Summer is dwindling. Not fast enough for my taste, but the patient frog gets the fly… or something like that. I’m not a philosopher. Was last week not just the start of summer? Time flies when you are sweating your ass off. We did, however, wrap up the summer, as always with Labor Day. Yaaaasssss, a three day weekend. For me, even though it is only 24 more hours off, I always imagine basically a week off of things I can do. All those things in which two days just are not enough time, but three… Let’s do all of the things. Never-mind the heat index is 102 and the mosquitos are slightly intoxicated from the “repellent” they drink. I am not entirely sure it even slows them down any more. If there is a mosquito equivalent to “hold my beer,” I can only imagine it is daring each other to drink the “juice.”
Raise your hand if this 3 day weekend was going to be the time you finally “caught up” on everything. And of course by everything I do literally mean the ridiculous list of things that can only be accomplished during 3 or more days off. I had a mental list a mile long of things I wanted to finally check off. The hall closet that no one opens because we are not that brave… it was going to spotless. SPOTLESS. Angels were going to sing when the door swung open to reveal the divine organization. The weeds in the front flower bed that make our house look deserted… I was going to pull them out individually and victory dance around them just to prove my evolutionary dominance. Those 5 books I have been wanting to read, I was going to read all of them, at the same time, while finally getting around to the second season of Ozark. In retrospect, I may have been overly ambitious. To quote (one of) my 15 year old daughters, “Sometimes it just be like that.”
Life is busy. If we are lucky, life is busy. So any occasion that will allow us a brief reprieve of busy day-to-day life, such as a 3 day weekend, we obviously do everything except just stop and enjoy it. Most people I know work. Most have kids of varying ages. I would be willing to bet all shop for food on a weekly basis. Probably the same percentage wash clothes, clean dishes, vacuum, take their super spoiled dog outside 23 times a day. What I am saying is we are all busy. Sometimes I think we are too busy. Take a walk. Sit on the couch (actual gasp) and read an actual magazine. Not a periodical, not a book, not something where your brain has to pay attention and make mental notes. Look at the pretty pictures of the coast of Florida in Southern Living, and just this once, do not start the mental planning of all the out- of -the place restaurants you want to stop on the next trip south. Instead, just take a drive. Take the back roads and just look around. Drive without a destination in mind. You never know what you may come across.
As my children are growing up and our roles in each other’s lives are slowly changing, I do not want to look back and regret being too busy living to have enjoyed life. I want to look back and remember having played board games until midnight. I want to remember knowing anytime “Bohemian Rhapsody” was played my kids were shown the “proper way” to sing this song. This, of course, is as loud and as obnoxious as acceptable. I want my kids to know that home is where they can recharge and if doing absolutely nothing is what their minds and spirits need, c’mon on home. Hopefully we can sit on the back porch and enjoy the serenity. I also want them to know parents get tired too. Sometimes, we do not want to do anything that is not necessary. Adults need to recharge as well.
Not all of my items were able to be checked off my list. I did manage a nap or two on Sunday. Recharging… check. My hall closet may be a safety hazard for many years to come… or until my sister Carol FINALLY comes to see me and I just happen to leave the door open knowing it will be too much for her OCD to ignore. I did “sort-of” weed the front flower bed, but had to stop when the kami-kaze ants dive bombed my foot and I had to tap out. I did actually start one of the 5 books but fell asleep before I got out of the Preface. I have yet to start the second season of Ozark, but Thanksgiving break is right around the corner and maybe I can work in watching TV after repainting the front door, hand making all my Christmas tags and bows, decorating the entire house (inside and out) for the holidays after serving the 10 course Thanksgiving meal.
I just love reading all the witty and introspective commentaries! In addition to all other tasks you’ve mentioned, I think you should consider writing a book, too!
Looking forward to the next chapter.