The Staycation Calendar is Getting Full

Last weekend my sister and a friend went to the Renaissance Festival (not my thing). Apparently Deb asked my sister what I was doing in retirement and Sue said "Oh, she's being a social butterfly these days, as always".  Deb said that she thought I just stayed home all day and crafted and read, and Sue responded, that yes, I did that for a day or maybe two a week.  The rest of the time, not so much!!

This is the truth of my life. Some people like to get themselves out of the house a little bit each day in retirement. I like to know I'm staying home all day, or just the opposite. Some days, I probably look like the homemaker and crafter extraordinaire, and other days, well, I'm not. If I'm going to sew or draw or whatever, I want to do that all day long. If I'm going out, I'm going out.

At this time of year, my week is often less evenly divided. While I prefer to mainly stay at home in the summer months, and travel other seasons, I do try and fill up my "summer vacation" as much as possibly. For as cheaply as possible, especially this summer with wedding and travel expenses approaching in the fall.

This morning I looked at my calendar  for the rest of the summer and well, it 's pretty much there. I still try and keep Sunday and Monday at home times (except for church), but many of the other days have at least something going on, even if it, just afternoon happy hour. While I might like to get a long weekend in there somewhere, my summer vacation at home is pretty darn full. And the calendar tells the ever loving tale.

I've also done it pretty darn cheaply. I could get even more "skint", with effort. But the only real costs are my gal group lunches twice a month, the pop corn and candy I buy with my five dollar movie and the occasional museum outing. It's actually pretty amazing how cheap the rest of the stuff is.

Granted, much of this entertainment is due to programs through the library, county or city and on some level, yes, taxes were used to pay for these benefits. Still, I'm going to three free outdoor concerts so far, I'm taking a one day class in pastels and a one day class on photo engraving through the library (plus they have a regular drop in craft and chat program). There is a huge Irish festival that is free entrance if you volunteer a couple hours, and a huge arts festival that is free except for the beverage you'll need if it's ninety degrees.

All of which keeps me busy, entertained and out of the stores. Except for the craft supply stores. Because between the free art classes, a Utube series on artistic collage and my natural need to create, I need supplies. Even though I concentrate on recycling, upcycling and reuse these days in my sewing and craft projects, some new inventory is a "need". Someday I need to get a hobby other than reading that doesn't require inventory, I suppose.

Until then, I need to decide which two of these collections to get. Which ones do you think I picked? Which two would you have picked. For yourself or for me?