So, I pretty much committed to trying a paleo thing during Lent. Admittedly, this was not thoroughly researched, planned or thought through. (I have read about it but felt that I could do that for years before committing. I was ready to go for it. I knew with Luke also committing, Ash Wednesday and Fridays during Lent would present a particular challenge. In spite of the sacrificial season and the ideal 6 week time-frame, we were challenged by our traditional food habits, the need for energy on the fly and our very predictable and boring pantry. Plantains, papayas, avacados, coconut milk and oil and something called kimche (which I’m still not sure I want to look into) are a mystery to this family.

I’m learning that grass-fed and wild (as in elk, moose, bison, gazelle or deer-I guess) are the real acceptable fatty meats. If you’re eating industrial beef, lean is safer. Chicken and pork are to be eaten in moderation. Fish is ok as long as it is wild caught in the Pacific. Alrighty, then.

Valentine’s Day presented a small challenge. Lenten sacrifices are usually outweighed by charity in my view. For example, a few years ago, our family was invited for the day to visit another family who does not abstain on Fridays. When the mom served chicken for dinner, it would have been uncharitable to mention our practice. Similarly, when Grandma Jane showed up on the back porch with snickerdoodles and valentine cards for each of the kids with the slightest hint of melancholy, NO WAY would we have mentioned that the kids were abstaining. So they inhaled those cookies!

Today, I was feeling a little nostalgic. Valentines Day has traditionally been a big celebration at home for me and the kids or with other homeschooling families. Because it landed on the day after lent began, we didn’t really plan anything. I couldn’t resist to buy the kids a box of mini donuts.

Tomorrow, we head to my aunt’s house on the border of PA and MD. She has a wonderful group of dear friends (lifelong friends) but is terribly sad after the death of my aunt (her youngest sister) this summer and the serious illness of another of her siblings. She is hurting and lonely. A visit to her always means extreme indulgence. Except for the abstaining from meat and even though she’d fully understand, this family will have to indulge her need to shower them with treats. For my part, I can resist the treats but it will be very difficult to plan paleo meals there since she doesn’t have a stove-especially on Friday.

I know it sounds like I’m rationalizing, I’m willing to pay for it in purgatory.

You might have thought at the beginning of this post that I’ve given up. Not so. I’ve resisted the pasta on Wednesday, snickerdoodles, sugar in my coffee and noodles with the beef stew I made last night. I’ll probably have pizza tonight, though and try my best to stick to the plan. Honestly, I don’t have the energy to plan or police the plan for anyone else while we’re away. We’ll resume our efforts when we return.