Days of Gloom

These are days of gloom. December lurks just around the corner. Today, the sky is dark and full of rain-laden clouds. The air outside is cold and moist. A little bit of drizzle falls constantly. Now and then it strengthens into rain for a while, then falls back to a drizzle. It will be like this tomorrow and the next day. Gloom and drizzle, the perfect connector between November and December. Many trees have shed their foliage and are mostly bare now. Some of the trees that keep their leaves are showing off their winter colors.

With the advent of autumn, my appetite always turns to carbs, and like a squirrel putting on fat for the coming winter, my body starts putting on pounds. In the past two months, I’ve gained 10 pounds. It’s a “winter is coming” thing. Over thousands of years of evolution, humans who put on weight as winter approached had a better chance of surviving winter. So I’m okay with adding a few pounds. I tell myself the extra pounds have nothing to do with will power – it’s all evolution’s fault. It’s out of my control; it’s my DNA. Plus, it’s now too cold to go outside and do the walking and other exercise that I had intended to do during warm weather but never got around to doing.

Yesterday I went to BK and bought a Whopper and fries. Upon leaving the restaurant, I bought their 10-chicken-tenders-for-$1.49 special deal and took it home to eat. What better way to finish off a Whopper and fries than with a bag of chicken tenders?

The day before yesterday, I went to a nearby Chinese restaurant. A banner over their door proclaimed “$5.95 Lunch Buffet” and I took full advantage by eating three plates of Chinese food. It made me happy – and a little bit guilty as the plates stacked up on my table.

Fattening up for winter is the best part of autumn. I just have to remember to avoid mirrors. And to drive to Wally World and pick up a couple more pair of knit pants with elastic waistbands. If I’m overweight and feeling guilty about it, at least I can be comfortable.