Comments on: Staycation: How Far Away is Happiness?

By: Holidaying at Home

Holidaying at Home — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 13:23:02 +0000

[...] spend the next few weeks – and why – please check out my guest post at Goodlife Zen, Staycation: How far Away is Happiness? See the table in the corner of the photo? That’s where I’m hoping to spend a few hours [...]

By: janice

janice — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 08:41:27 +0000

Thank you, Randi – you’ve said so many uplifting things, I don’t know where to start!

I felt like I’d come home the first moment I arrived in Greece to work there; a very strange sensation of déja vu.I have very,very intense memories of my years there, maybe because it intoxicated all of my senses.

Scotland I love for its fresh air, clean pure water and damp,green beauty; I love its rugged mountains, dark secretive lochs and bleak moors. I can be melancholy and sad here and the landscape sighs “I understand…” The beaches here smell of damp seaweed and the seagulls sing more hauntingly than anywhere else I’ve ever lived.

My kids, however take it all for granted, much the same as I did when I was growing up! They remember laughter and good times, no matter where they are.

I love how you decided to “embrace frugality” – what a positive phrase for it. We need to do more of that one-day holidaying, and now seems like the perfect time.
janice´s last blog ..Holidaying at Home

By: Randi

Randi — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 23:54:24 +0000

Are you sure you’re not a travel writer? After reading this, I was sooo hungry to go to both Greece and Scotland. You very adeptly capture the beauty and nostalgia of each place. This was thoroughly enjoyable reading.

The other thing that really stood out in this post was the enviable reaction your children had to receiving “disappointing” news. It is obvious that they have been able to internalize a lot of your life-coaching skills–especially that of being happy no matter what life serves up on a plate.What mature and thoughtful children you have–able to see the beauty in life, no matter what they are doing. Many adults never reach that phase. You must be so proud of them. I am too.

We thrive on staycations at our house.(I LOVE that word!) Since we have chosen to embrace frugality as a lifestyle so that I can be with my son, we’ve had to give up expensive trips. During the summer we designate Saturday as our vacation day, where we only go wherever we can get to and back in one day. (Our Vegas trip was reaaally pushing it–Whew!) We have had such lovely experiences doing that. There are so many free, delightful things to do right in our own backyards.

Another excellent, memorable post, Janice, one of your best IMHO. I am so glad that I subscribed to the Goodlife Zen email.

And I am so happy for the edit feature on comments! I forgot to say how absolutely gorgeous the pictures are that accompany this post. I understand we have Mary to thank for that? Totally complementary visuals.
Randi´s last blog ..Sunday Serenity 6-28-09

By: janice

janice — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 17:08:09 +0000

@Zencontrol
Thank you. I believe in the wisdom of that last paragraph, but like many folk, I often forget to put it into practice myself.
janice´s last blog ..Holidaying at Home

By: janice

janice — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 17:00:37 +0000

Thank you, Brenda. You’re spot on. They are a well spring; just like I need my writing to keep me sane, they are a daily, living reminder of why I’m here; to love, create, nurture and pass on the best of me. You know how we often talk about finding and following our bliss? Writing about my homelife and family is a large part of mine. Being able to connect with others through doing it is another huge piece of my life tapestry. That’s why I’ve never taken a single comment or email response for granted. The joy of hearing that someone has connected with something I’ve written never fades. That’s why I always try to respond to comments. Someone has taken the time not just to write, but to share a wee bit of themselves.
janice´s last blog ..Holidaying at Home

By: zencontrol.net

zencontrol.net — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 16:47:25 +0000

Love this last paragraph…. If everyone understands this truth .. life would be less complicated.

We don’t always need new vistas; sometimes it’s enough to see what we already have with new eyes and be grateful. If we can’t be happy where we are, with what we have, how can we ever be truly happy somewhere else?
zencontrol.net´s last blog ..Is Television acting like a slow poison for your relationship?

By: Brenda

Brenda — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 16:07:14 +0000

awwww…this was so sweet, janice. I remember reading years ago Kurt Vonnegut’s three things you had to have to be a writer. The two things I had I’ve forgotten, but the one thing I lacked I remember. It was a feeling of connection. You certainly have that. I sense that your connection with family is the wellspring of all you do. Good for you!
Brenda´s last blog ..Michael Jackson’s Essay

By: janice

janice — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 14:40:40 +0000

@ Eliza,
Now you’ve gone and blown my guest post. I want a holiday over at your place! (You’d have to clear out of the hot tub though…)
janice´s last blog ..Holidaying at Home

By: Eliza

Eliza — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 14:24:23 +0000

Mr. Very Right and I had to make a similar decision: pour money into our house to make it exactly what we want, or take a nice trip each year. We didn’t have to debate this for very long. We both agreed that we were quite content to create our own piece of paradise right here at home. We figure that will take about 5 years, then we can travel … if we can bare to leave!

So, this Summer, as we work on outdoor renovations and landscaping, we sit in our hot tub each morning at 5:30 a.m. with an espresso and listen to the birds sing. After work we sit in our Adirondacks, sip a cool beverage, and share stories about each other’s day. Dinner is generally eaten around our turkish grill. And the evening ends the way our day began, back in our hot tub.

I’m all for staycations. It’s not where you are; it’s what you make of it.
Eliza´s last blog ..Understanding weight gain after 40

By: janice

janice — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 13:52:33 +0000

@Jessica,
Thank you! Aren’t we just our own worst enemies when we should all over ourselves! I’ve turned a corner by realising I really want to get a lot of stuff done at home this summer.

@JC
Wish I could take credit; I only heard it used myself a few months ago.
janice´s last blog ..Holidaying at Home