Some days you just have to take some time to relax.

The last few weeks have been particularly stressful.  There are various reasons for the stress and some of the stress was good, but it was stress.  Sometimes, it just piles up and I reach a boiling point.  When I do, I have a few things I can do that help relieve the stress.

1.  I take a bubble bath.  Ahhhh......  Ever since my precious girls came along 20 years ago, I have made time for a bubble bath.  It helps just to have a little while to myself.  There was too much going on this afternoon to escape to the tub - must wait until later.

2. I go for a run.  I love this one, but today it was just too hot when I needed it and besides, I have a long run tomorrow, so that means today is a rest day.

3.  I play the piano.  This one fit just right this afternoon - between filling water balloons for Caroline for the XC water balloon fight this evening and deciding what's for supper and writing this blog.  Nice. 

I don't play particularly well, but that doesn't seem to matter.  It works.  It takes me some place else and relieves some stress.

For those of you who took piano when I did, you might remember playing scales.  That's the picture of the day.  I still have my scales book and I am still working on it.  Only, now it doesn't matter if I mess up.  I don't have to start over if I don't want to - there's no one there to make sure my posture is correct or my hands are just so.  It's just me, practicing away.