Memorial Day Weekend 2016 Recap: Work Hard - Play Hard (Enough)

After a long holiday weekend, I get back on the train to the city + feel completely defeated. With some dismay, I look at my lofty, preweekend written "to-do" list, and quickly remember all the things I'd dreamt of completing. Can you relate?

In college, my roommate Colleen and I used to call this, "night talk" as the next, fresh, new day always held so much possibility for hitting the gym, getting to the library, or actually doing laundry. When in reality, getting out of bed before 11:00am in college was the true success story.

Now weekends, especially holiday weekends, possess a Content-centric, major project pressure.

But without any major project currently underway, it's easy to forget about all the smaller projects that undoubtedly take time, money and lots of energy.

So, instead of immediately beating myself (John included, #sorryjohnachilli) I'm taking a step back to acknowledge a few things we DID accomplish this weekend.

Oh, and we don't have children (people are good at asking when we'll be off-springing), but we're enjoying our child-free life right now. Working hard, and playing hard (enough for 30 something). Here's this weekend's mashup!

Friday

John: Attended the prom (as a chaperone) for the third, consecutive year. Voted on and invited by the senior class, he considered it an honor and attends with pride. He loves his students! Out until 1:30am continuing the festivities with the other, "chosen" teachers.

Courtney: Escaped the city early, made the most of the beautiful weather, enjoying the company of friends at a backyard happy hour, and then borrowed a bike to hit up the Tiki Bar. Ate lots of cheese and hummus, drank wine, laughed (a lot), rode bike home and teased John he had to be up in 4 hours.

Saturday

John: Up at 4:30am to go fishing with a family friend. Home about 1pm. Sunburned. Quick tour of Content. Off to continue working on friends outdoor shower install. Back home about 5.

Courtney: Rode borrowed bike back to its owner. Went to 10am yoga. Removed everything from front porch, in preparation for sanding. Waited around until 1pm, flooring guy reschedules for Sunday. Finally organize + box up remaining items from last weekend's garage sale. Cleaned.

Together: Head out for happy hour at the new Asbury Hotel rooftop bar.

View from new Asbury Hotel rooftop bar, Salvation.

Outdoor movie screen.

Dinner at Anchors Bend. Funnel cake at the carnival.

Nightcap at Content.

Sunday

Together: Coffee. Welcome flooring company. Home Depot. Drive to outdoor shower install house.

John: Continues outdoor shower install.

I'm in LOVE with this outdoor shower!

Courtney: Home from dropping John at customer's house. Check on flooring.

So psyched! #contentfrontporch

A photo posted by c o n t e n t + c o . (@contentandcompany) on May 29, 2016 at 6:25am PDT

Front porch before and after sanding

Dad makes surprise visit to cut the lawn. Weedwacked property. Load garage sale items into truck. Go to garden center, buy plants, make container planters.

John surprised me with succulents, so I made these out of thrift store onion soup bowls I got for $1.

Admire rose bush.

We have been told many things about Content., but the most affectionate are always about its former owner, Harry Wilson. Harry was a boat maker, operating his business, just across the river for 50 years. We saw a picture of Harry once, standing proudly at the back of the house, along side this same rose bush. When we bought Content, it was nearly dead. I did my best + am just as proud to have brought it back for him.

A photo posted by c o n t e n t + c o . (@contentandcompany) on May 30, 2016 at 11:56am PDT

Drop items at Goodwill. Pick up John.

Together: Wegmans. Home. Shower. Check out porch progress. Success! Pay the guy.