Spare time is something I used to have lots of, but never made the most of, mostly because I was depressed to go out, or just couldn’t summon up the energy or enthusiasm. Now, it’s a very different situation, I’m pleased to say. In fact, I barely have a minute to spare … I fly from one task, activity, meeting or outing like a demented wasp! It’s a good thing George (my wheelchair) travels at 8mph (not sure what that is in km), or I’d never get to all these appointments and arrangements.
I’m very fortunate in that, although I live in a town, there is a lot of countryside around me, especially where I am near the river. There’s a footpath and cycle track that follow the river’s route into town. It’s a lovely drive, albeit I’m driving fast and concentrating so hard so that I don’t cross paths with an irate cyclist, or a wandering pedestrian come to that. This fast-paced drive allows me to get everywhere I need to be on time. One thing I hate is being late.
However, I’ve realised of late, that I keep myself so busy that I rarely make time to relax or to chill out with my friends. So, today, having made an arrangement yesterday, I spent the best part of the day with a new but close friend. We just sat in a lovely restaurant for hours and hours. We had a coffee earlier on in the morning, and then sat and had a delicious lunch, beautifully cooked and presented. My friend drank wine and I, being a non-drinker, had an amazing strawberry, elderflower and mint cocktail, all followed by more coffee. We talked and talked, we shared secrets, stories of our lives, current times and our early years, sometimes accompanied by a few tears, but always followed by peals of laughter and giggles. We told each other about past relationships, some great and some disastrous. We took photos and sent them to each other, and generally got very silly, but not embarrassingly so, thankfully.
Eventually, we parted company at 4.30pm, having paid rather a large bill, and a generous tip because the waitress was brilliant and the food first-class. We just had the most wonderful day. I came home feeling all happy, relaxed and loved. Today really made me realise the value of making time for the truly enjoyable occasions. It’s just as important to make time to relax, chill and enjoy myself as it is to rush around to all those appointments and events that tend to fill the calendar. We’ll definitely be doing it all again soon.
My delicious cocktail.
[Top image courtesy of Stock-clip.com]
Essentially Ellie 
That absolutely sounds like a result!
Thanks, Mick. We had an amazing day. I can’t wait to do it all again 🙂
Excellent. It does sound as though you are in a much more positive frame of mind now, Ellie.
Good for you for taking the time to relax with a friend! That is time well spent, no matter how busy we happen to be.
Thanks, Ann. We had a wonderful day! I didn’t realise how much I crammed into my days and weeks until I actually stopped and chilled out with my friend. It did me a power of good. I think I’m just about getting the hang of balancing this ‘too much work and not enough play’ thing! I’m actually feeling really positive about my life at the moment – long may it last! x 🙂
This sounds awesome to me. It’s a model for what I should be shooting for. Although I doubt I’m interesting enough to spend hours with. I truly have no idea how to find like minded people. I could use some lessons. My son asked me what British people call lollypops. Hope you can help.
I’m sure you’re just as interesting as everyone else is, Jeff, and I hope the people in your life and your friends appreciate you for who you are. I don’t have many friends, just a few close ones. I prefer to have a few good friends than lots of acquaintances. It’s important to have like-minded people around me as I find it makes for closer and healthier relationships. It hasn’t always been that way, far from it.
When I wrote this post back in 2018 (where does the time go), I kept myself very busy studying and meeting friends for coffee or lunch. However, since the first lockdown in the UK, I hardly went out at all, and if anything, now, I still don’t get out much and have a lot of spare time on my hands, and I’m quite liking it. I can spend more time writing, still studying but much more low key now and perhaps, meeting up with a friend once a week. I’m still quite happy with my lot, though. Ellie
Oh, yes … lollypops. British people call them lollipops which I believe is the same as in America – a boiled sweet on the end of a stick. Or do your lollypops refer to something different? I don’t know if that’s helped at all.