In fact, I asked myself that same question, this morning - what did I do during this month of vacation time off? I looked at the calendar I had kept, and here are the highlights:
- I got together with family and friends (attended two weddings, twice visited aunt C and cousin N, spent a Saturday with friend R, spent some time visiting with cousin P and her daughter).
- I pursued good health (several doctors' appointments, lab tests, etc.) and well being (meditation session, knitting group, manicure, naps, visits to the library).
- I went places - various doctors' offices, the car service place, the Auto Club and DMV, the grocery stores, some shops, the temple, the library, the pharmacy, the bank, two hotels, the L.A. Times Building, etc.
- I saw some "sights" of interest (a trimmed eucalyptus tree, several historical monuments including the hotel where one of the weddings was held, Mt. Laundry and Mt. Washmore)
- I went hunting (fleas, dust bunnies/dust kitties)
- I excavated (under layers of dust and clutter) and discovered long hidden places (the tops of my desk and dressing table!)
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| Start of Vacation |
Week 1:
7/21: Cousin's son's wedding - shopping and pampering the morning (daughter had her eye brows done and we both got our nails done!), followed by frantic, last minute packing and ride to hotel with cousin and her daughter, and a wonderful evening of celebrations. Spent the night at the hotel with cousin and cousin's daughter. Family bonding time!
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| Painted Nails |
7/22: Return from the wedding
7/23: Eucalyptus tree trimming and grocery shopping
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| Trimmed Eucalyptus Tree |
7/24: Relaxed, laundry, nap, etc.
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| Dancer showing how to nap and relax |
7/25: Cleaning, shopping
7/26: More shopping and relaxing
7/27: Grocery shopping, bath tub scrubbing, soup making, and visiting aunt C and cousin N
Week 2:
7/29: Daughter went back
7/30: Car service done; laundry
7/31: Renewed car registration, watered the garden, discovered fleas! EEK! Sprayed the sofas and area rugs, laundered dust covers and sheets.
8/1: Flea abatement/laundry
8/2: Podiatrist appointment and shopping; mopped kitchen floor
8/3: Post office, bank, pharmacy, library; sprayed the garden
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| Library Book |
In the meantime, Dancer went "camping" under the quilt tent:
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| Dancer "Camping" |
Week 3:
8/4: Took friend R to get shipping boxes, had lunch together
8/5: Laundry, vacuuming
8/6: Appointment with financial planner, more laundry
8/7: Card crafting and visited aunt C and cousin N:
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| Card for Aunt |
8/8: Paperwork, cleaned the kitchen, watered the garden
8/9: Groceries, pharmacy
8/10: Meditation session, dusted the living room, watered the backyard, laundry
Week 4
8/11: Laundry, dusted the dining room
8/12: Vacuumed the house; laundry
8/13: Laundered daughter's bedding; scrubbed kitchen sink & dish drainer; watered the indoor plants
8/14: Cleaned the bedroom, knitting group at library
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| Gift from the Knitting Group |
8/15: Received 35 years of service pin; radiation oncologist appointment; more bedroom cleaning - discovered the top of the desk!
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| The Cleaned Desk |
8/16: More bedroom cleaning (fan); watered the front garden, laundered bed sheets, mattress cover, dust sheets
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| Cleaned Fan |
8/17: Primary care physician assistant appointment, blood tests, shopping; 2nd spraying of garden
Week 5:
8/18: Started cleaning the family room
8/19: Laundry room cleaning; more family room cleaning; cleaned sink drains (baking soda/vinegar)
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| Cleaned Laundry Room |
8/20: Oncologist appointment; cleaned the family room (2 small bookcases & computer desk); changed and washed sofa covers; grocery shopped; mopped kitchen floor; daughter came home
8/21: Colonoscopy prep:
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| The name says it all! |
Looking forward, during the second month of vacation:
8/22: Endoscopy/colonoscopy procedures
8/23: Recovery
8/24:Another day of recovery/M will do the garden/library book due
8/25: Friend's birthday party
8/26: Monthly prayer gathering
8/27: Daughter goes back; *Need to hand in retirement papers, this week
8/28: Attend knitting group
8/29: Nothing planned, yet
8/30: Nothing planned, yet
8/31: Meditation session, M will do the garden
The results from tomorrow's procedure might be available by next week and there might or might not be a follow-up doctor's visit.
I think I need to take a vacation to recover from my month of vacation, don't you? Do you go away on vacations? Do you take "staycations"?
That sounds like a really busy vacation! It sounds like you're having some fun times as well as getting things done.
ReplyDeleteIt has been busy, Sharon! I am hoping that next month might be a bit quieter and I'll be able to catch my breath!
DeleteWhen you look at it like that, you've been really busy Bless. X
ReplyDeleteA little busier than I like, Jules; I'm hoping it will be a little less busy, next month!
DeleteI did the same as you. I took ALL of my final vacation days at the end of my employment just before my official date, so in my mind I was RETIRED. I never looked back. I keep forgetting that you are still considered on vacation as the paperwork has yet to be processed. Let me warn you. Retirement is going to look exactly like your past month of staycation. You will wonder how you ever found the time to work outside the house.
ReplyDeleteMy daughter says it is because I kept putting off doing various things until I retired and "had more time". A lot of what I am doing now are things I didn't have time and/or energy to do when I was working. So, there's a lot of "catching- up" type of things going on, too. But, I've plenty to do until the end of the year, at least!
DeleteYou are always so busy! A very fulfilling life you lead. We like to just take day trips....home is best for me! I am impressed you get a prep kit....Our doctors here just give you a list and you have to scurry around finding the items. My dr. was so picky....I had to search everywhere for no-color Gatorade one time...going to many stores! Andrea
ReplyDeleteThe prep kit contained two 6 oz. bottles of liquid I had to take and a 16 oz. plastic cup. I had to pour the contents of one bottle to the cup and add enough water to come up to the 16 oz. line and then, drink that, followed by two additional 16 oz. cups of water. And repeat the whole thing, 5 hours. later. Yes, I, too, was told to have Gatorade, clear broth, apple juice, etc., nothing yellow, orange, red, or purple colored. I just had some broth and water, that's all.
DeleteThat's a very adventurous vacation, Bless. You went hunting! LOL
ReplyDeleteYes! Hunting and excavating! :D
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