Actually, as far as this blog goes, vacation ended last week. After a much-needed two-week vacation, I found I really missed writing for the blog, and I “came” back early to post some pictures and a recipe. However, during those two weeks, I talked to family and friends about the blog, and their advice was the same: Stick with A Good Eater, keep food at the center of the blog, and digress whenever you feel like it. Their feelings were that I had a bit of name recognition as well as a nice little readership, and it would be too bad to give that up.
With a couple of qualifications, I have decided to follow their advice. Food will indeed still be the center of this blog, but until I reach my goal for losing weight—25 more pound to go!—recipes will be far and few between. As I’ve mentioned before, those last pounds are coming off maddeningly slow, and my daily eating routine is, well, a little predictable and not very exciting. When I reach my goal weight, I will still have to be careful, but I will have a little more leeway, and while I might never go back to my prediet rate of posting recipes, I do plan to experiment with recipes at least occasionally. (Blueberry crisp is on my mind.)
As for digressions….I have added a new category called Notes from the Hinterland, and when I digress from food to write about nature, community, and nonfood books and movies, then that is the category I will use. Notes from the Hinterland will also be used as a subtitle for the piece, and it will serve as a sort of flag that I am digressing from food.
So onward onto my third year. Despite the dieting, there are several food events that I’m looking forward to—the Maine Artisan Bread Fair, the Winthrop Rotary’s first annual barbecue and gumbo dinner, and various gatherings with friends and family. Thank goodness for cheat day, the one day of the week when I can cut loose from dieting. Without that day, I doubt I would have stayed on the straight and narrow for so long.
Notes From the Hinterland 
Sounds like a great idea! I’ve missed your post and glad that you’re back! 🙂
Thanks, Shannon!
So glad you’re back!!
Thanks, Mary Jane!
I love being part of your ‘readership.’ What a beautiful word that is. Whatever you want to write about, I’ll read. I’m also in the process of shedding some of me, and I stopped contributing to Weekend Cooking because, just as you said, I’m not baking as much lately. And I eat pretty much the same food. I do occasionally bake a dessert and I’ve posted it on the blog, but I’m quite sure that will be my future – not so much baking every single week. :<) I'm happier this way. I've always eaten well, but my butter desserts/quick breads have been a bit too big a part of my eating life.
Nan, what a lovely thing to write. Thanks so much! And, yes, it is very difficult to experiment with recipes or bake when trying to lose weight. Good luck! At times, I feel like such a wet blanket, but 60 pounds ago, life and movement were much more difficult, so it’s worth it. But still!