Playing 1979

"Dolce Far Niente"

Or the "Sweetness of Doing Nothing" is a very easy concept for most societies in this world except for ours.

I had to check myself yesterday as I was planning the summer itinerary for myself and my girls.  I almost hit the Checkout Button on all of these wonderful programs that they have in Telluride for kids in the summer.  Paddle Board camp, mountain biking, art, hiking, camping trips, rafting trips, horse trips, swim team, tennis lessons, run with the wolves, etc....  You name it and they have it here. Plus, that's on top of all the amazing festivals lined up and free concerts in the park.  The summers in Telluride are the cherry on top of the year.

But, there was something that made me not follow thru with signing them up for all of these wonderful things.  Well, first selfishly, I don't want to be running kids here and there all summer long. And most importantly, I don't want to over program their summer where there's just no time before school starts back up again.

I don't know how you spent your summers as a kid but I lived on a farm that was 20 miles from town.  I was bored A LOT.  Don't get me wrong!  We had amazing summer vacations, and I always had my horse at home.  But, I also remember sitting around hot as hell in the humid Georgia heat being BORED.  My girlfriend from home asked me once if I played 1979 with my kids.  I told her that I didn't know that game.  She said it's when you lock your kids outside and make them play.  I laughed so hard and said I played that game all the time when I was a kid.  My mom would say "If you don't get off this porch and go play then you're going to have to go pick up rocks in the pastures!"

Playing 1979 to me was 

playing indians in the woods, going fishing, riding my horse, building forts, doing yard work, making ice cream, having picnics, cutting grass, laying in the sun, picking flowers, drinking from a water hose, catching fireflies and crickets, watching the fillies and colts play in the thunderstorms, dancing in the warm rain, wearing your bathing suit all day long for days, playing in the sprinkler, slip n slides, bickering with and annoying my sister and brother, sleeping under the stars, picking apples on my horses back, cleaning out barn stalls, barn kittens, hauling hay, swimming pools, boating, intertubing, reading, making mud pies, riding in the back of my dad's pick up truck, and spending all day outside with no one able to reach us until we came home for dinner.

I decided that my girls needed more time of being bored and playing 1979.  Heck, I need more 1979 in my life too.  I decided that instead of doing all these camps and organized activities that I should just hire a babysitter at home more this summer while I work so they can learn "dolce far niente". My Bucket list this summer is more time with friends and family and less time of being overly occupied.  I hope you and yours a summer filled with summer fun and maybe a little more time of being bored.