Welcome to the July edition of the Ultimate Coffee Date hosted by Coco and Deborah.  It’s also time for another edition of Fit Five Friday hosted by My First 5K and More, Running with Attitude, Run Laugh Eat Pie, Runs with Pugs, and me!  

Now, grab a mug of your favorite beverage, and let’s chat!

If we were having coffee…
I’d tell you about something that I haven’t talked to anyone about and am not sure what to do.  For the past couple of years, I’ve been going with two friends to a concert for a Mexican group we like.  There will be another concert in September.  I reached out to them about going again this year.  One girl responded that they bought tickets months ago and forgot to reach out to me.  I have so many feelings about this.  Obviously I am hurt and angry.  At the same time I think I understand because I see these girls once a year but sometimes keep in touch via text.  I have known them for over 20 years.  But again, going to this concert is something we’ve been doing for the past few years.  How could they forget?

If we were having coffee…
I’d tell you that I went to see “Beauty and the Beast” and LOVED it.  I should have taken the train to the theatre, but chose instead to park in the lot.  It was one of those parking lots where you have to drive upward to find a spot—not only that, but there were turns along the way, too.  Well, in one of those turns, I drove too close to something that was there and damaged my car.  Afterwards, I took it to the shop to get an estimate.  It was several thousands in damage!  I thought it would be a couple hundred and I was willing to pay for it.  Once home I filed a claim with my insurance company.  My car has been in the shop for a week and will be ready on Tuesday.

If we were having coffee…
I’d tell you that I am having lots of fun using CityStrides to track where I run/walk in the city.  The photo below is from a few weeks ago.

This photo is from this week.  Looks similar but not the same.  It is a big city and I cannot wait to see more purples lines on the map.

If we were having coffee…
I’d tell you we are already starting off on the wrong foot with my school district.  On Tuesday, August 12th, we have an all day meeting at the junior high school.  The meeting starts at 8am.  Our contract start time is also at 8am.  The District has offered to pick us up at our school at 7:15am.  I don’t have to take the bus and can drive to the junior high, but there is limited parking there.  In the past, we’ve been picked up at the school at our contractual start time.  Then the meeting would start about 45 minutes later.

I know I should pick my battles, but this is the kind of thing that teachers deal with all of the time.  I know this is minor but the District takes advantage of us.  I think I’ve mentioned how we are expected to be ready for the first day of school with the students, BUT we are not given time to set up our classroom.

If we were having coffee…
I’d tell you that we had a lot of rain last Friday.  The street in front of my house was flooded.  I was terrified that my basement would get flooded too.  Thankfully nothing happened.  However, if I were to buy a house again, I wouldn’t pick one with a basement.  I knew the risks of having a basement but obviously forgot about it when I signed the contract.  My next house will not have a basement.  And if it does have a basement, it wouldn’t be a finished basement.

I hope August is a wonderful month for everyone!

The topic for next week’s Fit Fit Friday – Five reasons to buy (or not) the race photos.  Feel free to write about this or any fitness topic you’d like.  We hope you’ll link up with us!

Welcome to the July edition of the Ultimate Coffee Date hosted by Coco and Deborah.  It’s also time for another edition of Fit Five Friday hosted by My First 5K and More, Running with Attitude, Run Laugh Eat Pie, Runs with Pugs, and me!  

Now, grab a mug of your favorite beverage, and let’s chat!

If we were having coffee…
I’d tell you that someone stole my CC number again.  This person made three purchases on Google Pay (or using Google Pay).  Luckily, my bank was able to issue a refund, but I still had to wait for a new credit card.  With a new credit card I also have to add that new number to my online accounts which is a hassle.

If we were having coffee…
I’d tell you that I received a strange text message from the DMV.  I deleted it and reported it as junk.  However, it sparked my curiosity and I checked online for any unpaid tickets.  It turned out that I had one speeding ticket  from May 1st.  I haven’t changed my address on my driver’s license yet (will be going next week) so it took a while to get the notice forwarded to my new address.  

If we were having coffee…
I’d tell you that this hot weather is not making me happy.  I like it warm and not hot.  My hot flashes are worse in the Summer and it is making me very uncomfortable.

If we were having coffee…
I’d tell you that my sister moved in the basement last week.  Now we are all under one roof.  I am glad she is here and not by herself.  With her moving in, I won’t have to continue paying the utilities and half of the rent in the other apartment.  I know I didn’t have to, but I wanted to help since I knew she couldn’t afford it by herself.

If we were having coffee…
I’d tell you that I am excited to see how many streets I can run/walk in Chicago.  There are many streets in the city and I know I won’t get to all of them.  I am using CityStrides for guidance.  As you can see on the map below, most of my runs/walks have been on the southside of the city.  Since I am on Summer Break and have more time, I am going to focus on the Southwest side of the city (east of Summit, IL and south of Bedford Park, IL).  

I hope July is a wonderful month for everyone!

The topic for next week’s Fit Fit Friday – Five great running or fitness movies.  Feel free to write about this or any fitness topic you’d like.  We hope you’ll link up with us!

Welcome to the May edition of the Ultimate Coffee Date hosted by Coco and Deborah.  It’s also time for another edition of Fit Five Friday hosted by My First 5K and More, Running with Attitude, Run Laugh Eat Pie, Runs with Pugs, and me!  

Now, grab a mug of your favorite beverage, and let’s chat!

If we were having coffee…
I’d tell you I started Summer School on Monday teaching 4th grade.  I began with 20 students on my roster on Monday but have had 18 show up consistently.  Why are there so many kids in a classroom was my question?  I mean, that is usually the size of a classroom during the regular school year.  I should have switched with another teacher who has 2nd and 3rd graders newcomers and has less than 10 students.  But, I am liking my class.  All of them can read and actually talk to me!  It is a nice change from my 2nd graders.  Some teachers have teased me saying that maybe I might switch from 2nd to 4th grade.

If we were having coffee…
I’d tell you that sometimes I have my doubts on whether I made the right decision of buying a house.  It is so expensive!  I knew I had to remodel the basement so I was ready for those expenses, but there is so much to buy (moulding, tile for the bathroom and laundry room, etc).

Right now I am doing tuck pointing and I am seeing the number go down in my savings account.  Did I have to get that done now?  Who knows.  According to the guy doing the job, there is a lot of damage to the mortar (I’d like to think he is telling me the truth).  The previous owners covered it (kind of like tape) and he told me that eventually that would fall off. 

I want to replace my windows and am debating if I want to do that now before the Winter or wait till next year.   

If we were having coffee…
I’d tell you that sometimes I wished I had a partner that knows about these house things.  A few weeks ago I turned on the AC to see if it was working because warmer days were coming and I wanted to be ready.  It turned on but no cold air was coming inside the house (only the fan air).  I called my cousin to check it out.  It turned out that it was an electricity thing and all I had to do was reset it by flipping the levers in the breaker box.  I felt like a fool, but lesson learned.  I turned on the AC again on Wednesday and it wouldn’t turn on.  I reset the levers and still didn’t work.  I called my cousin again.  Do you know what the problem was?  THE SWITCH IN THE BOILER ROOM WAS OFF!  I know I didn’t do it and I know who did, but I also know it was an accident.  I am afraid to find out what’s going to happen next.

If we were having coffee…
I’d remind you how last year I asked you if you thought it would be a good idea for me to run a half marathon in North Dakota, come back home, and run another half marathon in Chicago the next day?  I must have jinxed it because I ended up not going to North Dakota after all.  I wasn’t running consistently and was not ready to run 13.1 miles.  I need to do better about planning my races because I missed quite a few this year.  I don’t want to think about the money that I lost anymore because there is nothing I can do about it now.

If we were having coffee…
I’d complain about my neighbor’s backyard.  I know everyone is free to do whatever they want.  But at the same thing I’m thinking “Really?  Seriously”?  See the pictures below.

That is how I want my backyard to look like.  

This is my backyard.  The photo is from a few weeks ago and I have already removed the shrubs (?).  I think that is what they’re called.  I want to put some flowers and grow some vegetables there.

My other neighbor’s backyard.  It looks like a jungle!

I hope June is a wonderful month for everyone!

The topic for next week’s Fit Fit Friday – It’s Friday the 13th – What are some things you find unlucky on your run or at the gym?  Feel free to write about this or any fitness topic you’d like.  We hope you’ll link up with us!

Welcome to the May edition of the Ultimate Coffee Date hosted by Coco and Deborah.  It’s also time for another edition of Fit Five Friday hosted by My First 5K and More, Running with Attitude, Run Laugh Eat Pie, Runs with Pugs, and me!  

Now, grab a mug of your favorite beverage, and let’s chat!

If we were having coffee…
I’d tell you my last day of school is 3 weeks away!  I will not stop talking about this until May 23rd.  I am literally burned out and do not want to go to work anymore.  Many of my students are out of control and don’t care to do the work.  I get it.  We are all tired.  I also need to clean and pack up the things in my classroom.  Sometimes I want to take off the rest of the school year.

If we were having coffee…
I’d tell you that today we receive our assignment letters.  These letters let us know where we will be teaching next year.  Earlier this year I told my Principal that I would like to stay at my current school teaching the same grade.  I also told her that if she needs to move me, to please not move me to another grade, but instead to move me to another school.  I think 2nd grade is THE grade for me that I would like to teach until I retire.

If we were having coffee…
I’d ask you why is it so difficult to schedule doctor appointments?  I went for a mammogram at the end of March.  Based on the results, I have to go back for another mammogram and an ultrasound.  I go to Loyola and while there are many options available, I chose the one closet to me.  Well, the next availability wasn’t till the end of May.  Then somehow that appointment was cancelled.  When I called again, the next opening was in August.  I was almost in tears.  I asked to have someone call me from another location to schedule an earlier one.  Sure enough the next day someone called me.  There is an opening for May 6th in the afternoon but in a different location.  Yes, schedule it for me!  She even told me that August was too far out for a mammogram.  

If we were having coffee…
I’d tell you that when I scheduled my mammogram, I also made an appointment to see a dermatologist.  My appointment is for July 2026!  Yes, 2026!!!  While this doctor isn’t urgent like a mammogram appointment, I still want to see one because I have tinea versicolor.  I saw a dermatologist years ago in a different hospital and was prescribed lotion for it and that helped.  

If we were having coffee…
I’d tell you that starting again to run is hard.  I was doing intervals of 1 minute running and 1 minute of walking.  Total of 19 minutes.  Then somehow my Garmin watch didn’t sync properly yesterday and I did 1 1/2 minute of running and 1 minute of walking (those runs were scheduled for next week).  Whew!  That felt tough.  And I wasn’t even running fast.  I guess that is the price I pay for skipping months of running.  

I hope May is a wonderful month for everyone!

The topic for next week’s Fit Fit Friday – 5 Training Tips for Running Moms.  Feel free to write about this or any fitness topic you’d like.  We hope you’ll link up with us!

Welcome to the November edition of the Ultimate Coffee Date hosted by Coco and Deborah.  It’s also time for another edition of Fit Five Friday hosted by My First 5K and More, Running with Attitude, Run Laugh Eat Pie, Runs with Pugs, and me!  

Now, grab a mug of your favorite beverage, and let’s chat briefly!

If we were having coffee…
I’d tell you that I am not a big fan of Halloween but I get into it because of my students.  Most of them dressed up and 4 stayed at home because they do not celebrate Halloween.  In my lesson plans, I had that we would do work in the morning and then spend the last 2 hours doing fun activities.  Nope, the whole day was full of fun activities.  A few said that it was a fun day.  Mission accomplished!  But I went home even more exhausted.

If we were having coffee…
I’d tell you I saw this figure early one morning.  It was dark and it FREAKED ME OUT.  

If we were having coffee…
I’d tell you that it doesn’t bother me that I am losing my Starbucks stars.  I don’t go there often so I knew it would be a matter of time.

If we were having coffee…
I’d tell you that I signed up for a few more half marathons next year.  I am already going to Fargo, ND at the end of May.  I will be running in Myrtle Beach (SC) on March 1st, Albuquerque (NM) on April 5th, and Olathe (KS) on April 26th.  I will be crossing off 4 states from my 50 states +1 list.  That leaves me with 3 more to go (Wyoming, South Dakota, and Idaho).  Yay!

If we were having coffee…
I’d tell you that I had plans to go to Boston in April to spectate the Boston Marathon.  I waited too long.  The tickets that are available are either not convenient or too expensive.  So since I am not going anymore, I am now able to go to Kansas for a half marathon.

The topic for next week’s Fit Fit Friday – 5 reasons to run a turkey trot.  Feel free to write about this or any fitness topic you’d like.  We hope you’ll link up with us!