I found myself resting under the heavy covers of our bed. It was a saturday morning, and even though I'd been awake for several minutes, I couldn't move. I tried to consider getting out, (after all it was almost nine in the morning) but my pillows begged me to stay, and the sheets pulled me deep in, like some sort of sleepy riptide. Of course Gid had already gotten up, done his homework, made breakfast (I could smell the eggs), and probably run a few marathons. He reminds me of a kitten I had when I was a kid, who would fall asleep right next to me, and then in the morning would disappear. My husband is the stealthiest bed fugitive. I'm a light sleeper, but it doesn't matter. He always manages to sneak out well before my heavy eyes flutter open. Anyway, back to the bed. That warm, wonderful bed. I was determined to stay in it. All day.
It's fall break this week, friends. Normally fall break is the best thing ever. A week to recuperate, to catch up on homework, get groceries, or in my case, hopefully to finish the choreography for my thesis piece. (sigh)
Not this year. Fate dealt me a nasty hand this autumn. No fall break. Instead: 10 hours a day in the studio working on somatic based studies for a scholarship that I (luckily) was selected for.
And so, because this particular Saturday was my only day free until the semester began again, I stubbornly stayed in bed. I was absolutely determined to relax. To experience a fall break, even if it would only be 1 day.
Gid came in the room, cheeks rosy, smile wide, and cheerfully asked me what I wanted to do today. "Anything you want," he insisted. I stared at him, lips pressed together thinly, and informed him that I wasn't getting out of bed. Ever.
My husband is sweet. Instead of telling me how lazy and ungrateful I am, he crawled into bed with me and joined me in watching mindless television for almost a whole hour. Let me explain something: my husband- he doesn't watch mindless TV. Not ever. He watches the news, and an occasional basketball game. Hulu.com? That's pathetic for the likes of Gideon Tolman. Don't you realize he could be doing something productive? Listening to conference. Washing the car. Balancing the checkbook. Saving a baby. He has better things to do than catch up on "Parenthood". But somehow, on this special saturday, I didn't even have to beg him to be lazy with me. I don't know anyone else who he'd do that for. So sweet. After watching my favorite show and coaxing me out of the warm covers, Gideon drew my attention to the warm vibrant color of the leaves outside. And immediately, I knew what I wanted to do on my one day of fall break.
We got our little tripod out, dusted off my camera, and grabbed the handheld remote we never use. And then we took family fall pictures. We didn't have to go more than a minute away from our apartment to find the perfect spot. And with the brisk fall air around us, the leaves happy to participate as the perfect backdrop, and the sound of the football game as our mood music, it made for a pretty lovely afternoon. A nice memory to store away, you know?
While I was metering for light, Gideon didn't realize he was posing for some really hunky shots. I'll have to use that as a trick next time to get him to pose seriously...
We walked. And caught up on life. Goodness, I sometimes forget how little we get to see each other with our school schedules. After our shoot, Gid took me out for ice cream and shopping.
Hands off ladies, he's mine.
...all mine.
And now, thanks to my handsome sweet, kitten of a husband,
I didn't stay in bed all day long after all.
Even better, we now have something to remind us of our
last fall break in graduate school.
The end.
Here's hoping the rest of you are enjoying a real fall break,
