basric

I have an ongoing battle with my sweet tooth. It wants sweets all the time, my hips don’t want the weight added by the sugar.

SO I made a deal with myself. I go without anything sweet for a month and the last day of the month I go out by myself at lunch and indulge.

This month I sit in a red booth and immerse my sweet tooth in a banana split. Long slices of bananas with a scoop of vanilla ice cream topped with pineapple sauce, a scoop of rich dark chocolate cover with a walnut sauce and finally a scoop of strawberry covered with gooey hot fudge. All three are liberally topped with real whipped cream, a sprinkling of nuts and a huge maraschino cherry on top.

My spoon dips into the chocolate first a bite of ice cream, fudge, whipped cream, nuts, the cherry and a bite of banana—the perfect bite. I let the ice cream melt in my mouth before chewing the banana and cherry. Heaven. I sit slowly savoring each cold delicious bite. I look down at the empty bowl and sigh. Tilting the oblong dish, I meld all the remaining melted flavors into one final sweet bit.

Enjoy sweet tooth.
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The sun was bright, the air crisp on this beautiful winter day. I walked across the road and down the pebbled pathway to the edge of the Lake. To my right I could see the dam rising hundreds of feet into the air. The water flow splashing against its massive sides as if demanding to be let inside.

Fishermen in their boats dotted the lake, their lines drowning worms or flashing lures to entice the large catfish at the base of the dam to bite.

I follow the path out to the gazebo planted fifteen feet out over the water and settle on a cushion. Setting aside my book, I opened my sack to feed the ducks with their ducklings and geese with their goslings and the egret family that had escaped the zoo fifteen years ago and made this lake its home, all quickly gathering for their fair share. Squirrels hopped and set up on their haunches waiting for a treat to be tossed to them.

Once the bag was emptied I settled back to read and enjoy reading. Half listening to the sounds of the lake, the nearby traffic and the creatures around me; I relaxed.

After a while the crispness in the air pick up a bitter cold wind that had me gathering my things, zipping my jacket and raising its hood and quickly making my way home.