Treat or Treat

Today is Halloween. All the little Ninjas and Princesses and ghosts and goblins are taking to the streets. They are ringing the bell and begging for treats. They don't even say "Trick or treat" anymore. They just open their bags and wait. When I ask "What do you say?" they usually say "Thank you". I'm considering only giving Skittles and keeping all the chocolate!

And so begins the season of eating.

It is the time of year that fluffy people either dread or long for.

The weather is colder and we can wear bulkier clothes and cover up more. We can also place the blame for looking larger on those clothes.

We can stay indoors and have an excuse for being a couch potato.

It's also the time of year when we have excuses for over-eating.

I waited on purpose this year to buy my candy and the ingredients for my annual "Ghosts in the Graveyard" dessert I make every year for my co-workers. I knew that those packages of Oreos would not be safe. Instead, I purchased everything on Thursday evening of last week. By the time my husband got home from work, I had eaten about 5 "Fun Size" Almond Joys while making grilled cheese sandwiches (and sampling the cheese, of course!) and tomato soup for dinner. (Including Cheez-its for the soup!) (Don't look at me like that! They were "Reduced Fat"!)

I was beyond full and still ate all my dinner. (And a couple/three/four more Almond Joys. Hey, sometimes you feel like a nut!)

The eating season has begun. (As if I need a reason!) 

It's all downhill from here. First, it's the Halloween candy. Next thing you know, it's time to have pumpkin muffins and cinnamon lattes! Then pies and turkey and gravy and stuffing and sweet potatoes. As if it isn't hard enough all the time for a compulsive eater to try to do the right thing. Now they make everything look so festive and appetizing. I don't have a chance of keeping my eating under control!

Well, let's face it. I wasn't really making much of an effort.

At this time of year, I begin to dread it all. It's a love/hate relationship. I love the holidays. I hate the holidays.

I love decorating and prepping and cooking and baking and cleaning and shopping. I really do love it. That's why I hate it.

I hate that I love spending all that money and time I don't have getting it all done.

This year, money and time are an even more rare commodity in my life. And, as I am sure you surmised by previous posts, I don't exactly have my shit together!

Let's face it, even the most organized person can be worn down to the nub by holiday preparation! And, of late, I am anything but organized.

But I will make my lists and spend money I don't have and somehow manage to get it done and on New Year's Eve I'll turn around and wonder if I had a good time over the holidays.

And it's only November 1st!