A Different Thanksgiving

There is a lot to be thankful for this year. Seems to be quite the clichéd way to begin this post but sometimes the truth is in the cliché. There have been a lot of great things that have happened over the past year for which I am incredibly grateful for even in light of our usual annual routine being completely different than what we have become accustomed to over the years. Not all changes have been good ones but that doesn’t mean that this past year hasn’t been good or that we are less thankful for what we have. If anything, we are even more grateful for the things that we have now.

With everything that has happened this year and especially over the past month my wife and I decided to really change things up for Thanksgiving this year and do absolutely nothing. Well, more accurately, we decided not to go anywhere and stay home to both enjoy the holiday as a family and get a few things done around the house. Remember, we haven’t even been here for a week at this point and there are still plenty of things to do and organization that needs to be done.

It was actually a really nice break and while we didn’t accomplish all that we had planned, we were able to spend the extra time together and take a few moments to catch our breath. And, for our son, it was an extra day to catch up on his sleep and recover from the lack of routine offered by the daycare… thankfully we have found a solution for that as well. However, the most important part of thanksgiving this year was to step back and allow ourselves to try and transition from our previous annual routine and prepare for what the future holds for this day.

We are going to have to find a new holiday routine now that so many things have changed and we are now settled into a home with our son. And while we didn’t do much today we really experienced a lot over the past year so taking the day off was very much needed. We have a lot to be thankful for and a lot of memories to cherish. It is a different holiday at this point in our lives and one that has taken on an entirely new meaning. We are thankful for many of the things that have happen this year and, at the same time, we are thankful that the year is almost over.

That Was Too Fast

With all the changes going on at the moment and the schedules that my wife and I have had over the past few weeks the long weekend was a welcomed occurrence. It is for this reason that we did not plan a single thing during the three days away from work. We know months ago that by this time we were going to need as much time as possible to do nothing.

While we did head out and do a little bit of exploring, we generally stuck to our plan, relaxed, and just took each day as it came. Friday night was a nice calm night at home. Saturday we did a little bit of local driving and exploring. Sunday we spent a few hours apart with me going to the range and my wife getting some homework done for her summer grad class. Today was more of the same as our sole venture beyond the confines of the apartment was for a buy one get one burger at Fox & Hound. What can I say… my wife is a cheap date.

Not surprisingly, there was plenty of work that I got done during the weekend as well including the posts that wrote for this blog. There has been a lot of things popping up lately at the office and it is that time of month for the lodge so there were a number of projects that had to be tackled during the last few days. I guess you could say that is was a long weekend for all the wrong reasons.

And now we are in the midst of the difficult time when Tuesday feels like Monday and we have to cram in five days of work into a four day span. I hate when Tuesday Jan pretends to be Monday Marsha… it’s just a high maintenance situation that I would rather not be a part of. And really with all the loose ends from the previous week, it was already going to be a long week even if it wasn’t cut short. Almost makes me wish that I had taken a few days off to extend the time away from the office but, then again, it would just be that much bigger of a headache upon my return so really I don’t know what would have been the best option.

So… now is the time to put my head down and work. When you see the words posted on this blog those will be the moments when I come up for air. And while I hope to continue providing you some daily entertainment and insight, I am not counting on anything of particularly fine quality. They may be short, they may be long. It really depends on how long I need to surface in order to fill my lungs. For now, it’s time to rest. I guess I will talk to you tomorrow!

Looping Around

Today was the first day in a long time when nothing was planned. We tried to schedule a few things for the day but, in the end, nothing came to fruition and we were left with some free time. While most days I prefer having something to do and/or somewhere to go, it was a nice change to not have to be anywhere and my wife and I could simply take the day as it came and enjoy just being together. So that is what we did… nothing in particular.

 

Actually, that is not completely true. With the weather clear and the temperature in the 80’s we couldn’t just stay inside and slowly simmer in our apartment with the sun beating through the windows and without the cool comfort of air conditioning. We are in one of those odd and uncomfortable in-between times when the weather fluctuates and the utilities aren’t quite in line with the daily swings. So rather than allow the discomfort test our patience, we got in the car, put the windows down, and drove in a large loop.

 

The highway was relatively clear with only the occasional insane person speeding by on a motorcycle and before we knew it we were getting off the interstate and heading north on route 611. While 611 is not the most pleasant road to drive, it is familiar and an easy way to loop around by heading north to the Route 202 intersection. Route 202, like 611, is for the most part not a pleasant weekend drive type road but between 611 and 309 it is actually a very nice mosey trip with plenty of open space and we are not the only ones who think so as there was a steady stream of cars on the road at this point and a plethora of pedestrians walking and biking on the parallel path.

 

Back on 309, our over traveled route, we stopped and took a break heading to the local Target to run a few errands. In the clean confines of the retail store we found all the items on our list and then some as the clearance racks were filled with other items that we had been putting off purchasing for some time. Nothing exciting, just some sweat pants, shirts, and coffee. The basic items that can add up quickly when paying full price but when on clearance can be a great way to stretch your money. Needless to say, I am good for another year for workout clothes and should be good for at least a month regarding coffee.

 

With bags in the back seat (my trunk is a mess that never seems to go away) and the windows flapping the plastic, we set the cruse control and headed back to the apartment. Even during the days when nothing is planned, we still tend to get things done. The constant activity can be tiring at times but today was just a relaxing day when we could go out and spend some time together without having to stick to a specific schedule. We need more of these kinds of days.