I did something very unusual for me last week: I took a vacation.

A true vacation.

Normally when I take time off of my day job, it’s to go do a show for my writing/art, or to finish up a project I’ve been working on, or on occasion to do something fun with my family but I still take along my writing and get in as much as I can, I still am active on social media, and I still try to keep my business operating. I can do that in today’s world.

When I was growing up, I can think of two times that we actually took a vacation. When everyone else was out for summer break, I was working on the farm, trying to juggle swim team with that, as well as writing late into the night, and still having fun. My days started about 5:30 a.m., I was out on the rake by 6:00, swim team at 8:00, back out on the rake by 9:00, finishing up about 11:00, then lunch, fun time swimming from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00, nap until 5:00, play until dinner, dinner, play until sundown, write from about 10 p.m. to 2:00 a.m., then start all over again.

Yes, for as long as I can remember, I have juggled work and play, day in and day out. So much so that I still remember the outline of my schedule nearly 35 years later.

Recently though, I’ve been feeling burnt out and needing time away. I’ve reduced my time on social media, including changing where I was hanging out at the most as a way of trying to jolt myself out of this. I knew it wasn’t enough. I really needed a weekend of no email, no social media, and no time on my phone if I could manage it.

I made that happen this last weekend.

Us getting away in our Jumping Jack trailer.

I took paper along to write, but I never got to it. I did paint some, but not as much as I wanted to. My oldest son took us to see the Sailor Moon movie. We went biking.

Adrian fixed his bike tire – this is what happens when he tells me how long it’s going to take us to get somewhere. If he just tells me what the distance is, then he never gets a flat then.

And we played games together. Yes, I know Adrian has his phone here. It was supposed to be a cell free zone (except for taking pictures) at the camp site.

Ahhh, sunset!

Well, I didn’t check my email or social media while I was gone. I didn’t even read on my Kindle app. Yet every minute was busy. I always overestimate how much I can get done in a certain period of time. I really should get better about that.

It did mean that I had to plan ahead to get my words in, so I spent earlier in the week getting that done. Or mostly done.

I’m glad I took the time away. I think everyone needs to have a break from the constant screens, texts, emails, etc. every now and again. I wish I could have taken longer, but that’s getting harder with two boys who are working now. I’m just glad we had the one weekend together to go camping. My youngest joked that he’d be ready to do it again in another 5 years.

Then we got home and watched Ready Player One. I joked that we should have watched it before going out. (grin)

Well, I still have a bit of unpacking to do before I hit the sack tonight. I’m not as young as I use to be and can’t get by with only three hours of sleep a night any more.

Fiction words written last week:  3,594 words.

Blogs/Newsletter articles/non-fiction written:  2.219 words.

Weekly word goal reached for 2 weeks.

Writing month to date total:  July finished with 16,628 words, and August has 4,413 words so far

Writing year to date total: 190,750 words

Drawing/painting last week: I painted 2 8×10 paintings last week

Audio: I spent 2 and a half hours editing audio. I am really hoping to finish up Quest for the Three Books this coming week.