“Isn’t it amazing how much stuff we get done the day before vacation?” — Zig Ziglar.
Ha ha. I was actually thinking that very thing this morning as I ran out the door on my way to work. In the previous half hour I had packed suitcases, watered plants, washed dishes, threw in a load of laundry in the washing machine and paid bills. It was frenzied and chaotic but imperatively essential that I had gotten things organized and settled. I am, you see, leaving for my a summer vacation right after work this glorious Friday.
Taking an extended absence from our regular life ensures there is always plenty to do — not just in preparation for the things we will not be able to do in the upcoming days but in tidying up loose ends before we depart. Having met all the demands on my essential lists, I’m ready to now relax guilt and worry free and enjoy my vacation.
It might seem I’m beating the starter’s gun on this one. There are still weeks remaining before spring fades to summer. But, with no children in our home any longer, my husband and I have the advantage of choosing our holidays at any time during the warm months, not just when school lets out. As such we often book one of our breaks early in the season and at least one towards the end. Temperatures might not soar but these times of the year can be a little quieter than the typical summer sojourns. They are the perfect bookends to the loveliest, most social, enjoyable time of the year in our northern climate.
This first one is going to be less about recharging my batteries than it is about a change of pace. One afternoon will be spent with old friends, three other days will be in the company of my two siblings and their spouses. Yet even though there won’t be lots of time to kick back and relax, I will be seeking out hours of sunlight on my deck, book in hand. There will be slow walks on the beach to watch the sunset, cold beer and chilled wine. Mostly, I’m eager to enjoy morning coffees without worry over what needs to get done.
Everyone has their favourite thing to do on summer vacations. For example, for years my daughter and her husband revelled in the deep-in-the-woods style of camping. Accompanying them on many occasions my guy and I opted instead for a stay at a four-star lodge nearby.
There are RVers and cottagers, boaters and world travellers. Some even prefer a stay-cation, enjoying the pools, gardens, patios and decks at home that they seldom get to take advantage of in the busy work world.
There are those for whom the idyll is anything but idle as they cycle, swim, hike, kayak and jetski their way through the days. Others want a more restive time, choosing to spend slow, lazy hours rocking in hammocks, lounging poolside or relaxing on the beach.
Whatever your choice, the time of year is here when we will all have our time to get away from it all, to spend precious moments doing all the things we crave but have no time to do in the real world.
For a little inspiration as I look forward to my own little piece of quiet here are some super summer vacation clipart and photo collections perfect for seasonal promotions and personal projects:
