I’m someone who can grab a quick nap, often waking up feeling refreshed–or at least more noticeably awake than I was before the nap. This can be problematic if I fall asleep on the couch just before bedtime and wake up with too much energy, messing with a decent night of sleep; however, a power nap earlier in the day can definitely be a positive for me. This winter has been quite the slugfest in my world and I desperately needed a break. While teaching in New Orleans, I had a week off for Mardi Gras and then another one 6 weeks later for Spring Break each year; during my first 8 years teaching with Chicago Public Schools, we had 3 or 4 more days off than we do now during the winter; and when I taught on Antigua, we had two weeks off for Easter vacation–I have experience with more time off in the spring to help snap myself out of the winter doldrums and I miss the time. However, instead of allowing the fact that our break was only a week to bum me out, I decided that in the same mind set as a power nap, I would look at this spring break as a power trip.

And a full, whirlwind, refreshing type of vacation was what I had.

My vacation included a flight to Punta Gorda on Palm Sunday.

There was some time at the pool and a trip to the beach.

I was able to eat yummy food and have special time with my parents.

We took a boat ride out to the private Palm Island’s Rum Bay for a dinner at Harpoon Harry’s, which is open to the public.

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I was able to help my ‘snowbird’ parents pack up their minivan, close up their winter digs (grabbing a quick visit to the super crowded pool), and drive back to Michigan.

The drive North on I-75 included an overnight stop just south of Atlanta and a two-night visit near Knoxville, with our dear family friends, the Sinners.

There was plenty of beautiful scenery along the way.

And, we even arrived in Michigan on Saturday evening with time to unpack and have an early Easter dinner with my sister and her family.

Amtrak brought me back to Chicago (safe and sound with everyone wearing masks) on Easter Sunday, as ready as I was going to be for a non-normal week of kicking off our 4th quarter; city-wide PSAT testing (our second round of PSAT testing this school year) for our freshmen and sophomores; a restorative justice training; parent teacher conferences; a post observation conference; finalizing our income taxes; caring for a sick husband; and applying to a new position of interest. Not quite the easygoing week I had hoped for; however, thanks to my ‘power trip’ of a vacation, I was able to roll with the topsy-turvyness of it all.

Glad that I captured some video of the quick trip to the beach. Enjoy.