For a lot of people summer is about relaxing and vacations, but for me, it’s usually when I pretty much hibernate in my air conditioned hidey-hole. This summer is all about:
SALADS and lighter meals. It’s about getting healthier on the inside. You’d think as a vegetarian I’d have this down but, since pasta is my go-to pal, not so much.
STORIES! Writing my own, of course, but reading and watching them, too. Stories are everywhere!
SWEAT. And I don’t mean by just sitting out on the lanai in the Florida summer. I mean the kind I get when I hang out with my old frenemy, the dreadmill . . .
Now, of course, life happens and hurricanes howl through, so this is only a loose plan. But I’m giving it a go!
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WRITING
I finished and subbed a drabble. I made a little progress on the longer short story and a little more progress on the novella.
READING
I’m behind on my 2025 Goodreads Reading Challenge. For some reason, I’m struggling with reading this year. But since part of this summer is all about stories, I hope to remedy that soon enough.
WATCHING
TV – My husband and I are thoroughly enjoying My Best Friend’s An Animal [National Geographic, Hulu] So many amazing animals and people out there! (I’m always a little wary of animal shows because I don’t like when they show the gory side of nature. This one doesn’t.)
Movies – We really liked Neighborhood Watch (with Jeffrey Dean Morgan), and The Drop was an entertaining way to spend an hour or so.
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What are your summer plans? Do you have any go-to (vegetarian!) lighter meals/salads? Or cookbooks, websites, etc. you like? Any favorite workouts or ways to make gym time go faster? Any suggestions for non-gory animal or nature shows?
Your summer sounds great! I agree with the salad choice. I buy the big bag of chopped/washed romaine so I can just make myself a salad snack whenever I get the whim while at work. If I don't get through it by the end of the week, the rest goes to the guinea pigs and they love me for it.
ReplyDeleteMy husband and I started getting those chopped salad kits to eat for lunch. It'd be better to make our own but for now, it's all about the convenience so we can get the habit down.
DeleteThe tortoises love romaine, too! They like the chopped pieces but prefer the big crunchy leaves. :)
The dreadmill... LOL! I dread it too and opt for running in the neighborhood first thing in the morning. And then there comes a rainy day...
ReplyDeleteYou know, one nice thing about stepping away from it all was not feeling any pressure to read and review a certain number of books each year. Trying to get back into that and it's hard! Not the reading part, the reviewing part. *sigh* I just want to read for fun. *pouty face* Haha...
I'm hoping to get up and out earlier to walk, but I won't count on it. :)
DeleteDo you need to review the books? Maybe this could be a summer of reading just for fun?
I'd stay inside too if I lived in Florida. I'm out in my garden more now that the weather is nice. I hope you find some books to get you back into reading. I'm been listening to some books while crocheting or doing chores & gardening and am really enjoying it.
ReplyDeleteYou know it! Although, if you get out early enough, it's not too bad.
DeleteI usually shy away from listening to books because my mind tends to wander, but maybe I'll give it a try while I'm on the treadmill. Thanks for the reminder!
We always eat a lot of salads, but now there is even more fresh fruit involved, which I like.
ReplyDeleteI do pretty well with eating fruit on its own, with yogurt etc but I don't think to put it in a salad. Good idea!
DeleteThe dreadmill sounds like a good name for it. My significant other and I were just saying yesterday that we need to start using our elliptical again.
ReplyDeletePasta is also my go-to.
Hooray for progress on the writing front!!!
I tried the elliptical at the gym the other day and it was the saddest thing ever. I mean, I know I'm not the most coordinated person but yikes! :o
DeleteThanks, MJ!
I think Dreadmill's sister is at my place, not that we've talked a lot lately. hehehe
ReplyDeleteDo an internet search on lentil + barley shepherd's pie, chickpea + barely soup, hummus. All great and high-protein for the non-meat eater. They seem to hit the spot for me. Not really summer food though--kind of hot. ;-P
Anna from elements of emaginette
Ha ha! :)
DeleteI do like hummus and try to eat it as a snack, with celery, but I keep forgetting about it.
This sounds like a great plan for the summer! I love Israeli salad, it's just tomatoes, cucumber, red onions, parsley, a little salt, a little pepper, and some olive oil. It's DELICIOUS. If you like those veggies! I am also very behind in my Goodreads challenge, hopefully I get lots of reading done this summer!
ReplyDeleteThat salad does sound yummy! Thanks, Jess!
DeleteHopefully you have a nice pile of books to look forward to reading this summer. I know I do. :)
I love walking in the heat and then getting in the pool. For the sake of my skin, I exercise as early as I can. Good luck on the writing. I'm working on a second draft of a novel.
ReplyDeleteGood idea about the pool!
DeleteThank you! And the same to you. I would love to be on a second draft of something, anything. :)
I'm planning on playing in my garden a lot this summer.
ReplyDeleteExcellent! Have fun! :)
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