This Surprisingly Fun Summer

Let’s face it, we only get so many summers in our lives. And there’s always a certain pressure to make each one count. Usually, our family goes to the same Cape Cod house each year, but this time, our place was no longer available. We weren’t quick enough to find another in time… so, we’re staying home. The strangest thing is that a staycation isn’t so bad for these 5 reasons…

No stressing over air travel – Although I admit to envy when I see all the wonderful places people are going this year, I don’t covet delayed flights, lost luggage, and checking tensely on weather conditions. I’ve always found travelling stressful, under the best of circumstances—don’t even ask me about flying itself. I’ll worry weeks in advance of a plane trip. So, it’s been nice this year not having those waves of anxiety sweep over me at what lies ahead. I can chill.

No planning long car rides – Even with a road trip, it’s funny how a summer vacation can take up a big part of the summer, despite the trip itself lasting just seven days. The plotting can take weeks: to-do lists, stopping the mail, pre-packing, packing, what food to bring, boarding the dog, figuring out navigation, all can suck up lots of time and energy. Then there’s the trip itself and coming home and putting it all back together. For the first time in years, it’s nice not worrying about that stuff. Even better, our dog Libby is happy!

No being homesick. Yes, I’m one of those sad people who get away from home, and immediately miss it, no matter where I am in the world. This summer, I bypassed those longings by enjoying dinners on the back porch with my husband, Randy, and my mom. Now the croaks of the bull frog in the back pond accompany our meals, along with the hoot of the barred owl. I’ve paid more attention to the flowers in our garden and sitting on the front porch listening to peepers. Those are the things I miss when away.

No restaurant restrictions – Since we’re not spending money on travel and lodging, we’re enjoying whatever local restaurant strikes our fancy–from the Spanish tapas place to that cute little French bistro, to that elegant eatery in the pricey hotel nearby. We use Ubers more than we normally do, since no one likes to drive at night. It’s nice to revisit places we haven’t seen in ages, including a few jaunts to Manhattan. (Wait a minute, are we really saving money)?

No thinking “Too Big” – A staycation is about small things—having a picnic lunch at our favorite boat harbor, eating dinner at dusk on the beach, reading out back on a comfortable lawn chair. This summer is all about enjoying local beauty and thankfully, there’s no shortage in our part of the world. Between heaps of orange day lilies lining leafy roads, woodsy hiking trails, and the gentle lapping of Long Island Sound, there’s plenty to revel in.

Are we done from going away in the summer? No.

But this year, we’ve had to open our minds and be creative. It’s been interesting to see how we can not only survive without an official summer vacation, but are enjoying these languid months.

Yes, we only get so many summers in life. And this one, to our happiness, has been a good one.

Have you skipped going away for a summer vacation? Comments are always welcome and if you’d like to receive posts by email, just press here. Thank you!