I was NOT on vacation this week.
But I did go to the beach. I drove two hours to spend a few days with family to celebrate my sister’s graduation from nursing school.
She lives only ten minutes from the actual beach, so…I mean, I couldn’t NOT go.
So in terms of meeting my typical work quota last week. Didn’t happen.
I skimmed emails and stuff via my phone, but mostly I felt like I was out of the country.
And I’m so okay with that.
🙂
There was too much good stuff happening anyway. Experiences I am happy to fall a little behind at work for…
The Pinning Ceremony.
I couldn’t miss the only time my sister would wear white tights with white shoes.
My heart at the beach.
So I got a little behind at work. Totally worth it. Now, it’s like I’m sailing back on a salty sea air breeze.
Okay, so my mind may be a teensy bit too clear, but I’m going to take a cue from my four-year-old nephew, who one night, spent a really long time deconstructing and constructing a plain old brown box.
Creativity, you really can start anywhere.
Task number one—today I’m over at Kourtney Heintz’s blog, author of The Six Train to Wisconsin, talking a bit about my journey as an Indie author. I hope you can stop by! Bring cheese fries if you have ’em.
What people, places, or things are worth getting a little behind at work for to you?
Have a GREAT week!
Coleen xo
Coleen Patrick 
It is worth getting behind for my family … to look at them and say, “You are more important than this deadline” — at least for this moment in time. They “get” deadlines, but I want them to know that I value them above my writing.
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I am so with you, Beth!
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Yes to what Beth wrote! And love those images! Taking time to breath and enjoy needs to be put first every once in awhile!
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And breathing is supposed to be one of those things we don’t have to think about and yet so many times when I’m at my laptop I realize I’m kinda just taking shallow breaths. The beach helps! 🙂
Thanks, Katie.
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Congrats to your sister – what an accomplishment! And glad you had fun at the beach and enjoyed the local cuisine 🙂 This whole getting behind thing has to get left behind – family and real life have to take precedence over sitting at our computers – at least sometimes!!!!! 🙂
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Ah yes the local cuisine. Sometimes you just have to partake in cheese fries,because you never know when they will come around again. 🙂
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LOL!
White tights and white shoes, you are so bad. I like that about you. Many congratulations to your baby sister. Nurses are very dear to my heart and breast, as you know!
The beach, the food, the company, all look wonderful.
I’m laughing at your nephew – he’ll be a genius when he grows up – I used to play with boxes when I was a child and look at me. 😉
Great post!
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And darn if my sister didn’t look cute in her whites!
And yes, nurses are special for sure. 🙂
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Family is too important for deadlines to rule (says one who sometimes has trouble with this). So glad you got to get away and clear your mind – and at the beach, too! If I weren’t visiting my mother in Oregon soon, I’d be headed for a weekend in the woods. And congrats to your sister!
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Oregon is on my someday list. 🙂 Enjoy, Jennifer!!
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I’ve learned by now not to plan on doing any work when I go out of town. Even if it’s just a weekend trip where I know I might have some open time to write. My mind and heart are never in working when I’m away from my normal surroundings. I just want to be in the moment and enjoy the freedom from responsibilities for a while. When family is involved I never get any work done anyway 🙂
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It’s funny because I considered taking my laptop, and then last minute I just left it behind. 🙂 I wouldn’t have touched it!
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I, too, played hooky last week, and not for reasons as wonderful as a sister graduating from nursing school, the beach, and family time. Thanks for this sentence: “I’m sailing back on a salty sea air breeze.” It’s the breath of fresh air I need at the start of the workweek.
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Here’s to a happy, productive (perhaps breezy) week, Pat! 🙂
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Congrats to your sis! Sometimes we all need to play hooky for a bit to enjoy life and family. I call these “mental health” days! Also, the cheese fries had me drooling!
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I was going to call it a mental vacation, but then thought my family might be offended. LOL 🙂
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Didn’t know they still graduated with white caps and white tights. You are funny. Loved your beach pictures. I did vacation at the beach in Florida for two weeks and hardly took any photos. You took some creative photos. I only looked at e-mail and deleted most. It is nice to have a break. Glad you had a great time!
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It is kind of funny that they have to get the old uniforms that they won’t be using for actual work, but I guess it’s tradition!
I hope you enjoyed your vacation, Patricia!
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Beth really nailed it with her comment. Sounds like a lovely week. I have trouble stepping away from my deadlines. It’s something I’ve been working on lately as we only have the one family and the one life. We don’t get do-overs. We need to love and cherish them while we can. It’s important to show them how much they mean to us in the moment. You did good. Thank you for sharing with us and setting such a great example. Congratulations to your sister. All your pictures are beautiful and your trip looks wonderful. Kudos to you.
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We don’t get do overs—so true, Debra! It’s easy to forget that when I get lost in my routine.
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Family is definitely worth stepping away from the work for! I’ve been doing a bit of that myself, mostly for my daughter – awards ceremony, choir concert, band concert, and next week, graduation. Love your “My heart at the beach” photo!
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I’ve always loved those drawing in the sand photos, so I started sketching and snapping pics. Of course, it made for a curious scene to people who weren’t sure of what I was doing! 🙂
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Sounds like a wonderful trip. Congrats to your sister. Creme brulee, yum, to die for! How cute that you nephew kept busy with that box! As always, I LOVE your photos, Coleen.
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Thank you, Lynn!! 🙂
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Huge congratulations to your sis! I attended my niece Jennifer’s graduation from Sonoma State over the weekend. So proud of that girl. She lost her mother her senior year of high school and has fought to overcome so many obstacles these past five years to graduate. And she did it with one of those laude statuses. (Like magna something laude.)
And I’m glad you got to enjoy the beach. Sometimes you have to let other things go to enjoy those special moments. After all, life is a beach.
Patricia Rickrode
w/a Jansen Schmidt
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So much to be proud of, Patrica. 🙂 Congrats to your niece! And you’re right, in so many ways, life’s a beach!
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Thanks so much for the random comment love! What a great surprise to see my little name under that fun box.
I got a kick out of the photo of the nurses in their old-fashioned garb. Congrats to your sister on a job well done!
Ah, going to the beach. I can’t wait. I suppose I could go now. I do live only 20 minutes away from the coast, but still a bit brisk in New Hampshire. As much as I consider myself a New England thoroughbred, I’m a wimp when it comes to the chilly coast. 🙂
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You’re welcome, kate! I don’t like the cold either, but I wonder if I’d go more if I was only 20 min away… There are so many local places that I still haven’t been to–kinda forget about the stuff in my own backyard!
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The beach is on my destination list this month! I don’t get a lot done either, but as a writer, I get to count my reading a novel as I bask in the sun and tickle my toes in the sand as research. Right???
Love the pics!
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Yes! Totally counts!!
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Well done! Good on you for taking time off and just enjoying your time with family. Your nephew is adorable. Isn’t it awesome what kids can do with just a cardboard box? I always love your pictures. Congratulations to your sister. The beach should be on everyone’s to-do list! So glad you got to enjoy it for a bit.
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Thanks, Tameri! He was so engrossed in that box, that he didn’t even notice me snapping away with my camera phone. 🙂
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no you can’t work at the beach, nor should you try…. unless of course you are writing some nautical sort of book – the surf is too loud and it is far too peaceful. I am glad you took a moment off the wheel (hamster-wheel) and heard the crash of the sea and the roar of a plane engine… the pictures were great.
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Oh, the hamster wheel…that is such the perfect visual for what the habit of work feels like!! Thanks, Clay.
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Oh my, I am glad I popped in today as I would have missed the chance to enter the Goodreads giveaway. So glad you opted not to take the laptop and just enjoy the time with family and celebrating. I love eating AND making crême brulée!
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I’ve never made creme brulee–but it would be fun to use the little kitchen torch for the sugar top!!
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Hey Coleen-I think I need to take a page out of your book and have at least a day or two to myself this week. 🙂 So delighted to have you over on my blog. It was a terrific guest post too. And I love the picture of your sister in white shoes and white tights. 🙂
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Aren’t the white tights and shoes FAB?? Ha. 🙂
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Huge Congrats to your sister. I know how hard she worked for those white shoes and white tights. 🙂
You actually put the words beach and work in one sentence? I think that’s as close as they ought to be to each other. It is so important to take that time with family, to recharge. You never know when something will happen that will change things irrevocably. Grab those family moments and hold them tight!
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I know, beach and work, what was I thinking??!?
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You always have the best pictures! Now I’m hungry…headed over to Kourtney’s now!
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Cheese fries, crazy, right?
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Wow, Coleen. That first picture of the sea is so beautiful – and I’m so glad to see you take a break and let work slip a little 😉 I’m way behind since I got back. Half my brain is still unravelling from the travelling! But for me that has been more than worth it. Hope you have a great weekend 🙂
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Unraveling–that’s the perfect word. Took me all week to catch up, but it was worth it!!
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You lost me at creme brulee! YUM! Raspberry creme brulee is my all time fave! And I’m glad you got some time away from working to spend with your fam and celebrate with your sister. That is awesome!
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Raspberry creme brulee? Oh wow, never had that variety. Sounds YUM.
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