"Four Days to 40"

I spent some time today looking back through my blog, and sort of trying to pick out recurrent themes...things that bring me down, things that bring me up and the sort. One thing I have surely learned through this blog is that I love a good Friday. But I have also learned how to prevent the "Sunday Grumpies" getting me down. One method for this is to treat myself well, at all times, but in particular on Sundays. Today, on the way home from groceries, I swung into Mickey D's and picked up a Shamrock Shake.

Now interestingly enough, I only tried a Shamrock Shake for the first time a few years ago. Tim has always loved them and I always shied away. I distinctly know why too. My mom, and possibly my dad as well, didn't really like Shamrock Shakes, and I actually mean this to the point that she pointed out that they were gross each year when they came out. Now I really don't know if this was because she didn't like them, or if it was just to quiet my youthful requesting for one, but nonetheless, it turned out to be a memory ingrained. Tim and I were out and about a few years ago, and he convinced me to try one. Low and behold, it was love at first sip. Lightly minty vanilla....mmmmm...heaven!

You know, to stick with the motherly advice here, not always is it bad. Tim's mom used to get him to try new foods by saying "Your taste buds might have grown." I may be on the brink of 40, and a little less that thrilled with some of the changes in my body, but I sure am glad my taste buds have grown, in a lot of ways. I love that, now, I can fully appreciate a Shamrock Shake. I love that I "get" wine and craft beer. I love that I can decadently enjoy a $100 dinner out with my husband every once in a great while, feeling no guilt about it whatsoever. I love that I have come to love brussel sprouts, and fennel, and swiss chard.

You never know when your tastes, not to mention your taste buds just might grown up.