Today was one of those you-don’t-want-to-hear-about-it, get-me-out-of-here days. Yes, I wanted OUT. I wanted cucumber slices on the eyes and a spa chair in the middle of somewhere QUIET and WARM and maybe a little BREEZY. No children allowed. Especially children who HATE THEIR STROLLERS.

Like, WTF? You should see me try to strap Rascal in his stroller. It’s quite a sight…. I lift him out of the carseat and, right away, he stiffens straight as a board. When I FINALLY get him in there, I look up, sweating, and we’re half way across the parking lot….

Anyway…. On our way home from the barn trip this weekend, Josh and I decided to take a detour through Hamilton, Ontario, where I went to school for FOUR YEARS….

McMaster University…. Laaaa!

I don’t remember a lot from those years (university years)…. But, I DO remember going HERE for my weekly treat — every Friday after class….

It was ALL about the caramel sauce…. Excuse me for a sec. Must. Gag. … … Okay, back.

And, THIS is where I lived for THREE years (I lived in residence my first year)….

I KNOWWW! Isn’t it GORJ!? And, didn’t, like, the word “GORJ” come to mind, like, right, like, when you first saw it!?

EW! I lived, studied, slept, pulled all-nighters writing English Lit and Art History essays in THAT TEEENY TINY room in the front of that UGGERS house (that looks the EXACT same as it did THIRTEEN YEARS AGO — ‘cept for the satellite dish — same blinds and everything!). See that window right beside the front door? white blinds? on the left? behind the pole? MY room. That was my room. Overlooking the busiest street in Hamilton. Ew. The next year, I lived on the other side of the house, in a BIG room on the top floor (where bedrooms SHOULD be). That top right window was mine. It was nice…. Ish. It was…ish. Just ish.

Speaking of ISH. CHECK MY DANCING COUSIN, MILES, on SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE CANADA!!! There is nothing “ISH” about him. He was PERFECTION tonight, of course. I couldn’t be prouder…. This vid is of last week’s performance (not tonight’s)….

What did you think? Is he not ADORABLE??? Do we look alike? He’s it’sgrandma’s brother’s son, so there should be a LITTLE resemblance. I actually look more like his older brother Henry, everyone says. Anyway, LOVE! Tonight he did the VIENNESE WALTZ proud. Yay Miles!!!

So, I’m still working on my detox plan. Doing some research. See, the thing about Hamilton was, it triggered something for me. It made me realize that I’ve lived a lot of my life inside my head. Sort of like this famous quote by Mark Twain:

“I’ve had a lot of worries in my life, most of which never happened.”

I think of those years at McMaster University as happening mostly IN MY HEAD. This is partly because I was studying English Literature INTENSELY. But, I also had a LOT of anxiety during those years. And, that anxiety made my existence there pretty dark and hopelessly overwhelming at times.

I’m writing this now because today had GREAT possibilities — like every day. But, I was in THE WORST MOOD! I was tired, and lethargic, and just BLAH. I felt like I was at the end of my rope. And, it wasn’t because I couldn’t get Rascal in his stroller (because that happens every day). No, it was purely in my head.

Cheaty was so tired she just SAT THERE and WATCHED as Rascal threw his organic alligator crackers all over the living room….

I thought about it, and I realized very quickly that THERE IS SOMETHING gnawing at me.

It’s my diet situation, AGAIN. Yeah, the little diet fairy always comes knocking when I get off track — with a hefty dose of anxiety, lethargy and THE GRUMPS.

I haven’t been eating that well, and I’m just SO TIRED of all this extra weight on me STILL. I have twenty more preggers/nursing pounds to lose. Not impossible. I’ve already lost 50 — by simply chasing after the little monkeys. But, progress has been stalled for a while now.

So, DETOX IS IN ORDER.

I’ve been researching to find the best, safest detox plan for me, and for you if you want to join me, Gorgeouses (but check it with your doc first, of course, because I am NO expert). From all my research, the most common and doable detox rule is FRUIT in the morning. I’ll get into more detail about THE CHEATY DETOX AND DIET PLAN tomorrow — because I’m still figuring it out. But, first thing’s first: TODAY (Thursday), I will have a breakfast of FRUIT. When I’m hungry. And, I will try to eat clean the rest of the day. Lunch: salad (with flaxseed oil salad dressing — will CONCOCT tasty one and post it in the KITCH latah), legumes on top. Dinner: quinoa with chickpeas, salad. EIGHT GLASSES OF WATER. There. DUNZO. Detox.

I should have a plan in place by tomorrow. I’ll keep you posted both here and in the KITCH. Wish me luck!

xo Haley-O