Muddy Days

So, yesterday my sister was performing at the talent show at her high school. So since I was home for spring break, I was a good sister and told her I would attend. Well, the day of the talent show comes and I find out that my mom was going to be gone with my brother with the car (mine was in a wreck and totalled a few weeks ago, but that's another story). So I still decided I was going to go since the high school was only a few blocks and it was sunny outside, and come on, walking never killed anyone, something I learned quickly on my European adventures last fall.

I of course left the house later than I hoped, so as I was walking, picked up speed and noticed that a slight drizzle was fallling. No big deal...I had an umbrella. After the first 3 blocks, I hit the end of the road, and had to make a decision. Right or left...OR straight? It was a grassy pasture, and I thought to myself, "This could be therapeutic...it was short, had recently been mowed, and it would save me time..." So I carried on straight ahead through the grass and at first, it seemed fine. I decided to wear my new flats I bought in Nashville and was walking just fine when I noticed that the slight drizzle had become more of water muck in the grass and was staining my new shoes! And to my surprise I noticed that the grass was no longer mowed ahead. Questioning my decision, I trudged through this part then noticed as I got closer to the road to the high school...that yes, that dip in front of me was most definitely a drainage ditch. And yes, it was too wide to jump.

Now keep in mind I was dressed up for this occasion, well at least not just a t-shirt and chacos that would have been all too appropriate for this mess. Instead I had my new shoes, dressy jeans, and purse to keep clean...and all the while still running late. My sister was singing and I just couldn't miss or I'd never hear the end to it. So, I decided that I could save myself the 6 minute walk around the ditch route and instead attempt to jump over the ditch. Afterall, it did only seem to be about 2 feet wide at the point I had found.

Well, it must have been that the rush caused me not to be in the right mind...because as I jumped I realized what a mistake I had made. I didn't realize that the water was not the only obstacle. No, it had been raining that week and the ground was soggy...so muddy in fact that as I jumped my first shoe submerged completely under the muddy edge of the water. My foot came completely dislodged as I landed, the shoe sticking to the muddy clay underneath so tightly. Mad at myself, I yanked my shoe out and hobbled to the street. Surveying the damage, I saw that my shoe had turned from green to brown and my foot found a nice chunk of wet clay inside the toe of the shoe for me to get out later.

So with one green and one brown shoe, mud splats on the back of my pants, mud on my hands, and sweat gathering on my face, I huffed my way to the high school and couldn't help letting out a sigh and laugh at myself and my clumsy, poor fate.

And to top it off, I was so late that I couldn't stop to wash my hands or feet and walked into the office to get my "visitor's badge" with my hand still muddy, and my shoe covered in brown gunk. And if they didn't notice that...they must have noticed that their "high tech" safety visitor badge system (that scans your driver's license for identification) named me "Rose Duttumsadrienne". Yes, that's right folks, I have a new nickname, but you may also know me as "that mud girl".


What I had to show for it all: