Today is Fat Tuesday a/k/a Paczki Day a/k/a PARTY. Do you know what a paczki is? It is a big donut made of lard, sugar and yummy goodness. It is well worth the 4,000 calories. If you are lucky to get one. Me? I had the grocery store kind which means I probably only had 2,000 calories.
Meanwhile, I was discussing with people in the office what I was giving up for Lent. Every year I pretty much give up the same thing, sweets (candy, cookies, desert, etc). It has become second nature for me and even though I LOVE those things, I no longer have difficulty not eating them during Lent. Not really much of a sacrifice now is it?
So this year I decided to up the ante. I am giving up TWO things - sweets* and bread. Random I know, but I love bread. The inspiration behind this sacrifice came to me when I was pondering one day people that don't eat bread. What the heck is wrong with them, I thought. And a sacrifice was born.
And so I told people at the office. Little did I know that I was then going to have to define "bread." Isn't it self explanatory?
Me: I am giving up bread.
Person: What do you mean, bread?
Me: You know, BREAD.
Person: Describe it for me.
Me: Rolls, sandwich bread, hamburger buns...
Person: {gasp} But how will you eat a HAMBURGER?
Me: Without a bun?
Person: What about a pita?
Me: Yup, bread.
Person: What about pasta?
Me: WHAT?
Me: Pasta is not bread! BLASPHEMY!
Person: Well, it is in the same triangle on the food chart.
Me: Wait. What? Huh?
Also poorly timed, the four boxes of Girl Scout Cookies that were delivered to my house tonight. Luckily B has almost polished one of them off.** I am going to have to save the other two. I also believe I ordered four more from someone else. Such a mystery.
That reminds me of the one time my Mom ordered a bunch of Girl Scout Cookies and gave them to me for safekeeping. I stored them throughout Lent in my fridge. Then on Easter I tore into my own Girl Scout Cookies with a little help from B. Soon I was out but my craving was not. Come August when my Mom asked for her cookies I just gave her a blank look followed by a "Crap..."
She never let me hold her cookies again.
*I carved out an exception for pumpkin pie from our fish and chips place because I always get screwed out of eating it since we go there mostly during Lent.
**I may have had one or two and they are small boxes. Damn Girl Scouts with their addictive cookies that they charge an arm and leg for and then shrink the box every year. I NOTICED GIRL SCOUTS! You cannot pull one over on me.
***Yeah, I still ordered 8 boxes. I am a sucker.
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5 important things being said:
Giving up breads is definitely harder than giving up desserts/sweets. Big ups to you! I'm sure you can do it. You might even find other non bread items you like the most to eat :)
Ps. Girls scout cookies are EVIL. Thank god people can't get them easily here. Ha.:p
OMG...after I read your comment at the butt crack of dawn this morning over in my world I was going to inquire as to the definition you were using for "bread" as I wondered if this included all things made with flour or just strictly bread.
I'm so proud of you. Good luck with yours! So far, so good for me. 25 minutes into lent and I haven't sworn once. I haven't spoken yet, but that is a mere technicality!
On a totally separate note...I saw girl scouts peddling their drug while it was snowing on Saturday. They were standing outside on the road and had the headquarters set up in the bowling alley parking lot. I instantly thought of you and your frozen stash of their drugs! :)
Andhari - it has definitely been harder. There is a LOT of bread out there. So tempting. I have been eating a lot of potatoes. Not sure that is a good thing. And? Girl Scout cookies are evil, but so delicious.
jlynn - I love you anyway. Good for you on the swearing thing. I could never do that. I lose immediately and then swear again. Funny that you think of me and my girl scout cookie story every year. I think my Mom is still sad.
I am not sure that I could ever give up bread. What would I eat at Subway? And what would I have for lunch at all for that matter? Hmm.. That is a big sacrifice. Perhaps I will try and give up bread for a day and see how that goes. I bet I would fail by noon.
Jenny - it was very, very hard. Never again.
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