juxtaposition

I arrived home late, late sunday night after spending 14 hours to travel what should have taken 3. I barely slept because i was so excited to see my kids. I swept them away from their dad's house and into the van for a windy drive to our favourite camping place on earth.

Bags left unpacked on my bed and laptop rendered useless by a sandy beach in the middle of nowhere with open ocean all the way to a very foreign land.

We spent time with friends and food and campfires and lot's of sand in our ears and sleeping bags.

It was the perfect anti-conference. I had plenty of time to process the over-stimulation that i suffered in california. BlogHer is such a great experience. Just watching all the women creating friendships and bonds over every imaginable thing. I felt such happiness watching them, never really feeling like a sideliner, just a quiet observer.

It may take confidence to walk around a place like that alone; but, for me, it was calming to quietly wander and soak in bits of conversation and sit beside friends and smile knowingly at each other when we saw or felt a special moment.

I had some really great chats with amazing women in the oddest places - between toilet stalls, in shuttles, in the middle of noisy nightclubs and elevators.

I left BlogHer without a single complaint. I had vague explanations of some dramas taking place, but really? I would be surprised if there wasn't any drama when you have a crowd of women together who pour themselves out to the world via blogs and have high expectations for a great experience.

I am just so happy to be home with my kids and spending time eating our salads from the garden, sleeping in and having silly tickle fights.