food, glorious food? (m)

Ah, the holidays.  The kids are home from school, friends come over, Thanksgiving on Thursday, birthday extravaganza on Saturday night.....all connected by one constant: food.

Wednesday-- Sam arrives home from college around 1 p.m.  He's "starving" (he inherited the "food gene").  I was at the rink with Harrison and Sam called to ask me to bring home a super burrito from Anna's Tacqueria.  The thing weighed about 2 lbs.  "All right if a few friends come over tonight?" he asked.  They are big guys (one is 6' 5'', 300 pounds).  I make a quick run to the supermarket and stock up, but I'm in a sweat wondering if I've bought enough.

I get home, put the stuff out and then they descend.  Theoretically, these guys ate dinner at home.  They swarmed like locusts and devoured bags of tortilla chips, jars of salsa, popcorn, pretzels, brownies and lots of water and Gatorade.  I wonder what would happen if they hadn't had dinner.....would I still have a couch in the family room?

Thursday--Thanksgiving.  I know we covered this.  But really, what other holiday is focused exclusively on food?  It's a day of  non-stop eating.  I had to white knuckle my way through this one.

Friday--Sam's friends return and would I make my bourbon balls? asks one.  I love this kid, so I make the bourbon balls (mini meatballs, soaked in bourbon, brown sugar and ketchup), and stock up again.  Harrison and I go to a reunion with people from his grammar school.  Chinese food.  I had steamed chicken and salad and fresh fruit ( I told the host mother I was on Weight Watchers and she obliged...very nice of her).  Everyone else ate crab rangoon, fried rice, General Gao's chicken (fried) and pumpkin pie, chocolate pudding and ice cream.  We had so much fun, I almost forgot to pity myself that I couldn't eat what everyone else was eating.

Saturday--Sam heads back to school, but not before a hearty breakfast of a 3-egg and cheese omelet, toast, yogurt parfait (yogurt, fresh raspberries, honey, cinnamon and granola), hot chocolate and cranberry/orange juice.  I make him and his friend peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and pack fruit and water for the drive back to New York. 

Just when I thought I was out of the woods dealing with food, Harrison asks if about 12 skater friends can come over to celebrate a birthday for one of them who just turned 16.  I say yes.  These kids are in training and the coaches are on them about proper nutrition and portion control.  I ask what I need to provide and Harrison says "We'll take care of it.  Everyone is bringing something.  You and Dad just need to pay for the pizza and provide drinks."  I get bottled waters, juice, skim milk and clean the house.  Then, I take my mother out shopping (the less she sees the better.  I know the kids will go in the hot tub and the girls will be in little bathing suits and my mother will freak).

She and I come home from shopping around 9 p.m. and there's "contraband" everywhere:  Cheese Doodles, pretzels, chips and salsa, pizza, brownies, soda, cake, ice cream, M&M's.  They are all on sugar highs and laughing like hyenas.  I took a picture and threatened to put it on Facebook where the coaches could see it.  It's nice to have leverage.

After they left, I cleaned up and realized that I made it through a tough few days.  I had a handful of M&Ms and a slice of pizza for dinner.  Points-wise, not bad, but hideous nutritionally.

I'm sick of food.  I'm sick of thinking about it, shopping for it, preparing it, serving it, avoiding it, cleaning up after it.

Maybe this will cure me of my obsession with it.