Did you ever get so tired that you just about fell apart?  I felt that way yesterday afternoon.  But let me back up and start with Friday.

Friday was one of our Handle with Care trainings.  I've provided the link so you can get a better idea of exactly what I mean when I say that.  I take Trainer trainings each year and then I train my coworkers.  ALL of my coworkers.  There were 4 of us but we're now down to 3 and sometimes it gets tough to schedule all 300 employees. 

This week, I was doing training with Clarence.  He's taller and bigger than I am so it's very effective when people see him grab my arms and I am able to break away without hurting either one of us.  That's the whole premise of Handle with Care-no one gets hurt.  I usually end up with bruises but I'm ok with that.

It's also effective when they see me put this guy down on the floor using a restraint technique that results with him in a 'face plant' and me on top if it's done correctly.  We did a good job and I think the whole day went well.  It was a small class and no one was new so we didn't have to repeat much.  We kept working into the lunch hour so we'd be done a little earlier. 

It's hard on the body.  I'm usually a bit sore after one of these but nothing a few ibuprofen and some rest won't take care of.  Except this Friday was our scheduled trip to Atlantic City for dinner with my brother and his family so rest was not readily available.  Pk and I and Elanor took the train down (it was so easy, we may never drive again) and met up with them at around 5:30.  We wandered Ocean One, the mall off the boardwalk and stopped to watch the Dancing Fountain.  There's something absolutely fascinating about moving water.

Em and Jim had some trouble getting to NJ to pick up Kate and Patrick.  Coming east on summer Friday nights requires a great deal of patience.  There's so much traffic.  We didn't wait for them to eat dinner but went to a buffet.  It was ok but we'd probably not go back.  The food just wasn't that good for what they charged. 

We walked around until they got to AC and then we sat with them while they ate. (their food looked and smelled much better than ours).  The boardwalk wasn't very crowded considering the nice weather.  The casinos must have been doing a good business and Dave Matthews was in town so a lot of folks were at the old air field for the weekend long show.

There we are posed in front of one of the dunes.  It had been a stormy week on and off but Friday night stayed clear.  Very humid but clear.

We walked the boardwalk and just generally enjoyed our children't company until it was time for Pk, El and I to go back to the station and catch our train.  The ride was uneventful and we made it home by 11:30.

After a bit of decompression time, we went to bed and then got up early Saturday morning to go to a fund raiser for a scholarship in my niece's name.  Miles for Mandy.  We each paid money for a t-shirt and walked 2 miles around the track (I only did one mile) and took part in raffles.  There was a good sized crowd and I think the event was a success.  Pk and I took our girls and their boys to lunch and then everyone scattered to their regularly scheduled weekend activities.  Pk and I laid down on the bed for a brief rest.  I was feeling agitated and anxious and my body was exhausted.  I slept for 2 hours and woke up feeling a bit better. 

I felt the need for some down time, some quiet-leave-me-alone time.  So, we ditched the chores and sat around just being inside our quiet bubble.  I did some knitting and listened to some favorite music.  Just what I needed.

I did discover that I had made a mistake in the cuffed anklet sock.  A mistake that makes a big difference so I am doing the second one correctly and then I'll pull the other one out and redo the foot.  I didn't follow the directions to do 30 rows of k1p1 ribbing under the cuff  before working toward the heel/sole.  It pulls the sock in somewhat and allows the cuff to sit nicer.  Totally worth reworking the first sock.  What I don't know is how I missed that in the directions.  I even highlighted it! 



Greetings from Atlantic City, New Jersey!

 Today, we are slowly making our way through the maintenance chores like laundry and vacuuming.  I cleaned the bathroom and am washing the clothes.  Pk dusted and swept and now we can just relax.  We have only two work days this week and then a long weekend.  One day we'll go to the lake and one day we'll spend in the woods and we'll spend lots of time just enjoying each other's company. 

Next weekend is Fourth of July weekend and so there'll be fireworks on the 3rd (for some reason, our town always does them on the 3rd).  We usually pack up some sandwiches and drinks and go early and stake out our favorite spot.  We don't go into the stadium area but sit outside where the kids can run around and we can see the fireworks well without being in the middle of the crowd sitting on the metal bleachers.  We have learned to use the rolling cooler and carry chairs and walk.  One year we drove and it took an hour and a half to go the half mile to our house.  Never again. 

What I learned (or relearned) this weekend is that I require some downtime.  Some time with quiet to just relax.  I can't just keep going and going like I did when I was 18.  I am by no means old but my brain and body need me to remember that they get overloaded and need to rest sometimes.  Life gets loud and busy  and I have a job which requires me to interact with people all day every day.  Being able to sit in the quiet is such a gift and if I'm going to be able to go to work and interact in a positive way, I need to recharge both body and mind.  I have a tendency to forget that.

Tonight I'm going to cook a roast and we'll have some sandwiches for dinner and it will be slow and easy. 

And that's just about perfect.