Wednesday 11 June 2008

Handle with care

I'm feeling a little fragile.

No, it has nothing to do with the fact that I unwisely, but oh-so-enjoyably, stayed out until midnight for a meal and a gossip with some girlfriends last night. Or indeed that it seems I am still suffering from jetlag, which manifested itself very attractively at around 3.30pm this afternoon with me crashed out and snoring on our bed, legs dangling off the end because I didn't even have the energy to take off my shoes. Heaven only knows what my mother-in-law thought when she popped over to pay homage at the shrine of her grandson's this afternoon - thankfully Husband was here to let her in, or she might have been left knocking for a while.

No, I'm feeling fragile for two reasons.

Firstly, I am can reliably inform you that one does not visit Australia to lose weight. If one is lucky, one maintains the status quo. As did Husband. I was not lucky. Suffice it to say that on my first visit to the gym in nearly 6 weeks this morning, my work-out kit felt a little on the snug side. So, when I walked in and happened to hear one of two male instructors say to the other 'She's not in that bad shape, considering she's in her 30's' it was all I could do to keep moving and not go back and confront him on:

a) whether he was talking about me. Which he clearly wasn't, because;

  • I am not in my 30's - anymore
  • I probably am in bad shape
  • And for god's sake, get a life PM, he wasn't even looking in my direction

b) what on earth he meant by that shockingly ageist comment. We can't all look like Demi Moore as we hit 40, you know. Or even like her older, rather more portly sister. (Oh yes, sorry - he wasn't talking about me in any case, was he?)

So, it's chocolate avoidance all the way. Until the weekend, at any rate. Or tomorrow. Whichever comes sooner.


And the other reason I'm feeling a little hormonal? Boy #1 had his orientation morning at Big School today. We dropped off a pre-schooler and picked up a clear-eyed schoolboy. It was both wonderful and a little scary to see. Just this morning, I recieved a mail-shot offering me the chance to buy a photo of the dawn on the day he was born. Whilst I can find better uses for £75, it did result in my experiencing a flash-back of how tiny he had been, and how it felt as he snuggled into my neck like a little bear on that first day of his life. And here Husband and I were taking him out for a lunch to celebrate the fact that he had made through his first morning at grown-up school.

Time certainly waits for no mum.

We snapped sharply back to reality with a tantrum in the garden at dinner time, though. Kids, eh?

9 comments:

  1. i loved the legs dangling off because no energy to take shoes off - i seem to do exactly that daily.

    Off course they weren't talking about you! Were they?

    Time does go scarily fast. This smacked me in the face today when i realised that my little precious baby, now has very smelly sweaty grown-up feet. For some bizarre reason this made me so proud of her.

    Exciting that your boy has started big school, a real milestone

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  2. I think they WERE talking about you Potty M, at our age we need to take all the perceived compliments/ageist comments we can get.

    big school for little boy! it's a wobbly moment isn't it? (have i missed something, but why is he starting school in June? Is he still on Oz time?)But just think about how your life is very slowly coming back to you. I'm rather jealous!
    Pigx

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  3. i am deeply impressed that you actually get to the gym, whereas i just threaten it to my belly and behind. and boy, aaah, i'm glad he had the temper tantrum. it would have been too much for you, if he had come home and demand you mark his workbook on quadratic equations (sp?).

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  4. Oh it is so stressful to realize your little ones are growing up. Of course yours are well beyond mine.

    It breaks the heart yet swells it with pride too to see them growing so happy.

    Hang in there.

    As for the comments at the gym..what nerds. Who cares who they were talking about. They seemed like pretty shallow guys if you ask me.

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  5. Alas, I'm sitting here in gym clothes, trying to figure out when exactly I will be able to jump on a treadmill, with three kids off for the summer and a fight breaking out every time I turn my back!!!

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  7. I am with Pig here PM - why is he starting in June??

    Sweetie - be proud of your poundage - it shows you can afford to eat! That's what I tell myself anyway.

    btw - I would have complained to the management that those little boys were talking about the customers in that manner. Aren't we all suppose to be equal and simply congratulated for actually making it through their hallowed doors? Their mommies need to spank their taut bottoms.

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  8. The gym and jet lag! Best to give yourself some time to settle back. Jet lag can make you sick because it weakens the immune system. You have a justifiable reason to take a break for a bit longer.

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  9. Hi Elsie, smelly feet! How grown up!

    Pig, I doubt very much they were talking about me, I think I probably fall into the invisible category where they were concerned (you know, not blonde, not size 10, post kids. Not that I'm bitter, or anything...). And no, Boy #1 hasn't actually started school; this was an orientation day, to give him the chance to familiarise himself with it all - just a little - before Zero Hour in September...

    Grit, quadratic equations? That will definitely be an 'ask your father' moment...

    Hi J's Mommy, yes they certainly are growing up. Which is good - but makes me feel just a little bereft at the same time.

    EPM, I just don't know how you guys in the States do it. 12 weeks holiday? Bleeuuurrrgghhh...

    Hello Aims, and it's interesting you say that about being equal. The gym I use has just put a whole load of new photos advertising the various exercise classes they offer (on average each shot is around 6' high), and they all feature people of between 40 and 60. So the instructors may not have wised up, but the management certainly have!

    SB - you couldn't have told me this on Tuesday night? Since then I've been twice... I knew there was a reason other than chronic unfitness as to why I've felt so rotten since!

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