After the gym is usually the time when the cravings start. My stomach rumbles and at that point, my body needs sugar. This is apparently normal, though each day it feels like the end of the world for me to NOTEATABROWNIE. I like to announce it to our house when I make a healthy choice. Usually–that consists of announcing it to my dogs because they’re the ones who listen.

Monday’s craving was particularly bad. Cravings + empty cupboards = cranky Colleen. I searched and searched for one tiny piece of chocolate or anything to satisfy my craving so that I could make it to dinner. All throughout my search, I’d call out my findings to Sean in the other room working.

“We have fruit! Fruit’s sweet…but not what I’m looking for exactly!”

A disinterested grunt was his response.

“We have protein bars! Those have sort of fake chocolate. Focolate!”

“Something you’ve named ‘focolate’ will satisfy you?”

Hm, noted.

At that point, I saw sitting in our cupboard–oatmeal. Normally, oatmeal is my least favorite thing EVER. EHHHHHVVVVEEEEEER. I think it’s pretty disgusting. But at this point, I was desperate. And I knew I could doctor it up so I barely tasted the oatmeal. I made it with soy milk, added a teaspoon of honey and fresh berries and lucky for me, it worked. It was good enough that it got me through until I could make a healthy dinner choice.

I stood in front of Sean’s office eating my oatmeal.

“I chose to eat oatmeal.”

He grunted again. This is his typical means of communication while drawing. I’ve gotten used to it. “Good for you,” he mumbled.

“It’s healthy.” I like to point out the obvious. I was looking for a pat on the back, a parade in honor of my healthy choice.

Instead, he tossed his brush in the ink to rinse and looked up at me. His lip curled back, always a sign that Sean has a sarcastic retort coming. “What do you want a cookie or something?”

I paused. “Yes. But I chose to eat oatmeal instead.”