My summer saw taught me the art of doing nothing. All this rain has helped too. I tend to be a busy girl. I overbook myself on a regular basis. I am usually tired and off to somewhere else. As a teacher you would think I have it easy during the summer, but they are usually really full. The only 2 exceptions were the summer I married and moved to DFW and the summer I had Owen ( and I worked a bit before he got here). I wouldn't call either of those relaxing. Usually, I have summer school ( teaching or taking or sometimes both), random jobs ( bath and body works and tutoring) and sign up for silly classes for owen. Last summer I taught bits of summer school, an SAT prep class, cleaned out the chemical stock room and labs at school, ran a fish camp and carted Owen off swim lessons, little gym, physical therapy and play dates. This summer the stars aligned and I didn’t have anything planned. I didn't sign O up for anything. I am changing jobs, so for once I don’t have to plan and get ready for my department. For most of June I didn’t even know what I would be teaching ( preAP bio – just 2 sections ) so I couldn’t even plan if I wanted to. My school is brand spankin new and not quite ready…….so I can’t go work in my classroom. My old childcare situation kind of fell through so, like last summer I can’t just drop off O any time I want for full or half days cheaply. No more helmets or physical therapy for Owen. I did sign up for 2 soccer teams ( instead of the usual one)……but all the rain means we have only played a few games all summer. So instead I read books, go to the zoo, swim when the sun permits, watch cartoons, go to the park, go to storytime, wander around bookstores, take naps, snack ( so much for going to the Y), watch movies, play with friends, drink coffee and color. Occasionally I cook and clean or look up lesson plans on the internet……..but I’m not making them priorities or anything.
Tonight I went running with a friend ten years my junior. I asked her how far she was running and when she said only about 1.5 or 2 miles, I teased her that I could go at least twice that far. And to just let me know when she needed to stop. I have been running pretty regularly for the last few weeks. It isn’t long but keep increasing my time and distance. I’ve stopped getting blisters. I don’t suck wind after five minutes anymore and I was feeling pretty good about myself. Thinking I might even be able to out run this girl who was so much younger and obviously in more shape than me. As we started to jog I told her that I run pretty slow. Like my husband used to walk beside me while I ran, slow. And she slowed her gait a little bit for me but it was still faster than I usually go. I was a little embarrassed and was not going to ask her to slow down again. So I just ran at her pace. I stayed close. And was fading fast. A little over a mile in I was ready to quit. Again, pride, which isn...
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