Food, glorious food!

Today is a good day. I got up, had a shower, meditated a bit, made coffee, did a load of laundry, all before the kids got up. Then I went and got my new watch (more on that another post), and did my fitness class (more than three thousand steps - more on that in another post, too). I actually enjoyed the post-class coffee today - I guess I am finally losing my new person status, and am more able to join in different conversations than before. A quick by myself grocery pickup, and then home.

Although I am sure you can see how lovely my morning was (okay, well, maybe only if you have small children can you see the beauty in uninterrupted laundry and groceries), that isn't the real reason that today is a good day. Today is a good day because today marks the end of the challenge. I have completed six weeks without chocolate, including anything chocolate flavoured, cookies or real coke. And while it absolutely got easier, it was definitely a challenge right through to the end of yesterday.

Examples: I bravely bought a bag of Oreos for the kids last week. Not surprisingly, when I am not eating cookies, a bag lasts for days, not hours! Now, Oreos are such a favourite of mine, people have actually given them to me as gifts. Yep, gift wrapped and everything. Not only did I not eat any, but someone left one out in the open on the top of the microwave for hours, and I didn't touch. Oh, I wanted it. Bad. Real bad. And no one was around. No one would ever know. But, I didn't. I just asked someone if they were trying to play a cruel joke on me by leaving it there.

A couple of weeks ago, I opened a huge bar of chocolate to use for cheesecake garnish. (I made a fudge truffle cheesecake for Bailey's school fundraiser.) Not one morsel of that cake passed my lips. Since I needed to be sure it tasted good, I had Tony taste it before I gave it away. True story about my cheesecake - someone bought it for $15, even though it was supposed to be a prize. So that gives you an idea of how irresistible the cake itself was. Now, back to the bar of chocolate. It is huge. Milk chocolate. There is drool on the package. But, I have successfully resisted this open bar of chocolate for almost two weeks.

I could go on and on and on listing all the tough times I faced... but I'll spare you. Suffice it to say - it's over! I made it! I can eat my beautiful chocolate and cookies. I considered staying up past midnight to indulge myself, or perhaps bathing in melted chocolate (I told you it was a big bar), but have held off still. There is something romantic about stretching out the moment, both the chocolate and I knowing that we will be together soon. I do plan to talk to the chocolate about how we won't be spending so much time together in the future. I hope the chocolate handles it okay, although I am actually more worried about what the cookies are going to say.

So, thanks for your words of support. I am off for my rendezvous with a giant bar of chocolate. Wish us well.