4 xii 10

Yes, I faltered out of the blocks. But here I am, back to paying attention to my diet, after resolving once again to be more disciplined in my posting.

In the morning, before hopping on the Red Line north, a few handfuls of Cap'n Crunch Crunch Berry cereal. Dry. Out of the bag. Neat.

At the South Street Diner, we had a late breakfast. Feeling sluggish, I ordered a 6 oz sirloin steak with two eggs over-easy; the red meat to refresh my hungry hemes. The consumption of mammals makes me uncomfortable. Also two pieces of raisin cinnamon toast with butter, and a hearty helping of thick-cut hom fries with ketchup. Two glasses of diet cola, one and a half of ice water. I also between a third and a half of Jenna's meal, an egg white omelette with American cheese, bell pepper, onions, and spinach. A mouthful of her raisin cinnamon toast, and some of her home fries. And, sigh, a brownie sundae. The brownies had nuts; the sundae had a scoop each of vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry. Chocolate sauce and whipped cream were present and consumed. She had some; I had most.

I don't like my tendency to turn this blog into a record of my guilt. It isn't a confessional -- what's the confess? That I have impulsive eating habits, sometimes? I'm not the worst.

Dinner I made with Ellen Adair, a dear friend who is visiting from New York City, where she is an actress and, when she finds the time, a writer for her own pleasure. We fried crab cakes, made with claw meat, wheat crackers crushed on the spot, mayo and eggs for binder, tumeric for color and flavor, and bell pepper and onion for texture. Also a nice handful of finely chopped herbs leftover from the Thanksgiving preparations last week: parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme. And black pepper. I ate one cake, with a sauce made from brown mustard, mayo, and chopped parsley. Also on the plate were: a spring mix salad with saltanas and grape tomatoes with light Italian dressing; a scoop of last Thursday's cranberry-apple-orange peel relish; and a hash made from leftover ham, mushrooms, potatoes, and onions. I also had two pieces of very nice bread with oleo. Three (!) cans of Coke Zero, and a glass of Martinelli's apple cider with a splash of pinot grigot.

Dessert was a ginger shortbreat, made with light brown sugar, almond oil, ground ginger, butter, flour, and semi-sweet chocolate chips. I had, oh, about half of the one-sixth slice I brought upstairs to Jenna the Studious, when I also gave her the framed print I made for her for her birthday. Cake and art: am I not the best? Confession, I am the best.