joys of the week, ep. 8
Such festivity in Tampa right now! Super Bowl LV takes place next Sunday and the city transformed into a football haven. Shame we won’t participate in much of the public hullabaloo because, you know, there is still a pandemic. We intend to channel as much of the hoopla into our household, though, with plenty of food and drink and pretend tailgating with our toolbox grill in the garage. I think I’ll ride out to a Dollar Store and pick up some disposable decorations for the occasion. Are you in Super Bowl mode too?
I’ve made quite a few modifications to my daily routines in order to control my worsening anxiety. I’ve discussed my troubles quite often and recently my mentality plunged to a point where I’d sometimes behave unrecognizably. I also started getting randomly sick much more than I have, well, ever. One of my main action plans is bettering my sleep quality. Working well before dawn and trying to maintain a normal daytime schedule makes difficult a full night’s rest, as I cannot make myself go to bed at 7 particularly since J’s work schedule is classic 9-6 and I want to spend a bit of time with him before I retire. Thus, I’m starting to test a CBD-based sleep capsule from Chil Wellness. This isn’t sponsored or anything, I’m merely curious of its efficacy. Anything I can do to at least sleep more deeply without waking up constantly might help quell my constantly soaring stress levels. Maybe it’ll cure my eye twitch, too. One can only hope.
Upcoming on VE
Because of the Super Bowl, we’re all about snacks and finger foods on VE! Monday I’ll provide my training log and a surprisingly long run on which I embarked. Tuesday we’ll play with a pizza and sweet potato fusion, and Wednesday some crispy vegetarian tacos. Thursday is a day for a sweet and spicy cauliflower wing to channel tailgate vibes without the meat, and Friday I provide a wonderful cocktail for gameday. Saturday we take a bit of a break from finger food with a healthy and filling salad to prepare your bellies for the inevitable Sunday snack influx, and Sunday we discuss our happies from the week.
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Joys of the Week, Episode 8
1. First solo outdoor ride in years
Monday I packed Pittor in my car and, in a fit of boldness, headed to the only trail on which I’m comfortable riding for a solo spin. Despite some wind, I actually had a wonderful ride with no panic issues like I’m wont to succumb to on the bike. It proved a HUGE milestone for my outdoor cycling psyche and, while I didn’t get out the rest of the week, I’m a touch more confident that I won’t have a terrible time of it once I try again in the future.
2. Longest run in awhile
For the most part, I wasn’t really interested in cresting 14 miles just because I didn’t feel a need to do so. Saturday, however, I hit a strong, stable rhythm and just kept going along my route’s many loops. At marker 13 I figured I could squeeze out at least two more miles, and at the cutoff where I could’ve turned left to hit 15 or right for 16, I chose to run right. Though wiped after, the run itself gave me no trouble! Sunday’s running rest day was well anticipated, as a result.
3. Weekend coffee dates
J and I are, as I’ve established, very cautious with the COVID issues and don’t venture out unnecessarily, but one coffee spot nearby we like to frequent when we both have time. Saturdays typically are the day we set aside a little bit to grab cappuccinos and roam around the island looking at houses. Though the neighborhood doesn’t much change week by week, I always love gawking at the ridiculous mansions and wondering what kinds of people live within.
4. Tampa’s LV transformation
The Tampa Riverwalk turned into a festive trail with “Go Bucs” stickers and a path of sidewalk graphics relaying all the past Super Bowl winners. Curtis Hixon and Julian B. Lane parks housed enclosed outdoor activities, but Lane was ticketed access only which sold out several days ago and Hixon seemed a bit too crowded for comfort. We did walk by them and see what we could from our vantage point, and that was enough for me. It’s cool to see my city unite under the Bucs flag even if many, like me, don’t really care about football itself. I’m just in it for the grub and the virtual sense of community.
5. Homemade ice cream!
I was SO surprised and pleased with how well no churn ice cream worked! If you missed it, I wrote up a recipe for an incredible Vanilla Fudge Ice Cream requiring as few as 4 ingredients that tastes just like a creamy storebrand favorite. What flavor(s) should I create next? Ice cream will DEFINITELY mosey its way onto VE particularly when summer arrives, partially because I want plenty in my freezer for craving purposes. Dangerous, but delicious.
Be safe and be well! Share with me one thing that brought you joy this week. Or multiple, the more the merrier!
