Unplugged

This will be a short post since I spent the long weekend completely unplugged.

For the Fourth of July weekend this year I went down to a friend’s place on Badin Lake. At various points there were sixteen or so folks there, but a core of six was there the whole time. It was quite relaxing to be away and on the water. And as a bonus, I had no phone signal down there so put my phone and watch aside as soon as I got there on Thursday.

I brought Finn along to see how he’d do with water and a change of scenery. Turns out he may not be much of a water dog, but he did like riding in the boat. It was a bit of a challenge managing him with no fenced in yard, but with a combo of a tether and leash we were able to keep him occupied and safe.

It was great to have time with friends where there were no expectations other than relaxation. We had kayaks, a paddle board and many floatation devices. Hours were spent in the water, just floating.

So, what does this have to do with fitness? It is never a bad idea to give your mental health a vacation. This weekend was about being calm, and enjoying just being. Something that the pandemic made difficult for the past year, I was able to reconnect with in just a couple days. For the duration of the trip, I was just able to enjoy the company of friends, goof off and experience nature.

It helped that most of us are trying to eat healthy most of the time. It was a “cheat weekend” but there was not a sweet to be found other than fresh fruit. The beef was all grass fed and most of the chips were marginally healthy. This is not to say we were actually eating healthy, it’s just that it could have been worse. 

Finn added the only curve into it all since he never slept past 6:30, and therefore I never slept past 6:30. But that means I got to see the lake just after sunrise and experience that beauty every day. 

It was a well-timed break and I am grateful for the friends that made it happen.