I Finally Took a Vacation: Why Rest Is Essential for Your Mind, Body, and Spirit

After many years of staying home and taking staycations or little 3 days trips in Ohio, I finally took a real vacation!  I knew that I had to take my trip before June or after August due to my husband having several scout trips planned for the summer. 

I had taken a bus trip in the early 2000s so I searched for the company that I used that time and did not find it.  Instead I found Anderson Coach & Travel  so I decided to look at the trips they offered.  I decided upon the 8 day Island Hopping Tour in Georgia with stops in Kentucky and the Carolinas.

“The Lord keeps you from all harm and watches over your life. The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go, both now and forever.” Psalm 121:7-8

I packed the best that I could for the trip using accuweather.com and the forecasts for our destinations.  I live in Ohio and we have a joke that if you don't like the weather, just wait a minute.  I wasn't sure if Georgia would be like this or not. 

The tour was sold out so it was a packed bus and my pickup point was the last stop.  We pick our seats in advance.  I like to sit near the front and I was paired with a really nice lady named Janice.  We had plenty of time to get to know each other with the hours of travel ahead of us. We hit it off and hung out together for the duration of the trip from early morning breakfasts to stopping in shops to find souvenirs.  At dinner one night, someone asked if we were mother and daughter.  It just so happens that Janice reminds me of my late mother with her friendly and fun personality.  

Our bus driver Craig and our tour director Barb were absolutely fantastic.  I don't like driving and I do a lot of planning for my paid job so being able to buy a trip where someone does the driving and takes care of the details is perfect for me. Craig deserves a gold star for navigating Atlanta and Charlotte traffic which were both brutal.  Oh, Craig & Barb also surprised us with stops at not just one but two Buc-ees! 

We had a good mix of people on our trip.  A majority were retirees enjoying their life after work. There were several people who had health challenges requiring use of canes or other mobility devices. Janice and I were usually among the first to board the bus. Having the aisle seat, I helped people either holding a bag or cane as they used the handrails the climb the steps to board the bus. Our bus driver did his best to drop off or park to minimize extra walking for those with walking challenges.

The weather was great for the majority of the trip with sun and warm temperatures. Two days were chilly, windy, and cloudy and coincided with stops on St. Simon Island and Jekyll Island.  We had indoor activities, for the most part, on St. Simon.  On Jekyll Island, it started to mist when it was time for our boat ride to see the dolphins. The weather was better at home that day but I got to see dolphins where I was! Our evening in Jekyll Island was supposed to culminate with dinner and shopping at a beach village similar to Easton Towne Center in Columbus.  By that time, it was pouring rain and even the hardcore shoppers didn't want to shop. Everyone was cold, tired, and ready to go back to the hotel.  I opted to buy food from the little market at the hotel while others gathered at the hotel bar over drinks and a menu for a local pizza place.  

Eight days went by quickly and I was back home.  My husband picked me up and filled me in on the routine he and Patty established while I was away.  After her illness, our cat is now on Royal Canin Urinary S/O calming food, both wet and dry.  Jon had to go back to his scout event. After a long day on the bus, I was ready for bed where Patty joined me for the night.

I had no idea how much I needed this vacation until I was on it.  I was super stressed out at work before my trip and I finally relaxed.  I decided to make a few changes to my home routine to give myself more time before work or other activities in the morning but getting up 10 minutes earlier.  My first day back at work, I stayed relaxed and calm even during an outage near the end of my shift. For the most part, my workers stepped up and were accountable. 

Anderson is starting to release trips for 2027 and my plan is to find one and take it!  If it works out, Janice and I have talked about traveling together.  I am so blessed to have seen God's beauty He created in the United States and to have pictures to remember it by.

Resources:

SEO Optimization using ChatGPT.

Links to Going on Faith and other Santini Serenity Blog posts within the post.

How Stress Affects Your Cat’s Health: Patty’s Story and What We Learned

For the past few weeks, our sweet cat Patty hasn’t been herself—and it’s been a bit of an emotional rollercoaster.

It started with what seemed like a simple urinary infection. We took her to the vet, got antibiotics, and felt relieved when her symptoms cleared up pretty quickly. During that first visit, though, the vet noticed excess glucose in her urine and mentioned the possibility of diabetes. Naturally, that worried us, so we went back the following week for bloodwork… only to find out everything looked completely normal. A huge sigh of relief.

Then came the curveball.

About a week later, Patty’s symptoms returned, and we were back at the vet again—this time for a longer stay and more extensive testing. That’s when we got the real answer: urinary crystals. Tiny, sharp crystals that make going to the bathroom incredibly painful—like passing shards of glass. Hearing that explained the blood in her urine and her obvious discomfort, but it didn’t make it any easier to process.

Now she’s on another round of antibiotics, a special calming diet, and temporary medication to help her relax while her body heals.

And here’s the part that really made us stop and think…

The vet mentioned stress.

Stress? Patty? Our laid-back, easygoing girl? It didn’t seem to add up at first. But the more I sat with it, the more it made sense.

We tend to think of stress as something personal—something that lives quietly inside us as we juggle responsibilities, health issues, and the general weight of life. But what I’ve come to realize is that stress doesn’t always stay contained. It spills over. It shifts the energy in our homes in subtle ways we don’t always notice.

And our pets? They notice.

Cats, especially, are incredibly intuitive. They pick up on changes in tone, routine, and even the unspoken tension we carry. Looking back, I had been dealing with my own health challenges related to environmental issues at work, and while I may not have said much out loud, the stress was there. And somehow, Patty felt it too.

A stressed human can unintentionally create a stressed home.

Maybe it shows up in small ways—less playtime, a disrupted routine, a little less patience at the end of a long day. To us, those moments might seem insignificant. But to a cat, they can feel like instability. And when cats feel unsettled, they communicate the only way they know how—through behavior and, sometimes, through physical symptoms.

What looked like a medical issue alone may have had an emotional layer we didn’t expect.

The good news? This connection works both ways.

Just as our stress can affect them, our calm can comfort them. Slowing down. Sitting quietly together. Keeping routines predictable. Offering affection without expecting anything in return. Even taking better care of ourselves can create a sense of safety for them.

One of my favorite moments each day is still the simplest one—sitting down and feeling Patty curl up in my lap. It’s grounding, for both of us.

This whole experience has been eye-opening—not just emotionally, but financially, too. And while I wouldn’t wish it on anyone, it’s been a powerful reminder for Jon and me.

Taking care of ourselves isn’t selfish. It’s part of taking care of everything—and everyone—we love.

Patty doesn’t need us to be perfect. She just needs us to be present, aware, and gentle.

And maybe… we need that for ourselves, too.

Resources:

Scripture Image:  YouVersion Bible App

Copilot M365 & ChatGPT - SEO optimization

When the Office Makes You Sick: Recognizing the Signs of Sick Building Syndrome

I debated whether or not to write about this. It feels vulnerable to admit you’re not feeling well in a place you’re supposed to simply “power through.” But if sharing my experience helps even one person pause and say, “Wait… maybe it’s not just me,” then it’s worth it.

Since we returned to a hybrid schedule at the Columbus office, I’ve noticed a pattern. Every shift I work there, I don’t feel well afterward. Headaches. Fatigue. Just an overall sense of feeling off.

There was extensive remodeling done, including drywall work, and the dust has felt never-ending. The best cleaning lady we ever had took another job, and while I wipe down my own desk and even bought a small air purifier for my space, I can only control so much. If dust isn’t being removed throughout the building — through proper dusting, vacuuming, and ventilation — it lingers. It circulates. It settles… and then rises again.

In full transparency, my home environment isn’t perfect either. But I do my best. And I notice I feel different there.

Then there’s the water issue. One day I filled my water bottle at the filling station and the water tasted like dirt. Not slightly off — noticeably earthy. The water in the building is often brown. You can see it when washing your hands and even in the toilet bowls before anything else is added. I now use a filtered water bottle, but I know I’m not drinking nearly enough while I’m at the office. At home, we have a whole-house purification system and filtered refrigerator water, so I’m used to clean, clear drinking water. It’s hard to ignore the difference.

For a while, I questioned myself. Was it stress? Allergies? Just getting older? But I started learning more about something called Sick Building Syndrome.

Sick Building Syndrome (SBS) describes a pattern where people experience headaches, fatigue, irritated eyes or throat, difficulty concentrating, or general malaise that improves once they leave a particular building. There isn’t one single diagnosable illness attached to it. It’s more about environmental stressors — especially indoor air quality — that affect people over time.

And here’s what struck me: dusty environments and water issues are often quieter contributors.

Dust isn’t just “dirt.” After remodeling, drywall particles and fine particulate matter can linger in the air if not thoroughly cleaned and properly ventilated. Dust can carry allergens, mold spores, and chemical residues from building materials. When it’s continually recirculated through HVAC systems, people breathe it in all day long.

Water issues can add another layer. Discolored or contaminated water may point to plumbing problems, sediment, or corrosion. Moisture problems in buildings can also create conditions where mold or bacteria grow — even if you can’t immediately see it. Sometimes the first sign isn’t visible damage. It’s people not feeling well.

What makes this so frustrating is that the symptoms are easy to dismiss. They’re vague. Non-specific. You start to question yourself.

But when the pattern is consistent — when you feel noticeably better once you leave — that matters.

This isn’t about blame. It’s not about being dramatic. It’s about recognizing that the spaces we spend hours in every day impact our bodies. Air quality, dust control, water quality, ventilation — these aren’t cosmetic building issues. They affect energy levels, clarity, hydration, and overall well-being.

If you’ve been feeling “off” in a specific environment, I gently encourage you to pay attention to patterns. Notice when symptoms improve. Advocate kindly but clearly. Protect your health in the ways you can — whether that’s using filtration, staying hydrated, or raising concerns.

At the end of the day, buildings are meant to shelter and support us — not quietly wear us down.

If sharing this helps someone feel less alone or prompts a needed conversation, then writing it was worth it.

Resources:

ChatGPT - SEO optimization and details about SBS

YouVersion - Scripture Image