Debbie - Day 28: Father's Day

Special events and holidays can be troublesome or easy for the vegan eater.  I experienced both on Father's day.

Firstly, I weighed in at 128.  That's up from last time by a pound or so.  It occurred to me that 1300 calories might be a "maintenance" daily target for me, and perhaps it should be lowered.  I've also abandoned regular exercise lately, and I know that would have helped shave off a bit more.  Overall I'm happy with my weight despite the slow going on getting to 120.  I haven't actively tried to lose weight for ten years, and more than anything, it's curious to me how much I would have to change my eating and general lifestyle to meet this goal quickly.  I think I'll be fine with staying on a very slow course, maybe getting to 120 by the end of the summer.

Breakfast was fruit and coffee, I did not track calories.

Chris and I drove to Keene to visit my parents for Father's Day.  It was gorgeous out, my sister joined us, and my brother called in from Connecticut.  The meal was a traditional summertime lunch prepared by my mother, who is an expert cook.  All my favorites were there, including her famous baked beans and potato salad.  Ham was also served.  Dessert was another Mom specialty, angel food cake with strawberries and whipped cream.  She had made chocolate chip cookies too.

Of course, I could not have any of that!  I absolutely felt deprived and left out of such a scrumptious homemade feast with foods that brought me back to childhood and memories of many delightful celebrations.  Mom accommodated me by not making her creamy dressing for the cole slaw, substituting an oil-vinegar-mustard dressing, and by not buttering the corn or making grilled chicken, steaks, or burgers and hot dogs.  She did not put the cookies out with dessert.  I had non-traditional cole slaw, plain corn on the cob, sliced tomatoes, and iced coffee with almond milk and sugar.  While others enjoyed cake with whipped cream, I had an apple with sugared strawberries.  The veggies and apple were not filling.

The company was fine, but alas!  I coveted the sweet smelling pork-laden beans, mayonnaise spuds, and beautiful snowy egg-white-leavened cake!

After a quick stop at the rented house to exchange moving boxes and make some final determinations about furniture, we headed back to Bow and another round of Father's Day fun with the three teens.  (The 12 year old is an honorary teen now!)

We had a blast at mini golf, even though it was crowded.  The "boys" elected to have some fun at the expense of Chuckster's dignity while we waited between holes, but their antics appeared to amuse large numbers of people on the golf course, and who knows how many hundreds of highway passers-by.  (I'm certain the whole thing was the idea of the biggest boy in the family!)

Bodily functions remain funny throughout the lifespan.

Chris chose a Mexican restaurant in Concord for dinner.  This is a place we have been to before, and it has a wide array of vegan options.  As we listened to a baritone sax and string bass play Dave Brubeck's Take Five and other jazz standards, I enjoyed chips and two types of fresh salsa while the others had garlic nachos.  I ordered a taco with spicy seitan crumbles and a refried-bean burrito with sides of rice and black beans, all of which were accompanied by piles of lettuce, tomato, and pickled jalapeño.  It was fantastic, I couldn't eat it all.  We had planned to stop afterward for ice cream, at a place that has sorbet, but everyone was satisfied with dinner.  The ice cream stop was put off until next weekend.

Cards and gifts were opened at home, and among Chris's gifts were some specialty chocolate doughnuts, which were not at all appetizing to me.  I didn't even reach for a square of dark chocolate.

Undoubtedly, today was well over my calorie target.  But it was a wonderful day, as special days should be.

This week will be the last week of school, as well as the final week before moving.  Lots of changes! I'm motivated to make a fresh start with exercise once the move is completed, and to continue mindful eating after Tuesday.