Week off with the kids, vacation time, stripped down, shifting mindset and schedule to them, focused on them, us.

This particular post a good example. Three in the morning, awake, listening to the sounds of the night, listening to the kids sleep.

What’s the big deal? Not so big maybe; maybe just different. In a tent in the back yard; all of us together. Had visions of a bigger adventure; scaled back to stay closer to home, for the old dogs’ sake. Still lots of fun in store. Local adventures; some news places; some old places; all good places. Focused on them, focused on us.

Spent a little chunk of change for a bigger tent and new sleeping bags, upgrades for the crew this season. All these an investment in many of these strings of adventures to come in the years ahead. Focused on them, focused on us.

A year ago marriage was failed, the beginning of the end; now, the end nearly concluded, this is what’s left; unexpected, family camaraderie, us four, me and the kids, quite unexpected, this is what’s left. Pretty special all the same; three in the morning, lying in the tent, dim light from the night creeping in, soft sounds of three little kids in slumber, not one lover, but my three little kids from a try at love, now left with this particular love, love them so, I do.

And so this alternate vacation, alt vacay, just what the doctor ordered, for us, for them. Us together, on the roads, highways and by-ways, exploring, and tent time, alt arrangements, together, most important, together.

It’s that alt vacay attitude, shining through.