Monday, February 20, 2006

An Idea

It’s February. Cabin fever has started to pick at me. I’m tired of it. Everyone is. It’s like we’re stuck in the gray, gloomy muck of it, but we’re not. At least we don’t have to be. I have an idea to beat it, but it would take everyone’s cooperation. Everyone would have to help it work.

What if we just packed up the whole northern part of North America and went on vacation?

It wouldn’t be such a big deal. Would it? For the next two weeks any state or Canadian province north of the Mason-Dixon Line could close our doors. We’d batten the hatches and tie everything down—well almost everything, we’d bring our pets with us and our kids, if they promised to behave. We would take our most favorite stuff and head south, south to warmer weather, bluer skies, and people who are smiling. We would become them.

I wouldn’t think a little trip should be so hard to arrange, if we pulled together and made plans for it. We could put a hold on the newspapers. Stop the mail. Leave our keys with the neighboring states and ask them to keep an eye on things—feed the fish; water the plants; do stuff like that. Sure we might have to return the favor sometime, but it would be worth it. Two long weeks in the sparkling sunlight with sandy beaches and palm trees might be just what we need to get hold of our hope again. We might even find a sense of humor and learn to dance and sing again. I know it would do wonders to make me lose sight of my cranky gene.

I can hear the whole country talking about it, “Leave it to the Midwesterners and Canadians to pull a stunt like that and to bring the other northerners along with them.”

Yeah. We’d give them something to talk about. That alone would be worth the trouble of packing, and traveling, and getting back.

That’s my idea. I think we should do it.

Are you in? Or are you sticking with cabin fever until it makes you crack into tiny slivers?
—me strauss Letting me be

18 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm in, when do we leave :0D

hope you are staying warm and keep thinking tropical thoughts LOL I find it helps (hugs)

Have good night!

Anonymous said...

Like the woman said in Lost in Translation, "I'm in. When do we leave?"

"ME" Liz Strauss said...

Hi mergrl,
Sounds like fun. Doesn't it. We could all be together in some tropical climate away from all of this dowdy unsunshiny-ness. Yep. Yessiree.

"ME" Liz Strauss said...

Hi mojo,
Come on then, you're an honorary northerner--Northern CA counts. Grab your stuff, we'll be leaving soon. I'm sure of it.

Anonymous said...

Hey Liz
Count me in! I've already got my white shorts, flowered tops and flip-flops in my suitcase. BTW - what airport are we leaving from??

"ME" Liz Strauss said...

Hi Dawn,
Any airport, train station, bus depot, carport, that will get us there. I'll pick you up and we'll go from O'Hare. :) See you soon.
Liz

Anonymous said...

Hi Crayon Lady!

Greetings from Florida.

The temperature outside went all the way down to 75 last night! brrrr! I hate cold snaps so I decided to just stay in bed this morning.

E

"ME" Liz Strauss said...

HiE!
I don't know that it's very nice of you to show off your warm weather when we're freezing and cranky up here. Good thing we like you. :)
Liz

Anonymous said...

Yes, it is a good thing :-)

was also pointing out it's all relative - cold for me is warm and balmy for you northerners.

Spring is just around the corner...

E

"ME" Liz Strauss said...

Yeah, Thank God, spring is coming . . . I'm not sure just what corner it's right around. :)

Liz

"ME" Liz Strauss said...

Oh Garnet,
What a fabulous idea! I think I should put in charge of the itinerary. :)
Liz

Anonymous said...

I'm in. We can follow the colors of the smiling sunsets all around the globe.

ghl

"ME" Liz Strauss said...

Oh Rain,
You are definitely IN!
No pasty skin allowed to stay here. No not at all. Come get packed we're going!
Liz

Anonymous said...

I need sunlight!!! My skin is pasty. Take me please!!!!!

"ME" Liz Strauss said...

Betty,
The choice is yours. I understand what you mean. If their behavior is a problem then they stay. :)
Liz

Anonymous said...

A two week vacation is exactly what I need. How did you know? The child and the Chihuahua will have to stay with the neighbor states, though.

Anonymous said...

Sshhhh...I've almost convinced the kids that the cold weather is bracing and good for their character...aw heck, who am I kidding? They don't believe it any more than I do - LOL!

Best wishes to you!

"ME" Liz Strauss said...

Hey Marti,
The cold weather is good for tulip growing, but then they only last for about two weeks once they come up . . . I say we make a break for it and come back to see the tulips when the see the sun.
Liz