Day: July 24, 2010

“So did you do anything for Pioneer Day?” Asks the grocery store clerk as she passes my selection of boxes and cans over the barcode scanner. The question is automatic, just a thing for her to say since she has to work on this state-wide holiday.

“Absolutely nothing.” I answer. “It was wonderful.”

She looks up at me, attention drawn by my non-standard answer. “That actually does sound nice.” She sighed. Then my groceries were in the cart and I left the store.

Doing nothing is something of a lost art for Howard and I. We’ve had to rediscover the uses of leisure time. Howard and I even had a conversation which included the parameters for his time off. Rule one was “plan nothing in advance.” Rule two was “Figure out what you feel like doing in this moment, then do it.” No guilt attached, no demands to be met. I think Howard finally got the respite he needed. I think I have as well.

Next week has no events on the calendar. Everything there is routine, the same things that happen every week. We all really need that. Even the kids.

Kiki just got home from girls camp and she needs to ground herself at home before we expose her to the stimuli-fest that is GenCon. She talked to me for an hour, processing all the experiences she had at camp. Then she asked when we could go visit her art mentor in Salt Lake. I answered that even though she really enjoys spending time with her mentor, it is draining and she needs to be storing up energy this week, not spending it. She nodded, seeing the logic.

Patch had a non-linear tantrum this morning. Everything was awful, particularly the fact that Howard attempted to help him when he wanted to get the chocolate milk himself. Patch needs a quiet house with regular meals and normal bedtimes. He also needs to be re-centered.

Gleek and Link are more resilient to the scattered schedule we have been running. However I suspect that in my distraction Gleek has been substituting glasses of chocolate milk for meals and Link has gone through an entire stack of frozen pizzas.

We all need the calm of next week. Then after Gencon we will need to settle in again. It is time to find a rhythm which includes schedule and leisure.