A World of Many Hats and Not Enough Shoes

What do you consider a vacation?  Are there specific components you must have in order for it to be a legit vacation?

I do not sit still well for very long, I never have, ask my mom, and not even on vacation, ask my husband.  One of the things I have finally learned after 33 years, and over these last 6 months, is the value of sitting and knowing when to sit.  And yes, this old dog has learned a new trick.

It was only 5 days before we left when I was officially told by my doctor, "I think it's healed."  Those 4 little words not only meant I could ditch the boot and crutches but I could go on a vacation without them(!).  Thanks to my new trick of sitting, I was realistic and understood that since I had literally just learned to walk without crutches, planning the trip that involved backpacking around an island was way out of the question (for now).  Plan B, and the miracle of the internet, brought me to find this great little cabin we had stayed at years ago that would be perfect for my current skill level.

5 years ago, when we just had two boys and I was 7 mo. prego with Miriam, we drove around the entire shoreline of Lake Superior.  We had barely started our journey when Josh found this cabin just north of Grand Marais, MN and he thought it would be fun to just sit, read and relax there for a while.  I did not sit much and found ways to putz around and chase the boys.  The cabin was technically nothing spectacular other than it is right on Lake Superior, had this amazing sound of waves crashing on the rocks, smelled like my Grandma's house and had an endless rocky covered shoreline.  Since that first time, we have always wanted to go back but we could not remember the sweet old woman's name who ran it that the cabins were named after. 

For the first time when people would ask what we were going to do on vacation, I happily replied with, "A whole lotta nuthin.'"  Since the shoreline of Lake Superior is only rocks of varying sizes, our plan was for The Three to throw rocks in the lake all day and the adults sit on the shore, sit and read.  Did that plan work?  Yes.  That is exactly what we did.  For 3 days straight.  The Three threw rocks, rocks and more rocks.  Did they ever get bored?  No.  Could a kid get bored of throwing rocks?  Yes.  The 6-8 yr old kid in the cabin next to us threw in literally 10 rocks and then turned to his dad and said, "I'm bored." 

Our kids, however, threw in rocks until they couldn't stand up.  At which point they sat down and continued throwing.  And when they couldn't sit any more, they laid back on their elbows and continued throwing.  And when they couldn't recline anymore, they laid completely down on the rocks and continued throwing.  Once they regained their strength, they stood up again.

New trick in hand, I thouroughly enjoyed a relaxing vacation of just sitting.  I read a wonderful book, tended a fire, and was more relaxed than any other vacation.  Totally uncharacteristic for me but totally amazing.