Derby Dance School of Psychotherapy

I took another water class at the Healthy Living YMCA this week. I do my best reminiscing in water. Go figure!

It was a type of yoga/stretch/dance class. While I was in an aqua ballet position, the song "It's a Beautiful Morning" came on the boom box the instructor, Yvette, had set up. It reminded me of a time I danced to that song in a leotard with a whole host of others. Prior to the dance recital performance I had trained under the gracious tutelage of Janice Derby who ran a successful dance school in my hometown of Atlantic, Iowa.

I don't recall exactly why I signed up to be in dance in around eighth grade - ninth grade(?) I suppose it was because my friends decided to dance. And just like lemmings had they jumped off a cliff, I would have done so too. I signed up for ballet and tumbling along with my friends Robyn, Sherry and Theresa. I'm sure there were others but the 'ol memory machine can't bring them forth. During this time, sister Betsy also took lessons. There's a lovely picture of the two of us in our recital costumes posing - alas I can't find it. I wonder if Betso has something to do with that.

What I do remember is the classes. Janice Derby was a good listening ear, and my friends and I were full of teen angst. Some of our sessions ended up full of drama as one person or another (Sherry Smith) explained to Jan what the current goings-on were. I was more of an "onlooker" to the drama, but definitely was there. Who said what to whom and how high.

Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress

The big excitement was the annual Dance Recital. I only made it through one. Our group had two numbers. "It's a Beautiful Morning" and the tumbling routine was to the theme from Mission Impossible, where we wore a black leotard with a pink sequin belt and mask - hooha! Whenever I hear those songs I feel like breaking into those dances. I only know the beginning steps.

Of course the real star at the dance recital was older (a whole year) - someone who had been dancing for years - Pat Riggs. She did a solo dance to Witchy Woman. (I might have made song name up but it seems right...she was a graceful dancer, that girl.)

As I completed my water class Wednesday, I thought too of my friend Theresa who is no longer with us. What a kind soul she was - and I feel I didn't really get a chance to know her. Because I was such a kid when I was around her - and she was just there. I took her for granted like I did all my friends back then.

Today I know better. I cherish my friends and am not afraid to admit it. I don't have Janice Derby in my life as a therapist - but those friends - they do pretty well!

Water therapy Reminded of Sally's Pool

I always go to water - in good times and bad. Water is my happy place, my solace, my cure. Perhaps is started long ago with amniotic fluid - or maybe it was the Country Club swimming pool. My grandfather, Wallace Bullock, was the first person hit the water in that pool. I doubt he ever got in again, but he made sure to be first. I think he was on the committee.

And Pat Bullock certainly kept the rest of us in the H2O ever after that. I've written about my escapades as a lifeguard and on Atlantic's Swim Team. I'm comfortable in water. I float! #notasinker

When it comes to rehabbing my shoulder and getting back in shape, water exercise just makes sense. Warmth, resistance, and my mecca - all the best for me. I was exercising in the warm water Thursday night...and the Wayback machine drove by. No...I didn't see those pods like the movie Cocoon.

Sally Rodgers - probably age 12ish. Post braids

The Wellness YMCA keep  the water warm - much like the water at a pool I spent much of my childhood in. One owned by the Rodgers family - Wayne and Anna Day, parents of my pal Sally. Last night I pre-occupied my self with thoughts of the Rodgers' house and pool as I put myself through water aerobics paces.

When you're the third child your parents don't really notice when you're gone. Sal was the youngest in her fam - bit spoiled, really. She'd invite me to spend the night - and sometimes I'd be there all weekend. I guess I was an easy kid to have around hanging out playing board games, throwing snowballs and in the summer - swimming in the oval in-ground pool in the backyard.

One of the adults had to be available to "guard" us. (I be Marci loved that!) We spent hours in that thing - until we were wrinkled like prunes. Last night I thought about how we'd compete - seeing how far we could swim without taking a breath. We do backflips off the little diving board and practice flip turns for swim team endlessly.

Sally and I would pretend to be members of synchronized swim team - though that was left better to our friend Candice and others more graceful in the water. I think my sinking leg move was awesome though...in the privacy of Sal's backyard...

One birthday (she's a Leo - August) Sal held a pool party with boys and I broke out my very first bikini there. It was a far cry from the Atlantic Swim Team Speedo I was used to. #meethethegirls
I was blessed to spend so much time with Sally and the Rodgers. Anna Day was a peach and I got to know Wayne more later when I got a horse and he was my mentor. They were special people.

In the meantime - last night I did jumping jacks, cross country and various other under water exercises. Today - my shoulder feels good. And my mind feels good thanks to all those happy memories. See....therapy works.    

Magic 8-Ball/Steam Bath

One of my favorite authors this past couple years has been William Kent Krueger and his Cork O'Connor series of books set in northern Minnesota. That character, Cork, is a former sheriff solving mysteries with Catholicism and Indian faith thrown in.

Cork has American Indian relatives and friends. I especially enjoy reading about American Indian spirituality. There is a recurring character who is type of medicine man. When there is a most difficult problem - they do a "sweat" and heat up rocks - one rock is called "Old Grandfather" for a sweat lodge. The sweat causes them to have visions or dreams that help them have the grace to go through the hardship they're going through.

I think about this as I sit in the steam room at the Healthy Living YMCA after working out. Recovering from an illness is a spiritual experience for me. Before being diagnosed with Graves' Disease I wasn't sure I'd make it through what ever had me in its grips. That was partly the illness working on me - anxiety is one of the symptoms. Now that I've been diagnosed, I know that this illness is not curable, but is treatable - so I must get my mind around how I'll live well with it.

I've enjoyed having the steam room all to myself nearly every time I've used it this past week. It's dark - with the only light enters through the glass door. It's hot and steamy of course and periodically the "steamer" runs sending more delicious hot moist air into the room which is set up with two levels of tile benches.

I have started thinking of the "steamer" as my Magic 8 Ball. When I question something in my mind...if the steam starts - there's my answer! haha. No not really. But it is a therapeutic place.

Speaking of therapeutic, Judson David visited this weekend.  We didn't see much of Kara who was hanging out with college pals - fun times with longtime friends for her.

Jud went to the ISU game with us. We pre-gamed at Kari and Kevin's house before heading to the parking lot for a bit. I enjoyed meeting their son - he and Jud chatted. We saw Donnie and Marilyn and Dwight plus Phil. The weather was pretty darn nice for mid-November. Too bad the hapless Cyclones couldn't come through with the victory. It was like old times riding in the car with my boys - listening to their sports talk.

We enjoyed see Kara this a.m. before they headed back to St. Louis. Happy that they'll be with us at Christmas.

Yimka, Lycra, Big Buck

I joined the Yimka today. What? You don't know what that is?

If you were a friend of mine in college you might. It's part of my college lore. I was serving as lifeguard at Beyer Hall on the Iowa State University campus one Friday evening. Beyer was the big pool on campus back then and was busy. My responsibility was the shallow end - and lane one was, I'll say - ethnic. All nationalities were jammed into the shallow end, swimming with young children in various stages of dress.

Beyer Pool ISU

I was sitting there lifeguarding my ass off when a young Asian woman approached me with a question. "Where can I take sweeeming lessons?" It was a bit hard to understand her, but I caught on. I began to list places she could learn to swim. Being a Red Cross girl (thank you Betty Lou and Nancy Pellett) of course I mentioned that organization. And my roomie Sally Rodgers had worked for the City of Ames. The woman said, "what about the yimka?" Hmmm, what is this yimka thing I asked myself. Finally it came to me...YMCA! And ever since then - the Y has also been know as the Yimka to me and my pals.

Now that I'm feeling better it's time to start working out again. Last year I belonged to the Healthy Living Center YMCA in WDM and today I ponied up for that joint again. I planned to start slow and just walk today but when I walked through the door I knew I had to get into the water. It's like a siren to me - calling!

Good thing I took my swim suit along. Bad thing it's tight and Lycra! Sports bras and Speedo swim suits are like straight jackets for girls with wounded wings. I'm glad I selected a locker room bay that was empty besides myself for my gyrations. It was worth it! I didn't swim laps - instead utilizing the warm exercise pool with dumbells (tools not people). I showered, put on my other stuff and walked a mile later. It was good to be back. The shoulder is complaining a little - but not howling like it was a month ago.

Paul had a very good weekend! He took a very good buck deer on Saturday. The deer was a very formidable opponent and we give thanks for the majesty he brought to the timber. The meat will go to the HUSH program to feed the hungry as we already are using the meat from the doe he shot earlier. Paul respects his foe and enjoys the hunt so much. He spends countless hours in his tree stands and scouting areas to hunt. This is hunting as it should be. Congrats to my honey!

I put my water wings on!

Oh damn...those aren't water wings - they're my flabby upper arms! A year ago I talked about joining a gym and getting into a pool. But my body didn't follow my mouth anywhere to get it done.

My name is Leslie, and I have a problem. It's called fear of the unknown. Is there a phobia name for that? This problem sometimes paralyzes me. It's stupid, I know - the fear of looking stupid. What's so hard about asking questions and learning something new? I'm not sure, but it's a big hurdle for me.

Last Sunday Paul and I checked out the Y's Healthy Living Center on 58th and University. That's the first step. The Healthy Living Center is not a full facility YMCA - built really for rehab. There is no gym or walking track. But it's the closest Y pool to our place, and I like that the weight area isn't packed with yuppies. And there are not kids all around. Yep - I'm an elderly snob. It's pretty plush too. Members can use all the other YMCA facilities in the area, so I decided to try out the one free week membership. Joining will give me a workout plan - they have advisors to set me up.

I have a long YMCA history. In Atlantic, the Bullocks were longtime members. The building was not far from our house, and it was a place Mom could send us to get us out of the house. We mostly shot baskets and messed around in the locker rooms. They didn't have a pool. The coolest thing was the trampoline! It was the old fashioned kind - made of strong woven fabric (not slick black nylon) with impressive springs. Kids took turns using it and got about 2 minutes to jump. I liked watching the big kids who could do flips - and eventually learned to do one myself - onto my bottom, not my feet.

The YMCA also sponsored girl's basketball - and Mrs. Holt coached us to play 5 on 5. She didn't believe in half court wimpy stuff! Atlantic's new Y still has a photo of our group on the wall, complete with my sis Betsy. Why? Mom must have talked me into taking her along that day. Y-Teens sponsored junior high dances that were the site of some steamy dancing, as I recall. Color My World!

In Creston I served on the YMCA Board of Directors for 3 years.  I used to work out at the facility quite religiously with my friends. (miss those gals!) On Fridays I especially enjoyed swimming. That was one thing I really missed when I started working in the big city. (I'm a longtime pool rat).

When the YMCA opened in Waukee, I was living close by with Joan, so I eagerly joined. But the place was packed to capacity all the time - and I just didn't like it. The pool was busy with team practice during the times I wanted to use it. Bleck! After a few months I dropped my membership.

Last summer I suffered from frozen shoulder syndrome and had it manipulated in July and went through rehab for several weeks. Then Paul and I uprooted our lives and moved. I just didn't have it in me to get out and exercise. Ya, excuses - I know. I stuck with doing my Wii at home and walking at the mall. But I need more, I know. Everything I hear and read points to exercise as the key to good health. I'm for that. I realized last night that I had tossed my lap swim suit when we moved - the elastic was shot! So we went to Sports Authority to get one - SALE win: $24 Speedo.

I loved swimming! I'm a water girl. The pool at this Y is not big. I shared a lane with a young man. I wound up doing 10 laps - could feel it in my shoulder, but in a good way. My arms are in such bad shape that when it was time to pull myself out of the pool, my arms were like noodles and I ended up crawling out very unceremoniously. I hope nobody was watching! Can't wait to go back.


 

Dibs N Dabs

I still say there's no better way to start a day than with my homegirls. I actually debated skipping today - to get a headstart on my workday. Then I thought to myself - workday schmirkday. Friends are what's important in life! Garbage can wait. And it did.

As the snow recedes from the roadsides like an old man's hairline, deer carcasses are revealed.

Last Saturday was the YMCA's Home and Garden Show. After an excruciatingly long winter, the people of southwest Iowa ventured out - reminding me of the Munchkins popping out after the big storm and the wicked witch's house dropping down in the Wizard of Oz. "you're out of the woods you're out of the dark you're out of the night" The world was in color! (even though it was raining outside).

My hair has reached emergency stage. (thanks Woody and you're freaking curling iron) It's so bad, I must avert my eyes from the mirror until my hair appointment. I am lined up with someone a few Crestonians go to - at Sahar. When I called to make my appointment, they thought I was ALG (Alternative Leslie G) I had to straighten them out. Then I texted her to let her know I was letting her pay my bill! LOL

A bit about a few things

A book I read recently had a very important suggestion. I've followed it all these years, but for you single girls and boys out there - there's still time to heed this advice.

"Never boink (a nice word for the real word the author used) someone who has more problems than you do." I know, I like to swear and use the F word freely. So why so shy about using it here? I'm not sure. It just doesn't seem right. I guess I like using the F word as a swear word, not as a verb.

I had issues with a "road rager" this a.m. on my way here from Crestonia. I left Creston around 6:15 a.m. and hit I-80 at a pretty busy time. There was a couple semis in the right lane, somewhere around the Adel exit. An SUV was blocking things up in the left lane - not moving much faster than the semis. But we were coming up to an on-ramp and I saw cars wanting to get on the Interstate. I checked my mirrors and saw a car in the left lane, but there was room to scoot in between that car and the one ahead of it - a couple car lengths.

So I put on my blinker and smoothly changed lanes, enraging the car behind me. Well not the car so much as the driver who I never did get a look at. He/she (I'm thinking guy) got right up on my tail and flashed his lights. Wow buddy - not that big a deal. When I was able to clear the semis and move over into the right lane, the guy flashed his lights again, pulled up next to me, swerving towards my lane and then gunned it. Fucker! There I said it - not a verb. Adjective.

Baby girl Amy (okay she's 24 but she'll always be my baby girl) called me this afternoon, on her way walking home from work. She works at Marczyk's - a gourmet market in Denver. I've not been there yet, but it sounds like a cool place. They sell upscale stuff - wines, free range meats, and it seems rare things. Ame sold a truffle mushroom yesterday for something like $484. Yikes! Wonder if that's going on a pizza pie? Not likely.

I made my inaugural visit to the Waukee YMCA tonight. It's a rockin' place. The suspended track circles 2 gyms. Tonight little guys (3/4/5 year olders) were in karate class. It was too cute - there must have been 25 of 'em. It's a beautiful facility and I look forward to going there often.