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What day is it?

What day is it? I woke up thinking it was Thursday, but my work computer must have thought it was Monday. Google Authenticator threw me into a death loop of back-up codes that lasted nearly an hour. During this time I couldn’t access anything on my laptop. I was completely sidelined for the first hour of the day. Unfortunately, I was not the only one locked out by Google’s duplicity. Fortunately, I was the first to get a hold of IT and got my issue resolved pretty quickly. Nonetheless, it cost me an hour of day, which does suck.

Last night we watched the Mayor’s team in its first scrimmage. As expected, his team dominated the Warriors. It was, however, a good opportunity for the squad to play together against someone else. He didn’t see a ton of ice, but did make the most of his opportunities. I’d love to see him get more ice time, but this is the reality of being a young guy on an older team. The best thing about my Mayor is he knows how to work. He’ll work harder than anywhere else to get to the next level.

I was thrilled that the scrimmage was run time. It started at 8:30 pm, so I was worried I’d fall asleep before the end of the first period. This was our first time watching a game on FloHockey. What a difference from LiveBarn! Livebarn is great because it gives you an opportunity to watch games you can’t attend, but the cameras are flimsy and the quality not great. The camera on FloHockey isn’t fixed and there is actual camera work being done. It’s not a fixed camera like on LiveBarn. I’m really excited to watch his games from our couch.

What’s your favorite word?

It starts with a f and ends with an uck. It’s a, as SpongeBob would say, a sentence enhancer that I use quite liberally. It’s a catch all for frustration, anger, insert negative emotion here. They say smart people swear a lot, so I’m just over here waiting for my Mensa invitation to come. While I wait, let’s enjoy a song.

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And So It Begins

And so it begins. Tonight is the unofficial start of the Mayor’s first junior season. I think they’re scrimmaging a local college or u18 team, but I’m not entirely sure. Of course this could also be the first time in his life that he’ll be a healthy scratch. He chose the program that was unequivocally the best program for him. That program, however, has a lot of tenured players. This means he’ll have to work really hard for a spot on the ice.

When we spoke with him Sunday, it was obvious that he is very happy with his choice. The Eels organization has a done a lot work, like forming ad hoc groups, to build team camaraderie. He loves that everyone is bought into the program and working to their best. I don’t have the highest opinion of Junior hockey (that’s a whole different post,) but the life skills this experience is giving him are invaluable. As the breadwinners paying for the hockey, I think they hubby and I would agree that the investment has been worth the return.

What are you doing this evening?

Tonight will be the Mayor’s first scrimmage with the new squad, so we will be watching from our couch. Although the game has a super late start time, so I don’t know how much I’ll be able to stay up and watch.

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Better Day

It’s been a better day. Probably because I had a better night. My first night’s sleep after stopping the prednisone was a huge success. Not only did I fall asleep pretty easily, but I managed to stay asleep and get some deep sleep. The past month falling asleep and quality of sleep have been a major issue, so last night was a gift. I’m hoping tonight will be similarly successful. Of course, it helps that I’m not a Jets fan because losing your expensive future HOFer QB in game 1 sucks royally.

Work has been better too, albeit it slow. I did get my workout over lunch and it went well. I’m contemplating writing a proposal letter to move my schedule, but I really like getting off at 5:00 pm. Especially since I know the craziness of AEP is right around the corner. I guess I’ll stick out the slow mornings and count my blessings. Hopefully, AEP, which is our busiest time of year, is absolutely banging.

Yesterday’s workout was an absolute gong show, so I wasn’t sure how today would go. Fortunately, as hard as yesterday’s workout was, today’s came with relative ease. I definitely wasn’t working on an exit strategy today like I was from the beginning of yesterday’s workout. Today’s workout was hills and speed pushes ranging from moderate to all out. The interval work is really elevating my running game.

What personality trait in people raises a red flag with you?

The biggest red flag for me is someone who always, no matter what, sees the glass as half empty. To be clear, I’m not looking to hangout with Pollyanna and her perpetual positivity either. My experience however, with folks that only see the glass half empty is they can never get themselves out of the negative feedback loop. They can never move forward or upward in life because something bad may happen. And quite frankly, the overarching negativity may be a symptom of a greater mental health issue I’m not equipped to navigate.

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Monday, Monday

“Monday, Monday” damn now I have that Mamas and the Papas song stuck in my head. It’s been a shit day at work, which happens. It’s literally one of the most normal things in a salesperson’s life. Not all days are gonna be easy. Anyway, this is usually a non factor because anyone that works sales knows this axiom to be true except for one person who shall remain nameless. While they shall remain nameless, they shall live in shame and infamy for their ridiculousness. Anyway, time to brush that shit off my shoudlers and move on.

If I seem a bit cranky, it’s because I am. I haven’t slept well since mid August and I need my sleep. The fact that I can’t fall asleep is driving me nuts. I’m hoping since I stopped taking the prednisone yesterday that my sleep pattern will go back to normal. Hopefully, once my sleep goes back to normal everting else falls back into place. This past month has been really tough. I’ve pretty much had to cancel any and every plans I’ve had even when I was in Minny because I wasn’t up for them physically.

Anyway, I didn’t get much accomplished this weekend outside of baking. I did, however, get our bushes fertilized and trimmed. Unfortunately, the skies didn’t open up like I had hoped, but hopefully we get some rain today. Afterwards. the Hubby walked me through his plans for the bedrooms upstairs. Spoiler alert, they’re going to look amazing once he’s through with them. My only feedback was to get the painting and closet organizers done first, so we can maximize the space.

I did two bakes this weekend to keep myself busy since leaving the house was a risky endeavor. The first bake was a homemade toaster strudel. I’ll share the recipe in a later post, but it’s super easy. It’s literally puff pastry, the filling of your choice, and simple frosting. Honestly, this is a recipe I’ll make often when the boys are home. It’s simple, but really tasty. The second bake I made was an attempt at Paul Hollywood’s recipe of Kouign-Amann, which is a magnificent dessert from Brittany. It was a lot more complicated, but very tasty.

Describe your ideal week.

My ideal week is one spent exploring the world with my family. It’s not spent behind a desk or on a couch. I’m looking forward to the week I have planned for Jake and I exploring Utah’s Mighty Five and the surrounding national monuments and state parks. Adventure, hiking and exploring the world is something that I enjoy. I find myself at peace up in the mountains of Utah, so I’m really looking forward to my trip.

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Dreaming

I’m just sitting here dreaming of Norway. One of my high school friends is there now. Yesterday she posted pictures from Bergen, which was my favorite city. Today she’s posting pictures from the cabins in Flam where my family stayed in 2017. Fjord Norway is such a magical place and the connection I felt to the country was profound. My mom wants to go for their 50th anniversary or was it the big birthday (I forget- sorry mom) and stay at the Husom Motel. This is right over the mountain via the Vindhellaveven from the Borgund Stave Church.

Jake and I have been looking for races to run in Norway. He’s a bit more ambitious than I am and was looking at one that goes over a mountain range. The race he was looking at is call led the besegloppet. It’s a 14 KM (8.6 miles) that goes over the bessegen mountain pass. Fortunately the, elevation gain isn’t insane and unlike Utah we’d be starting at a reasonable point. Also, we’re not neophytes to this type of run/hike thanks to Jake’s time in Utah. The views, however, are absolutely incredible.

While we both dream of running races in Norway, we’re both focused on getting ready for our hiking trip in the Might Five. The hikes are long, difficult and remote, so it’s important that we’re both physically ready for them. I’ve been on prednisone to clear out the asthma and supplements to improve the anemia, so my doctor doesn’t think the trip will be a problem. Nevertheless, we’re working hard to be physically and mentally ready for these hikes. I’m even working on matching neoprene socks, so we can be quite the fashion plates as we traverse the Narrows.

Are you holding a grudge? About?

Am I holding a grudge? You get I am. What is said grudge about? That’s private. If and when the time is right, I’ll share the circumstance surrounding said grudge. As for now, it’s best kept quiet.

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Half Way

We’re half way to Friday. Could there be a better gift than a short work week? I don’t think so. Absolutely everything about a shortened work week is an absolute delight. What has not been delightful this week is my inability to fall asleep thanks to the prednisone. I’ve tried everything from teas, to patches and gummies, but nothing helps. Once I fall asleep, I’ve been sleeping pretty well. Hopefully tonight will be one filled with a goodnight’s sleep.

Work continues to pick up and be busy, which is a welcome change. The past 16 months have been way too slow. Nevertheless, I’m looking forward to the opportunity to make some good money during AEP. I’m not, however, looking forward to working the insane hours that AEP brings. Next week our company publishes its annual results, so I’m anxiously waiting that report. The stock hasn’t had the best couple of years, so some good news would be welcomed.

Share a story about the furthest you’ve ever traveled from home.

In 2018, Jake and went to Scandinavia with my brother and sister in law. On this trip, we visited Stockholm, Helsinki and Copenhagen. Helsinki is the furthest I’ve been from home clocking in at 5,100 miles away. Nevertheless, like the rest of Scandinavia, I felt completely at home in Helsinki. We spent several days there and watched the Florida Panthers practice. I really enjoyed the city, it’s sites and it’s people. I’ll definitely return to Helsinki.

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Long Weekend

I made the most of my long weekend and I hope you did as well. It was our first Labor Day in well over a decade that hasn’t revolved around a hockey tournament. Admittedly, I felt a bit lost going into the weekend without the hectic run up to the season’s first tournament. I got my fill by following the Mayor’s coaches teams. Nevertheless, it was nice to be home and relaxing instead of running around Orlando.

So true

Saturday we just chilled around the house. I was exhausted from a busy week and not sleeping well due to the prednisone. I did manage to bake a rustic French apple tart to take to the Kennedy’s for dessert. We enjoyed some yummy food courtesy of Sicilian Oven for dinner, followed by a nice swim in the pool. After our swim, we had dessert and played games with Ava. In what must be one of life’s greatest mysteries, the game Hi Ho Cherry-o that features cherry shaped fruit (down to the stem) is an apple picking game. Maybe I was just too sober to play it.

Sunday I made a rum cake and was going to make short ribs, but I was way too tired for it. The rum cake, however, was mighty tasty. It was my first time making a Bundt cake, which was fun. I was worried that cake was going to get to stuck, but it came out beautifully. The rum flavor was apparent, but not overpowering. I used rum I bought in the Turks and Caicos. The rum was beautifully fragrant as I cooked the syrup. I binged season 1 of White Lotus while I baked. We also spoke to all three boys, which was nice. All three are doing great.

Yesterday I binged the Flight Attendant season one while I worked on purging my closet. The preponderance of stuff in said closet, I no longer use. I still, however, am finding it difficult to part with my old work clothes. There could come a time when I need clothes for work that don’t come from Fabletics. I really enjoyed the Flight Attendant. It’s a well written and well acted show. We started season two last night as I baked the short ribs. Prior to starting dinner, I bought some new running shoes! After dinner, I could have used a whatchamacallits or some other chocolate to satisfy my sweet tooth.

What does your ideal home look like?

My ideal home is the one in which I currently live. The only difference is it would be super clean, cleaned by anyone other than me preferably, and full of doggos. I love our current house and wouldn’t want to move out anytime soon. Now that the boys have moved out, we can start fixing it up and making it ours.

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Rest in Peace Jimmy

Rest in peace Jimmy Buffett. Waking up to the news that one of my favorites, an absolute icon, had passed was so sad. I’ve been lucky to see Jimmy Buffett three times since living in South Florida. There has never been roadtrip in our family without Jimmy Buffett as the soundtrack. In fact, I’m not sure I know anybody that can go to the Florida Keys and not listen to Jimmy.

The last time we saw Jimmy was when he toured with the Eagles in 2018. Jimmy always put on a great show and I was excited to share it with the boys. My boys really enjoyed the show although I think they may have been equally entertained by my former coworkers at our tailgate, which is fair. They are pretty awesome. Jimmy Buffett will live forever through the music and empire he created. I could share Margaritaville, but instead I’ll share my favorite Buffett song, which is Pencil Thin Mustache.

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Negative

I’m Covid negative and thrilled. I tested negative again this morning, so I was finally able to start the prednisone. I don’t know if it’s the coffee or prednisone, but I am feeling good. There’s no sign of roid rage yet, but Hubby should probably be on guard for that. Since I was Covid negative, I did go for a run on the treadmill and it was awesome. This was my first time running with Sherica, on apple fitness +, and it was an awesome workout. The playlist was straight fire.

So perhaps the negative test is what’s making me so positive today. It didn’t hurt that I had a brief chat, via text, with the Mayor’s billet mom. She’s just the sweetest. She shared that he’s adjusted really well to living away from home and the junior hockey life. Obviously, she wanted to know if we felt it was going well or if the Mayor had said anything. I shared that he’s only reached out when he needs something, which means he’s doing well. Of course, I let her know that all his feedback about the experience thus far has been positive. I’m really glad it’s going well because he can be ridiculous at times (iykyk.)

How are you feeling right now?

I’m feeling pretty good. I think it’s the steroids, but it’s Friday night and I have a long weekend in front of me. My son in Ft Myers is doing well. Jake got the position he wanted, which I’m super excited about. I’ll hold off saying more until I know more. Hopefully, the steroids will give me the energy to knock out a lot of things on my to do list. Tomorrow I’m going to return the bedding we bought the Mayor as he didn’t need it. I think I’ll use my Kohl’s cash to buy some artwork to decorate the soon to be guest rooms.

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Is it Over?

Is it over? It’s just been one of those weeks that needs to end like yesterday. We finally have the volume at work, but our boss is so far up everyone’s asses it’s not cool. Of course I’m thrilled that our volume has increased. I just don’t and have never appreciated micromanagement. To be fair, I’m way more sensitive than normal due to a liquid only diet and asthma that continues to be a pain in the arse.

So after my doctor’s appointment, to which I was a bit unpunctual having parked on the wrong side, I found out a lot of the family I saw on Saturday has come down with Covid. So far I’ve tested negative. Two of the tests I used, however, were expired. I’m a bit nervous to start the steroids after having been exposed to Covid. I’m waiting to hear back from my doctor’s office as to whether or not I should wait to start taking them. There’s a reason I’m waiting and it’s because prednisone can compromise your immune system. Obviously, I don’t need that ball of fun in my life.

What daily habit do you do that improves your quality of life?

There are a couple of things I do daily that improve my quality of life. Firstly, I start everyday with my Dunkin’ coffee. Secondly, I drink water incessantly and stay well hydrated. Additionally, I have a robust exercise routine baked into my day that keeps me going. Lastly, I end my day by reading my book. I read everyday no matter what I did that night.