“You’re always on vacation,” my friend chided me when I told her I wasn’t available for a zoom meeting.
I chuckled. “Well, let’s back up for a minute,” I responded. “I said I’d be out of town. And really, what exactly is a vacation? Does it count if you’re shlepping your own groceries because you plan to do you own cooking? How about if there is no housekeeping service other than your own? And what about swatting flies as I heave my trash bag into the dumpster. Does that really make a vacation?” I tried to argue my case, but my friend wasn’t having any of it.
Yes, I’m on a little get away to escape the intense desert heat for a bit. If I didn’t do that every now and then, I fear my intolerance of the Phoenix summers could land me on the evening news. This is my second of three getaways this summer, but the only one that includes my laptop and sewing machine. Along with a bottle of olive oil, garlic salt, cinnamon, peanut butter … you get the idea. We waited to buy the rest of the groceries after we’d arrived. Yes, we are doing the VRBO thing where as is the norm, the furniture is vastly over-sized, the knives are dull, and the lighting is minimal. But that’s another topic.
When I was working, vacations were easy to define. They always started as soon as I changed my voicemail greeting to “Call someone else” or perhaps, a kinder, gentler message. But I rarely traveled. I enjoyed the time away from the office for seasonal yard work and household projects. Maybe a day trip here or there, but nothing that required tickets, reservations, or shoes that could manage cobblestone streets or 15,000 steps a day. But in retirement with my laid-back lifestyle, is a two-hour trip north, where the only thing different from my day-to-day life is a temperature that’s 20 degrees cooler, really a vacation?
Probably it is. The car was packed for a multi-week escapade, the thermostat is set for an extended absence and I put a hold on the mail. If those aren’t signs of a vacation, I’m not sure what is.
How about you? What makes a vacation for you? Does it always involve travel? Is it different when you have a flexible retired life as opposed to working? I’d love to hear from you in the comments.
Funny word, vacation…once retired, every day is a Saturday and every getaway is just a trip! Love our life!!
You’re right – every getaway is just a trip. I don’t think of them as vacations anymore. I love that. Thanks, Barb.
To me, a vacation means getting away from my home, not cooking dinner and NO family commitments. I love exploring new areas with my husband. It is nice when we meet up with friends. We love traveling to see friends that we haven’t seen in many years. At least once a year, since my husband retired from active duty, we get away to celebrate our anniversary. Just the two of us, usually in a beachfront condo. No cooking, listening to the waves crash and doing what we want to do, with no schedules!
This is wonderful – thank you. It’s wonderful to reconnect with people as part of the vacation experience as well. And the beach … take me there.
Interesting. Sometimes trips away can be a lot of work and although there is a change of scene and routine, I often come home to rest up after a strenuous “vacation”. To me a true vacation is a break from the usual routine of life. I can vacation at home if I don’t have to do the usual daily chores so once in a while, I make up some food to refrigerate or freeze, do the laundry, etc. and then for a day or two just live…….with minimal effort. It means not making the beds or cleaning but reading or watching old movies and eating the prepared food off paper plates. A change in routine is refreshing for me.
I love this perspective and yes, how many times do we return from vacation in need of a vacation. I love your idea of a vacation. Thanks, Joanne.
A vacation to me is looking at a different four walls and a break in routine. Even better if someone is feeding me and wiping the dribble from my chin. Anything stimulating my brain is a bonus.
This is a great definition. I’m right there with you. Thanks!
Once a Girl Scout, always a Girl Scout. Time for a weekend getaway? Bleach the cooler, bag the non-perishables, and load the car for adventure…maps optional.
Hope you enjoy this time away from the heat.
Thanks, Retta. A get-away is good for the soul, isn’t it?
Hi Pam, I’m on “vacation” now from my volunteer activities. Any time they have a break and I can just “be” is a vacation to me. They bring meaning to my life, but so does walking, kayaking, and just spending weeks in nature. At the moment, we’re in Canada, skipping the Michigan heat.
Best,
Phyllis
Go great to hear from you and you are right – a break from routine to just “be” is a great way to look at it, regardless of what you do. Enjoy your Canadian vacation!.