I’ve got a bad case of spring fever. Technically, it would probably be called “summer fever” since it’s June, but you get the idea.

For the last few weeks, I’ve been doing some signings and, well. . . basically, that’s it.

I’m doing laundry (finally!), cooking dinner (ditto), going to band concerts and field days. Just living life without thinking about deadlines or what happens after the discovery of the body in chapter two. I don’t have a daily word count looming over me and, let me tell you, it’s nice.

I know “everyone” says write everyday, but I think there are times when it’s good to take a break. Of course, whenever I’m doing promotion or taking a break to recharge I always feel just the tiniest bit guilty, like I’m skipping school or calling in sick to work when the only ailment I have is being sick of work. But I’ve managed to overcome the guilty feeling and really enjoy this break.

So in the spirit of Ferris Bueller, I thought I’d share a bit of my day(s) off:

We took in the Andrews AFB Air Show and toured a plane involved in the Berlin Airlift as well as the star of the Memphis Belle.

There was plenty of military hardware on the ramp: helicopters, jets, army equipment, and even navy divers. I’ve never written about an air show in the Mom Zone books, but this one definitely sparked a few creative ideas. The first photo is one of the engines on a KC-10. Ten points for anyone who can identify the aircraft that is just a smidge in the second photo.

I’ve lived near D.C., for almost a year and finally made it to the Library of Congress—a dream come true.

Really.

When I was ten I told my mom that if I could go anywhere in the world I’d pick the Library of Congress. Amazing building.

I looked at the Gutenburg Bible, one of only three vellum copies, and stood on the balcony and looked down into the Main Reading Room, the setting for one of my favorite movie scenes. In National Treasure , Nicolas Cage hands a book to Riley (Justin Bartha) and says, “I give you the Preservation Room. Enjoy.”

I couldn’t go in the Main Reading Room. You have to have Library of Congress Reader Identification Card. I didn’t have one then, but I do now. I’m sure I’ll put it to good use as I research my next book. A few interesting facts: an underground passage connects the Jefferson building with the Madison building across the street and employees nicknamed “cave dwellers” use golf carts to retrieve requested books from underground, where most of the collection is stored.

The Library of Congress may not sound as exciting as singing in a parade and crashing a car, but hey, I’m a writer so the largest library in the world is something that gets my heartbeat up. What about you? What would be your ideal day off?