Grounded

It looks like a beautiful day for a balloon ride ... but looks can be deceiving. It's too windy. The balloon ride that I was to be on with my Oldest Son right now, has been tabled for another day.

I'm grounded this morning. In more ways than one.

Tuesday morning, I wrote the words, "People. I miss people." True to form, my wish was granted. And then some!

Tuesday afternoon, a friend came by for the afternoon and stayed for supper. We had a marvelous visit. She had a lot of words of wisdom for my Second Son and I, as we venture into new career paths. As we parted ways, we renewed our promise to go on an Alaskan cruise together next summer. She is a friend in so many ways and I always enjoy her company.

I literally followed her out the door when she left, so that I could make it to my dance lesson in time. My head was full of words, thoughts and plans ... but once in the dance studio, I was transformed. I thought of nothing but the moment, the laughter and dancing.

Wednesday morning, I met up with a childhood friend so that we could drive out to visit her aunt. We went there this past spring, and our promise was to return in the summer so that we could see her aunt's farm in all of its glory. We followed through on that promise and returned for a most wonderful visit.

What I find amazing, is the fact that this friend from my childhood (in large part, due to the close proximity of our farms) and I are so in tune with each other. Our lives took us in opposite directions and for the better part of 40 years, we had little or no contact. It's amazing how easily our friendship was rekindled. It didn't seem to matter what we talked about, at every turn ... I felt 'she gets me' (and vice versa).

We took this easy rapport along with us as we visited my friend's aunt and it seemed her aunt got swept up in the flow of our conversation. There was a third person added to the mix and we all 'melded' and had a most interesting and fun afternoon.

From there, I came home to pick up my own little family and make a quick trip to pick up my mom at my niece's. Each of these destinations were about one and a half hour in opposite directions of each other. There was lots of time for conversation as we drove. The words came easily and we talked.

We stopped at my niece's and visited some more. We had a nice little gathering of people - not only my niece and her husband ... but my sister and her husband ... not to mention Mom and my own little family. Lots of laughter and the easy rapport that is exchanged among family. I love the ease in which conversation is lightly tossed around a room full of family. More fun! More conversation!!

We brought Mom home with us and I eagerly volunteered to drive Mom to my other sister's (another hour and a half voyage in a third direction from Our Fair City) the next day. I was anxious to visit my sister and I had no desire to cut my mom's visit short. It feels wonderful to finally be in a place where I can be an equal sibling in doing small good deeds. So once again, my small family came along for the ride (and visit) and we made a little day trip out of delivering Mom to her next destination. It is unfortunate that Mom's suitcase made the round trip from our place ... to my sister's ... and back home with us again ... but Mom was quick to point out the fact that it will mean less laundry for her when she gets home.

Upon our arrival back home that night, I made plans to go out for the evening with a friend from the dance studio. One of our young dance couples was competing at the youth talent show at our Exhibition. I really wanted to see them and yet another wish was granted.

Our plans were made on the spur of the moment and the next thing you know, I was out the door and on my way. We enjoyed the talent portion of our evening. We visited with a group from the studio afterwards. We wandered down the midway and I savored the lights. I honestly can't remember the last time I was at the Exhibition in the evening. I wouldn't be lying if I said decades. I breathed in the excitement of my youth and simply savored the sights ... and the feeling of being part of a group. A little bit of the feeling of The Great Dance Adventure was bestowed upon me as I wandered down the midway with a group from our dance studio. Such a small thing ... but oh, so big. I live for moments like this!

Each and every one of these outings were fun and thought provoking. I was mentally stimulated, I laughed, I connected and I enjoyed each and every encounter. I wanted people? I got people!!

Then I crashed.

I am an overly excitable kind of person. I think adrenaline kicks in and I go a little over the top as far as the excitement levels. This is all good and fine ... if you don't have to work the next day. That was not my reality.

I got called into my typing job the next morning and I could feel my overtired and overworked brain neurons trying their best to send the messages to my fingertips, so that I could type up a storm and finish the tasks at hand. I got through the day but it wasn't easy.

I had bookkeeping to do when I got home. My Youngest was on the computer and inwardly, I thought "Good!! I can't work!". Outwardly, I thought "He deserves a turn at the computer - I've been dominating it all summer with my work." It was a win-win situation. I couldn't work. So I slept.

I fell asleep on the couch. I woke up to provide My Youngest with some nourishment in the form of supper. I fell asleep. I ate for the sole purpose of keeping myself awake. By 7:00, I was ready for bed. Shortly after 7:30 I was in bed. And I slept.

I woke up at 5:30 the next morning thinking I was ready for a productive day. I had slept myself out and I was eager to go. I was back in bed by 6:00. And I slept.

Finally, I was up for the duration of the day by 8:00. I worked. I put in a productive day. I didn't talk (and it felt rather wonderful). My Middle Son asked me the simplest of questions. I couldn't put words together in the form of a coherent sentence. I finally said, "I don't know. I don't know anything today." But I worked. And it was good.

This morning, I was awake by 4:30 a.m. We had to call to see if our balloon ride was a 'go' at 5:45 a.m. and I was awake far earlier than the required time. Was I just a tiny bit relieved when I heard the words "... the Sunday morning balloon ride has been cancelled ..."? In a word? Yes.

I want my head to be in a serene and quiet place when we go on this ride. I want my thoughts to be light and fluffy as we waft above the city. I want to appreciate every little moment of this adventure. I want to be as excited about it, as I have been about the days of visiting that preceded this state of exhaustion.

This afternoon, my sister is delivering Mom back to our home to wrap up the last portion of Mom's visit.

Not only is my sister driving Mom back here ... but she is delivering 'Meals on Wheels'. She listed off the menu that she has prepared for supper and my knees went week. At the very moment that she was telling me this, I hadn't even begun to think about our menu tonight. I woke up this morning and knew what I would have done for supper today. But yesterday? A day in advance? While I was up to my elbows in work? And in a state of "I don't know anything"? I was in awe of all that my sister does and does easily.

Both of my sisters are like that. They whip up a meal and make it appear effortless. They run around and do kind deeds and it is as natural as breathing for them. They surround themselves with family and friends and they just go with the flow. They are open to the 'mini adventures' that life has to offer and they savor the moments.

Me? I cook ... and it hurts. I try to do a kind deed ... and end up returning home with my mom's suitcase still in the trunk of my car. I surround myself with family and friends ... and I get so excited that I can't sleep and lose the ability to function when I finally come down to earth again. I have opened myself up to 'mini adventures' ... and the thought of it frightens me. The reality of it stirs up the adrenaline within me. I savor the moment ... but I know that I will soon be coming down to earth with a mighty crash.

Yes ... maybe it is a very good thing that the Great Balloon Adventure has been tabled for today. I am due for a crash and I'd rather it be one where my feet are firmly planted on the ground.

I'm grounded today. But not for long ...