Replenishing the Well

I recently took the opportunity to do something just for me. (Was that a gasp I heard? I know. I'm a rebel.)

It's important for everyone to rejuvinate their soul, but even more so for creative people. Crap in=crap out, right? Replenishing the well and all that, right?

I just came home from a scrapbooking retreat in the Santa Cruz mountains.

Scrapbooking retreat? you ask? Why would you possibly want to do a scapbooking retreat?

First, let me say what's NOT involved in a scrapbooking retreat: No cooking, no cleaning, no nagging, no phone calls, no Internet access, no requests outside an occasional, "Can I borrow your cutter?"

What IS involved: Lots of smiling, ton of laughing, bunch of prize giveaways, awesome creativity and camaraderie, gorgeous setting, incredible food all prepared for you, someone to clean up after you, scrapbooking shopping areas, no bedtime, very few rules.

Now, I'll share our itinerary.

Friday: Arrive at 2pm; dinner at 6pm; snack at 9pm.
Our activities: Set up. Scrap. Eat (Burrito Bar, 4 different kinds of fruit, soup). Scrap. Eat (Brownies). Scrap. Sleep.

Saturday: Breakfast bar at 8:30, brunch at 10:30, lunch at 2:00, dinner at 6:00, snack at 9:00.
Our activities: Eat (Oatmeal-real stuff, 8 different cereals, fruit). Scrap. Eat (3 different fritattas, asparagus, ham, Hollandaise, cinnamon rolls from scratch). Scrap. Eat (Baked chicken, baked potatoes w/ fixings, chili, soup, salad bar). Scrap. Eat (Cake--carrot and chocolate). Scrap. Eat. Scrap. Sleep.

Sunday: Breakfast 9:00, lunch 1:00, Checkout.
Our activities: Scrap. Eat (Cinnamon rolls again--can never get too many, coffee cake, hard boiled eggs, cream of wheat, fruit). Scrap. Eat (Homemade rolls, deli meat, deli cheeses, egg salad, chips, salad bar, soup, rice crispie treats). Cleanup. Leave at 2pm.

Needless to say, my weight watchers week 2 was blown to hell. But it was so worth it.

(BTW: This would be an AWESOME location for a WRITER'S RETREAT...hint, hint.)

Today, I'm on a retreat of a different kind. I've scheduled a little romantic getaway for my DH and me. We've run off to a little beach hotel half an hour from home for some R&R and quality time. Tomorrow, back to the reality of our opposite schedules and the requirements of our two teenage daughters.

When was the last time you took some time out for yourself? Does anyone take creative retreats? Your advice on replenishing the well?