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?
WOW that Fight for Air climb!!! I could not do it. That’s amazing, good for you two!
Yay London!! One of the coolest cities. I also went with my mom a year or two ago, one of the worst fights we’ve ever gotten in, arguing on the street about which direction we needed to go for dinner – lol. I still feel bad she didn’t get the “Sunday roast” dinner she desperately wanted but we were so lost, we just had to abandon it!
I too have been meaning to switch to Aldi’s but I am soooo intimidated. I also have to find quarters first!
Hooray for the reading retreat!! So cool!
Ah, good luck with the bloodwork. I was supposed to get it in September but I have been putting it off because I just don’t want to know / let me “cram in” a quick lifestyle change first. I finally booked the appointment for next month!
Cory made me cry! He was incredible. I learned, by like day 3 of this admin, that I needed something to steady me in the onslaught of horrible, generation-defining, terrible, ugly news. And I have made it the Nov 2026 midterms. That’s what I’m looking toward!
My mom and I got into one of those fights in Savannah on vacation! HA. We stormed off in opposite directions and everything. It was epic. We also had some bad fights in Ireland, but it was mainly me getting cranky because I was hungry so hoping to avoid that this time around!
I totally understand the “let me cram in this quick lifestyle change first” mentality when it comes to bloodwork. I need to schedule mine so it’s on the schedule and I can’t put it off any longer. Oof.
CONGRATULATIONS! Honestly, your FFAC story is more inspirational than if you had said “Yeah, it wasn’t that bad and I nailed it.” Just goes to show- we CAN push through. I’m going to remember this during my race at the end of the month. Just because something hurts doesn’t mean we have to quit.
I’m so envious of your reading retreat and I want ALL THE DETAILS. Getting the cats into the carrier is one of my least favorite things in the world, though. My BIL has a way of doing it- I think he turns the carrier so the opening is on the top, then grabs the cats and lowers them in. It still sounds hideous.
Okay, fingers crossed for your blood test. I know- these things are stressful. And, I also feel a tiny twinge of hope. It seems like more people are waking up and realizing just who they voted for. I mean- things are still super bad (obviously.) I just feel the tiniest change in the air and it feels good.
There was a woman in the parking garage who had just done the climb when we were getting ready to do ours and she was like, “Oh, it’s not bad at all.” I would like to have A WORD with this woman because yes, it was VERY VERY bad. Ugh. But I got it done! I’m just glad I was able to push through because I really wanted to give up. Thank God for my mom!
The problem with getting Lila in the carrier is being able to pick her up! Once I get her, it’s fine, but she likes to hide under the couch, which makes things harder.
I really, really loathe climbing stairs, so I am beyond impressed. What an accomplishment (and I totally get never wanting to do it again).
Your reading retreat sounds amazing. I hope it’s everything you’re wanting it to be and more!
I didn’t realize how awful it would feel to get done with 10 flights of stairs and realize I still have 31 flights to go. Oof. It was hard but it is OVER, thank goodness.
Hooray and congratulations, Stephany! You made it to the top! I got your card today, which made me smile!
I hope you have a wonderful, relaxing reading retreat!
Yay! I’m glad the card made it safely to you. <3
I'm so glad I got through the climb. It was a million times harder than I was expecting!
The Air Climb was really tough. Congrats! My goal for next year is to take the stairs at a pace that I can handle. I bet that I will finish faster at a slower pace because I had to take quite a long break at one point.
Yay London trip! I really want to go after reading Kae’s posts, and I’ve never been interested in international travel before. Maybe next year
My philosophy on shopping is that I am never going to be able to avoid Amazon or Walmart entirely, and also that I have not researched every business out there. I hear a lot of good things about Costco (good benefits for employees and they’re sticking with DEI) but do I really know the full story? So I just try to limit my spending overall and particularly at places that have come up on my ick radar. So I say don’t worry about the stuff that you have to get from Publix and Target, but yes celebrate your smaller grocery bill at Aldi!
I’m excited/jealous for your reading retreat. This weekend is Boy Scout camp weekend, but I need to see how a few things at home are going to shake out before I can book a trip. I have two ideas about where I might want to go, and by Wed/Thurs I’ll know if I can pick one or decide to have a girls’ weekend with Doggo. I am super excited for my big California trip next month.
I’ve got my fingers crossed for good news for your follow up tests.
And yay Cory Booker!!!!
Yes, I don’t think fully boycotting Target/Amazon is going to be possible (at least for me) but I know if I can limit what I’m getting from these stores, I’ll feel better about where my dollars are going!
I am so jealous of your big California trip! I can’t wait to hear all about it.
Congratulations on the stair climb! Way to keep going.
I’m personally more likely to stick with changes if I can feel good about making incremental changes. Good work on trying out Aldi. Hopefully it will also save you money over time.
It was so hard! I’m glad I didn’t quit, though. It felt very good to have accomplished such a tough thing.
Congrats on finishing the climb! I would like to do one at some point. It fell on Paul’s bday this year so I am hoping it’s not always that weekend. That is a lot of stairs so congrats for persevering, especially with back pain!
Gah, when I have to check in for appts virtually, I have to scroll through all the diagnoses in my chart. Oof it is DEPRESSING. I just kind of have to look away and scroll to the bottom or I get depressed. So I understand the feeling of really wanting to avoid this dx.
If we had coffee today, the topic of Will’s tonsillectomy recovery would definitely come up because I’d be drinking the biggest cup of coffee with extra shots. I haven’t been up during the next several times since he had surgery and I have a hard time falling back asleep so I am so freaking tired. I napped for 2 hours yesterday because of how exhausted I was but I got even less sleep last night – but a nap is not possible today since I’m working. Sigh. Besides that, I would talk about reading of course. And your trip to London! I am so glad you aren’t combining Paris and London. There is so much to do in each city – I feel it’s better to just focus on one city and to make the most of your time there. London was my first trip outside of North America way back in the spring of 2001 and I had the best time. Kae’s posts made me so nostalgic for that trip. I hope you have the best time!!!
I’m sorry Will’s recovery has been so tough! Here’s to a much more restful week ahead of you. <3
I'm really glad we decided to only do London. If we had more time, I think we could have done it, but we were only going to have a few days in each city and were going to miss out on a LOT. Now we can feel like we got all we wanted out of London and shoot for Paris next year!
STEPHANYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!! YOU DID IT! YOU DID IT! YOU DID THE CLIMB! I AM SO PROUD OF YOU!!!!
So much good news in here – London! OMG! So fun! – reading retreat! – shopping at that place everyone talks about that I still don’t know what it is!
Sending all the good vibes for your bloodwork. That is nerve-wracking. No, it’s not the end of the world if you end up with a diabetes diagnosis but still, it would be nice to NOT have a diabetes diagnosis. Fingers crossed. Arms crossed. Sitting in lotus. All the things! I really hope it goes well. Also, good luck with the cats! I never think about that because Rex is so excited to go anywhere – I forget cats are tricky to travel with!
Your enthusiasm makes me smile so much, Nicole! Thank you, friend! I am so glad it is DONE and I never want to do it again, lol.
It is always so easy to get dogs in cars/carriers! I never realized how much anxiety I would have getting cats in their carriers until I adopted Lila. She is a PILL, so it’s a good thing she’s extremely adorable.
Did you have to climb DOWN the stairs, too? Or did you take an elevator? I want more details!! How long did it take you? How many people were doing it with you? How amazing that you did it!!
Costco has Waterloo AND good prices on toiletries. I’m just putting it out there…
We did NOT have to climb down the stairs. We took an elevator. I would have been really upset if we had to climb DOWN 41 flights after the challenge. That would been so cruel!
It took us 50 minutes and that put us 2nd and 3rd from last place, HA. I’m not sure how many people did it, though.
Thank you!
YAY!!! Count me in with everyone else saying CONGRATULATIONS on the stair climb with your mom! AMAZING. And I agree with Jenny, even more impressive because it wasn’t easy and you both persevered!
I was fully team London/Paris for sure, but if I were only going for one week, I would pick one, like you are doing. You lose a day getting from one to the other, when you consider checking in and out of hotels and so on. You lose a day getting to Europe, and the day coming home as well. So unless I were there at LEAST 10 days and preferably 2 weeks, I would stick with one destination. Every time I’ve gone to Europe I’ve wanted to see ALL THE THINGS and then spend far too much time getting from point A to point B and not enough time just chilling and getting the feel for a place. I’m excited for you! Also, you’re reading retreat! YAY!
*your* reading retreat. Stupid fingers go too fast sometimes.
Yes, if we had more time, we would do both London and Paris but unfortunately, we do not have all the money in the world! WAH. I love that we will have enough time to really explore London while still enjoying some downtime because I do NOT love being super busy even on vacation.
Nice work on the stairs! Woo hoo! I agree with Jenny; it is definitely an accomplishment to finish, but the really impressive part is that you wanted to quit but you didn’t! If you ever decide to run an ultra, your Mom should definitely be your crew/pacer; she is a good buddy to have! Also congrats on popping your Aldi cherry and I can’t wait to hear about the reading retreat! Is it something organized or are you just going off somewhere to be alone and read on your own?
If we were having coffee, I would say that I am antsy to get my hike started. This is something I do but it is not necessarily a good thing; I am wanting to get to the next plan so I kind of get bored or don’t put my all into my current one. I need to work on this. However, I had a great walk today, the weather is good and #atleastitsnotraining! Woot, woot.
“If you ever decide to run an ultra” is the FUNNIEST thing you could ever say to me. LOLOLOL. I wouldn’t even run a 5K at this point. HA.
The reading retreat was just for me! It was really nice. 🙂
Good luck on your hike! I can’t wait to hear more about it.
Stephany! Congratulations on your climb! That is a TON of stairs and YOU DID IT!
Cannot wait to hear about your reading retreat. I hope the kitties are as excited as you are, so they get right into their carriers.
It was so many stairs! Too many stairs! On one of the stop-offs, there was a volunteer giving out water cups and talked about how she could never do something like this but wanted to be apart of it, so she volunteers. And I have never been so jealous of someone in my life!! I’d be happy to be a volunteer but never again!
Oh this was a great Monday morning coffee date, Stephany. I already told you this, but I am so proud of you for following through and doing this climb! YOU DID THAT!!
I am also super-excited for you about your reading retreat. It sounds like the perfect getaway for you (and I can’t wait to hear all about it!). And then: LONDON! Wheeee! That will be such a great trip!
I am definitely keeping my fingers crossed for your bloodwork and hoping for good numbers!!
Thank you, friend! I am glad it is over with and that I can say I completed it! It was so very hard.
Thanks for the crossed fingers – April 30th is the blood work day so here’s hoping everything turns out okay!
Oh, and I hit post comment too fast… of course I also have to say how thrilled I was about Cory Booker’s speech! We need people like Cory Booker right now… and then all the protests last weekend and the Wisconsin election! The tides are turning some!
Oh that steps challenge. It sounds hard just reading it. But you can be so so proud.
Also your reading retreat sounds so good. I am thinking doing one at the country home this summer. But I usually have so many things I want to do when there like walk in the foods, bike around, do some crafts that I never get it all done. Maybe I should just focus on one things: reading retreat, craft retreat, explore retreat. Interesting thought…
How exciting you are fixing plans on your London travel. So cool.
Fingers crossed for your blood work. There is a Netflix mini series about food (not sure about the exact name) and there was one person with being diagnosed with diabetes 2 and he wouldn’t have non of it. He changed his lifestyle and turned his blood results all around so much so that docs were not believing it. I found it very inspiring learning this is possible. So even when on medication and all you can turn it around.
Let’s hope society can turn it around what is going on in the US. It’s a shit show and effecting everyone.
I hope you’re able to do a reading retreat! Or a craft/reading retreat. It is hard to focus on ONE thing; I hear you!
I have made some good changes to my diet to hopefully turn around my bloodwork numbers, so I hope I have the same results as the guy on the Netflix mini series!
I am so proud of you and your mom for doing the climb! I am so impressed. Your experience sounds similar to what I’ve heard – they are just BRUTAL! You two rock. I hope your back felt better right away!!!
You are going to LOVE London! I am so excited for you!!!
Love that you have a quarter holder! You’re def part of the Aldi gang!
Friend Stephanie, I am so late with my comment. If you and I had a coffee date I would share that I am, too, so proud of New Jersey’s own Cory Booker and his speech. Also, very excited about London for you and mom!!
I would share that after a bad March, I am feeling better – mentally – April is here in NJ and the weather is better, sunnier, and I’ve had my break so I am feeling a tad bit better.
Oh and the latest episode was awesome! I tend to be the slow living girl but need to find a balance, for sure.
YOU DID IT!!!!!!!! I mean, I knew you did, but omg, Stephany. This is amazing. Seriously – did you EVER think you could climb that many flights of stairs in under an hour? And go Stephany’s mom, too – I love that she pushed you, knowing how you would react. I am bookmarking this post, though, since it just may be that a year from now you will have “marathon amnesia” (although related to the stair climb) and choose to do it again. LOL.
I’m glad Engie and Sarah and I gave you hope! Go, us! For once! (Now if we could just get rid of R** J****** we’d be good… How can we have him and the first out lesbian in the Senate? Does. Not. Compute. Sigh.)
Thinking of you as Test Day approaches. I have a week o’ appointments, too, so solidarity, sister.