Halt or maybe half-halt?

Main Entry:	rest
Part of Speech:	noun
Definition:	inactivity
Synonyms:	break, breather, breathing space, calm,calmness, cessation, coffee break, comfort,composure, cutoff, downtime, doze, dreaminess,ease, forty winks, halt, holiday, hush, idleness,interlude, intermission, interval, leisure, letup,lull, motionlessness, nap, pause, peace, quiescence, quiet, quietude, recess, recreation, refreshment, relaxation, relief, repose, respite, siesta, silence, sleep, slumber, somnolence, standstill, stay, stillness, stop, time off, tranquillity, vacation
Antonyms:	action, activity, energy

There is one problem I always have with resting and relaxing. It seems to happen best in a lovely, tidy, tranquil environment and I struggle to truly unwind with any mess around. So here's the problem, my dear home is far cry from that idyllic surroundings. I rarely have the time to make it so and if I do I'd rather be resting! Vicious circle...

I guess some compromise is always needed.

Spent a couple of hours tidying up the place in the morning until I was half-satisfied with results, loaded the washing machine three times to catch up with no activity in that department during the week and got rewarded by a fabulous sunshine just when it was the time to think what on earth to do with all that wet clothing! Nothing beats the lovely scent coming from drying things out outside :)

Had a lovely breakfast mooching on fresh fruit, croissants, reading a non-horsey magazine and just trying not to think about anything that needs doing.

Then, as if it has been my custom I proceeded to have a midday nap! The day of luxury ;)

I'm sitting here now, rather refreshed, waiting for our roast chicken to get ready (can hear it sizzling - looks like some serious oven cleaning is awaiting me too!). Serving it with a massive amount of sweet and crunchy salad with French dressing and some funny Italian gnocchi. And a glass of wine.

Talking about wine, the shop assistant would not let me buy wine today without seeing my ID! When I told him my date of birth he looked as if I just told him the biggest lie of the year. Well, at least all that hard work doesn't make me look old ( at least not in the eyes of wine department shop assistants ;).

Food time!