Tuesday, July 16, 2013

Post Vacation Slump

I'm in a post-vacation slump. 

Ever since we returned from Hawaii, I've been very tired, without ambition or energy. I can't seem to face deadheading the garden or tying up the tomatoes or even swimming in the Plunge - it was all I could do to get unpacked. 

It's not just leaving Hawaii's blue skies for Point Richmond's chilly morning overcast. Nor is it having to grab a jacket each time I leave the house instead of waltzing out the door in a breezy little dress and slippahs. It's not about eating hamburgers when last week I was having Hawaiian plate lunch. It's not just the piles of laundry and bills to be paid and weeds in the garden. 

It's all of the above.

But, here, there is Cora, so happy to be home that she moaned with joy when we turned into our street. And cousin Jan, with whom I walked and talked and told all about the vacation. And our friendly neighbors, who stopped to hear about the trip and to tell us about the horrible heat wave we missed while we were away. 

And there are strawberries. Beautiful, bright red strawberries, so sweet and rich with fruity flavor that biting into one is truly an amazement. I didn't eat strawberries in Hawaii - the ones for sale in their markets are shipped unripe from here and have no vestige of strawberry scent or flavor. Our local strawberries alone make up for a lot.

I made strawberry scones with the last of a ripe basket purchased at our farmer's market, where the Rodriguez Brothers sell their incomparable fruit. (You can get the same ones at the San Rafael market, too)  I used the same recipe from Molly Wizenberg's "A Homemade Life" as I did a few days ago, just subbing in chunks of strawberries for the cherries I used back then. 

The strawberries react to baking by making jam - sweet-tart little pockets of strawberry jam studding the dough. The only regret I have is not using more and bigger pieces of strawberry. They were a strong end-of-vacation consolation all by themselves.

My skin my be drier here, requiring daily lotion application, and the air cooler, but thank heavens there are strawberries, and Cora, and My Beloved in our funny, angular house - or I'd be back on a plane to Hawaii in a heartbeat.

5 Comments:

Blogger Greg said...

Your symptoms are very similar to cruise ship withdrawal syndrome. Take a scone and a glass of wine with dinner. I can't wait to get to Hawaii. :)

Tuesday, July 16, 2013  
Blogger cookiecrumb said...

I feel your pain. But you know what? There are a lot of people who are glad you're back! Here's hoping you don't suffer for long. It's my guess that you'd be living in Hawaii if it weren't for your beloved's job. Dude, you can retire! Hint, hint. :)

Tuesday, July 16, 2013  
Blogger Zoomie said...

Greg, I see that you understand and sympathize. :-)

Cookiecrumb, sadly neither My Beloved nor Cora would thrive in Hawai'i - too hot for them. But maybe we can aim for winter visits when it is cooler there.

Tuesday, July 16, 2013  
Blogger Anna Haight said...

Maybe it's the weather? I find myself with an unusual lack of energy and listlessness in the past few days.

Thursday, July 18, 2013  
Blogger Zoomie said...

Anna, could be that, too. As the days go by, I'm feeling better and better, so maybe it was just jet lag?

Thursday, July 18, 2013  

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