My six-day love affair with refined sugars and carbs is over. I felt so ill yesterday I have no doubt it’s due to the loads of carbs I’ve ingested the past few days (especially considering how I had limited my intake for so many weeks previous). So bad that I didn’t work out, which led to a vicious circle of minimal movement due to feeling ill, then eating something to feel better, then feeling bad and wanting to curl up in the fetal position.

So, vacation or not, the carb train has made its last stop and it’s not coming back. Goodbye, angel food cake. Farewell, onion bagel. So long, penne marinara with a slide of sourdough bread on the side. Sweet dreams, sweet coconut bun. Adieu, my delicious, soft, crusty loaf of walnut bread from Essential. Hello, high-fiber cereal, low-fat yogurt, eggs and salsa and salad, salad, salad. Didja miss me?

But before we leave, how about one more flashback (cue sappy music, like that episode of “Family Ties” when Alex fails a final exam because he spends the hour flashing back to all the wonderful times he had with his girlfriend … do you remember the song … What did you think, I would do at this moment, When you’re standing before me, With tears in your eyes? …”)

Anyhow, here’s a wonderful memory of my vacation … Dim Sum at House of Hong in the International District with the sis and family:

Sticky rice filled with pork, chinese sausage and other goodies, steamed in banana leaves. Mmmmm …

Barbecue pork. Served with hot mustard or ketchup, yes, ketchup.

Turnip cake. A favorite dim sum dish for me, though I’m not sure the rest of the table was as enthused about it. The ultimate indulgence. A starchy vegetable, mixed with bits of meat and fried to perfection.

Humbow with the sweet, red barbecue pork filling.

Shrimp dumplings. The kids loved these things.

Shumai.

Another dim sum favorite … little egg custard pies. Yeah, baby!

Goodbye, sweet little egg custard pies …