A Day in the Life: Delta Edition

Happy Independence Day! What a fantastic day to celebrate all we are grateful for in this country. I am particularly grateful that I got to spend the day at the delta with my husband and family and close friends. The last several times I've come to the delta it's been without Terry, so I'm thrilled he's here this time.

And now, WIAW with a twist: a day in the life at the delta! And on a holiday, no less. Let's see what fun the delta served up today.

8:00 am - Wake up
Terry and I sleep upstairs in a little (and I mean little--it's only about four feet tall floor to ceiling) loft, so we wake up naturally once people get moving. My parents, brother, and soon-to-be-sister-in-law are already up, drinking coffee and hanging out with the dogs.

8:20 am - Workout
Today Terry and I were supposed to complete a three-mile run, so we took off on a jog around the island. My GPS wasn't working, but we estimated and ran for about 25 minutes, plus a cool down walk. My mom joined us half way, and on the way back we ran into Chris and Ashley walking Achilles and Tango.

8:45 am - Get dressed and eat breakfast
By "get dressed" I mean change into a bathing suit without showering. It's not disgusting, it's the delta way. You know you'll end up in the water fairly soon, so why bother showering after a run? (Please don't judge.) For breakfast today, a simple fruit salad that my mom and I assembled post-run.

Kiwi, cantaloupe, strawberries

9:00 am - First ski ride
Dad takes Mom, Terry, and me out on a ski ride. Mom's been skiing since she was a kid and it obviously awesome. Terry just learned in the last two years and is now super consistent. I've been skiing since I was five or so, and I just wish I could do it more. It's a fantastic workout! You use muscles you never knew you had. I already know my forearms, biceps, and upper back will be sore tomorrow.

10:00 am - Paddle boarding
We have two paddle boards up at the delta, so we can take turns scooting around the island. Terry and I went out together and had a blast. Another sneaky workout, too--you really use your core to stay stable. We did discuss how much more difficult it would be in the ocean, especially since we found it challenging in smooth water.

11:30 am - Snacks, drinks, and chatting
The rest of our gang showed up, and we all munched on snacks while enjoying our first drinks of the day, delta slammers.

1:30 pm -  Lunch
For lunch I made myself the same lunch I've had the last two days:

• shredded chicken
• cheese (I prefer feta, but we only had cheddar today)
• garbanzo beans
• lettuce
• cucumber
• red onion

Today I also wrapped it all in a whole wheat tortilla for a boost of fiber. Delicious!

2:30 pm - Relaxation Station

It's exactly what it sounds like: a big raft that fits up to eight people. A couple of us crowded on and chatted a bit more.

3:00 pm - Sneak attack

I poured ice on my dad's back while he was napping. It was hilarious. He just said, "I'll get you."

4:00 pm - Wake board run

Almost all of us headed out on Dan's boat for some wake boarding. Our friend Matt, Terry, and our friend Jocelyn all went while the rest of us watched and enjoyed the time on the water.

5:00 pm - Nap time

Nap time was only implemented at the delta within the last year or so, but everyone tucks away for a quick power nap before dinner. It's great quiet time; I did some reading in lieu of a nap.

6:00 pm - Delta bath

Also exactly what it sounds like. Instead of everyone taking turns at the shower (which is also an option), a few of us take the boat out for "baths" -- jump in the water, climb out, soap up, jump back in. Ridiculously refreshing. 

6:30 pm - Appetizers

Tonight's appetizers were incredible: Mom's mushroom pizzas (we're still trying to come up with a good name for them), "Hog"lapenos (jalapenos stuffed with cream cheese and wrapped in bacon), bean dip with tortilla chips, and kale chips.

We also enjoyed a glass of wine while waiting for dinner to be ready.

7:30 - Dinner

Chris, my brother, was in charge of dinner tonight. We started it all last night and made it today between 4:30 am (yep) and 7:30 pm. He used the smoker to make...pulled pork! And it's phenomenal stuff. Really, really good. He even granted permission for me to post the recipe on the blog, so get excited!

We also had Diane's light and delicious blueberry coleslaw and some very festive ravioli.

8:30 pm - Delta walk

We grabbed the dogs and headed out for a little walk around the island. A lovely way to digest dinner, say hello to the neighbors, and get ready for the festivities.

9:15 pm - Fireworks!

Normally, this time of night would be for dessert, a game, or chatting around a campfire, but tonight we sang happy birthday to Jocelyn, ate cake, and watched fireworks off in the distance. A really lovely night for it, too, with the harvest moon.

How was your Fourth of July? Any fun celebrations?

On Facebook, I noticed a lot of folks celebrating at a baseball game. What an awesome way to spend the day!