A Time to Play

I would have to say that my other half and I fit into the "thrifty" category. We rarely buy anything without a coupon, sale, or from the clearance rack, so going on a cruise vacation may seem out of character, but we believe in getting out of town whenever possible. On a budget, of course.

Just home from a lovely trip with our college roommates and friends, I am reminded of the great effect taking time away from the computer can have. It was probably a record for me to be away from reading, writing, and answering emails for eight days, but it's already obvious that it was time well spent. I think I miss the meals the most (No clean up!), and though it's taken me almost a week to get back into the swing of things, I find my right-brain bubbling at an usually faster pace. It's great to settle back into work and feel a sense of peace—that one can walk away from all of the scurry of life and know that nothing is going to fall apart and things will run smoothly without us. I know that's hard to accept for some, but those folks need it the most.

Whether it's a day trip to a botanical garden, visiting a relative, or taking a weekend off to go to the beach, getting away is important. I truly believe it can bond families, strengthen marriages, renew friendships, and that's just the beginning. Sure, I'd love to be able to drop everything and take off to the mountains or on a sea cruise at a moment's notice, but that's just not possible with my lifestyle. What I do know is that with a little bit of planning, a lot of saving, and a cheery commitment, we can all do with a little getaway now and then.

This week I'm posting a video from our recent trip abroad with one of my special lifelong friends. We cruised from Florida to Cozumel to Playa de Maya, and had a lovely time hiking Mayan ruins and diving. Oh yeah, and eating. I will be sharing a wonderful lime-cabbage salsa recipe from my cruise buddy in this month's The Privateer Newsletter, so don't miss it. Enjoy!

daniellethorne