THE PERFECT WEEKEND

Life can easily cause havoc on intentionalism.  After weeks of yet another home improvement project, I was tired rolling into the drive Friday night after work.  On top of working ourselves to death, we had planned a minor league ball game outing Friday night with my side of the family.  Not being a baseball lover, along with being tired, I wasn't really looking forward to it.  What I found was that I never really ever watched any of the game, but sat next to my husband on one side, my mom on my other side, my daughter and husband behind me and my one brother-in-law off to my one shoulder.  On down were my two sisters, a niece, my dad and my other brother-in-law.  The weather was picture perfect - no humidity, cool.  There was chatting and laughter, just being with each other for 3 hours.  Minor league ball is kind of hokie.  I mean, it's slow, the players are young, and the crowd is slim.  The franchise tried to create some fan involvement.  And, the lady selling cotton candy was most definitely hysterical in the way she yelled, "G E T   Y O U R    C    O     T            T    O    N      CANDY!", with a style that made her sound like a Brooklyn New York truck driver.  She contorted her mouth much like you'd envision a 60 year old union construction worker on a busy street yelling profanities and pick up lines at a woman.  Funny!!  Sitting there I was struck by the fact that I actually needed to just sit, to just enjoy my family whom I love so very deeply.  I valued the fact that I could enjoy a late summer evening holding hands with my Love, eating a chicken sandwich and pretending to watch a game with players, most of whom I couldn't even pronounce their last names correctly.  As we walked back to the car, fireworks were going off and I felt deeply sastiated for being with the people I love.  Saturday we stayed in bed until 8 a.m. - a miracle for me since I sleep only about 5-6 hours a night.  Without work constraints or a project that was screaming to be finished, we just enjoyed the laziness of the morning, and each other:)  We drank coffee on the front steps, read the paper, perused "THE DAILY" online and then retreated to our new "Oasis" - the back patio we had nearly completed.  We christened the new table and chairs, put up the umbrella and then sprawled out on the chaise recliners to just be.  In fact, other than a bite of lunch - a chicken brat with blue chips and cherry salsa - we enjoyed the patio until mid afternoon, even taking a short nap.  We finished edging the small stretch that connected the old landscaping to the new patio and Doug shoveled the last ton and a half of stone to their final destination.  The new plant life got watered, the stones hosed down to clean off the white powder and the fence and patio washed clean.  All the while I was keenly aware that summer was slipping away.  The sounds of locusts and crickets and the coolness that evenings bring now are ushering in hints of fall.  I have enjoyed every season with Doug.  We met in winter, enjoyed the newness that Spring brought and now had danced our way through summer, basking in its warmth and taking advantage of practically living in the out of doors.  Sunday brought friends and family over for a summer meal - a batch of sangria, some salad and pie.  As I sat at the table, surrounded again by people that I love deeply, I thought about those that matter to me - those that have loved me and I have loved no matter the circumstances in my life over the past year and half.  I thanked God for their love for me and that I could love them.  My daughter leaned in close as she always does and I gave and felt love for and from her.  Cleaning up the kitchen after everyone went home last night, I felt satisfied, full, blessed and rested from just being this weekend.  I suppose that is the perfect weekend to me - to enjoy just being, spending lazy quiet time with my Love and those that I cherish, and sitting in our new "Oasis" enjoying the tail end of summer.  If only I could freeze time!  This was one of those weekends that I would like to put on repeat.