It Wasn’t Me
I just came back from a fabulous destination wedding/vacation in St. Lucia.
My husband and I think we are traveling when we drive from Connecticut to Rhode Island and stay in a bed-and-breakfast a WHOLE night.
So this was WAY out of our comfort zone.
And so worth it.
And as long as we were doing something so atypical for us, I decided that I didn’t have to be cautious, self-conscious me. I could be fun-loving, adventurous Not-Me.
I had a beer at 10:00 AM. That’s when the bar opened. So that’s when I had a beer. Drinking for me is one glass of red wine with dinner once a week. A morning beer? Definitely Not-Me. And there was a swim-up bar in the pool where you can sit in the water and have a fancy drink. And I did… what they called a BBC – Banana, Bailey’s, and Cream. Okay, so it was a banana milkshake with a miniscule amount of liquor. It was a drink. In the pool. In my bikini.
I rode a jet-ski. I am a complete vehicle chicken. No motorcycles, snowmobiles – not even a mo-ped. But when hubby saw the jet-skis and said, “I’d like to do that,” Not-Me said, “Sure!” And we raced through the water with me hanging on to him (and to the jet-ski with every muscle in my thighs). And I never (which means fewer than six times) said “Slow Down!”
And speaking of vehicles – I stood up in a moving one! The whole group went for an excursion in open-air land rovers. The guide said, “This isn’t America – you can stand up in a moving vehicle.” And so we did. And I did. Standing up holding the roll-bar while we skidded through hair-pin turns on the sides of cliffs. And Not-Me liked it! I smiled even!
(I will admit, I didn’t get off the vehicle when they stopped to let people play with the boa constrictor.)
This excursion took us to a botanical garden – perfect for regular old me. But we also went to a volcano, where they encourage you to strip down to your swimsuit and smear volcanic mud all over you for a full-body mask. My self-conscious hubby went on the tour instead. But Not-Me. Not-Me slathered myself in mud in front of all our friends. Who I hope are dear friends who didn’t take any photos.
I danced. I love to dance, so it is not so strange. But hubby doesn’t like to dance, so I often oblige by remaining seating and just bouncing in my chair wishing I were dancing. Not on this trip! Every night, I took to the dance floor (or rather, the dance-sand) by myself, with other women, with the bartender… anybody! And I danced my butt off. I danced until I felt my twice-broken metatarsal snap. Luckily, it was not thrice broken, just protesting. And let me tell you, popping your metatarsal is so much more fun when you do it freaking out to “Mony Mony” instead of cleaning the attic.
I cried at the wedding. Oh sure, you say, you always cry. (Yeah I do. So what?) Anyway, I misted up a bit during the incredibly romantic wedding ceremony. And then again when the bride danced with her father. And Hubby saw me leaking a bit and took my hand and whispered, “You’re missing your Dad.” And then the tears really flowed. All normal. Here’s the Not-Me part: I didn’t run off to fix my makeup. No Siree Bob – “Hot, Hot, Hot” started and I joined the conga line with mascara tracks on my cheeks.
One more day there and I’d have worn that boa constrictor.
Public Display of Affection. So Not-Me.
- Posted in: Aging ♦ Humor ♦ Marriage
- Tagged: dancing, destination weddings, Jet Ski, middle-aged, Saint Lucia, self-consciousness, vacations
notquiteold 
Sounds absolutely perfect!! Glad you didn’t stay for the boa constrictor though.
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I almost did! Does that count?
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I sometimes like to be “not me” too – it is fun isn’t it?
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Yes! Great fun! I should be not-me a lot more often.
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So glad you allowed yourself so many moments of “not-me” time – breaking out of our (self-imposed) boxes can be a wonderful thing. Next time you’ll wear that boa as an oversized necklace! BTW, my daughter is getting married next year and she was weighing St. Lucia but now we’ll be going to the Virgin Islands instead. I think I’ll be fighting tears myself….
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The bride put the boa around her neck. But she was drunk with love.
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That’s funny – the boa and her both must have been lovestruck.
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You should let Not-Me out to play in Connecticut!
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I plan to try out a little Not-Me more often.
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Now weren’t you glad you had that bikini! Sounds wonderful!
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And I wore it even though I was the oldest woman there. Take that, you hot babes!
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I love how you fully embraced this trip. It’s a beautiful thing when we can go out of our comfort zone. Often that is when the magic happens in life and we are exposed to things we were unaware of. You have such a great attitude, I loved this post. Keep on living life with that smile on (dancing away!) 🙂 xoxo
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I started out feeling a little guilty that we were even going. But once we were there – why not try everything? Everything but snakes anyway.
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I think you’ve found your parallel universe…must return!
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I think I could live there forever.
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What a neat post. One of those stories that makes me wish I was there. Especially the swim up bar part. Sweet picture too.
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Thanks. All the men loved the swim-up bar.
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What a wonderful vacation and congratulations on releasing the not-you person lurking inside. That takes courage and total abandon and you did it girl! Now do it more often. That’s do as I say, not necessarily as I do. I am living through you – vicariously.
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Wow..no one has ever wanted to live vicariously through me. I guess it was one helluva vacation!
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We should all let our ‘Not Me’ sides take over more often! Good for You!
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Yes, we should. But I don’t think I will let my husband get that motorcycle he’s been wanting…
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You should let him get a bike! My (second) husband owned a sporty one when we met and I’d never ridden on one but my Not Me said ‘Why not?’. Now its my (second) favourite activity. We got a big touring rig the year we got married and a nicer (brand new) one a few years later and I love weekend rides in the back country.
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Oh that sounds marvelous! I remember when my husband and I ran away to Las Vegas for one of our anniversaries. Pina Colada at 8 am, naps mid-afternoon, playing bongos with one of the house bands…it was sooo not me…and sooo me! So glad you had a great time!
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I was made for bongos!
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I cop to the beer at 10 and the drinks in a swim up bar/pool, but I must say I would love to try my not-me out in a bikini (far, far away from home with NO ONE around that I actually know) and a jet-ski. I loved this post and I am happy you had a great time!
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Not only putting on a bikini, but walking around in one! No cover-up! I was very daringly Not-Me.
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Don’t you find you experience No-me moments more often now than at the other end of your life? That tells you something, doesn’t it?
I’m jealous. You had waayyyy too much Not-me time and had a wonderful time. Good for YOU. As it should be.
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It tells me I already have enough regrets for the stuff I was too timid to do. I don’t want any more
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Awesome. That’s as it should be! 😉
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Fabulous ‘not-me’ time. Should have stayed one more day, who knows maybe hubby would have danced and you might have loved the boa!
Love St Lucia, then again I love all the islands. They say it is always better in the islands, mon.
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Two more days and we would have danced WITH the boa.
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The ‘Not Me’ times are always so much fun 😉
Andro
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I plan to have a lot more of them. At home, even.
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Sounds like you should let your “not me” out to play more often! I wore an iguana around my neck during a “not me” moment in Mexico. I’m not sure my “not me” is brave enough to wear a bikini, though. Good for you!
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Bikinis are easier than iguanas!
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I absolutely love this post! DH and I are off to Costa Rica in February to celebrate our 25th and I plan on having lots of “not us” time exploring a new destination!
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I would heartily recommend Not-Us.
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St. Lucia is beautiful. What a great place to venture outside your comfort zone! Sounds like a fabulous trip.
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I think I could live there.
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It is wonderful to explore your Not You side, especially in an exotic location like that. We love You with a little Not You thrown in occasionally. I’m glad you were able to have so much fun.
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Oh, I was still a little me. I had a manicure.
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Not-me would have left the snake alone. I totally would have played with it.
You two are adorable.
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I’m sure you would have liked the boa. I liked the jasmine.
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What fun! Sounds like your “not-me” needs to come out of hiding more often! St. Lucia is a great place to start! 🙂
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The trick is to allow my Not-Me to come out and play AT HOME.
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Here’s to not me. May she sneak out more often.
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At my age, I have so much I haven’t been brave enough to experience. I’ve got a ton of catching up to do.
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Aww! How fun! You’ve made me resolve to be a little more “not-me” in the future 😀
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I heartily recommend it!
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Sounds like a blast! It is a lovely place, and I think I went on that same tour. The mud was. Rey smelly …
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Yes, very smelly. But the smell either didn’t permeate you, or everyone smelled the same, so it didn’t matter.
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Think: awesome Christmas gift ~ a surprise jaunt to a warm place during the deepfreeze of winter. To renew your vows..who’d say no to that?
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