The Potato Eaters
1889
oil on canvas
44x27cm
Van Gogh Museum

yesterday i was initially scheduled off from the hospital, but since i had off from the cafe, i offered to go in because mondays are usually manic; it proved to be no exception: i had no breakfast and ate lunch at 5:00 p.m. - a 10 minute break to get away from the chaos - but it was a good day, no drama other than that which involved laboring patients.

in between, i ate small packets of graham crackers. some with personal consumption peanut butters. not a good day to start the south beach diet.

by the time i got home at 8:00 p.m. (we admitted 18 patients -- i am thinking everyone this past spring was "twitterpated"), i was exhausted and still hungry; my husband is not a *diet* cook and i walked into a plate of barbecued pulled pork on rolls with potatoes (i refuse to say whether they were roasted or chips so as not to incriminate myself). what is a girl to do?

first off, i know the obvious: skip the grahams, skip the bread, skip the chips. however, i had no protein snacks with me, no chance to go to the cafeteria to buy anything protein- or good carb-related, and honestly, the pulled pork was not the best choice because of the sugar i know he put in the barbecue sauce. here is a man who left for work one hour prior to my leaving for work and he is now putting dinner on the table for my children and being considerate and preparing a plate for me. i want to show my gratefulness and have an appreciative countenance, but i do not know how to handle this.

it is sort of like the woman who wants her husband to help out around the house, but nothing he does is *good* enough. i want my husband to know he is wonderful and worthy and appreciated. but the pulled pork and the starch? oy.

shall i proclaim a fast and forego dinner? there would be an uprising.

should i not eat and when he is not looking, sneak chicken out of the fridge and into another room, eating in secrecy? i do not think that would fare well for the relationship.

low-carb and good-carb snack ideas for work would be most appreciated as this is the first time i have been on a diet that i have not had access to just about any food i needed due to my workplace.

suggestions most welcomed :)