SOUTHERN SOUL

We just finished up Brunswick stew and barbecue from Southern Soul. For those who have no clue, Southern Soul is THE barbecue place on our island. It was even featured on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives (The Food Network).

As you might guess, it is a dive.

The original was in a former gas station. When it burned, the owner rebuilt on the same spot, a tiny lot on the roundabout with barely enough parking for 5-6 cars. Now it looks like -- a former gas station. Picnic tables line where the gas pumps used to be with barely room inside for a counter and a couple more tables.

Everyday when we go by, we smell the outside cooker cooking away. Ummm. We try not to succumb too often but this week, it got to be too much. Coming home Wednesday, I took a daring detour off the roundabout to get to it (it's very inconvenient to get in and out of), bought my pork barbecue and stew, and went out the back way.

Hard not to tear into it right in the car but I restrained myself. So now it's gone for another few months.

And the pound I lost last week is back.

MAGIC MIRROR

As I mentioned, I'm on a diet. In the last 2-3 weeks I've lost 4-5 pounds. Yay.

So we go out of town to a family thing yesterday, and after the event, came back to the hosts' house to celebrate with food. All kinds of food. On the dining table, on the coffee table, on the counter, on the stove...

Cold cuts, cheeses, croissantes, fruit, pastry poufs, tiny eclairs, little hors d'oeuvre thingies with spinach and stuff inside... Oh it was grand! With a big cake to top it off!

I know what you're thinking. And okay, I did eat. But there was nowhere to go stand without food staring me in the face.

Besides, at our motel, there was a magic mirror. When we dressed for the event, I looked into it and darned if I didn't look slim! I called my guy over. He looked in the mirror and he looked slim, too!

Even when we got back after pigging out, we still looked slim! Then I turned from his reflection and realized that what I saw in the mirror wasn't actually the real thing.

Bummer. Wish I could have brought the mirror home.

IS AMAZON SPYING ON ME?

I can't believe it! Amazon just emailed me a link to these books!

DIETING FOR DUMMIES
DETOX DIETS FOR DUMMIES
EXERCISE BALLS FOR DUMMIES
EATING CLEAN FOR DUMMIES
RESHAPING IT ALL
THE WOMAN IN THE MIRROR: HOW TO STOP CONFUSING WHAT YOU LOOK LIKE WITH WHO YOU ARE

Huh?

And those are just some of the dieting, exercise, spiritual books they think I might "want to know about."

Well, I don't think my mind and my body are any of their business! If I want to do something about them, I will!

Not going to let my guy see this. He's been after me to eat less butter.

DIET

Okay, company's gone, time to get back to normal.

While they were here, I put back on four of the hard-lost eight pounds I've struggled the past few months to get off. I blame the unwanted addition on the homemade brownies and zucchini bread they brought. But it would have been rude not to eat it after they went to so much trouble, right?

So my guy put on two and a half pounds the past week. (He's lost over ten pounds on MY diet.) Not to mope, but it does seem so unfair.

Now I'm back to starving again and eating things I don't like. And grumpy!