February is a short month and the time to open up the runfessional came even quicker! Despite only 28 days, I’ve got plenty of ‘fessions to spill. How about you? Let’s begin.
There’s an interesting array of people in our Snow Bird community. Some clearly live here full-time while some come for long weekends. I met a woman from Wisconsin with the cutest French Bullie named Pancake, who’s spending a year here. As much as I enjoy meeting new people, I runfess I prefer when the houses on either side of us sit empty. The weekend a gaggle of thong-clad coeds moved in next door wasn’t my favorite. Clearly I’ve become the “get off my lawn” lady.
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I pride myself on being an adaptable, resilient traveler. I like to travel light. The Caveman and I shared one suitcase when we packed for a month in Florida. We can do laundry after all. However I runfess that I neglected to bring…ok I FORGOT so much: Any kind of running visor, hat or headband, running sunglasses, and yep. even a water bottle. What kind of runner forgets all that?? Let it also be known that of the few running clothes I brought, some…ok most…of them don’t really match. At all. Let’s just say I’m grateful for social media filters.
While I’ve been very good about getting my workouts in, I runfess I’m not proud to admit my eating veered way off track. It may be natural to take a break from cooking and treat yourself when you’re away but things got ridiculous. Super Bowl Sunday pizza and homemade ultimate nachos were the gateway foods and it’s been all downhill from there. The junk from Popeye’s and Hardees and all the Chinese takeout within a 10 mile radius went way above and beyond. Let’s not even talk about the King Cake. I’d never had king cake before so I’m not sorry about that. About 10 days into this behavior my brain was still saying treat yoself but my body said stop eating crap. Stay tuned for some nutrition goals in March.
I’ve taken the decluttering bull by the horns on numerous occasions, yet I runfess, it never seems to be enough. Case in point, right before we headed to Florida, I was rummaging around in my closet when one of the clothing bars fully collapsed under the weight of my stuff and went crashing to the floor, forcing me to deal with the clutter right then and there. I’m embarrassed to admit that most of it was formalwear, packed into garment bags. Yes formalwear. Dresses I’d worn to galas and weddings and the like. Outfits I hadn’t worn in years and most likely would never wear again. Why were they taking up precious prime closet space? To be honest while decluttering I’d looked right past them. I runfess for a second time that I moved them to a closet in the basement, because I’m still not ready to donate. Ugh.
Before we left for our winter retreat, I was reticent to take down my winter decor. Holiday stuff is long gone but I considered letting the the pineconey things stay until March. I finally did pack it all away though and I runfess I’m glad I did because at the end of the day they’d have sat there collecting dust. I also runfess that I’m already strategizing what my “springtime mantel” will look like.
Ok your turn: What have you to runfess? Are you dreaming of spring? Do you pack light? Or is it go heavy or go home?
We had a spring fever day yesterday (mid-60s!) and now I am ready. I’m also over being cold while working in the basement. We turned the heat up a bit, but I’m not willing to pay the electric bill it would require to make the basement warm.
LOL on the weekend visitors. I am way to old to tolerate being kept up by a party going on next door.
It’s so hard to pack for a long trip — especially for different weather than you’ve been experiencing. My worst business trips involved Chicago and Southern California on the same itinerary.
I runfess that I am NOT a light packer. I need one carryon just for my toiletries, cosmetics, hair dryer, and flat iron. And the older I get, the more of that crap I need. LOL
My eating has been on again/off again for the last few months. Right now I’m doing okay, but that could change on a dime!
Thanks for the linkup and enjoy the rest of your stay in Florida!
I’m dreaming of warmth and sand and….ok, not going anywhere right now. I have been working on decluttering but it is a work in progress. March is going to be a whole new month for me.
Enjoy the rest of your time…know that we are thawing out and you missed the worst of it!
A light-packer I am not. And I am not ashamed LOL The hubs has been talking, non-stop, about finding a place in FL for us to snowbird to for a few frigid weeks. Stay tuned….not sure if I’m quite ready for that kind of a commitment, but this past month has been a piece of work. It will probably be an easy sell. Glad you’re having a good time in the sunshine state…hope the neighborhood stabilizes 😉
Haha on forgetting to pack so much stuff!
Same here!
When we left Cape Town for Zurich a few weeks ago, I took all my running shorts with me except one. Why? It was deepest winter in Zurich.
When we returned to Cape Town, I thought all my running shorts were still here, so I didn’t take any with me.
So here I am in summery Cape Town with ONE pair of running shorts.
Whenever I try to pack light I end up forgetting so many things! But at least you can do laundry. I also remind myself if I forget something super essential I could always buy it wherever I am going. I’m not great at decluttering. I tend to just move stuff around or hide it.
I’m usually a pretty efficient packer but I think trying to pack for a whole month would throw me off my game! LOL
My eating veered off into a ditch with Super Bowl nachos as well and I have been slow to recover. Looking forward to your nutrition goals – I need some inspiration!
Enjoy the rest of your time in the Sunshine State!
Sharing a suitcase with the husband for a month? Nope, never gonna happen my friend. I am not a light packer. I can pack light-er. I was proud the time I went to Paris for a week (in October, so cool) and only took one carryon. 🙂
I have, however, definitely forgotten running things. You were under a lot of stress right before you left!
Decluttering. I have made inroads (and I have had clothesbars come crashing down in my closet, too), but yes, there is still way more to go! Although formal wear? I keep a few, the rest gets donated. If it makes you smile though. 🙂
your post really made me smile Marcia :). And I almost posted that same “get off my lawn” but for other reasons. LOL!!!
it’s so nice to read something and just nod your head and know you are not alone in this world.
Ha ha. I have moved all the clothes I never wear to my sons’ closet. Too much trouble to donate.
One half suitcase. Nope. I brought one big one for 4 days. Mostly running stuff. I runfess you need more for a race and in hotels.
Yes. Florida has so many tempting options. You’re in vacation mode. Enjoy it. It will end.
Well, I was the woman with the 4 suitcases when I went to Aruba and remember one of them had 50 pounds of weights in them. So not the person to give advice on that! I wanted all of my favorite go to’s with me. I also had a hard time staying on my nutrition in Aruba. Honestly, it’s hard not to be in your own kitchen. But, it’s ok to have fun on vacation and all will go back to where it was when you come home. We were in a remote area so no neighbors to speak of! Enjoy your last week down there!
I am a light packer too. Bill and I went to Spain to walk the Camino for 3 weeks with just one carry-on each. The friend I used to go on marathon trips with had a no-checked-bags rule. It was a good one.
Now that we are empty-nesters, we have all of our kids’ closets to store our extra clothes in. Bill has taken over one and I have taken over another. The third one is used for miscellaneous crap! I definitely need a decluttering session.
Have fun in sunny Florida. And try to ignore the thong-clad coeds.
When I took the college kid up to school, we were staying for 10 days WITHOUT access to laundry. I packed huge duffle bags for the younger kid and myself – and then we hardly wore any of it because we never actually left the house…
I’m so jealous of your Florida trip. I’m so over winter at this point.
I had to go back and make sure you said one suitcase for the two of you for a month. I know it’s Florida and you’re dressing lighter but there is no way I could do that.
I don’t have a lot of clutter because my house is so small there’s no room to keep unnecessary stuff. The garage is a whole different matter.
The reason I have SO MANY hats and sunglasses is because I always forget them! We travel light but not one suitcase for both of us. Neal’s feet are big and his shoes take up so much space! LOL.
That would stink if thong-clad coeds moved in next door! 🙂 I hear you about diet. I haven’t been super worried about my eating lately (even eating more carbs on occasion!). My main goal is rest during these crazy times, and diet although still important, has been pushed to the back burner until further notice.
OMG, I can relate to so many of these but first let me say I had to laugh when I read Hardees because I didnt even think they were around anymore!
I too left up all the pine Coney and garland things until last weekend! I would also runfess that I finally took down our last Christmas tree ( I can’t believe I just wrote that…lol). But to be fair, it was our football tree that was in the basement and since football season was pretty blah this year, we rarely went down there. And there for we pretty much forgot about it for several weeks!
Kudos to you for sharing one suitcase with the Mr, that had to be some creative packing for the both of you! Sorry you forgot a lot of stuff though!
I runfess that I’m a light packer, but I’ve had quite a few missteps in the past, lol. One time I forgot socks so I had to find a Target to buy some. Now I have a list that I use when I pack so it helps me make sure I don’t forget anything.
Ha ha… sounds like your closet was trying to tell you something!
At this point you might as well live it up- you’re in vacation mode and are enjoying it. Plenty of time to get things back under control in March!
I hope you bought sunglasses and a visor- hard to survive in Florida without them.
This is a short month, but it feels so long!
It’s so hard to give up formal gowns! I actually started using Rent The Runway so I didn’t need to buy dresses, and then didn’t have to worry about not wanting to give them up!
I am going to need more info about the Frenchie named Pancake. He sounds fantastic!
I probably would have done the same thing about the clothes in the closet. I never pack light. I always pack more than I need (just in case) and end up bringing most of it back home.
I am envious of your snowbird adventures! I would be annoyed about those neighbors too! I try to pack light but whenever I do, I always forget something obvious! Thanks for hosting!
Three trips to Florida, finally remembered the running hat on the 3rd only to not wear it after the first mile since it/headphones/mask/glasses were too much on my ears.
My pantry is open shelving. Sometimes I wish my closet was too. Would make me tackle the beast.