Our staycation activities director didn’t come out of her room until almost lunchtime yesterday. When she emerged, she was a bit disheveled, and definitely not her usual self. As she shuffled past me on the way to the shower, I swear I caught the faint aroma of hazelnut chocolate, and unless my eyes were deceiving me, she wore a dark smudge on her right jawbone, just below her ear. Perhaps I should have warned her about the dark truffle liquor centers? Maybe not, since she was rather mellow most of the day.

My body, tired from the previous day’s frantic driveway shoveling antics, rejoiced in the lack of games. Quiet activities ruled. The guests were subdued, absorbed in their independent pursuits, as I tiptoed away to confirm my reservation. The spa had my name written on an engraved invitation. Oh, the joy. Warm vanilla, with hints of roses, jasmine, and raspberry, perfumed the air. My tub, the source of the fragrant mix, was filled with scented water. Soft music played in the background. Nearby, candles flickered, my favorite hazelnut coffee beckoned, and I slipped into a state of bliss.

When I reluctantly emerged from my palace of solitude, heated towels swaddled me before I donned an oversized fluffy white robe and lush terry slippers. My nerves felt less frazzled, my skin no longer itched from the ravages of winter dryness, and sore muscles relaxed. Clearing my Wednesday hump day hurdle never felt so good.

How do you relax?

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

I think our staycation activities director is in cahoots with the Amazon driver. As predicted, snow fell for a full 24 hours, blanketing the world like a snow globe creation. Even the snowplows were reluctant to spoil the beauty. They delayed as long as possible and postponed our initial pass until after 10 am. Gray clouds were undeterred and attempted to erase all traces showing they had passed. The wind blew, keeping up its end of the bargain.

The Prime delivery trucks don’t seem to notice and arrived earlier than his regular 4-5 pm time slot. He was in a rush, and instead of trudging through 6 inches of snow (10 where it drifted), he opted to perch the parcels precariously on top of the mailbox. Then he sped off around the corner. The wind seized a playful opportunity and knocked them into the street. The cruise director shrieked and hurried her staycation guests into their winter attire. It was time for another game. Into each mittened and gloved hand, she placed a shovel. She issued curt, simple rules. The first person completing a clear path down the driveway to retrieve the packages would win. Then, adding urgency and higher stakes to the heated competition, she pointed to flashing lights on the next block that were headed in our direction. “Hurry. Save the little darlings,” she screamed, and the race began.

It was a nail bitter. Would we recover the prize? Or would the plows scoop them from the snowy pavement and bury them under a mountain of salt-encrusted, ice-coated yuck? Or worse yet, would they crush them into oblivion, leaving the contents unfit for human consumption? I had insider information – you see. A rare bird I know ordered a life-sustaining, snowmageddon survival kit filled with chai tea, hot cocoa, and handcrafted chocolates. I could not stand by and condemn my sweet treats the indignity of being smashed into smithereens.

I shoveled like a madwoman on a mission and saved my survival gear. Intrepid writer 1, Snowplows 0. Yes, there was a victory dance in the endzone. Fine me. As a bonus, we cleared the drive of white stuff with record-breaking speed and without whining. Inside, our Copacabana Lounge bartender concocted a batch of warm drinks for rosy-cheeked patrons. He topped my mug with an extra float to take the chill away. The umbrella was a thoughtful touch too.

How did you spend your snow day?

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

Our lovely cruise director greeted us our first morning with promises of a fun-filled game day. My staycation participants are always ready for excitement and competition, especially when prizes hang in the balance. I admit I saw through her manipulative words, but I smiled and played along. The object was to gather dirty items that needed cleaning and place them in baskets. She conveniently had an attractive assortment, and everyone got to choose their treasure chest. The winner would be the one who collected the most.

The results were smelly, and some were very unexpected. Filthy socks, stale underwear, and sheets wadded into a tight ball found their way into the collection bins. The oddest Item was a greasy, dusty pizza box with a long-forgotten table knife clattering around inside. I didn’t dare ask questions since I was sure the backstory would make me queasy. We crowned our champion King of Clean and permitted him to watch his favorite movie while we losers sorted piles into the washing machine and the dishwasher.

Right on cue, we heard the announcement that snow had started falling in our neighborhood, accompanied by freezing temperatures and wind gusts to 40 miles per hour. Our tropical paradise registered a balmy 72 degrees, and we settled in for a special shrimp cocktail appetizer. It was not a bad Monday, after all.

How was your Monday?

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

They say, “There is a time for everything, a season for every activity,” and this week is about rest, relaxation, sleep, taking it slow, clearing the schedule, and pouring drinks with pretty little umbrellas in them. Sometimes you need a vacation, a staycation, no matter the time of year. I packed my bags, stocked the pantry, have the delivery service app installed, and called in sick. I have my itinerary and have programmed the GPS with the coordinates to Spa Island, the Copacabana Lounge, the Easy-Living Livingroom and Theater complex, and The Comfy Comforter Executive Suite. It is funny how the map resembles my house’s floor plan.

The weather forecasters predict five to eight inches of snow, and I expect I will be housebound, eh, I mean unable to get a flight home before Friday. Superwoman promised not to help. I think she’s secretly hoping for a massage.

Are you planning a winter vacation?

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

We are nearing the end of January. Almost one month into the new year and I am still working on my New Year Resolutions. I know many people have already abandoned their hopes and dreams. Statistics tell us 80% of New Year’s resolutions fail by the second week of February. If you made a fitness-related resolution, then the second Friday in January was the fateful date when commitments crumbled. My goals are audacious, ambitious, optimistic, and exhausting. This month has shown me I was too confident with some and overly generous with others. No worries, I put on my editor hat to assess, revamp, and make needed adjustments.

I decided to shorten some goal’s finish dates and remove them from my list. However, bumping the timeline affects the remaining goals. Since I am struggling, it is clear they need extra work. I extended their timelines, added steps, and created more precise details to augment the process. There is a benefit to completing the simple goals first. Once finished, my time available to work on the more challenging goals expands. It is the current plan, anyway.

How are you progressing with your goals?

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer