Let's take a little break.......

...no, no, not a break from all the cooking and primping....but from the things that wear on you in your daily life.....

I'm blogging for me today....in hopes that I'll hear myself and listen to what I am saying. Because, damn....I need to be reminded...right here, right now!

Sometimes life feels so overwhelming. Like it does right now. With all the cooking and shopping and cleaning and merrymaking on the heels of more cooking and shopping and cleaning and merrymaking. Add that all to days that already feel too full and not exactly stress-free and what you've got is life on a rollercoaster-merrygoround. Dizzying. Tizzying. Nauseating. And altogether unnerving. Days that call for chunks of nut-filled chocolates,delectable king-sized icing-laden cookies, heaping bowls of full-fat vanilla bean ice cream smothered in hot hot carmel and vats of cheesey spicey nacho dip. With a box of wine on the side.

But not today.

No, no, not today. Did you hear me? Not today.

You see, that's what got me into this mess to begin with. The stress. The never ending rushing. The lengthy to-do lists. The world that we all live in--overscheduled, overmanaged and overpriced. What it got me was--OVERWEIGHT! Well...more like OBESE. But, that's old news.....

I have to learn from my mistakes. It's not easy but I'm trying. With my band restriction--all those goodies (except for the box of wine) are off limits. And, honestly, even if they weren't....I don't want to grow out of a pair of jeans I haven't even bought yet. As for the box of wine.....I plan to ignore it as it calls my name from the fridge. Instead, I'm going to chop. Then, I'm going to shop. After that, I'm going to cook. Then, maybe chop some more. Then, I'm going to shop some more. Then cook some more.

But, that's not all....

I am going to live in the moment....of chopping. There's something that's so relaxing about the simple act of chopping a huge bunch of celery and a few onions. I will wipe all other thoughts out of my mind. As I chop.

I am going to live in the moment....of shopping. I'll concentrate on every enjoyable pleasure at Sam's Club and Giant Eagle. I'll stop to appreciate the displays and the smells and the sounds. I'll push my cart and smile. I'll leisurely stroll up and down the aisles. As if I have no where else to go.

I am going to live in the moment....of cooking. I will laugh at the messes I make. I will listen to music as I stir and melt and pat and saute. I'll take joy in the aromas and the sights and the sounds of cooking. And, I'll take pleasure in thinking of serving my culinary delights.

And when I'm done with all of that.....

I am going to live in the moment of every single detail of what's left of my day. My mind will not wander and I will not allow the future or the past to interrupt my chopping, shopping or cooking.
And finally, I'm going to live in the hope that if I say it....I will do it.