“Remoted – Hybrid” – Day 812 (Monday) – work and leisure

Ready for summer.

The weather was perfect again today and the life of leisure is looking damned appealing. There was morning coffee drinking, light housework and yardwork, then the day shifted gears to relaxation. Even the labor part was unhurried and unfolded in its own time. I can’t wait to jump off the work treadmill, retire, and adopt leisure as a lifestyle. Thanks to recent stock market movement, it should be only another 50 years of working and saving and I can finally retire. 

The cool morning allowed for the washing of the deck chairs and placement of the outdoor rug on the deck. The table pedestal and umbrella base were hosed off and set on the rug. Indoors, there was a light tidying up and lunch made in preparation for visitors. Nothing gets my housekeeping ass in gear quite like visitors.

Mom and StepDad came for a visit and to swap the gas mower for an electric one. I almost always have a hard time pulling the cord to start the gas mower and maybe some actual exercise would help (in  more ways than one), but now I don’t need to worry about it for starting the mower.

We all sat on the deck in the freshly cleaned chairs after StepDad set the glass table top onto the base and installed the umbrella. There was a lunch of chicken salad with dried cranberries, onions, walnuts, tarragon and mayo, made this morning, plus potato salad from Mom’s cookout on Sunday. This was followed with cake with strawberries and whipped cream. It was great to spend a nice chunk of a second day in relaxed conversation. After the guests departed, the afternoon pace continued with ice water and Netflix (Moms) under the gentle air movement of the living room ceiling fan. It's now deep into the game of "how long can I hold out before turning on the A/C?"

Beer, breezes, book.

The evening featured an Anchor Porter beer and a book on the newly set up deck. There was a light breeze and it was comfortable. This is much like I imagine my time would be occupied on a proper vacation at a beach cabin or a resort. For now, I will make due at home with my imagination. 

The book, Where the Crawdads Sing, was the May book club selection and should have been finished a week ago, but I signed up too late for the meeting and was fourth on the wait list. Once it was clear I wouldn’t be attending the book club meeting, I switched gears and read Jack Kerouac’s Satori in Paris for inspiration for work for an art exhibit with the theme of Kerouac, Paris, and enlightenment. 

The Kerouac book was great, but the inspiration for new work didn’t happen and the print from my Paris visit of long ago was not as good as I remembered so I didn’t enter anything in the show. Maybe when my life of leisure kicks in the photo bug will return. 

Maybe tomorrow  the blender can be hauled out for an added vacation dimension. If only I could manifest a bartender, housekeeping staff, food service crew, gift shop, and a travel companion for BungaLowell Staycation 2022, it would all be quite perfect.