I have not written much this summer. I find I do not spend very much time near a computer, not like in the city. I have too much to occupy my time otherwise. (That was three sentences with the word 'much'. Sorry. Terrible writing.) I realize being back home how I love concrete, physical work. I have been rolling steel with my dad, weeding gardens, cleaning the house, and even helping to fix the lawn mower. It feels good to see the end result of your labors.
In my profession, I spend all day convincing people that what we are doing really does make a difference and it is worth their time to follow my advice, not mention worth their money to come in often. When I roll steel with my dad the customers choose their steel for a project they see happen and weigh out whether or not it is in their budget. No 'improve you life, improve your health' message there. Just a matter of priorities and good business. I suppose that is why I have been away from social networking for a while. There's so much more to do here to keep my hands and mind occupied!
Add to that an attempt to make this a good summer for my kids and we are always on the go. It's also very different actually having family and friends around to talk to at any given time. I suppose I have more opportunities to speak my mind, rather than write it.
But I do miss blogging. It is essentially my journal. And I do miss hearing more from those of you out there who are also busy during these short summer months! (nudge, nudge, wink, wink).
Vanity, thy name is...
On another topic, my sister-in-law was sharing her experience in the doctor's office waiting room. She has recently moved back to Alberta from Ontario. There she sat - 17 months pregnant, no makeup, hair pulled up, feeling awful, three kids in tow (one in stripes and plaid and another wearing one flip flop and one boot) - a typical outing. Suddenly someone caught her eye and said hello. A man who used to be the boy she played with as a child. He had not changed a bit. Still very handsome, neatly put together. She said she found herself telling him she was 20 weeks pregnant and trying to explain away the look of herself and kids and wishing she had simply made herself up a little more that morning.
I laughed and shared my similar experience - only in the pool in Raymond. There I was in all my suited up glory, kids in tow and white, fleshy legs and arms glowing when a man who was once a boy in my younger years called out to me and wanted to catch up. I wish I could remember what he said more than how much I wished I had managed to follow through on that diet and exercise plan for the last 2...5...10 years. He, of course, seemed exactly the same as I remember him.
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p.s. This is not me. I will not subject anyone to the sight of me in a bikini
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Then we laughed. How vain! We are both married to wonderful men who really couldn't care less how we look at the doctor's office or the pool, who have been through 4 children with us and who support and love us not matter what. Yet we both succumbed to the insecurities of appearance. I'm pretty sure these happily married men could not have cared less what we looked like. They were simply trying to be friendly. Trust me, if looks were an issue they probably would have continued right by....
My sister's 10 year high school reunion is this weekend. She is not going. Does not care one bit. I remember mine. I also realize my 20 year is in three years. That's right - 2014. Will I go? Will I set that as my weight loss date? (hee hee). Do the opinions of people I spent every school day for 12 years with matter to me then? I have to admit it did a little bit 7 years ago. I thought I was over that, but the above story shows that maybe I am not.
Did you go to your reunion? Did it matter to you what people from the past thought about you?
