PANCAKES AND EGGS AND HAM OH MY!

So having only been able to drink clear fluids for the 30 hours before my colonoscopy, when my brother-in-law and I left the clinic we went for breakfast.

Harvey’s is one of the few “mom & pop” café/restaurants left in town.  They’re locally famous for really good breakfasts and I felt I had earned a little “treat” after my colonoscopy.

I really try hard not to make food a “treat”.  Food is fuel needed to nourish the body and sustain good health.

That’s the dieters “party line” anyway.

But let’s face a little reality.  Food is more than just needed fuel for the body.  It is that for sure, but so much of life revolves around food.   

Celebrations of any sort almost always involve food of one sort or another.  Humans are social creatures.  We love to do things together.  We work, play and eat together.  So there are always plenty of opportunities to put food into the mix of whatever we are doing.

Our church had a “fall cleanup day” this morning.  We focused on the fellowship hall and accomplished a lot of good sprucing up and pitching the various detritus of years of “let’s just give this to the church to use.”   

Goodwill is the richer for it though!

Following the cleanup, our pastor grilled burgers and we had a little lunch together. 

Food…always food!

So back at Harvey’s I scanned the breakfast menu. 

I haven’t ordered breakfast at a restaurant in over seven months. 

I hadn’t eaten a regular (non-eggbeaters) egg in that time, nor had I eaten a pancake or ham.  I ordered one pancake, two scrambled eggs and a slice of ham.  The reason that Harvey’s is locally famous for their breakfasts is their portion sizes. Plus it tastes homemade and it’s usually “top drawer” delicious. 

This breakfast was no exception.

The ham slice was a ¼” thick - darn near a ham steak, and the pancake had to measure 12” to 13” across!  Ok maybe 10” but still one frapdippin big flapjack!  

Here was yet another opportunity to let food control me, or for me to control what I allowed into my mouth.  As expected it tasted good. But you know, food I look forward to eating or crave never tastes as good as I imagine it will.   

 It’s a little trick my brain plays on me fairly often. Apparently my brain is located in my stomach, although my wife would probably beg to differ. (innocent grin)

Still, I have choices.

I wanted the food I ordered, but I knew I didn’t want the quantity that was delivered to the table.

I practiced self-discipline and listened to what my body was telling me; something that has largely been out of my grasp my whole life when food has been the subject.  Well, except for cauliflower and brussel sprouts I’ve always been very disciplined in my ability to use restraint in eating them!

Half of the ham and half of the pancake stayed at the restaurant and I left full, satisfied, and happy I had shown restraint.

Oh!  I also enjoyed my brother-in-law’s company…a nice social event that included food, a good friend, and smart eating.

Sometimes my heavy thoughts do result in lighter living!