A Day Off!

Sometimes you just have to take a day off! I plan on doing as little work around here today as Big Bird is doing in this picture.

I told my son a few days ago that I am very tired. He said we have been doing so much for the move and are in great shape timewise, so why don't I just take a day off and pamper myself. The more I thought about it, the more I realized he is right. I need some down time to recharge my batteries. So today, I will be pampering myself with a haircut, a manicure and pedicure, a bubble bath in my soaking tub and reading a book out on the chaise lounge in these gorgeous temperatures.

Moving is usually very stressful, especially a large move like this one. However I have done what I can over the past couple of months to keep that stress away. Sure we have had a couple of glitches, like the 4 moving estimates from the moving company and an estimate of $4,000. for our alarm system to be put in at the new house. BTW, $4,000. for our alarm system is just a rip off price. So DH is working on that! But for the most part everything has gone very smoothly! I have not found most of it stressful at all! What I have found is that it is a lot of work that is very tiring. I think it has something to do with having to switch gears all the time. I can be in the middle of packing and will get a couple of telephone calls a day relating to the new purchase, the sale of this house, the move or the apartment. We are continually having to deal with paperwork and telephone calls.

I have done a number of things to keep the stress at bay! First, I am making sure that we are eating healthy - lots of protein and vegetables. Secondly, we are making sure that we are getting some exercise each day...even if it is only a short walk. Every few days we are keeping in touch with our children and talking to our grandaughter on the webcam. This makes us realize how much happier we will all be when we are together again and not separated by 3000 miles.

Lastly and I think the most important thing that has contributed to my lack of stress is the fact that I have removed a really toxic person from my life. I have spent all of my life being as kind to people as I possibly can, spending a lot of time and money to help others, and being the moral person that my mother and grandparents raised me to be. But there comes a time that you realize how much easier your life would be if someone else wasn't in it. It's not that you have any kind of hatred for this person, it's just that their incessant whining about everything - whining about their friends and what they do that doesn't please them, continual whining about their own children and spouses, their lies about almost everything, their constant complaining about money and trying to cheat the government to line their pockets, etc., just gets to be something you no longer need in your life. One day, you wake up and you realize how extremely self-centered and immoral they are! When someone else's behavior affects your life in a very negative way, it is time to cut the strings. It is something that I should have done years ago. So that is what I did and I am so much healthier and happier because of it! I am pretty much stress free and it is a GREAT feeling!

So today is a day for me and I am off to take full advantage of it! :-)