Watching my diet--with dismay

For one who could barely button her favorite pants on Monday, I haven't done very well today. Went to a luncheon where the buffet was vegetable soup--the broth looked greasy, so I took veggies without much broth--and croissant sandwiches--me, who's not eating carbs. And then the dessert was irresistible for a chocaholic--a sqaure of chocolate cake with a layer of strawberry cream something and iced in mousse-like light chocolate frosting. I didn't eat the last bite--and that, I decided, meant the cake didn't count. Then tonight I went off to the local restaurant that is offering Lobsterama--a whole lobster for $13.95. What I rationalized is that seafoord is good for you, and you really don't eat that much butter when you dip the bites of lobsters. I had salad, but righteously came home and resisted either chocolate or the apple crisp. Last night I sent all my weekend leftovers home with Melinda--her twenty-one year old son is living at home temporarily and she has to feed him. He apparently ate all the stuffed pork tederloi and a good bit of the chili/cumin potatoes. But I didn't send the apple crisp. I want some more of it, and I figure Jacob will like it tomorrow night. Funny, sophisticated kid. So far, I have hummus and apple crisp on his menu. Need to think of a little protein and a little green.
The luncheon I went to today was called "What's on Your Bookshelf?" Human Resources sponsors it for emloyees once a month and invites various authors. The author today writes sort of romance/fantacy/strong women's lit, and I was not prepared to be impressed. Nor did she initially make an impressive appearance. But she was drop dead funny, charming, uninhibited, just a great speech. The thing I came away with it from is that "if you believe it, you can do it." She writes a syndicated column five days a week, does radiio and TV shows, and writes novels. (Okay, she sleeps four hours a night, and I really really need eight). But when I started into this mystery writing business, my thought was that if I believed it, it would happen. Sometimes, lately, along the way, that conviction has faltered. But I intend to get it back now.
We had our first norther of the season today. It was cool and drizzling a bit when I went to work, but by the time we went to the luncheon--my whole office went across campus--it was sunny and surprisingly warm. By the time we came out, it was dismal and quite cold with a sharp wind blowing. They say we're in for severe weather, though mostly east of us. That always presents a dog dilemma--if I fed him, he'll want to sneak in the house, and I couldn't let him do that before I went to dinner. But it actually wasn't threatening, and he was fine. Tonight, debated but set the thermostate at 70 and turned on the heat--and I think it just kicked in. Fall is here.