The Living is Easy

Today was the first Day Off I've had in a long time.

"What are you talking about, Jenny O?" You might say.  "You work a corporate job, regular hours M-F.  You get weekends, like, every week."

While that is, strictly speaking, true, it is also true that days off from work do not necessarily equal Days Off.  Capital D, capital O (you know what I'm talking about, don't pretend you don't).  Yeah, last weekend I went down to Smith with a group of friends, and we did some kick ass climbing, but it wasn't exactly relaxing.  And the weekend before that I was in Seattle, visiting Lara in the hospital- again, not exactly leisurely.  And, generally speaking, even those weekends in the previous month where I was not driving somewhere or committed to some event, I was doing what I usually do with my weekend, which is clean the house/do laundry/work in the garden/catch up on writing assignments.

And yesterday we drove up to Tacoma for my ten year reunion, which, while fun and awesome, was (say it with me) not leisurely.

It's mainly my own fault, of course.  I'm the one who always feels like I need to be Doing Something in my free time (a neurosis which must be carefully monitored whenever Nathan and I go on vacation), as though I'm somehow being a person of weak moral character if I'm not being productive in some way, shape or form.  And really, when the hell else am I going to get the chores done?  (More on this problem in a subsequent entry.)

So yeah, I occasionally have a difficult time taking a true Day Off.

Which is why I was pretty proud of myself for saying "yes" last week when KB suggested a trip to the "beach" today.  I packed up a towel and some sunscreen, and one adventurous pig, and the three of us went out and did exactly nothing for like four whole hours (Nathan was off on his own photography jaunt).  I got sun.  On my skin.  It was awesome.  We took Isis for a long walk along the river, we laid out and discussed KB's upcoming nuptials, we splashed around in the water with Isis, who discovered the dubious joys of swimming.  It was thoroughly unproductive, and thoroughly satisfying.  Then we came back to the 'Couve, dropped Isis off, and met up with JT and his wife to do a little gym-climbing, and I finally, finally got lead-certified, which was also highly satisfying.

The important part of this photo is the green lead card attached to my harness.  And, perhaps, the ridiculous expression on my face.

(Of course, today's session also made me realize I seriously need to work on my strength and endurance, but meh...)

Nathan picked me up from the gym and I got home and do you know what I did?  Not a single damn chore, that's for sure!  Mostly I'm just sort of basking in the general Summer Vacation feeling that's stolen over me, only if for a night.