Not everyone will agree, but OP, I am totally with you.
Exactly the same happened to me, over the Crimbo period I was extremely busy, so never managed to get on. Now that I can, I do not see the point. I have been a long term player, coming up to a year now. Do not get me wrong, I have enjoyed it thoroughly.
BUT
After those few weeks off, I can't help but feel it has become too monotonous. It IS the same thing day in day out. Farm to upgrade, or attack to gain trophies. Single player missions where completed long ago. They were fun, well, the last 3/4 were anyway.
I can't help but feel that I would get more enjoyment out of playing something else, on anything else. I know this sounds like a moan, well... That's because it is. But I can't help but feel in the same position as the OP. Something new to the game is needed, something substantial, not new upgrade levels, not even new troops.. It needs something else..
Now also with the added part of barely finding any loot. I find loot yes, but barely. Not enough for a town hall 10 to have 4 things building AND do walls.. A few days ago I put my phone down. It stayed there well after the notification came up for "Your troops are ready for battle!"
I just couldn't find it in myself to pick up the phone
I love the game, have loved, and always will, but there is much missing from this game that SC could add, but they aren't. They may have their reasons, such as concentrating on other games they have brought out.
But SC.. Please, remember us, don't ignore us. We are passionate about this game, and I would love to have the feeling back from when I first started playing, where I literally could not put the phone down. Don't lose us players SC.