Optimistic October: Keep Your Zen (Center Parcs: Part 3)
On the Thursday morning, we had a spa session; it was good fun. Coming out of a spa feeling refreshed is always a good feeling. When waiting for the family, another man came over and said "can I sit here?", and took the seat next to me.
I'd have probably started up a conversation, except that I'd been distracted by my apps, and he promptly began to stare at his phone. I think I might have seen him in the changing room also looking at his phone and exchanged a few words with him. I'd have tried to start a short conversation, but was in such a good mood from the spa, that my brain told me:
It felt almost like we'd bonded just by sitting there waiting for others; I didn't want to make things weird, to see whether he'd want to chat or just move away from me, so I let things slide. When my party arrived a minute or so later, I said bye and that I hoped he enjoyed his day, and he said thanks.
With some people I know, just them sitting with me would feel like a breakthrough in our friendship, even if we didn't say much to each other. Some people are just like that.
I spent the last few days of the holiday trying to be a realistic optimist, focusing on what could go right rather than my ideals of what should happen. I found it good to remember that if things aren't going well, they can change for the better. Just because my luck has felt miserable in the past, it doesn't mean that when I feel like I'm on a "winning streak", I'm not necessarily just moments away from disaster.
We went in some of the shops, before walking to the mini golf course, just to get another game in. As we passed the pool, we saw that the new flume was still closed. A man who worked at the park appeared above the surface of the water in the outdoor pool, with all his clothes on, and I realised that he was collecting up autumn leaves that had fallen into the water. We spoke to each other briefly; always nice when the people who work there like to engage with the public (so many places where you seem to see the staff walk past you, avoiding eye contact).
I didn't do too well on the Mini Golf; too many screw ups as I tried to make my final putt into the hole, but I forgot about that quickly, and we had a last walk around the park before ordering a takeaway back at our lodge.
The next morning, my sister and I went out early to get the car, and set off after we packed away. We had a nice stopover and a walk on the way back. I got into a conversation with a guy, which as usual started with a discussion of the bad weather, and we discussed how far we had to go to get home.
I managed to take a wrong turn, making the walk longer than it needed to be, but at least we managed to spot this herd of deer.
Here's my entry for the photo_scavenger "four" prompt.
I bought lunch, and bought coffees at our first stop on the way back; then, we stopped at McDonalds for dinner.
It was overall a nice holiday, and I was glad to have managed to go on it, even though our planned trip to Vegas had to be cancelled. I also completed the Strava parkrun and Shokz Birthday run/walk challenge (goal: run or walk 5km).
I'd have probably started up a conversation, except that I'd been distracted by my apps, and he promptly began to stare at his phone. I think I might have seen him in the changing room also looking at his phone and exchanged a few words with him. I'd have tried to start a short conversation, but was in such a good mood from the spa, that my brain told me:
It felt almost like we'd bonded just by sitting there waiting for others; I didn't want to make things weird, to see whether he'd want to chat or just move away from me, so I let things slide. When my party arrived a minute or so later, I said bye and that I hoped he enjoyed his day, and he said thanks.
With some people I know, just them sitting with me would feel like a breakthrough in our friendship, even if we didn't say much to each other. Some people are just like that.
I spent the last few days of the holiday trying to be a realistic optimist, focusing on what could go right rather than my ideals of what should happen. I found it good to remember that if things aren't going well, they can change for the better. Just because my luck has felt miserable in the past, it doesn't mean that when I feel like I'm on a "winning streak", I'm not necessarily just moments away from disaster.
We went in some of the shops, before walking to the mini golf course, just to get another game in. As we passed the pool, we saw that the new flume was still closed. A man who worked at the park appeared above the surface of the water in the outdoor pool, with all his clothes on, and I realised that he was collecting up autumn leaves that had fallen into the water. We spoke to each other briefly; always nice when the people who work there like to engage with the public (so many places where you seem to see the staff walk past you, avoiding eye contact).
I didn't do too well on the Mini Golf; too many screw ups as I tried to make my final putt into the hole, but I forgot about that quickly, and we had a last walk around the park before ordering a takeaway back at our lodge.
The next morning, my sister and I went out early to get the car, and set off after we packed away. We had a nice stopover and a walk on the way back. I got into a conversation with a guy, which as usual started with a discussion of the bad weather, and we discussed how far we had to go to get home.
I managed to take a wrong turn, making the walk longer than it needed to be, but at least we managed to spot this herd of deer.
Here's my entry for the photo_scavenger "four" prompt.
I bought lunch, and bought coffees at our first stop on the way back; then, we stopped at McDonalds for dinner.
It was overall a nice holiday, and I was glad to have managed to go on it, even though our planned trip to Vegas had to be cancelled. I also completed the Strava parkrun and Shokz Birthday run/walk challenge (goal: run or walk 5km).