The Problem of Eating Alone - finding the "new normal"

Thank you, dear, Jennifer, my niece, for the homemade plate of pot roast, potatoes and carrots. I cried as I ate it today. It was warm and healthy instead of fast food on the run.

Actually, back in September when she was here, Jen made up 8 or 9 complete plates for me. I’ve had it in the freezer ever since. The problem however is that when its time to eat at home, I just can’t bring myself to even microwave a dinner. I’d rather stand up in the kitchen and make and eat a cheese sandwich or waffles or just get in the car and go out to eat somewhere. It is so hard to sit at the dining room table and eat a regular meal – ALONE.

But starting this week I’ve adjusted my work schedule so that I come in to work later in the morning (to compensate for having trouble getting to sleep most nights – a new problem for me). What that also means is that I will need to have supper at work. I think this is going to work. June has provided us with a full kitchen (well microwaves, not stoves), but everything else. So I can now go in to the kitchen and heat up a meal and not eat it alone. I am either sitting with other people or at least there are other people around and there is a hum of machines and people talking. And I don’t feel so alone.

I guess this is just one more example of what it means to find my “new normal”. Maybe eventually, I’ll be able to make a healthy meal for myself at home and sit down at the dining room table to eat it. But for now, this works.