Dear Readers,
I don’t quite know how to begin today’s letter — it’s been one of those days where emotions and exhaustion swirl together, and all you can do is laugh through it. I’ll admit, I woke up fussy again this morning. Between cramps, heavy flow, and the general discomfort that comes with my period, I just wasn’t in the mood to face the world.
But I had to — the cleaners were arriving at 8 a.m., which meant I had to play ringmaster before the day even began. My morning routine went something like this: wake up at 7:00, actually get out of bed by 7:15, let the dogs out, turn on all the lights, open every bedroom door, and make sure the cleaners knew which rooms needed attention. By 7:45, the dogs were fed and tucked away safely in my brother’s room, and I did what any sleep-deprived human would do — I crawled right back into bed for another hour of rest.
By 9:45, I was up again and ready to start my workday from home. My first meeting was a bit of a dud — half the attendees didn’t even show up, so it ended after ten minutes. From there, I moved on to time sheets, student transfers, and planning for one of my schools that’s closing temporarily for renovations in November (not the same gym I’ve been battling over maintenance issues with!).
The middle of my day was filled with a training session on new toddler class updates — something I’ll need to pass along to my instructors soon — and another meeting with the owner and district manager. Everything was running smoothly… until it wasn’t.
Let’s rewind to last night: I decided to treat myself to some spicy Korean ramen. It was so spicy that my face turned red, my ears burned, and I had to chug two glasses of milk just to survive. Fast forward to today — as I was getting ready to head to the pool, I suddenly realized that my stomach was staging a protest. Without going into too much detail, I had what can only be described as a “spicy meltdown.” I never want to relive that experience again. Ever.
After collecting myself (and my dignity), I headed out — though first, I had to make a detour southbound to pick up mail from one of my employees for the owner. Once that was done, I turned northbound toward my teaching location, chatting with Bitey and Bisa along the way. Bitey convinced me to grab food since I was clearly hangry, and let me tell you — that McDonald’s drive-through was the right call. Hot fries fresh out of the fryer, salty and greasy in all the best ways. Heaven.
By the time I arrived at work, I was in a much better mood. I set up early, ate my food in peace, and by 4:30, I was in the water. The evening was actually lovely — I trained a few new instructors and taught my lessons, ending the night feeling accomplished. By 7:15, I’d wrapped up early, cleaned the deck, and helped close out the location so everyone could head home faster.
Before calling it a night, I offered to drive my district manager home — which turned out to be an unexpected adventure. When we arrived at her apartment complex, a man approached us asking if we were “selling something.” Within seconds, it became clear there was a drug deal happening in the parking lot. It was surreal — the first time I’ve ever witnessed something like that. I made sure she got inside safely before heading off, eyes peeled and heart racing.
The drive home was long and blurry — literally. My eyes were tired from chlorine, exhaustion, and the day’s chaos. I called my mom to chat and unwind, which quickly turned into her and her friend laughing as I let out a few choice swear words at a driver who decided to slow down at a green light. Her friend joked, “Well, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree,” which made all three of us laugh. It was the perfect end to an imperfect day.
Now, I’m home, showered, and sitting here writing to you, dear readers. Tomorrow marks the start of the waiting period — I could find out any day now whether I got the city job I interviewed for. I’m nervous, excited, and trying to stay hopeful. I might even treat myself to a haircut tomorrow, a little symbolic reset before Halloween begins — because if there’s anything I’ve learned, it’s that chaos always seems to have a sense of timing.
So here’s to tomorrow — whatever kind of magic, mess, or mischief it brings.
With love,
Monique
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