Post-Vacation Reset

A traditional, though not always accurate purpose of vacation has been to return with the rest and vigor to work more effectively on return.  At least some of that is true in retirement.  I have things I want to do, in fact need to do, that have drifted this past summer.  And some that haven't drifted wore me out.  These ten days away, far away in France with its very different culture, separated me from nearly all my semi-annual projects.  No writing, no books, OLLI started without me, exercise informal as my daily step tracker far exceeded what it registers at home.  No finances, no home upgrades.  All can and did await my return.

On the plane home, saturated after a few hours of some rather relaxing Wellness Videos on the screen in front of my seat and periodic surfing the plane's progress map, I took out a small folder I had placed in my backpack, removed a sheet of loose-leaf paper, and jotted down in a mostly unorganized way the things I need to do between my return home and Thanksgiving.  Medical care, as in lab testing and doctors.  I suspect I am over medicated.  I also found the very large amounts of walking challenging, not tolerating long flights of stairs or up slopes very well.  My legs got tired, but sometimes I also needed a chance to catch my breath.  Hearing from the loudspeakers at the airport and plane could have been better.  I only took one Naproxen tablet and felt better within a few hours.  So medical care is priority.

Holy Days arrive within a few days of my return.  I practiced my assigned YK portion adequately, though not a lot.  While away the assignment expanded to the full morning's reading, which I had not photocopied in advance, so I'll need to polish that.  Very simple meal preparation for RH, more elaborate for the sukkah, where I intend to have at least one guest.  Sent out one annual greeting to an old friend.  Should do two or three more.  And daughter visiting for YK.  

I projected out to Thanksgiving.  I have a manuscript due before Sukkot.  And if I am going to ever write the book I dream of writing, I need to be maniacal about writing sessions, which I have not been.  Before Thanksgiving I need to touch base with the financial advisor on my mandatory IRA distributions which take effect in the next calendar year and wife's mandatory Social Security benefits, both of which will change our cash flow significantly.

Also need to complete the year's gardening.  And I've not abandoned some help with making My Space optimal, purging books, and even hiring a biweekly cleaning crew.  

Did vacation energize me?  I think it did.  I feel less dragged, more rested.  Will I be kinder, more cordial, more cheerful?  At least at the beginning.  But first unpack.