Friday night

It was a blissfully uneventful and efficient trip to Boston, and my parents picked me up from the airport in good time. It wasn't five minutes after we got into the house when, just after I took out my outer jacket, I got this:

Mom: Huh. You've put on weight?
A.: I have no idea.
Dad: Huh. [Shrugs].

A few minutes later

Mom: Are you hungry?
A.: A little--a snack would be good. Are you?
Mom: No. [Goes into the kitchen]. We have hummus...

I believe it. Mom knows I like hummus so she buys it by the tub when she's expecting me.

Mom: Do you want cheese?
A.: I don't eat cheese anymore, mom.
Mom: What?
A.: We've discussed this.
Mom: This is the first I've heard about it.
A.: No, it isn't. Dad?
Dad: I know you said you weren't eating dairy products...
A.: And cheese is...
Dad: Yes, I suppose.
Mom: Cheese is healthy!
A.: [Shrug].

Mom proceeds to ask me whether I want the contents of the fridge, one item at a time. I say 'no, thank you.' They do have fresh blini, which probably have egg, but I'm picking my battles. We sit down for some blini with hummus--although in theory, I'm the only one eating. In reality, my parents, who said they weren't hungry at all, each consume more blini (with roe) than I do. This is the way my parents eat, and the way I grew up eating, i.e. mindlessly.

Mom: Would you like a persimmon?
A.: No, thank you.
Mom: You don't like persimmon?
A.: I do like persimmon. I don't want one right now. Maybe tomorrow.
Mom: You could have one now and one tomorrow-I have a whole box downstairs.
A.: Tomorrow's good.
Dad: Would you like some chocolate?
A.: No thanks, sugar's out.
Mom: Ooh, we have pie... you don't eat that, do you?
A.: No.
Mom: It's good--look!
A.: That does look like a very good pie.
Mom: You can have just a little.
A.: I really don't want any--thanks.
Dad: So what do you eat for carbohydrates?
A.: I eat primarily carbohydrates, provided they're unrefined: brown rice, wheat berries, hulled barley, whole-wheat bread...
Dad: We have whole-wheat bread.
A.: Great!

I'm thrilled that we've named a food we can all agree on.

A.: Do you still have the oatmeal I brought last time?
Mom: Yes! I even know where it is!

See? It's going to be a great week.

***
I didn't think through just how macrobiotic I'm going to try to be this week with my family, but I'm pretty determined to stay off dairy, and almost as determined to avoid refined starches. I'm going to at least try. I'm less determined about eggs--my parents buy happy eggs--so those might be a weekend thing. We'll probably take a field trip to Whole Foods on Sunday and check out what goodies they have in the bulk bins.