Is it just a me thing, or when you return to work after having been on vacation, do your co-workers seem a bit pissy with you? lol

It really changed over the years. When I first started out, I was low in seniority, so all the tedious tasks that no one else wanted to do, were "my" job....and yes, those with seniority hated me during my vacations. Only the bare minimum of what absolutely couldn't wait, was completed in my absence. Everything else just piled up.

As I climbed up a few rungs, the opposite dynamic came into play....whenever I went on vacation the youngsters always tried to seize the opportunity to prove how worthy they were.

And after I became the (local) boss, my superior at corporate would develop a hit-list of things he'd hit me over the head with on my first day back, just to remind me how "appreciated" I truly was. The GOOD news was, since HQ was on the west coast, 3 hours behind our time, that call wouldn't come in until 12 noon.

I worked 40 yrs and never experienced what you are saying. Sounds like it could be you reading into something that isn't there. But I don't know you and your life, so let it go and do your job.

Maybe they had to do their job and yours.