Puttering and PJs

It was the day I had most looked forward to this vacation, the day I would have no scheduled expectations put upon me. Mother Nature cooperated too by giving me a dark and dreary rainy morning, perfect for sleeping in. There was even an early morning thunderstorm that helped me pull the covers up over my head. I did get up out of bed by mid-morning, but I opted to stay in my pjs for the day.

The day took me different places. First I was at the kitchen island cleaning up piles of envelopes and notices, sorting through mail and throwing away scraps of paper no longer needed. I then packaged up a few presents to get into the mail for the holiday weekend, and before I knew it, I was down cellar scouting for the Easter decorations box. I took time to make chicken orzo salad and then with two more cups of chicken left, I prepared a chicken broccoli braid. Thinking of dessert but knowing Emma had given up sweets for Lent, I made some cinnamon apple muffins. (They were delicious!) Then I sat down and enjoyed some lunch and watched a little television.

Watching television in the middle of the day feels indulgent. I took it a step further and read a few magazines too, enjoying the recliner. By then my daughter had taken on her own project for the day. She organized the shelves, a few baskets, and the blue table in the mudroom. Then she settled in for an afternoon of watching Harry Potter movies. My son followed her lead and after cleaning his bureau, decided to enjoy a few games on the computer.

My husband tackled the kitchen cupboards, organizing and cleaning them. I did dishes and by mid-afternoon I had pulled folks into the family room to enjoy a movie all together. The cat jumped up on the couch to cuddle with me and all was right with the world.

As I tidied up a few more areas--my closet and the top of my jewelry chest--I was grateful for a day that allowed me to slow down and work at my own pace. There was nothing that had to be done and I took the day to move from one project to the next without any kind of plan in mind.

The night is young. My son is now at lacrosse practice and I am feeling grateful for a husband who not only took him to practice but who made several trips out of the house today--to run to the post office, to buy milk, and to run to the hardware store. His willingness to run errands allowed me to enjoy a full day here at home. Later we'll all gather together again to watch a favorite show on tv. With a couple of dentist appointments scheduled over the next couple of days and with a few other obligations, there may not be another full day at home like this. It was a day of puttering and pjs. There's nothing like it. Having a day when I can move at my own pace and tackle projects big or small, projects or activities that make me happy, all the while remaining in my pjs of course, is exactly my kind of day.