For an East Coaster, eating at a Carl's JR is a surreal experience.(It's HARDEES, people!!!) There's some weird thing tacked onto it now(Green Burrito), because anything thats not really Mexican food is not really popular(out west). But it was cool, regardless of that nagging little feeling that the name was all wrong and it should be Hardees, nationwide.
Had a good trip out west, flew into LAX Saturday night-Sunday morning. Stayed a few days in the SF Valley driving around,finishing up shopping,etc.Went to husbands parents house, stayed till the 26th.
Christmas Day-(morning)celebrations at their house. In the afternoon, went to extended familial Christmas celebrations.
Differences between my family and the rest of civilization:
We don't give socks,shirts,pants, or any other articles of clothing. And we don't open presents one at a time(we'd be all day doing it, due to the largeness of said family). In my new family..the exact opposite is the case. Most of the articles, clothing. I like new clothes but I'm not accustomed to it coming as a gift. And there is always the element of not liking something you've received.Something to get used to.
I was the only person(except for babies/kids) who wasn't drinking alcoholic beverages, eating extremely sugary carbo-laden goodies all day. I ate some,but exercised restraints. And the alcohol, I left alone enterily.(besides being a lightweight, my bgs were doing enough exotic things that day)
I felt, different. All over again. Normal people drink alcohol(several times a week, or more), drink juice for breakfast(I never drink juice, unless I'm having a low)
eat sweets with wild abandon, go out for a walk without computing the am-I-too-high-or-low-for-this? factor and do a ton of other things. You go to someone else's house,(on the other side of the country)and they are extremely wonderful people who would bend over backwards to make you feel welcome but there is no diet coke, nothing remotely healthful,and everyone else is partaking generously of holiday cheer and you can't help but to feel different. Just like that 17 year old, fresh out of the hospital + going into a radically different world. Will it ever change-these occasional flashes of being the alien from another planet?
I'm better at being accommodating + understanding of normal people's habits, but after 9 years the feelings of being different still reemerge and leave me wishing I wasn't different, wasn't the "diabetic," And explaining to another family about the carbs/sweets thing- generally impossible, in the name of politeness you eat SF stuff
and don't eat as much of the good stuff as you'd like.
Thank goodness Christmas is just once a year. Now we'll go down to my families Christmas celebrations, where I repeat the exact same scenario(but with the aid of
Diet Coke, I will prevail)Thank you, Coca Cola. Just once, I'd like to have a Christmas party D-style, fresh fruits/veggies/meats/carbo counts on everything/and no alcohol.(yeah,I know D's can drink alcohol but its just so difficult to figure out)
And no Food Nazis admitted.
Heidi,
ReplyDeleteI am so glad Christmas only happens once a year. The stress would drive me crazy. I do like your idea of a Christmas party D-style. And I would love for no Food Nazis to be admitted! That would be great.
Oh, and I have heard of Carl's Jr somewhere but didn't realize that it was affiliated with Hardees. BTW - Hardees is my favorite place in the whole world for Diet Coke. Theirs are the greatest! I recognized the logo on your post right away. I'm looking at a large diet coke cup with the same little star on it from Hardees right now. LOL!
I have heard of BYO booze, but not BYO Diet Coke, LOL. Not everyone drinks alcoholic beverages twice a week. We rarely drink; in fact, I did not indulge although alcohol was available. With you on having healthy snacks/treats available, veggies and dips, spicy chicken wings, maybe even a cheesecake made with splenda/sugar mix would have been all it took to make your day. Even pre-D, we were rarely without diet Coke! Next time you visit his relatives, I would bring some of your favorites to the table or even ask them to provide something you can also eat. I'm sure they will be more than willing, they are probably not aware of how difficult it is to maintain control over the holidays. You deserve a huge pat on the back for avoiding temptation, not sure I could do it!
ReplyDeleteHey Heidi,
ReplyDeleteThat is tough. It can be so hard when you are around all new people and new surroundings.
Kudos for doing as well as you did. And trying our best is all we can ask of ourselves isn't it?
Take care!
Heidi,
ReplyDeleteHolidays are hard enough without having to adjust to new styles of celebration. Would the in-laws have been offended if you'd made a quick run to the corner store and picked up some diet Coke?
Nest year will be better.
And, I happen to think that clothes are extremely personal. But, what can one do but smile, say "thank you" and hope that there's a gift receipt somewhere.
Happy New Year!!