It was good to be employed again. What money I made was our safety net. It was a good, secure feeling.
I also enjoyed seeing the drivers that I worked with on a weekly basis. When I worked from home, I talked to them a lot on the phone, but rarely actually saw them. It was good to see them face to face and many of them would come in and talk to me for a few minutes during shift change.
The question of the day became, “Have you talked to Mr. G?” I nearly strangled the last driver that asked me that question, and no one ever asked me that question again.
It didn’t take long before working on Friday and Saturday cramped my style so to speak. We often went to the pool on Friday nights. In the past, I could take my work stuff with me and work poolside. I was not able to do that this time around.
My oldest daughter came up with the idea that we should run a 5K a month. That meant we had to find 5Ks that were on Sunday. They were out there, and we were able to do it, but it very much limited our choices.
In June we did the SuperDad 5K. I don’t think we were able to find a race to do in July. August was a race called Run by the River. It was the same course as the SuperDad 5K, but the weather made a huge difference.
Saturday was also a time that my daughter and her husband wanted to go out. It was a time that they needed a babysitter, and I was not able to do it. There were also plenty of local events and summer activities that I simply wasn’t able to go to because I was working.
I was trying to cram seven days of household duties into five, so I soon found that I had come up with a strict schedule of what had to be done each and every day to get everything done every week. On Saturdays while I was at work, I would often order a few groceries and schedule pick up for Sunday after church. Sunday was my day to pay bills and do paperwork. Monday was my day to stay home and clean house. I don’t remember what Tuesday was. Wednesday was my day to go grocery shopping and run errands. Thursday was my day to stay home, do laundry, and meal prep for the next several days. It was hectic and demanding, but I was able to make it work.
I was very concerned that working would mean eating more, being less active, and gaining weight. I would drink a smoothie for breakfast on my way to work. I brought a salad in a jar to have later in the day as a meal, and various snacks of fruit, vegetables, and cheese for any other time I needed something to eat. I didn’t want to be eating out or eating from a vending machine, so having more than what I would probably need with me was my solution.
As far as activity, I had to walk about 50 yards up to another building several times a day, so I would turn that trip into a brisk walk around the parking lot. I tried running a few times and thought that I could at least work on my pace or do some sprints, but I soon found that it was not an option without being properly attired. During the summer, I was also able to go for a walk after work. I would often walk down to the end of the street and back which is about a mile and a half.
In June the Couch to 5K program started again. I decided to join the program again in hopes of getting better at running. My speed improved a little each race, but I was still very, very slow. Also, it would put running on my calendar three days a week.
This time around, I was able to get five of my friends to join the program with me. One of those being my closest friend who was also on her own weight-loss journey and another being my oldest daughter. It was great to do the program with people that I knew and to share something that I loved and enjoyed.
The summer was a time of adjustment that went by quickly. I felt very alone, but I kept telling myself that this too, shall pass.
“THE LORD IS MY HELPER, I WILL NOT BE AFRAID. WHAT WILL MAN DO TO ME?” Hebrews 13:6
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