Finally! Resting On Vacation

Posted on by

I always try to take vacation around the holidays and was fortunate again this year to have off an extended amount of time that began last Friday. And yet, this is the first time I have nothing to do on my vacation. There’s nothing to wrap or cook. There’s nothing to buy or return. No one is coming over and I refuse to leave the house unless it’s to take out the trash. On second thought, that can wait till tomorrow.

My house is a mess but I’m struggling to care. I am going to do a little de-Christmasing this afternoon. One of my two Christmas trees and a few small decorations from around the house will be taken down. I like all the greenery and lights so a lot of decor will stay up through January. 

Scout got a toy for Christmas that is way bigger than expected (always read product dimensions before you buy). In my defense, it is rare for a product to exceed expectations these days. We need to figure out a home for his new Kitty City 2.0 starter kit. Here he is living his best life, cuddled up for a midday nap.

Otherwise, I may read until I get tired and take a nap. Perhaps I’ll work on a puzzle or watch a movie. Whatever I do will be low key. I’m still nursing my mouth. An emergency tooth extraction last week left a cavernous hole in my gum and the nature of the issue caused enough trauma to my jaw and the area around the tooth that the pain is distracting. 

All of this (minus the oral health issue) is part of my intentional winding down of the busy season and transition into my No Spend Challenge. This means fewer adventures and more quiet time at home. I’m taking a cue from nature and choosing to embrace hibernation and healing for the remainder of winter. All of this is a different story for another day.

Keep coming back. We will talk about more of this year’s adventures that I haven’t covered yet (there are many stories to tell) and we will talk about hibernation, not spending and a little about bucking social expectations.

How are you spending these last days of 2024? I would love to hear about it.

14 thoughts on “Finally! Resting On Vacation”

  1. Sounds like some delightful nesting, Brandi! I am visiting with friends, in person or by Zoom. And calling family. Reading, a bit of writing. Nothing too strenuous. 😊

    Reply ↓

  2. Aw Scout sure does look cozy! Sweet boy. Miss Mariyn is curled up in a ball on my lap as I type this.

    I’m glad you’re getting some much needed rest and this is the best part of the year in which to get it.

    Reply ↓

  3. Glad to hear you were able to take time off around the holidays. I’m going to wait another couple of weeks before taking down my Christmas decorations. My maternity leave is officially over and I’ll be heading back to work on Monday. Sigh.

    Reply ↓

    • Oh no! Are you ok with going back? That must be difficult. How long was your maternity leave?

      I am leaving up one tree and some small things like a vintage sled and skates. I’m currently looking at the pine on the mantle, trying to decide what to do. Decisions, decisions….

      Reply ↓

      • My maternity leave was 55 weeks. My husband is now taking 20 weeks of parental leave. I just can’t believe how quickly the time went. It’ll be tough to transition back to work, but we’ll take things a day at a time. And hey, at least it’s a short week this week!

        I left a few things up as well, like my wreath. It just adds a bit of a brightness to the dark days.

      • Oh, my! That’s such a nice long time for your family! I’m sure it will be a challenging transition but you’ll do fine. It’s wonderful that your hubby gets to take a turn at home as well!

      • I’m definitely grateful for the time I was able to take off and spend with my daughter. And yes, him being on parental leave will certainly help with my transition back to work. You know what else will help? Taking time off again! I’m already planning our next big trip!

Leave a Reply