Hermiting: verb 1. the act of being a hermit

Last Thursday I told Jay that as soon as I arrived home from work on Friday I was hermiting for the rest of the weekend. The only time I intended to leave the house was to go to Reconciliation (aka Confession) and then Sunday morning mass. Other than that I was staying home and not answering my phone or emails. I would still talk with and enjoy my time with Jay, but he was the only person who I placed on the Interaction list.

Why was I hermiting? Because I needed it. I am a homebody and an introvert. I am happiest when I am in my home doing my own thing. I don’t feel the need to constantly be “connected” or interacting with anybody. In fact, we had been invited to a pool party and Jay went by himself. “Just stop by for an hour,” I was told. Nope. In fact, a shudder of revulsion swept through me as soon as that sentence was uttered in my direction.

The truth is that I don’t care for large parties that are meant for socializing. I’m okay with lectures, classes, etc because typically I can sit on the edge and pay attention to the presenter. I am not expected to interact with everybody in that room. Unlike social gatherings where everybody wants to talk to you and you have to interact with them. An extrovert I am not! Leave me in the corner doing my own thing and I’m happy. Let me sit in a cocoon of solitude and I’ll be fine. Don’t make me interact.

Last weekend I just needed the alone time. I also needed the time to be productive and get some things done around the house. I had spent the previous weekend at my sister’s where I’d had to be social, for the most part.

I tried to hide away in the corner, but it didn’t work.

So last weekend I hermited. And it was WONDERFUL. I really wish that I could have done it for a longer period of time. I was really productive, too.

I made a batch of zucchini relish.

I washed and de-furred the pile of Project Linus blankets that I had sitting on my piano.

I cut apart flannel sheets and made them into receiving blankets.

And I finally finished the t-shirt rug that I’ve been working on all year.

Of course, it was only after I had tied off the last stitch and laid it down that I realized I had somehow managed to drop two stitches from each row in the last third of the rug. But I don’t care. It’s either going to be used for dirty shoes or furry cats, so it’s not going to be a show piece in the house. Bob has been sitting on it and he thinks that it’s just fine.

So, not only did hermiting improve my attitude, but it also helped me finish up some projects that had been languishing. I may have to make it a policy that I will hermit one weekend every month no matter what. Just the thought of it makes me happy!