As I sit with my dog curled up at my footrest, well, let's face it, she's taken over the entire thing at this point, I have just finished loading, sharing and ordering pictures from today's outing. After watching as much footage of the 9-11 America Remembers coverage as I could take, I decided it was time, time for my adventure.
Last night, I went to the sneak preview of "I Don't Know How She Does It" with Sara Jessica Parker and many other great stars. The idea behind the movie is to reveal how a working mom does it these days. It was entertaining, regardless of how she managed to juggle it all, it was indeed a movie, not reality. I then headed to Barnes and Noble, one of my favorite places on a Saturday night when I don't have plans. To look at books, or magazines as it was last night, to be around people without necessarily being with people. It's a good thing. While I was there, I saw a set of Ebony pencils, the kind I used in my art classes in college. It was then that I had the idea. Tomorrow was to be a beautiful Sunday, one of the last near 80 and sunny for September I am sure. I decided I was going to do one of those items on the women's magazine's DO LIST, as I had read yesterday...Go Hiking Alone.
I hadn't been hiking or through the beautiful paths of Devil's Lake State Park for a year now and there was no reason not having a man in my life means that I can't go do those fun date things, on my own! I packed a backpack with a water bottle, my camera, an old sketchbook and my new art pencils and set out on the road. On my drive up I decided brunch at my favorite place overlooking the water in Prairie du Sac was a must. Again, it had been a year since I had been there and I've so wanted to go back.
As I sat out on the beautiful patio, overlooking the river, I took a deep breath and smiled. It was beautiful. Whether a table for two, or just a table for me. It was here that I would come with the man I was dating a year ago right now. He had introduced me to the place and it just shouted out my name. I love the view and the warm strawberries over gellato wasn't bad either!
When I was done, I took a walk on the path below, a little ways down the river. It's amazing how peaceful it is being near water again. I was able to hear and then see the ripples from a fish emerging from nearby. I could have pulled up a seat and just gazed out into the still, sun-sparkling water for hours, but I also looked forward to the hike ahead. So I headed back to my minivan and away I went.
I was almost to the park, when I saw a sign for an Apple Orchard just off the main road and decided, as I had no timeline today (what an amazing feeling this week!), I would stop and check it out. I didn't end up purchasing any apples, but did enjoy the beautiful sunflowers outside. Photography is so much fun. When you find a subject to capture, to bring that memory, that image back home with you. It is an amazing thing cameras can do. Now, with digital technology, I can come back home that very same day and view, relive all the memories once again.
When I finally made it into the park, with my pack on and ready to go, I set out. Through the small clearing of sunlit leaves, it was upwards on onwards for me! The fresh air was amazing, as was all the beautiful green foliage everywhere around me. The sun trickling through just illuminated everything even more! I discovered, although I entered the trail alone, I really wasn't. Their were families, couples and individuals out and about, enjoying the wonderful weather with me. I was up at a bluff that I discovered my seat. A large rock overlooking the cliff. It was so picturesque that I ended up taking pictures for at least three of four of individuals or couple that kindly asked if I would please do them a favor. It was after a bit more pictures that I finally set my camera down on the rock next to me and broke out the pencils. I was so nervous as I didn't know what to sketch, but I knew it was time.
I began with the rocks and trees around me, but my pencil just couldn't do them justice...nothing like I was hoping my pictures had. Then I looked down at my hands. I recalled a piece of art I had to do for an assignment in a drawing class back in college. Draw a picture of your hands, study every line, shape, form that your hand creates. I remembered how I had wrote out the word ART, using my sketches of hands to display each letter in sign language. I decided it had been way to long and I had to try. I began trying to draw the image of two hands folded in prayer. It was then I realized the perspecitive of that image straight-on does not have much detail to it. I had already drawn a set of hands, open hands reached out to receive communion. It was time for some hope, both in my life as well as on the paper, so the sketching then began. I sketched out each letter, trying not to keep erasing, criticizing myself for messing up so often. I finally stopped, as the breeze was picking up and I had been sitting there for a couple hours.
As I headed back down the trail, I was again in awe how the light shine on the green leaves in such a way, they appear to be lit by backlighting on a stage. I was beginning to feel a little bit sore inside, from Tuesday and was glad I hadn't pushed it to make it any further on the trail. Oh wait, I don't believe I had told you about my birthday afternoon. It was Thursday afternoon, after making it through the first morning of Preschool with my 2 1/2-3 Year olds and I was on my way to lunch when I received the call. The doctor said the biopsy showed that I was not at the high elevated level for pre-cancer cells and did not require surgery at this time. I didn't know what to say, but know it was one of the best birthday presents I could have received.
The day itself, with an overtired daughter, fourth grade orientation to attned, it was nice, just a bit exhuasting. Like any other day during that first full week back to school and the lack of sleep and trying to adjust to a new schedule kicks in as the kids begin the grumpy/tired children syndromy. But somehow we survived, or rather I survived.
I survived the week to, as it stayed stressful up through Friday night. Yes, as I had to cancel, or rather work on rescheduling my birthday celebration with my friends. It was and is always a good thing that I can stay hoem with the kids, even if it was their Dad's night/weekend to take them and decided he was too busy and exhausted too. I made it through co-coaching our first soccer scrimmage and helped set up Brew Fest for the Soccer Club, only with my kids at the park within viewing distance as I helped with what I could. Finally at 1:15 in the afternoon, I heard from my ex-husband, letting me know he just work up and asked if I coudl bring the kids out. As I received hsi following texts on how exhausting it is working a full time job...as if I didn't know. I SOOOOO wanted to reply...it's also exhuasting to begin your first week back teaching, with a double-biopsy and fears of having cancer racing through your mind and heart. But I didn't. I will not complain to him let alone share anything or provide more reasons for him to pick on or tease me. I simply said I'd leave soon to drop the kids off, which I did and look so foward to seeing again tomorrow as they get off that school bus.
Tomorrow night it's attending our first Cub Scout meeting and other world in the life of my son begins. I hope it's a great experience for him, as my daughter has enjoyed Girl Scouts. Speaking of, I'll have to check on when their first meeting is, as I know coming up this fall, before long, it will be Cookie Time! Speaking of sweet treats, I must also add the ending of my day out and about enjoying the fresh air, came to a close when my friend treated me to food at Spreaker's, where we got to dine outside near a firetable and with a beautiful clear sky. It is such a blessing to end the day with a friend, especailly one who is like a sister to you, an additional sister that God has blessed me with. We chatted about work, kids, men, illness, religion, parenting, you name it, it probably came up! As much as I was ready to stay home with my feet up, as I was loading my pictures from the hike online, it was a good thing I got my rump up off this chair and went to join her. You forget how power, how rewarding time with a close friend can be.
Time to go to bed and instead of making my to-do lists on the ceiling, as the movie last night showed, I'll be sure to bring a pencil and paper with me. As the script of the movie was accurate, at least in my case, that when a mom goes to bed at night, the lists begin to form, whether we want them too or not. At least this week, my lists don't involve medical testing and hopefully not any visits to the court house or police stations, but rather ideas for new art projects or fun ideas to spend time doing with my children as the fall weather and colors are quickly appoarching and I can't wait!
