The door into summer is about to open

Finally booked a vacation for the first time in eight years - going for a week to Tampa in August.  Looking forward to actually traveling again, even though I always have my moments of trepidation when it comes to flying.  Which is oddly contradictory, since I love airports.  Nonetheless, it's really happening.  The plans have been arranged; flights, hotel and car rental; time taken off from work.  Just waiting to confirm if a dear friend will be able to stay at our place to take care of the girls.  The itineraries are being mapped out; where to go, what day, etc. And most importantly, I have the hotel restaurant's breakfast menu (ha ha ha), which is key.   It's been a time to stop and reset; to breathe and try enjoying all the little elements.

The whole thing snowballed on the Memorial Day weekend Friday - I took the day off work to have time for myself.  Came into Manhattan, got the annual head shave and went up to the Village for food, etc. - even though Warby Parker failed me and didn't have the glasses frames I wanted (grrrrr).  I stopped at Garden Of Eden on 14th for their heavenly everything bagel with cream cheese, salmon, lettuce, tomato, onion and capers and their equally amazing blueberry cake; walked all the way over to Smor for a cardamom bun and a blackberry donut and then down to Away, the luggage store on Bond St. (that was quite a hike in 80 degree heat, but great exercise!).  I had ordered a new suitcase and asked that the store hold it for me, rather than run the risk of having it stolen if it was delivered to the apartment.  While I was there, I asked them if they had another of the same in olive - they thought I wanted to swap it out - but I bought it as a surprise for Liz.  Of course, logic dictated carrying the two boxes of suitcases may not be the easiest or smartest thing in the world to do, but... I decided to treat myself to an Uber home, which was fantastic.  Rode in comfort and style in a Tesla... and it set the tone for the fantastic, relaxing weekend ahead.

And the same goes for last weekend as well - utilitarian, but everything I had on my checklist was done in a crips and orderly amount of time - from stopping at the dry cleaners to finally getting a file cabinet at Staples (which, like the suitcase, is being delivered to the store and I'll pick it up this Saturday) and then finally - after 13 years - treated myself to a certificate for a spa day.  Stopped at the spa and will book the day on a Saturday at the end of July - just before Tampa.  This weekend will be back to Staples, stop at the new Warby Parker at the Staten Island Mall (how timely!); I need to assemble these great shoe storage boxes and install the air conditioners.  We'll have lunch with my aunt and uncle on Sunday and I can't think of better ways to spend a weekend.

Next items to start checking off the list would be Jon and I doing a new episode of "Radio City..." and me actually picking up a guitar; my shoulder has healed enough that I think I should start going to the gym again.  And to re-focus on my diet, since I'd lost 21 pounds; I want to regain the drive - not the weight.

As I said, it's the little elements of everything I've been doing recently that I savor.  It helps me think clearly and maintain balance. Most importantly, things simply get done.