When is enough, enough?

 

I drive myself sometimes with the most trivial things.  I go for months with doing a new ritual of drinking a tonic of lemon in hot water with turmeric, ginger and cayenne pepper, sometimes with a bit of local honey.  It is a way of taking care of myself.  I make a practice of walking throughout the day until it is a habit. I stretch and touch my toes as a balancing act.  I admit somedays, I am wobbly. It is because I get distracted. My mind wanders into what I imagine I want to do for the day.  Being retired is hard.  Planning nap time, tea time, reading time and writing time.  I have been falling down on the writing time.  Distractions.

I will be at my computer working on a story when I become aware of my breathing.  I stop.  Typing is at halt. I pray. I breathe.  I envision.  It is a moment of peace.  Distraction? No, an awareness for me.  I am in the moment.

You know I start out this piece with an idea of a different sort.  I have mentioned my hauling out bathwater to our parched little tree who is now in the process of changing colors.  She will be magnificent. I am glad she is doing it.  Our son and his wife just flew out for a visit.  Little tree will do us proud.  He has never seen her in all of her glory. But I am rambling.

Saturday was a day of doing things.  We needed to go to the airport in the evening to pick up the kids.  I was on a mission and the man my husband was being steered right and left with things to be done. First, he needed to walk the wife. He ran the same route after safely delivering me home.  I mentioned to him to take his bath early as I needed him to come to the farmer’s market to carry the bounty to the car.  He asked me if I want the bath for myself after he was done.  Yes, we share the bathwater.  Get over it.  We have been sharing for over forty years. 

Tine got away from me with making a cup of matcha green tea with the powder, the time devoted to get the water temperature just right, whisking with my bamboo whisk, the pouring of additional water.  I needed to make breakfast, toast with avocado and tomatoes.  Busy, busy, busy. So, the bathwater was left unattended as we drove to the local farmer’s market.

We were successful with a bounty of lovely fruits, vegetables and some fresh mushrooms and our standard cup of Saturday coffee.  We figured the coffee would be greatly needed for our late trip to the airport.  After the fun and success at market we headed home.  Places in the garage, the fridge and the kitchen were found for nearly everything and I headed to my bath, dreaming of settling into its comfort and warm.

Did I mention we were gone for hours? I shrieked, memories of dunks into mountain ponds, creeks and rivers of my childhood returned.  I yelled to my husband. “Its cold.”

“Well, yeah.” He replied. 

I was quick.  I submersed myself, soaped quickly, rinsed even faster and was out in a flash.  Well, as rapid as a sixty-seven-year, old woman could be.

I thought to myself when is enough, enough.  I was conserving water. I was helping in some small way the planet.  But damn, the water was cold.