Weekend getaway revelations

I type this as I’m flying back south after a weekend visit to Chicago. Less than 48 hours there, but an interesting trip for me. The reason for this trip was the wedding (the bachelorette party from last month) & as a bonus I got to see my dad for Father’s Day!

It started Friday after work. First flight was fine. Delays all over at the next airport which wasn’t affecting me initially, but eventually my flight was 40 minutes late leaving. Whatever. I wasn’t in a time crunch & I wasn’t going to be bothered by something I can’t control. Holy cow other people were super pissed though so I enjoyed dinner at my gate & some late evening entertainment! I landed really late, got my Lyft & made it to the hotel by 1:30am so not too bad. Yay!

Saturday morning after being up over 20 hours & with the time change I only got a few hours nap we’ll call it. Since it was 8am & I didn’t have to be ready for the wedding shuttle til 3pm…I went to the hotel gym. I know? Who the fuck am I?? I have become the weird person who works out AND LIKES IT on vacations. 🤷🏼‍♀️ I then went to breakfast at the restaurant & enjoyed a leisurely meal before I went back to nap some more & get ready. I pondered the pool but it was indoors and didn’t have good chairs to read or sleep on.

As I sat there eating breakfast I realized how much I have changed. I came all by myself on this trip (not even meeting up with my BFF as my wedding date), hadn’t spoke to anyone (outside of hotel or airport interactions) since I left work Friday & was actually doing things (not just hiding in my room) AND I WAS OK WITH IT. Ding ding. Wow big girl moment! I dare say I felt quite at ease and comfortable with my own company. I am always surprised when people tell me they won’t do things on their own cause it makes me then wonder how little I would be doing if I hadn’t adopted the just do it mentality 5+ years ago? Honestly I didn’t always feel comfortable or I’d feel very self conscious doing things solo especially if it was a couples or group type thing but I just kept pushing myself to go rather than miss out. Eventually I just ignored the feelings & did whatever it was. But this was the first time I honestly could say I was comfortable with being by myself.

Finally!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The wedding Saturday by the way was amazing! It was outside at an estate in a very upscale area and all top notch. I got to see the girls I met last month all gussied up plus several friends I hadn’t caught up with since I moved so it was very enjoyable. The bride & groom were a beautiful couple and I am so happy everything was perfect for them! Except the bloody heat & humidity. It was sweltering sitting there for the ceremony so I can only imagine how the wedding party felt standing. Seriously I never want to hear anyone bitch about Florida heat again! I mean if you are in the center of the state or some shithole area by all means but you brought that on yourself honey. I live on the Gulf & we have breezes and there’s never been a triple digit day. Now the Chicagoland area…they are having severe heat watch or whatever they call it & it’s like the face of the sun trying to breathe. I don’t miss any of that! I’m so happy to be on the plane headed south right now 🤣

I was a bum this morning. I considered working out again, but that would make 4 days in a row when I get home which I’ve learned doesn’t work for me. I need a recovery day if I want my workouts to be effective. My parents picked me up at the hotel & we went for Father’s Day lunch on the way to the airport. I was so happy to see my Dad today as I haven’t gotten to spend it with him in the 5 years since I moved. Plus I haven’t seen him since November for his birthday. We talk on the phone and stay in touch regularly but it’s just not the same. The parents are going on a vacation next week but I encouraged Dad at least (mom’s working) to come visit even for a few days after that so maybe.

All in all it was a great trip! I realized I’ve had a lot of personal growth which is good to see. I’m happy to be heading home though. I upped my gym membership this month & I’m having my food delivered again this week. I need to get back on track for my weight goals. I was so close and the last 2 weeks its gotten ugly. 😖 All on me & I know it so time to get serious again. The 4th of July is mygoal now!

good bye birthday month

Where have 31 days gone???

My birthday celebration was amazing! I have so many wonderful friends down here who went the extra mile to make everything special. I am so blessed! It started on last Thursday at the gym with a birthday workout class where I wore a tutu…cause who doesn’t wear a rainbow tutu to workout?? Complete with singing & laughs it was definitely a fun sweat session. We then headed over to a local craft brewery for food trucks & cake to blow out my last day in the 30’s. I pointed out to one of the gym owners what an amazing bunch of members they have at their gym to make a person’s day so special.

My actual birthday on Friday was great! My co-workers once again went above & beyond. Flowers, candy, little booze bottles–OH MY!!! Went out that night with a group that started at bar #1 for some drinks & to get going. Moseyed over to bar #2 for MORE drinks (probably not such a great idea in the long run lol) & dancing (probably a good idea but too late by then lol). People kept filtering in & out all night which was amazing to see so many friends. Bless my core group that got me home that night. Much love!!

Saturday was my friend’s 30th birthday party & she wanted a sunset booze cruise which was tons of fun! Probably about 25 people went & we had a great time despite the crummy weather. I definitely would love to go again when it’s nicer out. I refrained from drinking & instead opted to be a DD for me & Joe (NOT the douchebag creeper ex from 2 years ago but another Joe who’s a nice guy) since he had to leave early for work the next day. The crowd then continued onto dinner which I felt bad for the restaurant. A large mostly drunk group isn’t what they wanted I am sure on a Saturday night, but seeing as they didn’t have much business in hindsight they should have been a bit nicer to us. Probably why they weren’t very busy!

Sunday was a day of just bumming before going to see the Avengers movie. I went with the guy I had met for lunch last week. Rob is nice & I think we get along fine, but unfortunately it turns out he works out at my gym so that’s a big fat NOPE for me. We had no idea beforehand & of course figured it out while talking at lunch. Which means we also know several mutual people & such so I just won’t go there. I have seen gym drama go bad & have no desire to be a part of it. Plus I love my gym & it’s MY place to go to vent & relax…I don’t want to have to find another!

Monday I had off from work so Joe & I went to a theme park. Rode some roller coasters, had some laughs, enjoyed the day. Came home & binge watched some Jersey Shore Family Vacation episodes. OMG–those people make me feel so much better about myself!

Overall it was a GREAT birthday & month. I am not sure #40 will ever be topped but it sure will be fun trying!

 

Irma-gawd 🌀

Hurricane Irma has come & gone. 🙋🏼

I am well! In fact the house I’m a roommate at never lost power so I was watching tv (news & movies) thru it all. So lucky!! 🍀 My car was parked in the garage so that was ok too. I felt quite safe bunkered in my corner room. The windows were boarded up & I had candles ready. I heard the winds when the eye got closer (it passed just to the east) & other than a few clunks on the roof it was ok. I realize how very blessed & fortunate I am. 🙏

We got lucky it came down to a Category 2 & the path went a little more east after landfall so not a direct hit. I was somehow one of the few left in my friend circle with power. Today they have all been waiting for power to be restored & not all were visited by FPL. I went outside about 9am after the rain stopped for a quick peek. I saw standing water at the end of the driveway & along the side yards so I didn’t go near that. But looking around I didn’t see any major damage to the house or any other homes on the street. Lots of leaves & some branches but nothing bad. Again very lucky!!

My work is closed until Wednesday. They had the water shut off during the hurricane cause of a main break in the City water system (which did get repaired today) but there still is not any power. I still need to check on my house & the family condo when I can get there, but I haven’t heard from the property manager so I assume nothing major happened. 

My heart goes out to everyone affected by Irma & my prayers are with them. Thank you to my friends & family that were there for me. Love you all! 😘