"Busman's holiday'

It must be a month since the last post as Kathrynzj is again posting the Friday Five.  And such a delight to see it up before I head home on this balmy springlike winter day in Sydney (26 degrees C).

Kathrynzj writes:
I'm wrapping up a two week vacation that has taken me from beach to basement.

WHAT?

It's true, I took a week off of work to clean out the basement. Sadly, to look at a before/after photo would not make it look like my time had been used wisely. Just about everything is still down there, it's just in a different pile. BUT... our church rummage sale this year is going to be very, very blessed.

I'm wondering if anyone else out there takes a week off of work to do a different kind of work:

1) Have you ever 'staycationed' in order to work on a project? If no, would you?

YES. Many years ago returned early to work on a thesis.  It was worthwhile and productive. Attempts at garage tidying have been less effective!I grew up with the term 'busman's holiday' (we weren't gender neutral back then let alone affirmative) to describe taking time off regular work to do other work. Have accompanied the one I love doing relief holiday ministry in a seaside parish one summer. Here.     It was idyllic.

2) What project did you or would you tackle first?

We have a stash of unsorted items taking up the space where a car should reside. 

3) Any other projects?

It also feels like time to be getting organised for Christmas gifts and cards. So I'd maybe get out the sewing machine and get crafty with a vacation at home. 

4) What are the pitfalls of a staycation for you?

Not actually getting that sense of re-creation necessary to step back into the regular work role.

5) Never mind this staying at home business, where do you want to go and what do you want to do there?

The RevGal cruise looks so brilliant and 'one day' I hope that I might join it. There's not really room for my whole list of 'wannabethere' places but to start:

• Prague - supposedly the most romantic city on the planet
• Tonga - where beloved family member will be spending the next year
• Aotearoa - to feel my feet fit back into the land in which I learnt to stand and where our other beloved family members are studying
• Gallipoli - to pay respects
• Tasmania, Uluru, Broome, the Kimberleys - to have a broader view and understanding of this great island continent. Before we leave I would love to be able to take the Ghan and Indian Pacific trips ...