I hope all my friends on Debby’s path fared well in the rain and storms. She definitely changed my plans for the last week of summer vacation. I planned all sorts of fun things for my remaining week of freedom, including a good bit of time by the pool to work on my tan.
However, nature had other plans.
Here are some of my highlights from the past few days…
I Made a Plan.
On the fly, I planned a birthday celebration for my sister in Charleston. It was to be the perfect girls’ trip. I booked a fantastic room at the Francis Marion. I planned the best restaurants and tours. And then the weather forecast called for rain.
I Made a Second Plan.
I made a second plan to allow for the rain. Rain makes me cringe! Making the effort to accept that I would have a bad hair day and wet shoes, I buckled up and made preparations for rainy day activities. I actually discovered that there were many alternative things to do in Charleston. Our hotel had a fabulous restaurant. We could still dress up without going out into the rain again. We’d do spa things and games, champagne and cake. My newly planned day hit all of the right marks. The rain wouldn’t ruin our trip!
I Made a Third Plan.
The rain ruined our trip. Due to severe hurricane-like weather, it had to be canceled. So, I made a third plan. We switched gears and had a party at my house. I wish I had those first planning hours back. My bestie, Holly, had to hear me complain about decision fatigue. I might have even had a meltdown. But in the end, all was good. From my planning experience, I should now probably consider travel planning as an alternative retirement job.
I Fought A Battle (And Won).
I fought a small battle with Priceline (seven phone calls) to finally get my money refunded. I tried to explain to the people in China that there was a hurricane in South Carolina, but there was a bit of a language barrier. I think they just let me win due to their frustration.
I Made Sugar-Free Bourbon Jam.
I decided to make jam after not having made any in years. I’ll link the recipe here. It was really good! This task required extensive digging through the mountain of crapola in the attic to fetch the required tools. I think it’s time for a yard sale.
I Cleaned.
I made a huge mess in the kitchen and swore I’d never cook again. I’ll seriously eat a cracker for dinner before I have to clean the kitchen. That’s why Eric cooks. He also cleans, and then I clean after he cleans. If you are married, you know what I mean.
I Ate Off the Floor.
I stooped to a new level. I ate a blob of jam off the floor because I didn’t want to waste any. After all of the hard work, it only produced four jars. I wouldn’t have done it if there had been people in the room.
I Walked.
I got a little walking in— 10 minutes in between downpours. I spent those 10 minutes of burned calories on a glass of wine that I immediately deemed unworthy of those calories.
I Made Cloud Bread.
I spent way too much time fluffing egg whites to bake cloud bread. Those were minutes of my life that I’ll never get back. There has to be an easier way. Can fluffed whites come in a can? I seasoned and dipped the finished “bread” in oil; nothing made it remotely interesting. If cloud bread were a vehicle, it would be a Yugo. It’s not impressive, but it gets the job done. It did carry my condiments.
I Had a Facial.
Deciding to treat myself to an at-home spa day, I used a sheet mask I had previously purchased. To my surprise, the “mask” was a sheet of stickers that had to be individually and awkwardly applied. This was not the facial I had expected. One of the stickers fell into my coffee.
I Had a DIY Pedicure.
Since it was too rainy to have my gel toenail polish removed at a salon, I decided to learn to do it myself. I spent much time and patience watching tutorials on YouTube. Once I felt confident in my newly acquired skill, I ordered three bottles of acetone (because I felt bad about having one bottle delivered from Walmart in the rain). I quickly discovered I couldn’t bear wrapping my toes in aluminum foil. It gave me serious heebie-jeebies. I had to soak and file the polish off. Doing nails will not be a retirement option, as I now have lumpy toenails and very dry cuticles. Some things are worth the money spent.
I Checked My Orbit Account.
Speaking of jobs, I have the retirement bug. I had thought I was immune. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE my job. But the stress really gets to me. I’d love to do my job- just less of it. So, I spent some time on Orbit crunching numbers. I can retire with 30 and a half years at the end of the 2025-2026 school year. The catch is that I won’t ever be able to buy another piece of clothing or food. I’ll probably have to sell my car, too. But who needs clothes or food when you never have to drive and can be your best, happy little artist self? Everything in life is a trade, and sanity is underestimated.
I Shared My Wine.
As I sipped my glass of better wine while reflecting and writing this post, I noticed that I’d absentmindedly been sharing my wine with a fly. I saved him, and we bonded. I feel like the wine treat made his day. It always makes mine.
My disappointment this week wasn’t the end of my journey. It led to memorable learning experiences, laughs, and time with friends. For that, I am forever grateful!
Thank you, Debby, for re-planning my week.
