My Period Started Today

On the 36th day after my last period. Turns out our friend Betty's period started today too. She lives over the mountains from us but visited a couple of weeks ago. Is it possible we're synchronizing anyway because of our connection?

It surprised me today . . . after breakfast I started cramping: fast warning signal contractions . . . not too painful, but indicators I should take an anti-inflammatory if I didn't want them to get worse. As usual, it began as a smattering of "swampy" discharge (that's how I refer to that early or late colored menstrual gunk that ranges from brownish-purple to tan to brown to blackish red). I quickly put a plug in it, my mom arrived for a visit celebrating her birthday, we sat down on the couch for a while. I was cozy with a foot up on the couch, my legs spread open clad in some comfortable new grey yoga pants and a hot water bottle cradled in my arms resting against my belly . . . and the next thing I know Tucker stops as he's walking by me to take his own seat, squints in the direction of my crotch, and told me, "ummm. . . looks like you're bleeding through there." Dammit!! In my new cozy pants -- already a stain! Normally it takes at least six hours for my period to really start flowing after I get the swamp signal.