The point of vacation is to get away and relax. The other point is to live in la-la land for a week and pretend you don’t have to go back to work.
Or at least that is how it is for me.
Right now I’m (mostly) enjoying a week with some family members at a beach cottage in Florida. I'll get back to the "mostly" thing in a moment.
We are from Minnesota, where winter is a six-month ordeal from November to April. We can't safely plant our gardens until mid-May. So it's wonderful to get away to the warm southern part of the country for at least a brief period in the winter time. I have not had to wear so much as a light sweater since we arrived three days ago!
I do daydream of retirement. It's still probably three or four years away, even though I qualify now. I have just not gotten all my "ducks in a row" yet, as they say. And I plan to live a very long time, so I don't want to plan for my funds to last until I'm 90 and then live to 105! The sobering idea of being a burden to my children prevents me from considering retirement until I'm pretty darn sure I'll be well set.
I'd like to be like these carefree water birds, just chillin' by the sea!
About that "Mostly" comment
"Into every life some rain must fall," as the saying goes.
We are visiting my husband's brother and brother's wife. These are two of our favorite people in the whole world. They rent a place near the beach in Florida every year, and we try to come visit them while they're here.
It's a great opportunity to get out of the cold for a bit and get some natural vitamin D!
Well, the trip did not start out as planned. My poor brother-in-law had a medical emergency right after we arrived and had to be transported to the hospital by ambulance. He had surgery the next day and is now recovering.
This was not exactly how we intended to spend our first day of vacation! But we were very glad to be here as support for my brother-in-law and sister-in-law. My husband rode with his brother in the ambulance and we have managed things at home while my sister-in-law has taken trips to the hospital.
Back to that retirement thing
If you're nearing that age, I think it's not uncommon to wonder, "What am I waiting for?" You could save all kinds of money and then have some life event or health crisis that prevents you from enjoying it.
I suppose it's all a balancing act. I'd like to be comfortable in retirement, but events like what has happened to my brother-in-law remind me that we just don't know what the future holds, and it's really important to live life each day, and not put off fun and enjoyment to some future time.
And so, thanking the higher powers and medical science for the miracle of my relative's life and the great care he's getting, and taking amazing walks on the beach, and enjoying the sun and time with my hubby and two sisters-in-law. (My husband's sister is also here with us.)
In spite of the medical situation, we've had some lovely meals at outdoor cafes. Yesterday we had lunch at a restaurant that is actually located directly on the sand!
Thanks for visiting!
Photo credits: All of the photos in this post were taken by me and belong to me, unless otherwise noted.
My bio: I am a fiction writer and photographer based in Minnesota. I have had a lifelong love of fiction writing. I earned my MFA in writing from the University of New Hampshire. My short stories have appeared in a range of literary journals and anthologies, and my first short story collection is coming out in April 2024. You can pre-order here.
Want to know what I'm publishing and where? Visit my website, www.jaynalocke.com, or follow me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/@jaynatweets.
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