dieting on an airplane (m)

Headed to Spokane, Washington today.  We wake up at 4 a.m.  My throat feels like someone sanded it down with the coarsest grade sandpaper.  I take a swig of Elderberry syrup (1 point) and debate whether or not I should eat breakfast.  I decide not to since I'm so sleepy I would probably choke on whatever I ate and also because the airline said breakfast was being served on the flight.

We get through the baggage check-in, go through an interminably long line at security and head to the gate.  Along the way, I see shops selling muffins, bagels, juices,yogurt with muesli etc.  By now I'm awake and hungry but there's the promise of that breakfast on the flight so I take a pass.

We board the plane and are in "Business Class."  This was my Christmas present from my husband.  An upgrade from steerage.  The seats are marginally bigger than Coach and the service is borderline acceptable.  The flight attendant is talking and laughing and has no peripheral vision.  I'm trying to flag her down to take our coats.  No response.  While the seat belt fits without an extender, I notice it's a little tighter than when I traveled in November.  I'm distressed.  Why is this tighter?  Then I remember that the seat belts are the same length as coach but the chair is more padded so it takes up some of the slack. 

We get to cruising altitude and the "service" starts.  I get a glass of water with about 6 ice cubes which nets about 3 oz of liquid.  I ask for a refill so I can take my Sudafed.  She says "certainly" with the tightest of smiles.  I can tell she pegs me as "high maintenance".  We hate each other.

After one full hour, breakfast is served.  Would I like the cheese omelet or the fresh fruit plate?  I would like the cheese omelet but I get the fresh fruit plate.  I am salivating thinking of pineapple, mango, strawberries.  Instead, I get a little dish of grapes with 3 wedges of pineapple.  A leaden bran muffin accompanies this melange and I pick at the top of the muffin and decide it's not worth the points.  I drink more water and read a mystery novel.

We land in Denver for a one hour layover.  We walk by Pizza Hut, Haagen Daz, Quiznos and more.  H gets a turkey sub at Quiznos.  I hold out for the "lunch" on the plane.

On the flight from Denver to Spokane, the service is better.  Pre-lunch appetizer is roasted nuts.  I devoured my little serving.  There has to be 4 points in these nuts but I don't care.

The lunch options are shrimp salad or turkey sandwich.  I ask the flight attendant for his recommendation.  He says "not the shrimp."  I think about this wording.  Do you notice it's phrased in the negative?  Not the shrimp.  It wasn't a vote for the turkey as much as it was a vote against the shrimp.

The turkey sandwich arrives.  Big thing of bread, turkey and melted cheese.  I took part of the bread away.  I now had and "open-faced" sandwich so I ate it with a fork and knife.  Nasty.  The turkey tasted like dead fowl and the cheese was gross.  I looked across the aisle at a guy eating the shrimp salad.  I can tell by his face that he wants to spit it out.

We arrive in Spokane mid afternoon, Pacific time.  I order chicken caesar salad from room service.

It's excellent.....even without the croutons, cheese or dressing.

I make a mental note to bring a meal before the next flight so I don't get stuck again with airline food.