner - healthy, low glycemic meal (and beer) at my girlfriend's (who is a personal trainer) cabin.    

Sunday - BACK FROM THE CABIN, AND FEELING EXHAUSTED.
Sunday dinner - Carryout Chinese.

Monday -  The kids came back from their trip. And I could BARELY FIT INTO MY JEANS.

Not to mention, I had a dream that I was THREE MONTHS PREGNANT,
and I can tell you exactly who the responsible party was -  

F-O-O-D

and his friend,

B-E-E-R.

In the book, "Eat, Pray, Love",  the author, Elizabeth Gilbert, says she gained
"twenty three of the happiest pounds of her life" during her time spent in Rome. 
It took me less than a week to succeed "the expansion" of my waistline, as well as my ASS line, as well as my THIGH line.

I can only IMAGINE what I would look like, if I spent a few months in Italy but, like Elizabeth,
I do not regret a single pound gained. I shared some WONDERFUL meals
with some WONDERFUL people.

I am going to try to be good for the next two weeks, however.  I have a beach trip coming up,
and I have a feeling that my friends, F-O-O-D and B-E-E-R will be there.

Guess I'd better bring some protection.