Revving up.

Somewhere I heard a definition of vacation: to vacate one's life (hopefully not permanently).

I'm hours from ending a 13-day visit to Panama. We spent a week in a gorgeous house on a remote beach in Playa la Barqueta, about an eight-hour drive from Panama City.  And for the past couple of days, we've been hanging out with our friends at their lovely home in the rain forest.

Fortunately, I'm someone who can truly unplug from life while on vacation. While I did check personal email, keep in touch with friends on Facebook, and do a little blogging, I didn't spent my days on the computer.  I enjoyed long walks on the beach and letting myself be absorbed in a couple of books.  (I highly recommend Carol Burnett's new This Time Together, a wonderful collection of stories from her life and amazing career.)

I use these times away (generally twice a year, including Christmas holidays), to reenergize my mind and soul and I come back all revved up for the coming six months. This time is no exception.

We arrive home this evening (Wednesday) and I had the foresight to take Thursday off.  It's a good thing, because I come home with a lot on my mind.  There are some major projects to do and some really major decisions to be made.

This vacation came at a perfect time, because I realize now how absolutely overloaded I was. I could not make the decisions that I need to make without having taken a break.

While I wish vacations could go on longer, I'm ready for the next five months.  Bring it on!