I spent A LOT of time around people this past week.

Tuesday, I met two AWESOME friends in person for the first time ever, and we drove for 5 hours with Little Man to the lake. There, we met another online friend, and we all rested up before a 10-ish hour drive Wednesday morning to the LFTN 2022 workshop.

Now, I was so dang nervous before this trip. I was excited, so exited to meet all these people I’ve been chatting with for the past 2.5 years or so, but I was also nervous because I AM NOT a people person. As an introvert, being people-y exhausts me. So, I made sure to be able to get my down time to recharge throughout the week.

Do you know what the best part was? There were so many other introverts there, that no one cared if you just sat at a table, or in a chair, all by your lonesome, listening to the sounds of nature, feeling the warmth (it was like summer!!!) and the wind, and just being alone with your thoughts.

Some of the things I did to recharge and self-help myself were to sit back by myself, drinking my water or electrolytes, and just enjoying the space I was in. I did go take a nap Thursday afternoon during one of the presentations because I was exhausted after being social all morning long – I woke up so rested and relaxed, that I was ready for the rest of the day.

I will say, the best “Me Time” I got was when I walked from Basecamp to Nicole’s, or Nicole’s to Basecamp. Slowly walking down the lane, no one ahead of me or behind me, listening to the trickle of the stream, feeling the wind as it whispered through my hair and tickled my skin, and just being present…THAT is what I reveled in each day.

It may also seem counter-intuitive, but I love to sing, and ADORE karaoke. Ending the days singing and listening to other singing…it does something to the soul (and the throat & vocal cords…I’m so hoarse and scratchy when I talk right now!). I would walk back to Basecamp each night with a song in my head, and it helped me fall asleep so much faster than if I didn’t have music in my brain (how “Kiss Me, I’m Shitfaced” by Dropkick Murphys put me to sleep for several nights in a row, I will never know, but I finally have a different song in my head today).

On the drive home Sunday, I spent most of the day’s travels passed out in the backseat of the truck. I was so mentally and physically exhausted, my body just shut down. I knew it would happen, it always happens when I spend A LOT of time with people. Monday, I cuddled in the backseat with Little Man, and HE fell asleep next to me for a bit, and I dozed on and off, too.

Once we finally made it back to Little Red House, the unpacking began. I took a nice, long, hot shower…Oh, it felt so good to have the massage setting beating on my back, neck, and shoulders. We called it an early night, and I don’t know who was asleep first…Little Man or me! This morning, I woke up after 10 straight hours of deep sleep. I felt like a whole new person.

I’m not back to 100%, and that is ok. I will take the rest of this week to slowly get my energy back. It helps that the weather has us in the 60s with mostly sunny skies for the rest of the week. We will be spending time out in the sun and the yard – I’ve got to get my dirt turned and sow the seeds for my carrots and onions. AND…I’ve got some new blooms out front that greeted us when we pulled in! MYSTERY FLOWERS!!! I don’t remember what bulbs I planted out there in the fall, so it’s a fun surprise this spring.