Writing about the LMP aka the Last Menstrual Period, got me thinking about my first one. It is one of the funniest stories of my teenage life, except I wasn't even quite a teenager yet. I was in sixth grade. I was eleven. Eleven for god sakes! I was the ONLY sixth grader to have to bring a purse to school. Oh yay me! Not!
I started my first period in the summer. We were on a family vacation at the river. For those of you who don't know, the river is now a common destination for jet skiers, wake boarders, and people who want to get way out of control and party. But during the era of our visits to the river we mainly water skied and tubed. It was not crowded. It was hot. Hot, as in 100 to 115 degrees easily in the summer. In other words, unless you were in the water or had air conditioning to escape to, it was my idea of miserable. This was before my parents had a mobile home. They had a very small travel trailer and we had no air conditioning. It was unbearably hot and my bunk was on the very top front of the trailer. At our campsite in the Wheeler Inn, there wasn't a tree or sign of shade any where near our small metal box. So imagine this as my refuge.
As I said, these trips were mainly spent water skiing. We also floated around in inner tubes, took running starts and jumped off the dock, and for a longer float jumped off the point and into the river. The current would carry us away towards Big River. My guess at least 80 percent of the day time was spent under or in the water!
I was the proud owner of two very white water skis. I still skied doubles at the point. I was out on a run with my dad at helm of the ski boat. I had gone on the usual tour of up towards Blue Water Lagoon, onto the small damn, and back around. To bring me in Dad headed for the spot on the inlet that we had set up for the day. On shore sat the gang watching my landing. While I was skiing, for reasons I'll never know, I looked down at my skis and they were covered with very dark polka dots all over them. I had no idea what it could have been. They just kept coming. Strange, very strange. As I headed closer into shore, I became more concerned. I had been skiing since I was 6 years old, so I had no fear of coming in very close to the shoreline. As I flew in, I basically ended up stepping right out of my skis and came running up onto the sand. While that was cool, I remember calling for my mom to come over to me. I landed gracefully enough to show her my skis. She looked puzzled at first, but it quickly must have dawned on her. I remember her putting her arm on my shoulder and leaning in to talk to me.
The thoughts inside my head sounded something like this; Urgh!!!! What!!??? It can't be!!!! It's total bathing suit only weather. Pads just don't survive water!!!! It's only Tuesday!!! What will I do for the rest of the week???
Suffice to say, I did survive but it was one long and miserable week. I was stuck in a bathing suit top and shorts. At least I could still ride in the boat. I spent more time in that hot little travel trailer than I care to remember. I had cramps. Man oh man, did I have cramps! So, I began my very first period while water skiing. Now it makes me laugh. And I think the story kinda goes along with the rest of my quirky life.
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