1) On Monday, I met up with two friends for dinner. Both of these friends are really going through it. Their homes took on multiple feet of water during Helene and they lost just about everything. They’re dealing with insurance craziness, FEMA issues, living in temporary housing for months (both are married, one has a dog and one has a dog and a two-year-old), and just the all-around PTSD that comes with losing your home and having to rebuild. I’m glad I could be a listening ear at dinner!
2) On Monday, I also enjoyed watching the Dolphins win their first game in seven weeks (one of those being a bye, but still). It’s been a hard season and it’s unlikely we’ll make the playoffs, but a win is a win. I’ll take what I can get from this heartbreak team.
3) On Tuesday, I went to a very hard HIIT class. This HIIT class was with a different trainer and he really puts us through the wringer. I don’t love his classes as much because he rarely offers modifications and I feel a little left behind in his workouts. But Mom and I couldn’t make it to our regular Wednesday evening HIIT class so this one had to do. Did I love it? No. My back was aching a lot during this workout. But am I proud I got through it? Hell yes.
4) On Wednesday, my mom and I volunteered with Feeding Tampa Bay. This food bank is trying to eliminate food insecurity across our community and it felt really good to do something small to help their cause. We worked the morning and afternoon shifts where we sorted all different kinds of foods and supplies in their warehouse. It was an intense day (these two office ladies were not prepared for being on their feet all day and carrying heavy boxes!), but we enjoyed our time so much that we’re planning on volunteering at least once a quarter.
5) On Thursday, I had a fun afternoon at Top Golf with coworkers. Since I’m fully remote now (we used to have an office in Tampa but they got rid of it once we all became remote workers during the pandemic), I don’t often get to see coworkers face to face. Most of the people who showed up were people I used to see daily in the office, so it was nice to catch up, play some silly golfing games, and snack all afternoon on bar food. I had a great time!
What’s something you did this week?
What a wonderful and happy list! Just reading it makes me smile. The golf photo of you is great too.
Oooh the driving range looks fun! We used to go after work when I worked at Nordstrom. Our shifts were until 9 or 10 pm and then we would go after, have a beer, hit some balls. It was very relaxing and I really enjoyed it. I have not done it in years though.
I feel for your friends with the insurance woes. We had the same issue with the fires. Dixie basically wiped out the entire area that my parents live in and it is a mess now, and may never come back, which is depressing and frustrating! It takes a while to get over (and they are still having some PTSD, even 4 years later). I also remember being in NOLA after Katrina and it just seeming grim, so grim! I have not been back there in about 10 years, and am interested to see what ended up never being resurrected again.
Sounds like an uplifting positive week, and I love that you were there for your friends to listen to their woes. So important. As is volunteering. Oh, and that golf course looks fun, what a great way to meet up with your colleagues for the afternoon. I wish we had something like this, here.
I’ve never been to Top Golf but know I’d be a complete klutz trying to hit a ball off a tee. It looks like fun, though. Highlight of my week? Stopped at a little local shop off the beaten path for some freshly popped popcorn, Chicago mix of course!
What a great list! I feel so sad for your friends. Rebuilding is just so hard and stressful. Flooding isn’t a problem here but wildfires are, and it is just so stressful to lose your home!
Yesterday I took off work a couple of hours early for a haircut and it was so delightful. Yay for me!
I do not know how your friends are dealing with house loss. It must be SO HARD since I imagine temp housing is at a premium. Ugh. Thanks for being such a good friend to them.
I’ve never been to Top Golf but I think it would be a fun place to check out some time. I am terrible at hitting golf balls but could still make it fun, especially with a glass of wine in hand (well, not when swinging a golf club, obv. Ha.)
This week was not very fun… it was one of my more intense work trips and I struggled to make small talk in the car which then makes me feel extra tired/disappointed in myself. But on the positive, the meetings all went really well so I feel good about the trip. I just felt so tired at the end of each day. And now I get to to it all over again next week in NYC!
I love that you had such a positive week. How fun to see coworkers on an outing. Also gold stars to you for making that HIIT class. It sounds hard. Also I love that you are volunteering and that you want to make it a quarterly things. Reminds me of my annual shoebox event with my sister.
I love that you and your mom volunteered at the food bank. I volunteered once a week delivering Meals on Wheels from 2009 to 2020, but can’t really do that anymore. I might be able to do something like this once a wee.
It figures the Dolphins finally won a game I couldn’t watch- I always turn off the nighttime football games at halftime because it just gets way too late for me. Well, maybe we’re on a roll! Looking forward to watching tomorrow.
Your week sounds fun! But, UGH on those friends of yours. That sounds like an absolute NIGHTMARE. I can’t even imagine losing my home and everything in it (ESPECIALLY WITH A TWO YEAR OLD.) Wishing them the best- I’m sure dealing with the insurance is not a speedy process.
I am so, so sorry both your friends lost their homes and are in temporary housing. I cannot imagine what a stressful situation this must be. I am glad you could be there for them.
One thing I did this week was make appointments for end-of-year check ups (annual, pap smear and mammogram) and I feel like such an adult LOL
I am proud of you for going to HIIT, too!
Top Golf with coworkers sounds fun! Had you been to Top Golf before?
And I am sending so much love to your friends. I can’t imagine the stress they’re feeling <3
My heart goes out to your friends and their families. <3 I cannot imagine losing everything – except, thankfully, my family – and having to start all over again. You are a good friend.
But also so glad that there was so much positive energy in your week! Volunteering, killing a hard workout, time with coworkers *who you enjoy*? ALL good things!