Yesterday I noticed that the White House called a lid — that is, announced there would be no public events with the president- shortly after 9 a.m. Eastern.

Today the president received his daily intelligence briefing at 11 a.m., and will deliver remarks on actions to help families access care, support care workers and family caregivers, and strengthen the economy at 2 p.m.

No doubt that leisurely start to the week is a consequence to President Biden’s trip to Ireland. Biden left the White House for his Ireland trip at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday and remained in Ireland until Friday evening. Upon returning to the U.S. early Saturday morning, Biden spent the weekend at his Rehoboth Beach house, and returned to the White House Sunday evening.

(If Biden surprises the world and does not choose to run for reelection, then Michael Brendan Dougherty had the observation of the year. The four-day trip to Ireland, heavy on Biden’s family history and “vibes,” and light on actual foreign policy, felt like the sort of self-indulgent trip a president makes late in his second term. The world is at war, the deadline for a debt ceiling deal is approaching, and Biden spent the better part of a week playing “Finding Your Roots.”)

This is just part of life with an 80-year-old president; after an overseas trip, he’ll need two or three days to recover from jet lag. It is hard to imagine Biden will be in better shape, or more energetic, a year from now when he’s running for reelection as an 81-year-old, or, if victorious, taking the oath of office again at age 82. And yet, the Democratic Party’s plan is for Biden to remain in office until he is age 86.