Friday, January 28, 2011

An Annotated Alliteration

Glasses...
I recently crossed over into the Middle Age Zone. Even though I look like a 32 year old, I have the eyes of an almost 48 year old. If the lighting is really good and I hold the printed object away from me a bit, I don't need reading glasses. But if I want to read in the dim lighting of my bedside lamp and my arms are tired, I'm glad I have my Costco (they come in a 3 pack!) reading glasses.

Goodies...
Along with Middle Age comes the dreaded Middle Age Spread. It's a cruel turn of fate that as soon as you get through the child bearing years and you can sit down and enjoy a meal without a baby/toddler/preschooler/child needing immediate attention, you can't eat what you want to anyway. The metabolism slows down and weight gain speeds up--it's a bummer (literally). Since I want to be able to enjoy my grandchildren and keep up with them into my Golden Years, I have to keep my appetite in check. So, this New Year's I faced up to my main vice and gave up sugar. I've done it before and was very happy with the results. It's amazing how much it affects all aspects of health: skin, hair, energy level, blood pressure etc. For some people, moderation works. Not so for me--I seem to have no concept of moderation when it comes to sugary treats. So it has to be all or nothing. And nothing it is. It really simplifies my eating choices and silences my rationalizing.

Garbage...
This is a thoughtful gift from my sensitive husband. Let me explain. It is a symbol of his understanding of one of my quirks. I need to have one clean, nice garbage can. I use it when I am cleaning inside the house. It can sit on the clean carpet of a kid's room while we toss the flotsam and jetsam of their accumulated clutter into it. I use it when we have a big shindig--it can stand in the corner and collect all of the paper products required for a big party. Over the years, I purchase a nice garbage can, my husband unknowingly (so he says) uses it for forbidden garbage--wet, messy, construction garbage. Or yard debris. Or the dirtiest of dirt: the vacuum cleaner canister mess. (This once caused a rift in our marriage for a good 24 hours).  So just when I had come to accept it as my life's trial and magnanimously overlook my husband's garbage can desecrating flaw--he goes and buys me a beautiful, shiny new garbage can. Not just any garbage can though--this one is rectangular in shape so it looks different from the other common trash cans.   And it came with his promise to keep it clean.  He could have waited a few weeks and given it to me as a Valentine's or Anniversary gift and I would have been as thrilled as if he'd given me a diamond  necklace or a dozen roses. 
 That, Gentle Reader, is TRUE LOVE.

3 comments:

Nicole said...

i used to be finicky about my garbage can but that was something that had to fall off my radar. and good for you for going off sugar although i think you were pretty good at moderation. i just discovered that it's citric acid hurting norah's tummy not dairy. so i have been throwing down the dairy and the chocolate with out a care in the world! and it has made me realize that it really is only possible to control my intake by elimination. there is no middle ground!

Anna said...

What a sweetheart! It's so wonderful to find that they really ARE listening and they really care about making you happy. Lovelovelove.

Also. What does your diet consist of w/o sugar? Do you eat only vegetables? Do you mean that you just don't eat any "junk food" sugar?

mamagale said...

Nicole, you have some making up to do with all the treats you missed over Christmas so you just enjoy it! And Anna, I just give up the obvious refined sugar stuff--cookies, candy, cake, caramel popcorn, pie...and as I get used to that I look more closely at labels on other things and avoid the more subtle sugar too. I am prone to migrains but when I avoid sugar I don't get them and the side benefit is nicer skin and more energy.

Happy Birthday Scott!

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