A Day Off

Seeing me without some sort of electronic tether to the net – laptop, smart phone, or tablet – is rarer than a couple of blue-footed boobies dancing with a dodo bird. I’m just always “on”; always connected. Today, I decided it was really, REALLY time to step away and disconnect for a while. It was time for this old gal to get a little down and dirty.

So today, I declared it to be my DAY OFF. Instead of being ON the net, I went outside. I planted and transplanted, gardened and landscaped. It was good for the soul. I might also have cut the grass in the back yard in a heart-shape, but shhh, don’t tell anyone. It’s just temporary. Long enough for Gail to see it. And maybe you.

I’ve been meaning to get to these things, but somehow, I couldn’t seem to break away from those wires. Until last night. What made me decide to take today off?

An Off Day

Because yesterday, I had a really off day. As in, I was off my game.

It wasn’t obvious. From an outsider’s perspective, everything seemed normal. I got up, did my pre-wedding rituals, which generally involve making sure I have everything ready, paperwork, ceremony, and myself as well. Hair, suit, shoes, makeup. Yep, all put together.

Directions to the happy couple’s home. Check. Drive to their home was uneventful. I was a little early, in fact, so I stopped at a nearby park for a few minutes, to chat with some geese I saw there.

The wedding ceremony went well, and the happy couple is off doing what newly married couples do, I suppose. And yet, all of those activities … getting ready, driving to the engaged couple’s house, watching the geese, performing the wedding ceremony … I felt just a little off, and just a little out of sorts. Like everything was just a tiny bit off its axis.

And then I started the long drive home.

I was stopped at a red light, and I saw this behind me.

Oh crap.

So, yeah. I got a ticket for speeding. Was I speeding? Really, I don’t know. I try pretty hard to never go over the speed limit by more than 5 mph or so. But now and again, I’ll look down and say “Whoops!”. I imagine we all have those moments. So if I had to guess, I’d say it’s a strong possibility that the state trooper who pulled me over probably wasn’t being abusive.

In fact, he pretty much looked like little Opie all dressed up in his cute little police uniform. I half expected him to ask me if I wanted to play Cops and Robbers with him.

When he asked me to get out and walk to the back of the car, I noticed he was standing about 30 feet behind my car. He looked like he half-expected me to step out and shoot him or do something crazy. Instead, he saw a “middle-aged woman”, all dressed up in her best suit, looking quite like the wedding minister than I am. (Thank goodness I wasn’t in the hippie van). By the time he finished writing the ticket, I think he felt bad for giving a ticket to the little old lady, and I just wanted to pinch his cheeks and tell him to “be careful out there”.

I’m not crazy about getting a ticket. It definitely contributed to my off day. But, last night, I decided that I needed a little break. A day off. And today, the gardening I did was just what I needed.

So that’s my little weekend story. What’s yours?