If princess-style whining bothers you, you have my permission to just skip today’s post.
This winter is starting to get to me. I don’t like winter under the best of circumstances, but this one? Cold. Wet. Windy.
I haven’t left the state of North Carolina since August. I would say I haven’t left the county, but I’ve been to Durham, which is technically another county, even if it’s only 20 minutes away (shouldn’t count as travel, though, since I could ride my bike there, if it weren’t so darn cold). We usually go away (somewhere warm and sunny, of course) during the winter holidays, but this year, teenagers and the economy conspired to keep us at home. Throw in a little El Nino action, and you get–a raging case of winter crankiness.
I don’t think it’s full-blown Seasonal Affective Disorder (I’ve had trouble with that in the past, and I work really hard to prevent it–getting outside whenever the sun is shining, even if I have to bundle up like the Michelin Man), but I’m beginning to feel a little like the walls are closing in on me. Cold weather and long nights make it hard for me to relax, and feel like I’m part of the larger world; I feel isolated and hemmed-in. And when I don’t go anywhere except the same handful of places, every day, my horizons start to shrink.
There’s a big, interesting world out there, and my mojo seems to have gone wandering without me. I need to go find it.
All in all, I’m ready for a little change of scenery.
*cue husband-to-the-rescue music*
My dearest, mind-reading, worried-for-my-sanity spouse put on his problem-solving cap and came up with a solution.
We’re going on a cruise. Just the two of us. For a whole week. We’ve never left our kids for more than 2 or 3 days, so this is a grand adventure for everyone involved (and that includes my parents, who have kindly agreed to guard the homefront for us). I am convinced this week is going to Change. My. Life. I will come home refreshed, restored, rejuvenated–creative and calm and 15 pounds lighter. Right?
Hm. Perhaps some expectation management is in order.