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Are you a true-blue homebody (by design)?
OK... One would think that after being stuck at home (by the seat of my pants) for as many years as I have, I would long for the day of escapes and getaways, but that just isn't the case. In fact, the older I get (I find), the more comfortable and content I am with staying close-to-home. My husband, too.
Thought it would be interesting to hear from everyone, regarding.
That's me! I love being home. My last vacation (where I boarded a plane) was over 10 years ago. My DH and I just don't take vacations. Not sure why. We were DINKs for a long time and had spare money and few obligations. We just never got around to it I guess. I always used my vacation time from work to do house projects or crafty things (i.e. working on a quilt or something like that). I've taken a few roadtrips with friends when I was younger (college aged/mid-20's). That was fun at the time, but I have no desire to do that anymore.
I have no yen to go anywhere overseas. I don't have a bucket list of places to go. I have a passport, but there are no stamps and now it's expired. :) I know people like to travel and see new places, but it's just not me. I love my daily routines and I love to putter around the house. Maybe someday I'll go somewhere, but only if my DH takes the lead, otherwise, I'll drag my feet and it will never get done.
Now that I have DD vacations just aren't a priority. I'd rather contribute to her college fund (now that I'm a SAHM we can't do both), than take an expensive vacation. I would like to go camping next summer though. I've always enjoyed that and DD will be old enough to enjoy it.
That is me too. I worked outside my home for so many years that now that I am retired, I relish knowing that I don't have to go anywhere and can happily putter around the house and garden.
Since I travel for business, I LOVE being home. Nothing better than puttering around, playing with the dog, sitting outside. I do like to travel, but I'll let my clients satisfy that urge for me.
I actually find it very interesting to see how my own kids evolve in that area: My second son just bought a home in Burlington and he said that he just LOVES hanging at home. He spent last weekend mowing the lawn and building a raised garden bed for vegetables and I know him--I can just envision him in his new backyard Adirondack chair under his tree, reading a book. He definitely takes after me!
I am a homebody. I like to stay home most of the time.
I also don't like consuming things and so don't enjoy going out and shopping or spending money. I just feel like so much of the time if it's not necessary for the maintenance of my home, life or animals, it's just wasted money.
I also don't enjoy going out to eat or going out drinking or even to the movies because it's all so expensive and just seems so wasteful to spend 3-4x the price to do something just so I can do it in a crowd of strangers. I like quiet better than the noise of the public sphere anyway but I am by no means agoraphobic.
I would just prefer to stay at home, read, look at the news and internet and work in my house. I also spend 2 or more hours each day hiking with my dog. This is my equivalent of church and it takes a large chunk of my time.
I am a teacher and have had the opportunity to travel to Europe many times on student trips that I organize so I get to go free. But after a week out, I am counting the days until I get home bc I'm beginning to get homesick.
I love summertime because I get to stay home and not go out often for days at a time. I love losing track of what day of the week it is. I am looking forward to retirement (even though it's still a long way off) because I love to be at home and be able to do whatever I want whenever I want.
goldensmom
5-25-12, 4:08pm
Hi, my name is Goldensmom and I am a homebody. I traveled a lot in my youth and I've been to the places that I really wanted to go to, some several times so I am totally content to be at home. Even when I go on a planned vacation that I look forward to I still anticipate coming home. I just do not have the desire to wander far from home anymore.
Ah, as Catherine said, she travels for business and wants to stay home. I work at home and I really look forward to those days on the road. It's probably just a way of balancing our lives, eh?
Not a homebody here for the most part but I do enjoy coming home after a long trip, or even after just a long day out playing, and being "at home" with nothing to do. But I do feel at home where ever I'm at - whether it's my own home, a rented place, a motel room or even my tent in a campground. I just like "stopping" and being in one place for awhile.
I've really made myself quite the nest here and really enjoy being home most of the time, assuming I get out enough to socialize. Its especially nice in the summer to sit on the patio and watch the dragonflies over the garden and the cats playing in the yard. In the winter, cooped up in the house for days at a time when its always grey, makes me go batty.
That said, I really do like to travel and see other places. My hubby not so much, so we don't go away nearly as much as I would like to. But after 5-6 days away, I am missing home, missing my animals, missing my routines and my food and my comfortable bed. I would like to go away for 4-5 days, 4 times a year in my ideal life. Longer stays if there are multiple time zones involved (like Europe or NZ/Australia).
For the most part, I/we prefer to stay home or close-by. No desire to do any big travel, cruises, or the like. We do like to RV, however, and have talked about taking off for a month or so to see parts of the country we'll never see otherwise. But we know we won't do it. THIS summer/fall --- good lord willin' and the creek don't rise --- we'll go visit some of Idaho's small county fairs (I used to work at a small county fair in CA - I love them!) ... But DH gets so busy, and it's hard to pry him away from his busyness. Sometimes I wish he'd take off for the day with our sons and go geocaching or some-such and LEAVE ME ALONE FOR A CHANGE >8) ... so I can "putter" :).
( ... be careful what you wish for; you might get it ... )
I think that I probably have become a homebody. I require peace and quiet to function and I get all the socializing I require just being at work all week. I like to putter around the house in my spare time - sewing, gardening, putting things in order etc. For the most part, traveling has gotten so stressful that I actually don't look forward to trips anymore. Just the thought of being at the airport in a security line and then being herded on to the plane like cattle makes me feel queasy.
Blackdog Lin
5-26-12, 7:59am
Both DH and myself have definitely evolved into homebodies. For 30 years we did the every summer 2-week long "big vacation trip" - road trips out west, and a couple of memorable flying vacations (Hawaii, the Caribbean); and I'm now glad that we have those memories, as the hassle of traveling nowadays, at this stage of our lives, just doesn't seem worth the effort that has to be expended.
We have 7 acres of land around us, a nice patio out back with a grill and a cooker, our lovely trees, and gardens to tend to (mostly pleasant puttering), and the birds and the deer and the wild turkeys and the coyotes to look at: I can't think of a better vacation destination than our back yard. It helps that we are both introverts, and don't need or like much social interaction. We are very content being homebodies.
I'm definitely a homebody. Maybe it helps to have around 35 acres of property with lots of wildlife and interesting things, but I'm happy as a clam at home. Even when the kids were home and I worked myself silly 24/7, I was still happy.
I know some people who go nuts staying home, but I can always find things to do. Just wish I got paid for it! :)
My husband and I are definatly homebodies. The only aspect of vacations that we enjoy is the having nothing to do. We don't enjoy shopping and unless there is a strong historical aspect to our trip, we don't enjoy sight seeing much. Most we will go for a long weekend, staying either in our state or going to one of or neighboring states for a few days and we are never more than a five hour drive from home. Much of the time we just enjoy sitting in the yard, riding our bikes in the 325 acres of park land that is one block over from us or simply hanging out with friends and firing up the grill. A Saturday afternoon spent riding our bikes downtown to spend time at the library, grabbing a drink and sandwhich at the coffee shop and heading home is wonderful to us. Sitting on our three season porch, listening to music and drinking an ice cold beer on a Friday night is heaven.
Blackdog Lin........we were writing at the same time. I feel the same as you. DH used to want to go to state parks, and I would say "This is better!".......which it usually was! He's become a homebody too, although its probably because he works with lots of people for about 10 hours every day and he's ready for solitude in the evenings and on weekends. I'm glad we're similar in that way. People might think our lifestyle is boring, but to us, we're so very rich, enjoying everything around us so much.
I think those of us who enjoy the simple things the most, are the richest!
I wish I could say I love travel, and maybe when teleportation is perfected I will. I like being there, but not getting there or preparing for the trip. I'd love to get to Europe eventually, but the thought of spending days in airports or on planes makes that unlikely.
domestic goddess
5-26-12, 11:32am
Definitely a homebody here. The only trips I make anymore are to see my mom, and I may not be making those much longer. I can always find something to do at home. And at home I don't have to put up with a lot of obnoxious noise or crowds. DD and dsil have enough guests that I can get my fill of "socializing" for a few minutes on a regular basis. If I go out, it is mainly to the grocery or the craft store, for supplies. I guess it sounds like a boring life, and maybe I'm a boring person, but it suits me.
I am a complete homebody now. I used to really have the travel bug. I went hiking locally somewhere new every weekend, and often hopped on a plane to explore when I had a few days off. That was when I was 15-20 years younger and before all the security hassles that now accompany air travel. It was also quite inexpensive to travel from Phoenix.
These days, though, I am generally content to pursue hobbies at home. Not that we have eliminated travel.. due to our far-flung families and friends, we probably still travel more than the average American.
Love reading everyone's entries!
I'm a homebody who enjoys travel and being out doing things.
I enjoy solitary things - a walk, a hike, going kayaking.
A young lady in her late 20's/early 30's at church has 3 times in as many years called me an introvert.
I'm not....I just don't like everyone.
And if I don't like the conversation or the people....I stay quiet.
I've got wanderlust big time. Go far, go often!!
I suppose I would love to travel, but after raising kids and having to prepare/clean up after trips, plus having chickens I never wanted to leave and other pets, and finding most hotels disgusting, I'm just happier at home.
When I was 19 I worked in Germany over the summer and when I was 22, I traveled around central Europe. I thought I would always want to travel, but now I'm content to stay put.
As far as being around people, I just don't need them. I seem to have a low tolerance for alot of people-interaction.
Super additions you guys!
Oh, yes, Mrs-M, I am most definitely a homebody! Usually I'll get away for a long weekend 1-2 times a year to visit friends in another city, or take a long day trip somewhere, but I'm usually home, although I do galavant around my metropolitan area quite a bit!
awakenedsoul
5-26-12, 11:57pm
I enjoy being home, and spend most of my time here. I do also love to travel, though. I love to drive down the coast to Carmel. I can take the dogs with me and love staying in a quaint historical bed and breakfast. When I was in my 20's, I was happiest when getting on a plane. I traveled all over Europe with my work and absolutely loved it. I would buy a Eurail pass and decide on the spur of the moment to go to a new country. I still enjoy buying a weekend pass on our local train and going somewhere new and different. I love my home, but sometimes I get antsy here if I don't get out and find some mental, cultural and visual stimulation. Yet I also appreciate my healing garden, comfortable cottage, and homey kitchen.
Tradd. I knew it, I knew it, I knew it! I had you pegged as being a homebody! :D
Awakenedsoul. Nothing like the creature-comforts of home, is there. :)
rosarugosa
5-27-12, 8:49am
We're homebodies without a doubt. We enjoy getting away a couple of times a year, but we never go far - usually to the Berkshires or Maine. I haven't left New England for about 14 years. Like others have said, we've spent the years making home into our perfect place, so it's a pretty wonderful place to be at this point. Today is a beautiful day, and I'm looking forward to spending some time in the garden and washing some windows and curtains.
That sounds like a lovely day you have planned for yourself, Rosa. Enjoy! What a great way to spend a relaxing Sunday. Nothing pressing, just peace and calm and a little puttering. :)
I get very, very cranky when I have to even go to the store. I want to go home! I don't like when people pop in unannounced, but with my new life as a grandma, I have to learn to deal with it. I certainly don't want to miss the the babies growing, nor do I want to be the granny they don't want to come and see!
Wildflower
5-28-12, 12:22am
I am a homebody for sure, but do enjoy very short trips for a change of scene every now and then.
The only thing that concerns me about being such a hermit/loner/homebody is that if something were to happen to my husband, I wouldn't have many emotional resource people to turn to. :(
But that isn't enough to motivate me to become involved with people.
Oh, Sissy, I totally hear you on the "people popping in unannounced" issue. I'm getting better with it now that the kids aren't babies anymore, but when my days still consisted of bottles, burping, and diapers, drop-in visitors were often the day's deal-breaker for me... Finding myself putting off things I really had to do, and things I was in the midst of doing, on hold, so I could accommodate and entertain.
Wildflower. Ditto, the short trips idea.
CathyA. Yes, that definitely could be a concern, but changing ones ways (and natural rhythm) Re: things we really truly enjoy, tends to trump all other things, so I say as long as things are well (as it stands), continue to enjoy!
Homebody here! I haven't driven my car or gone anywhere since Friday. I love being at home. I don't mind being away for a long weekend, but after a few days I just want to sleep in my own bed.
Me, too, AnneM! I get into my own little world, puttering, and keeping everything running smooth (and everyone happy), I totally forget about the outside world.
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