Friday, September 8, 2017

some travel dreams and other ways I spend my days

I guess I have been on another break.
Not a great excuse and I have been a little uninspired.  Unwilling to share my current follies or travels.  I managed another trip to Santa Fe and a week later, I flew to Spokane.  Talk about whirlwind and work.  I went from seven straight days to a four day break in Santa Fe which was awesome--Ojo Caliente, dinner with Lawrence and his wife, some shopping and of course, seeing Melody.  I rested at the airbnb and contemplated life.  No service there so little interaction on social media.  It was glorious.  I returned to work six days.  Lot of hours and really exhausted.  Caught a flight to Spokane to assist at a drag race.  Check that off my bucket list!
Next month, I am heading to Puerto Rico to attend a wedding and then will road trip it to Kansas for my sister's wedding.  So there is upcoming travel.
I keep dreaming of Greece.  I think of buying my tickets to Athens in 2001 and how that trip derailed after 9/11.  I was able to get a refund after initially delaying my trip.  I believed that I would be beginning an adventure in Greece and traveling for six months before starting real life.  I suppose that begs the question--have I ever really grown up?  Or done the traditional thing?
My intention was to go to Greece in 2002.  Instead, I found myself adjusting to life in Denver and creating my life here.  Greece seemed like somewhere I would go at another time.  Maybe 2003.  or 2004.  And, now I am at 2017 with no stamp that says Greece.  I that it will be rectified in 2018.  I have finally made an appointment with a dentist.  Probably one of my most dreaded tasks.  I take care of myself--pedicures, massage, yoga.  I visit the eye doctor to keep my vision healthy and I have been to the lady doctor more frequently than the dreaded dentist.  I have been thinking about it all year and finally decided to be an adult about it.  Two of my friends go to the same dentist and I think that was the sign for me.  I need to suck it up and find out what needs to be done.  I blame it on genetics from my father's side.  I know that I grind my teeth, have hurt my enamel and have fillings that need to be handled.  Oh the joys of dental health.  Of my dental health.
I am meeting my trainer in thirty minutes.  Courtney is awesome and I look forward to my sessions with her.  I feel that I am getting stronger and want to increase this trend.  I do have slip ups.  I would like to think that I am not the only one who has or does.  Last week, Courtney game me homework--portion size and decrease my intake of wine.  Yesterday, I went to lunch with Tiffany and had a major cheat day.  Wine at lunch and the dip duo.  I love this appetizer and have not eaten it since I started training.  I was with Tiffany and since she is moving to Puerto Rico in a month chose to go with the flow of lunch.  I walked to and from lunch and went to a yoga sculpt class was my justification for the decadent lunch.  After the sculpt class, I thought about having wine with dinner.  I went back and forth with it and finally decided to walk to the corner store.  I chose to leave my phone charging in my apartment since the bottle shop is two blocks from my apartment.  I shut my door and began to lock the dead bolt.  I watched as my key bent in the luck and broke off. CRAP!!!
I knocked on my landlady's door.  She wasn't home.
I went to make a call and then remembered that I had intentionally left my phone in my bedroom.  Crap!  I walked down to the maintenance guy's apartment.  Classically in the basement.  Think boiler room.  I could hear him and his brother talking but they didn't answer the door.  I was impatient trying to figure out what to do.  No phone, key broke in lock.  No landlord.  Where could I go if I couldn't effectively break into my apartment?  Sara is overworked.  Jenn seemed overwhelmed with the weekend plans (from our texts earlier that was implied) and my other typical go-to that saves me is not an option currently but that is another story.
I went to their other door and knocked furiously.  Thankfully, he heard me this time and I explained my quandary.  I told him that the key had broke in the lock.  He considered taking the dead bolt off if necessary.  I returned to my apartment door and waited.  I noted that the key was sticking out.  The guy arrived and I showed him the piece of key that I had found.  He had pliers and pulled the key out.  Relief!  Then he had a spare key for the dead bolt and unlocked my door.
I laughed then.  This is one of the this could only happen to me moments that I find myself in.  Sometimes frequently.  It all worked out and I did manage to buy some wine to accompany my dinner.  I abstained from further imploding my day by not getting take out.  I had a craving for spaghetti and meatballs.  I really thought about the place a few blocks from my house that has massive meatballs.  That would have wrecked my weigh in for sure today.  Not saying that it won't be in my future today.
The only other noteworthy item of my day was purchasing clothes from a consignment store.  I have realized in the last 6-8 years how much I do enjoy shopping.  Being a Libra it is one of the highlighted qualities that I have always felt did not apply to me.  I hate shopping or so I thought.  Nah, I love buying new clothes.  At any rate, I went to a cute consignment store in Cherry Creek.  I wanted to buy yoga pants or a dress for Tiffany's wedding.  Instead, I found a black dress that I probably don't need but I wanted!  I was checking out and the cashier asked me if I was a teacher.  And I replied, no.
Then, she asked me if I was over 55....wtf?  I almost leaped across the counter.  In my mind, I think I did.  I calmly replied no.
Her next inquiry was if I was a student.  No.
At which point, she said, well I was only trying to get you a discount.
Sure, I get that.  The asking me if I was 55 was ridiculous.  I almost said, actually, I'm 60 and just look good for my age.  I'm still irritated with that woman.  Lol.
I am off to spend the rest of my day either reading or outside.  It is glorious!