The sculptor Louise Bourgeois wrote that “solitude is a rest from responsibilities, and peace of mind will do you more good than the atmosphere of the studio and the conversations which generally speaking are a waste of time.”

I love the quote, although I am a fan of some conversations, they are not a waste of time for me.

But the truth is Maria and I both need a rest from responsibilities, a change of scenery, some quiet. We both need some quiet.

This has been intense time for both of us, and while I can’t speak for Maria, I can speak for me,  it has been an intense time for me for many months. We are worn out, we need to get away. I feel myself getting grumpy and restless and claustrophobic.

So we are.

Sunday morning, we’re heading to a secluded New Hampshire ocean cottage for three days, Sunday through Tuesday, returning Wednesday morning.

All we have to bring is us, some books and linens and towels. We will not be bringing a computer or dogs or be blog, I’m bringing several books I have been meaning to read and Maria and I will sleep, talk, read, and go out for some seafood.

If we feel like it, we might drive north into Maine to look around.

It’s going to be much colder on Sunday, so we won’t be doing any swimming, but I did order a portable chair to sit on if we get any sun. Otherwise I am happy to sleep late, cuddle up with my girl, search for fresh lobster, read and read more. That’s about it.

We  need a change of scenery, a rest from  responsibilities, news, pressure. The Open House is just a month away, when we get back, we will be working hard to get ready. I also have to write three chapters for my next book, Gus And Bud, A Tale Of Two Dogs.

I love my blog, i always miss it when I’m away, but I also know there I needs when I need to shut all of that off and just recharge. I imagine many of you need a rest from me as well.

Maria is a great travel companion, we enjoy the same things: extreme rest, exploration, talking, silence, reading and finding good  places to eat. We love sitting by the ocean and listening to the waves crash.  We are also very happy to hang around motel rooms on rainy days. We have a small kitchen in the cottage, we are bringing some  groceries.

I’d love to leave right now but I have too much to do.

So does Maria.

We have a great farm-sitter coming to take care of the farm.  When we leave, we never look back. We don’t need to hear that everything is okay, we don’t need to hear anything. And we are always happy to come  home. I’m not saying goodbye yet, we will be around all day tomorrow.

Just getting myself focused.