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There’s a Lesson in Here Somewhere About the Best Laid Plans

As much as I enjoy having a really exciting day planned out, I have to admit that I get a similar thrill in knowing I have a bonus day with no set agenda.



Believe it or not, when I woke up on Monday after a good night’s sleep and saw the sun streaming through my window, my first (admittedly riveting) thought was, “I’m going to get so much laundry done!” And I was very excited about it.

via GIPHY
I’m telling you, the thrills? They never end over here.
So, I made some coffee, got a load of laundry started, took the dogs for a nice long walk, and decided on oatmeal for breakfast — always a healthy food choice, and it’s one I just love. I’ve been noshing on Happy Rolled Oats from Bakery on Main, and I’m really digging them. For one thing, a serving (half a cup of dry oats) packs 8 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber in 180 calories. Plus, although it only needs to simmer in water for a little over three minutes, the consistency is, well, more consistent with what I’d expect from slow-cooked oats — chewy and satisfying. And they’re even more satisfying when I toss a spoonful of my all-time favorite Justin’s nut butter (which is obviously Justin’s Maple Almond Butter because any other choice is just wrong).
healthy food for breakfast
My friend Danielle and I had talked about doing something fun and active during the day, so, after about half an hour of us texting, “Well, what do you want to do?” we opted to go for a bike ride down to nearby Casey Key, get some lunch, and bike back. I figured that would give me the afternoon to finish up my housekeeping duties while still getting in a fun workout.
However, the ride was not meant to be. Between some tire issues and potential weather concerns that popped up by the time Danielle got to my house, we opted out of the ride, instead deciding to ride beach cruisers — in our full cycling kits, of course — down to the local grocery store to pick up some shrimp, fruit and cheese so we could have a snacky lunch by the pool, at least as long as the weather stayed clear. (I really love snacky dinner, as you may know, and snacky lunch by the pool might even be better!)
healthy lunch
Realizing we had nothing we really had to do (except for maybe another load of laundry), we decided to do some training for the Oregon Wine Country Half Marathon coming up in August in the Willamette Valley (join me if you’d like — it’ll be fun!). And by “do some training” I mean “open a bottle of wine from the region and enjoy a glass in the sun.”
Training went very well, I must say.
willamette valley rose wine
After a glass of rosé, we were invited to meet Danielle’s husband and a friend for some tennis. Now, I don’t actually play tennis (unless you count the 14 minutes I spent learning how to hold a racquet around a couple of weeks ago prior to getting rained out, the last time I played was over 20 years ago), but I was very much interested in getting in some sort of a workout, so I agreed to give it a shot. I grabbed a Mini Babybel as a quick snack (more cheese, I know, but it was handy and portable and I was in a hurry), mixed up a couple of bottles of HDX Hydration Mix in Grape/Berry (seriously tasty, and with as hot and humid as it was out, I wasn’t about to stick to just water!) and hit the court.
hdx hydration mix
And you know what? It was extremely fun. I had a very patient teammate (thanks, Andy!) and everyone was great about offering a little instruction and answering all my questions (like, “Wait, what’s the score now? And how about now? And also can you remind me how I’m supposed to hold this thing?”). An hour or so later, I was breathless and exhausted (and dripping with ALL THE SWEAT) but super pumped that I’d gotten outside my comfort zone to try something new.
tennis friends
I arrived home in time to chop up some veggies and join my husband and a few friends for a fantastic dinner of grilled veggies and corn (and brats, for the rest of the group) out on our neighbors’ patio. The sun was setting, the temperature was dipping, and the breeze was starting to pick up, making it an absolutely perfect evening and a tremendous way to wrap up what I’d consider an absolutely fantastic day.
veggies and corn
Even if I only did only get around to doing two loads of laundry. It’s not like it’s going anywhere, right?
How do you feel about days that you intend to be productive but end up veering off-course? Does it stress you out or do you accept them for what they are? As long as I’m having a good time and anything terribly important is covered, I’m usually a pretty happy camper. Good food certainly helps, too! Kristen

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