Three confessions
1) I gave up on Duolingo – After 650+ days of using the app, I lost my streak and decided I was ready to be done with it. I don’t really know if I learned all that much Spanish (and you’d think I’d be fluent after nearly two years of lessons!), and I’m glad I don’t have that streak hanging over my head anymore. Onward to other things!
2) I started playing Sudoku! – Don’t worry, you guys. I didn’t give up one game without replacing it with something new. I decided to start playing Sudoku as part of my morning NYT games routine. I’m only doing the easy puzzle right now because I am still getting the hang of playing Sudoku, but I love that it breaks my brain in an entirely new way.
3) I’m a little anxious about my upcoming move – I think part of the reason I’ve stayed put in my apartment for two years longer than I should have is because it’s just easier than moving. It’s expensive to move, first of all, and it’s a little anxiety-inducing to deal with all of the logistics involved with a move. Plus, I always have a bit of anxiety during my first few days in a new place, so I’m preparing myself for that.
Three books coming up next on my TBR list
1) Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall – A very buzzy book that I’m hoping will be a five-star read for me!
2) Under the Whispering Door by TJ Klune – TJ Klune wrote one of my all-time favorite novels, The House in the Cerulean Sea, so I have high hopes for this one, although it seems to get mixed reviews.
3) The Next Chapter by Camille Kellogg – While this romance has a low Goodreads rating (3.64), I’m picking it up based on the review of a friend. We’ll see if it works for me!
Three things we’re doing in London
1) A day trip to see Stonehenge, Windsor Castle, and Bath – All three of these places were on our “must do’s” so I was excited when our travel planner found a great day trip for us. It’s going to be a long day (we have to meet the bus at 7:30AM and we don’t get back until after 7PM), but it will be a fun one, I’m sure!
2) A tour at the Tower of London – When we first started talking about our London trip, Amber recommended this tour, so of course we booked it! I’m looking forward to it.
3) Afternoon tea at The Shard – My mom and I watched this reality TV show on Peacock recently called Destination X, and their final destination was in London! It was cool to see some of the sights that we’re going to see soon. One of the locales was a place called The Shard that looked really cool. It’s close to our hotel and they do afternoon tea service, so this will be our final excursion of the trip. I think it will be a lovely way to relax and reflect on our trip before we have to pack up and head home.
Three workout milestones I’ve hit
1) Being able to do pushups on my toes – I’m a big fan of pushups on my knees, but I decided to challenge myself in a workout class a few months ago to try doing pushups on my toes, and I can do them now! This was a really cool milestone for me, as it makes me feel pretty damn powerful.
2) Box jumps – Box jumps have always been scary for me, but yesterday during HIIT class, it was one of the stations, and I decided to give it a try on the 18-inch box. And I did it! More than once! It was still scary, but I was really proud of myself. My form definitely needs work, but baby steps.
3) Quad stretches – There was a time when I didn’t have the flexibility to do a standing quad stretch, but now I can do one without any issues! That was a real eye-opener for me, showing me that my body was changing and getting stronger.
Three things that made me happy this week
1) Having dinner with some friends – I had a lovely Tuesday night dinner with some friends this week, and it was much needed. There were four of us, and we had a lot to catch up on! One friend’s husband was in the hospital for a few days after a bike accident (he’s ok!), one friend is leaving on an epic New England road trip, and another is planning a fun Paris vacation. So much is happening! When we left dinner, we were greeted with a gorgeous sky as the sun was setting, and I was just so happy and grateful.
2) A great mid-year review – I had a lovely mid-year review with my director this week and all of her compliments made me feel really good. Specifically, she mentioned how I’m focused on keeping up morale in our department while also implementing efficiency initiatives, and have an approachable leadership style. (And yes, it’s weird to do a mid-year review at the end of August, but we do our annual reviews in March so that’s how the timeline shakes out.)
3) A night in with Bri – Yesterday was a lovely lady date with my dearest Bri. I’m on day two of my period and the last thing I wanted to do was go out, so Bri brought over Greek salads and we worked on a puzzle while listening to Christmas music. Ha! The puzzle is one I received for Christmas and it’s a bunch of dogs in Santa hats, so it just felt right to listen to Christmas music. It definitely got me excited for the holiday season!
Three podcast episodes I listened to this week
1) A Superficial Deep Dive on the Primal Question on The Friendship Paradox – Yes, I listen to my own podcast. I don’t edit the episodes (that’s Bri’s job) so this is usually the first time I’m hearing it after we recorded. These days, we’re trying to record as much in advance as possible to give Bri enough time to edit, so this one was recorded in early July! I always forget what I list as my rose, bud, and thorn by the time to episode releases, as well as what I listed as my obsession. I’m learning so much about myself by listening!
2) Summer 2025 Circle Back with Catherine on Sarah’s Bookshelves Live – I always love these episodes! At the beginning of every quarter, Sarah and Catherine share a handful of upcoming releases they’re looking forward to reading, and then at the end of every quarter, they report on those books and whether they worked well for them or not. I enjoyed this episode!
3) Unhinged School Incidents on The Popcast – The Popcast never lets me down with these kinds of episodes and this one had me giggling and saying things like, “Knox! Why?!”
Three of my quirky habits
1) Taking my watch off when I wash my hands – I just cannot stand the feeling of water underneath my watch when I wash my hands. I always take it off, wash my hands, dry them completely, and then put it back on. Luckily, I haven’t lost my watch yet even when using a public restroom!
2) Not getting up to pee at night – I am really trying to break this habit, but I am just so bad at getting up in the middle of the night to pee. Basically, I’ll just hold it until morning rather than taking 3 minutes out of my night to take care of business. It’s ridiculous and I don’t know why I’m like this.
3) Squeezing dog ears – Dachshund ears are the best for this, but I just love squeezing a dog’s ears! Maybe it’s a tactile thing but it is something all of my dogs understand that have to deal with. Chip has what I call “scrunchy” ears because they don’t fall flat against his head like Lucy’s. They kind of “fold” together and let me tell you, I love to squeeze those scrunchy little ears!
Three things I’m looking forward to in September
1) FOOTBALL – We are mere days away from the kickoff to the NFL season, and I couldn’t be more excited! The NFL offseason is so very long, and I am looking forward to more Sundays spent at my mom’s house watching the games, listening to copious football analysis, and immersing myself in my favorite sport once again.
2) Going to a dachshund meetup – I was randomly served an account on Instagram called Tampa Bay Weens, and learned that this is a dachshund meetup group and their next meeting was in mid-September! I forwarded the event over to my mom and we’re going to go with Chip and Lucy! I can’t waaaaait. GIVE ME ALL THE DOXIES!
3) Decorating for fall – I’ve decided that I’m going to bring out all of my fall decor on Labor Day. I’ve already started lighting a fall-scented candle and I’m just ready for all the cozy fall vibes (even while it’s still 100 degrees and depressingly humid outside). Even though I’ll likely be moving in about two months, I still want to enjoy the fall vibes before all that craziness happens!
Three things I’ve said to my cats this week
1) “You know I have to report you for being so cute. I’m sorry! I have to follow the law.” I tell Lila constantly that she’s going to jail for being so cute. I don’t know what’s wrong with me.
2) “I was holding it for you so you didn’t fall.” Yes, I talk to my cats like they can understand me. Anyway, Eloise loves lying on the top of this cart I have next to my desk and she was doing some very important grooming and making the cart shake a lot, so I was holding the cart down to minimize the shaking. When she stopped grooming, she looked down at my hand holding the cart like, “What are you doing, you weirdo?!”
3) “Are you guys obsessed with me? I’m obsessed with you guys! We’re all obsessed with each other!” We were all sitting together on the couch on Wednesday morning, and it just filled me with delight, since both cats got up from the places where they were sleeping to join me on the couch.
Three things I’m doing this weekend
1) Dropping off some bags to Goodwill – My decluttering goal is going well and I have even filled up some bags of things to donate to Goodwill. I have plans to drop them off either tomorrow or Saturday.
2) Buying pounds – My mom and I want to buy pounds before our trip to London. We just feel more comfortable having some cash for things like tour tips and such. We both belong to a credit union, and our bank doesn’t dispense foreign money, so we have to go to a place in Tampa to get some pounds.
3) Getting a pedicure – I wasn’t able to get the pedicure I planned last week, and my feet desperately need some TLC, so I’m going to go for one on Saturday after my writing date.
YES to football season, fall candles and decorating! I already lit the candle I got at Bath and Bodyworks, and I’m going to decorate on Sunday. Woohoo! It’s the best time of the year. Except for the weather- the weather sucks.
Congrats on the pushups, box jumps and quad stretches! Yes, it’s nice to put in the work and see progress like that.
I like the things you’re doing in London, but you didn’t add a bookstore to your list!!! It would be the perfect thing to do to chill out in between big excursions.
Moving is so, so stressful so I don’t blame you for being anxious. But- you’ll be glad when it’s over!
Oh, don’t you worry! I have mapped out three different bookstores to visit and they are included in the itinerary! And during the visit to Bath, I may try to sneak in a few more bookstores as there are some really cute local shops. I’m going to need to put myself on a 2-book limit at each bookstore, I think. Ha!
I wish I could make it through the night without using the restroom. I often go twice. If I don’t, I will struggle to sleep because of how uncomfortably full my bladder feels! So it’s the lesser evil to go use the bathroom (which is an ensuite luckily).
Way to go on the toe push-ups and box jumps! I cannot do toe push-ups. I would like to work towards that but my left shoulder has been bothering me for months. I strained it putting my suitcase on the top shelf of my closet. I hate how long it takes my body to heal!!
I LOVE sudoku! I play the medium puzzle everyday. Phil teases me every time he hears the music that they play after you solve the puzzle. I try to turn off the ap because the music plays but can’t always catch it!
I think there’s a setting to remove the music playing after finishing the puzzle! I noticed it the other day. You have to go to the individual puzzle to turn off the music setting. By the way, I tried the medium puzzle yesterday and gave up. Ha. I was struggling!
I am trying to be better about getting up in the middle of the night to use the restroom because I know it’s not good to hold it for so long!
Yes, hooray for football season! Hooray for fall decorations! And I think it’s totally normal that you talk to your cats like that.
Thank you, Michelle! I’m glad I’m not the only one who talks incessently to their animals. They are so much fun to talk to!
I enjoyed all of TJ Klune’s books, but Cerulean continues to be my favorite. Maybe it was because it was the one I read first and so it kind of set the bar high, but for whatever reason, that is the fact. I will be interested to hear what you think.
You are going to have so much fun in the UK! I actually have never been to any of the three places on your tour! I am hoping to get to Bath and maybe the Cotswalds later this year. For money, I normally just use my ATM card to get cash out at the airport when I arrive and I have found the exchange rates to be fair. Do you have an eSIM yet? Do you need tips on that? I am here for you!
Thank you, friend! We like to be prepared ahead of time so we just went to a kiosk in the mall to grab some cash beforehand.
Hmm… the eSim. I need to look into that! I have no idea what I’m doing there. I’ll ask Amber and if she doesn’t have any more info, I’m coming to you!
Congrats on the workout milestones and positive review! It sounds like you’re a truly excellent leader, which is rare and special! I’m glad it’s recognized and appreciated, too.
Moving is often cited as one of life’s most stressful events, so it’s totally understandable to be anxious about it. I moved five times in eight years and it absolutely wore me down mentally and physically, the last two times especially. I def stayed in my last apartment two years longer than I should have (the AC was never not wonky by then, and the appliances were literally from the 1960s…) bc I just couldn’t bear the thought of moving again at that point. That said it’s also exciting to tour a place and sense that it’s “right”/see yourself there and to slowly but surely get all the tasks and steps toward moving completed. It’s an accomplishment to be proud of when it’s all done, for sure. Wishing you well with it!
Thank you so much! I have definitely stayed in this apartment much, much longer than planned because the rent is cheap and the thought of moving just feels so overwhelming. But I know I just need to DO IT because I’m desperate for more space + my own office!
I can’t wait to hear about your London trip; those tours you chose sound AMAZING! It’s on my wish list. And, congrats on those workout milestones! I’ve always found it easier to stay motivated with strength exercises when I’ve been able to track progress and/or do things with less (or no!) modification.
Thank you, friend! There will be plenty of blog posts about London to come next month. Eeks! We started planning this trip in MARCH so it’s been six long months of waiting!
I think I made it less than 30 days with Duolingo. It is was not for me. So I cannot believe that streak. Wowzers!
I am absolutely horrible at any kind of pushup and to say I can do even one on my toes is being generous. So this is SO impressive. And what a wonderful testament to all your hard work. Woot, woot!
You know what? I should be really proud for doing Duolingo for so long rather than being upset at myself for breaking my streak. I may not have learned enough to be fluent in Spanish, but it was helpful!
So much to talk about here! I keep wanting to get back into DL, but what you said…is it really going to teach me a language? I think moving is on the list of top life stressors. It’s not easy packing everything up and moving it to a new place. Hubs and I are on the same page that we will not move until we get to the age where we start having problems with stairs.
Don’t tell anyone, but Broken Country was a DNF. It didn’t grab me when I sampled it, but everyone loved it so I felt like I needed to give it another chance and it just didn’t work for me. I listened to the spoiler episode so I got the gist.
BOOYAH pushups on your toes!!! I see you!
You don’t want to know how many times I get up in the night to pee. The problem is that if I need to go, then I can’t get back to sleep until I take care of it.
I talk to Doggo constantly, and sometimes she answers with a bark or a dog noise (do dachshunds make a whistling sound like a tea kettle or is that just a shepherd thing?) or with a boop. Look we have things to talk about!
Birchie, it’s so interesting that you said Broken Country didn’t grab you from the beginning because I started it last night and was IMMEDIATELY captivated. Isn’t it funny how books can impact us so differently?! There are way too many books to read ones that aren’t grabbing you, though!
The moving thing, ugh. I really want to move (I love unpacking and packing, lol) but the expense and the stress and the LOGISTICS. Gahhhh.
Dachshunds don’t make a whistling sound! Their barks are so deep that you’d never expect they came out of these 10-lb creatures. My watch will often alert me to a loud noise if they’re barking. One time I used a decibel meter on them and it got up to 100 dbs, which is equivalent to a helicopter!!!
This was so much fun to read! I knew you were planning a move but I didn’t know it was so soon. You can do this! Your new place will be great, I’m sure.
I’ve heard the Tower of London is amazing to see! We are going to be there next year and I’m excited. I’ll be so interested to hear your impressions.
Wow, great job on those milestones! You’ve been working so hard and it’s really getting results! Congratulations!
What lovely happy things all of those are, especially the review!
The move is SO SOON. Once I come back from London, it will be time to start packing and getting ready! Apartments aren’t yet showing for a late October move-in date, but I’m hoping to have something nailed down before the trip.
Good for you for dropping something that wasn’t serving you (Duo!). I am very weary of continuing streaks that don’t bring us joy and am glad to hear you are done!
That day trip in London sounds AMAZING! How are you preparing for a long day on foot with other people? Lots of snacks? (Ha. that is how I’d prepare)
Yay! Congrats on the pushups and box jumps!
Your three happy things made ME feel happy! Thank you for sharing them! OMG and the three things you said to the cats! MY HEART! You three are so precious!!!
I am definitely going to bring lots of snacks for the two long tour days! And hopefully with lots of time in the bus to and from destinations will give me time to just chill and play on my phone. Or sleep!
I am really happy I’m done with my Duolingo streak. It was more stressful than I anticipated!
I did duolingo for a bit before my cousin and I went to France, but I don’t feel like I really learned much. Mostly it was just fun to get in the mood for my trip. I totally quit and took the app off of my phone once the trip arrived.
Like Kyria, I just use my ATM to get cash overseas. You pay a fee, but not too bad. The key for me was to get enough to last the entire time. When we went to France in 2022, we were there for about 15 days, and we went to 2 ATMs. Just when we needed cash for tips or small vendors, for everything we used credit cards.
You are motivating me to get back into pushups. I can do them on my knees, and I can do a couple on my toes, but I would like to do more. Thanks for the push I needed. I’ve never tried a box jump, and doubt I would try at home. Too dangerous if I fall, vs. at the gym where I HOPE it’s padded.
Box jumps are so scary! And we don’t really have padding in our HIIT room so that’s why I have been too scared to try it until now. I need to work on getting my whole feet on the box, but I can at least jump up and then immediately back down. I feel good about facing my fear!
Oh that is scary loosing streak that high. I lost mine at 180 days once. Now I am at 370 and I skipped yesterday but I am going. At a party last night there was a guy from Ecuador and when e talked to his kids I was able to understand a bit. It made me feel all good. So on I go. But it’s a slightly at times.
I really want to see Stonehenge. I envy you and look forward to your travel post.
Also I an so jealous you can do a pushup. I am not able to (yet?). That is so so hard.
London is such a cool city, you’re going to have a grand ol’ time there!
All great lists too, it sounds like a good time. Take care and keep being creative.
DAMN, woman – you go, with the pushups and box jumps and (scrolls back up) quad stretches. The only one of those I can do (for various reasons, none of which are relevant here) is quad stretches. I think. I should test myself tomorrow…
Oh, I miss having a dog. 🙁 I’m smiling, though, thinking of you at an all-Doxy meetup. Pictures are a must!
And, well, now you know my story on the apartment. I hope you’re not dissuaded by my experience, though – I would have made it work, but it was relatively easy to reverse and I decided that was better, long-term, for my happiness. I know you will be happy in your future (larger) home!