The Bowling Date

Today we went and did something that we haven't done in quite some time, we went bowling.  By we, I mean, myself, my husband, and my 16 year old son. I think the last time we bowled must have been about 8 years ago or so, when the kids were really little.  I have 3 children to be exact, an older son, who is married now, 22, in the army, a daughter who is 20 and off to college with a life of her own, and the 16 year old, still stuck at home with mom and dad.  Whille bowling, however, memories kept flashing back in my mind, not of the times we shared with the kids, although a few of those bumber lane memories with the kids running down the smoothly greased lanes and slipping and falling down the center running after their already too heavy balls did creep in my mind.  But of the times I was remembering the times that I, as a 16 year old, used to hang out at the bowling alley on a Friday night, play a few games, and then go grab some pizza.  Maybe I hit 16 because my own 16 year old was with us, I don't know, but I could not shake the thought.

When we first arrived however, was a different story.  Remember when we used to get those funky shoes, we thought were either hysterical or cool?  Well when I got them now, they were just gross, I wanted some anti bacterial spray.(First sign I was no longer 16)  Then when I approached the edge of the lane holding up my pristine, used, bowling alley owned orange ball, my arm started to ache from my tennis elbow surgery I had last year.  I started to do the foot slide, ouch, foot surgery still healing on right foot from the fall, (signs 2 and 3, I am no longer 16).  We start playing, dang, was the bowling alley this loud when I was 16?  Sure is now!(16 is leaving me fast, middle age is running me down like a freight train).  My first thoughts are, this is going to be a long afternoon!  But wait,  laughter, and it is coming from me, my elbow isn't hurting any more, my foot is taking it ok, and I am having fun!  Woo hoo 16 is BACK!  We continue to have a great afternoon.  In between games we decided to get some snacks, my husband gets some nachos, I grab a slice of pizza, Jake grabs some nacho fries(a winning combo there if there ever was one).  We start to finish up the second game, and reality returns, I open up my purse, and grab the tums, for the nachos and pizza, something I wouldn't have had to take at 16!

But todays outing did give me an idea, there is alot that goes on between our teens and middle age, whether it is with living it out or raising kids in that time period, or a combination, so join me in my crazy life, of the good times, some sad, and trying to find my sanity between 16 and middle age.
Linda