No break from volunteering. Just over Christmas and New Year as the attendance drops off.
Since my late 30s I have gone away somewhere new from boxing day until after new year. My pattern has been one year to a cold place and the next would be somewhere warm. I haven't been able to stick to that pattern in the last 4 years with everything going on because I either couldn't afford it or I was too unwell.
I had a really bad break up in my early 30s with a partner I stupidly adored. It happened on New Years eve in the company of his friends. He accused me of lying about my past and using that to make him feel sorry for me. He also said I smothered him (metaphorically speaking) and many other things. I'm not sure what was worse. The accusations of dishonesty, the humiliation and the rejection or the fact I never saw it coming. So I go away every year to try to create new memories. Even though it's almost 20years later, it still affects me greatly and I've never recovered enough to have a long term relationship since.
So this year I'm going to stay in my state, but I'm going somewhere new, a days drive (well, I'll break it into 2) and warm. I really wanted to go to New York but it's out of my budget. So I go away Boxing day and will return a few days after the new year. I explore, I rest, I sleep, eat good food and try to enjoy myself. My mother will look after my cats for me.
@outlander
