What’s on the iPod: Summer Sun by Jukebox the Ghost
We’ve made it — it’s Friday. Don’t ask me why, but all day Wednesday I was under the impression it was Tuesday. I don’t suffer jet lag — I suffer life lag. It was a somewhat busy week, but not too bad. I was glad for the slightly less bumpy re-entry post-vacation. I can’t take those hit-the-ground-running starts these days.
There are plenty of projects staring me down today, but after two weeks of rain and snow and coming home to more rain, I’m looking at a sunny day and a red convertible just itching to go out with its roof down. It will be a shorter work day. Guaranteed.
Since it’s Friday, I thought it might be fun to list some of the things we’d rather be doing on a Friday other than working. Clients, if you’re reading, we love working with your projects. We’re simply normal people who crave time off just like the 9-to-5ers.
What I’d rather do on a Friday are some things I’ve already done on other Fridays:
Cream soda, iTunes, and convertible. One of my newest, best memories shared with my mom was driving down a back road in Ontario last year sipping cream soda and listening to The Eagles. The sight of her sitting there sipping, tapping her toe and wearing that red baseball cap to keep her hair down is right up there with my best memories ever. We were happy as clams. She’s requested another top-down ride this year, too.
Faulkner, a beach blanket, and the sun. A good book on the beach? You betcha. Who wouldn’t want that? Now that it’s warming up, it’s back on my to-do list.
Tea with a friend. It’s how I’m starting today and how I’ve started many a Friday morning. Today will be no different.
Gardening. Okay, other than the angst I have over being away from the garden in two weeks and coming home to a jungle (and both mowers conveniently broke right after we left), I love getting outside and putting my hands in the dirt. My grandfather owned a nursery and landscaping business, so every time I’m in the garden, I’m seeing him and grandma and remembering how I “worked” for them when I was younger.
Fishing with my dad. I have no idea how it happened, but I’m my dad’s fishing buddy. When I get to their summer place in Ontario, he and I are in the boat two or three times a day. We go out at 6 pm and come in near midnight, always with stories, sometimes with fish. And we sit on that boat and solve the world’s problems and gossip like hens.
Writing and journaling. Okay, it’s an occupational hazard to love to write and be a writer, but I switch to paper and pen. I have one journal dedicated to my poetry scribblings, and I love taking time to fill it.
Eating this. It was the meal I’d waited for the entire week we were in Vancouver, the one our friends/B&B owners made for us a year earlier. I was jonesing for it. It’s sockeye salmon and poached egg over a croissant covered in hollandaise sauce. And that was just one of three courses that morning. Oh my. It’s going to be a long wait for the next one!
What would you rather do if you had a free Friday?
Be in Maui, soaking up the sun and culture that always brings me incredible peace.
I'm with you–any combination of laying outside/reading a book/sitting by the water/drinking wine (in my backyard) is at the top of my summer wish list.
I even try to get up and get started an hour or so early on nice days so I can finish by mid-afternoon. One of these years I'd love to be able to take a good chunk of summer off…sigh, daydreaming again.
I'd walk in one of the nature sanctuaries, work on the garden, read a book — one that I WANT to read, not one that I HAVE to read.
I've got to mow today, but that's not really the "garden work" I had in mind.
Oh, yeah, the smoked salmon Benedict — one of my favorites!
I'm not a big fan of summer, so shade,a cool breeze and a nice big glass of ice water, homemade iced tea, or watermelon slush sounds nice.
My ideal free Friday would be hitting up a farmer's market or our local City Market with friends – and maybe splitting an order of springrolls and a green papaya salad from either one of two favorite restaurants not far from the market.
Of course any spare time I have lately is spent outside painting trim and/or doing yard work. (OMG- the privet hedges went crazy while I was working on the tri, – they're taller than I am!) Not this weekend, though – supposed to have 3 days in the 90s (and humid, ugh) so I'll spend my time trying to keep my very furry dog cool without benefit of any AC.
I'd be out on the boat (or the beach) with a good book. And, with a little luck, eating that salmon benedict (looks divine)!
On a secluded river anywhere in the northwest fishing for wily Summer Steelhead.
Or watching my son score a game winning goal in OT.
Everyone, have a fabulous weekend and do some of the things you enjoy. 🙂
Cook great food for family. Unfortunately I'm still working and taking breaks in between.
If the weather is good, an S-Bahn train ride to Wannsee would be nice. Then I'd find a Biergarten and after the third beer I'd have the world's problems solved.
If the weather is bad (and that's usually the case here), I'd go to see a move at Potsdamer Platz. Prometheus, maybe. I don't generally like scary/horror movies, but I really loved Alien.