Tag: relaxation

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WEED OUT THE SUMMER DOLDRUMS

We’re finally getting a break from hot weather.  We can open our windows at night and sleep with fresh air. Still, it’s been a long hot summer. Covid cases surging means we’ve had to stay home for months. And we’re really tired of hearing about Donald Trump’s troubles.  But now, we wake up with a little spurt of energy.  Now is the time to weed out the summer doldrums. 

Weed out the summer doldrums. Weeding is relaxing and gives a feeling of acomplishment.
WEED OUT THE SUMMER DOLDRUMS. Weeding is therapeutic in troubled times.

Weeding doesn’t have to be outside.   I started yesterday with my dresser drawers.  It’s amazing how many  tee shirts and night gowns a person my age can collect.  Filled two big trash bags within an hour.  A bottom drawer revealed old half slips and a bundle  of panty hose. Why  would I save these after retiring  decades ago?  Ok, I’ll save a couple pair of hose for weddings and funerals.  But half slips?  Do people even wear them anymore?   There are more drawers to be emptied, but I’m tired of looking at that stuff right now. Time to move outside.

After months of scorching heat followed by  torrents of rain, the weeds in my Hosta garden are tall as trees.  I’ve watched them grow outside the window all summer long.  And yet, I know it’s not a good idea for someone my age to be outside when it’s close to 100 degrees.  So, the weeds have had a heyday.  We have a lawn man, and a bush trimmer,  but it’s difficult to find a weeder for hire.  There are much better jobs waiting to be filled in air conditioned places.

I gather my tools, don my gardening gear, slather my face with bug spray, and head out doors.  Some weeds have shallow roots, others are way too deep for my weak arms to pull. Using clippers, a small saw and plain old elbow grease, I soon have a pile of weeds.  Getting rid of them is a chore, as they have to be hauled away in a shaky cart.

Later, as I return from the Goodwill after dropping off my bags, I feel a surge of  joy as I enter my driveway and see my pretty Hosta garden.  Why is weeding so therapeutic?  I don’t actually enjoy it the way some do, but it clears my mind. And the feeling of accomplishment raises my spirits.

Now is the time to weed out the summer doldrums.

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FIND NORMALCY IN THE WATER

Everyone’s longing for that elusive state of being called normalcy.  The dictionary defines normal as natural, orderly, ordinary, regular, routine, traditional, typical or commonplace.  Because of Covid-19, our  lives haven’t been normal since  social distancing began in March.  Nothing is like it used to be.  Except for water, which is all of the above.  If you can find a creek,  lake, river,  ocean or pool that’s  open this summer, go for it. Find normalcy in the water.

Find normalcy in the water. Swimming brings you back to normal times.
Find normalcy in the water. It’s natural, ordinary,  routine and relaxing.

I fell in love with water as a child on my grandpa’s farm. There was a wide, cool creek  In the woods beyond the cornfields. You don’t think of a creek as a good place to swim, but if you’re a little kid, it comes up to your neck in spots.  It’s a safe  place to stand, play, splash, and maybe learn to swim.

One of the best things about water aerobics or swimming as an adult, is the camaraderie with fellow aquaphiles.  Water is the great equalizer.  You can be young, old, crippled, rich or poor, but once we’re in the pool, we’re all the same.  Consequently, you don’t have to dress up, wear makeup, or worry about your body type.  And one of the best things is socializing with like minded individuals.

If you’re involved with water at a community pool, you may  have become acquainted with the others who are there when you are.  As a result, you end up talking to each other.    Race, color, educational status  and social class are forgotten.  At first, someone starts talking about their dog. Or maybe a new recipe.   Once a  topic is introduced, others feel free to drift over and chime in. However,  If you tire of the conversation, you can swim away at any time, and no one cares.

After you get to know some of the regulars, the conversations might become more serious. Trouble with relationships.  Surgeries,  Depression.  Worries and fears.  Anger about some injustice.

We’ve missed those relaxing times in the water during the pandemic.  All the pools were closed. Lately, our YMCA has slowly opened up, allowing only a limited number in the pool at any one time.  Yes, we social distance, but we can still talk to one another while six feet apart.   For the first time in a great while, we can  find normalcy in the water..