Bodacious Boomer

Evelyn took everyone out to lunch on Tuesday for Doug’s BD.  They put a basket of hot bread with real butter on the table in front of me.  I attacked that basket of  bread like I was going to the chair. (I might’ve  actually let out a snarl or two). I had a small steak, and a baked potato with everything on it. I got a piece of chocolate mousse cake for dessert; although I wound up giving Doug about a third of it. The service was so-so. Our waiter was foreign and having problems with English. Overall however, everyone had a great time. We talked and laughed a lot.

Even though I was stuffed on the way home I was thinking about what else that was bad for me that I could eat that day. (I knew that I was going to be going back to healthy eating the next day and was determined to make the most of my day off, so to speak). We got home and I worked on my new project, paper mache. It got to be about 9ish and I thought about food again. Before I made this change towards healthy eating, I would’ve made sure I packed as many forbidden foods into my day as possible.

I can’t do it anymore it seems. I did manage 4 oz. of reduced fat chocolate ice cream. That was it. That’s all I had the rest of the day. I remember thinking I should have more since I won’t be having dessert again for a long time, but I just couldn’t do it. I think the “bad” Michele is gone. I think I killed her by healthy eating.  It seems I can no longer  appreciate the chance to be bad. I know it’s better for me. However, the iron test will come on Halloween and then my birthday. I’ll know she’s gone for sure if I don’t go wild with my birthday cake. Only time will tell. Today’s trivia answer- 100 for cats, 15 for dogs.

Fall is almost here. It is far and away my favorite time of year, Spring’s OK. I like the thunderstorms and the burst of color from plants that bloom early. Summer sucks in Houston- hot and sticky, then hotter and stickier. It’s good though if you want to feel like being in a rainforest in Brazil.

Winter starts just a few days before Christmas. The holidays are great- but for me the best part is early on. Going to get the fresh tree and unpacking all the old ornaments, I love that. What I don’t like is all the gift stress. Did I spend enough? Will they like it? Christmas day is a lot of work for the mom who’s hosting dinner. I mean it’s great having everyone together, but before dinner everybody’s visiting and after dinner everybody’s too stuffed to help.

Then the holidays are over and you’ve got to take down the tree and put everything away. (I hate that part). Then the long push til spring. This is when Houston comes into it’s own though. I’ve worn shorts many, many times Dec.-Feb. while most of the rest of the country is in a deep freeze.

Fall however, is where it’s at. The average temperature now is in the low to mid 80’s, the humidity down. We don’t have the big explosion of colors with the whole leaves changing colors thing. (No one comes to Texas to see the fall foliage). You know it’s fall when you see a steady stream of cottontops pulling RV’s, heading to south Texas for the winter. Late September and October you can actually walk around a festival without looking like a contestant in a wet T-shirt contest with your shirt stuck to you from all the sweat.

Fall means Halloween, my favorite holiday. I think more adults should celebrate it, especially as they get older. I always went to work tricked out in various Halloween costumes until I got married, pregnant and quit work. (I realize that dressing up at work may have been a little easier for me since I was the art director at an ad agency). When your kids are little it’s all about them of course.

When the kids are grown and (hopefully) gone, why not reclaim the day for yourself? If you’re lucky enough to be retired or at least self-employed you have no reason not to. I’d love to have Fred Flintstone cleaning my teeth or Dracula changing the oil in my car. I intend to to start dressing up again- this year. (I’ll take photos to document my silliness). It makes people smile when they see an adult in a costume- people need a reason to smile more. Now I just have to decide what I’ll be. Today’s trivia answer- the Bay of Fundy.