A Different Kind of Day

Normally on the day after Christmas I would be doing something much different than what I am. Normally I would be rushing around throwing last minute items into suitcases, trying to put a few more gifts into nooks and crannies, packing another pair of wool socks, and getting prepared to head out to the airport for 14+ hours of travel halfway around the world to my second home, Romania. Today is different though. I'm not doing any of those things. For the first time in 4 years I'm sitting in my pajamas, knitting, and watching movies. I'm torn. My heart wants desperately to be with my kids. I want to see my friends and tramp through muddy snow and hand out Christmas gifts and get snotty noses rubbed on my sleeve. At the same time, I want to enjoy my family and friends. I want to enjoy my time off and relax and reset so that when I have to head back to work I can keep a somewhat clear frame of mind. I know that 2015 is bringing big changes to my life and that one day I will look back and realize that not spending 10 days with my little ones is nothing at all in comparison to what day to day life will be like. But, for right now, I'm feeling bummed. A bit sad. A little lost and pretty upset. I have already let the kids know but I wonder if they feel any disappointment. If it even comes close to the disappointment I feel. Anyways, I'm having all the feels and I hope that you will be a little understanding of me at this time as I try to process everything that is going on in my life right now.

Heading out (Christmas 2012)

A Day at the Estate

For the last full day of my vacation I decided to go to the Biltmore House (I guess technically it's the Biltmore *Estate* but I'm Southern and Estate sounds snooty). I spent a good deal of the day walking and being out of doors so I'm thoroughly tired now. To spare the few brain cells that seem to be firing on all cylinders here are pictures in place of words (because a picture is worth a thousand words, right?):

Just before leaving the bed and breakfast.

Picking up my tickets.

View as you're walking up to the house.

Beer tasting at lunch.

Just before the carriage ride around the property.

Rest stop on the carriage ride. Biltmore Estate is in the background.

After this point I developed camnesia and forgot to take more pictures. Technically I took one photo while on the winery tour (of a clock tower, exciting) and none during the wine tasting (I only tasted 4 wines so no biggy there). I was going to walk around the gardens after the wine tasting but I forgot that the house and the grounds closed at 4:30 (it was 5:30 at this point) so I called it a day and headed for the bed and breakfast.

Now I have officially maxed out the remaining brain cells. Time for shower and bed. Tomorrow I head home!

Sometimes a Shower Changes Everything

Today I am on vacation. And, I have to admit, it didn't exactly go like I thought it would. This is how things were *supposed* to go today:

• Pick up mom, dad, and aunt from the airport very early.
• Come home, grab breakfast and any last minute items, jump in the car, and leave for SAFF.
• Arrive at SAFF, grab lunch, shop for a few hours.
• Head out to bed and breakfast.
• Stop off at grocery store for a few essentials for lunches and dinners.
• Arrive at B&B and spend rest of day relaxing (possibly grabbing a nap if time allows).

How things actually went:

• Wake up at 4:30 and immediately begin researching where to find the cell phone lot (because you have no idea where it is and need to go there in an hour).
• Leave 15 minutes early in order to get gas for car.
• Arrive at airport. Wait. Wait. Wait some more.
• Pick up parents and aunt who are very tired (because they just came in on a flight from out west and their times are all screwed up).
• Drive aunt home.
• Drive parents home.
• Get breakfast, put on make up, obsess over details of caring for high maintenance cat, pack car, and leave.
• Be totally jazzed for your trip for the first hour and half.
• Start to feel a little more tired and run down the closer you get to SAFF.
• Park a half a mile away from the venue (not really but it felt like it), shake off any tiredness, head into show.
• Get "lunch" (chilli cheese fries and a large Dr. Pepper) because blood sugar is kind of low.
• Shop for an hour and half before you start to feel woozy (probably because "lunch" didn't help that blood sugar problem at all).
• Make sure you run into an old friend when you are feeling half drunk and more than a little nauseous.
• Try to carry on conversation with friend and pray that she doesn't think you are totally off your rocker.
• Finish shopping after overspending.
• Remind self that this is supposed to be an indulgence and to stop fretting about it.
• Drive to B & B.
• Get almost to B & B and realize that you need to stop at the grocery store and that one you passed like 5 miles ago was the one.
• Go to "interesting" grocery store (it was reminiscent of Aldi...only more country).
• On way back to B & B get call from host. She is in town and won't be there when you arrive but she walks you through how to find your room.
• Arrive at B & B.
• Come in to find family dog on couch (you knew he'd be around somewhere).
• Dog begins to bark.
• Since you have been assured that dog is harmless begin to approach dog, speaking softly.
• Dog continues to bark.
• Hold out hand so dog can smell it and you can become friends.
• Dog bares teeth and looks like he might lunge.
• Withdraw hand extra quick, yelp, and have small heart attack simultaneously.
• Retreat to room.
• Unpack car giving dog the side eye the whole time.
• Try to lay down for a nap.
• Other guest begins playing various instruments downstairs, directly under your room: piano, something that sounds like an auto harp, and a violin. None of these are executed with any finesse.
• Give up on nap.
• Have panic attack because you have been around people all day, you took some medicine that increases your chance of being anxious, you got snarled at by a dog, you have a headache, and you are tired as all get out.
• Come down to make dinner.
• Make peace with the dog.
• Eat dinner.
• Go to room and knit.
• Start to feel very homesick and sad for yourself because the day hasn't really turned out all that well.
• Think about going home.
• Text best friend.

This, my friends, is when the day turned around. Why? My bestie told me to go for a walk. Forget about it. Forget about anyone else. Hit reset. And it hit me...that was exactly what I needed to do. Not take a walk per say, but hit the reset button. This could still be a nice vacation for me. Even if all I did was lay in bed because I was feeling under the weather. I mean look at this view from the window in my room:

I realized I was sitting around in my stinky thinking still (literally) reeking from the day. I needed to literally get clean so I could clear my mental slate. So I gathered up my toiletries, towel, and pajamas and headed to the shower. It totally helped. My head still hurts and I'm still really tired but I can head to bed now looking forward to the next few days of my vacation.

P.S. I am leaving out the part about where I tried to get the AC to work in my room and it was blasting hot air and I thought I was going to roast to death.

P.P.S. My host and her husband did eventually show up...just as I was getting out of the shower.

Self Imposed Time Off

Recently I took a nice, planned, vacation with my parents and a nice, not so planned, break from the blog. I need to make time away from all my obligations and activities so that I don't start to feel overwhelmed by everything. Work had gotten to the point where I was very grouchy and frustrated at the slightest thing so I knew it was time for a little getaway.

Mom, Dad, my Aunt Becky, and I went to Amelia Island for a long weekend. Becky and I drove down on Friday afternoon and came back on Monday afternoon. I didn't take too much time off because I will be leaving for Romania on June 7th and I will need some of that vacation/personal time for then.

The weather at the beach was perfect. Not too hot, a great breeze, and not a cloud in the sky. I spent two days just lounging on the beach, getting sunburned, and reading magazines. It was great.

Dad and I ventured in to the little town of Fernandina Beach on Monday before we left to drive back home and did a little window shopping.

Of course I also made time for some knitting and nearly finished up a pair of socks.

It seems I didn't take a single picture while I was on vacation. The only one I have is one my aunt took the first night we were there.

View from our balcony.

Oh, and this one of a lizard on the hood of our car.

You have to look closely but he's there.

All in all it was a very much needed break. It has been back to work for the last week but I'm already ready for another long weekend (Memorial Day) this weekend.