The 4 R's: Reading, Riting, Relaxing and... Romance?

What do you do for relaxation? Do you ever stop writing? I don't. I said to my husband last night that we should go on a cruise. That way I'd have limited internet access. "Yes, honey," he said. "But you could still write." Damn it! I hate when he's right.

Part of me thinks I should take writing breaks every now and then, and part of me thinks that's the dumbest idea I ever had. Why would I? What would I do? I know, I could read! In fact, that is one of the things I'm planning on doing over the next four glorious days.

"There is nothing more blissful my eyes can see, than me and thee by the beautiful sea."

And Allison Winn Scotch's TIME OF MY LIFE, which I've started reading and can't put down.

So, I'll dig my toes into the sand, take walks along the beach, jump a few waves, and read! That sounds good. That's not writing. Then we'll have nice dinners and walk along the boardwalk. That's not writing, either. Then I'll go back to our lovely room at the quaint B&B in Avon by the Sea and I'll..... WRITE! Yes, that's what I'll do, I'll write! After all, I still need to meet my 1,000 word/day mark, don't I? Of course, I do, silly!

So, that's the plan. Relaxing, reading, toe-digging, beach-walking, wave-jumping, and writing. And who knows - maybe even a little romance...

Now, that's what I call a vacation!

Aren't Vacations Great?

Aren't Vacations Great?

OK, so this is a no-brainer. Of course they are. Although, this trip to the Mile High City is to visit family, and so, for some, might be considered the opposite of a vacation. Fortunately for us, we get along great with my family and love spending time with them. Like last night, for example. Me, Chuck, my mom, dad, sister Sharon and brother-in-law David went downtown for dinner at the Oceanaire, a fabulous sea-food place with an art-deco, 1920's vibe. Our server, Tyler, a Lance Armstrong look-alike, could very well be nominated for best waiter in the country. His service, along with the food, were impeccable. We started with cocktails. Chuck and I had the smoothest Tanqueray and tonics we've ever had. And thought I don't like to brag, we can practically be considered experts. To start the meal, some of us had caesar salad and some had clam chowder. For dinner, Chuck and I split the crab cakes, my mom, dad, sister and bro-in-law ordered the Mahi Mahi, and we all shared fried green beans, creamed corn, and hashbrown potatoes. And, to compliment this memorable meal were two bottles of 2006 WillaKenzie Pinot Noir. Yum, yum! To further prove my theory of Tyler being the best waiter in the universe, he treated us to dessert. And, by dessert I mean a baked Alaska, key lime pie, and vanilla bean creme brulee. If you want Tyler's number, I can provide it for a small fee.

The most amazing part of the evening was that the food and service were not the most amazing parts of the evening. The most amazing part was the toasting. My sister, Sharon, started off by toasting me and Chuck's long, and drawn out, I mean adventurous and wonderful marriage. Then my dad made a toast to my mom's health. Then I made a toast to Chuckie and to how much I love his cute ass. Then Chuckie made a toast to me for what a dedicated writer I am. Then David made a toast to Sharon for being the woman of his dreams. And on and on and on. I know this all sounds terribly sappy, but I swear, it's the truth.

Before we left for dinner, my dad was feeling a bit down in the dumps and didn't want to go. After some sweet talk from his favorite oldest daughter (yep, that's me), he acquiesced. At the end of the night he hugged me and said, "Thanks for making sure I went. This was one of the best nights of my life."

Correction: This was the most amazing part of the evening.

How are your holidays going?