Vacation

I have just returned from a week in Durango, Colorado with my husband.  It was a nice escape from the Texas heat, and our Airbnb host was lovely as was the little casita we stayed in about 12 miles out of town on a little ranch with a couple of horses and two very friendly dogs.  One liked to play fetch.  He started by having us throw balls, but when he couldn’t find a ball, he’d have us throw little sticks.  Amazingly, he knew the stick we had thrown from the other sticks on the ground.

Our first activity after arriving was to take the narrow gauge train from Durango to Silverton.  The ride is over 3 hours each way, but there was some lovely views of a river and some breathtaking overlooks as we climbed the mountain.  I was fortunate enough to sit beside a family with an 8-year-old boy and 4 year-old girl, so when I wasn’t looking at the spectacular scenery, I was singing and playing “I Spy.”  We had a nice lunch in Silverton and then experienced a downpour, including some hail, when getting back to the train.  Soaked and cold, when we got on the train, eventually the sun came out and warmed us up.  Isn’t life like that?  Everything is going along okay, then you have some expected problem, but it is solved, and you feel better.

The next day we took a walk by the river in town.  Of course, I had to put my feet in, and the water was cold!  The day after that, we were supposed to go on a zipline adventure, but it got cancelled due to lack of demand and lack of staff.  So, instead, we took a road trip to Vallecito Lake.  We found some cool rocks and sticks, and I put my feet in again.  We also fed the birds a little of our snacks.  It was a nice, peaceful day, and I was satisfied.  Again, another life lesson: when you are disappointed by something, you can still find a way to be happy.

In the middle of our vacation, we took a day to just hang out at the casita and watch movies.  The host didn’t have cable but did have a wide selection of movies, so we just vegged out.  Sometimes it’s good to take a day and just do nothing!  Near the end of the week, we splurged on a hot air balloon ride.  It was amazing!  It reminded me of all those great dreams I’ve had of flying.  The weather was perfect, and the views of the lakes around Pagosa Springs were incredible!  After that we went to see a waterfall, which was beautiful.  I didn’t put my feet in this time because there were a lot of people around.  After that, we had lunch at a place recommended by our balloon guide.  They turned out to be really busy and the food was only average, but it was nice not to be in a hurry or to be irritated by anything.

Then we took another rest day before our long drive back to Texas and the heat.  I always say that living here allows us all to have a free sauna outside every day!  Anyway, after this vacation, I feel rested and rejuvenated, and I have a much more positive perspective on everything!  I hope each and every one of you have the chance to take a little vacation from your routine…even if it’s just a weekend!  It helps us to remember how blessed we are and that life is good!

Joke:  My idea of a perfect vacation would be to go somewhere that it's peaceful and quiet.  But who wants to spend a week in the library? 

Quote:  “A vacation is what you take when you can no longer take what you’ve been taking.” – Earl Wilson

Advice:  Take some time off to do what you enjoy.  There’s more to life than work!