Thursday, November 13, 2014

Manicures, Tea and Mental Illness

Tuesday afternoon I was invited to a new friend's house for tea. She had baked and said to bring the kids. It was super low key and it was a nice way for our girls to get to know each other a bit better. Turned out to be a good day for us girls to get to know each other as well. The hostess was a woman who I had met a few years ago through a friend, and when I knew I was moving the mutual friend put us back in touch. When I got there another woman who I have met a few times at the school was there too. She and I have been introduced so many times we started giving each other new names. The three of us sat at her dining room table and started the afternoon with a lovely cup of tea, some delicious fresh baked pies and cakes. That was just the beginning.

Eventually our conversations about school teachers, whining, and what to make to dinner went a bit deeper. We sat there for a few sweet hours getting to know each other. We talked about where we were from, our families, and all the fun characters that come up with that topic. We talked about mental illness and suicide and how there is such a stigma attached to needing help, but if you are anemic by all means take an iron pill. That conversation of course opened up the door for the extreme stories of people we know, or are related to, who have suffered so, and a few who took there own lives. It was never somber talk though, no one began tearing up, it was just matter of fact. We talked about how and where we grew up. We shared stories of how we all ended up in this city, what we used to do, and what we do now. At some point a container of nail polishes came out and one by one we all started doing our nails. It wasn't planned, but in one lovely afternoon I got to know two new friends, had a nice cuppa tea and got a nice manicure. It was pretty sweet.

So here I am somewhere between Halloween and Thanksgiving and indeed feeling more at home in our new area. We still haven't moved into our new house yet, but in the meantime I'm feeling very welcomed by the neighbors. Just when I had come to the conclusion that people were very nice, but not very interesting, I was thankfully proven wrong. We even found some time to be a bit catty. I know it isn't the nicest thing in the world to make fun of someone else's enormous hairdo but sometime its just has to happen. Also, I was beginning to think the people around here were just too nice, so I am glad to see a bit of grit. Girls will be girls after all.

While we sat around in the dining room our kids were playing outside in the yard. They had a great time and rarely did we hear from them. It was just one of those afternoons that had the right mix and everyone got along really well together. We parted ways at the end of tea promising that next time we would go out for drinks. We laughed so hard that we may as well have been drinking. Throw some alcohol into the mix next time and who knows what will be said. I'm excited to find out. Cheers! Either way I left wanting a tea set and a pretty box to put the tea bags in. I think it was my first tea party and I look forward to another one.




Thursday, November 6, 2014

Strength Training

I'm pretty ritualistic when it comes to exercise. It's been part of my life for many years, and as a competitive athlete I never missed a day of practice. I even sacrificed family trips, nights out in high school and even the second half of the high school prom to ensure that I stayed on my game. When someone recently asked me how I maintain a exercise program now that I have kids the answer is a no brainer. I have to, it is just part of who I am.

Lately, that has been threatened by my son's new trend to wake up in the 5 am hour. Once I am up and then trying to get him to go back down I fall asleep without enough time to work out. Sleep is equally important but I need to find a solution so that I can do both. I got my haircut today and this one appointment took so long to organize because I needed to find a friend to watch my son, and appointment with the hairdresser that worked with in her schedule, my friend's and my son's nap. Sitting in the chair I realized how different the ten plus years between my hairdresser a myself makes. She was talking about being newly single at 28 and how she was beginning to feel like she should get comfortable being alone. I smiled and told her one day she will long for this alone time.

When I am out at a restaurant which is not as common occurrence these days, I notice how much younger everyone is looking. People around me that are now considered adults are over ten years younger than me. When I see this sometimes I feel like a bear who has been hibernating all winter, meanwhile everyone around me has been out doing stuff. I left working over 6 years ago and don't even know how to begin to go back. I have plenty ideas, but I feel a bit outdated.

I'm hungry for anew project, and an inspiring team of people to play with intellectually each day, but it will have to wait until I am not limited to a two hour nap window a day. My son will be off at school before long and I will be missing my time with my baby, so I will not wish this away. Meanwhile though my sense of daily accomplishments gets tied directly to exercise. For that reason I am going to stop writing and head to the floor where I can run in place for a while. Tired or not!