Camping and Changing Tastes

Camping was a success.  We arrived just as it was getting dark and ended up having to switch campsites as ours had a dangerous drop down to the river.  After moving our friend's stuff and making/eating dinner in the dark Miguel and I were both pretty cranky.  Miguel told me to cancel all future camping trips.  That night the kids slept through what felt like hurricane winds.  After that evening and night the rest of the trip was a breeze.  The kids slept fine each night, probably due to the non-stop fun.  We spent the day at the beach on both Friday and Saturday.  Lots of great memories were made and all future camping trips are back on the calendar.  As soon as we unloaded the car Marek asked, "Daddy, can we go camping tomorrow?"

On Saturday morning I managed to get in a run.  I had imagined my run being along some gorgeous bluff overlooking the ocean.  Instead it was through the campgrounds.  It was still beautiful.  There was an empty stretch of road along the river, about a mile long that was particularly enjoyable.  I'm not sure how far I ran, my gps kept losing satellite under all the tree cover but I ran for 42 minutes.  I was very happy to get some exercise in given all the yummy food and drink.

Speaking of food I had a food encounter that shows how my relationship and behavior with food has changed over the past five years.  Catherine brought some stuffed peanut butter cookies to the beach.  They were so good.  At one point I reached in and broke off a bite of one and put the rest back for later.  Not because I was trying to restrain myself but because that was all I wanted.  The old me wouldn't have conceived of such a thing.  I only wanted a bite so that's all I took. 

And somewhat related, but mostly not, was what happened Sunday evening.  I had to run to the store for milk and decided I wanted ice cream.  I was planning to get one of those tiny single serving ones but they looked too tiny so I got two.  One chocolate and one vanilla caramel swirl.  I also bought a tray of Oreo cookies because I wanted to try the special birthday ones.  I ate 5 or 6 of the cookies (and gave the rest away at work) and decided I didn't love them.  On to the ice cream.  Yes, I am that kind of food junkie.  I opened the chocolate one.  It was so disappointing.  I took two bites and threw the rest away.  I hoped the vanilla swirl would be better.  I took a bite of that and quickly realized I'd gotten a "light" version.  Yuck.  Down the garbage disposal.  All in all I probably ate 1/2 of one.  Both of the ice creams were Dreyers Slow Churned and I think that was my mistake.  All light and fluffy when what I wanted was real ice cream.  And I didn't feel the urge to beat myself up over the cookies and ice cream.  Maybe I shouldn't be so casual about it but I just don't feel like it's that big of a deal. 

And then I realized my taste has really changed.  Or maybe I'm just figuring out what my real taste is - as opposed to eating driven by compulsion or habit.  This isn't a big Aha! moment, it's more of a realization that I've changed.  Slowly, very slowly, and with a lot of changes to come.  I don't have to eat food just because it's there.  Around here we have a lot of cars with the Life is too Short for Bad Wine bumper sticker.  Change that to ice cream and I might have to put it on my car next to the USA Triathlon sticker.