Going off the rails

The past week has been interesting, to say the least. Busy, busy, busy, and we are still nine days out from Christmas. My shopping is essentially done and the lamb roast is still a mere temptation, but my rule of no late mid-week nights, or only one if absolutely necessary, has proved to be my undoing and sent me completely off the rails.

No need to go through each day, but suffice to say it got out of control on Monday and went downhill from there. Too many meetings, too many appointments, and three very late nights that left me craving for anonymity and my "no" voice.

It wasn't so much the "do" list that did me in, but the accompanying, or perhaps more exactly, the resulting failure to eat - properly, and in some cases, at all.

Before I go any further, let's be clear. I'm not a fan of diets, and I eat lots of chocolate, love desserts, and consume coffee on a regular basis. But, I have made a concerted effort of late to eat more fruit and veggies, and drink more water and tea. Yeah, I know; sounds boring already.

Anyway, as the saying goes, you don't miss something until you go without ... or, whatever. And I have to say that living on fries, lattes and Maltesers - not all at once, but the easiest fast-food options available at the time - made me miss oranges, apples and blueberry tea more than I could have imagined.

So, today, being a Friday free of anything on my schedule, saw me back on the rails - especially after I caught up on some of that long-lost sleep. And I feel quite rejuvenated, inspired even, and happy to be missing that interim menu of little substance and only relatively short-term joy.

It's okay to take a different track every now and then, just as long as there's a plan for recovery. For my money, the best thing about going off the rails is living to tell the tale and then getting back on. In fact, I think it should be a periodic requirement - a gift that allows us to consider ourselves with as little judgement as possible.

Can't want to see what the silly season brings and how I navigate my way through it. I have high hopes for success, as long as no one gives me fries, lattes or Maltesers.

It is too early to cook up that lamb roast, honey?