Shangri-La

Hello, blends!

Thanks for sticking around during my absence from Girl Emerging!

As I mentioned last week, the house my family rented at Smith Mountain Lake had dialup Internet, which made cell service crappy and Net-surfing damn near impossible. Honestly, it was kind of nice to have a brief respite from obsessive email-checking and frantic texting. I admit, it was even relaxing to take a (forced) week off of blogging, if only to gather my thoughts and center myself. I had a magnificent, perfect, stress-free, booze-fueled, laugh-filled, friend-inspired week with my family and our guests. This week was exactly what I needed -- except that it wasn't long enough!

A few things I learned at SML:

(1) People will actually sit and watch others prepare dinner unless they are extended a formal invitation from Queen Elizabeth to make themselves busy. I mean, really, are you perfectly comfortable camped out on the couch while others prepare the food you shove whole down your gullet? America, you're slackin' on teaching your young people the mannerisms of the past. Sorry I had to get bitchy just then.

(2) One whole wheat Sandwich Thin, one slice of deli-style turkey, one slice of Swiss, a layer of pesto, sliced tomato, sliced onion, a smattering of leaf lettuce, and a hot stove top make for a very delicious and wholesome lunch. One of our guests dubbed this delicacy "The Kendall."

(3) So many young women are more concerned about the number the scale reads than the way their bodies feel. Yes, diets work, but if you don't make lifestyle alterations, the effects will be fleeting and disappointing. If, admittedly, you feel "thinner" than what the scale tells you, why are you a slave to a number instead of being diligent with exercise and moderation? Okay, I'll back away from my soapbox now, before things get ugly...

(4) Tubing for three hours in one day behind a rockin' pontoon boat is a hell of a workout. I wish my neck didn't look as though someone had choked me half to death (the result of a suffocating PFD), but I now know where each and every muscle in my arms and abdomen is. It hurts so good.

(5) I'm really disappointed about this one, but... it is possible to grow weary of BL-squared and Bud Light Platinum, particularly when your nightly routine consists of laughing until you cry, drinking because you're thirsty, and skinny-dipping. Wait... what?

(6) Keeping up with those I don't see every day is vitally important to me. I can't stop smiling when I think about the relationships I've rekindled and the friendships I've maintained over time. Without my support system, I'd be a different woman. Many thanks, y'all.

(7) "Sleeping in" does not necessarily mean snoozing until noon. It might mean going to bed a little earlier and waking up a little earlier. It might mean setting an alarm so the whole day doesn't go unused. It might mean pillow talk with the girls or lying in bed for a few, adjusting to the day.

(8) I devoured tried a steak for the first time in more than ten years! I also played around with sweet potatoes, goat cheese quesadillas, chicken tenders, and the cutest plate I've ever seen:

Thanks for sticking around! I've got new stuff, as well as a request or two, coming soon to a blog near you! :)