A Savory Week

For a few months we had planned to take this first week of August to take a driving vacation to NY, VT, NH, and ME.  We thought it would be great to spend the time winging it and just doing what we wanted instead of sticking to a detailed vacation schedule.  Well, Saturday rolled around and we realized that we both felt pretty strongly that we shouldn't take the trip.  There were several factors involved in the decision which really aren't important to the point I'm trying to make.  My biggest fear with cancelling our vacation plans and taking a staycation for a second year in a row was that we'd end up finding ourselves at the end of the week having not done anything of significance or having spent too many evenings on the couch with our computers.

On this Thursday evening, I have to say that our vacation has been nothing like that.  This has been one of the most fulfilling weeks of 2011 for me.  I've spent so much quality time with Josh and didn't even have to pack for a week of being away from my house.  In some ways I feel that this vacation has been one of the more rewarding vacations we've taken because it actually has been relaxing.  We went away for a night at the beginning of the week, ate at a Japanese steakhouse, went to Presque Isle to take in the lake and take a few pictures, went to the White Turkey drive in for lunch, got chocolate covered Oreos at Peggy Gray Candies, went for ice cream (a few times) stayed up late, slept in, went to The County Seat for breakfast, I helped my mom pick furniture, we went out to a movie and dinner, ate toast at home (yep, that has been the extent of my at home dining), lunch at the Pizza Shop, went to Benezette to see the elk (we saw 25!), saw a rattle snake, and ate at Luigi's.  It was at Luigi's that I had that feeling that I get every now and then, when I'm still and paying attention.  The feeling was total contentment.

There I was sitting across from the most handsome man in the world, enjoying good conversation, laughs, and delicious food and I was hit with a waive of contentment and a desire to hit pause so that I could savor the goodness of the moment, of the week, of the life I have with him.  Life is busy, work can be stressful, and things need to be done, but it so great to take time every now and then to unplug, disconnect and savor time with my love.  This week I've felt so cherished, so loved, and so important to Josh (not that he doesn't make me feel that way when life is busy), it has been great and I wouldn't trade it for any vacation to any fancy location.