I had a technology free weekend and it was wonderful. Late on last week, after a really busy and streesful week for both of us, Chloe suggested we disappear for the weekend, just me, her, our boy and our insane dogs! So we booked a cottage by Derwent Waters, Cumbria, for the weekend.
"Would you like a cottage with Wi-Fi internet access?" asked the agent I called.
"No thanks, that won't be necessary," I responded. And indeed it was not.
The most technological we got all weekend was watching the X Factor on TV on Saturday night. The rest of the weekend was spent sitting in front of a log fire reading, dragging my son around in a sledge outside (he can't do downhill sleding with a broken arm...) and throwing sticks for dogs. We sat on the marina edge drinking cocoa, wandered around the shops, walked, talked and rested.
It was wonderful.
Less wonderful, of course, was returning to the city to turn on phones, check emails, get caught up with work and so on. It's always such a come down after a great weekend, isn't it? But still, we loved it and it was soooooo needed. I feel a million times better than I felt last week, completely refreshed and raring to go.
It got Chloe and me talking about being out of the city though. I live in Manchester city centre. We have a big place, lots of space for all of us and the dogs and it's great to have everything on your doorstep (including my office). But I moved down here to keep me and my son busy at a difficult time more than anything else. We're closer to my sister now and we do museums, art galleries, theatre trips and all the big events regularly. He loves it... but he also loved not being in the city over the weekend.
I sold my own house out of the city to move into the city. But now Chloe and I are considering moving back out again. We'd stay within a half hour commute of the city, but some fields would be nice... some hills would be wonderful. More space for our son and the dogs.
It's certainly a possibility.
But what is a certainty is that the escapes out of the city in the meantime will be regular. My son had the time of his life this weekend and the constant headache that haunted me last week just disappeared over the weekend. We're going to make it a monthly thing, to go tech free for a weekend and just have family time away from the interruptions of the modern world.
Much recommended :)
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