a day off

I rarely take days off. I mean, like, hardly ever. I’m not much of a traveler and all the work is waiting for me when I get back – so if it’s a work-day, I’m usually at work.

The stress this past week had really been getting to me and I decided that I needed a break. So, I took Thursday off.

And it was really nice.

I played video games when I got up. Had some breakfast. Then went to the passport office to turn in my application. I was sweating bullets that I’d screwed something up – but I got everything turned in and the fees paid.

I watched a terrible movie – Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters – and had lunch with Jim’s puppies outside.

I did a little yardwork in my yard – and then headed back over to Jim’s to do some work in his yard.

The winter was rough on his rose bushes and he lost most of them. He got them cut down and moved out of the way, but there were too many to put in trash can at once. He’s been working on them every week – but since I had plenty of time on my hands I decided to lend him a hand while he was at work.

Took me about an hour and a half or so and I got a small blister from using the clippers – even wearing gloves – but I got everything cut into small pieces and loaded into the trashcan. I didn’t get scratched up at all – which was kind of amazing.

I went on home so that he would find the surprise and he told me later that he was putting the trashcan away and wondered why it was so heavy. And initially thought that they hadn’t taken his trash this week – and then noticed all the rose branches were gone.

I got an enthusiastic text message when he got home. 🙂  And he got out his mower right away to mow where the branches had been and the grass had grown up.

I think that may be one of my favorite things in the world – the pleasant surprise. And I think we need more of those.  It was a bit of work  – on my day off – but it was time well spent.