When your vacation is over and you attempt to put your routine back in order,
do you wonder about yourself and who you were while you were there?
Are you like me while you’re gone on vacation? Are you able to completely shut off worries from home, technology, social media, and just soak up every moment of awe?
Do you miss your vacation mode? And wonder what the people still there are doing? I sure do.
It’s a strange phenomenon to be back home. Awkward, yet familiar. Odd, yet different from when we left. We have 2 feet less snow on the ground from when we left. Thank goodness it didn’t flood the basement in the house…yet.
I love home – it is a happy place to be for me. So I wonder why I’m always blue on the day after the return? It’s normal, I guess.
What is it that makes us crave those sunny vacation days so much?
A liquid sunshine trip is hard not to enjoy. I wish I could bottle it and sell it and make enough money to rinse and repeat more than once every 4 years.
I’m pretty sure I’d miss the bottle if I tried to put it in one and save it forever.
It just isn’t the same as being there. I do know we humans need a break from our normal daily life. To act a little silly and to play.
We need freedom from the stressors that cause us to scream or those that simply add to our to-do list someday soon when the weather turns nice.
Today, I still wonder, though, about all this melting snow…
I wonder if life would be the same if I had this view every day?
I wonder if I would ever get sick of walking in the surf?
I wonder if I would ever stop being in awe of sunset hugs on a beach with such a beautiful view?
I’m in awe of today’s sunrise view back here at home. It has similar colors, but still not the same… It’s a damn good thing the temps are cooler here, ‘cuz there’s no way the snow could withstand Jamaican heat.
Our vacation was a good thing for our Wanderlust-like souls
and of course my toes.
It’s back to work today…a place I know won’t quite feel the same about being as I was on the beach.
It will most definitely be without a splash of Red Stripe and Ting
That is probably a good thing, too!
Post Inspiration – Dutch Goes the Photo – Tuesday Photography Challenge – Wonder
PS – How about you, do you need an extra vacation day to get back into the normal routine? Or do you pop right back into life, just like you were never gone? Do you unplug while you’re gone or do you stay in touch with technology? I was surprised to see all the people still using their phones, on the beach…I wonder about that too!
Welcome home
Thank you, Alice!!
Welcome home. I always like an after-travel day.
Thank you, Dan! I agree, an after-travel day is so important!
I’m glad you had a good time. I am all about having a day off before I go on vacay more than I am about having one off after I get back. But now that you mention it, not a bad idea at all.
Thank you, Ally! I did both this time, and am so glad I did!
Ah, sounds like you had a wonderful, sunny time. I’m so glad. I can almost feel the glow! Post-vacay blues are totally normal, I’m sure. Maybe you can just carry a touch of Jamaica around with you until your snow melts!
Thank you, Rebecca. It was a great trip. We’re still feeling the love of the vacation as we watch the snow melting. I think I’ll always carry a bit of Jamaica in my heart.
I love the photo that shows a glimpse of the small boat through the coconut and seagrape branches.
Thank you, Jackie!!
Welcome back, nice warm photos! I hope the snow goes away soon.
Thank you, John. 🙂
Glad you enjoyed your long-anticipated vacation!
Thank you, Sue!!
Welcome back! fab photos … oh, and dude, YOU SHOULDA WORE THE BIKINI!
Thank you! Aw, shucks, thanks! I did a one day pseudo bikini, that was enough! I’m sure there’s a post brewing about my beach attire thoughts! 😉
Welcome back, Shelley! I’m glad you had your tan in a real warm place.
Thank you, Winnie! It was a nice warm spot, that’s for sure!
You’re welcome, Shelley!
Great shots. You look rested and relaxed. Glad you had a good time. Welcome home.
Thank you, Janet. Both tasks were accomplished!
Welcome home. You have been missed. I love vacation but then I am home and a week behind on EVERYTHING! You picture are marvelous. Yes the snow melt. We are very concerned about it down the Mississippi. First flood from our melt just now going down. But all the snow north of us was FEET of snow, as you well know. I am sure I will post pictures. Don’t push too hard getting back in the swing of things. You will blow your vacation rest.
Thank you, Anita – so nice to hear I was missed here in Blogosphere. I feel for the places south of us, we’re going to get the stuff north of us and add to it as it heads your way. That isn’t a fun thing to look forward to. I’m trying hard not to push it too much. The vacation mood fades way too quickly when I do! I look forward to seeing your pictures of the melting season.
Glad you had fun. I always like to try and get an extra day after the vacay before returning to normal life. Helps with the re-entry. Welcome back!
Thank you! You’re wise to do so – I agree re-entry is tough without it!
This was simply fabulous! 🙂
Thank you!
🙂
Glad you enjoyed your warm respite Shelley and thought of you with the dire consequences in your state due to snow melt/flooding. Vacations are long anticipated and so fleeting … when I traveled in my late 20s/early 30s, I always started planning the next trip as soon as I came home from vacation.
Thank you, Linda! We had a wonderful time. We didn’t book another trip…yet…! We’re anticipating some staycation costs with the water damages. In the meantime, we’re enjoying watching the SLOW melting of the snow!
The flooding and snow melt sounds like a nightmare from what I hear on the national news … glad to have you back, even though your heart and soul remain in Jamaica. 🙂
The flooding can be horrible. We’ll see – we’re supposed to be in the 50’s for a couple of days and lows above freezing at night. That’s not a good thing. I’m thankful for your warm welcome back!
Well good luck with the flooding. We had a flooding issue in our basement in 1969. My grandmother was staying here with my mom and I was in Germany with my father. A bad storm and water in the basement waist deep … the neighbor had to help get it down the drain … basement was not finished at the time, but was painted and tiled (since paneled and separated into laundry room, pantry room and general area and carpeted in general area. They had a huge mess and had to scrub the walls with bleach to avoid mold and repaint the walls. They fixed the sewers a few years later.
Oh, no, that sounds horrible! We’ve had our basement flood once, went through all the same things. It’s not fun, that’s for sure. We’ve been watching the field and with the slow warmer temperatures, it is melting and sinking into the ground, so we’re keeping our fingers crossed that we’ve dodged the flooding this year! Hopefully!
That’s great news that the water is sinking in – I am surprised the ground thawed out enough in those few 40-degree days to let it saturate in. That’s why it was so icy the other day at Heritage Park. The water had nowhere to go so it sat there and froze. I had a hot water tank burst too – also not fun; was washing clothes and went downstairs to put the laundry into the dryer. Had a big surprise when I got down there. And on a Saturday night on top of it.
We’re keeping our fingers crossed – we’ll see if it has indeed thawed enough this weekend, the temps are going to be in the 50’s and sunny! Oh, NO! That’s horrible. What is it about you and water and off hours repair needs? Hope all is well now!
Yes, too much water and nowhere for it to go. I don’t know why things always happen on a weekend – it is annoying (not to mention costly). I replaced it in 2010 as I didn’t want to have another occurrence and when I had the plumber in recently, I asked if it is good practice to replace it at 10-12 years – he said a Bradford White could go 15 or more years. (I appreciated his honesty.)
Sorry to hear of the hassles. Glad he was honest with you.
I do appreciate honesty – I will go back to a person who is honest.
Me too!
I used to wonder, when I got back home from a tropical island, why couldn’t my life be the same as those on the island? In other words, why did I have to come home? We don’t have to come home, you know. We can make their reality our reality. In essence, we can have our life any which way we want. If we want. That’s the key: want!
I try to make every day of my life feel as if I am on a vacation. That’s been my secret. If only in my head.
Glad you had your vacation. It does feel good, doesn’t it? Your tropical pictures are divine. Welcome home.
I always wonder about the same thing. You’re right it is within our power to live the life we want. Does it come with complimentary housekeeping and chefs and a beach front spot, not that I’ve seen. Even if Mr. does quite well at the chef part and I make attempts at the housekeeping part. Maybe I’ll have to add that to my curiousity quest for the year!?! Yes, the vacation felt good. The pictures remind me of how I felt while being there. Thank you for the warm welcome back!!
Shelley, rent a movie called: Shirley Valentine. Have you seen it? She makes our dreams come true.
I haven’t seen it! I’ll check it out!!!
Oh, man! I can identify. Hubby and I got back from Costa Rica last week. Internet service was spotty at best, so we had no option other than to unplug and relax. It was wonderful! Welcome home! I loved the pics of you and your husband on the beach!
I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed the unplugging while on vacation! I’m finding myself pausing more before I grab my phone now, and trying hard to remember the feeling of unplugged and how peaceful it was. Thanks for the warm welcome back and the kudos for the pictures!! Glad you had a great trip too!
You are a lucky woman! Beautiful holidays are providing well rested feelings. So don’t worry about bikinis. Older than you, I have (could) never dreamed or expected a perfectly fit shape….They are lot of other things worth living for.
Thank you. Yes, you’re right on target! I appreciate hearing your words of wisdom, thank you!
Thank you but sorry if I was too blunt.
No worries – all opinions are welcome here!