I did the unthinkable yesterday… I downed tools and took the evening off. Well, half the afternoon and the evening to be exact. What did I do with such unaccustomed luxury, you may ask? Something excitingly unusual? Something surprisingly novel? Yes!
I did… nothing.
I know. Dereliction of duty. Desertion.
Mea culpa… guilty as charged.
Not only did I do nothing, I did it on the sofa with my dog. For hours.
I’ve been tired lately. Not just your ‘get a couple more hours sleep’ tired, but sort of weary , exhausted tired. By ten past three yesterday afternoon the urge to sleep was overwhelming. I had a coffee, did some housework and tried again… still sleepy. So just for once I threw in the metaphorical towel, snuggled up with Ani and had a siesta.
She couldn’t believe her luck… mid afternoon snuggles? On the rare occasions where we just curl up together, Ani likes to lie across the sofa back with her nose in my shoulder and one paw touching… possibly to make sure I don’t escape. Who knows how long that would have lasted, but she also likes to keep watch on the street, guarding my slumber… and alerting me to passing dogs by using me as a launchpad to reach the window in double quick time.
Duly woken I fed and walked her while a baked potato did its stuff in the oven. Rather than eating at the keyboard, I answered messages then we curled up again on the sofa, this time with dinner and a film. Eating on the sofa is interesting as Ani still adopts her preferred perch on the sofa back, but at such times her head is on my shoulder, her nose inches from any morsel that attempts to make its way from plate to mouth, with the occasional dribble of drool trickling down my neck; my half of the tin of tuna apparently proving irresistible.
Okay, I couldn’t resist checking messages when I took the plate to the kitchen… answered a couple… then resumed my evening of indulgence. In a spirit of decadent excess, when the film had finished, I watched another.
Oddly enough, my mind was buzzing with ideas… none inspired by the films which were deliberately lightweight. Okay, children’s films, let’s be honest here. A quick catch up on the emails, then I took a book to bed and managed half a page before I was asleep.
The computer, sulking perhaps for my desertion and lack of attention, refused to start this morning at five when I gave up and got up. Since then getting into my email account has been hit and miss, attended by a series of error messages. I left it to sort itself out while I walked a black dog in the darkness, then back to get ready for work.
Do I feel less tired today? No. I have a fair bit of catching up to do too. Do I care? No. I may even do it again… Sometimes you just need to take time out and few things beat snuggling up with an ecstatic small dog.
Sue Vincent's Daily Echo 
Glad you took some time for yourself! Sounds relaxing and wonderful.
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Managed not to feel guilty about it too 🙂
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Ani is wise in the ways of the snooze 🙂
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A past -master, Richard 🙂
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something must be going on, every one seems to be taking time out! Personally, I think a little bit of ‘me’ time is valuable, in as much as you get the chance to let your mind think all by itself. And its surprising what it comes up with, too…
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I take time out for meditation every day… and just thinking time.. makes a huge difference. This was extra 🙂
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Loved this – and your dog is so gorgeous! A great reminder of the importance of listening to that kind of tiredness – and we can only enjoy doing nothing, when we so often do everything…then there’s really nothing like doing nothing:-) Blessings on the care free catching up. Hugs, H xxx
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You do need that time to just stop and let the world slide for a while sometimes. 🙂 xxx
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yes, it is certainly the most important task on our agenda at times – letting ourselves relax and do nothing )
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It seemed a good idea at the time 🙂
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Hanging out exclusively with your dog is the ultimate best use of your time.
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I’m inclined to agree, Denis 🙂
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I feel like saying congrats on having a day of nothing. Those seem to be incredibly rare for people.
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I agree… we seem to fill every waking minute… then wonder why we’re tired!
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Love that snuggle pic. 🙂 Happy dog. Happy human. Both content.
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She’ll do pretty much anything for a cuddle… We have a lot in common 😉
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Without downtime once in a while, you wouldn’t keep up… with keeping up. Glad you rested. 🙂
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I may just do it again this evening too 🙂
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G,o,o,d, for you. 🙂
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Due to a new medication which effects were not described to me, over this last weekend, I have lslipped into slumber, many times. I have felt depressed ( not normally me), cried over something stupid, had a stressful phone call, then went to visit rellies. Much better with rellies. However, it carried on through Sunday and it was not until Monday evening that my daughter mentioned the aforesaid medication, for a Trapped nerve in my neck!
A light bulb sprang into full illumination.! Next day, I rang my pharmacist who agreed that those symptoms were indicative of that medication, designed to relax the muscles, differently in people. I took just half of one tablet that night and slept from midnight to 4.50 a.m., more than usual in one go. So you see, I involuntarily took some time off myself over around 4 days. Good for you. Take a break, a good break when you feel the need.
Evelyn
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Some of the side effects are so insidious you don’t even realise the medications are to blame. I’m glad you have been able to adjust them to be more helpful, Evelyn!
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Ani has the right idea! What a snuggler! Tell her her friend Elijah doesn’t snuggle often, not a lap cat, but will be front and center in the lap if he gets stuck outside for more than an hour. And he drools, too.
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Ani says I have to apologise and tell you she doesn’t drool… she objects to the term severely. And unlike Elijah she would love to be outside all day… unless there is tuna… or cheese… 😉
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Who knew that watching two movies constitutes the “spirit of decadent excess”? Sounds like you are smart to listen to your body (and your incredibly adorable dog!) and give yourself some down time. You’ve certainly earned it!
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It’s weeks since I sat and watched a film… I don’t have TV, it seemed pointless when I never watch anything! I may do it again though… I probably ought to re-watch all the Tolkein films before the new one comes out 🙂
And Ani is always good for a cuddle 🙂
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We don’t have TV either—to the annual holiday consternation of my visiting kids, who moan about delayed viewings of the Doctor’s Christmas Special…
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I have a while yet before the grandkids complain, I think 🙂
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a beautiful indulgence of love and serenity and a caress for each of the senses. What could be better for the soul?
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I can’t think of many things, Joss 🙂
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Yes, definitely, sometimes we just need to take time out – that’s something to hold very hard onto! Adrian
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Agreed… I shall do it some more too 🙂
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Sue, I’m beginning to feel like a complete lay-about after reading this post. I’ve no qualms whatever about having siestas. Maybe it comes from my mother who had a siesta every day of her long life and made no apology whatsoever for it ~ why should she?
Hope you make a habit of it!
jxx
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I’d make no apology either, jean, if I could bring myself to switch off long enough! 🙂
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Oh, you’ll get used to it ~ practice makes perfect and all that!! I should know.
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I’ll work on it diligently 🙂
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Good woman!
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🙂
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Its all these 5am starts… no wonder you’re worn out!
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Not a lot of choice on that one !
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I so understand this. Willie, Chewie, and Gabby love it when it is just us four, um five counting the turtle, and I knit with an old movie on. There are legs and heads everywhere and they have the most perfect naps. It is so relaxing, and so needed, even though I don’t do it as much as I should for my health and for the dogs. Glad you did. Keep it up – everything will come out in the wash, as my Mommy used to say.
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Yes, there is something very healing in those tangles of love.
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I love this and for good measure I’ve spent these deliciously, decadent, days doing nothing in my *gasp* pyjamas. 😉
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I can do that 🙂 Give me half a chance 🙂
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Yes way to go Sue, thats the best part of a do nothing day. 😃
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Unless I’m away, I don’t tend to get a whole day at it, being a carer.
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I’m a SAHM work from home Mom so I sneak those pj days in as much as I can. 😉
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Good for you! I managed one recently… mind you, it was a day of working too… but very lazily 🙂
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I think I write better in my pj’s. Good for you, I enjoy learning about what a writers process is all about. 😊
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The dressing gown is my garment of prediliction 🙂
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Ah yes dressing gowns have creative powers as well. 😊
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Dressing gowns are magical robes in disguise 🙂
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So true, I must invest in one. I haven’t wore one since I was a little girl.
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Biggest, fluffiest thing you can find… works wonders 😉
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Beautiful 💗
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So glad to hear that you are human like the rest of us – lol! You are so go-go-go and produce heaps of work, it seems a miracle what you get done. I’m glad you gave in the urge and got a few winks. Your body is telling you what it needs, good of you to heed it!
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Believe me, I can laze with the best of them given half a chance, Eliza.
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Good for you Sue, it’s great to take step back and just do nothing, snuggling up to the dog is super comforting 😀
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Ah, she’s lovely to cuddle, James 🙂
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