Monday, July 9, 2012

Outdoor Time

Outdoor Fitness Camp
Reduced rate!  Only $75 for a week long session

Guaranteed to make you sweat!  Builds muscle! Strengthens bones!  Forget osteoporosis - fight back.  My program is proven!  Even you can develop six-pack abs and rock-hard guns!

Okay, I'll admit that if you show up, you'll be helping me pull weeds in my yard.  These are wicked weeds with deep roots.  I'm trying to tug them up by their roots because it's better for us than any poisons we could use.  Our well is just next door, in the neighbor's yard.  After only one hour, sweat from my work was dripping into my eyes.  I haven't actually developed six-pack abs yet, but I could.  I never did say what my program was proven to do either, now did I? 

I finally told the boys to turn off the television.  I just couldn't stand it any more.  They don't want to go for a walk, or even to stand around at the dog park watching the dogs play.  I couldn't even get them outside by having them do little chores for me until they rolled their eyes.  I understand those chores my mother used to assign us kids now.  I used to think she was forever cleaning.  We always ran to the woods just to keep out of sight because she was sure to come up with something else for us to do if she could see our faces.  I believe it was all a ruse to get us to go outside, whether for some peace and quiet or for my own benefit.  It doesn't matter which. 

I'm still reading 'The Last Child in the Woods' by Richard Louv.  Every idea this man has about being outside sounds right, the joy of being outdoors, the experience given with danger, the chance to build things, interact with wildlife.  Yet I struggle to get my boys to go out.  They just don't want to go, even when I make them turn off the television.  What the heck?  It's a stunningly beautiful day out and there are no chores there.  They're in Nick's room, playing with his stuffed toys.  Don't tell his very cool friends that I told you that. 

On warm days like this when Nick was little, I used to set up the old tin tub on a relatively level place in the driveway and fill it with water.  I'd bring out Nick's guys, the Star Wars Galactic Heroes he loved so much.  He seems to want to get rid of them now he's older, but I'll have to keep at least a few, he loved them so much. 

Then he'd proceed to sit in the tub.  Sometimes he asked for soap.  When he asked me to come into his pool with him, I'd laugh and set up a chair and put my feet in.  It was a satisfying way to cool down.  We'd sit there for hours, in the dappled sunlight, the green of the forest almost all around us, the water of his tiny pool glistening in the sun.  Many times, Mike would come home from work and we'd still be sitting there.  He'd laugh and draw up a chair so he could come into Nick's pool too, stripping off his shoes and socks and rolling up his work pants.  Those were lovely afternoons and I miss them. 

I may be finished with yard work for now, but there's no reason I can't go outside, set up the old tin tub with well water, and read my book outside in the green, green forest.  I'll either get my peace and quiet, or the boys will join me and get some outdoor time.  Either way, it's a lovely idea.

Thank you for listening, jb

No comments:

Post a Comment