We took a week off from work and schools, and it was so busy that non-vacation is more relaxing.

Steve, Ian, and I drove down to North Carolina to spend a few days in an Airbnb. We needed to spend time with Steve’s folks, who aren’t terribly mobile. We needed to take along an 20-year old with autism who needs some personal space. We needed to be thrifty. Renting a cabin in the woods seemed to check all those boxes. It was nice, but I have to say that I am hugely envious of friends who are presently posting pictures on Facebook of themselves smiling with huge cocktails at a beach resort. Our trip involved too much driving and making sure that everyone else was having a good time. Steve and I needed some serious lazy time, and this was absolutely not a lazy vacation.

Then we came back, finished the taxes, helped Jonah do his taxes, celebrated Ian’s 20th birthday, and hosted Easter for 11. We did lots of stuff, but now we need a few days of not getting anything done. To be more specific, Steve and I need a vacation just on our own, with lots of quiet time in the sun with books and beverages. Ian will need someone to stay with him, because of his epilepsy, but we can get that help. We don’t actually have that imaginary vacation on the calendar, but it’s a goal, a shiny daydream.

Now, I’m getting back to normal — returning emails to editors, blogging, newsletter writing, posting pictures of books on the Internet, managing Ian’s education. It’s all good. Real life is more relaxing than last week’s vacation.

Coming up… Pictures of us doing lots of stuff. No pictures of us passing out exhausted at the end of the night, and then waking up at 2:00 am mentally making lists of things that must be done the next day.