From the woods of Wimberley

A quick little retreat/sappy little note on my birthday.

A walk down the canyon.

Hi cacti,

Today’s my birthday. I’m spending it alone at a cabin near Wimberley, TX, tucked away among the evergreen ashe juniper and live oak trees, perched on the side of a limestone canyon. It’s sunny, not hot, not cold. It’s divine.

Going on a solo trip is something I do every once in a while, to indulge in taking care of myself—mostly by not having to worry about anyone else! It’s so fun to have hours to do things like visit a bird blind and stare at the cardinals and chickadees as long as I want. (I’d love to write a guide book to the best bird blinds in TX, btw. Anyone wanna hire me for that?)

Of course, I still feel guilty leaving my family behind, which is kind of insane: Taking three days to myself is not going to cause permanent damage to our family bond. In fact, it helps everyone to have a brief shift in dynamics. (My mother never—ever!— went on a trip on her own when I was growing up, and I don’t remember that fact warmly.)

This trip was sorely needed. Beyond the usual stress and the persistent “what am I forgetting?” brain fog of being a middle-aged working mom, I’ve also been helping my brother navigate our broken healthcare system, which is not at all structured to help people like him. I am exhausted beyond belief, and I’m not even the sick one. (It doesn’t need to be this way, yet alas. I’m looking at you, Republicans. Universal healthcare, anyone?)

Anyway, helping me de-stress is this incredible coloring book my husband custom-ordered for me. (Yes, he excels at gift giving, putting me to shame). It’s a collection of our favorite family photos turned into a coloring book! I’ve been too frazzled to get much creative writing done (oh hey, there’s an entire book waiting to be revised), so this has been a lovely replacement:

My new coloring book! The cover image is me as Aladdin Sane/David Bowie.

I feel loved, even though I’m not with them right now. They have kept me grounded this year.

That’s all for now. Enjoy your holidays, everyone. (And if this is a tough time of year for you, I feel you. HUGS.)