Thoughts on hold

As you read this, I’m at the back end of the fastest two weeks of anyone’s life. As I write it, I’m smack dab in the middle of my personal “staycation” and sitting down to do a bit of writing is tough.

I have a ton of people to talk to once I’m back from my time off, which I’m trying to use to re-energize the body and the mind (not necessarily in that order or that easy to achieve). Studies have shown that when taking two weeks off from pretty well 50-weeks of working, it takes the first week to wind down from work and stress and then the second week really is used for re-energizing.

I think that’s true to a certain extent because during this first week I’ve been looking for things to do, that I probably had access to before but you just don’t do when you’re working (writing columns doesn’t count). However, I’ve managed to throw a monkey wrench into the whole process as well. For two days during the first week, I managed to “power wash” a cottage. If the grime and mould on cinder blocks and sidewalks strategically placed where the sun can’t get at them is present, power washing brings instant gratification. You can see first “dirty” then poof—a dab of high powered sprays of water and “clean.” My mom taught me well. I am a good cleaner—lousy mechanic and fixer of things—but I sure can clean so cleaning is alright in my books. It’s just that I never realized how big that small cottage is. Today as I write, I’m more than a little stiff in the neck and upper shoulders but the job is done and there is that sense of accomplishment—even while on vacation.

It’s funny, we humans, when we complete a major project. Do you notice how we re-visit it just to see the handiwork we’ve done? More than once I’ve caught myself walking around the cottage with some feeble excuse in my mind, just to admire the end result of two days of power-washing.

I’ve been watching other people do real work as well. A cable company (not Cogeco before the letters and phone calls start) has been laying cable on the street where the cottage is located. They don’t dig anymore then cover up. They burrow. They contract out a company that has these burrowing machines that makes a hole at one end and a hole at the other. In between the work is done underground as the gizmo burrows away preparing the route for the conduit that will eventually carry the fibre optic. Any damage that is done, firstly is done on municipal property but the hole is covered up, graded and grass seed put down to return that small clump of land back to its original shape with grass and a variety of weeds that have been given a new lease on life through the province’s anti-pesticide ruling. If weeds could vote, by golly, they would shoo in the Liberals for another term for sure (that’s my only reference to politics today—I’m on vacation!!).

I’ve managed to have two swims this week in water that would be going some to say is the right temperature for humans to be in. If that same temperature was the reading of our bath water or shower we’d be screaming bloody murder. But because we’re on vacation and we’re supposed to do this sort of thing, we scream, “It’s refreshing,” or “Ahh, just what I needed to cool off.”

Cool off from what?

The entire summer has been nothing but cool. I have to assume the time off is relaxing my brain. Why else would I think a cold body of water is just what this old human frame of mine needs?

Another thing to do on vacation is to find those out of the way spots to visit. I’ve been to a couple of museums—one of which has been featuring “Aliens” and the possibility of life from another planet. Neat film being shown as well.

Found a little hole in the wall restaurant that you would never think of going to but I had heard nice things about it. I went in and was lucky to get a table. Matter of fact got the last one. The reviews I had received were true. It’s a nice friendly place in a tiny village that serves up HUGE meals. Wow! I’ll be back there.

Through all of this I managed to visit the big smoke for a Toronto Blue Jays ball game which they were leading 8-0 but through hard work and sheer determination they lost 10-8 to Tampa Bay in 12 innings. While in Toronto I took in the new Transformer movie on the huge IMAX screen. A sight to behold indeed although too many transformers and it was difficult telling the good guy from the bad guy.

By the time you read this I will re-visit the big smoke and the down-the-road smoke as well. Going to my home town of Hamilton, Ontario to catch a Hamilton Tiger Cat CFL game on one night and the next afternoon in Toronto to the Argos game. I’ll cap off that visit with tickets to the Jersey Boys.

You know, now that I put it down on paper I haven’t done too badly on my staycation. Hope yours was or will be a good one as well and of course, a safe one.

Enjoy the time off. The international bridge fuddle-duddle; the arena kafuffle; and all the other crises will still be there when you get back.

I’ll be waiting for you too.

I’m John Divinski.