Staycation

What to do when you have a week’s vacation?

Yes, I had a week left from my vacation days, and since I promised myself at the end of last year that I would actually use all my days this year, I had to use them up. What to do, where to go….?

It was unanimous: stay home!

The decision was not made because of finances or Omicron – it was a combination of the fact that we had lived out of suitcases for so many months since May, with the news of people trying desperately to get to Israel and could not.

We were home, and we were in Israel. Why would we want to go anywhere else?

Even the idea of traveling to a hotel in another city in Israel had no appeal to us. We were so happy to be home, so it became a “staycation”. And I have to tell you, I have loved every minute.

What did I do?  

1. Took care of my health. The health care system here is amazing; not only is it free, they actually call you to tell you that based on your gender and age, but certain preventative tests also need to be done. I usually do not have time for it, so this week I took care of one of them. I could actually walk to the medical center and enjoy the sights and sounds of Jerusalem.
2. Worked on my screenplay. For years I have been writing a movie that would share Jewish wisdom about love, dating, and marriage in a regular “Nora Ephron-Esque” romantic comedy. I have an agent, producer, and director– the script just needs to be tighter….stay tuned!
3. Cleaned out drawers. Whoever has time to deal with drawers packed with…stuff? I sorted, threw out, and found over $65 in old store gift cards– yay!
4. Relaxed. For two of the days, I didn’t even get out of my pajamas!
5. Ordered sushi. Good food is not cheap here, but I figured we were saving a ton not going away, so let’s bring it in!
6. Tip-toed into Instagram. I have Facebook down, but IG is a mystery to me. It’s a total work in progress, but I’m learning. Please follow me!

I overheard my husband on the phone telling one of our kids that I was bored. I am here to tell you that I am not– I love what I do, but I have learned that disconnecting for a few days is not an escape, and it’s not a reward– it’s a chance to renew and recharge. I have loved every long, unscheduled, relaxing day.

You will too. Try it!