I had the week off between Christmas and New Year’s and though I had grand and lofty ideas on how I would spend my time productively, I spent much of it reading books and playing games. I guess that depends a little on your definition of productive to determine how successful I was.

I got to visit my family beforehand and enjoyed the time with my nieces. I also got to play video games with the Very Excitable Little Dude and took Louise (briefly back from New York) out for dinner. I saw Jim’s family for Christmas eve and had dinner at a classic Barberton Chicken place with friends. It’s a thing in Northeast Ohio to do.

But, mostly, it was quiet. Quiet days with a purring cat and a stack of books. Sometimes a little music – the bird and bee is a current favorite

– but sometimes just silence broken by turning pages.

It’s tough to get that real silence anymore. Something is always beeping to notify of us of something else that happened that we couldn’t live without knowing.

But of course we can.

It was a struggle to go back to work yesterday and of course there were catastrophes and cranky people. And lots of noise. And when I got home, I left the music off and lights low. And enjoyed the quiet with a book.

Funny how our society places such value on having things when sometimes the best thing is the absence of everything else.

So, time to log off and go find that book again.  And a purring cat to keep me company.