Monday, August 21, 2019: It Finally Arrived

I have been waiting for this day for years.  Literally.  It marks my first “real” day of being retired because everyone returned to work today.   It feels freeing (and weird).
I flew to San Diego on Saturday morning...

so that I could mark this day by waking up here this morning to this view

and then for my first breakfast as a “free man” at Peets.   

I then enjoyed some quiet time, reading and relaxing at the condo, listening and watching the surf crash outside, a walk along the cliffs to “my spot for some quiet reflection and then  a 90 minute massage with Himanshu.  OMG-he is freaking amazing!  

 An Arnold Palmer after, moved to the pool house and a nice walk along the cliffs at sunset made for a pretty perfect day.   

Who knows what tomorrow has in store?   

Putting The “Stay” in Staycation

stay·ca·tion

/ˌstāˈkāSHn/

noun

INFORMAL

1. a vacation spent in one's home country rather than abroad, or one spent at home and involving day trips to local attractions.

   
   

   ✔️ Discovered new-to-me restaurants and coffee shop

   ✔️ Walked the entire west side of the Meewasin Trail

   ✔️ Spent time at the lake

   ✔️ Spent time in Bredenbury
   ✔️ Spent an inordinate amount of time and money on morning lattes at Homequarters Coffee Shop

   ✔️ Enjoyed doing crossword puzzles and Word Jumbles in the morning newspaper  

   ✔️  Walked

   ✔️  Got some runs in

   ✔️  Got back into yoga

   ✔️  Enjoying the most unexpectedly wonderful experience of waking up every morning and coming to the slightly delayed realization that this is how mornings will be from now on....faced on my own terms!!  😂

   ✔️  Read three books (Blackout, Into The Water and Rupture)

   ✔️  Continued movie viewings with Kim and Carter on Friday’s

   ✔️  Realized I am not counting down the days to anything!!!!

   ✔️  Thai massage

   ✔️  Applied, interviewed, orientated and then denied the chance to volunteer at new Children’s Hospital
   ✔️  Won’t be doing the LLI Tutoring in the Fall 

   ✔️  Attended Randy Holfeld’s funeral and Jerald Theissen and Mrs. Holmlund’s internments
   ✔️  Enjoyed an evening in Elbow with the Holmizones, an afternoon at the Ex with Zoe and Eli and an afternoon visit with Mona
   ✔️  Enjoyed inflatable stand up paddle boarding
   ✔️  Had a  great day with Millar at the Children’s Museum, the Bess, Edo’s and the Avenges movie
   ✔️...and of course, a shave and a haircut the day before leaving for San Diego.
   
   So, on the eve of my departure for delayed usual trip to San Diego, I can honestly say that a Saskatoon Summer was super!!