Meet my pusher.  No, I don't do drugs but have been known to self medicate with food .  This is my beautiful (feed them till they drop) Mom.  I think she looks like queen Elizabeth don't you?  She hates it when I call her "your majesty".  My mom always want to fee you and will make your favorite dishes when you visit.  If you don't eat enough she sends it home with you!

Mom is 85, lives alone and is one of the most independent women I know.  Her vision is failing and it nearly killed her having to stop driving.  (The rest of family gave a collective sigh of relief!)  She loves her family and feeding us seems to be something she gets a great deal of satisfaction  doing.

Mr. Wonderful and I try to go see her at least once a month and I usually come home having gained weight.  I was surprised and delighted to have actually lost weight after my weekend home.  I was able to say "No thank you Mom, I'm actually quite full."  She did give me her famous "but I made this just for you" and I thanked her profusely acknowledging her culinary skill and totally devotion to detail .  I also reminded her that she bought me fresh cherries and squash also my favorites which I consumed with reckless abandon.

I'm not saying this will not be an issue next month, only that I feel I successively navigated the pitfalls this trip. Hey, do I detect cheek bones in my face.  Hopefully there will be less of me next month when we visit .

So wish me luck I'm on my weigh.