Last Year At This Time - #1

Still reflecting on everything that has happened in the last year, I'm going to write a few entries comparing last year at this time to this year.  Not only will it be somewhat entertaining, it will also give me another chance to see and show people how far I've come and how it is completely possible to change your life.

A year ago this weekend I had my first adventure at the grocery store...

Let's just say I was extremely overwhelmed, to say the least.

I remember getting an email from Renee' with a sample grocery list.  I read through it and just thought to myself, I wish I knew what even half of this stuff even is...But, of course I didn't ask her.  Gosh, I was SUCH a different person a year ago.  Now, I don't hesitate to ask her questions.  In fact, I usually make fun of myself when I send the questions because I can't believe I'm that much of an idiot.  Plus, I figure it entertains her even more.

I remember looking around my kitchen, opening up the refrigerator and freezer and realizing I was going to have to throw A LOT of stuff away to make room for whatever healthy stuff I was able to find on this list.  So, out came the garbage bags and I think I filled two or three of them up with stuff from the freezer, fridge and the cabinets.  I will say, I did not throw my Oreos away...Hey, there's some things that are just sacred, right??  I just told myself I wouldn't buy anymore.

Off to the grocery store I went.  I guess I should start by saying that I don't particularly enjoy grocery shopping.  So, for me to go near a store on a Sunday when the rest of America seems to do its grocery shopping, says a lot about how I wanted to start this off right.  I also wasn't feeling very good so I think my patience was a little thin.  But, I still went.  I seriously think I spent over an hour at the store just wandering around.  Most of the time I was probably in the produce section.  Oh, I just walked in circles, trying to read the names of things and not run into other people.  Eventually I found enough food that I thought I could get by for a couple of days so I decided to check out.

I remember getting home and putting everything away and being like, now what?  Surely she doesn't expect me to cook any of this.  Nor do I have a clue what I would do with any of it...  But, I packed up what I thought would be a decent lunch for work the next day and proceeded to lay down and take a nap :)  See, not everything about me has changed!  I know we talked on the phone later that day and I still didn't tell her how little I knew about the list she sent.  I just pretended that the grocery store wasn't that bad and that I would be okay... I'm guessing she wasn't suspecting how little I knew about food yet.... If only she'd had a crystal ball....

This year -

Okay, so, while I still don't know a lot about food and I get confused very easily, I am much faster at the grocery store.  As long as I'm not trying to find something new, I can usually get in and out in 30 minutes.  Probably because I don't have to go up and down every aisle.  In fact, as I write this, I remember Renee' saying that eventually I would find myself shopping mostly the perimeter of the store.  She was right.  Like she usually is :)  Amazing how that speeds up the shopping process!

While I am still learning every day about all this food stuff (yesterday I learned what orzo is), I feel good about what I've accomplished.  I still don't really enjoy cooking but when I figure something out, I get super proud of myself.  I usually can't take credit for the ideas but since I haven't made myself sick yet, I must be doing something right!! :)

Stay tuned for more amusing recollections :)