That's how I felt as I read about some guy's plans to camp, hike, kayak etc. -- I got nothin'. Nothin' Planned. For my Summer. I've never had one of those jobs that you just take two weeks off in the summer and go on vacation. I've never had one of those families forcing me to do that either. I guess, if you don't have kids--you don't feel that pressure to "do something" during their off time? You probably feel that pressure, huh?
In my last relationship, I got a whiff of that summer vay-cay world. He had two kids. So one summer we all went to their mountain cabin. I was pretty darn proud of myself on that one. Not for playing mommy dearest, but because there's no flushing toilet. Yep. It's an out house. In the middle of nowhere. Not the sexiest of vacations having to hear your boyfriend tell you "don't use too much paper!" Every time you go. Besides why did it matter? It doesn't flush?!! He was a gentleman of mountain-men though. Offered to take me to pee in the middle of the night. (Is that love?) But go-it-alone Lynnie grabbed a stick outside and ran for it. I refused to let him stand outside the OH and listen--I'd rather risk a bladder infection.
I'm not sure his kids thought I was how they wanted to spend their summer vacation, however. I needed to sit down on a long hike--and they complained about my "old ladyness." But then I think I won them over when I made baked apples in a tiny propane stove. Teenage boys only forgive if food is involved. I'll always have fond memories of that trip--Lynn's first official "summer vacation" trip...fond memories except for the last day there. A Sunday. He woke up early and said he was going to go to church. A church two hours away. What? I remember saying "Really? This is God's country--isn't this church enough?" I mean really. Would you rip your kids away from fishing and hiking--to go to church?
Once again, Go-it-alone Lynnie decided to do just that. Go it alone. I told them to go--"I'll pray on a kayak." They went and four hours later returned with coffee for me. I didn't care once it passed, but I think that event changed our relationship forever. For the worse. He felt I wasn't respectful of his religion, because I didn't go. (We were the same religion) I felt he wasn't open enough to change. In hindsight, I wish we had used that as an opportunity to discuss and learn from it--instead of blogging about it alone three years later. In the moment--thanks to the coffee and my ego, I guess, thought it was just a spat. Not a life-turner. If I knew then...I probably would have just shut my mouth and gone to church. If he knew then...maybe he wouldn't have judged me for not wanting to go.
That was the last real Summer vacation I took. I don't count hurling my body down level 5 white water rapids the following summer--a vacation. That was an effort to expunge the memories of the aforementioned REAL summer vacation playing "mom" to his "dad."
So maybe it's time to make some summer plans. I don't have a lot of extra McDonald's cash--so it'll have to be a cheap one. My sister moved to Vancouver this year--I could go see her? I had a blast the last time I did. When she moved there it was the Winter Olympics--so I went. I joked on Facebook and to people I knew--that "I was going to meet the Italian ski team." Our last night there, my sister and I were having a hot toddy in a bar in Whistler, when I struck up a conversation with a good looking man sitting behind me. He said he was from Italy. I had to ask, just joking: "You don't happen to be on the Italian ski team do you?" Patrick replied "why else would I'd wear this crazy blue satin ski jacket?" He held up the one like the jacket we just saw on a gold medalist--it said "Italia." I met the Italian ski team. Now THAT'S how you end a vacation. I'm betting this guy would have skipped out on church--maybe even Jesus himself, to kayak with me.
Vacations are important breathers from life--where you explore, learn valuable lessons, learn about yourself, and learn to let go and pee in the woods. Take them. So... What Are Your Summer Plans?
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