The Virgo Month of Leisure is my own personal holiday to remind myself to take a freaking break once in a while. I am terrible at it.
This year I didn’t even remember that it was happening until I was over a week in. Like last year, I was down in Massachusetts. Unlike last year I was not hiding out but rather helping out. Kate had some neck surgery which she’s talked about a bit over on Facebook. We weren’t sure how well it would go and it’s the kind of thing where you’re stuck in the house for a while. I went down on August 24th and we were all a little nervous beforehand. The very good news is that she’s doing well. Recovery is happening at about the rate (or possibly a little better) than expected. I came back up to Vermont two weeks later on Labor Day where I found autumn already in progress (when I’d left Massachusetts in summertime a few hours earlier). I don’t think I’ve been out of my house for two solid weeks since I moved here. I had a friend water the plants (thanks Rachel!) and otherwise everything was about the same.
Since I got back I’ve been doing the gone-for-two-weeks stuff and the oh-shit-it’s-autumn-already stuff. I had a lot of mail to open. While I was gone I even applied for a part-time local job I thought I might like. The interview went well and then I was offered… a different job? Weird situation, but it’s made me toss myself a little more into the jobs that I have which are still pretty good. It’s sort of my way of relaxing, a little. I’ve got some renewed vigor for a few of the small projects I’d only gotten halfway through since I moved here in 2022. Oh and I had a birthday. Kate was the sweetest, she actually made an entire coconut cake, my favorite, and wrapped it up and froze it before I even got there.
I’ve got ten days left. Jim is coming up tomorrow. We’re going to a cider pressing party. I think I can maybe squeeze a little leisure in if I really work at it.