Me Time

Today starts the 1st day of my personal StayCation. I don't have to be back at the pool until after Labor Day as we transition from the summer session to the fall session. There is some work I should probably do at home, and I should try to make it in for a few hours next week to take care of a few things otherwise when I start back on the 7th, I'll be overloaded.

Every year I get this break and every year I tell myself I'm going to get stuff done around the house that I've been putting off, but the reality is, the week will go by pretty quickly, and I won't get it all done.

Walking with DS11 this morning, I was surprised when half way through, I took one step and felt instant shooting pain through my sciatic nerve. It caught me completely off guard and was very unexpected. We stopped at the library and I stretched best I could. I made it home and told myself I must buy new walking shoes pronto.

So the boys gave me some ME time this afternoon, while they offered to stay home and have friends over. They actually seemed anxious and pleased for me to leave. LOL! -Teen boys in a mancave without any parental authority. I said, "Make wise choices," as I headed out the door.

Two hours later I now own 4 pairs of shoes. If you know me, you know I am not a shoe person. I literally had one pair of athletic type sneakers over 2 years old and my Birkenstock sandals that I'd wear year round despite the weather. For me to go and buy 4 pair of shoes, it shocks me! They were cheap though. Being a penny pincher, that sheds some light on why I did what I did.

I bought two pair of walking shoes that supposedly are designed to make you strengthen your balance, improving your workout. They are sort of like those anti-gravity wedge type shoes, but instead they have two built in balls of support aligned over the middle of the ball of your foot and heal. They look like regular trainers. I tried on those rocker bottom/anti-gravity shoes, but those felt completely bizarre to me, and I knew I'd stumble in those shoes sooner or later.

I also bought two new cork sole, suede clogs, not Birkenstocks, but way cheaper. In fact all my shoes were buy one, get one half off. Can you guess where cheapskate me did her shopping today?!

I looked over a few other potential purchases but decided to confer with DH before giving up the cash. One item was a water filter for the tap.

This morning I forgot a pan of water I was boiling for hummingbird food. The pan boiled dry and I was horrified to discover so much chlorine powder. I know my city adds this to the water to make it more "safe" but the reality is chlorine is terrible for your body. We do fill a Brita pitcher with water for drinking, but we do use water directly from the tap for cooking. I want to pick up a filter now for the tap. 

I picked up a book from the library called, Grow Your Own Drugs by James Wong. My son was concerned I was considering growing something illegal, but I've explained to him its a book about growing legal plants you can use for medicinal purposes. LOL! I'm hoping to plow through it, pun intended, and start planning for next year's garden. 

Also on my autodidact list this next coming week, EFT tapping. I'm going to spend some time watching Brad Yates' videos on Youtube, and hopefully my family will join me. It can't hurt to try. 

I'm going to put my feet now, and dig in to some magazines I haven't yet gotten around to reading. Have a great weekend!

New Friends, A New Beginning.....

I went to the library this morning to consider joining a free weight loss support group. I was skeptical, but it turns out no one is trying to sell anything, and it really is what I could be looking for.

There were only two women there, a pretty poor turnout, but both these women were so friendly and willing to share such personal struggles. We decided our group is just for support, no weighing in, no required calorie counting or food logs. We'll meet twice a month, without agendas, to share our journeys, compare tips and support each other.

I hope our group can grow, as we shrink. I suppose the low turn out could have been because its Easter weekend and spring break for many. Our town certainly doesn't have a shortage of over weight people!

One of my new friends has asked me to bake her some bread and she'll pay me. I don't know what possessed me to say yes to this. I'm not a professional baker. I mentioned how sometimes I grind our own wheat for better whole grain nutrition, and she seemed so interested that I knew how to bake bread. I can't fathom why she wouldn't make it herself. She has a recipe for a rye she wants to try, and to me, baking bread seems easy. Why would someone pay me to bake their bread?

Perhaps this could lead me somewhere? I've had others suggest I sell my baked goods. I just don't think serious income could ever come from it.

Maybe its because spring has sprung and Easter is here. My spirit is open for anything. Making new friends this morning didn't seem scary at all. I'm feeling better in my imperfect body, in my imperfect world.

There's a Pearl Jam song, Amongst The Waves, that affirms what I've learned. I've been wounded, but have survived and now I'm stronger because of it. There is love in my life, coming from all directions, if I open myself to feeling it.