A Year of Blogging: August 15, 2011

August 15 was 'Relaxation Day'. While it may seem very odd to have this on a Monday, which is usually the most stressful day for people, it's actually a fixed date. Relaxation Day is always August 15. Only once every few years does it fall on a Monday. Of course, if your Mondays are as stressful as mine are, you need the time to relax. People have different ways of relaxing. My mother likes to work in the garden. For her, getting on her hands and knees and tending plants is soothing. I guess it's her nurturing nature. Funny though, she can't keep houseplants alive. But her flowerbeds are beautiful. People in town comment on how pretty her yard always looks. It's a source of pride for her. My father relaxes by watching sports. Dad is the classic armchair coach. When his team is not playing well, he screams at the tv and offers suggestions. One might wonder how this is relaxing for him, but it is. For me, I am always trying to achieve a state of relaxation. Physically, it is nearly impossible because the pain in my muscles and joints is ever present. I succeed in relaxing my mind, and that's better than nothing. Sometimes I play bejeweled or solitaire games on the computer. Other times I settle in with a good book. And yes, there are times I completely veg: curl up on the couch with the dogs, watch tv, and usually doze off. The oddest ways for me to relax are to create things. I'm sure it seems a little odd to relax by knitting an afghan. Especially if you see me feverishly counting stitches trying to follow a pattern, and ignoring all who talk to me so I don't lose my concentration. The afghan I'm working on now has two rows of 'knit one, purl one' all the way across 105 stitches. This means I am constantly moving the yarn back and forth, and in order to keep my place I must block out the world and talk my way through the row. Relaxing at it's best! When I am really stressed, I bake. Most people have found this incredibly strange. Following recipes, standing in a hot kitchen making cookies or cupcakes or brownies. I can't explain why it works, it is just the best stress release for me. My favorite way to relax is soaking in a hot tub. The problem with this is I don't have a hot tub. My one neighbor does, but I don't go use his. Even if we were on friendly terms, I think it would be weird to use your neighbor's hot tub. So this relaxation method is saved for the times I'm staying in hotels. In fact, if when making a reservation, I check to see if the hotel has a hot tub. Then I make sure to enjoy it every day of my stay. Maybe someday we'll have a hot tub at home. We've talked about it. And I think when things are better at Goofy Grape, we will get one. Right after we finish the upstairs bathroom!