Wednesday, January 20, 2016

Shouldless Days: January

I had my first "shouldless" day this past Monday and in a word, it was fabulous! I'm really glad I made it a goal to have one shouldless day a month as I know it is going to be so good for me - especially for my mental health.  Here's how I filled my day.

I woke up in the morning without an alarm (which is oh so blissful) and started my day by reading while cuddling up under the electric throw blanket Phil's mom got me for Christmas. 


Later that morning, I got a kick out of watching Oscar try to be patient and wait for Phil to finish his cereal so she could have some of the milk.  Her patience wore thin, though, so she started to reach for the bowl which cracked us up.

Hey, I want some of that!
Phil was heading to his mom's for the day so he dropped me off at home and I did some more reading. By the way, the book I am reading is "Blindness" which is a book that I have owned for 5+ years and am finally getting around to reading. The style of writing is very unique but I am enjoying it.


I had taken it easy for the past several days but was feeling the itch to get a workout in, so I decided to go down to the gym for a run on the treadmill. Running on my treadmill is not my favorite thing to do but it was -8F and even colder with the windchill so it was my only option. It felt good to get my sweat on while listening to the latest podcast released by The Minimalists.

After my run, I had worked up an appetite so I enjoyed the last serving of the Asian chopped salad that I made last week while watching Gilmore Girls.


Mondays are my RA medication injection day, which I still hate doing even though I've been doing it for 2+ years. So I rewarded myself with a mug of salted caramel cocoa (full confession: I'd had one the previous day, too) and 2 GF chocolate chip cookies. It was a delightful treat.


After that, I did some knitting while watching the first couple of episodes of season 4 of Gilmore Girls. This is the season when Rory goes to college and it made me sooo nostalgic for my freshman year of college.
This is the shawl I have been working on for over 2 years... It's going to be beautiful when it's done but it's such a big project!
The rest of the day was spent reading, relaxing on the couch, and enjoying some leftover chili for dinner. It was so great to have such a low key day where I did whatever I felt like doing for the entire day. I spend so many weekends feeling like I am just checking item after item off my to-do list so it was very nice to have a day with no to-do's, chores or other obligations!

If you had a "shouldless" day, what would you do?

21 comments:

Marlys said...

Well, that was a perfect day! So happy you did that and you needed that after your RA flare up!
It was fun to see Oscar and see how big she has grown!

I was going to do lots of reading last weekend, but kept thinking of things I should get done, and ended up not opening a book! Dernit!

Marisa A. said...

So jealous, that was supposed to be my Monday. Instead I ended up doing a bunch of errands and chores around the house that by the time I sat down to watch Gilmore Girls it was 4:30 :( I did get to yoga so at least there was that. I am determined to make President's Day a real shouldless day!

Nora said...

That shawl is gorgeous! I can't wait to see the finished product.

Oh, that episode where Rory's mom takes her to college and then she calls for Lorelai to come back? Gets me EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. I love that show so much. So much.

I love that Oscar couldn't wait longer for Phil's cereal milk; Jack does a similar thing when he knows I have cereal :)

Jeanie said...

Wow -- Oscar is adorable and so is that shawl!

It seems like most of my days are shouldless now. Oh, I still make the bed and tidy up and all that but sort of play things by ear. It's very nice indeed!

Charbelle said...

I love a shouldless day! I do schedule those for me occasionally :) When I have them they actually look very similar to yours, reading, working out, and watching tv.

Jack Banner always wants the leftover milk! Oscar is way too cute!!!

Stephany said...

I love your first shouldless day for the year! Did you feel good about it, or restless about not getting stuff done?

Looking at your day, I realize I don't really have shouldless days in my schedule, either! Even if I'm at home, I'm always rushing around doing things and knocking stuff off my to-do list. Maybe I need to schedule a day just to myself, where I can read and watch TV and just BE. Hmmmm.

Anonymous said...

Your shawl is GORGEOUS! Keep on keepin' on. It sounds like you knocked your first shoudless day out of the park. Go, you!

Jenny said...

Oscar has such a cute face, and Phil has her so spoiled! :) It sounds like a really great day, and the cocoa sounds delicious. I love the shawl you're working on, reminds me that I've got a blanket sitting on the needles that needs attention.

If I was having a shouldless day I'd probably cook something that's normally too time consuming like lasagne or the slow cooker veggie moussaka recipe I found recently and I'd almost certainly have an afternoon nap!

Carolina John said...

Our cat pukes every time he gets some milk. it's disturbing.

That sounds like a really nice relaxing shouldless day!

Kelly (She Wears a Red Sox Cap) said...

Sounds like an absolutely delightful day! I think my shouldless day would be similar to yours, except maybe I'd go out to eat at the end of it. I find I always think a day at home is a great idea but then by 4 pm I'm like MUST GET OUT haha.

Leigh said...

That sounds like an absolutely fabulous day! I think my day would include sleeping in, reading, going for a run/working out

Raquelita said...

All of that sounds fantastic! I've not read Blindness, but I've read three of Saramago's other novels and enjoyed them all. If I had a shouldless day, I'd probably spend some extra time sleeping, read part of a novel, watch a few episodes of a show on Netflix, maybe workout, and take a bubble bath.

San said...

Oh, your shouldless day sounds glorious and I totally support that you give yourself a break like this more often...

Amber said...

What an awesome day you had! As much as the RA flare up sucks so much it probably also really helped you keep your very first shouldless day super relaxing and low-key, which is probably exactly what your body and mind needs!! I think right now a shouldess day for me would look very similar to yours. Lots of reading on the couch, watching my favourite shows on netflix and probably squeezing in a run or yoga class but not first thing in the morning because my favourite way to start the day is reading with a cup of coffee!

Abby said...

I LOVE that you still have your Panda blanket! I am amazed that it's held up all these years!
That sounds like a perfect day!! Just what you needed with your go-go-go lifestyle! That picture of Oscar is too adorable! What a cutie!

If I could have a "shouldless day" I would....no pack or clean or do anything house related! :) I am so "over" our house right now....I would 1) Go trail running. 2) Get a celebratory mocha. 3) Make myself a fritata for brunch. 4) Go to a power yoga class. 5) Spend the rest of my afternoon making home-made pizza, reading in our back yard, and enjoying "no plans"!!!

I'm thinking I will get a shouldless day in February once we are all settled into our apartment, and I am home from the 2 week training in Florida!!

Charbelle said...
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Charbelle said...
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Charbelle said...

Since there is so much snow and ice here I'm now having my own shouldless day :)

The Many Thoughts of a Reader said...

That looks like a beautiful shawl! I usually use nap times as my shoudless times. And I usually use it with screen time. Full on blog reading or facebook stalking or whatever. I need me time. I don't usually do chores when my child is asleep because I really value my time. So my house may be messy and projects never completed but my mental health is worth it! I also usually read on the couch under oodles of blankets!

Kyria @ Travel Spot said...

Wow, I am impressed that you are making a shawl! I have made a few scarves, but have not attempted anything more difficult. I found it hard to find time to knit, as it meant I could not read. I guess now that there are more audio books, I could do both at the same time!

I think I was in need of a should-less day. This weekend I was forced to do nothing and it was probably for the best, since I ended up sleeping a lot. I do feel like it's crazy to spend a whole weekend doing nothing though, but I had no other choice due to back issues! I kept thinking that I should be sweeping or cleaning or raking or... but I took it easy instead and it was nice, although it's still hard to wrap my mind around the fact that it's not "wasted" time.

Jolene - EverydayFoodie said...

Sounds like a nice "shouldless day" :-) That's great that you're setting this time aside for yourself.