My Day OFF

I had a day off today. Accent on the word: OFF

In my mind a day off means exactly that. A day off. Off from work, off from responsibilities, appointments, demands. It also means a day off from fun, if I choose it to be that way.

On my day off I put the alarm clock under the bed and wake up when my body decides to awaken. If I decide to stay in my pajamas until 1:00 PM, and eat M&M’s and coffee for breakfast, no one is going to stop me. The idea of lunch might not occur to me at all because I’ve been picking on cookies and fruit all day.

I won’t make the bed, clean the bathroom or straighten up the kitchen all day. It’s my day off. I will take in the mail, but I won’t open any bills.

I don’t want to feel like I have to justify a day off or do something on my day off to make the off-time worthwhile. Why should I? Haven’t I been busy enough all week? Don’t I deserve to just do nothing on a day off?

So why, then, do I stutter like a guilty child when my husband calls in the middle of the day and asks, “So, what are you doing on your day off?” I draw a blank, I falter and pause and try to think up something –anything - that I’ve done in the past three hours that might justify my free time.

“I did some laundry and got an idea for my blog,” I say, hoping that those are adequate activities to justify the past six hours.

“It’s beautiful out today,” he answers. “Haven't you been out yet? You should go out somewhere today. Why don’t you take your mother to the beach and walk along the boardwalk, or pack a lunch and go to the park?”

I want to tell him to butt out of my day off. Don’t be planning things for me to do. Damn the sunshine. Why couldn’t it be raining today? Do I have to feel guilty here because it is such a beautiful day and I’m still in my pajamas (I didn't tell him that) and I’ve wasted the entire morning and half the afternoon sitting in front of my laptop watching the new Mac iPad demos and seeing what’s new for Spring at Talbot’s online?

“I don’t know if I’ll be going out today; I’ve got a lot of things on the agenda,” I lie.

“Oh, too bad,” he says. “Well, try and relax a little. After all, it is your day off.”