If I were at home today…

Today is a holiday for most people in the province of Quebec – la Fete Nationale (aka St-Jean Baptiste Day) – however, it’s a holiday that I personally have never observed, and coincidentally, the company I work for doesn’t either, even though we are based out of Quebec. We collectively agree to work it, and instead take the long weekend in August that Ontario takes. Ordinarily, I don’t mind this at all – I’d rather have my summer long weekends spread out rather than two back-to-back (next week we’ll get Canada Day off). But today is a rainy, gloomy day, the phones are quiet because most of our Quebec clients are off, and all I keep thinking of is how I wish I were at home.

Normally a summer holiday like this is perfect for a beach day, swimming, suntanning, drinking, BBQ’ing or a picnic… for anyone looking forward to that kind of a day, they might be disappointed. However, I quite enjoy the occasional rainy day.

If I were at home right now, I could be…

… getting my workout done so I don’t have to do it later on!

… hanging out at my mom’s, because my niece and nephew are staying with her today. I imagine I could come in handy keeping them entertained on a day when they may very well be driving her a bit crazy! Haha!

… curled up on the couch with a second mug of coffee (Hazlenut-flavoured today, I think), and getting lost in the pages of Orange is the New Black: A Memoir by Piper Kerman.

… sifting through my DVD collection, trying to find an old favourite that I haven’t watched in a while. It kind of feels like a Dirty Dancing or Pretty Woman kind of day, doesn’t it?

… or perhaps forgo my own DVD collection, and take a quick trip down to the store to rent one I haven’t seen yet. American Hustle, perhaps? Or maybe finally see that last Paranormal Activity flick that supposedly has the good twist ending? Kind of perfect for that kind of movie – dark gloomy weather, yet still “daylight” – I’d be good to go by bedtime tonight!

… in between movies, I could be flicking through the many shows I have PVR’d – maybe go back to some of those Criminal Minds marathon episodes I never finished during the winter.

… or switching it to Teletoon Retro!  One of my FAVOURITE things to do on a gloomy day is watch cartoons from my youth.  Garfield, Inspector Gadget, the Flintstones, the Jetsons, the Smurfs, Scooby Doo…

… washing my bed sheets. It’s a job that really should get done someday soon…

… going through my old clothes and deciding what to do with them (if I got ambitious). I have literally piles of clothing that I just don’t know what to do with – try to sell? Give away? Some of it is practically brand new, and in great shape. I could be sorting, washing, and figuring out what to do with all of it – because I don’t intend on needing those clothes ever again!

… thumbing through my recipe collection and choosing a perfect “rainy day recipe” to make. Right now, I’m thinking of the Creamy Roasted Red Pepper soup recipe I printed off a few weeks ago that sounds a lot like the soup I fell in love with at Relay for Life. Mmmm… I’m dying to make it, but it just hasn’t been soup-making weather lately. Today would be perfect, though!

…or baking.  Oh, how I long to bake!  I have some over-ripe bananas lying on my counter, just dyyyying to be made into Banana Nut Scones.  Unfortunately, due to the Six Week Plan, I don’t think I’d be able to do that anyways…

…brewing a cup of tea. I have all of these tea leaves that I bought at a Steeped Tea party a long time ago, and I rarely take the time to brew a good cup. Honestly, I keep forgetting about them. But today just feels like a tea day, right?

… finishing Dexter. I have one episode left. The second-last episode, which I watched last night, left on such a cliff-hanger that I’m dying to find out how it all ends. Oh yes, if I were at home right now, I’d definitely be with Dexter.

… hanging out in my bedroom (the only place in my house that has a VCR) and watching The Beach Boys movie I recorded years ago. Ever since I mentioned Dennis Wilson last week, I’ve been wanting to watch it again!

… dancing around in my kitchen while I make that soup, blasting my Beach Boys greatest hits CD… it might not be beach weather outside, but that music can brighten up any day!!

What would you be doing if you were at home today?

Or if you ARE at home today, how are you taking advantage of the day off?