And That's No Lie!

Since many of you have been waiting with bated breath to find out the truth about me, here it goes:

1. True. I did live in a thatched roof beach house in Samana, D.R. It was a self-sufficient, island paradise where I lived out a dream.

2. True. If the Jefferson County Fair counts, I did win a blue ribbon for my Black Forest Cheesecake. It was a rich, creamy indulgence, now a distant memory. Boo hoo.

3. True. My first taste of real food was actually chocolate. I can't really blame my wonderful mother for giving in to my longing looks as she was enjoying a Hershey Bar. She caved in and let me lick her fingers. Although I gave up Hershey's for the "good stuff", I went on to become a card carrying chocoholic.

4. True. I work out 5 (and sometimes 6) days a week at LA Fitness and I still can't believe I do it religiously. And I am almost growing to like it! Actually, I think I am developing an addiction to exercising, strange as it may seem, especially from someone who used to having a such a strong aversion anything physical.

5. True. Honestly, I did have my own cooking show on Dominican TV. It was a weekly ten minute show, followed by a comedy act (was mine a comedy as well?) where I presented new recipes using local ingredients. And yes, it was in Spanish. The television crew would sneakily lock the door when I began so nobody else could eat my tasty concoctions!

6. True. Another dream I realized was The Wild Goose Restaurant. It was in the cutest little Victoria house on the St. Lawrence River. There were only 9 tables, reservations required, and the menu changed every day. It was great fun but I never worked so hard in my life. In the first three months I lost 40 pounds without even trying! I'm the skinny chick in the blue dress.

7. Lie. My late boyfriend was actually the one with the pilot's license. I would get to maneuver the plane once we were in the air but the idea of landing the craft was just too scary for me! Weaving in and out of the clouds was amazing.

8. Lie. I did grow up in New Jersey but nowhere near a cranberry farm. I was just a suburban Jersey girl with no real claim to fame.

9. Lie. Poor Bill missed out, but I did make Dr. Benjamin Spock's (the baby doctor) 80th birthday tiramisu when I was pastry chef at Brandywine Bay restaurant in the British Virgin Islands.

10. True. I love teaching ESL and have had some fascinating students from all over the world. Right now I have students from Russia, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, the Czech Republic and Brazil. Here I am, the almost thin one, in the red top.

11. Lie. Although I am fluent in Spanish, after 17 years living in the D.R., Russian is Greek to me!

12. Lie. I definitely have not grown to love being on a diet but I've been so engrossed in this diet thing that the fact I am only 8 pounds from goal scares me. I know I'll never be truly free of dieting because maintenance is a forever thing. I have to monitor my weight closely for the rest of my life. How many times have I lost weight, only to gain it all back plus an extra ten pounds or so? Far too many. This time it will be different. I also know the exercise thing is not a passing fancy. It is as integral a part of my life as eating healthy. I have made a commitment to myself and will find the strength to stick to it - forever. And that's no lie!