Monday, June 22, 2020

My Pandemic Summer Bucket List: Making Lemonade Out of Lemons

This week's Tuesday Topics writing prompt is a very timely 'summer bucket list'. Back in the spring, I had a summer bucket list which included races, family get-togethers, and vacations, including a trip to Alabama to see Holly. None of those things have happened so far and in fact, right now, it doesn't look like much of anything is going to happen. We're well into the summer and COVID doesn't seem to be letting go--in fact, in most places, the illness is on the rise. 

What's a runner to do? All year so far, we've been making the best of things. As I'm sure most of you have done, I've had to revise my summer bucket list. It doesn't look like anything I envisioned a few months ago when snowflakes were flying. But I think you'll agree that Summer 2020 is all about making lemonade out of lemons! 

Avoid contracting COVID!
I'm still sporting my super fun InknBurn masks and will continue to do so. At work, I use full PPE that is provided by my employer. My husband and I order our groceries online and do curbside pickup. On our trips to Lake Wisconsin, we pack all our food and avoid the grocery store up there, where people aren't observing social distancing or masking.

Focus on training for the Ice Age 50k
I'm not even sure if the race will actually happen, but I'm all in and training for it. I'm grateful for having something to focus on right now. Hitting my miles has been very satisfying! I'm looking forward to exploring different segments of the Ice Age Trail while I train. So many segments, so little time...it's a 1000 mile trail, and my race takes place on only one of the segments outside of Whitewater, Wisconsin. 
I'm hoping to check it out prior to the race.


Spend as much time as possible on the water
I'm hoping to get up to Lake Wisconsin and out on the water a lot. I have waterskiied a few times already this summer but I'm greedy--I want more! I haven't inflated my SUP or gotten out in the kayak yet. I'm grateful for this little getaway that is only 2 hours from home. As long as my husband is willing to drag me around the lake, I will be happy. 


Saying goodbye to my childhood summer home
This weekend, I'm heading up to Door County with my son and his girlfriend to spend a final week with my parents at their lake house. They built the house when I was 12 years old. We've had so many happy memories there. While I understand that my aging parents need to move on, it's going to be a bittersweet trip. We can always go back and rent a place, but it will never feel quite the same.

I will miss these sunsets!

Run the virtual CARA Lakefront 10 miler on the Lakefront Trail
The Chicago Lakefront Trail opened back up this week! While the CARA Lakefront 10 miler was initially postponed from April to July, then changed to a virtual race, I'm hoping to put in the miles on the trail. It's where the race actually takes place. Don't you agree that will make it seem more real? Does that mean I have to run up Cricket Hill? I've got a few more weeks to get it done and earn that medal.



Lemonade anyone? Or at least lemon infused water? This is definitely not the summer I had hoped for. But I am going to make the best of it. How about you? What's on your pandemic summer bucket list?

I'm linking up with Kim and Zenaida for Tuesday Topics and with the Runners' Roundup: DebbieDeborahJenRachelSandra, and Lisa




40 comments :

  1. I did sign up for the virtual July 4th race. I wish I could say I'm looking forward to it . . . man, the weather has taken a nasty turn! But I can start early and I can pick the day I do it. Maybe not on the 4th (we're supposed to be in our second heat wave by then).

    I'm with you, sort of unfortunately -- staying healthy seems to be my goal. That and learning stuff. I'm signed up for a meditation course, and will probably do a few other courses as well.

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    1. I'm doing a lot of education right now for work--I have to do 80 hours a year. Glad to have the time to do it!

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  2. Yep, priority #1 is do not get sick/do not do anything that would get someone else sick if I'm asymptomatic, priority #2 is spend lots of time with fam, priority #3 is just keep running. My goal this year was to run 12 races and that hasn't changed, although I've been the only runner at 4 of them so far.

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    1. I'm definitely spending more time with family--at least with my sons. Looking forward to seeing my parents this weekend.

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  3. My plan for this summer was to fly to Maine with my daughter so we could spend a couple weeks with my parents in Maine. They're both 81 and my mom has a chronic lung disease so...that's off the table. Instead I'll be celebrating a low key 14th birthday with her and showing her an 80s style summer. No camps or programs or organized anything! Maybe I should find some TAB and Kool Aid to stock the fridge with? Hmm...

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    1. Haha--your 80s style summer sounds like a 70s style summer to me! TAB and Koolade all the way!

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  4. Love your summer list!
    I think this week I will inflate my SUP as well and go on the lake. We only need to carry our SUPs a few hundred meters to a canal which then flows into the lake.
    And hiking! I really want to do more hiking in the Swiss mountains.

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    1. I want to do some hiking in the Swiss mountains. Can you sneak me in?

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  5. It's good that you're making lemons out of lemonade- I think we all need to focus on what we can do rather than what we can't! I'd also like to avoid getting sick. Doing the best I can wearing masks and making sure I'm practicing the social distancing.

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    1. I think you meant lemonade out of lemons and yes! doing all of the above.

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  6. Thats My Problem, I Don't Have Any Race Goals - Enjoy The Last Few Moments At The House And Hope You Do Follow Through And Rent It Some day - Stay Strong And Enjoy Sipping On Freshly Squeezed Lemonade

    Cheers
    P.S. Righteous Cartoon

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    1. I can't imagine going back and renting it--too many memories. But we'll go back and stay somewhere else. And it will be fine.

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  7. 100% yes to not contracting COVID! Even though we will probably hit phase 3 of re-open this summer, I'm still going to be working from home, grocery shopping once a week and continuing to avoid people.

    This summer is going to be one for the history books, that's for sure!

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    1. We're moving the phase 4! Which is good but it's still not normal....

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  8. The one thing I really miss is seeing our friends in Hawaii. We will not go until the mandatory 14 day quarantine lifts, which at this point doesn't look to be anytime soon. Since we're staying home our lemonade has been twofold - we're building a block planter wall in our front yard (some of our neighbors think this is what Les does for a living) and lots of running/cycling.

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    1. That's got to be tough, not going to Hawaii. Would it be hard to quarantine for 14 days there? I can't think of a better place to quarantine...

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    2. The quarantine is extremely strict. Fines are up to $5000 and 1 year in jail. You can only go out for medical emergencies. Hotels are issuing 1 use keys and people have been arrested for posting on social media. No going outside = no running or cycling. Which would make for 2 crazy people in our household!

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  9. I'm starting stress all over again about getting Covid. We're seeing way more Covid patients now than ever before.
    Bummer that you'll be spending your final week at your family's lake house. You must have so many memories. It's my husbands dream to have a lake house.

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    1. So many memories. It's really going to be hard to say goodbye!

      Stay safe!

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  10. I'm with you...stay healthy and stay active.

    I miss high fiving my friends. I miss racing but I will try to enjoy nature instead.

    Love following your training...you are going rock this race.

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  11. I wrote a lemonade-themed post early on when all this COVID #crap hit the fan, too. It's the best we can do, right? As long as it's still clear and present, we just have to stay positive and keep on fighting. Total bummer on the lake house...any chance of you (and/or your siblings) acquiring it?

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  12. Hey Wendy! I have the exact same #1 on my bucket list: NOT contract Covid! With a diabetic and an asthmatic in my house, we are taking extra precautions! I have ventured out to socially distance meet-up with one friend at a time, wearing masks, sitting 6ft+ apart. I plan to continue that this summer, as long as no one in my circle contracts it! I also want to complete more puzzles, continue running outside in the mornings 3/week, continue PiYo, and enjoying this extra family time. My son is going into HS.....our time left before he heads out on his own is quickly coming to an end!

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    1. From what I can see, you're making the most of summer with your family!!

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  13. Other than running (and surviving) I really don't have anything on my summer bucket list now! I would love to go away for a few days but I just don't think we will feel comfortable going anywhere. At this point I'm just hoping we feel comfortable seeing family again within the next few weeks!

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    1. Right there with you--that's why we've only been going to our family places in Wisconsin!

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  14. I'm also trying to make a lot of lemonade but it takes more like lemon-infused water on some days! LOL. Given everything we are going through, I think your summer plans are the best although I can just imagine how sad you'll be saying bye to your childhood summer home. The only comfort is that those happy memories will always be with you.

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    1. I'm a little anxious about our trip--I guess we'll see how it all goes!

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  15. I like your list Wendy! Staying healthy is top of my list too. Hard to make plans with things still slowly opening here in MA. Just going to try to enjoy family time as much as possible :)

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  16. Definitely not the summer any of us hoped for but like you I am going to try to make the best of it. I am enjoying having both my kids home with us at least until August. Not sure if that will ever happen again so I am appreciating those days. They, on the other hand, are not as happy about it! My main paddle board place is not opening up this summer at all so I need to find new plan to get out on the water this summer. Enjoy your time at the lake house!

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    1. I'm happy to be going up there for a week but not that it's my last time. Going to make the most of it!

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  17. I love how motivated you are to keep training. I feel my motivation is waning even though my Portland Marathon hasn't been cancelled yet. Love that you have such a great getaway only two hours away. Soak it all in!

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  18. Staying healthy is my number one thing too. Being back at work has made me nervous as many people take their masks off while exercising then don't put them back on as they talk to their friends without enough social distance. I had a (maskless) man ask if he could speak to my client today, who I had allowed to pull down his mask because of his asthma while he was working hard. I told him he could if he's stay six feet away!

    Anyway, I don't have a race goal at the moment since I'm pretty sure that the one race I have on my calendar that was postponed to September will be canceled. I'm just not interested in virtual racing. Jeez! My life sounds boring! We are getting away once a week to La Perris where my husband swims and I run in the much cooler weather.

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    1. I feel like all of us are living pretty boring lives right now. It's all about trying to make the most of what we've got.

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  19. This sounds pretty lemonade-y to me! We were able to get away to a mountain cabin, and little man is at a modified camp, but after that... I think we are shutting it back down again. We will go to the beach, and maybe to some springs if my leg can handle it, but that's all I can envision doing in the immediate future.

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  20. Great list! Yes, you have to run Cricket Hill. Isn't it twice during the actual race?

    Thank you for linking up with us!

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