March Break

It is now officially over. The annual week off from work scheduled to let us rest up to regain our strength to make it through the sprint of the last term of the school year. During my career I have spent March break in one of three ways:

traveling

OR

hockey tournaments

OR

sleeping on the couch

In the past I have travelled to a variety of places. There was the Carribean cruise I won in a contest. My father actually bought the ticket for me. I still remember the moment my mother called to tell me I had won the big prize and I was upset because I owed my father $10.00 for the ticket. I realize now the biggest prize wasn’t actually the cruise around the Carribean but the fact my parents agreed to baby sit the kids for the week. There were only two kids then, Greg was 2 and Kaitlin was 7 months old……I STILL owe my mother for that one. Years later, thanks to Terry staying home to look after the kids, I traveled to Italy and another year Greece with my colleagues.

Then there were the many years of spending March break in arenas throughout Southern Ontario and Western New York. Greg and Kaitlin both played travel hockey so there was lots of time spent watching kids play hockey at the arena and more time watching kids play mini sticks in hotel hallways. (Ed, do they play mini sticks in Germany?)

Then there were the last few March breaks spent sleeping on the couch recuperating from those years of travel, hockey, parenting, working and, and, and, and, and………As the kids aged and I wasn’t needed as a taxi driver any longer I finally had the opportunity to catch up on my much needed sleep.

This March Break was different. As an empty nester I was finally rid of parental responsibilities and I had enough energy to actually do something. While many of my colleagues were heading south I was most excited about the opportunity to DO NOTHING. I did not achieve my goal but I am quite pleased with all of the things I was able to do.

Here is what I did this last week:

• went to a 30^th birthday party and rediscovered my youth
• cleaned and reorganized the walk in closet so I can find my clothes in the morning
• went for Sunday afternoon drinks at Scorecards even though football season is over
• celebrated St. Patrick’s Day with style at the Lions Hotel in downtown Port Dalhousie (see picture above)
• went for five early morning walks (OK, not that early, but during March Break anything before noon is early)
• interviewed 3 people in preparation for an upcoming article I am writing (improving your business through Social Media.....August edition of Business Niagara magazine)
• networked and made contact with an editor of a new national magazine
• confirmed two new articles to write -anyone know anything about eco tourism?
  
• rented out the cottage for a couple of weeks this summer (certainly mixed feelings about this one)
  
• hostessed a real grown-up dinner party (our neighbours are so much fun!!)
• learned to make tea (don’t even ask why I didn’t know how to do that before!!)
• gathered up all my stuff to get my taxes done (With a father as a CA this one wasn’t very hard)
• had lunch with colleagues (three times)
• visited with Kaitlin
• visited with Greg and my new grand-dog Tyson
• messaged Jennifer through Facebook to arrange her new apartment in Kingston
• went on a bunch of walks with Journey because the weather was absolutely BEAUTIFUL!!!!
• Shaved my cactus winter legs
• Admired Terry’s new glasses he bought without my help (yes, that was stressful)
• had breakfast with colleagues (OK, technically that hasn’t happened yet…but it’s scheduled for a few hours from now

The only problem is, in one short week I was able to restructure my lifestyle but now how am I ever going to fit going back to work into my schedule????