I am off on a Holiday Monday! That may not seem unusual to you but after spending so much of my working life "working" while everyone else was "off", it's a luxury I plan to enjoy for some time to come.
Working stats was one of the cons of the TV news business...not to say there weren't plenty of "pros". But I am very much enjoying being like everybody else right now. Now I know that's a bit of an over simplification because many people do work stat holidays but for "heaps" (to borrow that wonderful Australian noun/adverb) of others, enjoying May 2-4, along with Canada Day and Labour Day make up an essential fibre of the Canadian fabric, the true Canadian experience. I'm no longer reporting on what others are doing on these days, I'm one of the "doers"!
I'm also reaping the benefits of being "off", potentially off, when everybody else is working.
It means avoiding the highways during rush hours. That alone makes driving fun again! It means lingering just a little longer over the morninbg paper. It means shopping when the stores aren't busy. What a joy! It means celebrating my Aunt Joan's birthday at a mid-day mid-week tea party...with real tea ! complete with china cups and little sandwiches with the crusts cut off.
Photo above shows left to right niece Sierra, 5, her Mom, my sister Kate (whose real name is Barbi but that's the subject of another blog one day!), Aunt Joan, Mom and family friend Pam. Pam is another wonderful story I have yet to tell...your turn is coming Pam!
The underlying theme of my new found freedom thanks to CanWest downsizing: more TIME! Time to do what I want to do. I am busy today, just like everyone said I would be. My volunteer and community work continues uninterrupted with M.C. work, St. Joe's Board of Trustees work, speeches to community groups and schools, and the upcoming MacKids Celebration broadcast May 31st. More work will come with details T.B.A. but I am in charge of my hours now and I am my own boss (just don't tell my dog that!)