Everyone needs a timeout

Just living is not enough... one must have sunshine, freedom, and a little flower. 
                                                                           ~Hans Christian Andersen

Since we've returned home from Florida, it's been mostly all work and very little play.  Mr. Cottage and I did take timeout for our weekly date day last week and ended up at Culver's for a concrete mixer.  MMMM Good!  But then it's been back to work painting and getting lots of my art listed onto Etsy, which is quite a lengthy process.  When I turned on my computer today and saw my message from the Universe, I almost had to chuckle...

Your entire life, Carol, is a work of art. And as is true of all masterpieces, everything has meaning and is important, which includes your me-time, shopping, day dreaming, dessert selections, idle chats, and walkabouts. One day people will study you, The Universe

I use mine every single day.

How appropriate that it arrived TODAY.  I'm still going to continue to work on listing my art for Etsy, BUT I'm going to take some me-time!!  First things first, I have to go to one of my favorite coffee shops and buy some of their flavored beans.  Schuil's is a locale company that has great, great coffee.  I always buy pounds of beans for our oldest son at Christmas who is definately a coffeeholic.  Usually I can find some of my flavors in our local grocery store, but they are no longer carrying it.  What's my favorite?  Michigan Maple and White Heather, sooo yummy!  Then on for a few more errands while I'm on that end of town and finally a meet up with one of my girlfriends at our local bookstore, Schuler's Books and Music.  In addition to a great cafe and a great selection of books and music, they have a wonderful gift selection of various items.  It's a shopping lover's dream of nice and unusual findings.  All work and no play makes for a very boring life and eventual burnout.  I love my art and painting so much that the last thing I want to have happen is to take it all too serious and end up being burned out from it.  So take time and smell the roses, enjoy the sunshine and warm temperatures and connect with your friends.  Life is much too short to be taken seriously!