So I took a vacation and realized that I wasted a week. No, actually 10 days. No, a week. Excuse the confusion but let me explain. I wanted to take a vacation because I have not had one 15 months. I had no intention of going anywhere, I just wanted to do two things:
1) Get my Christmas shopping done before the chaos begins and
2) have some ME time.
Well I accomplished the first goal pretty much by the end of day three. When it came down to “ME time” I really was not sure what to do with it. So, this is what I can say I accomplished: I finished crocheting a blanket that I started LAST winter and this evening I began teaching Paige how to crochet (to the best of my abilities –which are limited because I can only do things that are square or rectangular.)
I thought I would spend my days reading or exercising or doing things around the house to get caught up with chores. None of those things appealed to me. I was too darn tired.
My first problem was taking a vacation while everyone else did not. This means I was awakened by Dave’s 4:14 a.m. alarm for work. Then again at 6 a.m. to get the kids up and get them ready and take them to school. Only to return home to decide, do I want to try to get more sleep? I did not. So I puttered around and ran a few errands and did some studying but really nothing worthwhile, well the studying was worthwhile but that should not count when you are supposed to be on vacation. I pretty much spent my days waiting for 2:00 p.m. to roll around so I could go about my normal routine of picking up the kids from school and becoming Mom.
I discovered that I would love to start scrap booking and realized that I did not have the spare money to purchase all of the supplies that I would need to do it properly (yes, I am THAT anal). I discovered that I would love to start making jewelry and had the same problem that I had with scrap booking. I discovered that I would love to hang out with my friends during the day – but guess what? They all work!
What surprised me most, I did NOT want to read. I normally LOVE reading. I didn’t want to do it. Another surprise, I wish I would have gone away somewhere by myself. I wish I would have planned better instead of waiting until my body and brain said “Hey, dude, we need a break.” I realized last night on the way home from church, as I was listening to Bon Jovi on the radio that it has been 16 years since I have seen the ocean. I took it for granted growing up having it so close for so many years. I did not realize until last night that I missed it. I know, I know – there is always Lake Michigan, but those of us who have seen the ocean we know it is not the same. Nothing compares to realizing how small you truly are when you stand at the edge of the shore and know that there is an entirely different world under those waters. Sitting on the sand, with your toes in the water at sunset and letting the sound of the waves hypnotize you…
I guess I will know what to do next year. Scrap booking and jewelry making on the Jersey shore with a friend I have not seen in 13 years. I can start saving for that! Hey, I accomplished something! I came up with a plan for NEXT year. I feel better now!
Saturday, November 12, 2005
Saturday, November 12, 2005
Wasted Time OR Planning Ahead For Next Year
So I took a vacation and realized that I wasted a week. No, actually 10 days. No, a week. Excuse the confusion but let me explain. I wanted to take a vacation because I have not had one 15 months. I had no intention of going anywhere, I just wanted to do two things:
1) Get my Christmas shopping done before the chaos begins and
2) have some ME time.
Well I accomplished the first goal pretty much by the end of day three. When it came down to “ME time” I really was not sure what to do with it. So, this is what I can say I accomplished: I finished crocheting a blanket that I started LAST winter and this evening I began teaching Paige how to crochet (to the best of my abilities –which are limited because I can only do things that are square or rectangular.)
I thought I would spend my days reading or exercising or doing things around the house to get caught up with chores. None of those things appealed to me. I was too darn tired.
My first problem was taking a vacation while everyone else did not. This means I was awakened by Dave’s 4:14 a.m. alarm for work. Then again at 6 a.m. to get the kids up and get them ready and take them to school. Only to return home to decide, do I want to try to get more sleep? I did not. So I puttered around and ran a few errands and did some studying but really nothing worthwhile, well the studying was worthwhile but that should not count when you are supposed to be on vacation. I pretty much spent my days waiting for 2:00 p.m. to roll around so I could go about my normal routine of picking up the kids from school and becoming Mom.
I discovered that I would love to start scrap booking and realized that I did not have the spare money to purchase all of the supplies that I would need to do it properly (yes, I am THAT anal). I discovered that I would love to start making jewelry and had the same problem that I had with scrap booking. I discovered that I would love to hang out with my friends during the day – but guess what? They all work!
What surprised me most, I did NOT want to read. I normally LOVE reading. I didn’t want to do it. Another surprise, I wish I would have gone away somewhere by myself. I wish I would have planned better instead of waiting until my body and brain said “Hey, dude, we need a break.” I realized last night on the way home from church, as I was listening to Bon Jovi on the radio that it has been 16 years since I have seen the ocean. I took it for granted growing up having it so close for so many years. I did not realize until last night that I missed it. I know, I know – there is always Lake Michigan, but those of us who have seen the ocean we know it is not the same. Nothing compares to realizing how small you truly are when you stand at the edge of the shore and know that there is an entirely different world under those waters. Sitting on the sand, with your toes in the water at sunset and letting the sound of the waves hypnotize you…
I guess I will know what to do next year. Scrap booking and jewelry making on the Jersey shore with a friend I have not seen in 13 years. I can start saving for that! Hey, I accomplished something! I came up with a plan for NEXT year. I feel better now!
1) Get my Christmas shopping done before the chaos begins and
2) have some ME time.
Well I accomplished the first goal pretty much by the end of day three. When it came down to “ME time” I really was not sure what to do with it. So, this is what I can say I accomplished: I finished crocheting a blanket that I started LAST winter and this evening I began teaching Paige how to crochet (to the best of my abilities –which are limited because I can only do things that are square or rectangular.)
I thought I would spend my days reading or exercising or doing things around the house to get caught up with chores. None of those things appealed to me. I was too darn tired.
My first problem was taking a vacation while everyone else did not. This means I was awakened by Dave’s 4:14 a.m. alarm for work. Then again at 6 a.m. to get the kids up and get them ready and take them to school. Only to return home to decide, do I want to try to get more sleep? I did not. So I puttered around and ran a few errands and did some studying but really nothing worthwhile, well the studying was worthwhile but that should not count when you are supposed to be on vacation. I pretty much spent my days waiting for 2:00 p.m. to roll around so I could go about my normal routine of picking up the kids from school and becoming Mom.
I discovered that I would love to start scrap booking and realized that I did not have the spare money to purchase all of the supplies that I would need to do it properly (yes, I am THAT anal). I discovered that I would love to start making jewelry and had the same problem that I had with scrap booking. I discovered that I would love to hang out with my friends during the day – but guess what? They all work!
What surprised me most, I did NOT want to read. I normally LOVE reading. I didn’t want to do it. Another surprise, I wish I would have gone away somewhere by myself. I wish I would have planned better instead of waiting until my body and brain said “Hey, dude, we need a break.” I realized last night on the way home from church, as I was listening to Bon Jovi on the radio that it has been 16 years since I have seen the ocean. I took it for granted growing up having it so close for so many years. I did not realize until last night that I missed it. I know, I know – there is always Lake Michigan, but those of us who have seen the ocean we know it is not the same. Nothing compares to realizing how small you truly are when you stand at the edge of the shore and know that there is an entirely different world under those waters. Sitting on the sand, with your toes in the water at sunset and letting the sound of the waves hypnotize you…
I guess I will know what to do next year. Scrap booking and jewelry making on the Jersey shore with a friend I have not seen in 13 years. I can start saving for that! Hey, I accomplished something! I came up with a plan for NEXT year. I feel better now!
