Blue Lagoon

Since I started posting about Iceland I'm on a roll! So let me back track and say that even before heading to Reykjavik, we went to the magical land of the Blue Lagoon. In general, the Blue Lagoon is a not to be missed stop on any Iceland visitor's itinerary. There are even shuttles to and from the airport! We had taken a red eye flight so when we arrived at the airport in Keflavik in the early morning hours, we were struggling to stay alert let alone appreciate our surroundings. Thankfully, we planned to head straight to the Blue Lagoon to kill some time before checking in to the hotel and as a means of getting to Reykjavik.

If I didn't think hubby would kill me for posting a picture of him, I would show you a great picture of what happened next. We lounged in the thermal waters, arms on the smooth rocks, with just our heads above the water and took cat naps. It was, perhaps, the most relaxing day of my entire life.

How does that all happen? You get off the bus at the Blue Lagoon and Spa, walk up a long walkway and into a building where you check in and get a locker key. I found the front desk staff lacking in information and charm. If I remember correctly, I tried to pick a fight with one of the guys there. But, as I mentioned, it had been a long night. You change in a very nice locker room and figure out what to bring with you to negotiate the getting into and out of the water. You must remember that the air temperature is not what you want to be in a bathing suit in. Brrrr. So devise your plan and meet your travel partner and sprint to the warm water.

As you can see, it's a good size so you can spend some time exploring different areas. Water temps change slightly in spots. Sometimes there's a bar set up in the same area as this picture but we were there in the morning so it wasn't set up. There's also a waterfall, a steam room and a spot for water massages (which I really wish I had done now, despite the expense...imagine floating in jacuzzi temps, weightless, while someone massages you!).



Isn't the milky blue color just enchanting?? This is just next to the body of water you can go in but the color is the same.



One of the most fun parts is that there are tubs of silica goo stuff on the sides of the water, filled with minerals from the water (and you can actually even scrape some off of the rocks). You go over, scoop some up, and apply it to your face. Your skin feels like fairies resurfaced it afterwards!

Bottom line: Do Not Miss This Attraction if you go to Iceland. I would probably go back to the country just for this experience alone!

TGIF

Do you ever have days when you are just vacant? I'm sure you do. We all do. I'm having one of those hard-to-focus, want-to-to-nothing kinds of days. Actually, I wouldn't mind napping. Or watching a movie. Or even reading. But as far as accomplishing things, today would not be my day.

Maybe it's because it's not even Halloween and it snowed last night and they are predicting a Nor'easter for tomorrow night when I should be dressing up and going to a party. It's generally shocking when it snows a dusting before Thanksgiving but this....this is just ridiculous weather. It's extra silly that just two weekends ago we broke records for being in the 80's. I didn't realize until I started blogging just how much I talk about the weather but there's no denying that what you see outside your window impacts your state of mind.

Or maybe it's because we had a big work event last night and I didn't get home until like 11:30. I usually go to bed between 12:30-1:00 so it's not that being up that late was a problem. But part of the reason I go to bed so late is because when I get home, which is still typically later like 9ish, I need a little time to just unwind. For me that most often means I need to watch some tv and zone out a bit. So when you get home at 11:30 and still need time to zone, it gets late fast.

I'm also working a little part time job on the side now. It would be embarrassing if it wasn't so much fun. Even though it's only 1-2 nights a week, it makes my weeks feel even more full. Now every night of the week has an assignment. One night for the gym, one for the pt job, one for date night, one working at my ft job and the weekends are more variable. It's increasingly challenging to find the balance between work time, time with hubby, time with friends and family and time just for me. Add the basics like cleaning, grocery shopping and laundry to the mix. Now sprinkle in some much needed exercise and trying to attend church services. And, of course, keeping up with all the reality tv shows I need to stay grounded. And occasionally reading. Or writing this blog.

Now with all of this, when life throws a legit curve ball and offers up something into the universe that genuinely warrants my stress levels increasing, it's kind of like walking through a white carpeted room with a glass of tropical punch Kool Aid at a fast clip.

So, I guess a vacant day is warranted. And I assume you will understand why the blog doesn't always get the love it deserves. Or why sometimes I stray from my topics of focus. Or why this post has almost no complete sentences. I am not thinking in complete sentences today. Cheers to the weekend!

Packing Fashion Show

I have seen a lot of blogs that write about travel that have posts about what/how to pack including lists and pictures. Only tonight, though, did I realize I actually have something unique to add to the conversation. Basically, I determined only this evening that the process I go through to pack is probably not the way other people do it and it's entirely a ritual/fun past time for me.

It starts with a good, old fashioned list. The number of casual, dressy, workout outfits is determined. I make sure to actually write out basics like socks and underwear just to make sure I cross them off when they are legitimately in the suitcase, lest I forget something essential like bras. I also list out all the toiletries one by one so nothing is forgotten. Of course, the list also includes the entertainment section with notes about ipods and cameras and corresponding chargers. This list is typically drawn up days in advance during some downtime.

Packing doesn't really begin until the night before, to be honest. The week leading up to a trip includes more laundry than usual and some strategic work outfit choices so I don't sully anything I want to bring but might not have time to wash again. I find it hard to pack well in advance because I need all my toiletries each day. Even when I pack them the night before, I keep them all contained in beach bag/tote bag so I can access them in the morning before departing.

So here comes the fun part: the fashion show. I like to know I am going to be comfortable on my trip and that the outfits I put together will be appropriate for the climate and activities I am heading off to enjoy. Unlike a friend who brought a skirt to Spain only to try it on there and find it no longer fit, I don't want to bring items I am not going to use. Also, I don't want to pack an outfit that ends up making me self concious. Sooooo, I pull all potential items out of the clean laundry bin or closet. i lay them out in piles: tops, bottoms, pjs, dresses, etc. Hanging items get to stay on the hanger but rest on a dresser knob or closet door so they are more visible. Then I start trying combos on. If something is too __________________ (fill in the blank with the word of your choice), it get's vetoed. It's like elimination rounds. The final contenders have to be paired up into actual outfits and I bring enough for the number of days I will be gone plus one or two, just in case. I make sure I have a couple outfits that are specifically for night events and there's a separate set of outfits for multiple days of workouts. Undergarments are chosen based on what wins a spot in the suitcase. When it comes to footwear, I try to get the most bang for my buck and choose multiple outfits that can be worn with the same few pairs of shoes. Tonights winners in the shoe category: one pair of heels for night time, one pair of sneakers for workouts, and two pairs of flip flops: black and brown. I'm debating bringing my mesh Merrell things, too but I'm not comitted to it yet.

This process has served me well. My selections end up having more variety, greater comfort and are overall more user friendly than if I had just tossed items together. Are pre-vacation fashion shows abnormal? I'm guessing not everyone handles packing this way.

An introduction to Our Home

Kitchen Before

Kitchen After

I have been so swept up in writing about travel lately that I have neglected writing about my blooming domesticity. While it's lovely to leave home briefly to see how other people live, at the end of the day I have a mortgage to pay:) And in making that kind of commitment to a building, I need to show it a little love, too.
Before I can start sharing posts about projects I am undertaking on the home front, I feel it necessary to introduce you to the history of my home. We moved into our townhouse in June of 2009, just over 2 years ago now. Of note, this was after living at a boarding high school for two years with about 25 teenage girls. During that time, we lived in the tiniest apartment on campus. The schedule and responsibility that came with our living arrangement paired with the tax rebates being offered for first time home owners made for a perfect storm to start a housing search.
 We chose the area we settled in for a number of reasons. Admittedly, the primary reason was that I wanted to be closer to my family and farther away from work. Although the commute is sometimes challenging, it's nice to be able to have the separation for both physical and emotional safety; I never run into clients I work with at the grocery store. While we may have preferred to be a tiny bit closer to work, all of the towns between the city we work in and the town my parents live in and I adore are big ticket towns. We either couldn't afford anything there or we could afford smaller, more run down places that would need more work. Therefore, a 45 minute commute was a compromise to have 1600 square feet, three levels of living, two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a finished basement and an attached garage. In the MetroBoston area, that's a decent amount of space for folks not working with huge cash flows.
Our upgrades began in the kitchen. It looked old and had some drawers that couldn't even open due to the layout. There was also a stenciled/painted ivy motif near one of the windows which, I hope goes without saying, had to go! We used the tax refund we got to pay for new cabinets and counters. I found a great deal on Craigslist for stainless steel appliances because not all of the old ones matched the refrigerator was spoiling my milk.
It took until August of 2010 to start thinking about really decorating. Beyond what we brought from the tiny apartment that we tossed up on the walls, we didn't invest in items for the walls or other accessories until I took a week off in the summer. When it rained most of the days I planned to go to the beach, I watched a lot of HGTV and got some ideas and inspiration and ran around to craft stores, department stores, home goods stores, hardware stores, and even book stores to begin to fulfill my vision.
It wasn't until this past Spring that we finally put up curtains in the living room and master bedroom (don't worry, we had blinds so the neighbors weren't getting a front row seat to everything). And it's still a work in process!
Here is what has been done:
kitchen cabinets, counters and appliances
painting accent wall in kitchen, and both bathrooms
removed living room carpet and had laminate flooring installed
food storage area in laundry room created
window treatments in both bedrooms and living room
basic wall decor and accessories in both bedrooms and living room
Here's my wishlist to do:
new bathroom vanities
more pops of color
repaint kitchen
paint dining room accent wall
new faucets
new shower head
greater development of style vision in both bedrooms and living room
clean the garage out (we still have the original stove in there)
pull together the basement man cave/sports and movies room
paint stairwell banisters (they just started peeling!)
at least one piece of customized art
remove caulking from tub

I'm sure there are more projects but my brain just flooded.......

Home Sweet Home with a Case of the Mondays

So many of my posts over the last six months have somehow related to travel. Neighbors and people at church have begun frequently commenting on my adventures and I'm happy and proud to have another activity with which to identify.
For the past few years, doing triathlons has been a big part of my identity and a source of pride. It's funny how quickly things can flip upside down as this year, without the aid of a team to train with, I feel woefully unprepared for the one sprint race I registered for. It's this Saturday and I have had a stomach ache all day in anticipation. 4 more days of this feeling??! Somehow, I need to convince myself to not worry about the numbers and just enjoy the event. We use to placate ourselves with thoughts of it being more than most people do but it's still hard not to make comparisons, if only with your former self.
Identifying with travel as my hobby of choice slightly softens the blow of not being proud of myself for triathlons this season. At least I have something else exciting to fill the void, right?
That was all a tangent, though. My main focus when I started writing this blog hours ago before I got sidetracked about 419 times was to write about the mixed blessing of coming home again. After another week away, I really wanted to be at home.
Last week I was lucky enough to be invited to spend 4 days at a friend's beach house on the Maine coast followed by 3 days at a different friend's Cape Cod house. Both were relaxing, filled with good company and conversation, and wonderful venues to follow my own volition; to choose how I wanted to fill my time instead of sticking to frantic schedule that is my normal routine. With one night at home in between, I found it hard to leave again. I wanted to spend time with Hubby, to pet the cats, to clean the house!
When I finally arrived home last night, it was welcomed as I enjoyed my familiar surroundings, my own comfortable couch and bed, the TV shows I had recorded, the husband and the cats. However, it also brought a to-do list both at home and, today, at work as long as the neck of a giraffe. After a week of ignoring responsibilities, it feels like they have reproduced Gremlin-style, seemingly exponential in growth.
This post isn't profound or even amusing but it was really cathartic for me. I just needed to "say" that I'm glad to be home and glad to have a break before my next extended stay away from home but also that this kind of stress that I'm returning to is exactly what makes me want to drop it all again and lay in the sun without a deep thought in my head.

Hold on to that Feeling!

Do you know what song that line is from? I will reveal the answer at the end of this post:)

In line with the vacation glow post from yesterday and how to hold on to it, we actually spent some time talking about this in one of my meetings at work today. Just being able to right that is pretty cool-that I work someplace that thinks that's a valuable commodity worth discussing as a group.

I thought I would share some of the ideas that popped up:
Each day, instead of writing a to-do list, write a "done" list to show what you were proud of doing that day.
Keep a gratitude journal. Write three things each day that you are grateful for. It helps you focus on the good stuff in your day instead of the bad. I did this for a while and found myself being grateful for landscapers planting tulips for me to look at. Kinda extreme Pollyanna but a great sentiment, nonetheless.
Keep a more stringent work schedule. 8 hours. Don't be proud of yourself for being stressed out. Don't buy into the culture that it's cool to work 12 hour days and be stressed out all the time.
Take local trips. Sightsee in the city nearest you!
Remember that work is just a job. Even if it's really important work. Save a little something for your life with your loved ones and your hobbies.
Focus on the ways your job is easy, not the ways your job is hard.

Not bad for a Monday and my first day back at work after a two week-first trip to mainland Europe-fantasy getaway, eh?

Oh, I almost forgot to post the answer the trivia question! It's from Don't Stop Believin'

Nothing to Blog about

You would think that if I have nothing to blog about that I just wouldn't blog, right? Wrong. I'm taking a mental break from work at the moment. The client who is supposed to be sitting across from me right now never called or came. And that's ok. I wasn't feeling attentive anyway so it's all for the best.
We had a training on S&M in our staff meeting today. Yes, really. My favorite part was when one of the older women asked how one finds out about parties. Oh the visuals I visualize!
Other than that, what can I tell you?
I brought my spare sound machine (of course I had a back up!) from my office back to my bedroom and slept like a very tired baby last night, meaning I didn't wake up every few hours like a regular baby. Or like I have been because the cat has been coughing up hair balls between 3-5am the past few nights. I kicked the cats out of the bed and shut the door and enjoyed my water noises from the machine. I'm also enjoying a particularly comfy blanket while my usual one is being cleaned. I could have picked it up on Monday but who has the time? Too much work = fatigue = boring paragraphs related to  my desire to be back in my bed.
I could also tell you about getting put on blast by a woman in a group I was leading last night. That felt good. The women asked us to self-disclose our traumatic experiences, which is a professional no-no. When we nicely avoided the question, not everyone let it go quietly. Ah, vacation Maureen checked out sometime last night during that meeting.
Oh, I could also tell you about how I have not done my taxes yet. I am the kind of person accountants hate at this time of year. I had the best intentions of doing them tonight but when I went to gather all the documents, I can't find my form from my job, my 401k, or my mortgage. Awesome. So I'm going to see a movie tonight instead.
Something about all this makes me want to laugh. I hope it does for you, as well!

I'd like to write a creative post tonight

But it's not in the cards. I had a great weekend and took more pictures that I need to catch up on downloading and posting here but....I CAN'T FIND THE CAMERA CORD THING! At least I tried, right? This problem might be solved if I had one of those fancy phones that takes pics and posts them online. I am like Zack Morris currently, with none of those special features. My hubby has the same phone and I can hardly understand him; he honestly sounds like a T operator on the phone.
So...on the to do list:
Find camera cord thing
Figure out if you spell it cord or chord. feel free to weigh in
Go phone shopping
Write a better blog post when I have pics to go with my stories.