The Art of the Staycation

Ah, Vacation!  Images of peace and relaxation enter into my mind.  I sit in the wonderful zero gravity lounge chair while warm breezes pass over me and I can hear waves lapping on the shore.  Then reality hits.  Vacations can be stressful and hectic and currently out of my price range.  So this year when everyone was talking about the last beach trip of the summer I took a mini-staycation.

A what you ask?  Staycation? 

Yup.  News channels have reported about it.  Staying at home with your vacation time and doing fun things in the area.  Well, one of the first uses of the word, if not the first, was in the Canadian comedy Corner Gas.  In one episode the main character kept talking about his upcoming vacation to France. After he left on his “vacation” a new resident saw him sitting in a field and was going to talk to him.  The locals stopped her by explaining about this type of vacation and she couldn’t see him. The episode was funny with the new resident trying to understand this version of the staycation.

She has no need of a staycation!

First I took the zero gravity lounge chair into my den.  I decided for an indoor vacation because right now we have experienced almost daily rain and there are mosquitoes in my yard about the size of elephants.  More importantly, my house has air conditioning and it is hot and humid outside.  Next I unplugged the landline and turned off notification and messaging alerts off my phone.  I put my television to a tropical music station, Pandora would have worked equally as well.  I turned on the overhead light and ceiling fan so I could have the cool breeze and warm rays of the sun.  Finally I stretched out in the chair with my sunglasses on. Ah! Peace and Quiet.  If I let my mind drift and my imagination take over I feel like I am at the beach.

The best part (after being free) I can do this anytime I need or want to.  I don’t have to juggle schedules and to do list or take time off work.  I just pop open the chair and relax.  That’s right I am not ashamed to admit that the lounge chair is set up inside my house.

So park yourself in a relaxing position and take the mini-staycation when you need it.  If you need a little more to do on your break watch an episode or two of Corner Gas.