My wife and I are still sleeping in the basement on the air mattress. Which has been WAY. TOO. LONG! To be fair, Christmas happened, and we were sick. But honestly I was supposed to be done with this by now, I have other projects that I need to move on to. I like doing the electrical stuff, but when it comes to doing anything with wood, even though my intentions are good, I'm pretty much just winging it. (take that as you will.)
Something that occurred to me this week, is that I've been counting down the days to a holiday. A tropical vacation holiday.
.......in the sun!
........on miles of sandy beach!
........all inclusive!
........endless buffets!
........all you can drink, just for the asking!
.........the holiday that we took last freaking year!
This week, last year, we were vacationing in Mexico. It was glorious, and as much as I would love to, we just can't afford to travel someplace every year. That's just the way that it is. I know that. But somewhere, deep inside of me, probably right next to the portion of my brain filled with useless information, like memorized dialog from the original Star Trek series, the seed was planted that we might be able to go someplace this year.
A seed that sprouted, and put out roots, that wound their way into my reasonable thought processes and despite my better judgement, casually suggested to me that we might actually be able to pull this off. Even this morning, I still looked at the discount vacation site. Trying to convince myself, I was being a wise shopper by considering going to one of the malaria infested, single star resorts, where you have to take a shift behind the bar, kill your own food, and do a rotation, being driven into the jungle on the back of a truck with a bag over your head, to harvest pot for some Colombian drug lord, under the supervision on a guy named Twitchy, with an eye patch and a machine gun, just to get my kid in for free. My wife gave me a dirty look and refused to look at the resort pictures.
Whether I like it or not, my brain wants me to be on vacation. The last three days, I've been putting the new laminate flooring down in our bedroom and it only dawned on me yesterday, that every time I would saw a piece of laminate, the smell of the flooring sawdust in the air has been remarkably similar to the aroma I get when I smoke some of my cigars. I'm not really sure if that speaks more to the quality of my cigars, or the flooring that we chose, but I seem to be longing for a palapa, a mojito, and an hour in the sun with a cigar.
Rather than what I have now, which is a foot of snow, -20C, laminate flooring dust, and so much sun deprivation that I'm beginning to resemble the snow outside my window.
So I'm counting the days to my next target. 350 some odd days until we can travel to tropical paradise again. I'm planning to live vicariously through the facebook travel pictures of my friends, as they jet off on wonderful holidays, to tide me over.
............until then, I have a sharpie and a new calender. I wonder if my wife will let me smoke a cigar in the house?
This week, I'll be joining up with the other Dudes at Dude Write, with this post. I encourage you to pop over and read what the guys bring to the table. You can get there by clicking on THIS LINK
Like you I dream of waking up to clear blue skies, warm breezes and turquoise waves lapping at warm white sand. Instead I woke up this morning to 25 degrees and black ice everywhere.
ReplyDeleteHi Stephen,
DeleteThat seem to be the story of my life. Hope you didn't have to drive anywhere.
It sounds like you need a vacation, Ken. I feel your pain. I hope your year goes smoothly, and that you get the vacation you dream of!
ReplyDeleteHi, McGuffy Ann.
DeleteThe year that we just came through was not the best one that I ever had. I expect that this one will be better. :)
I am one of those poeple that would probably dislike going somewhere tropical. I am bad with heat, can't swim very well, dislike sand, and have trouble drinking certain types of alcohol. Yeah, I am beginning to see why I don't like to leave my farm.
ReplyDeleteHi Holly,
DeleteWhen I was younger, I rarely left the farm myself. Then I found the heat is actually quite nice, sand is pretty cool, it doesn't matter how poorly you swim, and resorts have so many types of alcohol, you can't go wrong.
and 7 days someplace where you can't be gotten a hold of is wonderful! :)
As a cheaper alternative, how about a weekend in Edmonton, in a tropical theme room at Fantasyland Hotel and a 2-day pass to the surf pool at West Edmonton Mall? But still no cigar cuz you'd have to go outside to smoke it and the reality of -20 would destroy the illusion of a tropical holiday.
ReplyDeleteHi Debra,
DeleteYou know, that may just work. We stayed in one of those on our honeymoon. We picked the igloo room! *facepalm!*
Valentines Day is approaching, that may be a plan. But definitely the tropical themed room would be at the top of the list this time. :)
I get that you can't afford anything big, but you should try to do at least something fun and relaxing. I really want to go to Italy this year, although I am just not sure I am going to be able to do it, but I will for sure go somewhere at least! I am thinking about somewhere I can drive, like maybe New York in the spring. I need a break! And you need one, too!
ReplyDeleteHey Kianwi,
DeleteWe do get to go camping in the summer, and I like that. It's just that the most relaxing vacations for me seem to be when I get on a plane and head off somewhere that I can't be reached and whatever is going on at home, is completely beyond my control. I've gotten that on a driving holiday, but I need to be on the road for a day and a half to stop stressing.
It's also when I get my wife all to myself. Though, I suspect she begins to go crazy at my constant attention after 2 or 3 days. :)
OH man this winter is dragging. We just got two feet dumped on us last night. Is it any wonder I drink so much?
ReplyDeleteI'm thinking of investing in a really bright heat lamp to hang over me while lounging in a lawn chair with my sunglasses...in the living room.
You and your family are welcome to come over.
Hey VV,
DeleteIt seem this winter has already been going on FOREVER!
Thanks for the offer, although you may regret it when I show up in my speedo? :)
I just hope I don't owe taxes this year, so I can think about a vacation.
ReplyDeleteI'll think of you later when I light a cigar though.
WG
You mean.....sometimes people don't have to pay taxes? What the hell!!
DeleteAnd I'll think about hanging out on a veranda with you one day, discussing life, over cigars.
Ken, I think you should go for it! You only live once right? Alisha and I are looking into a destination wedding somewhere in the tropics. Though the more we look into, the more we would rather go to the court house and spend all the $ on the honeymoon. We've both been married before, so neither of us feel strongly about having a big wedding again. I hope you do get a chance to warm in the sun. You deserve it buddy!
ReplyDeleteHi Michael,
DeleteUp until about 6 years or so, We hadn't really traveled anywhere. I hadn't been outside of Canada, except for one time my in-laws took us to Las Vegas. A trip that we drove. I hadn't even been on a big airplane.
When my dad passed away, just as he was beginning to think of taking time to travel, it changed how I thought, and now we plan to do some destination every 2nd year. Because that's what we can afford.
Granted, we aren't seeing the world by staying in all inclusive resorts, be we try to make a point to go on tours that allow us to see how the people live where we are visiting. Someday though, the plan is to see the world outside of the all inclusive holiday.
However you decide to proceed with your wedding plans, I expect it will be an interesting story to post for us.
Ken, I try to post some pictures from our Caribbean cruise for you.
ReplyDeleteThanks Joe,
DeleteI shall stare longingly at the pictures of the Caribbean, and most likely, drool a bit.
I'm with you brother.
ReplyDeleteIt's minus 2 in my part of the UK at the moment (rather warmer than your place) and I too am dreaming of a holiday in the sun. Sod it, I'm going to mortgage the house and have 2-weeks in Grand Canaria!
Hi Bryan,
DeleteI appreciate your resolve to make this happen, even if it may leave you homeless.
Now I have to look up Grand Canaria, and see what I'm missing out on!
Hey my friend,
ReplyDeleteI don't have to tell you I can relate to this 1000%. I am one that probably feels the pull to escape somewhere warm and tropical more than average. In fact, it has been gray/cloudy/rainy for the last week and more in in the forecast (hasn't been as cold though) and I am DRAGGING for having not seen the sun in so many days. I could NEVER make it where it's cold and rainy and overcast for more days out of the year than not. I so get it. One thing I like to do, and it sounds like you're doing, is in the research of a possible trip. It helps me somehow, in just feeling like I am doing SOMETHING toward that end. Enjoy looking at different places. Create a folder on your computer of possible places. I guess you have to fly from there to anywhere and I can imagine that would be expensive from all the way up there. Do you subscribe to vacation deal emails? I must get a dozen different 'bargain' travel website deals to my email. You just never know!
Here's to dreamin' of sandy toes, salty hair and cigars on the balcony 'somewhere'!
Hello, my friend!
DeleteI was talking with a friend over coffee the other day, and we were pretty sure that we hadn't had more that 3 or 4 sun-shiny days throughout November and December. It's only been since Christmas that we've warmed up a bit and the sun has been out a bit more regular.
I do get a few vacation email deals sent to me. However, I have yet to be able to take advantage of any. I may need to start looking a bit more closely as to some of the destinations that they are offering, because yes, anyplace warm this time of year, pretty much requires air travel.
I think the wife and I should start on of those folders. That way, if one of those deals came up and it was someplace that we had found, that interested us, part of the work would already be done. Good idea!
And, I am dreaming! :)
I love holidays but I always want to come home.
ReplyDeleteI find, that as much as it is nice to come home, it's getting easier to be away, the older that I get.
DeleteI may end up being a snow bird!
I got my toes in the water, ass in the sand...
ReplyDeleteThe last tropical vacation I took was to Jamaica, it was pretty cool and too long ago.
........not a worry in the world, A cold beer in my hand.
DeleteJamaica is on the list. We will get there one day for sure!
You're not alone, sir. During the cold winter months, as I trudge to work, I think back fondly to my carefree trips to Jamaica and the Bahamas. Ahh paradise.
ReplyDeletePerhaps one day, we can coordinate a Dude Write vacation :)
A Dude Write vacation! Is there anywhere in the world that can contain that much awesomeness, all in one place?
DeleteStill, that does sound pretty cool.
Jamaica and the Bahamas! I know what I'm going to be dreaming about tonight!