Taking Time Out
Even when chaos begs us to stay…
Both of our calendars had been checked before I booked a luxury cabin in the woods, and the lodging was nonrefundable so we couldn’t back out. Plus luxury cabins are rather expensive, but we had a reason for the trip. Two, really.
We already have a cabin in the woods and have been slowly adding features to it, and we’re renovating the Ridge House that came with the farm next door. Have you ever added a feature to your home only to discover you rarely use it? That patio in the back? The pool that sits empty now that the children have left home? Maybe the finished basement that once felt like the teenage center of your home, only now it lies dark and dormant?
This luxury romantic cabin, as the place is labeled, has a hot tub, a fireplace under the covered back porch with a television above it, and a gorgeous stand alone shower with two rain shower heads, full windows on two sides, and an incredibly elaborate stained glass window lit from outside so it shines through the shower and into the bedroom.
We wanted to see if we truly use a hot tub more than one night, and we did tonight but we still have a few more nights here. We discovered we want a larger hot tub with places to sit higher out of the water, and I like looking up at stars when I’m outdoors at night, so there’s that.
The outdoor fireplace looked pretty, but after we came inside to shower off, we decided to stay in for good. We’re also thinking about creating an Airbnb, and we want to look at what is considered “luxurious”. There are no doors inside the spacious interior, so my early rising husband will hopefully brew coffee quietly and not crank up the news as I slumber away a decent part of the morning. (Hey, I’m still dealing with post-Covid lung issues, so sleep is needed, right?)
There is also no door into the bathroom, but the shower is huge and is a large square in the middle of a large square bathroom. I still told my honey I didn’t want to wake up to him showering away and singing until I downed my first cup of caffeine. Likewise, I turned off the coverage of the war and am huddled under the one dim lamp in the living room. Doors are a very good thing to have. Eh, maybe it’s just me. Maybe true romantics love sharing every moment of their getaway together. Maybe.
Back to getting away. We both have a lot going on, and we had great reasons to cancel this trip. Even though we’re very close to home. Even though my son is housesitting, and all is good. We forgot to bring dinner with us tonight, simply because we started out late and had to race to make it here to get the keys to the romantic cabin.
When you find your work is piled up, when you can’t stop watching the endless bad news on tv, when you have so many to-do’s your head could spin around three times like you’re a stunt double for Linda Blair in The Exorcist, it’s time to go. To leave it behind.
Getting away from your everyday routines is excellent. Sometimes a change of scenery is enough to help you reframe your habits, the approach you have to work and play, or maybe it’s just time to do something completely new.
I’ve been to the Hocking Hills many times with my family, and my children loved hiking all day, eating dinner in the cabin, then sitting by the campfire to scorch marshmallows and sit in the hot tub. We have always come here during their spring breaks, until college and jobs happened and spring breaks became a thing of the past.
I’m going to tell you to get away from your life. You can camp, which is the only vacation I ever knew growing up. Camping is great fun, truly. It’s a wee bit too cold to camp here at the moment, but that’s why I always looked for cabins where we could cook our meals and spend time away from the tv and just connect.
Even if you make a solo trip, it’s probably time for you to go. My brother took a trip last week to the desert, and he spent some time in the Valley of the Gods. All alone, he prayed and watched dust devils spinning furiously toward him, and he told me he felt like he was in the presence of God. As if he were having a reverie. How cool! He needed time away, and when I talked with him two days ago he sounded well rested and happy.
We need to change up our lives. Skip routines and jump into a new experience.
You won’t know if you like a trip until you take it. I know I like the Hocking Hills and all the many miles of trails, but I’m still waiting to see if I like a cabin that has many more amenities than I’m used to.
I think I’ll know more by tomorrow morning. If I’m awakened by the smell of coffee and the sound of happy news anchors on one of the many tv’s here, I might decide this was a bit too romantic. I’m off to read by the single light bulb that doesn’t shine into the bedroom, but I’m trying to go to bed earlier. Staying up long past midnight is a habit I want to break, but that’s a whole other story for another time.
