We call it playing cabin,
That's when my husband and I do what we'd do if we were at a cabin somewhere up north. We sleep in. We have a leisurely breakfast and read the entire paper (what luxury!). Then my husband putzes in the basement and I play with the cat, make a fire in the fireplace, read a book. Naps are involved. Sometimes we rent a movie.
We may (or may not) go ice skating or take a walk. He may shovel a bit, I may call a friend. But playing cabin isn't about getting 'er done or even socializing. It's about slowing down, letting go, staying home. It's about being where you are and taking the time to really truly enjoy it, not thinking about how the floor needs washing and we never did fix that outlet and is that a smudge on the window.
I guess it's a kind of mini-vacation at home. And we consider it a very good weekend if we never leave the house, an even better one if we never get out of our PJs.
It may sound like a deadly dull way to spend a weekend, but it's surprisingly refreshing. After a weekend of playing cabin, I'm as relaxed -- maybe more relaxed -- as I'd be if we'd driven 5 hours north on 35W.
Of course, we don't do this a lot. Maybe that's why it seems so special. But it's not a bad way to spend a Februrary weekend. The price is right. And the feeling I get from just being at home? Well, that's priceless.
