All work and no play
Makes Nan a dull gal. Perish the thought! A hectic lifestyle—yes. But dull—no way!
I have a barrage of folks in my life who constantly point out that I am as busy as a bee—too busy, they claim, for my own good. These well-intentioned people—friends, family members, my primary care physician—offer a plethora of helpful tips. Slow down. Take a leisurely walk. Remember to breathe. Go on a vacation.
I listen to their advice and take it to heart. Sort of. Sometimes.
I sleep at night . . . unless I think of a great idea for a picture book, and then, I jump out of bed and write. I take afternoon power naps . . . once in a while, each day, I walk for one hour . . . at a break-neck pace because l don’t do leisurely strolls. John and I often take trips to exciting places . . . and sell books.
Okay, okay. Enough of the sarcasm. Truth be told, John and I are both super busy people, we tend to work long hours, and we like our busy lifestyle.
Yep, we work hard. (Both of us abhor laziness.) But we also play hard, and I have the pictures to prove it. Otherwise, my concerned friends, family members, and a certain primary care physician would never believe me.
Salisbury Zoological Park
Salisbury, Maryland
Flamingos! Finally, I can say that I’ve seen a flock of flamingos in person. (The fake plastic ones in someone’s front yard placed there as a prank—they do NOT count.)
I can now check another item off of my bucket list.
Ah! So colorful. So gorgeous.
Shipyard Golf Club
Hilton Head, South Carolina
When we’re on vacation, John enjoys making new friends on his golf outings. (FYI: I personally would not hang around and take a photo of this fellow. Instead, I would head for the club house and ask for a full refund. John, honey, are you nuts?)
While my husband chases a little white ball and repeatedly hits it with a stick until it finally falls into a hole, I enjoy the peace and solitude of walking on the beach, listening to the squawks of seagulls, staring at the ocean, and not thinking about alligators.
Photo credit: John (of course)
Zook’s Mill Covered Bridge
Lancaster County, Pennsylvania
Lancaster County, Pa. has a number of historic covered bridges, and John and I have had the pleasure of visiting several of them. This particular bridge was built in 1849 by Hennry Zook.
The rural areas of Lancaster County also afford visitors the rare opportunity to witness Amish folks working in the fields, gathering for an outdoor meal, and driving horse-drawn buggies. So fascinating. (Out of respect for their preferences, we didn’t take any pictures of the Amish. But honestly, on more than one occasion, I was tempted to do so!)
Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory
Louisville, Kentucky
Take me out to the ballgame. Or if that isn’t possible, a place where they make baseball bats will do nicely.
This place is a must-see attraction for baseball lovers.
Watching a long slab of wood being transformed into a bat in only a few minutes—that’s pretty cool. But even more exciting is taking a selfie with Hank Aaron, my childhood hero. Okay, it is only a life-sized photo of Mr. Aaron, but still . . .
Sutherland United Methodist Church
Zionville, Ashe County, North Carolina
Every chance we get, John and I head back to our “old stomping grounds” in western North Carolina, and if time permits, we visit the nearby Blue Ridge Mountains—also known as God’s country.
Is there anything more beautiful than a light dusting of snow in the Appalachians? Simply breathtaking.
(If you are a professional editor, I offer my sincere apology because I’m going to do the unthinkable and intentionally incorporate a cliché here. Consider yourself warned.)
There’s no place like home.
Come to think of it, this phrase is probably overused because everyone knows that it’s true.
I could go on and on sharing photos and telling tales of our treks around the nation. As you can see, our lives are not completely devoid of a little R & R.
That being said, your genuine concern for our health and your prayers for traveling mercies are greatly appreciated. Keep them coming! And please take comfort in the knowledge that for both of us, this writing journey is a labor of love . . .
And a calling from God. May we always be obedient to His will.