Winter Break Captain's Log

Photo by Fedor on Unsplash

Captain’s log, day 293843.

We set sail on our adventure what feels like a lifetime ago. Our vessel experienced a smooth departure from school and structured activities, just days before Christmas. Cookie decorating, Polar Express riding, gift exchanging, and extended family gathering made the first week fly by. Before we knew it, Christmas Day had arrived and I thought to myself, One week down, one to go, this isn’t so bad. It was then I sensed the waves pick up, almost imperceptibly. Regardless, I continued full steam ahead.

The next day was spent in blissful disarray—pajamas worn in perpetuity, toys strewn about the living room, meals cobbled together with any available leftovers. Staying in the house all day is actually kind of nice, I mused, but I could sense strong winds brewing in the distance. I began to furl the sails in anticipation, looking ahead to our next checkpoint.

The day after, cabin fever set in just as the storm began to rage. More than a week later and it has yet to let up. Ramping up and subsequently coming down from Christmas and then doing it all over for New Years a week later, not to mention the total lack of structure for the past three weeks, has sent our crew into total mayhem. We thought an excursion to a friend’s kid friendly New Year’s Eve party would lift the spirits and while it did momentarily, we continue to remain adrift.

My first mate has been wrapping up his final two weeks with the company he has spent over seven years working for. Some days he works from home, some days he goes to his office, and thanks to midweek holidays, some days he doesn’t work at all—further adding to our lack of schedule. The apprentice has all but forgotten most of the gifts she received for Christmas, save for her scooter. I, on the other hand, will surely perish if forced to reenact Frozen one more time. The ability to meal plan and cook has vacated my mind.

To boost morale, we took a walk around the block with the whole crew, only to listen to moans and groans the entire time, despite the beloved scooter accompanying our voyage and the promise of roasted marshmallows upon our return. Mission aborted after 15 minutes. Marshmallows were still roasted, but melted chocolate ended up all over my carpet. The silver lining was how delicious they were, though.

Another voyage was attempted, this time a walk on a nearby nature trail. The apprentice very much enjoyed the change of scenery. However, the captain’s back protested and forced them to dock after only an hour—a disappointment to all.

While I have enjoyed a strict dress code of pajama pants and a robe for the better part of a week, as well as sweet moments like the three of us piled into bed introducing the apprentice to White Christmas and sleeping in past 8:00 am, I believe it’s time for a course correction. Taking down our Christmas decorations today will be my first step towards righting our path. I may even don a pair of jeans tonight.

We may only have four more days until we dock and reenter society, but I fear we will capsize if we don’t force the apprentice to walk the plank to her grandparents’ house tonight. We’ve decided the move is in everyone’s best interest. She departs first thing this morning.

I am hopeful these changes will get us back on our intended path and we can experience smooth sailing from here on out. If not, another crew member may be forced overboard and that crew member may very well be me.