The First Days of the Pause

It's my first week of the sabbatical.

It feels weird, in part because I think I'm still not quite "there"*.  I'm consulting so at least one unit of my day is tied to answering questions but the rest has been mine to schedule.**

So I'm here, in this place that's been scheduled with volunteering, cleaning, cooking with kale, exercise, studying Spanish, two daily units of Gilmore Girls, pondering all life's big questions (where and what mostly), and adding books to my reading list.  (And exhale.)

This week's additions include:

* An advance read by a local author friend (of which I'm most excited to dive in)
* The Log from the Sea of Cortez by John Steinbeck (prep for a February adventure)
* The Last Days of the Incas by Kim MacQuarrie (prep for a March adventure)

I've got these queued up to begin after I finish Take Me with You by Katherine Ryan Hyde.  I started this read when temperatures were below 20F so I'm due to wrap it up.

Hope your year of new beginnings has been just that.


* Defining "there" to be that blissful image that everyone seems to have in mind of "sabbatical" which doesn't involve setting one's house in order after having been gone four of six weeks and likely doesn't include any chores.

** "Schedule" references the fact that a Type A personality doesn't really sabbatical like an artist probably does.

Count Me In

For a week I thought of everything in terms of numbers:

• 1 gate at RHI
• 1 hour to "town"
• 336 Population in 2010 (plus our 3)
• 12 batteries of power
• 1 out of 2 generators functioning
• 1 bar on my personal phone
• 2 bars on my work phone 
• 1 day to fully acclimate to no phones
• 30 minutes of charging = 5 Amp hours (Ah)
• Solar panels = 1.0 Ah unless standing in front of them, then 0.6 Ah
• Ceiling fan with the light = (-2 Ah)
• Water pump = (- ~5 Ah)
• Minimum battery power = 70%; max = 100% (but only on the last two days when the backup generator worked properly)
• 4 flashlights, 4 headlamps, and 3 lanterns
• 1 mile to the gate
• 2 days without showers to conserve electricity
• 1 day of washing hair in the sink
• 2 1000 piece puzzles completed
• 2 books read
• 1 repeat viewing of The Force Awakens
• 7:45 body wake-up time
• 4:20 Sunset time
• Not being able to stay awake past 22:00
• Indoor temps 55-75; outdoor temps 15-25
• 1 night of nightmares and thoughts of being eaten by large animals which forced me on the sofa
• I don't know how many songs on 3 ipods and a hard drive
• 2 bottles of sparking rosé just for fun
• 1 glow party
• Countless cups of coffee and tea

The vacation in the woods took an intro into and a gentle exit back out of transitioning to "normal" life.  I'm trying to step away from my phone a little more and be present.  I've lost count of the number of people who told me I look more relaxed.  A week off the grid with numbers surely did me some good.