This year I really, truly had a summer vacation. The old fashioned, family kind thanks to a fortunate confluence of events.
First, a friend offered me a cat-sitting job at her lovely home with a back balcony overlooking the Russian River in Healdsburg, Sonoma County, CA. I took that job, asked my friend if I could invite the cousins who always host me in Florida and she said yes. They took me up on that invitation and voila, a vacation was born!
Eric, Jennie, Katie, and Julia came for 4 out of the 10 days I was there, so I focused on doing the work I planned to do in my lovely hide-a-way prior to their arrival and gave myself the 4 days of family vacation immersion with the least amount of guilt I’ll ever allow myself to have.
Among our activities were going to the Charles M. Schulz museum, which I didn’t know about but was excited for as I’ve always been a big Peanuts fan.
We met Eric’s friend from college and played Bocci ball at a winery. We ate Wicked Slush. Twice. We wandered the town. We canoed in the Russian River. And we saw Yesterday. 
It was mellow, it was fun, interesting conversations all around, and a good feeling being around people – despite my isolationist tendencies. Especially important to the vibe was the fact that we were not on their turf or mine. All we could do was explore and create each day’s adventures together!
Family = joy,