It Turns Out . . .

Ditching the cell phone lasted 2 weeks. I was a nervous wreck every time I left kids home alone. So as of Saturday, I own a phone again, but it's by-the-minute and only people I live with have the number.

Ok, the people I live with, and whoever texted me "happy vday pickles, love dogg" on Sunday. I so wanted to text back, "dude, i ain't your pickles," but I also ain't paying per text to converse with Dogg.

My oldest turned 14 last month, which made her of age to attend her very first church youth dance, commonly know as The Stake Dance, last weekend. At the last minute, I was asked to come along (in an official capacity, as opposed to a hovering mother capacity). Turns out that even after 15 years of adulthood, I can walk into a Stake Dance and instantly feel insecure and unattractive. (It was as if the semi-gloss cinder-block wall and I had never parted.) I felt a lot better once we busted out the laptop and projector and I got to geek it up a little bit. Whew.

As for the 5K, mission accomplished! I ran most of it, fully enjoyed the lovely company, and was very grateful to have the other KB in my life (KB2?) run with me around the last couple of corners, hollering encouragement (thanks!). I was very surprised at how much I really did enjoy the whole thing (you were totally right J-Dub!), and even I can't believe I'm looking forward to the Pear Blossom 5K in April! Who knew? And who wants to come with?

Kindly do NOT click on that. I've never looked more glamorous.

Last week, I also got to be a small part of a big project that was organized on behalf of some dear friends. It was carried out by a whole bunch of people who dearly love those same friends. It was amazing to be part of it. I absolutely loved working side-by-side with awesome people for a great cause, watching each person contribute their own skills, and knowing bonds were being formed and strengthened. The prevailing mood was sweet and tender, and it seemed like everyone came away with a greater affection for each other and for the project's recipients. I'm so glad I got to participate!

'Night!

It's only Tuesday . . .

. . . in my time zone, anyway, and here's what this week has brought me:

1. I canceled my cell phone. The original plan was to wait for the contract to expire, and then use a pay-as-you-go plan for emergency calls only. I was already getting giddy about the savings. But it turns out that pay-as-you-go is a spendy little conspiracy that forces you to buy more minutes than you need. LAME. So I figured, why not see how long I can go without a cell phone?

I'm here to tell you, this is EASY.

You know, as long as I don't go anywhere.

It's leaving the house that complicates things, because first of all, I have no idea what time it is, and then I find myself thinking things like, "Hmm . . . I should call the school and tell them my cell number is no good," and then reaching for the cell phone I no longer carry. Because I'm that smart. And then I wonder how the school will ever find me if my child is mortally wounded at recess. Then I tell myself that my mom never had a cell phone and we all survived school while she ran errands, which reminds me that one of my errands involves dropping by a friend's house, except I don't know if she's home, and maybe I should call and D'OH!

It's going to be fun.

2. Remember how I got my taxes done early? Somebody tipped off my van, which promptly popped a gasket and began hemorrhaging (did you know that word has 2 h's?) transmission fluid.

Never fails.

I know, I know - be grateful the breakdowns happen when the cash is available. Here's a bit of trivia for you: Kitty litter will soak oil up off of pavement. I have ten pounds of it on my driveway right now. Luckily kitty litter only costs 1/100th of a pan gasket repair.

3. February 13th will mark six months since my dear friend KB told me it was time to suck it up and improve my health. (If you're just barely ineligible to donate a kidney and your doctor is eying your blood sugar warily and you hate shopping for clothes and you want so much to have a baby, but your body is a little wonky and you have this nagging feeling that you'd better start doing something about it all, DON'T. TELL. KB.) We've been working out in her garage pretty much every weekday since.

You know those big 3-pound tubs of margarine? KB has worked EIGHT of them off of me since August. (Humor me. It's my favorite visual.) Except one of them snuck back on, and I guess KB noticed, because she called me today and told me that she's gone and signed me up for a 5K on the 13th, along with herself and J-Dub. She also tells me I'll be doing one a month from here on out, and that I can walk as much as I please for this one, because it will be my time to improve on.

Running a 5K (or any K, or any running) was never, ever, ever on my bucket list. EVER. But I'm terribly grateful to KB for sticking with me and offering endless encouragement and not allowing excuses. I can't turn down support like that, so I'll let you know how it goes.

Oops. It's not Tuesday anymore. 'Night all!