Helloooooo! 
I feel like I just finished my last final of the semester!! Want to know why? I sent my editor the first draft of my book this afternoon!!!!! AHHHHH!Ā I know it wasn’t due until April 1, but I wrote and wrote and wrote all day and got my first draft to a really good point, so I fired it off to my editor a few days early.
It feels soooooo good to be finished with the first step of the process! But, I have to admit, I have no idea what’s in store for me next. I have a feeling it’s going to be an adventure!
[rewind to this morning]
Snack
I slept in until about 8:00 this morning. It felt great to wake up with the sun shining in my window instead of a dark room and a loud, annoying alarm clock.
Before heading to the gym, I snacked on a piece of whole wheat bread with Crofter’s jam spread on top.
Workout
At the gym, I did a 5-mile run on the treadmill in 45 minutes, followed by 10 minutes on the elliptical and 10 minutes of stretching. My hip held up nicely for the 5 miles. My lower back started to hurt in the first mile (over-compensation?), but once my body was warm, the pain went away. Let’s hope my hip isn’t sore in the morning!
Breakfast
I didn’t sit down to breakfast until almost 11:00, so it was actually sort of like brunch, I guess? I made a creamy bowl banana oats with chopped dates and walnuts mixed in.
In the mix:
- 1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
- 1 banana
- 1 cup non-fat milk
- 1/2 tbsp chia seeds
- 1 tbsp ground flaxseed meal
- 7 pitted dates, chopped
- 2 tbsp chopped walnuts
I also drank an iced coffee with vanilla soy milk. (Please note: This is iced coffee #1 of the day.)
After breakfast, I headed to the Coffee Break Cafe to write my little heart out. I was determined to make a dent in my first draft today, but I had no idea I would finish it! That was a nice surprise to say the least! š
The Coffee Break Cafe might just be my new favorite coffee shop. Of course, I love Starbucks, but it’s always so crowded, especially on weekends and in the afternoon when I go there to write. Plus, I like supporting local businesses and a change of scenery every now and then is a good thing. š
The Coffee Break Cafe has a number of locations, but this particular one was really cozy inside, but with a good amount of space to work or enjoy a cup of coffee with a friend. And, there’s free Wi-Fi!
What I really love about this place is that they have a special deal for everyday of the month. For example, on Sundays in March, if you roll their dice and get a 14, you only pay $0.14 for your coffee. Each day of the week has a different deal like this and they change every month. Love it!
Before heading to the Coffee Break Cafe, I refilled my travel mug with homemade iced coffee (#2 of the day). I figured I could save a few bucks by bringing an iced coffee from home, but buying myself a treat when I got there.
After about an hour of non-stop writing, I took a quick breakfast to buy a raisin bran muffin. I <3 muffins!
While working away, I overheard a number of customers order the seasonal flavor of coffee: Chocolate Banana. I must have heard a dozen people come in and order it, which made me really curious to try it myself.
Not surprisingly, I ordered an iced Chocolate Banana coffee for myself. I had it made with milk and a little bit of sugar, and it tasted almost like a chocolate-banana milkshake. Yummum! (This was iced coffee #3! There’s no way I am falling asleep tonight! šÆ )
I returned home almost 4 hours later to see Mal and Murphy working outside in the yard. (My husband has serious love for yard work.)
I’m absolutely starving for dinner now! Off to the kitchen I go!
47 Comments
Hey big congrats on finishing your first draft, what a weight off your shoulders!! When is your book actually due out?
That muffin looks lovely, and that coffee flavour sounds so good – I wish I knew how to make stuff like that!
Enjoy the evening š
Congrats on finishing the draft!
Congrats for getting it done! I just finished outlining my honors thesis (very detailed!) and will start writing it soon to hammer it out by May. I can’t wait to feel the same feel as you do having finished your draft! š
congrats on the first draft of the book, how exciting!
Congrats on the book!
Congrats! That’s great that you finished EARLY. You’ve probably still got a ton of work to do but hurray for knocking out that first step!
My husband LOVES yardwork too! He honestly doesn’t think of it as a chore. It is so peculiar to me! Yay! I’m glad you are done with the book! I’m going to feel that way in April when my semester is done!!
What a cozy looking coffee shop! Chocolate banana coffee?? Yum!! Hope you had a great Sunday!!
Aww look at Murphy running towards you, so cute. Congrats on finishing your first draft, that’s so exciting!
Coffee break has wifi?! There is one right behind my work in Q center and I do not go there enough!
CONGRATS on turning in your “assignment” early! If I had that much coffee, I think my heart would bounce out of my chest ; )
Congrats on finishing your first draft – with the help of some coffee;)
Your Mac dock looks almost exactly like mine!! Congrats on getting the book draft done! How exciting!
Congrats on getting the first draft done! I was so confused when I read your title (seeing that you aren’t in school and even if you were its not quite the end of the semester haha) but I remember that awesome feeling of being DONE. Yay š
That coffee place looks so cute! I adore little “finds” like that- and prefer eating there other than chains, too.
Congrats on finishing your first draft!! That must feel amazing!! š I always get so much more work done when I’m at a coffee shop…or at least coffee fueled š
I love Coffee Break Cafe! The chocolate banana coffee may be my new favorite.
I’m about 1.5 months shy of finishing grad school so I’m currently yearning for that feeling!!!!! And that coffee shop looks darling!! I like the hole in the wall shops better than starbucks myself š
@Alyssa: Yay for almost making it to that end mark. End of grad school here we come!!
I wondered where you were earlier today! Congrats on the first draft!
Congrats on getting it in and early to boot!
I love little local coffee shops. Starbucks holds a place in my heart but I love the atmosphere of little shops.
That is a HUGE accomplishment! Congrats, Tina! š
Congrats!!! Fabulous!
Sara
Congratulations on your book! That’s such a fantastic opportunity. What a cute little coffee place too! š
Congratulations on getting your first draft finished! Chocolate banana coffee sounds insanely delicious!
I am so happy for you! Congratulations on getting that draft out! I love little local coffee shops. They never seem to stick around here. There are too many Starbucks on every corner. Enjoy your evening!
CONGRATULATIONS!!! That must feel SO great!
congrats on handing in your first draft! So exciting!
I love supporting quaint local coffee shops and the chocolate banana sounds awesome. I love Murphy’s ears in that last picture. š
Well done on your writing!! that is so exciting that the first draft is DONE!
That coffee flavor sounds seriously amazing!!!! As does the muffin š I heart muffins too!
Congrats on the book girl!! You rock!
i dont drink coffee but i would order that drink! Yum!
BIG congrats!!! Can’t wait to see what the future holds!
I have the same Starbucks coffee holder and do the same thing with a straw because I always feel like I’m throwing my head way back when I drink out of it. Congrats on the school work wrapping up!
Katherine
Congratulations on getting over the biggest hump in your writing journey thus far! Looks like an adorable cafe, and chocolate banana coffee sounds so unique and delicious.
That coffee shop looks so cute!! I love it. Congrats on getting your first draft done early!
Chocolate banana iced coffee? Yum! (Of course, I love the chocolate-banana smoothie at Starbucks …)
congrats on the final draft, tina – what an accomplishment.
That place looks so cozy. I love the local places like that, that have specials and contests like that. Yay for Save The Planet Saturdays!
And Chocolate Banana Coffee sounds delish! I like that they have an iced version as well.
Congrats on getting the first draft of the book done. That is quite an accomplishment! I can imagine it must feel great to get it handed in a bit early, too.
That chocolate banana coffee sounds amazing. I wonder how they get coffee to taste like that? That is something I definitely would be able to pass up trying either! Hope you have an okay time falling asleep tonight! š
Congratulations!!! After all that anxiety, too – gotta have faith in yourself! Woot!
congrats on getting it done! It’s probably going to be MORE work until it gets published but please sleep in and dream of something OTHER than your book! š
hurray! i’m so excited you finished early…what a HUGE weight off of your shoulders š you know, any time mal has an itch for yardwork, you could ship him out to Colorado to help my husband with ours š
Congratulations on your first draft!! SO EXCITING!
Yay! Congrats! What a cute coffee place!
Aww,I totally miss Coffee Break Cafe! You’ll totally love it there š Congratulations on the book!
That’s good that he enjoys yard work!! It can be somewhat of hassle convincing someone who has no interest in it to go outside and rake in the cold! Haha
CONGRATULATIONS on completing your first draft!!! I am so proud of you š Sorry I’m a little behind on reading one of my favorite blogs with being on vacation.