Thankful for the sun and water and everything else

I really have a great life and I'm so thankful. My family is mostly nearby and close. My parents are alive and living in a place where they're happy and well-taken care of. My daughter is 20 and doing well. I'm healthy and active and fit. I was down, but I'm back up thanks to my good friends and sunny disposition. I don't know why I'm a naturally happy person, but I am and always have been.

I switched my day off so for the 4th time this spring I've been off work from Saturday afternoon to Wednesday morning. The weather has been great every long weekend so far. So lucky! Last week I had my regular schedule and worked on Tuesday and it rained all day. Not this time!

I went out with my co-worker Debbie on Saturday night. This is only the second time in all the years we've worked together that we've socialized. We went to Annapolis. Had sushi at my favorite place. We went to 3 different bars/restaurants for live music. We liked the last place best. It was a great night out. 

My sister Lisa, nephew Ryan and I went to lunch at The Annapolitan for Father's Day.

Afterward my sister came back with me and we spent the day at my community pool. I swam a mile. It takes about 50 minutes. I can't believe I have the stamina and patience to swim that long. I'm still sore from it. I occasionally have shoulder problems and I pushed myself and my shoulder hurts a little again. I won't be swimming the rest of the week so I'll rest it.

I met my friend Kit yesterday morning (Monday) for a day at Sandy Point State Park. I hadn't been there in a decade! It's about 30 minutes from my house on the Chesapeake Bay. It has concessions, a bathhouse, etc. It was so nice! I was told it gets very, very crowded on weekends. The weather was in the 80's and it was breezy. We stayed for 8 hours!!

The Bay Bridge

We went out to dinner afterward and ate outside. You know how much I love being outside.

This morning I was at my friend Nancy's at 9:30. We kayaked over to a floating dock in another cove. We tied up and jumped in the river. Well, I jumped. We swam and hung out and talked and finally got back in our kayaks and moved on. I left her house and....went back to Sandy Point State Park. It's only a few miles from her house and only $4 to get in, so why not? It felt like day 2 of a beach vacation.

It was SO hot today. Close to 100 degrees. There was a breeze. I stayed under my umbrella when I wasn't in the water. I only stayed for a few hours. I needed my pool. That was my next stop.

It's Tuesday night now. My laundry is done and lunch made for tomorrow. I'm ready to go back to work. It's been a great long weekend/vacation. I'm back to my regular schedule till the middle of July. I love being off on Thursdays too.

Time on my hands

I have a break at work and thought I'd take advantage of the time to do some writing. Before I get back into the habit of not writing.

It's been a much better week because I've been able to resume my activities! I swam a mile last Sunday in the outdoor community pool. Cold, but just fine. I broke the swim into 3 parts. My version of taking it easy. On Monday I walked 4 miles, then visited my mom. We had a great day together. We went to the mall and had lunch, then she had a manicure and pedicure. She was so happy!

I pass my friend Nancy's house on my way home from my parent's. She and her husband live on a bluff overlooking the Severn River. I saw her car and called her to see if she wanted to sit outside. She asked if I wanted to kayak instead. I always want to kayak! We paddled for at least 5 miles and it was such a gorgeous day. It was so enjoyable. On my way home I found myself singing. I thought to myself, I'm happy! My emotions have been such a rollercoaster since my breakup. I've been pretty down, waiting for the up that I know is coming. It's still not everyday, but I'll get there.

I've walked 4+ miles a few times this week, plus more in the evenings. Sparky loves it. I listen to my audio book. It's a good thing. I swam a mile on Thursday in my indoor pool. Thank goodness for that pool. It saved my sanity over the long cold winter. 

Being back to being active has been wonderful. I have too much time on my hands. What a problem!

I went on a date on Wednesday night with a guy I met online. We had a great time helped along by a few beers. We met the next day for a late lunch without alcohol. It was a big no :-)

I'm not sure what I'm doing this weekend. I'm sure mowing, swimming and biking will be part of it. I will go to the Father's Day lunch at the assisted living. I'll fill the weekend somehow. I always do. 

Thoughts from my deck

In the past, I'd write, "I'm sitting on my porch, overlooking my garden, watching for my hummingbirds." Nowadays I'm more likely to be sitting on my deck. I wonder what changed? They're both great places to hang out. I love my house and garden.

I have such a hard time sitting still! I'll write and then drink my coffee, then do something. Dusting and vacuuming  are on my mind. I should water my garden first, though. I will. Then I have to think about what to do today. That revolves around my bronchitis.

What a pain that has been! I've been following everyone's advice and taking it easy. That meant not kayaking last weekend. Not swimming. Not biking with Kit yesterday. Cancelling a hiking trip today. My happy is being busy. So, it's been a little depressing but...it's only temporary. I went to my primary care doctor on Wednesday and she prescribed 2 inhalers. I haven't needed the 'recovery' one. I've used the steroid one for two days and I really see an improvement. All along it hasn't been the cough. In fact, I'm not coughing at all anymore. Hardly. It's been the shortness of breath. That's what's improved. So, my thoughts for today are taking a long bike ride and then going to the pool. I know I shouldn't do the ride, but I want to. So, we'll see.

*I took a break and watered my garden and planted a pot of flowers and decided to be smart and not do a bike trip. I will do some vacuuming, but not all at once. I'll sit on my lounge chair and listen to my audiobook. I'll go to the pool later. I will concentrate on getting better! I have a bike trip scheduled next weekend with a Meetup group in Kent Island including brunch. My goal will be to be perfectly healthy by then. Healthier and happier.

Sparky watching me watering, wishing he was on the other side of the door.

Catching up, slowly

This is the third week in a row of switching days off from Thursday to Tuesday. Each weekend has felt like a vacation, since I'm off on Sunday and Monday too. I'm sitting on my deck and here's a typical view:

Sparky loves being on the deck. He's quiet here. It's a view we both love. I'll buy flowers for the pots today to improve it.

I got very sick after doing all the kayaking,etc that I did the weekend before while sick. I went to work last Wednesday and spiked a fever that night. Awful! I went to the doctor's Thursday and found out I have bronchitis. I took Thursday and Friday off to rest. My friend Kit visited and so did my sister. They both brought me food! I had to cancel a kayak trip on Sunday, and yoga yesterday. I have a cough...annoying but not bad. Mostly I get easily winded. I'm not much for relaxing, until this was forced on me. It's been quite enjoyable!

I was invited to hang out on my neighbor's boat on Saturday night. It's in a marina about 20 minutes from home. We sat outside and relaxed. It was beautiful. Peaceful. I love that my state has so much water!

Saturday afternoon I strolled West St. in Annapolis with my sister for the First Sunday Arts something or other. The day was beautiful! That night I went to my friend's Nancy and Doug's house. That's who I kayaked and boated with the weekend before. I sat on their dock for a while. Their neighborhood of about 60 houses was having a get-together. Dinner was at one person's house, then dessert at my friend's. I was invited for that. It was great. Everyone had name tags on, including my own hand-made one. Everyone was very friendly. I felt like a co-host! Nancy and Doug have been great friends to me and I love their company.

Sparky...

I walked 3 miles yesterday morning and it felt fine. I did things around the house. Went grocery shopping. I got to my community pool around 2:00. Another gorgeous day! I swam 4 laps and was winded! So disappointing! I guess it takes a while to get over this sickness! I was forced to drink iced coffee and read a magazine. Oh, what a life! I stayed for hours. I cooked dinner for a change, ate on the deck, and stayed outside till dark. Life is good. Sometimes I get down, but then I get back up.

Today I must visit my parents. It's been too long! I stayed away because I was sick. I also have to go to Marshall's to find new clothes. I don't have one pair of capris that fit. I've lost weight and everything is too big! What a problem to have...

Time to walk and then shower. I'll still have lots of time to relax today later on. So thankful!