Victory Not Mine

As I've stated previously in this space, the alpha dog is out of town. He returns in two days and we are all very happy about that. The boys have been melancholy and I have been bored out of my mind without my friend.

Like many people, I do, from time to time, drown my sorrows in a nice bowl of Ben and Jerry's. I know enough, in times like these, not to have any ice cream in the house so I have steered clear of the ice cream section of the freezer aisle. No "2 for $6" deal was going to spoil my resolve. I had faith in myself and I wasn't going to let myself down. But as I was rooting through the freezer last week for something for dinner, I found a lone Haagen Dazs ice cream bar. If there had been two, I would have been safe because my adorable boys, who can afford the calories, would have eaten them. But there was only one. Crap.

I was so brave for many days. My tactics for avoiding temptation in the freezer are to either put something else in my hands, like a book or a knitting project. I've made excellent progress in my latest read! Or I simply go upstairs and remove myself from the vicinity of the temptation. This may seem absurd, but you underestimate my laziness at night.

Three nights left. I so wanted to avoid that stupid treat. I resisted on Thursday when my 12 year old told me that a classmate threw him out of his bunk at Outdoor Ed and kicked him several times. I was able to stay away from it Friday, when the dentist told me my 7 year old has to have an infected tooth extracted and needs a root canal in another tooth. I avoided it on Sunday, after fighting to entertain a child who had reached the peak of boredom, a boredom so intense that even his PSP couldn't entertain him. I had such high hopes for myself. But, last night, the temptation was strong. I was so brave for so long, but the pull from the freezer was mighty. I caved. And let me tell you, it was good, right down to the chocolate that I sucked out of the little wooden stick.

Enjoy your day.