Unplugged.

My husband and I just returned from a whirlwind weekend to celebrate my grandmother's 90th birthday. It was a quick trip, in and out of Michigan. Just enough time to arrive, celebrate my step-mother's birthday, grocery shop with my aunt, make appetizers, and attend the party.

My Grandma Hannah is some kind of family celebrity. More than forty family members from around the country flew, drove, or ferried to the party. There was a pre-party, a sit down dinner, a cake reception and an after-party! We celebrated for more than 9 hours straight. Grandma and her little brother and little sister (both over 80 years old themselves) were the last to leave at 11:30 pm. If only I could have that kind of energy when I am 90, heck, I would love to have that kind of energy now!

I didn't check my email, the blog, or our sales for almost three days straight! I was unplugged. I don't remember the last time I have gone more than a day without being "connected." Part of me was itching to find a computer and log in. Another part of me resisted the technological temptation and relished the visiting, the party, the family time.

The photo of my grandma's childhood home was part of the celebration. It is the opening photo of an album we made to commemorate her birthday. She opened the album when we gave it to her and said, "Oh, it's our house!" She hadn't seen the photo in years. She lived there with her 6 brothers and sisters and two parents in the two bedroom wooden house in northern Wisconsin.

Her life was truly unplugged. Her childhood didn't have the noise of phones or TVs, or the hum of computers and microwaves. In fact, she and her family lived so far out of town, that in order for them to attend high school, they had to board with other families in the nearest town with a school. And they did. Life was different then.

I enjoyed my weekend away. I enjoyed time spent with my family. I also am happy to be back. Those "old folks" wore me out! And now I can sit down at the computer to plug in...