Laura and Diane: thanks so much for all the encouraging words and I agree....we do have to live in a 'real' eating world and I am constantly trying to balance eating for health / wt.loss with eating for pleasure....there's a huge box of gourmet chocolates still sitting in our house...gift from some neighbors whose family is in the chocolate business...gotta get rid of it in a way that won't hurt my OP efforts but without being depriving...a delicate balance.....will give the box away and had some Dreyer's Grand Light French Silk (Slow Churned)lo cal ice cream on my OP plan so I didn't end up feeling deprived....the journey continues...maaj