Have you ever closed your eyes and opened them only to find that 9 months has passed (past?)? The last time I wrote was April. April of 2018. It’s officially 2019 and I’m hanging my head in shame that I haven’t managed to write a single word. What I have managed to do is cancel my subscription boxes of clothes. Because I’m not a person who needs subscription boxes to go shopping. I like to personally go into a store and manhandle every coat, every shirt, every scarf, every shoe. I like the process of going into Bloomingdale’s and trying on 25 pairs of jeans. I love to try on coat after coat analyzing which hoods are furry enough but not too furry. I adore the smell of the beauty counters and the perfume samples and the sight of children running that aren’t mine because I’ve left them in the capable hands of (school, the grandparents, the nanny). The mall is my default. I walk the mall for fun. I don’t also need boxes of clothes delivered every month. Which is why I subscribed to Hygge box. A box for people who enjoy that trendy and ever just out of reach Danish concept of coziness. It didn’t send me clothes it sent me things! But it turns out I really like to buy things too. I love to pick out great earthenware mugs and if I want a cuppa tea I’m happy with my decaf lady grey, thanks. I don’t need someone to send me fuzzy socks in a box because truth be told they probably won’t fit my feet anyway (#bigfootproblems). So I canceled my hygge box subscription too. And my birch box subscription because – well remember how I like beauty counters? I already spend all of my husbands hard-earned money on furnishing my vanity with every la mer product known to man. I don’t also need to spend even $10 a month on samples of beauty products I will literally never use. I haven’t gotten up the nerve to cancel my fab fit fun subscription. In fact I’ve upgraded it to the option where you get to customize your quarterly box of goodies. Okay so from the latest box I have used exactly one item (the jade face roller thing that is either all the rage or only seems to be all the rage because google is creepy and sponsored ads are everywhere) for – you guessed it, every day for a week and then never again. Should I cancel fabfitfun? Probably. Will I? Time will tell. I sense a box reveal in the not-too-distant-future.
What else have I done since April you ask? Well I have binged every episode of Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Lewis, The Tudors, The White Queen, Versailles, Elizabeth I: The Virgin Queen, The Durrells in Corfu, Mr. Selfridge, and many other shows I can’t remember. Also Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Paw Patrol and Wild Kratts but only because at 5am when I stumble downstairs still sleeping and my kids ask if they can watch a show before I’ve had a chance to inject caffeine into my veins the answer is always “uh yeah whatever i’m just gonna be over here ignoring the fact that my bladder is seconds away from bursting because I’m afraid if I get up the baby will take it as a sign that I want to be up and moving about the house and he’ll ask me for breakfast and to play with the sink and…what’s that? You don’t actually care? The show is already on? So yeah. One show, eight shows. Good times.
What else? Well, I bought all the supplies for refurbishing old furniture and – didn’t. I suddenly became obsessed with luxury designer handbags, much to the distress of my ever-tolerant and obliging husband. I joined a gym and went every day for a week and then never again for the subsequent 3 (I joined in December trying to preempt the New Years challenge buzz. I figured if I signed up early I might trick myself into actually sticking with it – whereas New Years’ resolutions to go the gym are begging to be broken. I think it’s actually a law in some states.). Also I challenged myself and all of my 2 friends on Goodreads who might notice to read 52 books in 2019 (will be re-reading all Bill Bryson, all Harry Potter, and throwing in some Crazy Rich Asians). And I became vegan.
Well when I say I became vegan what I mean to say is that 2 weeks ago I read the book How Not To Die by Dr. Michael Greger and became sufficiently convinced to stop eating animal products. I will say no more since I hate preachy preachiness but it’s a thought-provoking book and worth a look.
Well I will say more but just a little. I really don’t care what anyone else eats (except the people I have control over like my children – Ha. Ha. Control is a funny thing and definitely not something I have when it comes to what my children put in their mouths.) And so I will not expect anyone else to cut out meat, eggs, milk, cheese, etc. You may eat it all to your heart’s content and I’m not convinced given the right circumstances I wouldn’t too – not sure I can say no to Hibachi steak. And I sure do love the full English breakfast from Tea and Sympathy.
I may have a hard time saying no to an aged gouda. But generally for the most part I feel like this is a change I could make in my life. Look at this food: 
…and tell me you wouldn’t eat it. Okay but tell me it doesn’t look pretty.
Really it all started when a mom friend of mine invited me over to eat her leftover vegetarian chili and I didn’t vomit when I ate it. True. Just about any moment in time from birth until a month ago if you had asked me to eat vegetarian chili I would have said thanks but no thanks. The truth is I just felt that a meal without meat or cheese or both was just no meal at all. But the chili wasn’t just not-vomitable it was really good and downright satisfying. My world was rocked and it made the lessons from How Not To Die a bit more – palatable. (Ha. Ha.) I’m officially a semi-committed but very well-meaning vegan. And everyone reading – all 8 of you (hi mom and dad!) – have my permission to ask me if I’m still semi-committed in a few weeks.
Meanwhile I am not pregnant (a question you may have asked yourself if you know me even a little AND a question I have been asked several times in the past year – (oh, hi, gym membership.))
And with those updates and that somewhat abrupt ending – until next time –
Me.
Mama Mader at Home 