I’ll come out straight away and admit it; I’m in a foul mood. I’m unsure whether this is because I am doing Live Below the Line and am horribly missing sugar in any form and (oddly) gravy. Or whether it’s because my back went into spasm this morning and I’m typing this from the floor, with my laptop balanced on my stomach. Probably a combination of the two.
I couldn’t face any more rice last night, so had poached egg on toast instead. My body disagreed with this choice and proceeded to tell me so by giving me the shakes between half seven and ten o’clock, when I admitted defeat and went to sleep. I have eaten plain fried rice for breakfast this morning to appease it and have to admit that I do feel better. I thought that my evening meal choices this week were going to revolve around doing interesting things with egg in an attempt to get some variety into my diet. In fact they’ve very quickly become an exercise in hiding from myself the fact I’m eating any more rice. So far egg fried rice and omelette with roast vegetables and rice are my favourite ‘disguise-the-rice’ dishes.
I’m quite a family-oriented soul, and speak to my parents most nights. My mum keeps trying to make me promise to eat immediately if I feel faint (no chance of that I don’t think, the worst I’ve had it the afore-mentioned shakes.) While my dad keeps gleefully coming up with ways to tempt me to cheat. (You could just go down to McDonalds you know, no one would find out; surely you’re allowed a beer? That’s not food…) I’ve taken to muttering ‘don’t put ideas in my head’ through slightly gritted teeth. My housemates on the other hand both come from Christian traditions where sustained fasting is fairly commonplace and have friends who complete Ramadan – so are used to people not eating and are taking my strange not-quite-fast in their stride. They are both being very sweet about not eating chocolate in front of me though!
Friday 4 March – The Jelly Babies are in sight!
Not long left now! I am going home this weekend and my sister has promised me Jelly Babies as a reward to replying to her email about bridesmaid dress patterns (she’s getting married soon.) I don’t think she realises quite how much I’m looking forward to those sweets! I’ve even decided which colour I want to eat first (red and black – they’re the best flavours.) I’m going to be gutted if she’s snaffled all the nice ones and there are only green and yellow Jelly Babies left!
Whist I’m eager to end my week, I’m pleased that I will have completed it. I am never going to fully understand what it’s like to live on £1 a day, because if at any point it had got too much I could have reached into my purse and bought whatever I needed. I’m probably never going to face years of sustained malnutrition and watching my children get ill again and again because I can’t give them enough of the right foods. But I have experienced just enough to know that no one should have to spend more than a week living like this. Last year MRDF helped 15,000 people to feel more secure about where their next meal was coming from. You can help make that number higher by Living Below the Line for MRDF and asking your friends and family to sponsor you. I dare you to give it a go.
If you would like to take part in Live below the Line for MRDF please visit www.mrdf.org.uk/live or call 020 7467 5132
