things I have never blogged

...and I'm not sure why. For instance, the great rafting and camping trip down the Whitewater River with the mancub in June. Or for instance, rock climbing. I've never blogged about rock climbing. True, I lost my rock climbing partner awhile back due to his job change and move, so I haven't done it in awhile. He had most of the gear for outdoor climbing (which reminds me that he made off with some of my gear). But the mancub is old enough, now, to belay at the gym, so I hope to get him interested and get back to climbing. I was thinking about this the other day--not just the lack of blogging these things, but the lack of doing these things I used to do--and I have come to the realization that when I went back to work full time, nearly two years ago now, all hell broke loose in my life. I just couldn't seem to manage everything. Couldn't come home dead tired every night, take care of the kid needs, house needs, food needs, pet needs, yard needs, car needs, etc. etc. and still do the things I love to do, like rock climbing and rollerblading and running and painting.

I feel, though, that I am finally catching up, figuring out how to fit everything in, or at least what to jettison and what to keep. One thing I jettisoned was the very stressful job and replaced it with a job I truly love going to each day. That was a major catalyst for getting back to life as I want it to be. I went rollerblading over the weekend and again last night, for the first time all summer. Why did I wait till the end of July? I have no idea. I love to rollerblade and used to go at least a couple times a week. I've been finding more energy for a run every now and then, and even rode my bike to the YMCA one day. Good grief, I had not been on my bike all summer. This is not me! This is not the full and active life I've always made for myself. I had a million excuses, including getting older. But no more lame excuses. I know I'm not twenty or even two times twenty, and so I don't have those twenty-something expectations for myself anymore, but I want to be doing as many of the things I love to do as possible into old age. Mind over matter. As grandma said, where there's a will, there's a way.

I have, in short, been re-inspired, and with it comes energy reserves I thought were gone. The garden can pretty much take care of itself from this point out. The grass has stopped growing so fast. I've finished some big projects at work. I've managed to do a little art, a little running, some creative cooking, some kickboxing, some river rafting, and I think I'm even ready to take on the rock climbing gym again one of these days. Writing more and blogging are on the list, too. I'm hoping this is not a temporary energy surge, but a return to a way of life I've enjoyed over the years, a way of life with more balance and less stress, more fun and less exhaustion. There is time enough for all these good things, yes?