Uncommonly beautiful weekend here--I am finding myself paying close attention to days like this.
I can't even say exactly what we did this weekend, except I remember that the weather was exceptional. Yesterday I spent driving all over the Greater Philadelphia area, taking a friend to the airport, then down to the Schuykill to row, then a drive by in Powelton Village for elder to see a Restaurant Rescue site, then to South Philly for Asian food and a possible elevator.
So rowing, and aquafit--I'm finding that there are other ways than walking and hiking to staying healthy and in shape. I used to do both for miles on end, and the joints just don't like that, anymore. A friend got me into going to aquafit classes two nights a week, and now that's my thing. I go Saturday mornings now, too, because I can, and because that class legit kicks my ass.
And the unexpected benefit to that is that the workouts I get from those classes help the rowing. So I've been prepping for the rowing without knowing that was what I was doing.
And I am getting the hang of that. And the whole idea of being on a team is awesome, since the last time I was on ANY team was U18 Tennis back in the old neighborhood.
The boys came with since we were going out to dinner after. And because of that, I had a dress on under my rash guard and board shorts. As I was exchanging digits with another rower, I stripped off my coverings and someone asked "You didn't really wear a dress under that?"
Why yes, yes I did.
But as we all know, I am a hot mess, and I couldn't put my damp clothes in my wet bag because that would make too much sense. So of course I was going to lose something on the way back to the car, but I didn't realize that til later.
Elder rode shot gun and directed me to his POI and regaled us all with the history and why it closed, probably more than I ever wanted to know. And off to dinner, notable for the fact that the boys tried and liked sweet and sour chicken, scallion pancakes, Peking duck and surprise, we all discovered that younger liked rice. Really? We had no idea.
And they got my drink order all wrong--which is fine, I pretty much like everything, anyway, so no harm no foul.
But when I emptied out the back of the car when we got home, I discovered my left water sandal was missing.
Um.
I get upset and fixated over the darndest things.
I lie in bed and think about the shoe and where it could have landed. I know every step between point A and point B. When I wake up, I am still thinking about the shoe and the strange appearance my dad made in my half waking over the weekend. I am also haunted by a younger version of me who is screaming every insecurity I ever had. Unfortunately, this is me V 8.0 ish, so very loud and persistent.
The birds must hear her because George is LOUD. I shush him and make sure the birds have all they need. I go downstairs and make coffee. I double check the back of the car-no left shoe.
I sit at the dining room table and solve the sudoku in the news paper. And decide that I need to go look for the other shoe.
I pocket my swiss army knife and pepper spray--just in case. And set off for the dock. The drive is quiet and uneventful--not a whole lot of traffic on Lincoln Drive or MLK. Windows down, stereo off. And I pull into the lot, exactly where we parked....and behold, there is my left shoe.
I laugh. Of course. I toss the shoe in the car and take a stroll down to the dock. There are sculls and out-rigger canoes out on the water. It's a gorgeous morning to be rowing.
I hop in the car and take another route home, through Manayunk and the back roads along the river through Roxborough and Andorra, windows down, sunroof open, through Fairmount Park and then back in my own run.
And I'm not sure why, but I feel at peace. I needed this--the solitude, the morning, the ride.
Grateful for these things.
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