a holiday party (lyn)

Throughout last night, almost 11 inches of snow falls on New York City (much less than in other parts of the East Coast).  But city workers and building staff are quick to react.  By ten this morning, the streets have been plowed, the sidewalks cleared, and any traces of a major blizzard have been blown away.  There are still cars waiting to be unburied, and slushy street corners are difficult to navigate, but everything else looks pretty much under control.  The mayhem of yesterday’s monster storm has disappeared.

The idea of a cuddle-in day evaporates as the sun sneaks in and out.  I go out to buy some basic groceries after a struggle to awake Alexander so he can finish his SAT prep work before his tutor arrives at two.

For lunch, I eat the zero point Weight Watchers soup I made yesterday, so I’ll have more points available for tonight’s tree trimming party at Philip and Andre’s house.  I find the soup more palatable than M’s experience with it.  She describes it to me as “dreadful; I threw the whole thing out.”

We arrive at the party around 5:45, and already there are about 40 people there…both adults and teenagers.  The guests are all friendly and talkative, the apartment is warm and beautifully decorated for the holidays, and the food is plentiful.  I decide to eat judiciously and I’m successful.

I pass on the pigs in a blanket, knowing that I cannot eat only one.  I pass on the little cheese and spinach-stuffed hors d'oeuvres because I wouldn’t know how to account for them.  I don’t start with the chips and dips, as I know that would be too dangerous.  I even overlook all the many desserts.  I only eat sushi and pork roast (without the mini croissants), and I only drink Diet Coke. 

I leave feeling more proud of what I didn’t eat than of what I did.