Friday last week would not make a list of “favorite days.” I was up from 1:45 a.m. to 4:15 a.m. with the toddler (seriously — not with him the whole time, he was in his crib for most of this, but he would not stay quiet – there would be noise every 15-20 minutes or so…just enough to preclude falling asleep). There are yet more change orders at the new house. I wound up cleaning up 3 puppy messes (somehow I was the one around when they happened). Couple that with 2 dirty diapers and it was, literally, a crap-filled day.
However! I had planned to go to Holland Ridge Farms on Thursday with the 6-year-old when he was off school (a suggested addition to my spring fun list from blog reader Cathy). It rained so hard they were closed Thursday, but the tickets were transferrable to any weekday. Friday afternoon was pretty open — by design; it’s my mop-up slot — so I figured I might be able to go then.
Of course, the usual voices argued against it. I’d need to drive an hour both ways. The weather forecast called for more rain. It was cold. I was tired. It would be easier not to.
But I decided to make the tulip pilgrimage. And while the farm wasn’t exactly the expansive tulip fields of the Netherlands, it was pretty. It was also cold and windy and sprinkled on and off (that part was reminiscent of April in the Netherlands…) but I got some really cool photos of tulips as I played around with portrait mode on my phone. I stayed for about 45 minutes and then got back in my car, so I was only gone for about 3 hours total.
As often happens with choosing to put little adventures into my life, I now think, mostly, of the tulips as I think of last Friday. The cold and the rain aren’t so problematic when you’re no longer in them, and while the drive wasn’t short, those hours were going to be in the past at one point or another anyway. The rosy retrospective phenomenon is real. I think knowing this can nudge us to consider our future selves. Monday Laura scrolling through tulip photos is grateful to Friday Laura for making the trip.
In other news: I get my first shot of the Pfizer Covid vaccine today. One upside of that long night with the toddler — I looked at the CVS scheduling tool and at 3 a.m. there turned out to be open slots. Not so much by business hours. There’s a little 2021 productivity tip for you.
That’s great you are receiving your covid vaccine. In Australia we have mainly kept covid out of the country, which I’m grateful for, (although its been done via closed international and often domestic state borders and harsh lockdowns), but our vaccine rollout is sooo slow and we put most of our investment in Astra Zeneca and now it is not as effective and also no longer recommended for under 50s. At this rate most Australians won’t be vaccinated until next year. The US did not control the covid spread well, but the speed of your vaccine rollout has been impressive. A lot of Australians say we have it good here there is no rush (we don’t even need to wear masks here right now), but I have a plan to move next year to the Netherlands for work (can’t wait to see those Tulip fields in person!), so I’m hoping our government picks up the pace.
This was just what I needed to read to book a quick weekend away for our family. Kids are off Friday and my husband and I both could take it off (which is rare with short notice) but I was wondering if I had the energy to plan something quick and to motivate the family but now I’m sure my remembering self will be happy we did it as we will have the memory for a long time vs. a regular weekend at home so thank you!
@Megan- excellent! Future Megan will be happy you have the memories.