Fellow blogger, Des, at Halfbanked, reminded us all that we are at mid year 2016.

All my sweaters are still at the ready (because of Houston AC).

She asked about money resolutions and it got me thinking:

“what if you’ve reached them? What’s next?”

Oh sure, I still have regular and both-of-us-retired budgets to do and legacy things to finesse, but what was one of my resolutions?

To play more.

I think I had a doctor write it on a prescription once to a stressed-out 19 year old going on 35: Rx:”Play.”

Gone are the days of having to prove myself, slave over books and the latest office jargon.

What does it mean to play?

I have fond memories of summer before working: waking up to the smell of freshly-cut grass and toast with homemade strawberry jam.

The coolness of dewy grass and concrete in the morning. The laze and haze of the late afternoon when bloated bugs wobbled in the languid air.

One of my favorites is playing in a pool.

Last week, I tried the respectable grown-up approach: coffee in hand, large brimmed hat, floating chair. I mini-napped a bit, wary of someone stealing my phone. In China, there is no goofing about in the pool. One is given a cap and expected to stay in the proper lane. I worried that I would be called out in Mandarin “You there! That’s NOT the way!”

Last week, my inner 6 year old came out and started just playing in the pool, doing silly handstands, pretending I was Flipper. The water felt so great and I could rest in the shade if I wanted. I recall that making a kind of towel bed on the patio was fun as a kid. Being all wet, warm, and sleepy made for great poolside naps.

I got some diving rings to fetch for next week with goggles and I’ve asked Des to shoot me a “pestering” email to remind me to play.

I will:

*forget the laundry

*leave the dishes for later

*choose only 1 day for chores

*play