Around the Dog Bowl

[Barb]

David and Kelly,

Just wanted to throw my 2 cents in that I like the audio format! Content being pushed to my IPOD is better than content I have to see to know about, so thanks for trying something new and different.

Unhooking from your world...great and timely topic for me! Since I own my own business, I can never totally do that (I'm a solopreneur), but I have found myself lately trying to figure out a way to get away without hubby and just do some higher level thinking. I have visions of a quiet lakeside retreat somewhere. Truthfully, though, hubby wouldn't understand. So now I'm trying to figure out a quiet retreat I can run away to where I can be home by dinnertime. If I could just find a place to go with a complete change of scenery, I'd love to spend a day just dreaming. The funny thing is, too, that I work from home and the place is empty (except for two rowdy kittens) all day long. I think it's the change of scenery I'm craving. I work outside on the patio whenever possible, by the way, but it's not different enough, I suppose.

Would love to get ideas from other forum members! Am I just nuts?

 

[sarahg]

I also work from home and find since I started doing that, I really value my outings a lot more!

Near our house is a lake with a cafe, so once or twice a week I'll head over there with hubby in tow, and do a lap or two of the lake, and sip some coffee looking out over the water.

It's not the full retreat I'd like, but it's something nice I can manage in the timeframe of a lunch break, that gets me out of the house for a while. The exercise really adds to it for me, that helps break my train of thought away from work.

 

[GTDWorks]

Things are quite busy in my world these days.

Yesterday I dropped my wife off at work and drove to a little cafe in the area and sat for three hours to sweep my lists, write emails, listen to some YouTube, and most importantly, changed the pace and pattern of my world for a few hours.

The hot chocolate was delicious and the hours were delightful, equipping me to get back to work rested and ready to empty my overflowing inbasket!

 

[Oogiem]

So now I'm trying to figure out a quiet retreat I can run away to where I can be home by dinnertime. ...

Would love to get ideas from other forum members! Am I just nuts?

You are not nuts at all.

Here are a couple of options I've used.

Go to the neighbors winery that has outside tables and chairs under trees and overlooks our farm and sit there looking down. Seeing how the farm looks from above it is very helpful. Plus I can get a nice glass of wine but still hear the sheep and dogs in case of emergency. It's very different from doing the same thing at home.

I also occasionally go to a scrapbooking day. I can take scrapbooks to work on and often do but sometimes I just go to get away and sit at a table and think.

For longer retreats, what about a local B&B for a mid week night? Is there a park with tables and benches, craft space that folks come to work on projects? bookstore with comfy chairs & table for writing? Our old library was terrible but I've been told the new one has good separate study areas, is there a library in your area? What about a college campus, borrow some space at a study hall or see if the local school will let you come use one of the classrooms for a day since it's summer. Our historical society is always needing volunteers to come sit at the museum. It's rarely busy, maybe 1-2 visitors a week, and there is a desk and chair. I could see myself using it for a planning retreat. Perhaps there is a similar situation in your town.

 

[Barb]

Thanks, y'all. This jogged my feeble little brain just a bit.