Friday Five - Kicking Large Entities To The Curb

Friday Five - Kicking Large Entities To The Curb

I had a bit of an 'ah ha' this week, when I had to untangle a couple of problems that involved having to interact with large companies that had made it almost impossible to get to a live person. Going forward I'm going to be even more resolute about who and what I do business with.

Friday Five

1. I fought a corporate machine and won. A national gym brand closed their location closest to us, so in early 2025 we cancelled our membership and joined a locally run gym just up the street. Out of the blue, a renewal fee of $250 from the 2025 cancelled gym membership hit our credit card, which after almost two hours and multiple calls attempting to connect with the correct person by phone, was resolved in our favor and removed. 

Lesson learned: The moment an entity is provided with our credit card, they now can potentially jerk us around, and thus other than paying for a good or service on the spot, we will simply no longer do.

2. I eliminated every non essential auto-renew and auto-charge item in our budget, including to my spouse's religious entity of choice. After my unpleasant experience above, I went over our remaining renewing bills and my spouse has agreed that the only ones we will leaving in place going forward are for utilities and our HOA, because those are tied to documented ownership of our home.  I'm no longer giving up sole control of our financial life going forward, even if it saves us a few bucks. My time is more valuable that a few dollars saved here and there, not to mention lessening my stress level. Between phone trees, auto prompts, bots, and AI, having to make a phone call to a business is an increasingly awful ordeal.

3. Only businesses that have brick & mortar locations, and that answer their phone will get my business going forward. This includes online ordering as well. If they 'exist' in real life I'll continue to order, if they don't I won't.

Amaz*n has a presence at our local Wh°le Foods, and Targ#t and H^me Depot have stores here as well. So I'm well covered in spite of my new self-imposed requirement.

4. Sat outside for the first time in weeks. Our weather has taken a pleasant turn recently, with humidity dropping and coastal breezes returning, and we resumed our habit of sitting outside before dinner, sipping sparkling water while chatting and/or reading.

5. Booked a New Years cruise to the Caribbean. Since we'll be in Tennessee with our family for the Xmas holidays, we decided to add on a New Years cruise in that flying from Tennessee to Florida to do cruise is a short flight. We are cruising to the Western Caribbean, and have signed up for excursions that include close up encounters with dolphins, giant sea turtles, manatees, snorkling with 'gentle' sting rays, and a foodie tour. Excited.

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Off shortly to enjoy an 8 mile beach walk with spouse, after which we'll share a well-earned burger. I wish you an enjoyable day as well, wherever you are.

Wednesday Wellness - September #1

Wednesday Wellness - September #1

My takeaway for the week is that maintaining my weight loss is very, very doable at this point, but it still takes making deliberate, conscious eating decisions each and every day. 

Maintenance is almost the same amount of effort as weight loss was, just with immediate vs future rewards. Which I'll take.

Weight:

- Goal: Continue to remain within my self-set maintenance range of 108 - 110 pounds. 

• Weekly weigh in:  110.6. Coming off an incredibly busy and social weekend, I'm very happy with my Wednesday weigh in. I'll likely re-enter the weekend back down to 109, exit it at 110, wash and  repeat. I am becoming very comfortable with maintaining a pretty rigid diet during the week, then loosening up just a bit over the weekends. It feels sustainable.

What I wore to a dinner party at the beach on Saturday night.
Less clothing is more at this point, as it has been very
warm and very humid for us here.
The tank top, which I bought at Target this season,
has a built in bra, which I love -
so comfortable to wear on hot sticky days!

What I wore to a theater play on Sunday.
I bought the skirt in Brazil during a cruise,
and wearing it always brings pleasant memories.

Fitness:

- Goal: Do cardiovascular movement five days out of seven. 

• Weekly results: 
• I walked and kayaked a total of 24 miles over 5 out of 7 days. All at the beach at this time of year, as it's simply to humid to venture inland to any of our rolling hill trails.

- Goal: Do strength training at the gym three days each week.

• Weekly results:
• Did strength training at the gym 0 times. Came so close a few times, but headed outdoors instead. I'm not giving up, as this is extremely important to my long term well being.

Newly added for upcoming weeks:

- Goal: Do planking, squats, and push ups daily at home, track progress.

• Weekly results:
• I lost track of this goal, but will pick up beginning today.

Water:

- Goal: Consistently consume four glasses a day.

• Weekly results: Continuing to average between 2 - 3 glasses a day, but the positive effects of being more hydrated are clear. Very quickly after consuming a glass of water, any residual fatigue I might be feeling fades away. The same if I'm having thoughts of snacking in between my meals - a glass of water will generally quiet any tendencies to nibble very quickly.

Long Range Goal:

- Goal: Find a long distance event to sign up and train for. 

• Completed previously - A 10k (6.2 miles) Thanksgiving Day run. Even though I'm not committed to commence training until October, I've begun running small stretches of any walks I do, and it feels good. I have the conditioning in place already to run - what I don't have yet is the speed. That should begun to come with a regular training schedule.

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Even though I continue to falter with some of my goals, simply having to document it here strengthens my resolve. I am so appreciative!

 

Friday Five - I Learned To Play Mahjong

 Friday Five - I Learned To Play Mahjong

There continue to be more things to do here than I have energy. Last night I elected not to go to a Taylor Swift tribute concert and not to go to a full moon drum ceremony at the beach, because I was tired after an afternoon spent learning to play Mahjong, and wanted to simply stay home and work on the Xmas ornaments I make each year for my family.

But in spite of making good progress last night on this year's hand stitched ornaments, I woke up with some small regrets about the two events I didn't attend, so I'll need to give thought to that today. 

1. I love making family ornaments each year, but this year's are turning out to be real doozies. They are turning out beautifully, but if I had to guess I would say that each one is taking me between 25-30 hours to complete, because there is that much detail work. But still, I think they are each absolutely beautiful, and I hope my family loves them. 

2. I'm learning to play Mahjong . . . and it's fun! After a rough start - I think everyone's heads were reeling after spending more than an hour going over the rules - we got down to playing, and the fog started to clear. After another hour, things began to start making sense and I started to have fun. Our club is starting up a Mahjong group, and today was the first meeting. Going forward, we'll play every other week on a day that work's out well for me, so 'yeah' that - at this point in my retirement I have enough things I'm committed to that adding anything new takes a moment of thought or juggling.

3. I love that Trader Joe's sells some produce by the item rather than by the pound. Case in point - this week I needed one sweet potato for a curry stew I'm making, and I scored a the biggest one in the pile (a one and a half pounder) for the same price as the smallest one in the pile. So many practices at Trader Joe's make me smile, and why I'm their customer for life at this point.

4. Today is housecleaning day, so we'll be leaving for our walk at the uber-early hour of 7:00 AM, which is when our cleaning team arrives. Yes, yes, I do remember my working year gym arrivals of 5:00 AM, but that was then and this is now! However, we've had a string of warm and sticky-humid days, and getting out to the harbor as early as we will today should make our walk much cooler and comfortable. Still, my retired-self prefers no earlier than 9:00 AM starts these days. 😊

5. My Dad continues to be the most amazing person I know. Yesterday, when I called to check in on how his week was going, he picked up the phone a bit breathless, because he was hurrying to answer it while putting away his motorcycle after a 200+ mile ride to breakfast with his riding buddies. This at 90 years of age!!!

So now you know where I get it, even though I feel like I'm a much smaller version of him . . . he sets a standard I'm not sure I can ever reach. But I'll keep trying you can be sure. 

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I hope you all had a good week too, wherever you are!

Weekend Wrap Up - Exhausted!

 Weekend Wrap Up - Exhausted!

My spouse and I were at dinner with our next door neighbors last night, and I commented that I realized increasingly that my best life is lived when I keep my foot on the gas. And boy, am I feeling that this morning. It was a fabulous weekend, it truly was, but I am tired, tired, tired this morning.

But it's a good tired!

So here's how our weekend went -

Friday - Spent the morning running errands, including helping my mom with a few minor things at her place. Returned home to pack a picnic dinner and head out to wait in line for a pre-paid for table at a tribute concert we were attending. The table seating was guaranteed, but the location of the tables were first come, first served. We did end up right in front with our friends, and the concert, a Fleetwood Mac tribute, was fantastic. The vocals were solid, not necessarily the best voice covers I've heard, but the musicianship was stellar, particularly the electric guitarists, and we were close enough to really absorb and take it in. Which then meant that I couldn't fall asleep for hours after returning home because I was so exhilarated by the experience. LOL.

Saturday - Met one of my walking groups for a fast paced beach walk, followed by coffee at a nearby spot. Both the walk and the after-gathering were fun, with lots of enjoyable conversation occurring. Home just about in time for lunch and a little bit of downtime to read, then got ready/dressed for an evening fund raising event for a local playhouse we support. The event was a showcase of Broadway songs sung by a cadre of talented cast members, and we just had a great time . . . again!

I was able to fall asleep pretty quickly, as the only musician was a keyboard player and they kept to the script, so to speak. Whew!

Sunday - My mom came over in order to attend a Classic Car show that occurs here each summer, and that is one of our area's annual highlights. There were over 300 beautiful cars displayed of every make, model and color imaginable, and the people watching was almost as much fun. 

From a photo booth at the car show. My aging mom's continued, ongoing enthusiasm for doing anything  and everything is a daily and powerful lesson I try to take in and apply as well.

After walking thru to see as many of the cars as we could, my spouse and Mom left for home, while I remained to help man a booth for one of my volunteer organizations. After my shift was over, I returned home just in time to change and meet up with our neighbors to walk over to dinner at a nearby restaurant we all enjoy. We had a really fun time together, coming away with several ideas on what to get together to do next. I call this the 'so on and so on' factor of putting out energy. The more I put out, the more that seems to return back.

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I'm off shortly to sit with my ill girlfriend for a bit in order to give her husband a bit of a break, than back here to meet my spouse for a walk at the beach. 

I hope your weekend was likewise enjoyable, and that you have a good Monday, wherever you are!

Friday Five - Earning My Meals!

 Friday Five - Earning My Meals!

If I had to sum up the week in a word, I'd say ocean-oriented. We've returned to a state of humidity just high enough to cause us to turn on our A/C and keep our windows closed once again, and getting out each day for walks along the ocean shoreline has been a focus. 

1.  I enjoy 'earning' my meals. My favorite way to spend any day is to enjoy lots of miles in motion, followed by good eats and/or good coffee. I was able to combine these multiple times this week. I spent one day walking seven miles with my gal-pal, enjoying a shared BBQ bacon cheeseburger afterward. I love gal-pals that enjoy sharing food!

The second time was with my spouse, also seven miles, also shared. But this time, we shared a delicious carnitas burrito, then stopped for a shared iced coffee just before reaching our car back at the starting point.

2. I continue to enjoy the challenge of chasing loss leaders and mark downs. I am not at a point in my retirement life where I need to chase supermarket loss leaders quite as hard as I did in my earlier marriage years, however, I continue to enjoy the chase, so I keep on.

This week I found a box of 12 Kind bars on a clearance rack for some odd reason - discontinued flavor, perhaps? The clearance cost was $8.50, or 71 cents a bar, a fantastic price. I've been pairing one with 1/2 a cup of low-fat cottage cheese for a quick, easy and nicely nutritious breakfast.

3. I'm looking forward to H&M'ing out my girlfriend. One of my gal pals recently asked me where I get my clothes, and I happily told her that while some come from smaller boutique stores, much of my clothing comes from always-affordable H&M. So we made a shopping and lunch date for me to turn her out, fashion wise.

Lightweight summer trousers, one of my recent H&M discoveries. 
So, so comfortable and easy to wear.

4. It'll be hard returning to store bought tomatoes after a summer of enjoying them fresh from my girlfriend's garden. What a treat and joy it was to be the recipient of oddles of different tomatoes this summer, a result of my girlfriend's apparently very prodigious tomato garden. I was so very appreciative, and I made sure that not a single one went to waste, as they were all so beautiful and delicious it would have felt like a crime!

5. I made my own version of a professional photo I saw at a recent art show. I loved the simplicity of the palapa photo when I first saw it, particularly in that it depicts a beach scene I walk by regularly, but when I saw the $1,500 price tag I thought, 'Oh, no, I don't think so!' So, just to see if I could, I took my own photo of a palapa and then converted it to black and white using one of my phone's photo filters.

The cost to then have my photo blown up and printed at our local print and copy store was less than $50, and a matted frame from Hobby Lobby was about the same, so I ended up with a version that I'm very, very happy with for just under $100. Not to mention the fun and satisfaction of attempting my own re-creation.

I hope you all had a good week wherever you are!

Wednesday Wellness - August #3

 Wednesday Wellness - August #3

It was a decent week, but I have much room still for improvement, so there are several things I'll continue to focus on this upcoming week. 

Fitness:

- Do cardiovascular movement five days out of seven. 

• Week #3 results: 
• In that I was out of commission a day and a half due to a minor medical procedure, I'm more than satisfied with my results. I did cardio 5 out of 7 days, for a total of 23 miles of walking.

- Do strength training at the gym three days each week.

• Week #3 results:
• Did strength training at the gym 0 times. But, I am determined to do better, and I vow to myself here that I will!

Newly added for upcoming weeks:

- Do planking, squats, and push ups daily at home, track progress.

Weight:

- Continue to remain within my self-set maintenance range of 108 - 110 pounds. 

• Week #3 weigh in:  109.0. Weight maintenance is much easier at this point. The changes I've made to my eating lifestyle are feeling increasingly hard wired, and close to feeling like habits, not efforts.

Water:

- Consistently consume four glasses a day.

• Week #3 results: Still averaging between 2 - 3 glasses a day, but already not drinking water is beginning to feel uncomfortable. Still working to figure out when to cease water in the PM however, so I'm not up repeatedly during the night!

Long Range Goal:

- Find a long distance event to sign up and train for. 

• Found my race - A 10k (6.2 miles) Thanksgiving Day run. I'll start a formal eight week training program in October, but for now I've simply begun running short segments of my walks to see how it feels. It actually feels good, even as its not easy.  I can run, but boy am I slower that I used to be. And I wasn't particularly fast even in my peak running years, so I definitely have my work cut out. Still, even running as slow as molasses as I am currently, it feels good.

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Leaving shortly for an eight mile walk with my girlfriend, after which we'll share lunch somewhere tasty. Looking forward to both the activity, the conversation, and the lovely calmness that will descend on me afterward for the remainder of my day.

Weekend Wrap Up - Recovery Mode Version

Weekend Wrap Up - Recovery Mode Version

I had an outpatient procedure on Friday, which necessitated fasting the entire day, as my procedure wasn't until 4 PM. I had no problem foregoing food, but foregoing my morning coffee created a significant case of caffeine withdrawal that I'm still pondering. I mean, I've given up so many things in order to achieve better energy and continued weight maintenance that the idea of giving up my only remaining treat, coffee, is not something I'm prepared to do! 

And, because I'm a nutball, when I weighed myself the morning after my procedure, I had gained two pounds. Online research indicated it was almost certainly due to post-procedure fluid retention, and as of this morning it's pretty much gone, but it still sent me temporarily spinning.

So, Saturday was pretty quiet as I slept off the effects of the anesthesia, but we did go out to a concert event previously scheduled. The concert was at my mom's 55+ community, so very close by and very easy to park and attend. We all enjoyed, particularly the female singer who covered several songs by Stevie Nicks better than I have ever heard. 

Coincidentally, we are going to a Fleetwood Mac tribute concert this coming weekend, and it will be interesting to compare vocals.

My mother was a professional singer in her younger years, and while I don't have her voice, I do share her passion for music, and we have similar opinions on vocalists and musicians, which makes for fun and interesting post-concert discussions.

Otherwise, on Sunday my husband and I enjoyed a really beautiful six mile coastal walk in that the humidity that descended here in late July finally broke. It was fabulous to enjoy a cool, not humid, coastal breeze again. When we returned home we turned off the A/C after having had it on at 76 for three straight weeks, and opened all the windows. I've missed fresh air in the house!

This morning is going to be decidedly un-fun in that I have an early AM dental cleaning, followed by a visit with my brain cancer-stricken girlfriend. I've committed to several Mondays keeping her company in order to provide her husband with a caregiving break. I believe he's going to go on a bike ride while I'm there, and I hope it gives him a little time to reboot. Such a hard road they are both on currently. 

I plan to go on a long walk after returning home and having lunch. I suspect I'll need the time walking in order to clear my head. I am already grieving my girlfriend's absence in my life in that the brain cancer spread significantly altered her ability to communicate.  Last time we spoke, I told her that she had taught me how to be a better friend, and that I was so very thankful that she had entered my life. That is as close to tiptoeing toward the ending of her story as we've come so far. I take my lead from her, and will continue to do so.

I hope things are well with you and yours, wherever you are.

I'll be more chipper in my Wednesday post, promise!

Wednesday Wellness -- August #2

 Wednesday Wellness - August #2

It was a good week, so yeah for the accountability this blog provides for me.

Fitness:

- Do cardiovascular movement five days out of seven. 

• Week #2 results: 
• Did cardio 6 out of 7 days, which included 21 miles of walking, 7 miles of kayaking, and one 60 minute Spin cycling classes.

- Do strength training at the gym three days each week. (I struggle to make myself workout indoors vs outside)

• Week #2 results
• Did strength training at the gym 0 times. 😕

Weight:

- Continue to remain within my self-set maintenance range of 108 - 110 pounds. 

• Week #2 weigh in:  110.2

Two of the outfits I put together this week. Have I mentioned before how much I enjoy dressing up just a bit for our away-from-the-house events? 🙂

Water:

- Consistently consume four glasses a day.

• Week #2 results: Averaged between 2 - 3 glasses a day, with nothing but positive results. Water is the anecdote to the occasional fatigue I experience as I move thru my day.

Long Range Goal:

- Find a long distance event to sign up and train for. 

• Found my race - A 10k (6.2 miles) Thanksgiving Day run. This should work well in that I'll be back from our upcoming trip to Scotland & Ireland in time to complete this 8 week Runners World training schedule:  10k Eight Week Training Schedule

Friday Five - Bring On The Weekend!

 

Friday Five - Bring On The Weekend!

Even in retirement, I still look forward to and love Fridays. I always plan something to differentiate Friday from the remainder of the week, so as to ensure we always have things to look forward to. 

Tonight we are going to our social club to enjoy dinner outside on the ocean-viewing patio. Tomorrow, Saturday, we are going on a long coastal walk to get to and enjoy an ocean festival without having to stress over parking. On Sunday, we plan to enjoy a picnic lunch at our harbor after first walking it. Afterward we'll be meeting up with our quarterly book club for dinner and discussion - this quarter's read was Before The Coffee Get's Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi, and it was just wonderful - so sweet, so smart, so very, very charming.

1.  I bought my girlfriend a fanny-saver. I always pack a small cold-cell pad for sitting whenever I go hiking or kayaking. The one I have is from REI and weighs just two ounces, so it's a breeze to pack and carry along. My kayaking gal pal has long envied it when we pull out onto a sandy beach for our sack lunch break. So, as a 'thank you' for all the amazing fruit and vegetables she's brought me over the years from her garden, I recently bought one for her to enjoy, and will be giving it to her this weekend.

2. I love my Skorts. I spend so much time in workout gear, that it's nice to put away my ubiquitous yoga pants for the summer in favor of Skorts. I feel like they are one of those fashion items that were made just for senior women, even if not intentionally, and I am here for them.

I am completely au natural here, in that I snapped this just prior to heading out for an eight mile walk. And it shows! LOL

(This is my home office, BTW, which while I don't necessarily utilize as much as my husband uses his, I still very much appreciate. We have joked over the years that his 'n her offices are one of the keys to a happy marriage!)

3.  I love the detail work of travel planning. I'm deep in the weeds, currently, planning out the eight on-our-own days that will proceed our upcoming 18 day organized tour around the British Isles, and other than researching and booking the flights and hotels (which I do not enjoy!), I much enjoy the process. Currently on the planning agenda is dinner at a vegan haggis spot in Scotland, which should be very interesting (😄), a Highlands dinner show, and a tour of the Guinness factory in Dublin.

4. I took a Spin Cycle class and loved it. It's been some years since I took my last class, but I felt compelled to return in that I am working to up my endurance game in a manner that long walks and hikes do not address. The class I took didn't begin until 9:00 AM, which works perfect for me - I do not enjoy leaving the house prior to my preferred two hours of morning coffee and blog reading time!

5.  Girlfriend dates make me sooo happy. I had three this week, including this morning when I'm leaving shortly to meet one of my girlfriends for an eight mile beach walk and coffee date. I love and treasure my spouse, but I really cannot imagine life without my girlfriends, some newer, some whom I've known for decades. ❤

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I hope you all make it a great Friday wherever you are!

Wednesday Wellness - August #1

  

Wednesday Wellness - August #1

I feel like I would benefit from some accountability, so I'm going to set some Wellness goals here, and then track my progress.

Fitness:

- Do cardiovascular movement five days out of seven. (The humidity here currently has knocked me slightly off my game)

- Do strength training at the gym three days each week. (I struggle to make myself workout indoors vs outside)

Weight:

- Continue to remain within my self-set maintenance range of 108 - 110 pounds. I'm currently 111 as of this morning, after four days in a row of events involving meals. I expect to be back within my goal range by tomorrow,*  given that I'll be out on the water kayaking all day today.

* Done!

Water:

- Consistently consume four glasses a day.

Long Range Goal:

- Find a long distance event to sign up and train for. I enjoy both the training for, and the sense of accomplishment achieved at completion.

Friday Five - Short & Sweet!

 

Friday Five - Short & Sweet!

I'm feeling a bit on the run this morning as we head into a jam packed weekend, so I'm literally whipping these Friday Five out ahead of my housecleaning team's 7:00 AM arrival. That is not a complaint, BTW!

1. I love my housecleaning husband and wife team. Our 7:00 AM cleaning slot is always a bit stressful (vs a more leisurely 9:00 AM slot 😊) but we are so very thankful to have such a reliable team show up every four weeks to spiff up our home from top to bottom.

On our side, the things we do to get ready are make up the bed a bit earlier than normal, pick up our various throw rugs, and clear off the top of our respective bathroom counters. And really, that's about it.

2. I reminded my husband, the happy introvert, that having lots, sometimes too many, things on our calendar is a blessing at this point in our lives. I may have to mention this more than once over the upcoming weekend, as we have visiting friends, an organized hike with breakfast, and several evening events. The resting will come on Monday!

3. Farmers Markets are crazy expensive . . . when did that happen??? I walked through a Farmers Market this week and just kept shaking my head at the price per pound being charged for fruit and vegetables - between $4 and $6 a pound, depending. Meanwhile, I currently have $1.89 a pound sale priced supermarket peaches and nectarines ripening on my counter, smelling like little bundles of heaven. And $1.29 a pound crisp green grapes from Aldi in my fridge.

Is there really that big of a difference between $6 vs $1.29 per pound grapes?

4. Conversely, I'll happily pay $10 - $15 for a loaf of good quality bread. The difference for me is in the longevity I think. As opposed to fruit, which has a very limited life, I carefully separate each slice of bread before freezing, and we can then slowly enjoy this super high quality item for many weeks if not months. I reserve usage of high quality bakery breads for picnic sandwiches, evening grilled sandwiches, or for garlic toast. 

5. We threw in the towel, and the A/C is now set to 'On'. I blame the humidity. Once that moves in and we end up closing windows, A/C is then our only option. Prior summers here indicate we'll run it for about six weeks before the humidity lifts and we can return to our norm of simply leaving our windows open to keep the house comfortable.

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I hope you make it a great weekend wherever you are!

Monday Musings - A Vibrant Week

Monday Musings - A Vibrant Week

Before I launch into all the goings on over this past week, you should know that yes, I am definitely tired this morning. However, it's that kind of deeply good tired that means my choices were well made.

My week started with a walking date at the beach with a girlfriend. Originally we were scheduled to go kayaking, but I apparently got off our cruise with a bit of a bug, and I woke up the morning of our event feeling way less than 100%, plus deeply fatigued. I gave her a quick call accordingly, and we defaulted to a beach walk instead. Upon arrival, I started off definitely exhausted, but I actually felt a bit better with each mile, and finished feeling somewhat normal. So yeah that.

We enjoyed six miles of beautiful coastal walking, a sack lunch stop midway, and good, strong iced coffees at the finish, before saying a no-physical-contact goodbye, lol.

I had a girlfriend from high school come for an overnight visit toward the end of the week, and I had so much fun showing her our coastal sights. I tried hard not to over-walk her (hard because we walk so much here!), as she's still working and doesn't have the extensive downtime to get outdoors and to the gym that I do, but she swore she loved it all, and hinted strongly that she'd like to return an do it again, and sooner rather than later. 😊

So I was already slightly tired even before we entered into the weekend, but that is not a complaint! Being tired because of to much fun is never going to be a problem, you can be sure.

Friday night found us out on the patio at our Club with some good friends. 

Saturday morning we enjoyed a long coastal walk that included several spontaneous occurrences - watching a Coast Guard vessel sail in, then encountering this adorable little USCG self-propelling Coastie.

We also much enjoyed watching our County Sheriff boat spray the heck out of beach going kids, which, based on the shrills of excitement we could hear, they loved. 

Saturday evening we attended a Marvin Gaye tribute concert with my mom and sister-in-law that was so fun and upbeat I laid in bed afterward for four hours before falling asleep. Live music always has that effect on me if the band is great, which this tribute band was. I mean, people (me!) were literally dancing in the aisles.

Sunday found us in Laguna Beach attending a Festival of Arts Member event that I thought we'd be at for just a bit. Five hours later, ha, we finally left after enjoying a Pageant of the Arts backstage tour, lunch, concert music, included glasses of wine, photo booth, and lots of fun conversation with other attendees.

We'll be back in a few weeks to attend the actual show.

Upon returning home I/we pretty much collapsed. My husband disappeared into his office (we have his 'n hers) for some recovery time, while I hung out in our family room and alternated between a needlepoint project and reading.

Today, Monday, my only hard plans are a five mile walk at the harbor and strength training at our gym, followed by reading and needlework time back here at home. Looking forward to it all.

Friday Five - Homeward Bound

Friday Five - Homeward Bound

Our four-generation Alaskan cruise has come to an end, and was everything I hoped it would be. My heart is full as we head for home later today.

1. Our pre-cruise time in Seattle was wonderful. We enjoy this vibrant city so much. This visit we enjoyed a first-time walk around Lake Union, about seven miles in all, including two fun bridge crossings. We visited Fremont Brewing for a shared sandwich and beer flight at the halfway point, and finished with iced coffees at the finish. That pretty much is my perfect way to spend a day- lots of miles in motion, good eats, good coffee.

2. Enjoying a week with my 90 year old dad, including a day of kayaking, was a privilege and a joy. He really is amazing, and I clearly recognize each additional year at this point is a gift.

A photo of my dad and me kayaking within view of Mendenhall Glacier during our Juneau, Alaska port visit:

3. I’d rather stay home than cruise without having a balcony cabin. 

We enjoyed this amazing view of the city from our balcony as our ship left Seattle and headed for Alaska, just one of the many amazing vistas we enjoyed over our seven day cruise.

And this balcony view as we pulled into Skagway, Alaska:

And this from our sail up Endicott Arm fjord to view Dawes glacier-

4. Watching our granddaughters enjoy the ship’s rock climbing wall, various pools, and ice skating rink, plus their new ability to sit thru/with the family for each night’s formal dining sitting, was priceless. So many funny moments were caught and exchanged, and will now become part of our family lore.

5. Heading for home is a bittersweet this time around. Normally, we look forward to going home because we have so many pleasant activities to step back into. But having to say good bye to our extended family after seven days of completely uninterrupted time made departure distinctly more bittersweet. Being able to be all together is an absolute treasure of time that we do not take for granted at this point in our lives.

 

Friday Five - Bon Voyage Edition

 

Friday Five - Bon Voyage Edition

We head out soon for our Alaska cruise, where we'll have four generations of family sailing together, so my Friday Five will be travel-prep focused accordingly.

1.  Once the suitcases are zipped, I finally get excited. My rule is to pack two days ahead so that I have time to mentally go through our itinerary, the expected weather, and any out-of-the-ordinary activities I may need to bring items for. I then continue to mentally go thru my list over the remaining days, removing or adding items as 'Oh, I need!' or 'Oh, I don't need!' thoughts occur to me.

I also gather my toiletries together, so that I have time to do a complete dry run at least once, ideally twice, before we depart, in order to ensure I have set aside everything I need to take care of my teeth and eyes (contacts) and do my hair and makeup. 

2. This will be my first cruise bringing just a carry-on bag. Even with the many layers we need to pack for Alaska's wild weather, I managed to get everything into one carry-on suitcase. Why bother, in the event you're wondering. Simply to ensure both me and my luggage arrive together!

I file it under 'ways to reduce travel stress', a list which is getting longer as I age.

To be fair, I did place two pair of shoes into my husband's check-in size luggage, but everything else fit into my carry-on bag.

In my bag I packed one pair of basic black pants for dinner, along with six lightweight, blouses, one for each night other than sail-away. On sail-away day, the first dinner dress code tends to be very casual as many guests will not yet have had their luggage delivered to their cabin. So on the first night I'll simply wear what I plan to wear onto the ship - lightweight black summer trousers with an apple green silky tank. 

Otherwise, I packed a couple of casual pants with a variety of lightweight shirts, several layers of outerwear, including a lightweight rain coat, plus workout clothes, pj's and a swimsuit. 

3.  I located 10+ miles of scenic walking in Seattle, where we'll be for two nights pre-cruise. The weather is looking to be gorgeous - cool and sunny - so perfect for walking. And walking a city is one of my absolutely favorite things to do while traveling. There are also lots of coffee stores scattered along our routes, so, I'm sure some stops for iced coffee will happen as well.

4.  I signed up for tennis lessons. I have played tennis off and on over the years, but it's been almost a dozen since I last picked up a racquet. I've been waiting for our health club to run a series for Beginners, and they finally did. I signed up the moment the email arrived, and start my 'refresh' lessons immediately after we return.

5.  I saw this at the beach during a walk earlier in the week, and it made me laugh:

I hope you all had a great, satisfying week, wherever you are!

It Was A Fabulous Fourth Of July - One Of Our Best Yet

It Was A Fabulous Fourth Of July - 

One Of Our Best Yet

I went to bed, and woke up still under the spell of an absolutely marvelous 4th of July holiday. We did a string of 'ordinary' 4th of July things, but cumulatively they added up to a magical and wonderful day.

Here's how we rolled:

We woke up naturally at 5:30 AM, and immediately jumped into our cars in order to drop one of our cars off in our beach town's downtown area before the crowds descended. And so happy we made the effort to do so, because by 8:00 AM, people were sharing photos of packed parking on our local community Facebook page.

Once back home, we enjoyed our morning cups of coffee leisurely until a little after 9 AM. I then packed a simple sack lunch and we headed out the door on foot. We walked first to the beach we live closest to, enjoying the heightened holiday crowds and energy, saying for the first of about a dozen times over our walk - how happy we were to be out and about on foot instead of being stressed by the crowds and lack of parking from inside a car.

And not to gloat, truly - I'm simply thankful! - but it was a gloriously cool 70-73 degrees during our entire walk.

From the beach we walked next to our harbor, primarily to enjoy Water Wars, a long standing July 4th tradition. People enter the water on anything and everything, and a war between watercraft and the folks watching from land ensues and goes on for hours.

Short video of Water Wars below. You can click Full Screen icon in order to maximize video size.

We watched and laughed at the ongoing antics for about half an hour, then walked to a quieter spot for our sack lunch. We chatted with an older couple we were seated alongside, something that happens all the time here, as people are quite relaxed and open for the most part. A result, I think, of the natural beauty we all live alongside creating a desire to share our joy with others.

From there, we enjoyed an easy walk back up to our already-parked car. Yes, 'up' and why we elected to leave a car for the return trip, lol.

We stopped at the brewery near our home on the return for a shared cup of iced cold brew coffee amidst yet another crowd of happy holiday energy.

I love so much where we live - happy energy spills over almost everywhere we go. It's addictive.

At home we showered and then loaded the car for dinner and fireworks at my mom's, our first time doing so.

We enjoyed a BYOM (Meat) event outside of her building, with neighbors joining in. One neighbor brought our his grill, the others all brought a food item to share. It was just all very relaxed and enjoyable.

As it got dark, we moved our chairs out onto the sidewalk for 'the show.' And a show it was! Literally right in front of us, not having to walk or drive anywhere, the city sent off a fantastic fireworks show. It was fabulous, eliciting several spontaneous rounds of applause from the people that had gathered by this point all up and down her street.

We jumped in our car the moment the show was over, following a route home a friend had said would be uncrowded and . . . it was! It was so easy, and we were able to avoid all post-fireworks traffic.

We arrived home just as the fireworks display nearest to where we live started up, and finished out the night watching them from our balcony.

Honestly, it's probably the best and most relaxing 4th of July we've ever experienced, and we're going to simply put it on repeat going forward.

I hope you had a fabulous 4th wherever you are, and a Sunday that is just as busy or relaxed as you wish it to be!

 

Friday Five - Spending Other People's Money Is Fun!

 

Friday Five - Spending Other Peoples Money Is Fun!

1. I am looking forward to spending someone else's money today. In this case, my sister-in-law's. She is in need of some new clothes, and I have offered to take and help her in picking out some outfits. She has some physical challenges that necessitate simple clothing without zippers, snaps, or buttons, and in doing a bit of online research, Kohl's appears to carry affordable clothing that meets her needs.

Kohl's is not a place where I shop myself, in that their clothes seem to run 'boxy', but that would actually work well for my SIL, in that items need to be very easy to pull on and pull off. 

I'm a very good steward of other people's money, and I will thus be very diligent in finding items that work, are attractive, and are on sale. Plus, it's fun to not be the one pulling out a credit card at the register!

The type of easy slip on and off clothing we are searching for.

Afterward, we'll celebrate our expected success with a shared lunch - she and I both recently lost weight, so we are of like mind there, nicely.  The fast casual place we're going to has a crispy chicken katsu sandwich with plum sauce that we both much enjoy, and a nice big outside and shaded patio for eating. We are currently in the low to mid-70's here, unlike what I know is happening elsewhere, so outdoors is still enjoyable. And appreciated!

2. We are eating faux on the Fourth. Specifically, Smart Dog hot dogs from Trader Joe's, about as faux as you can get in that they are made from soy. I find them to be delicious, however, and actually prefer them over a 'regular' hotdog at this point. And I appreciate that they are lower in saturated fat and calories than a regular hotdog.

I bought Brioche hot dog buns from Aldi's - so good - and we'll top our July 4th dogs with mustard, red onion, and relish. That should bring each one as served to just over 200 calories, an easy treat to slide into my daily plan. Watermelon will round out my plate, others will likely enjoy baked beans and Barefoot Contessa Old Fashioned Potato Salad along with their hot dogs. I think my mom is planning to serve ice cream for those interested to end the evening as we enjoy the fireworks from her front yard.

3. I'm looking for a new physical challenge. My primary activity this year has been walking, a result of my husband falling and straining his back late last year. He's been slowly and steadily recovering since, and is now back to almost 100%, so I've begun pestering him a bit to pick back up where we left off with road cycling and golf. 

We'll start off the road cycling with a flat and easy 15 mile roundtrip ride, then advance from there. We find that we can increase in increments of about five miles a ride, more to slowly train our saddle muscles than our leg muscles. (IYKYK!)

And once we return from our upcoming Alaska Cruise, we'll start back up with golf lessons, likely much needed after so many months away from the sport. I have to say that even while I have no aspirations that I'll ever be a fabulous golfer, I do get much enjoyment from simply going to the driving range with my spouse, and then enjoying glasses of iced tea together afterward on the golf course's scenic patio.

4. I reached backward in time and picked a date for my once-upon-a-time running club group of pals to meet up at a brewery. I also reached backward in time and made a date with a girlfriend I haven't seen since high school, to come out for an overnight visit.

The running club reunion event will be easy- I'm just texting the where and when, and our collective joy at all being together again should take care of the rest. The high school girlfriend overnight visit should also be easy - we'll spend a long and leisurely evening enjoying dinner and sunset viewing at our west-facing social club, talking non-stop I'm sure. In the AM we'll walk down to the beach for breakfast before returning to the house for good-byes.

5. I'm returning to Bridge, a game I both enjoy and do not enjoy in equal parts. I much enjoy the strategy and the playing. I much do not enjoy how intense and at times downright unpleasant some of the other players are. It seems to be the basic nature of some of the folk that are drawn to this game, an energy I don't bump into at any of the other activities I/we participate in. However, I've decided to give it another try after my spouse sincerely asked. Oh, the things we do for love! 🙂