By Stephen Vance, Editor
It’s been more than five years since I’ve had an actual week of vacation time – you know, time away from work, email, the phone. It’s been even longer since I’ve had more than a week off, and longer still since I’ve actually gone away for a vacation.
And while that isn’t going to change this year, I am going to try to have some summer fun with our kids next week. I plan to close the Meaford Independent office for the week, and while I will still have to technically work, I’m hoping that I can have the daylight hours free to kick back and enjoy this beautiful community in which we live.
I suppose “Stay-cation” would be the term to best describe the week to come. And what better place to have a Stay-cation?
We’ll start off the week on Friday with a visit to the Meaford Farmers’ market to stock up on full-flavoured local produce, before an early start on Saturday morning with a visit to the Tractor Show where I will take photos and do an interview or two on the sly. (Shh…the kids will never know!)
Sunday will be a writing day – there’s still a paper to get out next week!
Some relaxing by the water time while the kids kayak or hunt for driftwood will be in order on Monday morning – I can already feel the sand in by Birkenstocks. I’ll kick all that sand free on my way over to the harbour pavilion to take in the War of 1812 demonstrations being hosted by the Meaford Museum. Maybe the kids will think I’m play-acting as a tourist while I take photos and ask a few questions.
With any luck, Tuesday morning will bring with it a trip to Keady Market and the Grey Roots museum. I’ll save any work until the evening when the kids are exhausted and settled.
On Wednesday the kids can fend for themselves while I and our fantastic team at The Independent put the final touches on next week’s print edition – though I might sneak out for a walk around the harbour.
When Thursday arrives I plan on having my one true full day off within my Stay-cation. No work, no email, no blackberry. Perhaps a nice cool beverage and a Vinyl Cafe book in a Muskoka chair will be in order. At least until the newspapers arrive that is.
The much loved, perhaps most loved day of the week, Friday, after getting the the papers out to the stores, I will have coffee with friends, before one last day with the kids at the beach.
Oh Stay-cation, I’m exhausted just thinking about it, however I feel very fortunate that I live in Meaford where even if I can’t take a real vacation, I can have a fantastic time with my family without ever being at a loss for something to do.
Our office will be closed next week, but the news will still get to you both online and in print. And I will be thinking of all you poor working folks as I soak up the dog days of summer with a little more fun than I have in a typical week.
Enjoy the week, and consider this – by the end of my Stay-cation, there will be less than 20 days left before the kids return to school – as any parent can tell you, the entire month of September feels like a vacation whether you have to go to work every day or not.
