Day fourteen

The last day of stage two. I can't say I've enjoyed this stage quite as much as stage one. I think it will be good to go back to my regular routine in order to shake things up more than I have been able to this week.

Today, however, I'm feeling much better. I have definitely managed to do things differently so far. Today's guideline was to be more conventional (or more unconventional, but - and I can imagine all my friends grinning at this point - that's me to a tee already). I read the instructions after I'd done my hair in a zigzag parting, and thought - d'oh! - and had to undo it. I put it back to a "ponytail with hairslide at the front to prevent wispiness" kind of style that I see everybody wearing. It felt very weird.

Then at church this morning, I had to really restrain myself from:

1. Changing the "thee" and "thine" words to "You" and "Yours" while singing in order to worship God using the language I'd normally employ;
2. Singing my own harmonies and improvisations over the music;
3. Saying my own words during the 'Peace' - for example "you too" instead of "and also with you";
4. Hugging people instead of shaking their hand during the 'Peace' as well.

All of which I would normally have done. It was interesting to see how scared some visitors looked when I came out with stuff that they clearly hadn't a clue how to respond to. It was so difficult! Like the book said, I would feel my spirit yearning to rebel.

So, all not bad so far.

And, unusually for an Easter Day, I haven't yet gorged myself on chocolate.

In fact, I did something quite unprecedented this morning.
Dave had warmed up some special little chocolate pastry things for breakfast. He gave me two, but I only felt like eating one. And I just left the other there. It seemed so much easier to do than it would have, were I on a normal diet.

I have also happily resisted all the other delicious Easter treats so far, (including piles of freebies at church and Jo & Jim's very enticing looking gold Lindt bunny - joint best chocolate in the world). All, apart from a small praline egg from a Green and Black's box which Dave surprised me with this morning.