Instead, I put it off and looked forward to this morning. There were two other things that were competing for my attention: a request for help at school, and a mass being said for a friend. I was tempted by both opportunities. Really, I felt guilty about considering not choosing to do something I felt like I should. I should, after all, be running around doing *stuff* right? Instead, I decided that I really, really wanted and needed to swim.

There have been many mornings this month that I really didn’t want to swim. If I had to get wet, I wanted it to be in private, with warm or hot water and great smelling soap and shampoo. I wanted to feel clean and warm and dry when I was done. But this morning? I was looking forward to it. I wanted to feel like I had done something this morning, I wanted my muscles to feel a little tired because they had been worked. I even wanted to feel the water feel cold for a couple of seconds until the activity made it feel warm and cool at the same time. I was even ok with the contortions needed to make sure that my socks and pant legs wouldn’t get wet because the floor was wet.

But when I got out of bed this morning to wake up the girls, I intended to walk straight to the door, but ended up smacking into the side of the dresser. I course corrected to Katie’s doorway and came close to falling down the stairs. By the time I was getting Maggie, I realized that I was having some issues with my balance. I wasn’t dizzy… just off-balance. It was a strange feeling.

So, today, I didn’t get my swim today. But I am getting to chill on my couch for a while today while I try to reset my balance-meter in more ways than one.

Monday, though? I will be swimming. It’s all about balance, right?

Short URL: http://tinyit.cc/c9020  Tweet:

When I got to the airport to leave, I noticed that the guy in front of me in the security line was sitting next to me on the plane. I considered saying hi, but didn’t. I was mortified to admit that I looked at the boarding pass. There is just no way to make that sound breezy. “Hey there, I noticed that you are sitting next to me…” Ok. Thinking about it now, it doesn’t actually sound all that crazy. But while I was standing there, the idea of it made me nauseated. And thinking more clearly… the after-effects of the party may have been contributing to the nausea.

I have a tendency to be nosy. I don’t mean to be, and I’m not maliciously nosy, but I do let my eyes wander, and my ears are usually open (the girls behind me? They were funny…). And standing in a slow-moving security line where I can see your boarding pass? I’m going to take a peek. And when I notice that you are sitting next to me? I’m going to glance at your name and check you out. Just a little. I mean, if you look like a serial killer, I’m going to look into getting a new seat at the other end of the plane.

Of course, since it was a small airport, I ended up sitting next to the guy, Kevin, in the waiting area. At this point, I couldn’t say anything because admitting that I had been nosy and then waited to say something about it seemed several steps further along the stalker path. Besides, we were going to be boarding in 10 minutes, so I figured that we could just talk then. If we had to.

I’m also not generally an overly social person. I like people, and when I know people well, I talk their ears off. But when I don’t know them well, I am very quiet. I’ve been told that I seem cold and judgmental and bored. (I consider this one of my many shortcomings, and if given a magic wand, this would be one of the things I would consider changing about myself first.) Given the choice in an airport/airplane situation, I bring a book and earphones and mind my own business. That day in the airport, for example, I had a book, a magazine (as backup) and 2 television shows ready for watching so I could keep to myself without seeming off-putting.

But then the gate attendant mentioned that there had been a “mechanical irregularity” on the inbound flight, and they needed to have the maintenance guy check it out before we could take off. It would be about 15 minutes, he said. 45 minutes later, they admitted that the maintenance man lived over an hour away and they were still waiting for him to arrive.

By this point, the 2 dozen of us waiting for the plane are the only people in the airport. Small plane, small airport. Although I didn’t have a conversation with any of these people, I could tell you what many of them were wearing. And I am still sitting next to and actively ignoring a stranger.

So as we queued up to have out connecting flights rescheduled, I noticed that the guy who was sitting next to me was also going to Atlanta. Which meant that he was also going to have a just over 3.5 hour layover in Philly.

Before leaving for the airport, my dad handed me a pass to go to the airline’s special lounge. He wasn’t going to be able to use it by the time it expired, and I was scheduled to have an hour layover in Philly, so he thought that maybe it would come in handy. Originally, I was supposed to be in Philly for an hour, so I would have basically had time to grab a snack, sit for a minute and leave. Now, though, it was a much bigger deal. Comfortable chairs, snacks, beverages, clean bathrooms and a generally quiet atmosphere out of the traffic sounded so nice.

And, of course, the pass said that I could bring a guest.

So I’m sitting in the airport next to a man whose name, seat assignment and eventual destination I know. And wondering how I can ask him if he wants to be my guest without sounding like a crazy stalker. I feel it is necessary to point out that Kevin was totally in his own world, taking no notice of me. He was watching a movie (with headphones) and occasionally checking his phone. When we got onto the plane, he added an iPod to the mix. I’m sure that he noticed he was sitting next to someone, but beyond that, I don’t think he gave me a second thought. I don’t think he had a clue that I was stressing out about what he might possibly think about me if I made a completely random, but kind and generous offer. (yes, I realize (now) that not many people would get upset about being offered a free trip to the lounge, but at the time… things seemed different)

I wondered until the plane landed in Philly, when I finally asked him if he wanted to go. Turns out he was a really nice guy. We chatted on walk to the shuttle, and on the way to the Lounge, and then on the way to the Atlanta plane. He was very happy to pass the time in the lounge instead of the gate area. In the lounge, we spoke maybe 10 words to each other– it had been a long day, and I was having a hard time staying awake and forming sentences. He tried a couple times to make conversation, but kept himself busy with other things. I’m sure that if I hadn’t spent so much time worrying that a complete stranger was going to think I was odd, I probably would have been able to engage in conversation better (at all) and not seem so… odd.

But, even still, it was nice to have a wide, comfy seat for a little while in the lounge.

On the plane to Atlanta, I ended up with a row to myself while Kevin was smushed in the window seat in a row with 2 big guys. I thought about going up and asking him if he wanted the aisle seat in my row, but thought it seemed weird to do that. My eyes are still rolling at myself.

If I’m going to think so much, I need to think better things.

Short URL: http://tinyit.cc/98098  Tweet:

The good news is that they were really, really ready to go back. I will leave my readiness level to the imagination.

I intentionally spent a good amount of time taking things easy. It has been a long time since I have had a quiet house, and I didn’t want to make too much noise. It was really wonderful. But there is so much to do, and I won’t have another day to lay around like this for a while.

Even today, the running around has to start back up. Gymnastics, meetings, groceries, dinner and all sorts of general getting back on track. I’m hoping that both girls will sleep soundly and easily tonight after their long first day back.

Short URL: http://tinyit.cc/42d01  Tweet:

May it be happy, healthy, joyful and wise.

Short URL: http://tinyit.cc/e2eed  Tweet:

Lets see… in addition to days two and three, Maggie’s gotten an orthodontist and a “habit breaker” in her mouth. We made our best time up to and from CT (14.5 hours! with the dog!). Katie has made her First Reconciliation and has been preparing for her First Holy Communion in May, and so much more.

Oh, and I turned 41. Which means I am (long) overdue for an assessment. I definitely didn’t complete all 41 items. I feel a little sad about that, but I’m not giving up just yet. Just because the deadline has passed doesn’t mean that the goals themselves have expired. So I’m planning to continue working on them as time goes by.

Short URL: http://tinyit.cc/890d0  Tweet:

The day got much warmer after the sun came out and the walk yesterday was wonderful. I loved being on The Path, and going through neighborhoods was great fun.

I’m looking forward to another 20 miles today!

These women volunteered for NOTHING. Nothing!!

This is why they had time to be happy and have clean houses (well, and Carol had Alice).

Short URL: http://tinyit.cc/97de8  Tweet:

My fundraising is done, so I’m not nervous about that. And while I haven’t been training with the zeal and panic based fervor I did last time, I feel pretty confident in my ability to do the miles. I know where camp is, and this time around, I also realize that I can have my family bring me things if I forget them. I have a tent to myself, and the person in the tent next to me is a good friend. I have someone to walk with and talk with.

Perhaps there is some bit of nerves that everything that needs to will get done. The packing, the scheduling, the general life-ing that needs to happen both before I go and be accounted for while I am indisposed. When push comes to shove though, I know it will get done and all will be well.

Maybe, just maybe, this feeling isn’t really nervousness but excitement because of what I get to do in 11 days. And there is so plenty to be excited about!

Short URL: http://tinyit.cc/09884  Tweet:

But my sewing machine refused to work.

Meanwhile, my thumb sucker had completely broken down one day about how much she wanted to stop sucking her thumb, but how impossible it seemed to her. There were many tears as she described being teased on the bus, and feeling ashamed and frustrated and helpless when it came to this issue.

After calming her down and getting her to bed, I grabbed an old swimsuit and made a thumb guard that we had seen on the internet a year or so before. It looked sort of like this:

but only covered the thumb. Instead of being a half glove, it had a band that wrapped around the wrist to hold it in place.

Maggie was thrilled when she woke up and I gave it to her. This, she was certain, would help. And her teacher emailed me that it did help… while she wore it. But it came off easily, and once it was off, she had a tendency to “lose” it. It lasted a few days before she lost it for real. And then the next couple each lasted a few days. Finally, I got tired of making items that were destined to be “lost” no matter how much she told me she wanted them.

Short URL: http://tinyit.cc/ff9c  Tweet:

At a glance, it seems that I have 17 done, 5 planned, 16 that haven’t been done, 2 in progress and 1 that I’m not sure about. Looks like am letting this get down to the wire!

1. See a shuttle launch
2. Hit the Beach
3. 3 Day 2011 Planned, fundraised and being trained for. Scheduled for completion 10.23.11
4. Keep up with Post a Week for the whole year I’ve let more than a week pass a couple of times, but I think I’m hitting the average.
5. Get a massage After 3 day.
6. Get a pedicure After 3 day.
7. Go to a drive-in movie I’m a little worried about this one. I don’t know where a drive-in is anymore
8. Finish my mom’s socks I haven’t touched these in a really, really long time. I worry that I’m not going to make it, especially considering my elbow issues of late.
9. Complete a 5k
10. Complete a 10k
11. Run 3 miles in a row Working on it.
12. Read 10 books (7/10) 7 have been written up, but I’ve read so many more than that. I either have to write more of what I’ve read up or start reading books I am less embarrassed about reading.
13. Knit myself a sweater Yeah, this isn’t going to happen. I feel pretty confident about that.
14. Go swimming at MV in the morning Gotta get on that!
15. Bake Cinnamon Rolls from scratch Gotta get on that!
16. Bake Bread Gotta get on that!
17. Get a Haircut Thursday morning! My hairstylist was a little horrified that no one else has cut my hair since the last time she has. Oops.
18. Consider a new hair color
19. Ride a Segway
20. See Harry Potter #7 Part 2
21. See a movie by myself, while the girls are at school Gotta get on that!
22. Clean out the Linen Closet Gotta get on that!
23. Get Kitchen Redone
24. Laugh until I cry or lose my breath *
25. Bike ride on the Silver Comet Trail This one just needs to be planned.
26. Actually buy Katie’s bike
27. Get Maggie’s birthday shirt pictures done Dude. I am over 6 months late.
28. Get Katie’s birthday pictures done
29. Join a Tennis Team
30. Win a Tennis Match Elbow. Might have to count the forfeits.
31. Take a Tennis Lesson
32. Say NO to a volunteer position This one is interesting. It might be done, it might not be.
33. Read a Shakespeare play Gotta get on that!
34. Go on a Vacation at the beach *
35. Post 10 pictures on the site (in separate posts)
36. Fix my sewing machine/get it fixed (thanks, Honey!)*
37. Sew something wearable*
38. See White Irish Drinkers So many things have conspired against this. I think I’m going to have to end up having a viewing party here and rent the DVD.
39. Visit a Movie Set Not sure if this is going to happen.
40. Try Anapherisis Gotta get on that! I’m a chicken.
41. Take a Yoga Class Gotta get on that!

Short URL: http://tinyit.cc/d8818  Tweet: