Last Saturday I left to go home to Tennessee to spend five days visiting family. I stay with my Mom while I’m there. It’s an annual September trip usually for her birthday which is actually next week. But the last few years I’ve gone the week of Labor Day so I can enjoy our hometown’s annual county fair.

We went to the fair two nights this week. Mom wanted to see the local beauty pageant on opening night. And we went back the next night to enjoy some fair food and rides.

I enjoy getting away because Mom does not have Wifi or internet access at her home, so I’m forced to unplug. My cell phone does not get good service out in the country because Sprint does not have a local tower there, so not even my cell will get a signal in her house.

My phone only works “in town” so I get small doses of “the grid” when we leave the house, but I’m forced to unplug again when we go back home. And that’s okay. It’s good to unplug from the world and plug into your life at times.

I finished reading a book while I was there. And finished listening to another one on audio book on the drive back. And I worked on some jokes while I was there so it’s always nice to get some writing done.

I returned Wednesday to find more of our sunflowers had bloomed so that was a nice welcome back.