Halyma

Amy, Felicia and ME!

… Or why I love September….

So, this is one photo from our August holiday – if you click on it, you can see many more and check out our Algonquin photos as well in my hubby, WTL’s sets.

I am a very lucky person.  I have a great husband, I am self-employed doing jobs that i love, and while I still have things to work on [ don't we all?], I really like where I am in my life and will stop gushing now!

This summer’s holiday adventures included a lot of nooks coming up to join us on our camping trip – and it was so cool.  Each person brought a different element of experience, learning, joy and smiles – and maybe a bit of eyeball exercise – as we all took some time to get to know each other a bit better in a new space and time.

So thanks to all of you for joining us and adding such great memories to our trip.  While @wtl did not post pics of you all, we do have them in our person collections and will treasure those moments!

the list: Mark, Gail, Ramanda and Justin [ on their own site], Kristina and Gabriel, Susi and Chris, Jocelyne, Gailene, Ginny, Glen, Matt and Warren[ on their own site], Alex, Julie and Richard, Megan and Dan – Hope I did not miss anyone!

Thanks to all who so kindly brought us little tokens – be it drinkies, goodies, snackies etc. – all of your generous contributions/ gifts were most appreciated!

We had a wonderful time on our own as well, as we both really needed that down time to relax, sleep, read, walk, canoe, relax, sleep etc.

Once we got back into Ottawa for a couple of days, we really only had time to sort through things, do some laundry and then pack for Fan Expo.  And another great weekend of adventure began with an early morning train ride with @suzemuse and @G_Reg to Toronto!  It was fun meeting the other group at the back of the train – those young pups who had some great knowledge and appreciation of the oldies as well as the new stuff in sci-fi, comics etc.  Claire, Krystin, James? and pink haired girl with the knitting were all great fun to chat with. and to share my baking with!  Recipes later for the vegan oatmeal cookies!

I had a great time meeting so many new people and running into Ottawa folks there – even if it was only for a few minutes in line at the hotel!  And next year we’ll bring more Ottawa folk out to have some fun!

While this post is pretty superficial, suffice it to say that I really appreciate and am grateful for the blessings of August – they always get me good and ready to start my own personal new year in September.

Going back to school is a perpetual part of my life – September always brings on the new round of work/classes[ since I teach now]/and begins a fresh start, especially as the weather starts to cool off – not today I know with this heat wave – but soon!

I am really looking forward to what this season will bring as I begin my new bellywood classes, ramp up my regular belly dance classes and then teach some sewing in October!  and the Dancer’s bazaar return in October as well, only weeks away so much to do for that as well!

I have lots of prep to do over the next few weeks and tonight’s demo will be my first actual sharing of the bellywood stuff, so I hope those who come out will be kind

An hour from now, I’ll meet with my first appointment of the fall, and I still have info to put online and more promo/ marketing work to do for the many things coming up, so I’ll sign off and wish you all a happy First day of September!

T/H

@wtl, my DH, has often said something along the lines of when we take a break, it’s for resting, not doing.  And I think he even broke down the differences in his  own personal views of  the terms, “holiday” and “vacation” – but I couldn’t find it easily on his blog, so I’ll just ramble on with my own thoughts!  He can add his later in the comments

ON my walk this morning – lovely August morning at 17 degrees Celsius with a fair breeze to keep me cool – I was in heaven! – I started to think about the words: holiday and vacation, and wished I could just create a blog post in my mind and send it out from there!  Maybe some day….

Defining things a bit:

Holiday: |ˈhäliˌdā|

• noun: a day of festivity or recreation when no work is done : December 25 is an official public holiday.
• [as adj. ] characteristic of a holiday; festive : a holiday atmosphere.• chiefly Brit. (often holidays) a vacation : I spent my summer holidays on a farm | Fred was on holiday in Spain.
• verb [ intrans. ] :chiefly Brit.spend a holiday in a specified place : he is holidaying in Italy.
• ORIGIN Old English hāligdæg [holy day.]

Vacation: |vāˈkā sh ən; və-|

• noun: an extended period of recreation, esp. one spent away from home or in traveling : he took a vacation in the south of France | people come here on vacation
• [as adj. ] a vacation home.• a fixed holiday period between terms in schools and law courts.2 the action of leaving something one previously occupied : his marriage was the reason for the vacation of his fellowship.
• verb [ intrans. ]take a vacation : I was vacationing in Europe with my family.
• ORIGIN late Middle English : from Old French, or from Latinvacatio(n-), from vacare ‘be unoccupied’ (see vacate ).

Pretty similar concepts.

I like the idea that vacation comes from Old French/ Latin – “to be unoccupied”.  Considering the time I spend in my brain, does that mean I actually will be vacating that cerebral space while on my break?  Probably not, but definitely exiting certain areas and visiting others in there for sure!

And holiday – a day where no work is done.  That’s where I am headed as well.

Hmmm… maybe based on the classic definitions, it’s merely whatever word you prefer to use, and then choosing your own definition of the break you are taking.

Ambiguous and Wishy-Washy that!

Well, my break will include much of nothing.  And the smatterings of doing will contrast with the extended periods of nothing.

Balance is what I am always seeking, in everything I do, and I think balance in my vacation/holiday will come pretty naturally.

I find an ever present spark of guilt gets me up and moving, and moments of self preservation offset it with a demanding whine that lets me stop and relax for at least a while!

And it takes a lot of work to take a break, whether it’s simply having friends over to visit, or actually taking time off and getting away from it all.

There are always preparations on so many levels and when camping is involved, you cannot let yourself slide into relaxation mode before the tents are set up and ready to house you for X days/weeks etc.

If you relax too quickly, and let things slide [ ie. don't put the tarps up] that’s when the rain will hit and then everyone suffers.  But put em up right away and it’s all good!WTL used to try to interrupt the momentum that carries me through to the end of any given preparation, now he just does his own thing and keeps up, stepping aside when I am in full steam ahead mode so that he does not get run over!  As do our friends who have camped with us and are there for either set up or take down and of course: 

I am actually writing this to help in keeping the momentum flowing …

We still have things to do to get ready for our trip, including trips to see both of our parental units and errands, and last minute tying up of loose ends!  And of course Sunday Brunch before our first real journey begins!

How do you define the breaks you take to recharge, reevaluate, and rejuvenate your spirit/body/mind?

Do you find it more important to go out a do things  - try new activities, explore new places, be out and active, when you take a break from your daily life?

Or do you seek peace and quiet, finding somewhere comfortable and relaxing, where you can simply be, with no pressure to be “doing” anything at all?

What began as a journey into defining what’s a holiday and what’s a vacation, evolved into some fun with Google Images - thanks to everyone out there who tags their photos so that silly folk like me can borrow them for their blogs!

Gonna go run some errands now!

T/H