The Lost Weekend

Okay, so I gained a couple of pounds.
It's really my first move back up the scale since I started 7 weeks ago.
I'm not beating myself up over it (flagellation leads to scars, which I'm pretty sure have weight... so, no severe beatings). It was just a weekend.. you know.. my personal Moriarty appeared in disguise and an old, old adversary came to town... Oh, and it was the World Cup.

Allow me to explain.
It's summer and I believe that the season should be celebrated, so out my sweetie and I went on Friday night - strolling by RubyWatchco, like we had a shot in hell at getting in for dinner. (but, I get points for the effort and the extra walk... and perhaps I can blame Lynn Crawford for what happened the rest of the night). I often can swing these things - get a table without a reservation - but alas, not that night. Instead we found ourselves at the always delightful Romagna Mia - marvelous Northern Italian cuisine, with a staff that is nothing short of delightful in their indifference. I have never experienced what a critic would call good service at RM - but I love every one of the wait staff. They treat you like family... and who dotes on family?? They point you to your table, they often describe wine incorrectly, bring you the wrong wine, even.. but it always turns out to be a good choice. Once a waiter insisted that a specific producer that I requested did not make the Prosecco that I desired - I was mistaken, I was confused, I was an idiot... (he didn't realize that I understand Italian). 20 minutes later, having found the Prosecco that I had requested, he went on to tell me that it was his very favourite Prosecco and one of the finest that could be found in Canada!! I love this place.
What does any of this have to do with my weight? Well, Northern Italian... I started with a cheese plate (Parmigiano-Reggiano w/ balsamic vinegar; Pecorino w/ chestnut honey; Gorgonzola w/ walnuts) and of course, Pasta... now, solo pasta - no seconde... gorgeous Tagliatelle alla Bolognese con Piselli Freschi, without a big red sauce, just a little tomato paste and fresh peas. Not much of a problem... but they also have gorgeous breads which they serve hot with Carli Olive Oil. Now, I have resisted nearly all bread since I began this journey... I turn away from fresh baguette, I eat whole grain wraps in stead of sandwich bread... I toast sprouted grains for breakfast... but they got me. I'm halfway through my second wonderfully warm piece before I realize it. And further, the delightfully unrushed pace means more time to drink. A bottle of Prosecco; Amarone with the Bolognese and for dessert, Grappa...

The next day included a wedding at which I was officiant... and so all of dinner was planned and largely prepared before I got home. My sons and their partners were about, so my wife planned grilled quesadilla on the BBQ. Great idea...easy to share, eat with your hands... beautiful chicken, refried beans, tomato, oninon, peppers, cheese... sour cream, salsa, guacamole... wait a minute!!! Regular readers of this blog may have already heard the ominous "Dunh, Dunh, Dah" playing the background. The melted cheese should have alerted me... The game's afoot!!! It was my personal Moriarty; my arch enemy - Nachos!!!!! Just folded over to fool me... and fool me he almost did.
I was tucking into my third... when I stopped!! Get thee behind me, SATAN! (not Santana, for him I want front row) I spat it from my lips... but I was slow and I know that the sour cream and melted cheese had found it's way into my stomach, into my heart... into my very soul.
Oh yes... and what Nachos didn't do, his girl friends, Marg and Rita did! No man is a match for those saucy ladies... Tequila and Lime described my evening.

I made a vow to do better the next day... World Cup Final Sunday.

For whom would I cheer? The Dutch - with all of that deep dried butter food?? The Spanish with fresh fish... but so many tiny tapas that I easily lose count and soon my waist begins to look like a Dali painting...
I thought to eschew them all and go with a simple feast of fresh raw vegetables.
BUT... but then, I got a migraine.
Now, if you don`t know about such things - you don`t know. Please don`t pretend... or try to imagine. I go blind. As a teenager, migraines could last for 2 and 3 days - now a day. As I felt my vision going and realized that I would have to be at work in the next hour or so (they expect the Minister to show up on Sundays - go figure), I realized that I would need to take my meds.
The big guns.
A pill that restores my sight, clears my head... and leaves me sweating like a race horse and feeling like I`ve been run over by self same nag.
But I can work.

I took the pill. I was restored... I went to work.
I crawled back home; lay down on the couch to watch the World Cup Final...
and then the munchies hit.
They always do after I take this pill... I have eaten two bags of Oreos, a box of Ritz Crackers and three bags of Doritos in a previous post migraine Feeding Frenzy. I wanted to hold off... I wanted to stay my hunger... but blood was in the water... and I was ravenous. I ate 1/2 a bag of Sour Cream and Bacon chips; 1/2 bag of Bridge Mix; an Ice Cream Bar (Maple, if you're counting); a chicken breast with the skin attached, a white bread roll... a small salad of tomato and cucumber (see, I tried)... Now it was a lot less than I would have devoured before... but far more junk than I have consumed in the past 7 weeks.
Oh... and 2 bottles of Crémant de Bourgogne (Champagne style sparkling wine from Burgundy). It would have been more; it would have been Champagne if Les Bleus or Cote d'Ivoire had won.

And so, today... Monday... my scale has slapped me for my lost weekend. I have gained three pounds..

c'est la vie... I need to let it go. My enemies got me, but they didn't hurt me as they have in the past... and I live to fight another day.