Since school started back up in September, that "All About Me" feeling has all but disappeared. I've still been trying to find time for things I enjoy where I can squeeze it in, but life seems to be focused on other things right now (teaching and all its many varied tasks, fundraising, captaining Team in Training winter team, etc.).
So today, as I reminded myself to thank all the veterans I know (seriously, thank you veterans--you've sacrificed more than I could ever imagine!), I also enjoyed a relaxing day that was all about me. This day off took me a little by surprise. In the chaotic stress combined with never-ending cold that I've been dealing with the past couple weeks, it somehow slipped my mind until last Wednesday that I had today off. It was certainly a pleasant surprise as I frantically prepped my room and my mind for Parent-Teacher Conferences on Thursday and Friday.
In a way, I'm kind of glad I didn't realize ahead of time. In case you haven't noticed this about me yet, I'm kind of a planner. I like to know what I'm doing and when I'm doing it far in advance. So by not knowing about this wonderful extra day, I wasn't able to plan anything. It was just plopped in my lap, free and open to do with as I pleased.
So what did I do? Let me tell you with more detail than you could ever possibly really want to know:
First, I slept in. After watching the Sounders bomb their playoff game against LA Galaxy last night, I came home and proceeded to fall asleep with a glass of wine while watching Game of Thrones on my couch. I woke up at midnight to take Lucy out real quick and then roll into bed. And then I didn't wake up again until 9:30 am. It was glorious. I'm still sick and I think my body is grasping at straws for any amount of sleep it can get.
I gave myself a lazy couple hours. I ate some yogurt and granola for breakfast, caught up on some blog reading (my Google reader is encroaching on the triple digits for unread blog posts, and that's after I weaned out some I'm no longer interested in), and snuggled with Lucy in my PJs for a little while.
I went for a run. Of course. Because on any day that is all about me, running will certainly be involved. I was a little nervous for this run though. For over a week, I've been battling a hellish cold. I've been experiencing every cold symptom possible, only on consecutive days. It started with the headache/body aches last weekend. Then progressed to a sore throat on Monday and Tuesday. On Wednesday, I almost completely lost my voice (my 1st graders loved a day of "teacher with no voice"). By Thursday the voice was starting to come back, but a hacking cough and sniffles were starting (really great to have to cough for 3 solid minutes in the middle of a parent-teacher conference), and by Friday and Saturday the cough was persistent and combined with chest congestion. It was another great week. My long run on Saturday was miserable again. It didn't help that we were on a super hilly course and I had 14 miles to run. Every time I went up a hill, I simply couldn't catch my breath or get enough oxygen into my body. My legs felt like lead. Literally. I managed to make it 13.4 miles, but it wasn't pretty or fast. So when I decided to aim for a 5 miler this morning, I was nervous. But it went surprisingly well. I managed to keep up a 9 minute even pace, which while still in recovery from this cold thing I think is pretty good. I didn't feel like I was dying. Lucy kept up pace really well. All in all I count it as a win.
I relaxed for a little longer. This was a little forced, because my landlord sent the handyman over to check out my bedroom window, which was slowly become encrusted in a not-so-friendly looking mold (I know, not good). But, he bleached everything down pretty well, recaulked all the seams, and seemed pretty confident I wouldn't die of mold inhalation. So, another win there. And while I was waiting, I caught up on more blog reading, although the number of unread posts doesn't seem to be getting any smaller.
I went shopping. This is not usually an enjoyable experience for me, but it was fun shopping. Not real clothes shopping or anything. I hopped over to Roadrunner to get a new headlamp and a light to put on Lucy's collar, now that we're doing a lot of night running. I went up to the mall to grab some perfume that I've been out of for weeks (sorry if I haven't been smelling pretty), and resisted the urge to step into the new Nordstrom Rack that opened up at Northgate--I probably would have suffocated and left anyways, because I'm allergic to real shopping. Then I went grocery shopping and bought lots of fun veggies to experiment with.
I cooked. Like real cooking. Ever since my somewhat spastically written Food Conundrum post (for anyone still curious, the persimmon is slowly but surely withering away as it stares at me every time I open my fridge and I feel as though throwing it away would admit defeat and incompetence), I've actually been doing a really good job of cooking different things. I've only been making soy sauce and peanut butter stir fry once (maybe twice) a week. I've made roasted squash, broccoli cous cous, quinoa, sauteed brussels sprouts, and udon noodle soup, to name a few things. But today, I had real time to cook. And as I wandered around the grocery store, it popped into my head that I really wanted butternut squash soup. So I bought a butternut squash, some sage, onion, and veggie broth and hoped to death that anything else I needed I already had at home. And I did.
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| And it was delicious. |
And now I will read. And then sleep. And hopefully not procrastinate for the next 30 minutes and therefore prevent myself from getting a full 7 hours of sleep.
And then I will tackle this shortened week knowing that I had my selfish, all-about-me day. So I can dedicate the rest of the week to everything else. Here goes.
Speaking of sacrifice and dedication: see you at the Ballard Station Public House at 6:30 for Sports Trivia on Wednesday night!! Proceeds benefit the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Not me.
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