Of course, she doesn't weigh nearly as much as you!

Last week was busy for me. For most of it, I lay flat on my back. Muscle spasm - bad. I couldn't get into the car and so spent a few days working from home with my laptop on my stomach while I strained to see the screen. Not ideal. On Thursday I flew to Halifax for a meeting. I remember getting up and showered, dressed, and making my way downstairs to see, standing at my door, my driver who was 15 minutes early! Ack! I hustled as best I could and finally walked out the door. I painfully climbed into the front seat of the airport van and then it happened....

The door.

The van door was wide open and that meant I had to reach, stretch over to grasp it. It may has well have been 20 feet from me, it felt that bad. I finally got it, and without tears, closed it. Then the twist to grab the seat belt. What was I doing and why was I determined to get to Halifax? Sheesh!!

My driver is a sweet older man, retired dutch farmer, John. I like him. I've had him several times. This time he talked to me about his wife, who was in her early 70's and apparently tall and fit. He talked about how she exercises regularly to stay in shape. He figured she was about the same height as me - I'm 5'10". Here's the killer.... "of course, she doesn't weigh nearly as much as you". Ack again. It was like taking a bullet. He hit a bulls eye, right in my gut!

My new mirror - the image of John's wife - was right there and it hurt to look into that!

So, off to Halifax - I didn't hit Timmie's at the airport - the line up was too long and I didn't have much time. So, I hit Starbucks instead. Earl Grey tea with Skim Milk (good choice) and a pumpkin scone (bad choice). Arrived in Halifax, got the shuttle to the hotel, and there I was met and taken immediately to lunch. Crab cakes and spinach salad. I chose water to drink. The crab was delicious, the salad was even better (except for the goat cheese, which I don't like.) After a 3 hour meeting, I went to my room and laid down - and fell asleep once I found a comfy position. My phone rang, it was an old friend from Kingston days and we met up for dinner - after she walked me about 42 blocks "looking" for a place to eat... we passed hundreds. We settled on King Henry Arms, a pub about a block from the hotel. Yes one block. I was now near tears and didn't really care what I ate anymore. I had Fish - and chips - and it was SO good. Nothing like pub food when you're in a pub. She came back to the hotel with me as we were going to continue talking to catch up... she stayed until 10:30 p.m. Our original plan was to sit in the hotel bar for a while, but to be honest, I was a little nervous about being in the bar and ordering more crap,... er, food. My room was safer.

Another day or two of meetings and then the flight home - early - and this time I did go to Timmie's at the airport - and had a sausage breakfast sandwich, which I enjoyed very much.
I told myself I had earned it - I was in pain and food makes me feel good. Okay, that's not really true. Timmie's was just the first place I hit when I got to the airport. Believe me, at Halifax "international" airport, there's really not much choice.

The rest of the weekend was a mix of friends and food - why do these two things go together? I have no idea. You see friends - you eat. Perhaps I should lose all my friends, that way I'd never eat again. Or would I? Maybe I'd be so sad that I was friendless that food would be my best friend! Either way, you see my dilemma. Food gets in the way!

Now it's Tuesday - I won't even tell you what I did yesterday - it's sick. Okay, I'll tell you. I had a scone for breakfast (with butter and homemade lemon curd. yum), followed by some fruit, followed by pretzels, followed by lunch - fruit, followed by potato chips, followed by an apple, followed by guilt and remorse, followed by a healthy dinner.

Today, for the first time in a week, I'm on track again. Seems I couldn't find the track in the last week, or I was avoiding it completely. Whatever. I'm choo-chooing along the track now remembering the words of John "of course, she doesn't weigh nearly as much as you"...

Hmmmph, I'll show you! (*waves fist in the air*)