Jenster's Musings

Monday, July 30, 2007

Pavlov's Theory Confirmed

My four week postsurgical checkup was this morning. Am I the only one who never gets to sit more than a minute or two before being called back? I'm sure most people would be thrilled with the efficiency of this office, but I don't like it. Even if I'm 15 minutes early I get called back nearly as soon as I get there. When am I supposed to read?

The doctor was pleased with how well I'm doing and said I was released of all restrictions. I was afraid she was going to say that, but when I grumbled about laundry she graciously offered to write me a note for another year. It was a tempting suggestion, but my desire to have the laundry done my way overrides my desire to have my family continue to do it.

After the appointment I had to hit Starbuck's. It's like I have some kind of Pavlovian response to medical offices. The smell of rubbing alcohol and a blood pressure cuff stirs my need for a White Chocolate Mocha. The Starbuck's closest to the doctor's office shares a parking lot with the local train station. There wasn't a parking space in sight. So I continued down the road until I got to the Starbuck's in Wayne, Pennsylvania. I really wish I would have had my camera because this place is truly photo-worthy. It's in a round building that I believe was an auto garage in the 60's and next to the pretty Starbuck's sign is another sign that says, "Beer Yard in back".

Instead of my usual White Chocolate Mocha - the largest one with all the fat, all the calories, all the caffeine and the yummy goodness of a huge pile of whipped cream on the top - I ordered a tall (the smallest size) decaff, non-fat white chocolate mocha, no whip. (Yeah. I said it just like that. Cool, aren't I?) I was surprised by the deliciousness of it and I even wonder if it was truly non-fat. It even tasted like there may have been some whip on the top. But I decided that it didn't matter because the way I ordered it was only 5.5 Weight Watchers points and that's how I recorded it today.

Speaking of Weight Watchers, I lost 1 pound last week. I much prefer the 3.5 pounds, but I'll take what I can get. Especially since last week wasn't one of my better weeks, what with having company and feeling the need to show them the great ice cream places around here and the tasty Philly Cheese Steaks.

Katie made dinner tonight. Mac & Cheese with Chicken and Broccoli. From scratch. I only helped a little and it was delicious! She got the recipe from her Rachael Ray for Kids cookbook. I thought making a cheese sauce from the ground up was very ambitious for a kids' cookbook, but she did a great job.

By the time dinner was over I was beat. I guess driving to the doctor's office, going from one Starbuck's to another Starbuck's, grocery shopping and then helping with dinner was more than I'm up to. OH! Let's not forget the half a load of laundry I did. Or it was a whole load, but I only made it into the washing machine and never into the dryer. But I'll worry about that tomorrow...

Anyway, after dinner I told the kids to clean off the table and then clean up the kitchen. Taylor tried to get out of it by saying Katie made dinner so she should clean up. "After all, a clean cook is a good cook," to quote his grandfather. She started to argue with him and he came back with this priceless line:

This is not a democracy. It's a dictaylorship.

Turns out he was wrong and ended up helping in the kitchen.

Labels: family, food, humor, kids, medical, weight management