Seasonal Depression Anyone?

Last week I found myself stricken by profound melancholy. It was crippling, actually.

The husband and I were supposed to be preparing for a camping trip that was going to combine me paddling with him stick fighting. Best of both worlds. But I found myself absolutely unable to pack or really do much of anything except go to bed. I don't recall experiencing anything quite like it.

Each morning started out relatively normal, but then as the day progressed I found myself feeling sad and blue. I managed to complete my work day but was unable to complete my evening household chores, cook dinner for myself or our pups, or really do much. I didn't even look at the photo blogs I normally follow, or read Bike Snob's enjoyable rantings.

By Friday the 13th I realized that I had made few, if any preparations, and that I was going to be in quite hot water very very soon. I had some paddling club members planning to meet me at the river Saturday morning and girl friends expecting me to meet the at my husband's event in Saturday afternoon. And yet after grocery shopping I could only put the groceries away and then go to bed.

I was simply unable to function.

Saturday morning dawned with me already up and running around the house packing frantically. I had a phone and internet failure compound my situation further, and so found myself at the boat launch 25 minutes late. Not a usual thing for me.

Only a couple of paddlers had made it there in front of me. We popped in the water and paddled upriver on the rising tide. The Patuxent River at Jug Bay is a truly lovely place to paddle. The flowers were mostly gone and the wild rice had turned brown preceding the fall.

I felt fine, just fine, with the sun shining on me and a light cool breeze blowing.

Jonathan and Sandy

Me on the Western Branch, Patuxent, 9-14-13

One of the many down trees

This week I have had several evenings where I again found myself blue but this week I was prepared for it and so was not as immobilized. I guess I should consider whether i have "Seasonal Affective Disorder" aka seasonal depression. Great. Just really nice.