Viva Vacations

Europe has a custom of taking three weeks vacation at a time. Their thoughts (at least with the Europeans I know) are that the first week you chill out; the second week you're totally free; the third week you begin gearing back up for work.

I like this philosophy. Why can't we implement it here? LAUGH. With most of us either working for ourselves and unable to take so much consecutive time off, or with jobs that make you wait for five years just to get two weeks, dreams like this are impossible.

Personally, I would work way harder if I was treated with more humanity. My boss is really kool...don't get me wrong. But he's bound by the rules. Just ask yourself...what would you do with not one, but two sets of three week vacations in one year!!! HOORAY! I say.

Every good thing has a payback. Usually a pretty brutal payback (from my experience). The week or two before holiday is a living hell, as is the week or two after holiday. And in today's economic stress, can you imagine being away from your job for two or three weeks? You might get layed off and not even know it. (I was once layed off when I was out sick and my boss didn't have the stomach to tell me to my face - made HR do it over the phone!)

But I digress. As usual, I suppose.

I was thinking about joining the nano writing session this year - you need to write 50,000 words in the month of November. I'm up to around 2,500. Does that count?

Next week we're off on holiday. I figure I'll need to work a bit while I'm at the beach, but also plan to play a great deal. The boys are heading down from college and joining us. Should be super!

Viva Vacations!

Blinded

Yesterday afternoon, towards evening, yellow light poured through our closed blinds in the bedroom. It was a gray and rainy day, yet this odd yellow-ness brightened the window. I peeked out. The leaves, intensely yellow, seemed to glow in the twilight. It was eerie yet it was way cool how they luminesced.

This has to be the most beautiful fall in many, many years. Vibrant colors rippling through each tree...through each leaf. I can't seem to take in all the colors - to burn them into my memory so I can recall them on bleak winter days. There are just so many of them bursting like fireworks.

My husband told me to check out the front lawn on Sunday. He managed to remove every single leaf. Until Monday. Now we can't even see the sidewalk!

This is a strange topic to write about, but it's a calming one. The colors are talking to me, reminding me of all that's right in the world. God's pallet, some say. Just drink in the vibrancy and let it fill you like water in a pitcher. Become blinded by the colors of life. Relax.