Freedom!

Yesterday afternoon, I closed my laptop on work, went out to the garden to snip rosemary and thyme, and came back in to pull out two saucepans and the sugar. I made a batch of rosemary simple syrup and a batch of thyme simple syrup for two cocktails I want to try with my girlfriends this weekend: an Apple Cider Whiskey Rose(mary) cocktail and a Lemon and Thyme Whiskey Sour.*

I felt freed the other day when I wrote about cramming for the week. I didn’t realize how much I was holding inside until it was out. Laying out my stress, and acknowledging that I need to exercise and journal to help keep me balanced, changed the way I approached the rest of the week. I checked the driving distance to my Girls’ Weekend destination (6-7 hrs), our check-in time (4pm), what time the liquor store opens (10am), and when the pool had open lanes to reserve (9am).

The times work out perfectly. So now, this morning, on the first day of my five day weekend, I’ll throw all my stuff for my trip in the car, swim, shower at the pool, arrive at the liquor store at opening time, and then hit the road with a phone full of podcasts and music to listen to. I’ll arrive shortly after check-in along with one of the other early arrivers, and the weekend will begin!

*Thank you for y’all’s suggestions when I requested autumn cocktail ideas! If we can find everything for it, we’re going to try this Autumn Leaves cocktail. Another friend requested tequila on the liquor run I’ll make this morning. I’m scared about that.