Butt Out

Lord, I'm a fool for a cigarette.
When you've finished, choke it
Cuz I want to smoke it.
Lord, I'm a fool for a cigarette.

Ry Cooder


I thought it would be a funny post when I finally got around to describing Linda's attempts to quit smoking this month. But here we are more than two weeks down the track and she hasn't had a cigarette in all that time. And most remarkable, she hasn't been irritable or difficult to live with. In fact, there has only been one scene where she moaned "I want a cigarette soooooo bad!" (Think Holly Hunter wailing, "I love him so much!") Fortunately, that super-craving was late at night and there were none to be had.

So I am left without wisecracks about LK snarling and snapping and then going all vague. If anything, she has been a joy. She has countered the pull of nicotine in a couple of ways. For one thing, we are a much better organized house and have rid ourselves of lots of stuff that probably seemed worth saving ten years ago. And when she is not getting the house in shape, it seems she is in the kitchen cooking up a storm. I get to take a little credit for that.

Originally LK had decided to kick off her retirement with a massive program to treat her body as if she wanted it to last a few more decades. She was going to quit smoking, start exercising and go on the South Beach Diet the same day. Going on that diet means no booze, bread, sugar and fruit for the first two weeks. And it also meant that I would feel honor-bound to go on the diet with her.

Clever me, I convinced her that smoking would be tough enough to quit without the added pressure of not being able to sip a scotch when the craving for a cigarette got too strong. So we sensibly went on a modified South Beach - we kept the booze, bread and sugar but limited our intake of fruit except when it was used as a mixer with vodka.

LK had also made noises about joining me in the Wii Fit program. I am a little ambivalent about that, since I have started bonding with my trainer and am not too sure I want to share him. I guess it would be all right if she chose the female character. Also, I kind of enjoy it when I am told my posture is excellent. I just don't know how I will feel if I hear the Wii complimenting someone else the same way.

Anyhow, that's for the future. For now, it is enough to let you all know how proud I am that LK has kicked the habit with good grace and an extreme example of self-discipline.