“Some Day and Around To It”

~ Elizabeth

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My husband and I have finally managed to take a number of day trips this summer, exploring different waterfalls in our area. I have been using a wonderful handbook about New England waterfalls which gives precise driving and hiking instructions to each waterfall and rates each one from 1 to 5. But I have been saying I wanted to take day trips during the summer for several years. What was different this time? We actually blocked Mondays out on my husband’s work calendar! Since I am retired, I would often propose a day trip but find he had a work conflict. Now he is free on summer Mondays. Vacation spaced out instead of taken all at once. Problem solved!

I have long been a victim of  “some day” and “when I get around to” planning. The desire and intention is there, but without the specific step of scheduling. In some cases, this has been beneficial. My “some day I would like a motor home” has changed to “I am happy to stay in nice hotels.” My “some day I would like a motor boat” changed to “I prefer our canoe.” But other times I have not followed through on a “some day” idea.

“Bucket lists” seem to be very popular right now in the United States. They address this issue in a kind of morbid way as in “before I die I want to…” This really isn’t much more specific than “some day.” However, I am trying to reframe this concept as “I want to do these things while I am still alive and able to do them.” That narrows the window significantly and adds some urgency to my planning. At 72, I can no longer calmly assume that “some day” will come along on its own!

So this year I want to go to Portland, Maine with my husband and next year I want to take a cruise with my best friend. The hotel is reserved in Maine. The deposit is down on the boat. “Some day” has actual dates assigned. Progress finally.

29 thoughts on ““Some Day and Around To It””

  1. Ah, marvellous! I have a ton of some days which will likely not get atthended to, but some have….. Tell me, what is the attraction of Maine for you?

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  2. I don’t like the term ‘bucket list’ either but now I hear people using the term ‘life list’ which I like – as long as it means taking action to get there. Years ago I had a boss who would pull out the little round gadget from his picket and give it to whoever said they would do something when they got around to it! 🙂 We all enjoyed that!

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    2. Perhaps you’re wondering what a ‘picket’ is?? So was I. It should read, ‘from his pocket!’ I do wish you could edit your own comments in WordPress though I understand why you can’t. Oh well. To err is human….. 😉

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  3. Glad to hear that you finally got around to it, Elizabeth. I will look forward to hearing about your trip to Portland, and that cruise too.
    (I still don’t get ‘around to it’. Maybe later…)
    Best wishes, Pete.

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  5. I lived in Yarmouth, ME for years. It’s north of Portland. I hope you do some fun things while there. I love your approach to spending time doing things you want to enjoy.

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  6. I encourage you to go for it, Elizabeth, if you call it a Bucket List or just a Things I Want to do List. I don’t think I’m going through a midlife crisis, but suddenly at age sixty, for the first time in my life, I’m doing those things I’ve always talked about. I went to the Final 4 College Basketball Championship in Minneapolis, visited Alaska (the last of my fifty states) with my wife, flew one way to Los Angeles (600 miles away) to buy a truck, and wrote my first book Now I’m writing my first children’s book and learning to play the guitar. A lot of this is out of character for me, but IT FEELS GREAT!

    Now that my wife and I are retired, the best part about coming home on Sunday nights after traveling is not having to get up and go to work the next day. Go for it!

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  10. It is amazing to look around and realize that years have gone by while waiting for ideal conditions to present themselves in order to fulfill a “someday” or “one of these days” wish. I want to stop postponing so much, as well as savoring more the experiences I am having. The image of the “Round Tu It” brings back fond memories: back in the 1970s or 80s, one of my aunts had a bunch that she was passing out to family and friends. I haven’t seen [or uncovered] one in decades!

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  12. We find that day trips work for us too, especially in our situation, we love our day dates 😀
    No more someday’s or bucket lists here, we just enjoy each day as it comes now 😀
    Bless you,
    Jennifer

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