The husband and I are spending a few days away from home, and it’s been an extremely relaxing and wonderful trip. Except for this morning. The internet is not working. I did what my husband refers to as a a “Microsoft” on the modem (I turned it off, counted to thirty and then turned it back on.) But even though I’m getting a strong Wifi signal, there’s no internet connection.

I look out from the window of the place we’re staying onto the rolling brown hills, dotted with dark green trees. The fog paints a light gray background, and other than some tall power poles in the distance, I don’t see any other signs of civilization. The husband and I could be all alone here, and the rest of the world could have ended.

Right now, my phone is still trying to save data by connecting through the Wifi instead of using cellular, so for all I know, we are alone.

And even though our purported reason for taking this trip was “to get away,” it’s really the last thing that we do. Don’t get me wrong. We are away from our normal physical environment. Instead of 107F this week, we’re enjoying temperatures that swing between 50F and 85F in the wine country of Santa Barbara County. Here in Los Olivos, the scenery is bucolic and relaxing. The wines are top notch, and finally, the cuisine is starting to catch up. It has everything that we enjoy in a vacation (except for shopping).

But as we were driving back from Presqu’ile Winery yesterday (the one wine club that we decided to join this trip), I was on my iPhone, checking texts from my family, looking at photos of my niece who graduated high school yesterday, and commenting on a friend’s annual photoshoot with her kids. I was everywhere but “here.” When we got back to the house, my husband got on his iPad, checking Facebook and reading updates on the terror attack in Manchester.

Just writing the word “Facebook” makes me want to check it. I’m gonna try “Microsofting” the Wifi again.

Do you feel a constant need to stay connected?