gratitude – The Neverending Lori

…and more Venice

July 7, 2023July 4, 2023 Lori Martin

Venice was just too awesome for one post. Day two was more exploring, eating, drinking – repeat. We saw some gorgeous spots. One tip for traveling when it’s hot (and you’re not sure you’ll have easy access to laundry) is WoolX shirts. Seriously! They’re made of Merino Wool – but they’re NOT hot. In fact, they’re soft, moisture wicking, and don’t get stinky. They are quick drying, so if you get stuck in a downpour or decide that you want to wash it out in the sink after several days of wear, these shirts will easily hang dry overnight! I have two of the Mia V-neck shirts and absolutely LOVE them! You can save $20 on a $50 order by clicking HERE! You can thank me later! They’re incredible. I’ve already ordered long sleeve shirts for our May 2024 Alaskan cruise!

OK, back to Venice. We had a washer, but no dryer in our apartment. I guess that’s what made me think of the WoolX tees. I washed my stuff on day 1 and then had everything hung about the apartment hoping it would dry. My jeans and heavier items did NOT dry easily, so those had to be soaked and washed once I got home. I will say had I been comfortable enough to leave them out in the courtyard on the drying rack in the sun, they likely would’ve dried just fine, but I was afraid I’d return and someone would’ve stolen my “Mom Jeans”…which in hindsight, really was not a valid concern!

I’m a big fan of the Aperol Spritz – even located Aperol at home!

One thing that was a “must find” while I was in Venice was the Lellabella yarn shop! I had decided that, as a knitter, a cool souvenir would be yarn from my travels. Drake brought yarn back from Scotland for me, so I was on a mission to locate this mother-daughter owned shop that is packed with amazing yarns. I was like a kid in a candy store!

Drake picked out a merino wool/cashmere blend yarn for a scarf/hat combo and then I just bought random things for random projects. The ladies were so lovely to help me and we were able to work through the language barrier fairly easily. While we were there a few local customers came in with their projects seeking help from the owners, which then inspired me to buy more yarn once I saw what it looked like when knit up!

I’m VERY happy that I found the yarn shop!

We walked along, stopping in shops that interested us, taking photos of the beautiful surroundings, and of course – eating and drinking when needed!

For our final full day in Venice, I told Drake and Sara that I was going to get up early, have breakfast at a neighborhood cafe and then head out to Burano for the day. They were welcome to join me or they could do something else, but I wanted to meet up for a nice dinner for our last night. They decided to stay there, so I headed out on the morning of May 23 for Burano. First up was a cafe just around the corner from our apartment for an AMAZING breakfast.

Tiramisu pancakes with a cappuccino – SO DELICIOUS!

I felt like a savvy traveler, navigating the public water bus system and getting myself out there! I had to change water bus lines a few times in order to get to Burano, but I made it.

The trip to Burano included a line change at Arsenale, gorgeous scenery from the boat, and an adorable Venice pup who had a very “Scruffy-like” face and reminded me of home!

Burano is a gorgeous island, full of brightly painted buildings and amazing shopping. Before I got too engrossed with the shopping I stopped at an outdoor cafe and enjoyed a few drinks and some amazing food.

Best spaghetti I’ve ever had. Limoncello spritz vs. Midori spritz – both were delicious and refreshing!

Such vibrant colors, luxurious fabrics, and lively music – it was truly an experience for all your senses!

After enjoying my day on Burano I headed back to the apartment to meet up with Drake and Sara. I knew that at this point, an entire new suitcase would be required to get all my stuff home, so dinner and finding a suitcase were on our agenda for the evening.

We decided to eat dinner at an outdoor cafe on the Grand Canal near Rialto. The food was decadent and delicious – as always – and we were able to sit and leisurely enjoy our meal as well as the sights and sounds of Venice. We enjoyed a delicious appetizer of Buffalo mozzarella and prosciutto and then I had a pasta with freshly shaved truffles on top. Molto bene!

After an amazing dinner it was time to get packed up and ready to head home. The red suitcase is also a “souvenir” from Venice! Pro-tip – pack your suitcase and put it INSIDE another suitcase so you don’t have to buy one on vacation!

We did public water bus transport to the airport, and it was quite easy. I had been watching when we were taking the water bus and knew there were a few that were dedicated Marco Polo lines. We got to the airport, got checked in, and soon boarded our flight back home. It was a wonderful trip! Our flight went from Venice to Atlanta, which is where I left Drake and Sara. Our company had a show in Atlanta that week, so I stayed in Atlanta and met up with the team. Drake and Sara flew on to Nashville and then drove home.

You always see this stuff and it’s easy to say “yeah, I’m going to do that” but not many of us actually do – TAKE the trip, VISIT the places you want to see, DO SOMETHING spontaneous, SPEND TIME with your loved ones. This trip was a great reminder to me that there is an amazing world out there, full of incredible sights…and we are on limited time. This trip reminded me of that and ignited the desire to go, do more. See more. Experience more. Live more.

So, friends – if you’ve made it this far…well, this is just the beginning. More experiences, more new adventure, more fun times are ahead…and I hope you’ll join me in these adventures as well as the average daily life!

Health & Wellness

Facebook Memories

April 16, 2023 Lori Martin

I find myself using my Facebook account less often, but one thing I really enjoy is seeing the “Memories” that pop up each day. This week I had a few significant ones that I’d like to discuss.

First of all, three years ago during the COVID “shelter at home” I found a reason to get out of the house to go to a blood drive. I had not donated since I was 18, and I didn’t have a particularly good time at that point in my life, so I had not donated since. But, this time in 2020 was HARD y’all and I needed some human interaction with people other than the ones sheltering in my home with me…so off to the blood drive I went.

Fittingly enough, this week I received my “2 Gallon” pin from the American Red Cross. Not only did I start donating in 2020, but I kept going as I realized that donating blood was NOT a big deal and could really help people. I am O+, so one time the blood drive workers suggested I consider doing a Power Red donation, as O+ is very helpful and in need. Power Red basically takes just the red blood cells and puts the plasma back in, so you’re donating a double amount of red blood cells each time. I have found that any time I am giving blood (be it at a blood drive or for a doctor’s appointment) if I drink a lot of water they can find a good vein easier. Donating blood is SUPER easy and really helps people, so please consider it if you’re not a regular donor!

Another Facebook memory that actually popped up today is the “one year anniversary” of finishing my first 6-weeks following the FASTer Way To Fat Loss nutrition program. Ironically enough, I had basically let my good habits slide but last week I was determined to do ONE workout and to use their app to track my eating.

I’m sure I’m not the ONLY one, but when I track the food I eat, I always eat better! The amazing thing with FWTFL is the amount of food you eat. Seriously – even a year later – it blows my mind that if you’re eating the right balance of food, you need to eat a LOT in order to fuel your body. Last week I did workouts on Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday. I didn’t follow the workouts by day (as Friday and Sunday are both active recovery) but did total body, upper body, and leg day. I’ve been eating better and tracking what I eat. I feel a LOT better today than I did a week ago.

Honestly, I’m not sure WHY that surprises me. I feel like I’m a fairly intelligent person, but when it comes to my physical and mental health I’m a total ding-dong. Gee, if something makes me feel great and then I stop and feel like crap, it surely has NOTHING to do with the thing I stopped…??? What is wrong with my brain?

Anyway, I’m going to let that go and focus on each day as it comes. I’ve planned out my meals for the next week, made a list, and groceries are being acquired. When I did the first 6-weeks, the weight seemed like it was melting off of me and I wasn’t even doing the workouts. I feel like a newbie again, but this time I’m adding the workouts into my regular routine.

If you’re curious about the FASTer Way To Fat Loss, there are two main components I tell people. One is that you’re not counting calories, but Macronutrients (Carbs, Fat, and Protein). Here’s the thing – turns out your body actually NEEDS carbs, so all that time I spent avoiding bread, pasta, rice, etc….dumb. The other main component of FWTFL is intermittent fasting.

WAIT – don’t go away! As soon as I heard that when I was introduced to the program I was like “Sorry, not gonna work for me…I can’t do that”. Well – turns out I CAN and even when I was “train’s not even NEAR the tracks” off track, I still kept with an IF schedule because I felt so much better when I followed it. The IF period is slowly introduced when you work with a Coach on your initial 6-weeks, and seriously, it’s amazing what a difference it makes.

If you’re interested in giving FWTFL a try, I HIGHLY recommend joining my coach, Jill Lewis. She breaks things down and makes the transition to a healthier lifestyle totally do-able! You can click HERE to join through my referral link (I would NOT recommend it if I did NOT believe in it). Be sure you select Jill Lewis as your coach! There is a special “Midlife Mayhem” round starting on the 24th. My referral link is HERE and again – Jill Lewis is who you select for your coach. FASTer Way has special programs for men, breastfeeding mommas, etc. There is a HUGE group of women over 50 who are taking control of their health and wellness by what they eat. If you’re local and want to join me for a FWTFL workout, let me know and we’ll get together and give one a try!

I’m thankful for the memories that Facebook showed me this week. They remind me that there is ALWAYS something you can do for someone else. Helping others is good for the soul. The FWTFL also reminded me that this amazing feeling I have today is no accident – it’s because I’ve been working AND fueling my body and treating it well.

Have a great week!

Life After Loss

Happy Anniversary

April 7, 2023 Lori Martin

Today, April 7th, is my parents’ wedding anniversary. They were married in 1951, so this is their 72nd anniversary. My Mom died in 2009, and my Dad passed in October of 2022, so this is the first wedding anniversary that neither of them is here.

I really hope with every fiber of my being, that they are reunited and together today to celebrate their anniversary and all the joys of their lives together. As a parent, I don’t know there’s anything more gratifying than seeing your children (no matter what their age) doing well and being happy. My wish for today is that my parents are together and feeling satisfied that they created a partnership that produced four children, all of whom turned out to be decent humans who are happy and fulfilled.

We all miss them terribly, but there’s not a day that goes by that I don’t think about my parents and the things that they taught me. I am thankful that I had the parents that I had and for the family they created. I am thankful that I had time with my Dad due to cancer that I likely wouldn’t have had otherwise. While it wasn’t always pretty, it was time together than we leaned on one another and slogged through it together. I’m thankful that he hung on after my Mom died. Now I find myself missing him, yet also feeling hopeful and optimistic that they are once again together.

Cheers, Mom and Dad – cheers to your marriage on April 7, 1951 and for all of the things that day set in motion.

Life After Loss

happy birthday

February 17, 2023 Lori Martin

Today, February 17th is Schuyler’s birthday. Schuyler is my nephew.

He was killed by an IED blast in Afghanistan in 2009.

Some may think today “was” his birthday and he “was” my nephew, and that’s ok, but that’s not how I see it. February 17th is – and always will be – his birthday. He will remain forever 25 in my mind – with a huge smile, a mischievous laugh, and a gripping hug that practically squeezed the air our of your every cell. A week from today, on the 24th, is the day he died…one week after his 25th birthday. Here and then gone.

I think about Sky a lot, but more so during this month, and even more during this week – the week between the day of his birth and the day of his death. Today, as thoughts of him and memories have passed through my mind I’ve smiled. Even now, typing this, I just have to smile. That’s really all he ever wanted – to make people smile. Right now I am feeling a little morose, as the thought just occurred to me – How much MORE laughter would we all have in our lives if he were still alive?

Wow – so much. So much more laughter.

He was truly a gift, and his presence in my life was a gift. Like everyone important to us who we lose, I long for more, but have to be grateful for the time we had.

That’s the real trick in this grief thing – remembering to be grateful for the time you had instead of focusing on what was lost.

So, happy birthday Schuyler. Thank you for the memories that you left with me; thank you for the people you brought to my life because of yours; thank you for whooshing through my head sometimes when I’m taking life way too seriously and reminding me to enjoy the ride; thank you for being the reason people choose to help others; thank you for being who you were and who you will always remain, in my heart and mind.

Holidays

Valentine’s Day

February 14, 2023February 14, 2023 Lori Martin

Today is Valentine’s Day and I’ve found that it’s a “holiday” that people have very mixed feelings about. Here’s what I think about VDay – and I’d love for you to comment (or even just personally reflect) on what the day means to you.

My childhood memories of Valentine’s Day are that Dad would bring Mom roses – and he’d bring me one too. I don’t remember it being a big production or anything, but it was just this nice little thing he did for my Mom and me. They may have gone out for dinner or something, but I just don’t recall it being a big deal. I remember the fun parties in school, where you’d decorate a shoe box and then put a card into your classmates boxes and then open them and enjoy all the little treats.

When the hubs and I started dating and were early married, I suppose we did some of the traditional things for Valentine’s Day, but honestly I don’t really remember. The hubs is a romantic so I’m sure he did sweet things, but that’s the thing about REAL romance – it’s NOT just about one day. I think that’s why VDay is just another day to me.

Here’s the thing – if my hubs doesn’t get me a card, flowers, candy, take me out for dinner, or any of those marketed Valentine’s Day “traditions” I do NOT think that he doesn’t love me. I don’t take it as a slight, I don’t take it as a bad sign, I don’t give it much thought. The day-to-day love and appreciation that we show one another is what matters. I’d rather him completely forget 2/14 but show me care and gratitude other days than have him go all out on VDay but then be uncaring the rest of the year.

So, what I’m saying folks is, don’t let one day define your ideas of your relationship. As a couple, do what seems right for YOU. If you’re new in love and things are all romantic and sweet and you want to make a romantic gesture today, go for it. But don’t forget that feeling on days where you’re not inundated by media and marketing with reminders that you should show that special person you care. Some flowers or a cheesy note in your loved ones car on a random Monday are just as (if not more) appreciated.

Also, if you find yourself feeling unappreciated or lonely in your relationship, think about GIVING what you want to RECEIVE. Ask your partner to do something with you – like take a walk, meet for lunch, or help cook dinner – whatever works in your situation, but just something you can do together and talk and break out of the routine that has maybe made things seem a bit mundane. Heck, try leaving them a cheesy love note in their car so they find it when they’re on their way to work! Just remember that no matter how “long” in love you may be, and how secure you are in your relationship, your partner ALWAYS will appreciate little reminders of how much you care.

On that note – everyone appreciates reminders that they’re cared for, so in the next week, I will be reaching out to 5 people in my life with a little note reminding them that I love, care, and appreciate them and what they bring to my life. Snail mail is so freaking awesome because nobody EVER expects anything GOOD to come via snail mail! So tap into the good old USPS and send a handwritten note to someone you love. Put some love and gratitude out into the world and see how that makes you feel – maybe you’ll even get some love and gratitude back.