11.02.2007

trippin

It's hard to believe, but our crew made it out on a family vacation. Complete with Griswaldian moments. It was a fantastic one week Vancouver Island tour that we are going to document, at least in point form, on the Headspace J blog.

The highlight for me was seeing, feeling and smelling the open ocean. The real ocean as I have come to call it. In the dark early morning watching the full moon set, in the midday sunshine at Long Beach or the brilliant sunset - it was all good. It was therapeutic for the soul of this prairie girl. I don't know if the impact is related to the familiar open sky and horizon line or the novelty of it being so drastically different from the landlocked seas of crops I grew up with. I think most people leave that place feeling that way, it's hardwired into us.

Trips are so valuable for breaking me out of patterns of inertia, even if only for a little while. We were gone just long enough to start to get some perspective on what our daily life looks like and where we want to be heading. No earthshaking insights but it put a fresh spin on things. I am so hesitant to put out that much energy to do something with such a young baby. Oh yeah, and two other busy kids too. I'm so busy protecting what reserves I do have from day to day that I don't end up pushing myself at all. That was one of the main points of Jeremy taking leave but now after stepping out of that comfort zone I know I can do a lot more than I often think I can. The rewards can be huge when I do.

Nothing is going to change the fact that we have a little dude to care for that can't talk, use the toilet or sleep through the night. Although that is often tiring, it doesn't worry me because it lasts for a shorter window of time than we used to think. I still have two months of very flexible time left to learn something new, get into consistent exercising or ?? without having to think about childcare. I want to cobble together a few different ways of making income that don't involve having much of a boss and lie in an area of my interest (don't we all?). It's about taking a leap and not caring how much money it makes me.

We travelled with an astronomical number of bags and props, yet it was nothing compared to the chaos that greeted us in our home. Granted the house was a complete mess but I was disgusted by all the stuff we have. On vacation people have so much time for fun stuff because somebody else makes the meals and washes the dishes. Little or no laundry required. And, for me, there wasn't much management of stuff to do. When we moved on from one place we schlepped it all into the car again and were done. No decisions required. I know we can't afford to live like that, but surely we can cut down on stuff, be willing to eat more simply and have fewer clothes. Imagine the time we'd have to...garden for example.

The cute little guy is demanding that some of his simple yet urgent needs be met. That's a good cue to end this rambling post.

7 comments:

Kaili said...

Good to see a post from you, it's been a while. Not that your busy at all hey? Yeah right.
So glad you hear you guys got out to the island, so FUN there.

Tannis said...

Yes, this post was way long overdue. I am busy but it's not the primary reason I don't post - it's that being busy results in not doing much reading or learning and I find that translates into fewer things to write about. It will return...

caro said...

Oh, you sound so full of post-vacation clear-mindedness. Lovely!

tfoxfan said...

Tan,

I really like what you said about when you arrived home, that you noticed all the stuff you had there waiting for you. I often feel that weight of 'stuff' when I arrive home, of course only after I enjoy being home again. It's incredible what one can live on away from the comforts of home, and yes, the services that others provide for you while you're away are just lovely. I do often use those moments of deploring my stuff to clean house. It's very rare that after the fact I miss anything that's gone.

Often think of that Tofino moon and the ocean on clear nights.

Tannis said...

Esther, I'm working on that house purge. Small steps - I have to do it drawer by drawer rather than full scale all at once the way I used to.

Right now my biggest contribution to that cause is to commit to not bringing too much more IN, especially over Christmas. The thrift store is my downfall.

Anonymous said...

And why did I not read your last entry before we visited the thrift store. It was fun anyway and the finds were great, especially the games. Mom

Tannis said...

Oh mom, you can see how I do that to myself. It was my gigantic stack of games and puzzles that take up the space!