Paul and I returned from our first vacation since August of last year. Because of the pandemic, we have stayed home until now. After we were both fully vaccinated, we did inch out to have dinner with friends, ate outside once, and began to return to some normal activities. And we had family and friends visit our house, which was exciting! Both his parents and my side of the family came for visits. Being close again to family was fantastic and emotional!
But Paul and I thrive on getting away for a little while, and therefore really missed vacation. We stayed with super close friends of ours, who own a house of Chautauqua Lake. It was good for the soul to be with long-time friends, to get away from daily routines, and to do nothing but chat, laugh, drink, eat, and enjoy life!
Time away for us rejuvenates out spirits. As a writer, I find the opportunity to walk away from my work routine refreshing – I return with an eagerness to dig back into my stories. So much of the tales I write involve relationships and navigating the world around us in community that gathering with friends and family help to tap into the feelings and experiences I imbed in my novels.
I’m off to write some more – feeling renewed and energized, glad to be with loved ones again after a long pandemic induced absence.