Last weekend I felt like I properly relaxed for the first time in a long time. I had a real sense of letting go and just chilling out. So, in no particular order my ingredients for doing this are.
The beach
There’s nothing like the sound of the waves to relax you. We stayed in the same place at Carrickalinga that I went to earlier in the year. I didn’t relax then because my dad had just had his stroke two days prior and nobody knew what the prognosis was yet.
That anxiety wasn’t hanging over my head this time thank goodness.
In addition to the sound of the waves at the beach, walks along the beach are very relaxing. I was even able to do a walk by myself.
Good friends
The weekend would not have been as successful and relaxing if it weren’t for two of my best friends being there too. It took some of the load off me and my sole parenting because JJ could talk to them and I didn’t have to be the only person around for him as is normal. He even chose to share a room with one of my friends which she didn’t mind at all and while I don’t mind sharing a room and/or a bed with him I can live without the teeth grinding.
Laughter
This ties in a bit with the good friends ingredient above. Because we are good friends we can razz each other without offending each other so there was much laughter at each others expense and at much of what else we talked about.
Music
The aim of the weekend was a music retreat. We all sing and play ukuleles so we practised heaps. We worked up a couple of new songs and practised other songs we’d done before. We had an amp and a microphone so we all got some microphone practise.
Apart from a couple of karaoke experiences I’ve never sung into a microphone before and when I first did it on the weekend I sat in front of my two friends dithering because I was really embarrassed even though they’re very used to hearing me sing. I eventually did it and then they couldn’t keep me away. JJ even had a go.
Sustenance
Food and drink. I cooked up beans for nachos to eat on Friday night so we didn’t have to do any major cooking when we arrived. Other than that we had easy to prepare food and snacks. And of course plenty of sparkling red. We didn’t do either to excess.
Game playing
Rummikin and Uno. I’ve never played Rummikin before but I am hooked. It’s sort of like Gin Rummy but you play it with Scrabble like tiles. JJ loves Uno so we had a couple of games before we left on Sunday.
There you have it, the essential ingredients for a relaxing weekend. We are planning a repeat retreat. Can’t wait.
I took some more photos which you can see here.
Awww – sounds like a classic weekend!
I used to do those on occasion down to Stanthorpe – the food, (the drinking – oops), the friends and the everyone taking a load of my solo mothering shoulders – they are FANTASTIC times!
Glad you had a great time.
Now see, this is the perfect weekend…I knew we would be friends!
WOW, what a wonderful time. I am now more determined than ever, when I find the time, to take a decent photo of my Poppers and send it to Monty with a large note on which says “Hallo, twin sister”. I’m not sure how he could be her twin when you’re on the other side of the world but those photos of her on the beach sure look like him. Digital photography is one of the “new” skills that I haven’t caught up with as yet but I will. Maybe I can get my more digitally-minded husband to scan in a print then all I have to do is work out how to get it to you!
What a great weekend Jen….you should try to have more like that. Rummikin….love it. We’ve played it a lot…easy to get hooked on. Uno too…fun.
Looks like JJ really got into his karaoke experience….cute.
Hope this weekend is a good one too sweetie…
Thanks for sharing your wonderful weekend and pictures with us. I loved the pictures of the butterflies and your son with the microphone. He looks like a natural born singer.