Ten on Tuesday July 27

1. It's 84 degrees out and I just came in from my afternoon walk. I am slimy.
2. Mixed greens, grilled chicken, tomatoes, avocado, mushrooms, honey roasted pecans and feta, with a little Green Goddess dressing ... lunch, to die for.
3. This week began the busiest two weeks in the life of Maggie in recent memory. Monday night, physical therapy; Tuesday night at the gym (can't miss that); Wednesday night, rehearsal; Thursday night, physical therapy and rehearsal for the other show; Friday night, laundry; Saturday I hope to give myself a day of rest, because Sunday is the Muddy Buddy relay! Yes, I will be running, biking and crawling through mud. I should probably have my head examined, but it's one of those things I want to be able to say I did. After the mud, there's more rehearsal, and then we start a new week on repeat, with shows on the weekend instead of mud. I will relax again on August 9.
4. I am so excited to rehearse for the Libertyville show tomorrow night. I'll be working with Dustin Helvie, one of the most awesome musicians from my theatrical past, and Polly Ludena, a former theater nemesis and current friend. Should be a lot of fun!
5. I finally got to turn the A/C off for about 36 hours. It had been running from July 4 until last Sunday, July 25, at around 9 a.m. Not complaining - you know I do my best not to complain in the summer, because winter almost kills me every year - just sayin' ... it's fixin' to be a long, hot summer.
6. My first physical therapy appointment was last night. It is going to be hard, but worth it. And it will feel less difficult because my physical therapist is a very, very pretty boy. ;) He also worked with my dad after one of his knee surgeries, and my brother when he was having shoulder issues. Seems very capable and knowledgeable. The funniest part of the appointment was when we were talking about my activity level. I told him that I walk most days at the office, and that I have a pretty set gym schedule. "You do a lot," he said. "You would, too, if you had as much weight to lose as I do." He asked if I'd lost weight, and I said yes, and as long as the number kept trending downward I was okay with that. Then he asked if I watched what I ate, and I told him not really - I try to eat well, but I don't really count calories or track anything (although I know I should.) And he says - "You know, you'd lose it a lot faster if you'd be more careful with your food." Yeah, I know. And thanks for sounding like a combination of my sister Jenn and my dad.
7. Andre Dawson ... my favorite Cub, ever. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame on Sunday. He is a complete gentleman, and one of the most talented to ever play the game. As much of a fan as I am, I only wanted the signature of one player, ever, and that's Andre Dawson. I got it, several years ago at a Home Depot. When I handed him the ball I'd brought, and asked for his signature, he smiled, turned the ball to find the sweet spot, and signed his name. I told him that day, "You know, one day I'd like to go to Cooperstown, but I won't go until you're part of the Hall." He looked up at me and smiled. Now, I can plan that trip.
8. A dear friend of mine lost his brother this week. A 40-year-old man, dead in an instant from an aneurysm. In the blink of an eye, he was gone. And of course this causes me to think of my sisters, with whom I don't always agree. It causes me to wonder how I would react if one of them were taken before we are all old and gray. I'm not ready to lose them, or any of the people I hold dear. So if you have it in your heart, take a moment and make sure the people you love know how much they mean to you. You just never know when you might lose that opportunity.
9. I wake up almost every morning looking forward to going back to bed. Seriously, I do love sleeping. I could win a gold medal in sleep.
10. I hate meetings. The end.