Vacation

Here I am completing my first week of vacation... already it feels pretty good, my sense is that it will be hard to get back to work on the 13th or will it? Who can really say? I will just have to wait and see how it all goes.

I have been enjoying my time with my girls; shopping, cuddling, reading, cleaning or not cleaning (as the spirit moves).

Mike took a few days off of work this week. On Wednesday we went to Upper Clements Park (about 2 hr drive). We brought enough money for admission and meals then we packed some drinks, some snacks, some toys for the car and headed out.

It turns out Sara is quite a good traveller (who knew). She was quite content with watching the scenery as we passed by, getting excited about cows and horses she might see, singing away to Pink Floyd in the back seat as Mike and I sang in the front. Jessica plugged into her MP3 enjoying her own music.

We arrived just prior to the 11 a.m. park opening. We got out and stretched, had a little snack and some drinks then headed over to the line up. Walking through the park there was little shops and a gazebo. As we walked down a the path we came across 2 towers at the base of one was a slide, the catch was you had to climb up the stairs in one of the tower then walk across a rope bridge to get to the other side. Mike took her of course (I have an aversion to heights). She loved it.

While they climbed the tower, Jessica went off to get an airbrush tattoo of a butterfly that "should last up to 30 days". It really was a beautiful butterfly (while it lasted). We all had a very good time. Going on Rides, driving antique cars (all of us), wandering around the grounds, taking a train ride, sitting in the shade under a tree. Taking time to slow down and enjoy each other.

It really was a great day. We arrived home around 7 or 7:30 p.m. Tuckered out from a wonderful day in the fresh air and sunshine.

Yesterday I took the girls to Conrad's Beach (just before Lawrencetown). It is a very sandy beach right on the Atlantic Ocean. Which would normally be too cold to swim in, but the heat we have been experiencing lately made the ocean a welcome relief.

Jessica and her friend went off to brave the cold waves, skrieking as each one would come and crash over them. They would shriek at the onslaught of seaweed that some of the waves carried into the shore. They would shriek at the deer flies as they would come to buzz around them. Overall those twelve-year-old girls were very noisy... but they had lots of fun.

Sara and I sat right on the edge of the ocean digging in the sand, sometimes the waves would make it to our building site and we would get wet bums, but mostly we built a huge "castle" (pile of sand) and picked up and felt different types of seaweed. Sara was content to dig by herself for some time while I sat back in my chair and watched the scenery and enjoyed the sounds.

After a while I went back to ask Sara if she wanted to go swimming; she and I braved the cold waves. She would jump right out of the water (with some help from Mom) as each wave approached, she would clear each one. At times her hat would get carried away with a wave but that just added to the adventure.

When I had enough and turned to go back to shore Sara was quick to let me know she was not yet done. Hmm, she will be 3 in a few days, and still very much expressing the godforce she is, wanting to remain frolicking in the waves a while longer. I relented... after all this is vacation.

As we came onto shore to warm up she and I laid on the blanket under the umbrella. I managed to half convince her that all the people laying on the beach were taking a nap, so she amused me for all of 3 minutes, pretending to sleep then played in the shade for another 20 before heading back down to her castle in the sand.

Jessica and her friend barely left the water, they were having a blast riding the waves. As I looked out at them I chuckled to myself to see that they were now picking up that dreaded seaweed and tossing it at each other. What a fantastic day.

This morning I am sitting out on the deck with a laptop I borrowed from work. Sara decided she wanted to play outside this morning. My cats are on each side of me grooming themselves. The birds are chirping and I can feel that it is going to be another scorcher today (thank goodness we invested in an air conditioner a few years ago).

Sara is playing in the tent on the deck with a dollhouse. Jessica and her friend were supposed to sleep out here last night however at about 11 p.m. the unmistakable scent of a skunk drifted into the living room window and I knew the girls would be wanting to come inside. I popped my head to the window and before I could ask the girls if they heard anything they were freaking out over the stench they smelled.

I turned on the lights and made sure it was safe for them to exit the tent and they were in the house like a shot. Leaving behind some blankets, a dollhouse and some dolls that Sara is now happily enjoying as I sip my coffee and write these words. (Yuck... cold coffee now)

On Sunday Jessica goes off to Choir Camp for a whole week. Last night I promised her 26 letters from home. I will seal 26 envelopes each with a letter from the alphabet. LOL, she will love me next week!

My intention for next week is to get up when Mike leaves for work (6 a.m.) and spend some alone time working on compiling my thoughts from each interview I have conducted so far for my Summer Project. I am very excited with what my final product will look like because I just don't know. With each interview I have new thoughts and insights on leadership. What I have been noticing is the qualities and traits each individual identify as recognising in others are in fact traits and qualities that the person already possesses and demonstrates themselves. What I am now getting curious about is can one recognize something in another that they don't already have somewhere within themselves?

Vacation... spending my days by my own design (and that of my children of course).

Life is good; tomorrow is a new day (and I'll still be on vacation so there is always more!)