Penni Appreciation Month

So... to celebrate my birthday... I rented a condo for a week in Virginia Beach.  My birthday actually falls on Wednesday so I thought the perfect “end” to my celebration of PAM (Penni Appreciation Month) would be utter relaxation.  

Let me first explain PAM.  Most of you know this already... but for those that don’t ... I am a very busy woman.  I run two businesses and am also a full-time mother.  I sometimes support my husband’s business... or at least do lots of extra work so that he can feel free to be a work-aholic and “crackberry” addict.  I am a perpetual volunteer (although much less these days since last years PAM... a little birthday gift to myself)... I am always available to lend a hand or a good listening ear.  While I seem to make time for everyone else... I rarely make time for me.  I am also a fairly low-maintenance woman (if there is such a thing)... so I figured that I needed a break... so I decided my break would be the month of October, my birthday month.  It was easy to remember.  I would use this month to try to do all the things that I never do for myself... or at least one BIG thing.  Whatever... just celebrate me.  

I didn’t ask anyone to celebrate me... I am no where near that conceited or self-important... although clearly I do not lack in self esteem.  I will say that celebrating your birthday for an entire month takes all the pressure off friends and family members to have to remember a specific day in the year.  It take the pressure off my husband who now does not need to find the perfect gift... he only funds the celebration and enjoys the photo posts and tale telling that accompanies all my experiences... and of course he delights in pointing out to friends and co-workers how he is so wonderful as to “let me” celebrate my birthday for an entire month.  I choose not to burst his bubble... he knows this... it’s all hush hush and it works for us.

PAM does not specifically mean spending lots of money... although some of my activities are considered luxuries... it’s just really about taking care of oneself.  It was so successful last year that I will celebrate this way forever.  

So back to my beach trip.  I had a dilemna... to invite or not to invite.  The condo was small.  Everyone’s schedules are so busy and personalities differ.  Should I have friends come down and visit or not.  I like the idea of having friends around me... but I also like the idea of spending time with myself.  Working if I feel like it... or not.  Going off on some experience that I like but doesn’t appeal to anyone else. Of course, there is safety in numbers... but I am pretty savvy so...

I decided to let a few people know I was going and tell them if they wanted to visit and spend some time with me they could.  My friend Renee jumped at the chance first and changed her schedule to come down for a couple of days.  It’s really good... cause I don’t get to see Renee as often as some of my other friends cause she works during the day.  I left everything with everyone else open cause I am easy like that.

So Saturday morning I packed my bags and headed to the beach with Renee following behind me.  I think she was packed hours earlier and was literally waiting on me.  We stopped at Starbucks and took off down the road... literally into the sunset.

Check-in was great... hotel/condo staff really pleasant (no doubt an off-season attitude) and room was completely adequate.  Off to a good start.  Someone brought all our bags  out of the car and into the room for us.  Gotta love it.  

The two of us were so relaxed I think we just had no energy... and no opinions either.  So we decided to hit the mall and go shopping without anyone sitting at home waiting for us.  We stayed out way too late and forgot to get dinner... and ate a bagel and went to bed.  Like a little pajama party with sleeping in.

I have attached some random pics for your amusement and certainly hope that you will enjoy the updates.  

How can someone be nervous about coming down here alone when there is this huge fleet here protecting me.  (Yeah I know it's a bad pic... but give me a break... I was driving)

The view from my balcony on Saturday... gotta love the crowds.

I know you can't really see the pod of dolphins but here is a pic of one fin coming up.  They were nice to look at.

The busy sidewalks on a Saturday in October.  I love that the weather was so nice that people were out... there just weren't that many people.

The one thing that is not allowed on this trip.  Amen!