I had a conference call yesterday from 7:30 to noon. This is not something that could be dealt with without a plan. So how did I cope? Let me count the ways:
1. An abbreviated-but-still-butt-kicking workout. Thirty hard minutes on my stationary bike + a fast paced weight training circuit in my basement gym (lower body and abs).
2. A fast food breakfast. No, not a McCrapMuffin, silly. Overnight oats! I don’t usually eat breakfast until mid-morning (i.e., smack in the middle of the call), so no toast or quick stovetop oats for me. Instead, I prepared the night before by mixing together 1/3 cup each of rolled oats, kefir and almond milk, then added cinnamon, some vanilla whey protein powder, chia seeds, flax meal, wheat germ, half a chopped banana, a few pecans and a few dried cranberries. In the morning, I tossed some frozen blueberries on top to thaw and carried upstairs with me before chaining myself to my desk. (Note: I made sure the “mute” setting on my iPhone was on before I chowed down!)
3. Stand up breaks. Usually, I get up once an hour to walk downstairs and get some water, peek at the chickens, etc. Not an option yesterday. So every hour I stood up and took a shimmy-in-place break (not for nothing have I studied and practiced Middle Eastern dance for seven years). I also fidgeted a lot, too, which helped me stay focused on the call.

4. An eye on the prize. In other words, my Cinco de Mayo menu!

Everything turned out to be as delicious as I had hoped. It was a great menu, and the fact that I was able to do some of the prep a day early was a total bonus. This was Mexican food just as I like it: Flavorful, made with fresh ingredients, and minus the “Americanized Mexican” greasy layer of cheese! We kind of fell down in the drinks department. We were out of tequila and beer, and didn’t want to open our huge bottle of Patron Silver. So I had a glass of red wine. Still festive! Music was the “Cinco de Mayo Party” station on Pandora…which saw a lot of play yesterday, I’m sure!
The meal had the husband seal of approval, too: “Wow, you’ve made some great dinners lately, but this is the best dinner we’ve had in, like, a month!” I rest my case. (Maybe I shouldn’t have laughed at him when he asked me later, in all sincerity, “What’s the date today? Is it the fifth?”)