Thursday, June 21, 2012

So Long Summer Plans


What started out as an Epic Summer Adventure has fizzled in cold, stark realism. The Summer of Lobster is no more. In fact, I knew it wasn’t going to happen about two months ago when a whole bunch of poop hit the fan and splattered in all directions coating everything around in six inches of yuck! Kind of like what a hippopotamus does…except with the amount of poo a herd of brachiosaurs would leave.

Without landing a job over the past year, I knew money would be tight but we had a little tucked away so that the girls and I could travel. Ashleigh planned a trip that brought us up along the New England coast sampling different lobster meals. I planned on an extended stay with some friends in my home town and seeing my brothers and their families. I planned on a few weeks at my dad’s cabin a three minute walk to the rocky beach I grew up exploring.

Somehow what I plan never seems to turn out how I want.

So, heave a sign and throw my shoulders into an exaggerated shrug. Things happen and I move on making new plans for a “staycation” (Man I hate that term! It is so fake and gross).

I probably should schedule this out but then it might feel too regimented, but here’s to the newly named The Summer of Little Cost…of The Summer of Staying Home…or The Last Summer Ever (What? It is 2012 after all and I am scrapbooking all about it). Or maybe something a little less sad sounding. Any suggestions?

On the agenda we have beaching, crafting, local sightseeing (many tourist traps in town are free for residents), a few day trips, tubing on the Ichetucknee, climbing down to the bottom of the Devil’s Millhopper and a few other things.

But the biggest thing I’ll be doing is building a for real raised garden bed out of reclaimed cinder blocks (more on that later).

I’ve not put anything down on the calendar for fear that concrete planning will result in everything going wacko again. I’m taking it day by day, hour by hour with the hope that spontaneity will conquer the summer…

Hey! What about The Summer of Spontaneity?

That works for! This summer is all about unpredictability and by the time school picks up again in August the girls will be more than ready for some serious routines and schedules!

12 comments:

  1. Sometimes plans really do not work out. And in those times even I would rely on my spontaneity.
    So, let it be a Summer of Spontaneity for you as well. Who knows, it might turn out better than your plans even.

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  2. Sometimes the best plan is having no plan at all. And this just means next year's vacation will be extra special!!!

    PROMISE!

    Hugs!

    Valerie

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    1. Next year, I swear on all that is holy, I am taking the entire summer to the north east! I am ridiculously homesick! And by homesick I mean that I hate how hot and humid it is in Florida in the summer and I will do just about anything to escape for a month or so!!

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  3. Sorry, Heather!
    Is it possible that it could still be the Summer of the Return of the Birthday Fiesta o' Fun? I'm definitely going to be around for that! I'm hoping Mom and Dad will make a generous donation to the budget. ;)

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    1. Do you realize how much planning goes into a BFOF?? That would definitely have to be planned out and what about all of my spontaneity?

      Oh man...what to do, what to do...

      We didn't even have a follow up board meeting!! Jeesh!

      :)

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  4. I could relate to this post so well on so many levels. I too, have often felt the weight of disappointment from things not turning out how I had planned it. It Hoovers. Big time. I hate to admit it, but it is why I have somewhat hung up my 'dreams' because, as I said this morning, reality trumps visions of grandeur every time.

    Sorry for that 'Debbie Downer' snippet.

    I feel like my summer is about to come to a screeching halt too. The minute I say 'yes' to something that I probably 'should' do, my summer's essentially over. Right now I am in mourning. I am trying to scrape together the fortitude to look on the bright side.

    I have 'hopes' to take a trip too - some sort of solo road excursion out west. I want to get to the desert if it kills me.

    Can't wait to see how your garden goes. I've been thinking of doing one too, although I've never grown anything from scratch in my life. First time for everything!

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    1. So far the lack of schedule seems to be making us a bit lazy... I haven't wanted to do much of anything. But I'm working on that!

      I've never taken a solo road trip...well I drove to college by myself when I was 19. But that was just a straight shot down I95. I've always wondered what actually traveling solo would be like.

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  5. Ooooh, small trip summer! Sorry plans fell through. That can really throw me in to a boohoo tailspin. Then I realize my friends are so awesome sticking around and just doing cheap stuff with them works. I know you'll have fun doing whatever comes up, because you're awesome, and that's what us awesome folks do.

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    1. I love that you keep saying things like "I'm awesome." For real, you keep saying it and not only is my ego going to explode but I might actually start saying things like, "...because I'm awesome, that's why! Everyone says so!"

      Cheap local thrills are fun too in the right proportion. I live in a tourist town and I really can't stand crowds so it is tricky finding the right time to visit the local sites without being overwhelmed with...what's the word...agoraphobia.

      (yes, I had to go look that up because I was thinking "angoraphobia - which I knew wasn't right because WHY would someone be afraid of angora?)

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  6. Craig and I ended up spending our two weeks off earlier this month "staycationing" as well. I dream of winning the lottery and going to Europe while I'm still in my 30s but the pesky bill thing gets in the way. So we went canoeing, went to the zoo, and went on long walks at several parks early in the day before it got super hot. It wasn't bad. More money to do stuff would've been better but I know a lot of people are struggling so I'm just grateful to have a job, good health, and a good guy.

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    1. That's very true and while I'm disappointing that the girls and I aren't getting to travel, I know that things could be a lot worse and since they aren't, we'll make do and make the best of it because that's what we do!

      From the photos I saw it looks like you had a good time too!

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