Monday, August 4, 2008

The Importance of Having Fun

I am on vacation and out of the office until 12 August with my husband, who is a writer and English teacher. He is attending the Thomas Hardy Conference in Dorchester, Dorset, England, and I came along. Dorchester is a lovely little town with a 2000 year history, founded as “Durnovaria” by the invading Roman legions.

I find vacations, breaks, and holidays vital to my mental health. Anticipating a holiday gives us the extra stamina we need to stick with our daily schedule--in fact, the anticipation can be as enjoyable as the actual holiday. And vacations don’t need to be huge, complicated affairs (like a trip to England). Planning little breaks on a daily and weekly basis refreshes mind and body.

Here are some photos of our trip so far: the Saturday market in Dorchester,
Moreton village (where T.E. Lawrence is buried), a little island in the River Frome, and the English seaside at Weymouth.