no worries

Friday morning I was stopped at a red light waiting to turn left while two young gals waited ahead of me. Their car bounced in place while they boogied on down to some crazy dance song I'm sure and the license plate cover read alumni from some college or other.

Frankly, it annoyed me greatly.

I didn't hate them for being chipper and enjoying the moment. Heck, I didn't even know them. I can only imagine they were happy because it was the end of the week, the sun was sunshiney, and neither of them were working (maybe never??). Their hair was blonde and they rocked out to some tunes together. Probably off to splurge on an iced latte and flirt with cute boys and shop at the mall reassuring each other their rear ends aren't fat in those overpriced jeans. Whatever the case may be, I was annoyed by the bouncy car and the flippy hair and be-bopping shoulders.

I sulked in my car, with the heater on full blast because I'm always freezing, waiting for the light to turn green. I thought about how just two weeks ago I checked off another birthday. The thirty-eighth birthday to be exact. I'm a stay-at-home mom with a misshapen body, bags big enough for a wallet under my eyes, an expired teacher certificate and at that very moment, feeling very, very, very tired.

The first full week with the kids back to school sort of kicked my butt and I am not really sure why. I mean, c'mon....I'm alone from 8am to 3pm for five days straight and I felt like I ran a marathon after getting hit by a semi-truck. It didn't make sense. The only logic I can make out of my bad mood was for five days I woke up at the crack of dawn after staying up late every night and hit the ground running trying to live my new kidless freedom filled days to the fullest ignoring housework and fulfilling all the back-to-school hoopla. Whatever the reason, I was in a bad mood come Friday and the two young things getting jiggy with it just added to my already craptastic attitude.

Then Saturday morning came.

It is amazing what a little sleep does for the soul my friends. I am the first to admit I am NOT a morning person. Getting a little sleep in on the weekend does make me feel better. My house was still a disaster but I didn't care. Sometimes you just have to give in. Otherwise the stress of trying to be perfect will make you go blind.

I woke up late, sipped coffee and headed out for an afternoon football game. Watching little dudes throwing each other on the ground makes for good entertainment. I told El Fuego if he got in on some tackles I would take him to the new local pizza joint. He delivered. Therefore I had to as well.

I took the family home afterwards. The long week back to school has been hard on the girls as well. And, the only remedy for them was an early bedtime. I snuck out of the house sans hubby and kids to celebrate my neighbors' vow renewal. They turned their backyard into a scene right out of the movies and it was magical. The lights, the music, the dance floor and friendly faces. Delish!

My mood was perking up.

But here is the best part! After the reception, my friend/other neighbor cruised into our local teen center to support The Boys and Girls club. The event was a Ladies Night Out. There was dancing and speciality cocktails. And, let me tell you. It was THE. BEST. TIME!!! I haven't been to a 'dance' since I don't know how long. The best part was, it was only local, super awesome women. Some more tipsy than others but that made it even more fun.

It was all over for me when Dancing Queen came on. I took a cue from the be-bobbing twinsies, threw my hands up and let loose. Hips jiggled. Shoulders bounced. Feet kicked. Rumps shook. Hands clapped. Spins happened people! SPINS!!!

It was just the kick in the pants I needed. A reset. I thought about my friends in Costa Rica. "Pura Vida" (pure life) they say. Not just words, but a philosophy. It's like "Hakuna Matata" but in Spanish. My most favorite description of this upper-left corner of the Lower Forty-eight I call home is from a recent book I read. Where'd You Go, Bernadette: Greetings from sunny Seattle, where women are "gals," people are "folks," a little bit is a "skosh," if you're tired you're "logy," if something is slightly off it's "hinky," you can't sit Indian-style but you can sit "crisscross applesauce," when the sun comes out it's never called "sun" but always "sunshine," boyfriends and girlfriends are "partners," nobody swears but someone occasionally might "drop the f-bomb," you're allowed to cough but only into your elbow, and any request, reasonable or unreasonable, is met with "no worries."

So there you go. No worries! Be happy! "PURA VIDA! my friends!!"

"Poor in things, Rich in life" is my tag line and I try to repeat it to myself every day. It's easy to feel bogged down. Pooped out. Run ragged. I'm guilty of letting the pressures of this messy life get to me I admit. However, I've decided to do myself a favor, now that I'm thirty-eight and all, and not let myself wallow in the crap. I try to recognize when my mood takes a nose dive as soon as possible and remind myself of just how freaking great a 'dancing queen' I am.