Hey kids! Happy Monday and the start of a new week. Honestly, with this past year, on any given day I’m thinking ” where are we in this week?!”
Please tell me I’m not alone in this….
I’d say Monday’s are for coffee but really, every day is for coffee.
We’ve been enjoying a milder than usual summer here in south Texas. When I say milder I mean we’ve not had any 100 degree days. And to make things even better we’ve had more rain than we ever see in a Texas summer. Like things are still green! And not crunching under your feet….amazing.
Oh it’s still hot enough and we’ve also got that wonderful humidity to go with it too.
Which makes morning workouts awesome
I had to forfeit my morning walk the other day when unexpected thunderstorms showed up. So I went to my plan b, heading into my own little gym in my garage. But gosh by the time I finished, I looked like I had been out in the rain. Serious sweat fest.
I opted to start with 20 minutes on the elliptical and followed up with 40 minutes strength training. I love mixing up my workouts. Sometimes I start and end with cardio and sandwich strength training in the middle.
My version of hitting the bar
I did get out for my power walk the next day. I’ve been increasing my miles and wanted to incorporate these huge hills into those miles. I planned to do a couple sets of them when I got down there, which I did.
When you take your heart rate from one extreme to the other. 😅
The large number on top is what I watch while I’m cooling down. The rate at which it drops back to normal gives me a good idea of my recovery heart rate. Minutes after I took this pic, it had dropped to the 70.
I think when people start an exercise program they aren’t really thinking about how it builds their heart and lungs, which are obviously muscles. Your recovery heart rate gives you a good idea of how your exercise is helping your heart
It is recommended to get a 150 minutes of cardio exercise a week. Are you getting yours?
Exercise goals
I believe everyone should have some kind of exercise goals. We all have a starting place from where we can begin working to build our strength and fitness. Recently, I personally found this so true and was so grateful to fall back on a foundation of strength and fitness.
Why you may ask?
Well kids, April 15th I had total knee replacement surgery. I fully plan to write a specific post on my experience with the process, my recovery, and how cool high tech surgery is now days. More than ever was I grateful for all the days I had spent training my body working out and building strength as I leaned into that while my other leg got back on track.
I won’t spend a lot of time on it in this post, yes I’m doing great. I will say I set a goal to do a 18 mile race on my bike, 10 weeks post op, and I did. 😉
Actually I did a little over 19 miles 😉
So that has been one of the um… more interesting….things I’ve been up to
Then there’s my vintage business
If you’ve followed me awhile, you know I have a business where I flip vintage furniture, among other things. That has grown quite a bit this past year and I’m grateful!
Not a bad transformation eh?
Just one of the many projects I’ve been working on. *** so…many.. projects… ****
Then there’s food
I do have fun exploring new recipes. I made this recently, it always goes over well.
I hope no matter how your day is going, that you will find the good in your day and be grateful. Grateful for the life you have and literally the next breath you take. I hope that you see the good in life and embrace it and you find joy in ordinary moments ❤
Hello world and happy Monday! I’ve got a few things rolling through my head for todays Musings edition…
First, I think next to people making resolutions to lose weight, another top item on the list for many is getting more organized/tidy/having less junk… I mean…”valuable stuff”…. taking up their space.
Enter a little Japanese dynamo named Marie Kondo, an organizing consultant who helps people get rid of their useless valuables.
I can’t claim a long term following of her or her ways as I innocently stumbled on her while Googling some value fact or bit of info I was after one day. I read the article, noted the before and after of neatly arranged drawers and thought…. hmmm… maybe I’ll just give her version of drawer organizing a whirl.
First, though, if you’ve missed out on the movement of “KonMari”, get on the cool kids bus with us.
It simply means gathering all of your belongings, one category at a time, touching them, thanking them for their service ( ok odd I know… not sure how much of that I’ll be doing 😛 ) and only keeping those things that “spark joy”, then you donate what doesn’t.
The idea is to be left with only things that make you happy and bring joy.
Ok that sounds good to me…although I’ll state this here… I’ll never be a “minimalist”.
No offense if you are. I need some things around me that breathe people live in my home. I want cozy and comfy with a tiny bit of something not always in it’s place. I don’t like walking in somewhere and wondering where the person is who lives there, (personal touches) everything carefully staged, sterile if you will.
Just not my vibe.
But the less unimportant stuff that we all tend to keep around ’cause… maybe we don’t essentially feel moved to get rid of it, don’t know HOW to get rid of it… whatever the case?
Yeah, sign me up.
So as mentioned, I thought I’d start with a few drawers.
Easy…
And I knew it wouldn’t take huge amounts of time. If I “liked” it, I decided I’d move on to something bigger.
Her folding style is different from how most of us may fold. I tend to fold and stack things into the drawer. Her method is to fold into neat thirds and then you stand items up on end, like book spines sticking up. Then you can see at a glance exactly what you have and easily select it.
I started with hubby’s undie drawer. (sorry hubster) I figured it would be fast and then… I’d know…. if I should continue on. Well, needless to say after I did his drawer, and had extra space that previously wasn’t there, I wanted to move to one of my athletic drawers ( yes I have more than one)
So tidy!
So this drawer, made me crazy every morning. No matter how I folded things or kept shorts separate from sports bras, I was inevitably throwing stuff out looking for one particular item. Now, I open drawer and it’s all neat right in front of me, with space that wasn’t there previously!
I’m still trying to decide if I wanna apply this to socks. Some of you may know how I feel about socks… so those might be the LAST drawers I tackle. I will move on to my closet next and although I’ve cleaned out quite a bit before lil Marie tripped into my life, I realize I can go back for more. I might be taking baby steps on some of this but it’s better than nothing, right? It’s a 2019 goal for me.
I did do something fun in my week though….
Hubby and I took off to play tourist in our home area. Our kids had given us an all inclusive stay at a gorgeous hotel on the riverwalk and we had gift cards to a local restaurant for food. What’s better than a pre-paid escape??
A view looking down from our room
The river winds through the downtown area, below is the riverwalk area which covers a large area of downtown San Antonio.
We didn’t stay in the room of course, but did some roaming around enjoying the beautiful day.
I’m not sure what it is about being downtown, but it almost has it’s own energy, it’s vibe, of people and culture and times gone by that I love. I also love people watching too.
I was kinda shocked and delighted to see one of the buildings still decked out with Christmas. You know how much I love old school vintage and this Santa and Nutcracker were worth snapping….
How cute is he?
We stopped outside the Ripley’s museum and couldn’t resist playing with the distortion mirror…..
Here we are all distorted, tall (oops well I am tall haha) and awkwardly skinny. We preferred that over short, fat and wavy looking.
After roaming around all day, we headed out for dinner at a fun place called the Rainforest Café.
This welcomes you…
So inside is like a rain forest, it has animals and they actually move and “act” like what they are…. we happened to be seated next to a bunch of gorillas… it got really loud ….
This guy stared at me all night long…
Oh and of course we had to stop for a little coffee break while we were out… I love how they let you know you aren’t on your own coffee turf anymore.. hubby patiently waiting as he’s used to me taking random pics for my blog…..
All in all it was a fun little weekend get away, and all rather close to home. Next time we’re going back for scooter rides….
Speaking of coffee…..
Dunkin’ Donuts just opened in our neck of the woods. I happened to stumble in the first day, right after they opened, and decided to try their iced coffee.
Yes, it was good. I probably won’t be there as a permanent customer ’cause I’m on Starbucks rewards program and I get free stuff ya know…. and free is good… and not only that… I love so many of the people I’ve gotten to know there too.
Winter gear and iced coffee… I know….
What about food?
I made this amazing scalloped potato recipe for a family dinner last week. This won’t rank up there with slim and fit dishes, you gently boiled the peeled and sliced potatoes in heavy cream first!
Yikes, but they were tasty 😛 find the recipe below and dont’ forget to head to Pinterest and find my Sassyfitnesschick page for lots of great ( healthy) and wicked recipes, fitness tips and more.
Happy Monday beautiful people. Before I launch into todays ramblings, I want to pause and recognize that today here in the states, it’s Memorial Day.
If you don’t know, it is a day set aside to remember the brave men and women who died fighting for the freedom of our country.
Amidst the BBQ’s, and store sales, there is a far deeper meaning and acknowledgement of this last day in May. No words could ever express how we as a Nation feel for those who fought, and gave their lives for the freedoms we enjoy each day.
My dad served several years in the Vietnam war. He had Alzheimers and died from it a little over a year ago. To the end of his fading memory, he remembered he had served, he was proud of his service, and he still had pain in his heart for those he had served with in the war who didn’t make it back home.
As an American, I am grateful for those who have served, and continue to serve our great nation today.
Weekend adventures
I took off on a little road trip to see hubby this weekend. I always have fun exploring or doing things with him in different environments.
Saturday morning started off eating breakfast at this healthy little breakfast place we found before. They use like, real food to make your breakfast. As you can tell my eggs in my omelet are that creamy yellow. It also held all kinds of tasty veggies inside of it. Add to it hearty whole grain artisan toast and leafy greens with plenty of coffee, it was delicious
A wholesome veggie omelet. Hubby isn’t ever impressed with the greenery though 😉
After food and some exploring we found ourselves at the pool later on. I was hanging off the side, lost in thought, watching the kids bounce around everywhere.
It should be mentioned, as a writer, my mind is constantly whirling, thinking, pondering. I observe the world around me and pay attention to people… the ways they interact, their conversations, body language etc. I can have a topic start forming in my head with just a casual observation of something.
For instance…..
I watched this little girl go skipping by in her little red bikini, blonde braids bouncing on her shoulders, goggles clutched in one hand completely enjoying the afternoon at the pool.
She was unconcerned over her body. She most likely wasn’t wondering what her stomach looked like or if she looked “fat”. She wasn’t wishing she had a bigger butt or wondering if people were looking at her judging her.
Nope. She was blissfully free. Sadly, in a few years, she may not be like that.
I began to share my thoughts with hubby who admittedly said he wasn’t sure he wanted in my head when I told him I had stuff whirling in there all the time…. haha
But he listened to my observations stating the obvious… well she hasn’t grown up yet and developed all those body insecurities. And this is true.
Family, society, friends, social media, even strangers are all big influencers of how we can lose our care free abandonment over time… meaning when we grow up.
When we grow up and determine we aren’t adequate or our bodies aren’t “good enough” or they could “be better” or worse yet, compare ourselves to others.
Sure, with good nutrition and exercise anyone could “be better”. But what happens that people can’t simply go enjoy life without being hung up on their imperfections, real or perceived?
We continued to talked about how beauty is in the eye of the beholder. And really, what IS a perfect body? That will vary person to person in what they believe to be attractive or desirable or whatever you wanna call it.
Yet the pursuit of these very things ( what someone believes to be desirable) will hinder people from going out and just enjoying life.
Really, no one cares if your thighs are super thin. No one is thinking you don’t fill out your swimsuit enough. No one is worried about the little extra pudge around your middle. Chances are, they have their own anyway.
Guys, no one is wondering where your washboard ab’s are or why your arms aren’t bulging in your t shirt.
Yet the times I hear women young and old lamenting over their “flaws” or imperfections ( how they view it) is staggering and they are held back by these beliefs.
Those ideas hinder you from just enjoying and savoring life.
What happens along the way that we can’t just go out and enjoy things with a child abandon instead of sitting on the sidelines, watching.
I’m in decent shape for a woman close to collecting her senior citizen discounts on morning breakfasts.
I wear a bikini because I can. Because I want to.
Because I hate having a white belly. hahaha
I don’t consider my body “perfect” in that unattainable sense. I’ve had babies. I have marks to prove it. However I also have some decent muscles now in my belly that I think, trump that. I have strong powerful legs, largely a side effect to my athletic endeavors. I don’t have “skinny” legs, but then I don’t want to have them either.
Oh. And I really don’t care if some random stranger may make a judgment on me or not.
But then again, as mentioned , I’m older. I’ve had time to get comfortable in my skin and be ok being me.
I won’t sit out watching from the distance while other people are having fun and doing stuff.
I will never sit on the side watching and not doing.
So as I sat, and watched these children so happily playing, still comfortable and untainted in their skin, I wondered why that has to be lost. Why so many will go through life burdened or feeling like they are inadequate or not enough and how if ever, that tide will turn.
Can I just say this? You are enough. Really. Your body is fine and no one is responsible for it but you.
If you need to lose some weight to feel better, do it for you. Do it for your health. Do it for the way it will make you feel.
I will always support good health and wellness ( mentally and physically)
Love yourself, learn to be a little more free, and enjoy the life you have to live without being hung up on if your body isn’t some particular “way” you think it should be.
Sweet heavens. I’ve been preaching. I shall now stop that…..
Weekend exercise…
let’s be real. When we aren’t on our “home turf” it is harder to get a workout in. We may feel like we are on a break and can step away from it.
I do it most days, so time off makes me feel more tight and achy than when I do workout. My muscles are used to frequent movement!
Thus started my Sunday morning pondering what I could get in to shake out legs and a body that had driven quite a bit the day before and was begging for something.
I decided to go on a quick, brisk explore walk, 30 minutes. It was already warm and humid so it was easy to start working up a sweat. After that I decided to finish it off by running three flights of stairs for 10 minutes.
cool down time at the top of the third landing
Let’s just say, if you wanna test your cardio endurance, go ahead and get after some stairs for awhile!
Ok so all that was great and awesome. I wasn’t thinking that later in the day, I’d be driving for awhile again and that my legs would be sitting and still.
I stopped for gas and a coffee and got out trying to not initially hobble like an old woman till they stretched out haha
Speaking of that… I had been craving an iced coffee for miles. The place I stopped is like this mecca in the middle of nowhere. It has the usual gifts, and more food than you can imagine to tempt you to take back on the road. It boasts I’m sure, a hundred gas pumps. And it definitely boasts the cleanest bathrooms anywhere on the highway.
Oh… I did mention observing people. If I had time to just sit outside and watch….
It’s an adventure unto itself to stop there.
Since no Starbucks was around for miles, I was thankfully, able to improvise with what they had for sale and settle my iced coffee craving.
I shoulda bought two…..
Anyway, it kinda fortified me for the remainder of the trip so I won’t complain.
A holiday weekend isn’t complete without food
We will be doing a Memorial meal like most of America so I thought I’d share a couple of recipes I plan to use.
Yay for new recipes!
I’ve kinda really been wanting to try this, so better to do so when I have other people to test it out on .
But let’s not forget dessert….
Mocha brownies with coffee cream cheese icing. How amazing does that sound??
Two new recipes on the menu for dinner so we’ll see how that goes.
Before I go…..
As we head into a new week they are promising record breaking temps topping us into the 100+ degree range.
Ah. I know we are getting into summer months I’m just not ready for that rough heat yet. It also means I need to be up and on the road to bike or run before that sun starts getting to high in the sky. It’s a complete sweat fest with heat and humidity combined with the work of what I’m doing.
But, it’s summer and summer in the south means blistering hot days. Ready or not, here it comes.
Your turn! Tell me something from your week. Anything new, different or fun? Or was it the same ( yet sometimes comfortable) familiar grind for you?
As a writer/blogger/lover of words I spend time reading in a variety of formats. I love getting lost in a good book when I can but often I’m on the go so my phone offers opportunities to access many interesting things to read.
As in… I started reading an article one day by a local girl who has a blog. She was writing about local coffee shops.
Coffee. Well she had my attention. Tell me more.
As she opened up her post about the local shops she then backhandedly said she left out Starbucks ’cause we all know what that’s about. ( big chain coffee shop, no explanation needed, I guess)
I’m not unfamiliar with all the small local places. In fact last year when our Starbucks ( you are welcome for all the free advertisement here 😉 ) was under renovation I did my own independent coffee shop field trips.
Some standard. Some cool. Some eclectic. Some had great coffee, others not so impressive.
Her article addressed not just the coffee but the people in the shops and the staff who worked there.
I thought the article interesting as she listed various places and shared about the coffee and food she had tried.
I guess I understand how she might have not viewed Starbucks ( large mega coffee chain) as interesting, fun, or engaging as a local quaint spot. I have friends who frequently dismiss Starbucks as unworthy of patronage or attention.
I think she missed out not learning about our Starbucks. I think many local people miss the point too when they mock “big corporation coffee”.
Sometimes, it’s just not about the coffee.
Oh don’t misunderstand me here. I do love the coffee. Hot or cold I’ll take it.
Starbucks is mainly, convenient for me. But in the years I’ve been hanging out there the coffee is sometimes just an added bonus to the relationships that I’ve built with those who are there whether they are the baristas or the customers.
Coffee and meeting people, engaging with other lives. It’s a rewarding experience.
The baristas I come to really care for and I hate it when they leave. I’m fortunate to keep up with so many of them after they head off to new adventures. I get to see them get married or start families, finish school or follow along with their life. Sometimes, my heart hurts for pain, struggles and loss they go through.
Then there are the familiar faces, the regulars, who are there. Ones you come to expect at certain times and who are there for various reasons. In the mornings it can be like a big family meeting with everyone hanging out for morning coffee.
Of course there are the random strangers that I get to have one time conversations with and that’s ok too. I often learn a lot about someone in a short time.. just a glimpse into another life.
One man that I wrote about in my last coffee post, an older man, who was old enough to be my dad, was one of the regulars I probably knew the longest there. He often asked me about my athletic shenanigans admiring me for what I did, challenging me when I needed challenged and wanting to see my medals after I had finished a race. He was one of the few people at the time who knew I was considering running a 50K.
I remember telling him ” it’s just such a long race. It scares me to think of doing it” he simply told me ” you can do it. Think of all you’ve done. Now you just need to get signed up. I want you to tell me you did the next time I see you.”
And the next time I saw him, I had registered.
He would ask about me and my family and I would tease him about not chasing wild women to which he’d laugh. I’d ask him if he was sure he didn’t want to go for a ride in my Charger and see how many seconds it took to get it from 0-60 mph… for some reason he always passed on that offer haha
Over the past few years he’s been up and down with health issues and we’ve all celebrated when he’d be back in for coffee in “his” chair having his iced coffee and bagel with cream cheese.
He was like the Patriarch of the place.
I was leaving one Sunday the week before Christmas when one of the men who took turns bringing him stopped me in the parking lot and delivered the news to me.
He had passed away that morning in his home.
I was heart broken. I had just seen him the day before. The tears freely fell as I thought of him and the fact he would never be in his place there anymore. I cried at the loss of another older person I cared for now being gone.
I still see him sitting there in my mind when I go in for my coffee and feel that sharp pain in my chest. I guess in time, that will go away. I will always cherish his sweet spirit and loving attitude to not just me, but everyone he encountered there.
So maybe that’s what I would say to not only the girl writing about coffee shops but to those who dismiss it as big corporate coffee.
It’s not “just” the coffee. It’s about the people who come there to drink it, whose lives begin to engage with yours who somehow make it richer in different ways and add to it from your ordinary world. People you might not have otherwise known who offer wisdom, friendship, encouragement, laughter, and most recently for many of us, grieving together over the loss of our friend.
The coffee is great, but the gift of relationships and a richer life is often, far more satisfying.
Where I enjoy writing and having a cup ( or two!) of coffee at my home away from home 😉
Brace yourselves. Thanksgiving week is upon us. I’ve got a daily to-do list plotted out like a military commander preparing for battle.
Food to be prepared in various stages, cleaning and organizing to be done and any final trips to the store ( an adventure unto itself).
Of course I will start each day with some kind of workout ’cause that keeps me balanced and sane in a busy week 😉 For the past few years I’ve headed out before the morning gets started for a quick run, no music, no distractions, just me on the road watching the sunrise and thinking about all the ways I’m blessed in my life. Basically, getting centered before the day takes off and gets busy.
Thanksgiving is a day to reflect and think on how much we have and how blessed we are. If you’re reading this post from another place in our vast world and you are of course, not, celebrating Thanksgiving I hope you at least leave this post thinking in a new way about the good things you have each day in your own life =)
I got to thinking the other morning when I hopped in my car and started it how grateful I am for that… just having my car start. Pretty simple, right? You expect it, right ?
Years ago, in tighter times, we drove some really uh…classic… cars… haha a nice way of saying they weren’t super fancy but (usually) got us where we were going… actually some of them were horrible 😛 And there were many times I hopped in and the crazy thing didn’t start.
I remember one year, we were sooo poor, our car had died and a car dealership in town was “giving” away various cars. You showed up, put your name in a drawing for the chance to get it. If you won the “free” car you just had to pay tax, title and license on it. I was down there with a zillion other people.
They called my name. I squealed. I never win anything. I got evil eyed stares from others who were hoping to get the car.
I waited and wondered what our new wheels would look like.. something small? Sporty? It didn’t matter… we were gonna have a car.
Then they pulled it around. It had leaves all in the windshield. It was dirty.
It was huge. Massive.
It was a Plymouth Fury. Solid steel and could probably hold a football team. My brother was with me and checked it out under the hood and we took it for a test drive.
It handled with the efficiency of an army tank. The hood was probably 12 feet in front of me. It seemed unending.
And for 120.00 it was mine and we drove it home. I had never felt so grateful.
We christened it with the name White Fang… don’t even ask me …why ?? ’cause I don’t remember. I just seemed deserving to have a name.
We fixed it up and used it for quite awhile before we sold it and blessed someone else with it 😉
So I just got to thinking besides being grateful for cars that start, all the simple, sometimes ordinary things, in my life I take for granted but really am grateful for. This is by no means an exhaustive list….
Waking up and being given another day at this thing called….life.
Feeling my heart beat.
My health, my strength, and physical abilities I’ve developed. My body can run, lift, ride a bike and do so many things. I never take that for granted.
Eyes to see, ears to hear, senses to explore the world around me.
My God and My Savior who has given me life.
My beautiful children and grandchildren.
My awesome husband who loves me, supports me, cheerleads me, tells me I can do anything I put my mind to, tells me I’m sexy and still means it 😉 spoils me rotten, challenges me, listens to me when I need to vent, let’s me be myself and overall has always taken amazing care of me… how did I get so blessed with an amazing man for 33 years ?? Seriously.
Then there’s all those other things in life (we) I take for granted…..
an abundance of good foods, the ability to shop and buy those foods, a closet of nice clothes and shoes, a beautiful home with things in it to make me comfy, air for when it’s hot or cold to make the house cozy, my bed! snuggling with my pillow, the feel of my husband against my body, hot showers, waking up to the smell of coffee ’cause I can set the timer to have it waiting for me in the morning (spoiled!)
Our country and all the blessings and good things we’re afforded here.
Music. Is there life without it ?
A variety of friends in all ages.
People who believe in you.
My church home and family I love there.
Chocolate. Fresh bread. Summer strawberries and watermelon. A perfect banana. The smell of homemade cookies coming out of the oven. Turkey cooking on Thanksgiving morning.
Soft, thick sweaters on cold days.
Blustery, crisp fall days.
An unexpected card or message from a friend.
Resources that meet my needs.
The sound of my husband sleeping next to me.
People who make me smile and laugh.
The ability to love and feel emotions.
Long talks with good friends.
The loud and sometimes crazy chaos when allll the family is gathered together.
Sloppy clothes, a fire, and a hot cup of coffee on a dreary day.
The sound of my husbands voice.
Laughter.
Seeing an old friend.
Unexpected gifts.
A perfect sunny day.
Long hugs. Soft kisses.
Random lazy days.
Bubble baths.
I guess I could go on and if you’re with me to this point, thanks for reading this far. Hopefully, I’ve made you think a little bit about the things in life that might seem common or ordinary or maybe that we think we’re “entitled” to when really, everything we have is a blessing.
This is a day late…but whatever… I never like following the rules anyway.
Yesterday was National Coffee Day so I’m going to give a nod to it and say of all beverages… doesn’t it deserve a special day of recognition ?
Those who know me, know and understand it helps operate me on a daily basis, hopefully on a high level 😉
I’m an easy to please no frills kinda girl with my coffee….I like it bold and black.
My day starts early and I am a happy camper to have a coffee pot that can be set to brew coffee before I roll outta bed. I mean really, to slowly be coming to life and smell it waiting for you ?
Ah… one of the 7th wonders of the world… glorious….
Stumble out… beady eyed… messy hair… find fav big cup… pour…. breath in…. and you begin to be infused with….life….
Once it brings me to life and my day is going, it is almost inevitable that later morning I’ll be making a stop at my fav coffee shop, Starbucks.
Now if you have issues with “the corporation” over something… don’t blow me up…. I do enjoy the coffee and since I drink it black it’s the 1) cheapest and 2) zero calories to the desserts in a cup they serve up as drinks.
I’ve been hanging out there for years now. And there is something ….soothing on a day that’s yucky and cold… or has been stressful… and grabbing a cup… and breathing it in… and all the sudden… the world feels upright 😉
But I figured out a long time ago as much as I love the coffee, I love the people who are there.
You may or may not have figured this out from me, but I’m very… social. That’s a gift, right ? haha
So over the years I’ve built friendships with people who work there and people who hang out there… the regulars if you wanna call them that… I guess I am too. One of the young girls who worked there recently caught me on her last day and hugged me and said…
“you’re our favorite regular here…” aww that made me happy =)
Ok… the baristas. Hard working, most of them youngish, often in school, and full of ideas and new dreams. I love getting to know them and make a point to connect with the new ones who show up. I love their energy and for some reason they think I’m cool. It’s a win/win thing.
I’ve had times of hanging out with some of them and having some really good conversations. Or listening to their struggles or whatever they were currently up to. They are often hard worked and sadly, can be treated badly by people. I try and bring them homemade treats at random times to let them know I appreciate them and their work. They know what I like and often have it waiting for me by the time I get in the door. I often hang out and read or write and they just let me make myself at home.
And when they love you they write on your cup =)
The regulars. The ones who are there predictably at the same times, in the same places. There are a group of guys who hold down one corner and they always are wanting to know about my running and what’s going on athletically. One gives me weather reports when I tell him my run days. Another is an older man who could be my dads age. He want to know if I’m over my running injury yet, or if I ran or cycled that morning. He was the one who kept asking me and encouraging me when I had confided in him I was toying with a 50K race earlier this year. He told me he was proud of me when I finally signed up. He is a sweet man who’s wife passed away a couple years ago. The entire place has kinda claimed him as “family”.
One older man has been a runner for years and has done countless marathons. I met him before I ran my first one and I shamelessly picked his brain for training ideas. None of them seem phased when I come cruising in my athletic clothes, no make up and sweaty from a long run. Many times they will offer to buy my coffee. Several of them think I’m crazy for doing what I do… but they admire me for it.
They all make an interesting group of individuals. Of course there are the friends I know and run into while I’m there OR my favorite, a total stranger that I can have an interesting conversation with.
No… I didn’t listen to my mommy when she said not to talk to strangers 😉
My favorite place is to be on the patio on a perfect day, reading or writing, and watching the world go by. It’s my favorite escape activity…. all the while enjoying coffee too….
I mean, is there a time when coffee isn’t a perfect accessory to daily activities ?
So, here’s to the designated coffee day, although I personally embrace and celebrate it each day 😉
This is my kinda coffee cup….
What about you ? Are you a coffee drinker? If so, do you have habits or rituals you do with it ?
sassyfitnesschick 