A long Time Ago, In A Galaxy Far, Far Away...

Tweet You didn't have kids- neither did I. I know, I know- it's hard to believe. But think back real far, my dear Mama friends.... there was a time when you didn't have to wipe anyone's poopy butt and you ate your meals sitting at a table, with utensils, at your leisure. Yes, it sounds like crazy talk, but I know this to be true! When I try to think back on those days, I wonder "What in the hell did you do with all that free time?" I worked, of course, but what about all those other hours in the day? It really boggles the mind. But I kind of, almost, vaguely remember that I used to have... hobbies.  I think I used to do things I enjoyed, for pleasure. It seems surreal to think of afternoons spent curled up in a blanket with a good book, the window cracked to listen to the soft rainfall. What about watching movies that aren't animated? 'Member that? Sewing, spur of the moment road trips, casually enjoying a meal in a new restaurant- all those wonderful activities that children generally don't enjoy or just aren't very conducive to. Recently I have decided to try and revive some of these lost arts, these hobbies. It's hard to get much done with kids around, we all know that. I love to scrapbook, but dragging all that crap out and having it spread all over the table just isn't gonna work with the Spawn around. So I decided to start doing some henna tattoos, or mehndi. It's a simple, beautiful art form that involves painting the hands or feet with a henna paste to create a temporary stain. It originated in India or the Middle East and was historically used as a part of Hindu wedding tradition. In the late 1990's it became popular in the US, and readily available. I started doing henna tattoo's as a teen and it was something I really enjoyed- I used many friends as canvases. Recently my sister bought me some henna and I dove back in. It was a soothing and nostalgic experience, but I was so rusty! I was a little disappointed my skills weren't what they were ten years ago- I was only mildly pleased with the result. But I got a big ego boost when an Indian woman in a restaurant stopped me to see my hands (and Spawn#2's), and complimented the beautiful job I did. Thank you, random kind lady! I strongly recommend you take a break from playdates and watching  Spongebob and do something that YOU enjoy- it is definitely worth it!

My first attempt at mehndi in many years, with the paste still applied.

The finished result.