Best things from the time in the cabin

It was the middle of the week, so there were hardly any other cabin folks around. 10 or so rustic cabins in our immediate area, only three of which had any occupants, and the closest one was a hundred yards away. Even in the middle of the day, you could go outside and hear absolutely nothing except the wind in the trees and occasional birds. I even heard a woodpecker at one point. No traffic sounds. Nothing.

Go to bed early or late. Take a nap. Wake up when we wanted.

Without distractions my wife and I could focus on each other. Truly restorative, and truly much needed. That was really the best part.

Though it was a rustic cabin, it had a highly functional kitchen, including a microwave (which was a surprise—the cabin description did not include that). We took food with us, and were able to eat as much as we wanted without spending a lot of time on prep (or money eating out). Except for making a short run on the first day for the bread and cheese I forgot to bring, we didn't leave the cabin at all for three days.

I've mentioned before that for a number of reasons we live in a cluttered house. I'm working at reducing that—my personal preference would be what I call "Japanese simplicity." Although we took more stuff with us than we really needed, still, the feeling of spaciousness inside the cabin was very freeing. Moving around was easy. Things didn't get lost. Dish washing was easy.

This was not my wife's favorite, but it is one of mine. Our cabin was one of the rustic ones at Norris Dam State Park which is surrounded by the Cumberland Mountains. I loved the drive, and I loved the view of the surrounding hills from our location. The mountains call to me, even though I can't walk the trails any more.