Day 5-7: Pathetic Food Journal Entry

It's rock bottom today, readers.  I knew something was wrong the night before when I took one sip of a bloody Mary and started to feel nauseous.  The holiday stomach bug decided to visit me and for 24 hours, all I could eat were crackers. 

To battle the bug I took up residence on a air mattress and binge watched Parks and Rec episodes, all of which I have seen at least 20 times.  My family, who are amazing and wonderful people, took care of me while H was away.  So many crackers and hours of Leslie Knope kept me company on the road to health!  There was nothing culinary about Days 5-7.

Day 4: Pathetic Food Journal Entry for Christmas Day

It was a good move for H to be gone during the holidays because I had limited time at the apartment by myself before heading to MI to spend time with family for Christmas.  This meant that there were only a couple days where I had to fend for myself.  I was grateful to be able to lean on my family in the gustatory department because I was sick of frozen meals, cake with beer, and a growling stomach.  I woke up Christmas morning in MI ready for the traditional schedule of presents, brunch and drinking. 

In the picture below you get a glimpse of my meal.  In the lovely cup I had red wine and on the table, spread out before me, was the delicious Christmas afternoon meal.  I had an egg casserole, bagel with jam, and fresh fruit.  In all honesty, I got most of my "fruit" intake that day from the wine for I was celebrating not only Christmas with my family but the presence of real food. 

Day 3: Pathetic Food Journal Entry

Ok, I will come right out and say it.  Day 3 was a low-point for me.  This thin layer of pasta held a smudge of cheese and a dip of sauce.  Here's something else I will admit: It tasted alright to me.  After a long day at work I was too lazy to prepare anything else, so I indulged in this little ditty below.  Was it bland and boring? Yes.  But, was it quick and easy? You, betcha!

Please note the absence of fruit and the fact that this is the second day in a row where I ate a frozen meal for dinner.  The shame!

Day 2: Pathetic Food Journal Entry

There is nothing classy to say about Day 2.  In the morning I met a good friend for coffee and pastries at her house and then met another friend for coffee at the local coffee shop.  Lunch is where things got dicey.  As you can see, it only took me a day to resort to consuming "meals" from the frozen food aisle at Giant Eagle.  At least I paired the sharp cheddar macaroni and cheese with a slightly bruised banana.  Baby steps!

Day 1: Pathetic Food Journal Entry

Here you will see my first "Pathetic Food Journal Entry" for December 9.  It was a lovely assortment of cakes, strawberry vanilla and a chocolate fudge cake, accompanied by a Blue Moon beer.  I offset the dense flavors with a small bowl of leftover Dan Dan noodles that H made before he left.  It only gets worse from here, folks.  Please note the fruit in the background, I did not eat any of it.

I Eat Like a Man When My Man is Silent

It's been clear to me, from the moment I met H, that my fiance is, in many ways, a better human being than I am.  I'm not even trying to be dramatic, I honestly believe it.  While I may have more patience and subtle ways of maneuvering through the day, H is hands down more dedicated to cultivating a peaceful presence in the world.  That's why it came as no surprise to me when he decided to participate in a 10 day silent meditation retreat.  In my gut I knew he could complete the retreat but I never knew how much it would affect my eating habits.

It's not mystery that H is the cook in this relationship.  Before I met him I was a single girl who lived alone with three cats.  I worked a lot, taught writing, and had little time to take care of myself.  I ate a lot of rice and beans and an assortment of frozen meals.  I was also a vegetarian at the time so I had less food options in my culinary cabinet.  The main point here is...I was and is lazy in the kitchen department.  Whenever H has to leave for a couple days, he makes sure there is an assortment of healthy and fresh food options in the fridge.  He asks me over and over what I am going to eat in his absence and I usually mutter something about beer and pizza.  He smiles at my snarky response but I know he is concerned that upon his return I will be sprawled on the couch, beer bottles and pizza boxes strewn about the apartment, with two cats sleeping on my face.  In all honesty, this may not be a far fetched reality.

On December 9, H left for his retreat and I was left to fend for my own.  During his time away I wouldn't be able to communicate with him at all.  No text messages, no e-mails, and no phone calls were allowed during this time.  H's job was to sit in a retreat center, located in Michigan, and meditate.  I'm sure thoughts of my well-being swirled through his head but his main goal was to work on himself during this time.  I was so proud of him for taking on such a difficult task but my hungry stomach felt otherwise.

My first dinner alone proved to be pathetic and hilarious.  It was at that moment that I decided to document my meals while H was away.  Since I would be alone for 5 days before I headed home to spend Christmas with my family, I thought it would be a great way to remember how much my stomach lovingly depends on H's skills in the kitchen.

Now that the holidays are over I have time to share with you my exotic and processed dinners that I endured while H was away.  I hope you enjoy it! Maybe you'll consider sending me some home-cooked meals after reading my food entries. Yes, please?