Learning to Sit

It's been a gorgeous summer day. With only a late afternoon vet appointment on the calendar and a weekend getaway planned, it was safe to say we'd be staying home today to catch up on some laundry and to do a little light cleaning so as not to come home to a messy house. At the start of the day, however, it was taking a little time for me to give myself permission to have an unplanned day here at home. After making several day trips this week, I suppose it seemed a little odd to have nothing pressing to do.

By late morning, after wandering around the house in search of what I might have motivation to do, I was driving my kids crazy. "Mom! Why are you so weird? Mom! Seriously! You're being annoying. What's wrong with you today? Just go relax Mom. You don't have to do anything today. You can just sit and read too, you know!" (Okay. They are usually very sweet children but apparently I was invading their space as they each attempted to relax). After forcing each of them to cuddle with me for a few minutes, I gave them their freedom and went to play with our new puppy. Of course, she's always happy to hang out with me.

SO my little pup and I went outside to run around together, playing fetch, and then I helped her practice learning to sit. "Sit, Ziva. Good girl". She's mastering this trick rather well already. And no, the irony was not lost on me. At 12 weeks she has just about mastered something that at 43, I still need reminders to do myself.

It's a funny thing to be reminded by your children that "It's okay to take a day off and do nothing", especially when you know that you have raised them to appreciate the slower pace of life, days of unscheduled time off to read, to daydream, or (gasp) to enjoy a little boredom. I found myself giggling with Emma when she gave back to me my own advice. I took a deep breath and smiled to myself, It's vacation. Enjoy these do-nothing days. Sit, Anne, sit.

Before I took a seat this afternoon, I picked up my camera and took a few pictures of a few of my favorite places to sit or rest around the house and yard. My adirondack chairs, my hammock, my canvas chaise chairs. My flower filled deck. I would have taken a picture of my old family room sofa but that spot was already taken. It seems my puppy has already mastered another trick. She's joined in her family's appreciation of these do-nothing days of summer.