Happy Hayride

My cheeks hurt.

My friends and I signed up to go on a hayride and campfire outing at a farm, this evening. I was driving and sent out a note to meet at the metro station at 5:25. One of the three misread the email and called me at 5:15 to ask where I was. Just as I got there to pick her up on time, we got a text from another one saying she was running late. In fact, she was still at home. The third called to tell us she had forgotten something and was on her way back to her apartment to pick it up. We were going to miss the boat…er…hayride. Also, it looked like it was going to rain.

What ensued involved some crazy coordination, picking people up on corners, speeding down back streets and refreshing the event page to make sure it wasn’t canceled due to inclement weather, even as we were racing against the clock. Somehow we made it there just before the hayride and the other 30 people we were going with left. It was raining, but with jackets and umbrellas, this was still happening.

They hayride bumped along around the farm and we were occasionally greeted by Halloween decorations or gussied up scarecrows. The rain continued off and on while we idly chatted. By the time we got back, we were half soaked from the drizzle and chilled. The campfire was a welcome site. There were hot dogs and s’mores and wine. We intermittently huddled under umbrellas around the campfire and the small tent where the food was. 

Ok, so it wasn’t the best night to have this event that we barely made. And I can think of so many reasons why we’d feel grumpy or want to leave or not go at all. But here’s the thing. No one complained. Everyone was chatty and happy to be there, despite the circumstances. We ate, we drank, we took crazy pictures. There were lots of jokes about wieners and buns on sticks (there’s something about a campfire that brings out the inner twelve year old) and marveling at the colors of the darkened night sky. Most of all there was laughter. We laughed about our crazy car antics, about not getting there on time, about the rain and wet hay, about the heat of the fire and at each other.

Tonight reminds me that attitude accounts for so much of our experiences in life. We can think ourselves miserable or we can accept what is and go forward, anyway.

Fest in the City

Today was the Adams Morgan Day Festival. I’m not sure if I enjoyed the festival or my walks to and from the metro more. There was a taste of fall in the air. The sky was a bright blue after yesterday’s storm.  It was still quite warm, but the slight crispness in the breeze brought with it a promise of weather to come. It’s days like this that I love to be in DC. Summers can be cloyingly hot in the city, so days like this invigorate us.  There were people out everywhere – walking, biking, sitting on stoops and watching the world go by.

The festival itself was entertaining. A mix of music, ethnic food and art. And people. Lots of people of all ages, ethnicities and walks of life. My friend had made the mistake of trying to drive and was late trying to find parking. So I mingled. I bumped into a guy I had a few dates with a few years ago. A raffle ticket vendor kissed my hand, undeterred by my gentle refusal to buy a ticket. I watched Afro-Brazilian dancers perform on a school basketball court. But my favorite was a man singing karaoke, making up the lyrics as he went. I think Elton John would have a few choice words to say about this guy’s rendition of Tiny Dancer. 

I didn’t end up buying or eating anything. But I walked a lot, caught up with friends, and relished the day. I came home more than satisfied.

Stronger

I had Pole this evening. Our last class of this session

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A woman had come in for Zumba but the teacher never showed, so she joined our class. She had never taken a pole class before, so our instructor was alternating between our review and giving her a few lessons in Pole 101. Watching her tentative steps around the pole, I reflected on how far I’ve really come in this often interrupted journey. How much stronger I am, how much more confidence I have. How proud I am of every bruise and sore muscle I walk away with.  And -- anyone who knows me will know how amazing it is to hear me say this -- how graceful I can be. 

Of course, I’m not the only one. A girl in my class managed to do something tonight that she has been working all session on. We clapped for her. We’ve all been there. It might not look effortless quite yet, but the confidence that comes from actually being able to hold a position even for a second is wonderfully gratifying. Her face glowed for the rest of class. 

I’m not usually comfortable admitting what new trick I can do. It’s as though I have a fear that people will expect things from me if I admit to it. Or that it can be taken away from me once it leaves my lips. But the truth is that at this moment, I can do a few interesting tricks and I don’t collapse halfway through class. Strength and muscle memory are gained in small increments, but gained nonetheless. It may have taken me longer than some to get to this point, but the point is, I’ve gotten this far.

Taste of Spring

I bundled up and went outside this morning to walk my dog and felt strange. I didn’t need my coat. No, it went past not needing it. I was warm. I looked up into the sky and the sun shone down upon me and all was good with the world. My spine straightened, my gait broadened and my steps were lighter. 

I had the windows open all day and a cool (but not cold) breeze has been circulating. My dog sunbathed by the window and I had some happy music playing as I worked on my couch. Not that I was that productive. Luckily, an appointment cross town had me in my car early in the afternoon and I had the windows down and the sun roof open for the first time in six months. 

The air reminds me that spring is almost upon us. Full of life, full of promise. Long walks, bike rides, meals eaten on patios with friends, drinks on rooftops watching the sun set. Weekend trips to the beach. Farmers markets. Less clothes and more sun. I just can’t wait. 

Even as I sit here typing, I can feel the wind picking up and the air is chillier. It’s supposed to rain tonight and be cool for at least the next few days. But I don’t care. I’ve gotten a taste of what’s to come. Maybe I can wait.