A Retiree’s Decadent Delight

I sit on my comfy couch, a blanket helping to ward off the winter chill that seeps inside the house and remains until spring. The TV drones on, but I half-pay attention. My computer hums as I review and respond to emails, scan the news headlines, and complete my daily quota of puzzles. I have recently become addicted to Wordle, Connections, Letterbox, and a couple of additional word puzzles. 

This laid-back evening lifestyle is different from my more demanding schedule of the past. By the past, I mean during my pre-retirement work life. Nowadays my days are busy, but a flexible lifestyle allows time to indulge in leisurely interludes. 

On a small table beside me rests a fresh-brewed cup of coffee and a piece of chocolate mousse cake, tonight’s dinner. Decadent. Delicious. Calorie-laden. Loaded with non-nutritious no-nos.

My husband and I went out to lunch today. It is Restaurant Week in a nearby town and the three-course spread included soup or salad, entrée, and dessert at a price we could not resist.

I began my mid-day feast with salad, a generous mix of greens, onions, cucumbers, and cherry tomatoes. My entrée included two sizeable crab cakes, with two side dishes of rice pilaf and mixed vegetables. The food was delicious and portions plentiful. Often restaurant lunches comprise smaller servings of dinner plates. There was no skimping on our meal, with more fare than we could consume.

Dessert would have to wait. Since it was paid for, I felt obliged to accept it. The waitress prepared my slice of cake for takeout.

Fast-forward a few hours. My stomach still felt overstuffed. I had no appetite for dinner, but that piece of chocolate mousse cake hanging out in the refrigerator called my name.

I could not resist. I have no willpower when it comes to chocolate and cake. 

I blame retirement for my dilemma. This gastronomic catastrophe would not have happened while I was a working gal. There was little time for an extended lunch during business hours. Occasionally I dined out with co-workers or met a friend for a quick bite, but time limitations prevented indulgence in a laid-back, three-course repast. 

But life moves on, and now it is time to live in the moment and enjoy my dinner.

Coffee and a generous slice of decadent, delicious, calorie-laden, loaded with non-nutritious no-no’s, chocolate mousse cake. 

And not feel guilty.

Retirement rocks…