The work week is over, and the weekend is here!!!  As of today, I don’t work Fridays (at least for the next 10 weeks).  And what makes this even more fun is that the BOY has Fridays off this summer too!  I have basically come to the conclusion that this will probably be the last time that we will  have a weekday off, and we should take full advantage of it.  I stayed up a little later last night, but eventually pooped out after dinner, a walk, and some wine and music out back.  The BOY was out back with half the neighborhood hanging out and drinking until 12:30ish.  We had no set plans for today…just a list of fun things to do before our dinner reservation, so we slept in until 9AM.  I made us eggs for breakfast and we relaxed while we ate, waking up slowly with a little TV.  Around 11AM, we figured it was time to get moving.

 

 

Last summer, the BOY and I bought tennis rackets at Target one day.  They didn’t see a lot of action, mostly because I was awful and the BOY ended up running all over 2 courts trying to retrieve my balls.  I was eager to give tennis a try again.  I love the idea of any activity outdoors that the BOY and I can do together.  Let’s me honest, he isn’t going to take up running (those size 15 feet weren’t meant for marathons) and as of now, he doesn’t own a bike.

 

 

 

I discovered these beautiful tennis courts on one of my bike rides and they are only a few miles from our house.  The entire park was nice and quiet, perfect for us to practice our game.

 

 

 

For the record, I was much better this year than last year.  Although I have a LONG way to go before I can play in public, more of my shots landed on or near the court than in the bushes, which is a huge improvement.

 

 

 

It made for a fun day for both of us!

 

 

I suggested that we make a standing Friday tennis date.  I’ll let you know how that goes : )

 

 

 

On the way back to the car, the BOY stopped to play in the park.

 

 

Before going home, we had a few stops to make at the outdoor mall around the corner from the tennis courts.  We swung into Cooper’s Hawk to taste and pick up our May and June wine club wines.  I always love their light summer blends, and this white and red did not disappoint.

 

 

Then we stopped by the Produce Market, which opened last weekend.  I recognized some familiar faces, and I am so excited to have the market back at our local outdoor mall! 

 

 

 

The rainbow of fresh fruits and vegetables available was impressive.  The BOY and I easily filled up my basket in just a few minutes.  The prices were unbelievable and the entire load cost us only $9!!!

 

 

We brought our food home to unload and then quickly changed into bathing suits.  Our next stop…the park district pool!

 

 

As I mentioned, the BOY joined the gym last week.  He has a gym and pool membership and brought home some guest passes.  I have been meaning to get into the pool for like, months.  The pool is only a mile or so away form our house, and as we were walking in, so were all of the summer camp kids.  The pool area was packed with kids, but there are always two lap lanes blocked off.  We considered backing out of the craziness in the water, but went for it, and I am so happy that we did.  I had some initial difficulty getting my cap and goggles situated, so I ditched the cap, stuck my goggles to face, and got swimming.  My stroke felt a little rusty, not as efficient as it should be, but I easily fell into a rhythm and with my head under the water, I forgot all about the screaming children. I swam for 15 minutes despite having some sore arms, and it really did feel good to be back cruising through the water.  The BOY and I spent some time chilling in the hot tub, and then came back home for lunch.  We threw together salads and sandwiches with whatever we could find in the house, and chatted about our fun Friday morning. 

 

 

We are taking a few hours to relax before heading out for dinner.  The BOY got a gift certificate to Reza’s one of his favorite restaurants near his old office.  He has been looking forward to using it, and I am always happy to try a new restaurant. It should be an enjoyable end to our action-packed day.  It’s looking like a good start to the summer with a lot more play days to come!