Throwing out the Chocolate and

Other Easter heresies

I love Easter and, for those of my family and friends who will be shocked at the following statement, I excuse myself in advance: I love Easter weekend more for the fact that it is our longest guaranteed holiday, than for any religious implications.  It is the only holiday where we have four days in a row each and every year: both Good Friday and Easter Monday are official holidays with not only all governmental offices being closed, but also the banks, stores and shops as well.  Should one need something in an emergency there are stores – both at the train station and at the airport that supply groceries, not to mention the smaller kiosks and service stations – or one can go into neighboring France. Not all cantons do this, but I am grateful that ours does – makes for a lovely, quiet weekend.

But I’m not quite as fond of the accompanying plethora of chocolate!

This year I decided (and no it wasn’t a New Year’s resolution) that I would weigh myself the 1^st of each month. January was normal, February and March as well, but although the 1^st of April was the same for some reasons I decided to weigh the next Monday – shock of my life – 2 kilos added! I knew that the dress I had worn last fall had seemed tighter when I wore it to the Opera (thus the second weighing), but I mean – really!  And I didn’t recall having overindulged. So it was, “enough is enough” and let’s start by cutting out the munchies (my downfall is in front of the TV in the evening – enough said).

Ooof, this week was down almost a kilo. But it sure has me reinforcing my second rule: which has been in recent years the tendency to eat and drink only that which I genuinely enjoy. There are so many (to my palate) delicious things that why would I waste calories on the not-so-pleasing ones?  Of course exceptions are made for politeness’s sake.

Bless my friends – in case any of you follow this, my apologies (hmm.. seems like I am saying sorry an awful lot in this blog) – I received several Easter bunnies and other chocolate delicacies recently: I found good homes for most of them (including one friend who was overjoyed to get a bunny as she had bought for her children and every one around her and no one had bought her anything: see re-gifting makes us all happy), I did keep one cute critter so that I would have something (I mean, how can one live in Switzerland and not have chocolate for Easter, I ask you?)

Saved until last night when I returned home from the mountains (where – and probably no one who knows me is going to believe this – I had no chips, no sweets and no alcohol for the entire stay!).

I took the first bite out of an ear; I took the second travelling down the poor creature’s face and then decided: not good enough. One of those things about which I have become ever so fussy: will eat dark chocolate, not white nor milk.

I actually had the strength (or stupidity) to throw it in the trash bin – ah virtue how sweet the feeling.

But I got my comeuppance this morning: went to make my usual lemon, cinnamon, honey and hot water drink (maybe it’s only the placebo effect, but I have had more energy and feel less sluggish since I started this routine: also had no colds!).  Put on the kettle (for those who don’t know this lovely invention it is a recipient usually somewhat in the shape of a tea kettle that has a heating element in the bottom: you plug it in, fill with water, turn on and in less time than it takes to get out your cups, you have boiling water – truly a great invention!). Oh no – no lemon, well never mind cinnamon and honey are better than nothing. Duly filled my cup with the boiling water and started drinking: ooooppppppssss had totally forgotten that I had left vinegar sitting in the kettle during my absence to eliminate the scale…

Good thing that it isn’t poisonous and some people actually do have a spoonful every morning in place of lemon juice, so I have survived.

Penance for the heresies in my life?

And yes, the chocolate bunny is still in the trash bin.