What I missed most

We were only gone on vacation for five days. When we got back, it felt like we'd been gone longer -- we had packed a lot of relaxation into those days (and the last one was very long, what with seven total hours of driving and a birthday party in the middle of it). But waking up the next morning, it felt like we'd never left.

Here's what I missed most about home life during our trip:

• TiVo. We had to watch some TV during the trip -- I was writing up So You Think You Can Dance for the TV Club -- and it made me strangely anxious not being able to pause or fast-forward. Or have anything on tap to watch during idle moments.
• Knitting choices. I took two projects with me: a long-suffering pair of socks (finally restarted, on the home stretch) and a new lace scarf. What I didn't have was a choice of large gauge project, like my worsted-weight brioche stitch scarf or my hoodie vest. And I didn't have my yarn to inspire me with dreams of projects to come.
• Wii. Our kids were fantastic on the trip, enjoying the simple pleasures of comic books, card and board games, swimming, sports, and wandering around outdoors inventing amusements. But I missed Archer's enthusiastic explanations of the intricacies of pinball machines in his Gottlieb Hall of Fame game (the current favorite), and Cady Gray's excitement over a new species in Endless Ocean.
• Internet. It's hard to overestimate how much internet access means to me. It's connections with friends and colleagues, planning on Ravelry for what to knit next, doing research, having information at my fingertips, writing every day.

I like my connected lifestyle, with its choices and conveniences. Even though I couldn't have asked for a more comfortable or restful vacation, some of the little things I love about home are even better given the chance to experience life without them.