And Life Goes On...

Ahhh...vacation!  It can be uplifting, inspiring...desperately needed, and sometimes even tiring.  As wonderful as it is to drive off to your vacay destination, sometimes it is just as exciting to drive back home!  My sister recently sent me an e-mail regarding stress, and the benefits of putting your burdens down.  Using a glass of water, the instructor in the story talked about the heaviness of the glass and its contents...if one were to hold it for a short time, it would be no problem.  If one were to hold it for a long time, they would start to develop pain.  Your stress and burdens in life can do that to you--they can cause pain and worry, and sometimes we just have to put them down.  Taking a vacation can be a way of letting go of those burdens, though I think the key to living a happy life is to learn how to set the stresses down whenever possible...even though you may have to pick them up later.  I haven't quite developed that skill completely, though I continue to work on it...and though some of my stresses followed me to Schroon Lake, I am better for the time away!

So what did I do?  Well, I slept in as much as possible, catching up on the sleep I never seem to get enough of...I played Yahtzee with my mother and declared myself the Yahtzee champion of the universe (she, however, did not agree!)  We watched some movies and many episodes of 'House Hunters' on HGTV.  And I tried to get as many photos as I could of the cats enjoying themselves, and even managed to get some beautiful outdoor shots before the rains came.  My older baby (sweet little Scout,) had a rough beginning to our vacation, but luckily things calmed down for her and we were able to enjoy some time on the front porch.  Here's a picture of Scout sleeping next to me on the wicker couch, as we listened to the birds.  Isn't she lovely?  Shay also adored the front porch, and spent the week running in and out of it, exploring all the sounds and smells.  Here's one of my favorites...mostly because he stood still long enough for me to take it!  I think I may frame this one.  It shows Shay's greatest gift, which sometimes can also drive me a little nuts...his never ending curiosity!

My friend (and CMT group leader) M, provided one of the highlights of my time at camp.  She was able to join me, luckily for the two days of good weather that we had...this allowed us to go out exploring, and take some beautiful photos.  Together, we walked through the town of Schroon and took some nice shots of the area, then went shopping at the town store...afterward, we rested on a bench and ate fudge while watching kids swimming in the lake.  You just can't beat that!  One of my favorite pictures I took in town was this one, of a huge piece of driftwood resting on shore...when you're looking for true beauty, sometimes it can be found in the simplest of ways!

The following day was even brighter, and as the sun beat down on us we took a drive...stopping along the way to take photos of the local scenery.  We ended up in Keene at a spot called Split Rock, full of cliffs and waterfalls that end in a big pond.  If you are full of bravery (and lacking in smarts,) you may climb out on the different levels of rocks and jump down to the smaller ponds that lay below.  Personally I like to show my bravery in other ways, while keeping my neck intact...so I was happy to walk along the side behind the fence, snapping my camera.  Here's my favorite pic of Split Rock, from the safety of the walking path!

So my vacation finally ended...and I gathered my things, the cats and all their paraphernalia and loaded us into the car.  Though it is not easy to travel with two cats, litter boxes, food and water fountains (and multiple pee pads,) it is well worth it.  We all enjoy the serenity of Schroon, and we were all in need of a little serenity!  I must admit, the trip wore us out a little...so we're using the rest of this weekend to recover.  Though most of all, those burdens were set down (even for a short while,) and we got some much needed rest.  Scout is still resting, as you can see!

And despite the fact that it was postponed for a little while, my regular life has gone on.  I had e-mails to sift through, mail to open, messages to return.  Tomorrow I go back to work, and though thinking of that makes me want to go take another nap, I do look forward to seeing everyone I work with!  And as always, things have continued with CMT, and raising awareness...mostly due to the continued efforts of M.  (I'm very glad she took a couple days to rest and relax up at camp, with no internet and no conference calls...she needed to let go of her burdens too!)  While I was away we received another resolution signed by Governor Cuomo, designating September as CMT Awareness Month, and we continue to progress toward that goal.  So as my first official act of getting back into the swing of things, I wanted to pass on information about our upcoming CMT Awareness Night Event with the Valley Cats.  Let's continue to raise money for CMT research, and help awareness grow...come join us for some baseball, food and fun!  If you are interested in purchasing tickets, click on this link. It's for a great cause, and you won't be disappointed!   http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=186519868067404

I hope you all enjoyed my vacation photos, as much as I enjoyed collecting them.  Most of all, I wish for you the ability to set down the stresses in your life, by letting go of your burdens...whether you are on vacation, or knee deep in reality.  It rejuvenates you, makes you stronger, and gives you the courage to pick them back up again when needed.  May you find your own serenity...whether it's through meditation, fun with family and friends, or by surrounding yourself in nature and the beauty around you!