Summer’s here and I’m not at all prepared. As usual I’m behind the 8-ball, but if there’s one thing I’ve learned in these past few years of juggling parenthood with a building a career it’s that you have to slot in the fun stuff. Work always gets done somehow, somewhere. Taking your daughter on a hike, volunteering for the class field trip, or spending an afternoon at an outdoor pool can get pushed back, as life loves to throw curveballs that necessitate rejigging your schedule. That’s why it’s important to schedule the fun stuff into your calendar.
Summer is an ideal time try and get as far away from your daily life and routine as possible. Working as a freelancer, I’m not able to go completely off grid (even on a family holiday), but I can switch up my routine and that’s what I’m intending to do. When I’m in Calgary, I plan to rethink my work hours and location, so I can make the most of this precious season. Of course, I have a few bucket list items I’m hoping to nail over the next two months.
Summer Bucket List 2016
- Take an outdoor barre class
- Host a frisbee golf tournament
- Take an afternoon off and hit an outdoor pool
- Spend the day in High River. Stroll around downtown, take Eve to my favourite parks (apparently there’s a new nature playground), visit my brother and see his latest project. Get a thick milkshake and an HP burger from the Hitchin’ Post drive in. Lie underneath the cottonwoods at George Lane Park and watch the clouds drift by.
- Go grizzly bear viewing from the gondola at Lake Louise
- Watch moose from the patio of Mount Engadine Lodge. (Need to find out if I can have afternoon tea or dinner here without being a guest.)
- Participate a mud race (spoiler alert: my daughter and I are signed up to do Mud Hero in Red Deer!)
- Visit Newfoundland
- Eat lobster and strawberry shortcake (ideally on the same night). I always seems to miss this window.
- Do one hike a week the weeks I’m in Alberta
- Play tennis (if I feel my ankle can hold up). If my ankle sucks, go on long walks with girlfriends.
- Ride bikes along Calgary’s new River Walk, explore the East Village and St. Patrick’s Island. Stop at what we call Concrete Park (Nexen building) and play around the water features.
- Have a patio (restaurant) or picnic meal once a week.
- Find a way to make smoothies delicious when using vegan protein powder (apparently I have issues with whey).
- Go on a non-work trip to a different city. Don’t take notes. Don’t contact the tourism board. Sleep-in, wander, shop, eat, repeat.
It looks like a lot, but really, we have nine weeks of summer. Anyway, I usually only nail half my bucket list, but by writing down these ideas, I’m more likely to do them. There are so many weekends that flitter by, but when you have a list like this, you can look at the plan and do something intentional.
What are you plans for summer 2016?
