5.19.2011

Here's the post where I try to be happy about being home from vacation.

 
Coming home gracefully is not my best talent.  My mother is particularly gifted at it, but then she also has Christmas cleaned up by noon on Christmas day with the tree bare and set neatly by the curb.  Different people have different gifts . . .




I am much more likely to still be wallowing in Christmas on January 3 and wondering not only why I own so much stuff but why on earth we thought we needed to buy more . . . but I digress.

It was a wonderful vacation!  

There was quite a bit of this:



Southern Utah's Snow Canyon, one of my favorite spots on earth





My trusty hiking companion, far ahead of me as always and wishing I weren't such a sissy



as well as plenty of splendid Mexican food, visits with dear old friends, and precious time spent with family seldom seen.





There's something quite restorative about sitting down to a plate of pancakes the size of one's head with a friend one has known since kindergarten . . . there's just not a lot about yourself you need to explain to that kind of friend.





And that is worth more than any sightseeing, exciting destinations, or even the best souvenirs money can buy.




So now that I think about it, 
I guess the vacation was simply perfect.  


Today?  Less so.  But that's okay. We need the every-days to help us better appreciate the extraordinary ones.


One of the best things about my trip was getting to see  some of the fruits of the 365 creativity challenge I threw out last year! 

My sister Lisa decided to make a card every day for one year.  Her initial thought was that it would help her use up the tons of paper/trims/ephemera she has accumulated over the years for no particular purpose.  Instead, I think she accumulated much, much more than she started with.

It takes stuff to make stuff, right?
(A motto I live by.)


And her cards were a delight to see!




Her challenge was much more difficult than my Happy Thought -- she actually had to travel with card-making supplies.  But she never missed a day, and sitting in the room with her, surrounded by all that creativity and determination and PLAIN OLD DELIGHTFUL STUFF was absolutely worth a dreaded flight in and out of  Las Vegas.  (And I think I'm guaranteed a pretty great card for every holiday for the rest of my life!  Just sayin'.)



My sister Lisa, basking in the well-deserved satisfaction of her 365 pieces of creativity


She's already on to the next challenge, which is practicing the piano for 30 minutes a day for a year.  Of course that meant practicing at my parents' house while we were all there . . . it was a bit of a flashback to the many years of childhood I spent wondering why on earth my sister had the drive to practice at 6am while I was trying to sleep.  (Love you, Lis!)




An inspiration all the same, and it made me realize that if I can't keep up with her when I'm the one who threw out the challenge to begin with, then I should be ashamed of myself.  So I'm starting Monday.


But first: 
mail, 
bills, 
groceries, 
laundry, 
unpacking, 
vacuuming, 
returning phone calls, 
working out . . . .

Welcome home, Susan!!!






Thanks.  
Good to be here.
















  

6 comments:

Allie said...

Welcome home Susan! I love your comment about needing the everyday to appreciate the extraordinary - how true that is!!!!!!! Your pics are just gorgeous. And I am totally, completely blown away at Lisa's dedication and creativity - man, send me some of those genes, you are all so talented!

Amelia Poll said...

Thanks for sharing those pictures! Amazing. It really, really makes me want to do something creative everyday. I think I am going to try to find something I can do, even with my little one (who has just recently decided he's ready to start becoming mobile by rolling everywhere...and so it begins!) It is hard without a dedicated craft space, but I am sure I can find something to do.

Glad you had a fun trip! I can't wait to see your next creative challenge.

Nancy said...

Has it been 365 days since you threw that challenge out? I still haven't even thought of ONE creative thing I could do for 365 days. The closest I've come is imagining how great it would be if I could de-clutter for 365 days. Throw one thing away each day until all my clothes fit in my closet and all my books fit on my shelves... Yeah, that's not going to happen.

Leenie said...

Sorry you had to come back to laundry and bills. May the vacation glow last a long time in your head. I agree, your comment about every-days helping us better appreciate the extraordinary ones is so true.

S. Utah redrock country isn't my favorite, but this time of year any kind of continuous sunshine is just dandy. Friends, food and a visit with a creative sister must have been a great break for you. That collection of cards is outstanding and amazing.

Lynda Halliger Otvos (Lynda M O) said...

Susan, Welcome home. Mixed feelings about that aspect of the vacay play. How great to see some family and spend some time in the glow of Sis’s artistry !~!

@Nancy-I am cogitating on the “get rid of one thing a day” idea. Seems doable... no ? Hmmm.

susan m hinckley said...

I must admit I'm mulling over that idea as well, Nancy . . . much easier to do almost anything else, if you ask me.

Thanks loads for the welcome home, Kiddies!

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