Lost: Peace of Mind

Perhaps I should read my own blog more often (ie: last entry), having seemingly found that place of peace and joy. I guess I tend to reside there more often than not these days, and definitely more often than I used to, but yesterday I definitely was NOT in that place. I was pissed.

It all started with an extremely hectic week. Lifeguarding and leading water fitness at three different Y's, taking me from home at 9 am and bring me back at 10 pm. A solid day of meetings and errands on my day off no less. And yet another class to cover and commitments set to fill my entire Saturday. Not to mention deadlines, clients and now a job interview looming in the near future.

As if all that weren't enough, as I frantically raced out the door Saturday morning to get to the Y in time to teach the class, I realized that my "Y bag" was not in my car. My "Y bag" is a bag full of all the stuff I need to do my various jobs at various locations. You know, clean dry underwear, a snack, swim goggles and cap (just in case I get the overwhelming urge to swim for a change), swim suit, CD's shoes, shirt and shorts, a towel, and toiletries. Realizing the bag wasn't in the car, I ran to the house to find it. But it was nowhere to be found. So I hollered out to Tom to find out what he did with it, because of course it was his fault :) But he had no idea. He was convinced that I had taken it in the house the night before.

So, we began to recount what we had done the day before. I had taught a class Friday morning. When I got home I had taken my towel and suit out of the bag and hung it out to dry. We established that it was when I went out to get them, late the night before, was when Tom had thought I brought the bag in. Shortly after I brought my towel and suit into the house, Tom came into the house and handed me my CD's, apparently they had fallen out of the bag and were laying in the driveway. It soon became apparent to me that my bag had been stolen. I think Tom thought I was nuts when I ordered him to start looking in near by trash cans, but I figured if someone grabbed it they would want to ditch whatever was not of value to them and leave with what was. The problem with that reasoning was that there was NOTHING of value to anyone except me in that bag. I had my ID, my suit and towel, my cds, and my shirts and shorts were in the wash. All the thief got away with were my toiletries, dry underwear and swim cap and goggles. I later confirmed that they had been taken when I realized the broken boom box that was also sitting in the back seat was missing as well.

Under the gun, I grabbed what extra toiletries I had and stuffed them with my suit, towel and cds into a paper grocery bag and went about my day. But I was pissed. As I thought about it, there were two real opportunities for this to have happened - while we were at a garage sale the day before when I had neglected to lock the car despite my thinking "you should lock the door, someone will think that bag is a purse" or while the car sat no more that 15 feet away from my back door in my driveway. Then I began to think about all that was in that bag. First there was the bag, the perfect size and shape to carry all my stuff. Then the toiletry bag a pretty quilted thing with everything I could need including: shampoo, conditioner, body wash, lotion, a fancy razor for which I had refills at home, a brush, facial cleanser and moisturizer, pain killers and antihistamine. I then realized as I was getting dressed after the class that my deodorant was also in the bag. I was pissed!

And what continued to fuel this fire of anger was the fact that I knew that it was all probably sitting in a trash can somewhere because it was worthless to whomever took it. But I had to spend time, energy and money to replace it all. I just couldn't get over it.

Later Saturday afternoon when I returned home, I decided to walk the alley and see if I could find any of the bag or its contents. As I walked, I was convinced that I was being silly. I was sure that it must have been taken while we were at the garage sale. But I kept walking. I walked the entire alley for two blocks to the south of us. Spoke with a couple of neighbors then wandered my way back home. I found nothing. Just in case, I decided to cover my bases and go the 1/2 block to the north checking the apartment building dumpsters along the way. I was on my way to the last dumpster on the block when I looked between the apartment building and the house and there it was. Three doors from my house, my bag with its contents hurriedly dumped out and gone through, laying there in the dirt between the two buildings. I can't tell you how happy I was.

I am almost embarrassed to admit that something so simple and really so minor could have such an effect, both negatively and positively, on my day. Never mind the feeling of violation, that some desperate, brazen jerk had the gaul to walk into my yard and steal my things from my car. I mean really do I need to lock my car everywhere? But the fact that they did really makes me wonder what has happened to this world and the way people think. What they really stole was my peace of mind.

There is one kind of humorous moral to this story. Of course there is no sign of the boom box, but it was broken. I had it in the car because I was going to see if I could get it to work again. I guess sometimes what goes around does come around. Mr. or Ms. Thief, I hope you enjoy your broken boom box. You really deserve what you got.

Back to Blogging!

It is about time I get back to blogging! Where does the time go? A perfect example of that is my nephew Henry! I was just looking through my most recent (last summer) blog entries and saw the pictures of my super cute (I am not biased) nephew and can't believe how grown up he has become so quickly. Well, he will be two in June, but compared to when I was there last summer he has really become a person all his own in the last nine months. This is the most recent picture of Henry during his first visit to our house.


So, where has the time gone? I guess when I look back we have been pretty busy. I finished shows at Rockford, IL in three days of solid rain. Quite anti-climactic after such an amazing summer. What is it they say about predictably unpredictable? Once done with shows, I poured myself into the finishing touches on the remodeling project on which my husband and I have been working. Also known as our home. By the end of October we were well on our way to moved in and living like grown ups. A very much needed change from the basement we had been camping in. We then set out to finish the kitchen and bathroom. First cabinets, then counters and appliances. The kitchen is together and is the best kitchen I have ever called my own. The bath, well, we recently bought a new tub :) It will be finished soon I am sure.

Then came the holidays and the hopes of a great show. The economy put a rapid end to that dream. On the positive side, I have lots of new work ready to share with the world. About a week later I found myself in PHARR, Texas after my mother-in-law fell and broke her foot. Sickness came upon return which led to the most peaceful Christmas I can remember. I think I need to get sick every year ;)

The new year started with a rapid series of events that have forever changed my outlook on life and what we put our hope in. It started on Friday, January 16, when I received my first colonoscopy, during which a polyp that was found to be of the type that could become cancerous was removed. An eye opener, but not earth shattering. Until Sunday, Jan. 18 when we got a phone call that my husband's sister, in her mid-fifties, had a massive heart attack. There is no more helpless feeling than seeing someone you love connected to machines and tubes. Then on Mon., Jan. 19, Tom came home and had been laid-off.

So, you might be thinking that I am kind of angry at the world right now. Well, I'm not. In fact, I am happier than I have been in a long time and hopeful. Last weekend we celebrated Easter with my sister-in-law, and celebrated the fact that she is still with us. I know it sounds cliche, but these events have helped me realize what is really important in life. It is in times like these - personally, economically, professionally - that make us realize we really are not in control of anything. I have learned to celebrate life today, tomorrow is not guaranteed. Until next time, Linda