Life is Healthy

To simulate my deck, I’ve parked my butt at a table on the patio of Houlihan’s in Maple Grove, Minnesota. This is my only “free” evening and I didn’t want to spend it cooped up in my hotel room. It’s wonderfully hot and humid here in the Cities and while I don’t know anyone here on this patio, I feel at home. I grew up in Minnesota and I was born in the heat and humidity of August (45th b-day is the 14th) and I feel comfortable among my “people.”

In fact, the song “Back On The Chain Gang” by the Pretenders is playing on the speakers right now and that was one of my late husband Bruce’s favorite songs. I’ll go visit his grave on Friday, although I don’t feel his presence there. I feel it at the oddest times, but never at the cemetery.

But I digress.

Eating right when you vacation in a city is pretty easy. Even at the Original Pancake House, where my daughters, son-in-law, grandbaby and niece had breakfast this morning. I ordered an egg-white omelet with spinach, mushrooms, and tomatoes (no cheese) and asked the server to ask the cooks to use no or very little oil to cook it. It was p-e-r-f-e-c-t. I coupled it with an English muffin and some fruit….I was in heaven. I did take a few bites of my daughter’s pancake (OPH syrup is really quite yummy) and my other daughter’s hash browns. It’s the simple indulgences that matter most to me.

I stocked up at Trader Joe’s and have plenty of veggies and fruit for dinner tonight when I return to my hotel and lock myself in my room to write and listen to iTunes.

Thank you all so much for your supportive comments about this trip. I’m not anticipating any weirdness in the next few days. Had a little bit yesterday (long story….might tell it some day in my book), but otherwise, the friends I’m meeting in the next few days won’t dwell on my stuff. I’ll eat my food without comments and our conversations won’t revolve about weight loss. To them, I am just Lynn, the person they’ve known for ____ years.

I discovered my hotel has an exercise room and while I’d figured I wouldn’t have the opportunity to exercise while on vacation, I’m going to hit it hard tomorrow because I’ve got a little pent-up energy and will feel really good after an hour on an elliptical.

My battery is getting low and the wine glass is empty. It’s time to head back to the hotel. I might go for a walk later and take in some more heat and humidity. I can’t believe how much it doesn’t bother me.

I am sad, however, to listen to the food people around me are ordering. Of course this might be their one indulgence for the week or month. I don’t know and don’t want to jump to conclusions. But chances are, fried calamari is consumed frequently. I do hope they order a little broccoli, too. A girl can hope. These are still, after all, my “people.” And I wish them a healthy life.