Monday Morning Coffee Date

Let’s have a coffee date this morning! It’s Monday so we probably both need a larger-than-usual mug, huh? I’m sipping on a mocha, by the way.

If we were having coffee today… I’d talk about the Fight for Air Climb I did with my mom on Saturday! We climbed the Bank of America building in downtown Tampa. It has 42 floors or 914 steps. This climb was brutal. I wanted to quit at multiple points but my mom wouldn’t let me. She knew I would have been so disappointed in myself if I had given up, but oh man, did I want to. We took breaks frequently (probably on every floor, if I’m being honest). Floors 10-30 were the hardest to get through because there were so many flights to go, the end wasn’t anywhere in sight, and that’s when my back started to hurt. I had this searing pain from my right hip down my leg, and it made the climb so painful for me. It would have been hard enough without this additional pain, so thanks a lot, body. On floor 31, there was a stop-off point with volunteers handing out water and a few chairs to sit and take a break, and I didn’t realize how much I needed that. (There was also a stop-off point on floor 15, but it was empty.) The volunteers were so encouraging, and they gave me that extra push I needed to get through the next 11 floors. Being able to sit for a few minutes also seemed to help my back pain. We stopped every two floors in the last section, and I would take a break until my heart rate had come down a bit (the highest it got was 171 bpm, but it was regularly over 160 bpms after climbing two floors; I waited until my heart rate was down to the 140s to start climbing again). Was it fun? Not a bit. Am I glad I finished? Absolutely. Would I do it again? Nope.

If we were having coffee today… I’d excitedly announce that my mom and I booked our flight to London! There was a great deal on flights last week and we couldn’t resist. We will spend the first week of October in London and I’m so excited! Ultimately, we nixed the idea of doing a London/Paris trip because I felt like it could be a little anxiety-inducing for me with all the extra traveling back and forth between the countries. This way, we have plenty of time in London to enjoy all it has to offer. I’m also really excited to work with my friend Amber to plan this trip because she’s an expert on international travel and I know she’ll be able to put together an itinerary that makes sense. (I put together a loose itinerary since I do like that aspect of travel planning, but I’m going to have her handle the logistical details—finding us a centrally located hotel, booking tours/excursions, finding restaurants for us, helping us with public transportation, and just making sure our itinerary is logical.) It will be really nice not to worry about those details. Let the countdown begin!

If we were having coffee today… I’d tell you that I had my first Aldi experience last weekend! First, I would have to pull out my keys to show you the cutest keychain that Sarah sent me! It’s a little pouch for quarters! I immediately added a few quarters to the pouch and hooked it onto my keychain so I would be ready for my shopping experience. My first visit was an interesting one, but I was pretty pleased to get a whole cart of groceries for $60! There are some things that Aldi doesn’t stock so I’m not going to be able to fully boycott places like Publix or Target. (For example, I still need to use Target for toiletries and will need to use Publix for things like my specific low-sugar oatmeal, high-protein shakes, and the Waterloo seltzer I love.) But I like the idea of using Publix to stock up on these items when they go on BOGO sale while using Aldi as my main grocery store. It means putting a little more effort into my grocery shopping than I’m used to, but that’s a small price to pay.

If we were having coffee today… I’d tell you all about my plans for my reading retreat, which starts on Wednesday! I am really looking forward to this retreat, even though I am not looking forward to the prospect of getting both cats into their carriers. Ellie is easier than Lila, but I’m already dreading it. Anyway, I have a whole stack of books ready to go. I have an audiobook cued up to listen to during my non-eyeballs-reading time. I have my food/snack ideas lined up. I’m in the process of making an itinerary for Thursday and Friday to ensure I get in the reading time I’m aiming for. It’s going to be a good time!

If we were having coffee today… I’d admit that I’m really nervous about getting follow-up bloodwork at the end of this month. It’s nearly time to re-test my A1C and glucose to see if the changes I’ve made to my diet over the last three months have brought down those numbers to a normal range. If not, I will be officially diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and have to go on medication. And while I know genetics can play a role in a diabetes diagnosis, I really hope that the changes I’ve made to my diet and lifestyle since January will move the needle in the right direction. I have a lot of anxiety about getting yet another medical diagnosis added to my health record, and I just want this one thing to work out for me. Yes, I know it’s not the end of the world if I’m diagnosed with diabetes. I know it is not a punishment and it does not mean I have failed as a human. But I just really do not want to deal with all of the shit that comes with something like this—the treatment, the doctor’s appointments, the extra medications, the expense. So any good vibes you can send my way will be greatly appreciated.

If we were having coffee today… I’d tell you that I have hope for the first time since early November. First, there was Cory Booker and his 25-hour speech on the Senate floor. I am amazed at his stamina, his ability to be coherent for so many hours, and the fact that he had actual words prepared for every minute he was up on the floor. We needed this as a society. Then, there was the Wisconsin Supreme Court race and nothing filled me with more glee than knowing Elon had lost millions of dollars on this race. We had our own election in Florida and while Republicans won those seats, the margins were so much closer than they had been in November. I didn’t expect to win those seats so it wasn’t a surprise to me (Florida is very much a red state; please remember this!), but it does give me hope for the future. Can we turn purple for the mid-terms? I really hope so.

What would you tell me during our coffee date?