RoguesAngels

SUMMER VACATION

posted by Amber Angel

My idea of summer vacation is ... working!

Yes, I admit to being a workaholic in the midst of change. I'm learning to play and relax. Some day in the distant future I may even learn to do nothing without feeling guilty.

There is a reason I enjoy working: I love the things I do and they don't seem like work.

I live with a pack of six dogs, and my mornings are focused on them. Then I spend some time working in my yard, surrounded by beautiful plants and flowers. The rest of my afternoons are spent creating a graphic design project, such as a Web site or a book cover. And in the evenings I write. Tossed into my days are outings with my two sons and my grandchildren, meetings with fellow writers, promotion of current books and, of course, all the tasks that make up life in general. What's not to like?

However, since I'm LEARNING to play, here's a fantasy vacation. My doggies and I arrive at our private tropical island. While the doggies explore the white sandy beaches and play tag with the warm waves lapping at the shore, I decide which of the many books on my to-be-read list I want to read first. After meeting with the private chef on what healthy and yummy meals--as well as decadent desserts--to eat during this vacation, I settle under a beach umbrella with a slushy cold drink. At sunset, the doggies and I watch Nature's color show on the horizon. After a delicious meal, we walk on the beach. Our beds are hammocks slung between palm trees, swaying slightly in the gentle breezes. Oh, did I mention that there's an exquisite house the size of a small castle with its own swimming pool and whirlpool tub, as if the turquoise ocean wasn't enough water?

The next day, we do more of the same. After about a week, I've been so good at playing that I allow myself to work--just a little--on my current writing project.

How about you? What's the best summer vacation you've had or fantasized about having?