Normal!

What do you do when you take a day of vacation?

This is the first full day of vacation since the last week of February.  For many people that wouldn't be that unusual.  After all, I did take a week of vacation in January for our annual ski trip to Colorado and a week of vacation in February to sail around the British Virgin Islands.  It isn't like I haven't taken any time off in 2013.  BUT my vacation year runs from the beginning of March to the end of February.  So based on my vacation year - I have only taken 1 1/2 days off this year.  I am able to carry forward up to 2 weeks of vacation and since I have been at my company for eons!!!! I get 6 weeks of vacation.  Yup, that's right - I have almost 8 full weeks of vacation to take before the end of February 2014, although as I said, I can carry 2 weeks over to 2014.   If I took a week off in every month from Aug thru Feb - I still wouldn't use all of my vacation and would end up carrying over 1 week!  

Cool, you say!  What is the problem with that?  I really am not complaining - but balancing the need for time away from work and managing a career is tough.  I love my work.  It is exciting and challenging . . . seriously, there is never a dull moment. I got myself in this predicament, if you can call it that, because I am the corporate sponsor of a huge software implementation project at work.  My staff have been putting in many hours and I just don't feel good taking time off, when they are not able to do so.  Well, we went live with the software implementation on the 15th and it went really well.  Unbelievably well, as a matter of fact.  We know there will be some issues popping up, but overall we feel really good about this.

So I took today off and it feels great.  Mentally I really needed to be away from work.  I haven't done anything unusual - slept a little later this morning, watered the garden, pulled weeds, took the dog for a short run, followed by a 4 mile run myself and put in a load of laundry.  Normal things!

Sometimes normal is what a person needs!

Kayak and beach day

We spent the late morning kayaking around the mangrove bay, then stopped for lunch and are now on the beach.  Yesterday we went shopping and then stopped for pedi's.  Rains came in last evening - lots of rain.  But today has turned out beautiful. 

I ran 4 miles this morning in extremely HIGH humidity - yikes, I haven't ran in that much humidity since summer.  I was dripping wet.  I had absolutely no regrets, because when I get back to WI, I will be running in pants, gloves, hat and jacket and NO humidity!  So I am going to enjoy this while it lasts. 

Typing this on blogaway, which doesn't have spell checker - !!!   Hoping for only a few typing mistakes! 

Bonita Springs

It is wonderful to be here in Florida.  The weather is beautiful and the mood is relaxing.  Yesterday I started the morning with walking a mile with my friend, then she turned back and I ran.  I ran for 6 miles. 

I stopped on the path and took a picture and now I have a palm tree growing out of my head.  It was a great run.  There is a path right outside of the condo which is filled with walkers and a few, very few runners. 

When I got back to the condo, after showering and eating we headed to the beach.  It was perfect.  80 with clouds and some sun and a lovely breeze.

Late afternoon was filled with dinner at a great seafood place.  I had stuffed grouper.  Yum!!!!

Life is good.  So fun to be energized with two 12 yr old girls!  Painting nails in shocking purple and bright pink ... shopping is always the activity of choice ... laughter and giggles.  :-)    

Currently sitting on the lanai overlooking the channel. 

Vacation

I flew into Ft Meyers this afternoon for a wonderful 5 day vacation.  A friend has a condo in Bonita Springs and she invited me to join her for a little vacation.  We woke up in Chicago, flew to Ft Meyers, took a taxi to the condo, stopped at the grocery store, unpacked, enjoyed a beer on the linai, sat at the pool, had some great fish tacos and are now relaxing and ready for bed. 

My plan is to run tomorrow morning.  No gloves, no jacket - ahhhhhhh!

Cape Coral is lovely!

We arrived in Florida friday at 4 pm.  The weather is great.  Todd's brother picked us up from the airport and we headed to their condo.  Spent the evening chatting, eating and drinking - it was wonderful. 

Saturday morning we woke up early so Todd and Dennis could get to the boat rental by 7:30.  We were planning on renting a 21 ft Hurricane motor boat and drive around the canels and river and maybe out into the gulf.  As planned we woke up around 6:30.  I got ready to run, Todd and Dennis left to rent the boat. 

I headed out the door just after they left, around 7.  It was a beautiful 65 degrees. Ahhhhhhhhhhh.  I headed out of the condo towards a river side park and then headed down the road.  It wasn't long and I saw Todd and Dennis driving towards me,  they were supposed to be getting the boat - problem was whoever rented the boat the day before, fried the engine - so there was no boat available.  Bummer. 

They went back to the condo.  I continued running.  I ran 5 miles and it felt great.  We ended up borrowing a sail boat from some of their friends and simply puttered around the canels using the motor looking at the houses and stuff.  I didn't know anything about Cape Coral - it has a canel system, similar to neighborhood roads.  It is awesome to travel around the canels and then out into the river.  We were not able to go out into the Gulf, like we had planned, but it was a great day. 

This morning we are on the Key West Express, a high speed BIG ferry headed down to Key West.  Ahhhhhh

I am loving this vacation.

Peace