While preparing some food for a potluck, my mom called to ask if she could borrow my reamer.

Me: “I’m using mine, but, ya know, you can simply cut the lemon in half and stick a fork in it, twist and squeeze.”

Mom: “That’s great honey, thanks.”

He-he. I just told my mom to stick a fork in it.

Each day this week I woke up so sore that getting out of bed was a comedy of sorts. Back, arms, joints, ankle – what did I do to myself? Besides a little swimming with the kids, I really have no idea what brought on this pain. And each day I just hobbled around and took it easy.

Taking it too easy soon turned into a general funk (day 2) from which it was hard to emerge. I told myself that I simply get blue sometimes for no apparent reason. Or then (day 3) I listed all the many reasons I imagined that could make me depressed. The list became endless (day 4) as I got more and more imaginative with each item that I dredged up. Before too long, I was caught in a fantasy of misery.

This morning I was saved by the bell, or, in this case, my little one who woke up early with a nightmare. With a few kisses and snuggles, he quickly returned to sleep. Me? Oh, my back, my hip, my arm… I couldn’t rest as my mind was too focused on all my little gripes. Finally, in defeat (or triumph), I got up, threw on my shoes, and went for a walk.

Ah, to see the sun rise on Lake Michigan is such a privilege. The aches and pains that have been plaguing me all week soon eased, and by the time I got back home, I felt that blue shroud dissipate as my energy returned.

It is too easy for me to forget how to cure myself. The exercise that seems so impossible to attempt when I’m feeling achy and blue, is exactly the right remedy. Truth.

Always grateful to drop the swag bags.

I didn’t think I wanted to go to BlogHer this year, because, you know, I haven’t really been blogging much.  Writing dropped from my list of priorities, along with eating well and exercising.  Budgeting (to save my house), homeschooling (had to drop the expensive tutors), housework (letting the maid go), cooking (mostly dropped the takeout), driving, driving, and more driving, and endless piles of laundry, stress, anxiety and the occasional blues somehow trumped writing, exercising and anything else that I probably need to do for myself.  How to fit it all in?  So easy to let a few things go.  I may have let too much of myself go, perhaps. The conference, however, was just across the river from me, which made it impossible to turn down.  I’m glad I didn’t.

Impromptu tour of the neighborhood.

What I found at BlogHer13: So many beautiful women who openly bare their souls to help us all become better people, make better parents, be better siblings, neighbors, lovers, partners, workers, friends and citizens.  Folks sharing their time and talents to be better photographers, videographers, programmers, writers, networkers, consumers, advocates, etc.  This list goes on and on and on.  It was a vibrant community of mostly women and a few good men all intent on sharing support for one another.  I felt like I arrived empty handed, and left so full.

Thank you, BlogHer, for some much needed time for myself.I am still so dog tired.  (wah, wah, wah…)