Observations from someone who forgot her phone…

My kid likes to say that my phone is permanently attached to my arm. He’s not far off.

But sometimes, believe it or not, I forget it when I go places.

Recently I forgot it when we went to the pool.  When I realized I did not have it I was a tad perturbed for a minute or so.  I figured I would have nothing to do because I also left the book I was reading at home.  There would be no checking Facebook for at least an hour and half.  What if Tim tried to call me?  How the hell was I going to fill my time while I sat in the lounge chair and the kids swam? WHAT WAS I GOING TO DO!?!?

Y’all will never guess that everything worked out just fine.  It wasn’t near the crisis I thought it was going to be.  After I applied copious amounts of sunscreen to all of the kids and myself, I gingerly placed my cushy beach towel over the chair and plopped myself down and just sat there.

I told the kids I was going to sit for a bit, while they swam, and I would join them in a little while.  Then a funny thing happened. I SAW everything around me. I watched my kids swim and play.  And I don’t mean like in a “Oh my gah, I never watch my kids swim and I should see them every second to make sure they are okay!” way.  I mean like, I watched them have fun and play together and with some friends that were also at the pool.

Then I made a few other observations as I people-watched and paid attention for once in my life.

• All women are somewhat self-conscious while at the pool, no matter their size or stature.  Pretty much every lady I saw at the pool at some point, pulled on her bathing suit somewhere, or covered something up with her hands.  I’m not saying this as a bad thing, just something I observed.
• Men did not do this.  Also, a lot of fathers come with their kids to the pool in the afternoon, apparently.  Interestingly enough, I think every man I saw at the pool this day had at least one tattoo.  (not knocking it, just saying)
• A lot of people are on their phones at the pool (usually guilty here).  Some are actually using their phone as a phone and talking, some are probably texting and “Facebooking”.  Some may be reading. But phones are everywhere.
• Ladies by the toddler pool are not on their phones as much.  This is a good thing.
• The lifeguards rotate out about every hour.  I had never noticed this before. Been going to this pool for 6 years…
• Kids do not care AT ALL about devices while at the pool.  Thank goodness.
• My own kids were not very happy when I told them to get out of the pool and reapply sunscreen, something I rarely remember to do.
• I was very curious to know where many of the ladies got their swimwear and in particular, that SO CUTE knit romper that one of them was wearing over her bathing suit. I should have just asked her…
• People will talk to you when you are not buried in your phone.  It’s nice to have adult interaction.
• Facebook CAN live without me. It was still there when I got home. 😉

I may “forget” my phone more often when I go to the pool or other places.  Turns out I could stay occupied without it, but I wouldn’t have known that if it was with me.  And yes, I did get in and swim with my kids and enjoyed the afternoon more than I would have it I had my phone with me.

However, I’m not going to pretend I was not relieved when I got home and saw it sitting right there on the counter…