Oldness is approaching

bring it on

Birthday week!

Oo!  I’m older.

Officially.

Another tree ring on this oak… am I an oak?  Hmmm.  If I were a tree, what would I be?  Maybe really a dogwood. I’ve always liked dogwoods.

When we first moved to Tumwater my dad gave me two tiny trees in plastic spikes/tubes. We planted them in the backyard. One didn’t make it and I don’t know what it was. The other was a dogwood and it grew tall and proud in the backyard until my mother eventually sold the house. White flowers. It had white flowers.

Perhaps a dogwood. Another ring on the dogwood. How old in dogwood years?

Do I have any deep meaningful philosophical feelings about aging? No, not really.  We get older every minute, every day and we’ve decided years are significant. Cool. Okay. Aging is part of what we do. I have noticed that people seem to age differently.  Some folks will look the same for years and then one day you’ll see them and think “what in the heck! They’re like… suddenly old!”  And with the kids at school.. dinky kids are suddenly not dinky.  They grown like bean sprouts… or maybe dogwoods. 

IT BEGINS!

My birthday week started Saturday really.. and not really with my knowledge. I texted KS to see if we were running Sunday. She said something like “I have a proposal… I have a free pass to a hot yoga session” and then she buttered it up with bagels and whitefish. Hmm. 

Now… I really like bagels and whitefish but that had no sway in my decision. Basically, if my adventure buddy that knows me pretty well suggests something - I’m going for it. Going for it maybe even if I am unsure… even if I’m slightly frightened.  But hey, I’ve been doing some pretty tough core work for 6 months at PT and I’m up to 10 mile runs every weekend. 

So, “yes”.

Sometimes it is good to not to ask too many questions. Sometimes it is better to accept that you will just not really have any idea what’s going on and you’re just going to go for it. I am glad I took this approach.

On the drive up I did ask things like “how hot?” “weights?” “barefoot?” and there was some good feedback. I have to give particular credit to KS’s daughter who, when she found out it was my first Yoga of any kind, recommended that maybe I shouldn’t use the weights at all. Wise young woman.

One thing I did not know was how far we were going for this adventure. It was another 45 minutes after driving up to KS’s place.  Up in the bay area, as they say. 

The trainer/coach/guide… I don’t actually know what they’re called. She knew KS and seemed to be generally glad to see her. Good.  Or bad.  Hard to really know.  Did I mention KS likes to push herself to her limits and she likes hot yoga to be really really hot?  hmmm.

It’s a good sized room. People keep rolling in. KS helps me get set up with weights, yoga block and tells me to put a towel on top of my yoga mat. I’m closer to the door… I may need to escape!  She and her daughter are in the front far corner (where it should be warmer).  Hmm. I didn’t count but the room was full, packed pretty tight in my opinion by the time the trainer came in. 30? 40? somewhere in there I’m sure. 

The trainer comes in and takes a vote.  “Who’s up for 100 burpees?”.  A few people (KS included) raise their hands.  “That’s enough! We’re doing them!  But I’ll spread them out”.  And so it begins. Power core yoga, I guess.  More like a HIT class I think if you know what that is.  I don’t really so I could be totally wrong.  Anyway… I don’t remember much. Constant movement. Motions. Poses. Weights at weird angles. Motions. Trying to keep up. Mimicking my neighbors. It’s hot. I give up on the weights by minute 20. I sip water two or three times. I did look over at KS and her daughter a couple times.  I see her daughter take a sip of water and that gives me a little odd comfort.  I make it to minute 55 or so before I have to weave my way out the door and take a moment to just cool down.  OH!!! It felt sooo cold in the hallway.  And then back into the heat and all I can really do is just go through the motions. I am barely doing anything that remotely resembles any of the poses or a burpee or anything. Just there. Hot.  I look at the top of my feet and there is a sheen of sweet. My fingers have actually pruned - like they’ve been underwater for too long. I am definitely woozy at this point. 

And then it ends.  75 minutes.  I just stand there in woozy daze. I think about picking up my weights and stuff but bending over seems like a recipe to passing out. so I stand there.

The room slowly vacates (wow, they’re all amazing!). KS puts her stuff away and then comes back and gets my yoga block and weights and puts them away for me.  Thank you! and eventually says we’ll meet you out front. 

By the time I get to the men’s locker room the last guy is leaving. So… I get the place to myself!  Ahh.. Nice shower.  Still sweating when I get out, but great!!

And that’s the most exhausted I’ve felt in a really long time and it was… great.  I’ve missed it and somehow it may be the most thoughtful birthday present I’ve received in a long time.  I think the Mt Diablo 25k run in 85 degree heat felt similar… and equally woozy.   

And then there was bagels and white fish and Philz coffee.  Perfect.

Would I do it again? Yes. But it was kind of hard on my big toe.  I’ve got Halux Rigidus.  Barefoot exercising sometimes hurts. If I were to do it again I might have to figure out some kind of foot taping thing. Hmmm.  

Tuesday

I got this card from my fabulous step mom… Oh, she’s obviously been reading my substack!!

Wednesday

I did my PD presentation for our staff in the afternoon. Regulating emotion to start, then on to how to react to indications of child abuse… 42 slides. Finished in just under two hours. Initial feedback was positive.  I try to keep it light even with heavy topics. I use my recent Yoga experience as an example of how we regulate ourselves physically… then we moved on to emotional regulation.  Got to use what you know and experience, you know!!

Wednesday night my friend KC back east stays up late on FB so she can be the first to wish me happy birthday. So sweet.  Very glad to reconnect with her.

Thursday!

To school. Morning assembly. The school sings happy birthday and a dozen or so kids run up to give me things. Tiny hugs, little drawings, a balloon, gifts. The school is a special place. After assembly I make sure to track down the kindergartner that shares my birthday and give him a high five.

My room mom brought home made cookies for everyone. Oh, they’re good. I eat a bunch before my…

…final PT.  She makes sure to push my core to burning. Thank you.

Fifth grade called me over for some more cookies.  Cookie day!

Teach: 4th, 6th, 1st, Kinder, 7th. Coach Track. I give them popsicles, go home. Shower. Dinner with the ladies at Stammtisch - German food.  Wow.. that’s a busy day.

Friday 

My room mom also brought a tres leches cake Thursday. But that was just too much so we didn’t dig in until Friday.  I had three pieces.  I’ll bring the rest home tomorrow.

and now I’m sleepy. Yup.

Next Saturday we’re doing my birthday run. We’ll be running up North Chalone Peak at The Pinnacles. Wish us luck.