Disconnect

My husband got home early last week -- I think Tuesday (the days all run together for me). He was only gone for about three weeks this time -- miserable in Idaho because of the heat.  We were pretty miserable here too because of the heat -- but it was about 20 degrees cooler here than there, though only about 6 hours away.

This last temporary duty seemed so long, almost longer than trips five times as long.  It's not so much that it's unusual for him to go away for a few weeks at a time here and there -- it's that we got the keys to the house on June 4th -- and he has been home only about 10 days since then.

So while we spent Tuesday evening just resting -- getting back into being at home together, Wednesday he had a few things to do at work -- then a surprise longish weekend.

It was never actually said -- but we pretty much disconnected from everything.  Except each other.  It was like a stay-cation without worry of checking email, facebook, really much of anything.  Sure, if I had an order, I packed it up and sent it, but then I went back to our staycation.  

Hubby bought a few artwork reproductions -- knowing how much I love Van Gogh, I was excited to see "Terrace at Night" in the hallway near my kitchen.  Just so fitting.  Though it's a reproduction -- I still love it, and frankly, I am not sure I could ever hang (or afford) a real Van Gogh in my house -- let alone so close to where I make pasta sauce.

It's sort of got the bug in me to actually decorate the walls in my office in here. They're pretty barren -- and while I am kind of used to bare walls because of never really feeling like a house was our home, I think some artwork would look nice.  And photographs -- especially scenery, so that there is always some inspiration around.

Hubby and I talked endlessly about what we loved about the house -- words like "reprieve," "calming," "relaxing" always escaping our lips.  We're technically in city limits -- no more than 2 miles from the actual city center of this smallish city outside Seattle.  But, it feels like miles away.  Like we live out in the country, away from the hustle and bustle -- yet we're right here for all my creature comforts.   We discussed things like: "When you were dreaming up your dream house, what was it like?"  "Well, it wasn't this -- but I couldn't imagine a better place now."

When we were in the apartment -- we felt on top of each other, always in each others way.  My "office" was a corner of our bedroom -- that doubled as the TV area when we watched netflix on the computer. I often sat in bed creating long into the evenings.  We were cramped. This house is technically only about 200 square feet larger -- but it feels like another 1000 square feet.  Hubby walked by the kitchen over the weekend, and puttered into my office (my office is off the kitchen, originally designed as a very, very small dining room) and said "I always forget this room is back here -- it's so nice."

It's so relaxing and calming to disconnect for a few days.  I get why people sign up for offline conferences and retreats now.   While we didn't intend to go offline -- I think we may plan that in the future. (And, we weren't completely offline, truth be told -- we still watched netflix a little at night).

Do you "go offline" from time to time? Is it rejuveinating, or do you freak out a little?

~Maggie~