Girls Write Out
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
This cat really knows how to relax. All of our cats do, and why not? They get fed, they don't have to work for their food, all they have to do is show up for dinner. I sure wish I could relax like this.

Mel, on the other hand, has to work to keep these cats, and us, in food and a home and clothing. He had a rough day at work yesterday, and when he has a rough day, that means lives are at stake in the ER. So as he always does, he called me on his drive home from work last night and told me all about it on his hands-free cell. I listened and let him know I commiserated. By the time he arrived home thirty minutes later, I had something in mind to help him relax a little.

A few months ago, when I was stressed, I met a girlfriend halfway between my house and hers for a nice, long walk. She knew what I was going through, so on the way to meet me, she stopped and purchased a couple of bubble-blowing tubes. As we walked past fields and forests and trickling streams, we held the wands in the air and watched bubbles float up into the air on wind currents. Sometimes the wind was a little too hard and we couldn't get much bubble action, so we had to wait for just the right time. I'm sure passing motorists thought we were nuts, but we didn't know them and couldn't have cared less. Some smiled and watched the bubbles. Those were the people who knew how to have a good time.

Last night I took Mel outside to the backyard as soon as he got home, and opened the bubble tube--which I've used several times since that day with my friend--raised the wand into the air and slung my arm around to make the bubbles. Once I even turned around and around until I was so dizzy I almost fell. Mel got into the mood, as well, and laughed, and took the tube when I handed it to him. His goal was to see if he could make the biggest bubble that would float the farthest before bursting. My goal was to see Mel laugh. It worked. We both reached our goals and came back inside smiling.

We all have to work off the sometimes amazing stress in our lives. You know my favorite is hiking, but lately I haven't been hiking, I've been mowing two huge lawns with push mowers, a section every day so that the exercise is drawn out over the week and my shoulders get a good workout. That, too, helps me relax. So does reading a good book or watching an engrossing movie. For some reason, though I do love to watch LOST, I don't feel relaxed after watching an episode because I want a happy ending. For me, nothing satisfies like a happy ending. I hate being hung on a cliff.

So anyway, when you're stressed, what do you do? I've probably asked this before, but still, it does bear repeating. Sometimes we change tactics. What are your present de-stressing tactics?

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Hannah Alexander  
posted at 11:09 AM  
  Comments (8)
 
 
Delicious Delicious
8 Comments:
At 1:42 PM, Blogger Denise Hunter said...

A good romantic comedy usually de-stresses me. Either that or a good book I can lose myself in.

 
At 6:09 PM, Blogger Hannah Alexander said...

Me too, Denise. A clean romantic comedy or a Denise Hunter book. ;-) Or Kristin Billerbeck or Diann Hunt or Colleen Coble. Some of my very favorite novelists.

 
At 6:39 PM, Blogger jel said...

that was so cool!
I love bubble~blowing , and i love to take pictures of the bubbles,


getting online reading peoples posts, helps me some times
and watching the clouds go by helps alot!

people don't owen cats, the cats owen the people :0)

 
At 7:23 PM, Blogger Hannah Alexander said...

I love your pictures, jel. You have such a gift with your photography. You're an artist with your camera--you know how to reflect God's masterpieces. Share your website with us in case anyone else has missed your artistry.

Oh, yeah, I know what you mean about cats owning us. I spend my days herding these strays...spoiling them to death. Literally. I've had to put them all on a diet.

 
At 9:17 PM, Blogger jel said...

Thank you


just click on my name and it will take you to my blogs, ( my place) is my picture blog!

 
At 12:24 AM, Blogger Hannah Alexander said...

Love the hummingbirds. I've had a friend who was chased by a hummingbird when she was wearing a red shirt. Hilarious!

 
At 9:38 PM, Blogger jel said...

just remember another thing to help with stress.
Bubble Wrap, popping the bubbles, is fun, had a friend who like to pop them, and that's what i got here for christmas one year, and she loved it! ;)

 
At 10:14 PM, Blogger Hannah Alexander said...

jel, I love bubblewrap! Mel saves it for me when he gets a new shipment of RC parts. (remote control airplanes)

By the way, the cat is Data, whom we rescued as a kitten from the Walmart parking lot.

 

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The Authors
Kristin Billerbeck
Kristin Billerbeck is a proud Californian, wife, mother of four, and connoisseur of the irrelevant. She writes Christian Chick Lit; where she finds need for most of the useless facts lulling about in her head.

www.KristinBillerbeck.com

Colleen Coble

Colleen Coble writes romantic suspense with a strong atmospheric element. A lovable animal of some kind--usually a dog--always populates her novels. She can be bribed with DeBrand mocha truffles.

www.ColleenCoble.com

Denise Hunter

Denise Hunter writes women's fiction and love stories with a strong emotional element. Her husband says he provides her with all her romantic material, but Denise insists a good imagination helps too.

www.DeniseHunterBooks.com

Diann Hunt

Diann Hunt writes romantic comedy and humorous women's fiction. She has been happily married forever, loves her family, chocolate, her friends, chocolate, her dog, and well, chocolate.

www.DiannHunt.com

Hannah Alexander

Cheryl Hodde writes romantic medical suspense under the pen name of Hannah Alexander, using all the input she can get from her husband, Mel, for the medical expertise. For fun she hikes and reads. Out of guilt, she rescues discarded cats. She and Mel are presently taking orders from four pampered strays.

www.HannahAlexander.com

 
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