Florence

I cook a lot. I taught myself to cook after separating from the chef XAH. After him, I had filet taste and hamburger helper skills, so I had to up my skillset. This weekend I made a delicious curry, a vegetable dum phukt using vegetables out of my garden. It was pretty great.

I also made one of these this weekend. I highly recommend it, especially if you have fresh berries around. Blueberry Cornmeal Butter Cake | Carpé Season

I ride my bike a lot. I ride with the kids, and I really like nature trails. We have a decent amount of greenways here, and when I'm zipping through the trees under a full canopy I feel amazing. Plus, I can do it with my kids, and they feel great too. It's one of the ways we can hang out in nature and have some easy, fun time together. This weekend, I took some friends on my regular route through the college campus and we rode our bikes through the fountains. It was hilarious and maybe also a little life-affirming. Next weekend, I am part of a bikeathon benefiting abused and neglected kids. Never done anything like that before.

When the kids are gone for the weekend, I park my car and bike everywhere I need to go, including to the grocery store, running errands, hanging out with friends. I get crazy exercise and go to bed exhausted. It feels awesome.

I have discovered the loveliness of Boden dresses, and I'm buying some at a discount on eBay. UGH, I love them. I'm wearing one now.

I went on a date this weekend. It was light and fun, and with someone who is very tender about my feelings and... I guess emotionally available (!). It went well. I will see him again.

firebolt

I love this - good thread! I fish, spend time with friends and family, push mow our lawn (we have a rider - I like the exercise) ride my motorcycle, and and trying to work in some meditation into every day. My guilty pleasure is true crime smut TV - WHAT A TREAT!

Florence

Oh yeah, guilty pleasure TV. I will watch anything that has "Real Housewives" attached to the title. DON'T JUDGE ME.

FireSprite

Me too.....

I have also watched the Desperate Housewives series so many times that my entire family knows all the plot twists & turns for all 8 seasons.

SparkleKitty

One of the nicest things I have done for myself this year was sign up for a subscription clothing service. I get a box of five items every 3 weeks and get three days to try them on, decide what I want to keep and send back the rest (all free shipping) with feedback so they can continue to refine their choices for me. I am one of those people who, left to her own devices will have a ridiculously overstuffed closet and yet never have anything to wear. The subscription, while on the pricey side, has done a lot for my self-confidence.

lillamy

I'm slowly learning to do what I need, not what I think I ought to, for myself.

On that note, I spend time now and again (seems to be on a six-month cycle) marathon-watching series on Netflix. There's something about series, about the predictability of characters, that appeals to me. It gives me a sense of... predictability in life that I miss in my own.

I exercise. But I don't do it obsessively like I used to -- I ask myself every day if I want to go to the gym. Some days, the answer is no, and then I'm fine with that.

I say no to the kids. They have recovered faster and better than I have, and I feel like I now have the space -- and the right -- to focus on myself.

And I do stuff with the family. Because that makes me feel calm and happy. Taking a random day off work and going to a water park. Leaving early to go see a movie with the kids. Small things. Making a kid her favorite meal when we're home alone. Seems like it's for her, but it also makes me happy.

fluffyflea

I cook a lot, I like healthy food.

I quit my job to have a rest and hopefully start something new in my life.