Taking Care

Last week was a blur of unseasonably hot weather, dirty martinis, and fun with family, made a little hazy in retrospect by a cocktail of meds I was taking to keep my back from going out.  A weekend of long walks, Lidocaine patches, Advil, and arnica backrubs courtesy of the husband (my hero), with some lattes and barbecue thrown in for good measure have me feeling somewhat back to normal today.  And the rainy skies in Boston are making me feel like hunkering down for a week of detox and renewal.
On my list for the week?
1) Join the gym!  Imagine my glee when I found out this morning that our local, independently-owned gym is having a super-special today: $99 for three months!  YES!  I'm so in.  I love that this place has on-site childcare and classes called "Butts & Guts" and "Hot Latin Buns".  I am so taking HLB and reporting back, don't you worry.
2) Cook up healthy meals for the fam after several Annie's Mac & Cheese fueled weeks around here.  On this week's menu are White Chicken Chili, a Quickie Indian Night I hope to make more intriguing with the addition of homemade garlic naan, and steel-cut oats for my mornings, which I pre-made for the week last night.

 

Chicken Chili photo courtesy of Kohler Created.  I plan to use my own recipe, however, and will share it once I perfect it!

I wrote last fall about cooking big pots of SCOs on Sundays and I am so about to get back in the habit.  There is nothing better than a quick, healthy, filling hot breakfast in the fall and there are endless possibilities for dressing up your oats: this morning I added a half a smashed banana, a drizzle of Vermont maple syrup (is there any other kind?) and a sprinkle of cinnamon, but I also love to add fresh berries, honey, and a dollop of Greek yogurt or peanut butter on the top.  Yum.
3)  Yoga night.  It must happen.
4) Start a new book.  I am thinking in the time of a restful, restorative, self-improving-type week, it is going to be If the Buddha Got Stuck which I got as part of the best care package ever a couple months ago:

 

LOVED this package: the spicy Vosges chocolate bar and awesome energy bar are obviously long gone, but the Ginger Tea lives on and will also play a major role in my week.  I am excited to delve into the Buddha book, as I could use a little self-help right about now, and always love looking to that guy for advice.  I'll review the book when I'm finished!  In the meantime, if you also plan to curl up and do some reading this week, you must do so with some Teatulia Ginger Tea, which is hands down the tastiest ginger-brew I have ever experienced.  Thanks JM!
5) More arnica.  I'm telling you, this stuff is the miracle cure.

Arnica in the wild... pretty, no?

What will you do this week to take care of you?