Home alone.

I can't remember the last time I was by myself for a weekend.

By. Myself.

The family went to North Carolina for the annual Nall Family Reunion; I had a special event at Dunwoody Nature Center to help coordinate, so couldn't go with them.

Did I knit? No. Did I read a great book? Nope. Did I watch a flurry of chick flicks? Nah.

I made a list. Ten must-do items to complete in two days. I slowly worked my way from chore to errand to freelance writing assignment. I ate when I was hungry, went to bed early, and awakened with a luxurious expanse of time still waiting for the next item on the list.

The house is decked for Christmas, the laundry is washed and folded, I've dusted and vacuumed the house, raked a mountain of leaves, turned the compost pile, prepped for Preschool Phonics Games Day and a craft party I'm hosting later in the week, picked up a few things for school lunches, and taken care of some holiday surprises.

Maybe my ideal weekend is labor-intensive. But I feel relaxed, peaceful, and ready to swing back into the every-day whirl.

This could become a new tradition before the holidays!