Vacation

Wind rustles the leaves on the trees, swelling and falling like a great orchestral piece. The dog sniffs around the edge of the yard, looking for frogs, lizards, or any other creature she can stuff in her mouth. The sky is overcast; there will likely be rain later on in the evening. The air is thick with humidity, but the temperature is cooler today. It isn’t as suffocating as usual. It is a timid day, a relaxing day, but that means it’s also a day of boredom. There is a stillness in the air; everything is comfortable. The people here in this upscale 55+ community are safe in their homes, enjoying retirement. Sometimes there will be children outside playing on bikes, but it’s a rare occurance. The road is usually hazard free as people wave from their vehicles passing by. The sun peaks out every now and then, inflaming the sunburn on my shoulders. The dog continues to wander around aimlessly, almost as bored as I am.

Yet isn’t boredom a good thing? A privileged thing? Having nothing to do, nowhere to go, no one to provide for. In the moment it is dreary, but in the grand scheme of things, having the option to be bored is a relaxing thought. I tap away on my keyboard as the wind reaches crescendos. It’s getting ready for something.

The leaves on the trees remind me of the star leaves from The Land Before Time that Littlefoot is obsessed with. They bring me a smile as the weak ones flutter to the ground. Everyone’s lawns and yards are perfect here. The HOA must really be on top of things because everyone’s grass and other foliage is manicured to a T. It’s beautiful. All the little pastel houses on their beach theme named roads. It’s quiet. It’s quaint.

I’m here in South Carolina to visit my parents. Well, more specifically, my dad. He had hip replacement surgery, but my mom needed to go to Illinois and Wisconsin for work, so she asked me to come down and help out for a little bit. I got here June 11th and I’ll be staying until the 30th (possibly later as my mom doesn’t get back until July 4th, but hopefully my dad will be fine by the 30th). So far everything has been wonderful. We’ve been to the beach, the pool, the Alligator Adventure, etc. I look forward to my trip to Colorado (where I’m headed when I leave here), but I’m enjoying this pleasant vacation while it lasts. No work. No worries.

I have brought the cats, but will unfortunately be leaving them behind when I go to Colorado. My grandparents weren’t super thrilled to watch after them for a month, so I brought them with me. My mom is beyond excited to have them, so it all worked out for the best. They’re still adjusting, but spending more time downstairs with the dog. The dog has tried to play with Diamond and barked at Mookie for drinking her water, so they aren’t on the best of terms. However, other than that, everyone is getting along well.

It all feels like the start to something grander. It was becoming dismal back home in New Jersey. I was stuck at Dominos and quite miserable as well. I’m ecstatic my mom asked me to come down here. I needed the break. Plus I’ll be working a little bit when I’m in Colorado, so this feels like the vacation I needed. Everything is not going to plan and that’s perfect.

I’ve decided to finally launch my blog and push towards my writing goals (finally). I’m still uneasy and nervous, but I think now is the time. My goal is to never return to Dominos when I leave Colorado. I hope to apply for jobs and have interviews set up for when I get back. It’s time to use my time wisely. Or something like that.

Stay tuned….