I canNOT believe it.

I’m sitting here at Starbucks — escaping the chaos of my house with a — are you SURE you’re ready for this, Gorgeouses? I’m sitting here at Starbucks with a TALL GINGER GREEN TEA. MISS ADDICTED-TO-CHAI-TEA-LATTES is sipping a GREEN TEA.

Ooo! Look over there! See it? A COW IS FLYING!

Here! Lemme take a picture of it on my pinkberry:


That book there? I LOVE it: Hip Tranquil Chick: A Guide to Life on and Off the Yoga Mat. Cheaty will HIGHLY recommend it on the Recommends site when time and level of sanity permits.

CLOSE UP!!!!

Yes, I came THIS close to ordering my chai latte because, as I told it’sgrandma as she was on her way out the door with monkey this morning, I needed the “escape.” “Escape” is NEVER a good sign, never a good reason to CONSUME something so deliciously EVIL. Because, you know, as soon as you gulp down that SWEET escape, you feel WORSE — wired, indigestiony, guilty — especially since it would mean you suffered that diet-friendly breakfast of Ezekiel bread, almond butter and (AWFUL LOW-FAT) cheese for nothing.

Nevertheless…, you go to Starbucks for your favourite chai-tea escape. Then, you see the blueberry muffin. And, you say to yourself,

Self, let’s just screw the diet altogether today. We’re already having our fave chai, spiking the blood sugar levels or whatever, so why not the muffin? Hey, let’s escape the whole day and make today CHEAT DAY (instead of Friday, of course).

Ahem. What a FAB idea, SELF!?@#!%$#!!

No. Not fab at all. Because I’m going to teach yoga later and would HATE to feel like a crazed wired lard-arse….

So, I do it. That STRONG (but oh so week) VOICE IN ME utters THIS to the barista man through reluctant-but-fabulously-glossed lips: “I’ll have…I’ll have a… a… GINGERGREENTEA!” Ahh…. Said it. It’s done. There’s no turning back. “And, yes,” I say, “that will be all for me, thanks.”

I took my sorry little green tea and sat down at a lovely seat beside the window. I opened my journal and penned this post.

One small step for humankind, ONE GIANT LEAP FOR ME!

And, mmmm…. I could so learn to like this tea…! Could totally be my new ritual….

UPDATE: Taught yoga a mommy-and-baby yoga class with Rascal and he screeched the whole time (teething…must be). By the time it was over I wanted to VOMIT, I was so stressed. I fed him as I taught, and he bawled. I held him. He bawled. I bounced him. He bawled. Happily, the other mothers were sympathetic and understanding. The class was good for them (I made sure of that), and that’s what matters. I, on the other hand, mattered so little that I made Josh “fetch” me a CHAI TEA LATTE when on his way home, which I swallowed whole — tea, cup, and cupholder.

UPDATE THE SECOND: Just got back from a lo-ho-hong evening. Put Rascal to bed. He screeeeamed the second his wee bawd hit the mattress. So, I took him along for my dusk walk. I put on my fave podcast and started walking. WAHHHHHH! He wailed the whole dang time. AN HOUR. So, I got in the car and drove. My BEAUTIFUL, BEAUTIFUL friend Lolo INSISTED that we meet up so that I could break down on her shoulder (especially since she’s been going through the same thing with her baby). She got in the car, and we drove. Amazing how healing a talk with a friend can be…. By the time I dropped Lolo off at home, Rascal was asleep. So, I went to Starbucks. And, I got me a SAWEEEET hot chocolate, which I devoured in 5 minutes. Back to green tea ritual tomorrow. Pinky swear.



In response to yesterday’s post, I got lots of emails and comments asking “WHY WHY WHYYY forgo the CHAIII”!? You wanted to know why I couldn’t just opt for the “skinny” chai, and call it a day. Oh, I wish it were that simple.

First of all, I do order the skinny chai. Either that, or I order the soy, which has basically the same number of calories. I would NEVAH order anything from Starbucks that wasn’t either nonfat or soy. NEVAH! You see, for me, it’s not the calories or the fat that’s the problem; it’s the SUGAR. There is an OBSCENE amount of sugar in the chai tea latte. And, while that’s aiight for some (most) people, it doesn’t fly with me. At least not now, when I have so many preggers pounds to shed. My new theory is that all that sugar is ruining my appetite for anything healthy the rest of the day. You know what I mean? So, it’s not that easy for me to have JUST THE CHAI, and not that delectable holiday loaf or blueberry muffin…. No, that chai is totally CRACK, Gorgeouses, and even you said it in your comments. It’s all CRACK CRACK CRACK CRACK CRACK! It’s CRACK!

CRACK!

And, I am addicted. Hopelessly. So, I DEFINITELY have to quit it cold turkey if I ever want to get back into shape again. I just KNOW IT. Trust me on this, Gorgeouses, there’s no halfway. I need to quit. QUIT. QUIT. Totally.

So, I’m technically in withdrawal right now. It’s been two days.

My strategy has been to smoke cigarettes instead…. I KID!

I’ve been having the tazo chai TEA BAGS — aka boooooooorrrring! — instead.

And, at night, I’m enjoying another boooooring tea….

To spice up my fabulously boooooorrrring teas, I’ve been using my handy-dandy Starbucks mug, which it’sgrandma bought me for Hanukkah (can you say, “PERFECT GIFT”!):

I love cupping it in my hands. Mmmm. Comfort.

By the way, I think the rascal’s in Starbucks withdrawal, too…BECAUSE HE’S BEEN CRYING ALL FRIKKIN EVENING! I was crying myself because the constant WAHH-ing so NERVE-GRATING! Aaaaaarrrrrgh!

I don’t know what the rascal’s story is tonight. He’s reeeeeeeaaally fussy. He’s sleeping on Josh-O’s chest right now, though. So, ahhhhh!

I also have an update on the blender situation. Because I know you’ve all been sitting on the edge of your seat in suspense. What WILL she do about her blender???!!!???

NEW BLENDER NEW BLENDER NEW BLENDER NEW BLENDER!

And, it’s even better than the last one in so VERY many ways! Check it:

We exchanged our KitchenAid and got the Breville blender. Even Josh-O is in love with it. And, he was in love with the last one! (It was SO hard to convince him that the plastic issue was a good reason to schlep back to crowded Yorkdale and return it…. He totally thought I was having one of my WACKO episodes.) Anyway, the Breville is apparently the King of All Blenders — with the latest technology, etc..

And, the jar is glass. Love.

Amid all the crying tonight, I managed to get out a good long gossip roundup — loads of gossip and pictures there! CHECK IT:

And, GORGEOUSES…..

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Thank you so much for being the best readers in the world this year. I totally love you! Yes, you! LOVE! Looking forward to a GREAT 2008!

Have fun tonight!

xoxoxo Haley-O