White Point Beach Resort | An Autumn Cottage Weekend

*as I post this, I recognize our province could announce a second lockdown at any moment. That being said, there are skills and a renewing of the mind that has occured, that even if that has to happen, we are better equipped to handle what it means to create a rhythm inside the home.

March 2020 was a month none of us will forget.

For some, the worldwide pandemic was already at their door. For us in Nova Scotia, it was March when the reality provincial state of emergency was announced.

We changed everything in our lives in a matter of 24 hours.

A bit like being in a snow globe and having everything you knew being shaken and tipped upside down and then right side up again to only wonder how everything will fall into a new place. Or if it ever will stop spinning?

That has left some effects on us.

In our coming and going, we are still living in a state of unknown, of work and life colliding in the home and of many things being delayed or put off indefinitely.

This Autumn, one of my goals was to find some semblance of ‘weekdays’ and ‘weekends’ again.

Having a daughter go to grade primary was a marker for us as a family, and despite the pandemic, it has renewed many things in our lives. We hope she can remain in school l her whole primary year, but we embrace it for what it is for now.

Week Days

Morning routines are back. An alarm goes off, and it isn’t helpful to ignore it in the least.

Work hours are evident in some respects.

The school hours mean we are bound to drop-offs and pickups.

Weekends

time for the home DIY projects

the seasonal activities ‘pumpkin carving, fall walks’ etc.

Errands and household logistics.

Scheduling an event that is safe and within guidelines that provides an exhale.

Life still has been shaken like a snow globe.

Stores don’t open until 11 am.

Extra circular activities are limited and harder to get into

parties, celebrations and events are generally prohibited unless adequately managed.

Planning ahead is difficult.

Yet, somehow we are starting to feel our weekdays and weekends again. I hesitate to say it, but there it is.

We are finding our way back to a right-side-up world, even if the right side to us now was upside down to us before.

We adapt and start realizing the world will always keep spinning, but we can remain standing still amidst it all.

When you grow up in a coastal city, the ocean becomes like the blood in your veins.  It is always there, like a heart beat.

Everything collapses on itself in the ocean.  Everything is stirred, pulled, mixed and churned. 

Everything is washed over.

We go to the ocean to be made new in some way.  

We are taking advantage of as many Beach Days as we can.  It doesn't take much.  Swimsuits, sunscreen, a few sand toys, towels, sandwiches, water, books & a healthy dose of a playful spirit.

It's no secret that I love seasons.  That idea of a season changing and bringing something new.  I love seeing what three months can bring and finding ways in which to celebrate them.

TO CELEBRATE:

We had a few friends in, ate a skillet of S'mores, BBQ sausages and other snacks.  We caught up, shared laughs and walked down to the water to light some sparklers.  It was simple really but in life, it's the simple things that count. 

Celebrating summer is more than just a reason to have a party, it's a reason to reflect and look forward on what is to come.

Here's to you Summer and every little lesson you gave me.

Enjoying the Public Gardens in Halifax N.S. - Captured by Nicole Payzant 

Creating a balanced weekend has become my little piece of heaven in what can be stressful or busy seasons.  The more busy I am, the more protective I am about how I spend my weekends.  Down time is essential to pour out during the weeks into our jobs, our families, our friends and our passions.

Five strong elements to a successful weekend lifestyle.

1.  Plan for the week to come.  

I do this to stay sane and I preferably do most of it Friday night.  It can be as simple or as complex as it needs to be.  My personal week prep is somewhere in the middle.  Figuring out the next weeks wants, needs, and musts as soon as possible leaves me free to enjoy my time over the weekend.  

2. Quiet time.

Reading, napping, journaling.  A bath.  Anything quiet.

3. Quality time with family.

This can be complex for us, as we have a fair amount of family members who want to see our toddler on a regular basis.  We do our best and try to share the time.  The most complicated is during a holiday weekend or weekend of birthdays.  For some reason our families all have birthdays in pairs.  Our fathers share the same birthday week, Our mothers the same birthday month only a week after mothers day, both close cousins share the same birthday week, grandparents etc.  It means that outside of the typical holiday weekends we spend 4 other weekends trying to split our time.  Sometimes this means we don't see them on their birthdays because we have our own personal commitments.  This is just how it is sometimes.  Quality weekend visits are better than rushed ones.

4. A Seasonal Activity 

Recently it has been the beach, and we recently went to the public gardens after our Saturday  morning farmers market run.  Other times its winter walks, skating, etc.  Find a seasonal activity you love and incorporate it.  Fresh air is always best.

5. Enjoy your person.

When you live with someone, especially when you live together with children it can be easy to let the busy week mean that you don't get that time to see each other outside of "Wow, that was a rough day."  Generally speaking I mostly ache for those Saturday nights in, sipping wine and taking a bite out of food Jeremy made for us while we watch our favourite shows and talk in-between.  It's our most bonding time and we often end up falling into some sort of laughter or revelation after our Saturday nights together.

A typical weekend for us

Friday Night : Prep for the week to come.
Saturday: Farmers market / chore morning, Quiet time, Seasonal activity, Quality time alone together.
Sunday:  Church, Quiet time, Family time, Detox night / Dancing (blues dance).