Indulgences

I really like to read, but lately I haven't been able to indulge as much as I would like. There is always so much to do! Last year at this time I was going through books like wildfire, but I was pregnant. So I wonder how much I was accomplishing around the house because not only was I generally recumbent, I was moving in slow motion while upright. Now I feel like I am manic all day and still nothing is getting done. The moral? I don't know, but it doesn't look good for efficiency. I have a very long list of books that I would like to read and perhaps I might start a sidebar in their honor -- mostly to help me remember them. My sister (and other friends, but I am afraid she is the winner) sends me her reviews from Goodreads and I always want to read all the books she recommends.

Last Friday I went to Goodwill for the first time in months. For me that is truly astonishing. I have often driven by and made myself turn the other way because I do not have the time, the money, nor the space which is required. I had to drop some things off (see, I am getting rid of things!) so I thought I would just run in for a minute because I needed to find a coat for the baby. Oh, I found so many great things. I bought two nice skirts that Ella and I wore to church yesterday, some Halloween costumes, and the best thing was that just as I was remembering the coat and visualizing it in my mind, I turned around and there it was -- innocently hanging there as if waiting just for me. It is totally hip and even has fluff around the hood. Cool.

We have been suffering through a lingering cold at our house. It isn't horrible, but enough to make one feel lethargic, achy, out of sorts, and my worst symptom of all -- I cannot taste! I hate it. There were a couple of days when I couldn't taste anything and I didn't really want to eat. I came to the realization that I do not eat merely for nutrition -- to stay alive for heaven's sake. No, I just want to relish the magnificent flavors of delicious food. Mmmm. I think that if I lost that sense I would try to find some foods that were highly nutritious, low calorie, and texturally interesting. But it would be a terrible loss. I would deeply lament one of life's greatest pleasures. On Friday I went to a friend's house and everyone had brought appetizers to share. I thought I would be fine not eating anything, but everything looked so delectable. Finally, I asked her if I could take some Sudafed and sure enough in 30 minutes I could taste and it was so wonderful! I just tried not to think about the fact that Sudafed dries up my milk whilst drying out other things. "He won't get much milk if I don't eat anything either." I rationalized quietly to myself.

I was given another chance to overeat on tasty little tidbits at the dessert buffet sponsored by our Relief Society preceding the Women's General Broadcast. I tried to watch my intake all day and then make reasonably good choices while there ("I won't take some of the carrot cake," I think self-righteously as I surreptitiously grab a brownie, a raspberry topped cookie, some puppy chow, and some apple crisp, hoping my sanctimonious self won't notice the relapse). I thoroughly enjoyed chatting with everyone and then loved, loved, loved the messages given. Sister Beck reminded me that I do have faith and strength and everything will be okay. Elder Uchtdorf assuaged my guilty feelings at leaving my family for my art class by insisting that all of us deep down yearn to be creative. It always astounds me that at Conference they are talking to me. Little old me! There was so much discussed that I have been pondering lately! I cannot wait for this coming weekend and hope that we can all be mellow and enjoy it. Usually, almost always, without fail, we all get grumpy with one another. Is it -- Satan? (said like church lady, bien sur).