It is day two of our child-free stay-catation, while Sayer is at camp and Jacob is visiting relatives. Here are some tips for your stay-cation, should you be so lucky to have one.
1.Take a break from logistics and planning. Until you stop it's hard to realize how much we moms are constantly planning, arranging, organizing, anticipating. I am training my mind to think "I won't make that phone call until Thursday" and "I'll think about setting thus-and-such up later." I'm getting the hang of it and will probably master this feat just when I need to restart the logistics-wagon.
2. Take a break from laundry; don't think "This is a perfect time to do a bunch of loads." Just wear what is clean.
3. If you have a husband/partner do things at a "grown-up" time. Our kids seem to self-destruct if they don't have dinner by 6:00 p.m. so what a treat it was to go work out at 5:00 and -gasp - eat dinner at 8:30. This is also a good time for lamb chops and shrimp.
4. Read a book that has nothing to do with self-help, your professional life, or saving the world. Right now I am reading "A Freewheelin' TimeA Memoir of Greenwich Village in the Sixties," a fascinating memoir by Suze Rotolo, who was Bob Dylan's girl friend in the early sixties. It really capture an era and a sense of place. Oh, but that Bob - such a genius but such a player. Between this book and the Joan Baez song "Diamonds and Rust" you get a pretty good picture.
5. Think about how this would be a perfect time to clean the fridge, clean out drawers and get on top of weeding the yard and so on. Don't do it (see # 2). Instead, take a nap or pop in a DVD.
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I had to laugh--we did ALL those things! Cleaned the fridge, the house, made a Goodwill run, all the kids rooms and drawers, and mowed/weedwhacked and weeded all the yard. It's my fault. I'm the anal one. The Cabana Boy would be perfectly satisfied to relax the hours away. But I talked him into going away for three days this week--I always rest better when I'm away. Have a wonderful staycation!
Getting away sounds like a great idea.
I did break down and do a bit of "feng shui"!
Getting away sounds like a great idea.
I did break down and do a bit of "feng shui"!
Hi, I had plans to meet a friend today for lunch. She was coming from a meeting so I told her, just come noonish and I will bring a book and wait for you. She was like........15 minues late........and all apologetic and I was like, mmmmmm, heaven in a sandwich and some quietness and reading. I could have waited much longer.
On another topic, I had a long term neighbor come over and tell me that she would like for her 5 year old grandson to meet our Geoffrey (age 20) but "he scares him with his noises". Geoffrey does very well around little kids and today was laughing and splashing in our front yard with a big pool and garden hose. I told the grandma not to worry about it, Geoffrey is a grown man in age and size and his symptoms of severe autism make him about one in a thousand..........her grandson may not ever meet another person like Geoffrey again. But I wonder if I should have said something different. Opinions? Pam
PS. the grandson who is afraid of us has a yonger brother who begs to come over and play and is not allowed to. (yet) Today he got half way across the street with a smile on his face.
Oh yes, the neighbor thing. I think that hesistant attitudes towards our kids may have something to do with the idea that children should be perfect, and protected from any data that counteracts the idea that the world is safe, sane and sound.
Just the mere existance of our kids counteracts that idea.
On the other hand, I did meet a mom recently who was actually seeking a day care/pre-school setting that did include children with disabilties so that her kids could be exposed. Maybe what is celebrating diversity to one person is exposing your children to taboo weirdness to another.
I've been planning a staycation since I'm gas poor and this is a good reminder, I can think about the things I need to do, but DON'T DO THEM! Of course, not thinking about them would be good too, but baby steps baby steps.
Thanks for the reminder!
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