Lovin' summer #1

O.K., I decided to write about something HAPPY for a change cuz really, believe it or not, I'm a very happy, thankful person. It's just that sometimes when things are a little challenging, it's way too easy to get engulfed by negativity. OMIGOSH, here I am supposedly writing a positive, happy post and I'm talking about negativity. Enough already. Onward ~ on to happy, uplifting thoughts.

It's Saturday morning and I've just returned from a nice walk at the 1/4 mile track of our neighborhood elementary school. Such a sweet place to walk; in the middle of the track is the big playground equipment, baseball backstops, basketball court, benches, etc. and if I let myself, I can go back in time and envision all my sweet babies ~ son, B 23yrs.,daughter C 20yrs. and daughter M 14 yrs., at various ages and stages at the playground. Lovely, lovely memories. So I'm walking and it's 87degrees at 10:30 a.m. BUT (and this is a BIG but!), the humidity is only 38%!!!!! For Houston, in June, that is absolutely phenomonal. So, it's hot but there's a little breeze and if you step in the shade, you actually feel cooler.
I've got my IPOD going, of course, and today it's all about America, the band. When I walk in the middle of the day like this and it's hot, I love listening to "A Horse With No Name". I'm not in the suburbs of Houston anymore; I'm walking in a desert and it feels good to get out in the sun. There are certain songs that I only listen to in the summer and this is one of them. Some others are anything Peter Frampton, Santana, and Jump by Van Halen. I know, I really must broaden my music horizons some but you have to admit, 70's music was and is pretty darn awesome.

I've been exercising a bit more lately ~ swimsuits, bare arms...you know the deal. It always amazes me when I've actually been able to walk and work out with my little weights here at the house how much better I feel. Mostly what feels better is my mind, my outlook. What I think I've figured out is that when I do something as seemingly little as get out of the house and walk for a mile several times a week, or pick up a weight and do some curls while watching t.v., I know that that positive action that I took FOR ME is something that can't be taken away from me or be "undone". For example, think, dear sisters, ~ housework. In the space of a day, all the straightening that we've done the day before can be for naught and yes, the bathroom is shiny and clean today but in two days time, you'd want to freshen it up a bit if company came over. (At least I would, cuz the girls' bathroom is, unfortunately, the guest bathroom). Don't even get me started on cooking and the kitchen. Get caught up on bills and paperwork, let it go for 2 or 3 days and there you are, sitting at the desk again, trying to get back to square 1 and don't even get me started on groceries, cooking, and the kitchen! BUT, a couple of days after exercising, that benefit is still there, and if you do it again then you're building on what was there before, not just catching up to where it ought to be, only to see it slowly come "undone" again.

So, there you go, this is but one component of my current happiness ~ the walk was rejuvenating because of just being outside, feeling the dry breeze, and reveling in God's creation; but, to feel these 50 year old muscles actually being USED, not atrophying, that's good stuff. And, oh yeah, anything to diminish the loathed "muffin top" and firm up the not so firm butt is definitely reason to be happy!! :)