Last Day of "Vacation"

Loafing

I looked into the room a moment ago,and this is what I saw—
my chair in its place by the window,
the book turned facedown on the table.
And on the sill, the cigarette
left burning in its ashtray.
Malingerer! my uncle yelled at me
so long ago. He was right.
I've set aside time today,
same as every day,
for doing nothing at all.

-Raymond Carver


That about sums it up. These last few days have been nothing short of blissful. I have a mere 3 chapters left to edit on The Book (hurray, hurray) so I have "something to show" for this gift of time. But I have also had plenty of time for loafing and it has been, as loafing is, a balm to my spirit.

I also noticed that the house has been immaculate this week and I haven't done much to make it so. So I guess we know definatively where the majority of the messes come from. Not that I'm complaining. The life of the mind - which is the one I've been living, mostly, this week - doesn't make messes. The life of living does. And the more life there is, the bigger the messes. I didn't have to do laundry every day when it was just me. Now I do, but it's a sign that I share my life with other people...messy, imperfect people without whom I wouldn't be half the person I am.
The Child returns home today and I say, "Bring it on". I love the little rascal, even if she is a sticky little clutter bug. It will be nice to have her home.

There are still a few hours left of my mini-break and I have every intention of enjoying them. Then I'll pick up my scraggly little camper with her garbage bag full of wet and muddy clothes (it rained all week at camp), we'll sit down to a chicken and leek pie and hear all her stories and it will all be very good.