Vacation.  Vay Cay  Shun!   I have been contemplating taking one.  In fact, I am on one.  In the days and weeks leading up to this time, it was my goal to put everything in order at work – to leave the office and the store turnkey so that the workers taking on extra hours in my absence would have a smooth time of it.

Forget leaving disarray so you are missed.  That goes against my grain.  I am nearly as bad as the mother in Night Crossing who wanted to mop the floor before the family escaped so the officials would not find evidence of slovenly housekeeping when they came in to investigate the disappearance.

Besides, when things fall into chaos in your absence, others usually blame you for being gone anyway.  They accuse you of not caring – whether or not you have accumulated so many vacation hours you are required to take a few before the busy season arrives and no one can be spared.

To complicate matters, work  – and holding it together personally – has been so busy I have had precious little brain cells working in the background to plan an enjoyable get-away.

Breath deep.  Here I am on the threshold of departure with only one load of laundry to finish and an oil change to complete before I am off.  But what do I want to do most at this very moment?  Write.  Play the piano.  Vacation has a way of doing that; bringing into sharp focus the things that really matter.  So after I write; after I play; after the oil and laundry and maybe even after some leisurely work communication; I’ll be off !  Yes, I am going to explore some beautiful places in beloved Colorado.

And when I’m gone?