Don’t know where I’ve been. I’m just not here.

The thing is, I haven’t actually gone anywhere physically. Some of it is cyberspace that I’ve been away from. I started to post on August 26, but that fell away and is still sitting in drafts not much more than a sentence or two. I haven’t read any blogs since early/mid September. I check my email, maybe once a day. And I have about a dozen sites where I collect free embroidery designs, most of which are alphabets, so I try not to miss because I can get OCD about an alphabet with a few missing letters. One site is Facebook, but I try to get in and out as quickly as possible and interact only with family otherwise (who also don’t spend much time on Facebook any more). Other than that (90 to 180 minutes), even if I am working on the computer, I’m not on the internet.

A small bit may be focus. I’ve been trying the actually DO more, instead of just collecting ideas and patterns and designs. I managed to complete my first (and imperfectly wonky) crochet Afghan and have an embroidered throw ⅔ to ¾ finished (also imperfectly). Now I’m putting together needed materials to make a few Christmas presents.

Another part of this “Being Away” is my annual autumn withdrawing. And also, since Iqbal hasn’t been able to drive since his shoulder surgery in July, I’ve been taking him everywhere. As an introverted hermit, that . . . hasn’t been hard, but it does take a toll on me. I need my long stretches of solitude (or semi-solitude). I love people, but really just in very small groups, and best as one on one. I do not like crowds at all, (not even parties). The seemingly constant (I know it’s not really) running around for all of both of our various appointments and errands does not allow for those long, restorative stretches of solitude, especially at the time of year I need it most.

Although Iqbal will hopefully be able to drive again by the end of this month, just the fact that autumn into winter is my down time, holidays with both the fun and stress of them, and wanting to be more productive generally than I’ve been for a while, I suspect it’ll be spring before I’m back.

So, if I don’t manage to post here for a while, that’s why. I’m not leaving permanently (certainly not planning to, anyway). Hopefully, when I do return, I’ll have something more than merely my ruminations to post.