I'm an extrovert, and one of the defining characteristics of an extrovert is that we "recharge our batteries" in large groups. Extroverts make good performers because we draw energy from the crowd. More importantly, being in large groups of people doesn't suck all the energy from us like it would an introvert, leaving us drained and exhausted. But that doesn't mean that extroverts have to be around people all the time. In fact, we need our alone time too.And I desperately need some now.
School is out, so that means AC is home with me every day. Now, she's pretty good about entertaining herself, but almost-seven-year-olds have a limited attention span so she does have to "check in" quite often and let me know what she's doing and why, and can I come see this, and can she have a snack... you get the picture.
Plus, the Geek has been sick for the last week, which means he's been home quite a bit coughing and wheezing and being miserable. I have pretty strict rules about being sick--if you're miserable, go be miserable in your room. I don't fluff pillows or fetch orange juice unless you're on death's door. I'll check on you every now and then and see if you need anything, but otherwise, I'm not a good nurse. And I really don't want your germs, so please stay away from me. DG knows this, and has tried to stay out of my way as much as possible, but that doesn't change the fact that he's home.
I'm just not used to this. I'm very used to kissing everyone goodbye and ushering them out the door at 7.20 am, leaving me alone in blissful silence until 3 pm. Instead, I had both of them home and it drove me insane.
I love 'em both, but I last week was tough. Really tough. I knew it was getting to me, but I didn't realize how much until Thursday. Thursday night is Game Night for DG. Usually, he leaves around seven, and I don't see him until the next morning. AC goes to bed around 7.45, and I have the house to myself.
Well, on Thursday around 6.45 I said something about DG heading off to game night (he'd been well enough to go to work most of the day, so I just assumed he was going.). He said he was planning on staying home. My loving, caring, wifely response to the news he planned to stay home and rest?
A horrified look coupled with an equally horrified "Seriously?"
Not my best moment, I admit it, but geez, I was about to pull my hair out. Although I tried to take it back, DG ended up going to Game Night anyway to pass along contagions to the other Geeks. I sent AC to bed, watched So You Think You Can Dance, talked on the phone to Instigator for a while, and reveled in the silence.
Then he stayed home most of the day Friday. Um, hello, I have a book to write. The one I'm contractually obligated to produce, remember?
We took AC to camp Sunday afternoon and dropped her off. She's gone until Tuesday. I pronounced DG well enough to go to work today (And he is, thank goodness, but sick or not, he was leaving this house, by God.)
Now I have all day today. Alone. In my quiet house. Bliss. Call me a bad wife. Call me a horrible mother. I don't care. I'm home alone.
Sooo...how's your day? :-)
PC
21 comments:
Mornin'
I for one am happy to be at work today.60 degrees, no blazing sun. Works got to get done.
Short list: steam cleaning carpets, pressure washing house, replacing pool liner, mowing yard, feeding animals, repotting plants, kids begging to swim all day everyday....
Got to admit though, the little ones always love to help. Got to keep promoting that.
Instigator though has been awesome. House is beautiful, kids are screaming, predators are on the loose again (I blame that on a certain phone call).
Peace for 4-6 hours, then back in the heat again. Oh well.
PC, I completely feel your pain. Everyone is home today here as well. Love the family, but need my quiet time as well.
I feel like that on weekends, which is why I have actively encouraged Hubby's new obsession with World of Warcraft. :) Yes, my darling, go level up. I don't mind. :)
Amazingly, believe it or not, a cat can cause these feelings too. I have two cats. One is normal. One is not. It's the not normal cat that drives me crazy. He will, like now, come around and insist he wants food (though it's not time). How does he do this? He whines, he knocks stuff over, he nips my ankles, etc. Very irritating. He is truly a one-cat wrecking ball.
But AC is a very good kid, btw. She may ask questions and interrupt you for attention, but she's very good at entertaining herself. A true pleasure to be around for a kidless person, I tell you. She doesn't make me want to rip my hair out and run screaming. :)
I'm in my standard Monday morning funk right now. I'll shake it off around, oh...Thursday afternoon.
I had a fairly productive weekend, so I can't complain too much. DB is off the next two days, so I won't have any alone time until...ok, I won't have any this week. Wednesday is yoga and Starbucks with PC and walking with Maven LJ. Thursday Maven LJ and I might go to the botanical garden and walk. Then there's the preparation for the weekend, so... nope. No alone time.
As I said in my blog last week, been there, done that. The DH is out of town on business til Wednesday so I don't have to cook dinner til Thursday. I'll probably eat the leftovers from the weekend and maybe a frozen dinner one night. He flew out of the Nashville airport so I am now well-acquainted with the roads leading in and out of the area.
My hubby isn't a gamer like DG or Lynn's hubby, but he plays his own game -- volleyball. And I keep trying to find more leagues for him to play in. ::grin::
I'm faced with his retirement in not too many years. I have already told him he can't retire until he has a full-time hobby. I'm thinking maybe volleyball referee. If he gets certified at the national level, he could travel the country referreeing games. Yeah... that's the ticket.
PM
Oh gosh yes! I have to get ready for the weekend. ::smacks forehead::
It's never any fun to have sick folk at home. :-( Hang in there, PC! You'll get your quiet time. Snatch it when you can. :-)
#1 and his crew are back in Nebraska. #1 is going to the Persian Gulf for 2 months this week. #2 settled in Texas. Her first job going well. #3 getting ready for West Point. #4 on break from cheerleading. Two still at home but not for long. Enjoy the time you have with AC!
(Also, my nephew is training to go back to Baghdad in early August with the Texas National Guard (He's already spent one year there so this will be his second trip. He got shot the first time). This time, it looks like he'll be working with the Marines banging down doors. With my dad passing away a few months ago, my brother and his family could use any prayers sent their way.)
I've got peace and quiet coming my way in about a week. And I'm with you in that bad mother category. My kiddo heads off to her dad's (1100 miles away!) for the entire summer and I've been struggling with how much I'll miss her.
But last week she found out she made the all star team for softball and there was a tear filled evening of trying to figure out if she could stay here to play. I admit it, the real possibility that I could lose my ten weeks of freedom (and incur major daycare expenses) had me convincing her she needed to go.
I know I should feel bad. But I don't. Not much anyway.
Kathy - prayers for all of them.
My hubby took a few days of vacation time and has been home since Friday. He will go back to work on Wednesday...if I make it until then. I swear the man missed his calling as one of those home improvement guys. I am on first name basis with the employees of Lowes and Marvins. We are in the process (as I speak) of painting the house. The outside of the house. In 90 degree weather. In the sun. All he has to say is "It's not hot, it's nice outside". Sure, if you're a camel. I don't mind being in the sun..only next to a body of water and not my body of water. So, that's how my day if going. Sucks huh.
That should be "how my day IS going".
Kathy, I'll be keeping your family in my prayers.
Kathy, I'll keep your nephew and his family in my prayers!
My day? Yeah, well, it's Monday so I'm kinda dragging. Especially because I spent much of the weekend either sweating outside or scrubbing my house from top to bottom. Don't get me wrong. The house needed it. But my arms and thighs are now protesting the unusual exercise.
Instigator
Since you have a new pool liner, maybe we need to have a swim party. :grin:
And Kathy, prayers to your nephew. Maybe they'll pull our troops out soon so we don't have any more soldiers wounded or killed.
I'm off to the fat farm to work out. Ugh.
PM
That sounds great, PM. I was telling Angel that since my house is spotless for a change that I need to have y'all over before it gets wrecked again :-) Besides, y'all need to meet Eeyore.
Instigator
Thank you, Zilla. You've been pretty fantastic too! I'm amazed the carpets came clean :-)
I thought Eeyore was supposed to fix the predator issue. What's out and about now?
Love you!
Instigator
Sorry Instigator about the predator issue.......that was just a jab at PC :)
The weekend was extremely busy...on top of the needy neighbors.
N1: Replaced 2 roof panels
N2: Changed lawn mower blades
N3: Hung 2 ceiling fans
N4: Repaired gocart chain
N5: Dumped load of manure for garden
By the way, all of ya'll chould write a series of novels off of neighbor 2.
Custody hearing, man has legal issues and divorce hearing pending, and female (Miss February) has pending divorce hearing.
Yep you heard me right---Miss February of 200something.
Alone time? LOL *sigh* I won't get that until sometime in August.....
And the sad part is...I'm an introvert with extrovert tendencies..
Makes no sense....
Kathy: My thoughts are with the soldiers! God bless 'em.
'Zilla, if you want to go shoot something, you don't have to wait for me to call.
Course, if this book doesn't shape up and start flowing soon, I may have you come shoot me!
Now PC...
You must think I am some sort of a Yee Haw that goes shooting around yelling yawhoo. (well you might be right to an extent) :)
I would never shoot you though...better punishment is available for the turmoil ya'll come up with :)
I feel the same way, peace on heavenly peace. I am one of 7 kids and growing up there was no peace. At here at school, it gets crazy!!!!!!! So when I go home and I am now by myself, peace heavenly peace.
robertsonreads
Home alone is a wonderful feeling.
I so totally get it. I used to dread school's out time. Now in retrospect, I really kinda enjoyed those days. My office overlooked the front yard with a big picture window. I saw the way my sons rode bikes and organized the neighbor kids to sell lemonade and candy. And when I hit a writing roadblock, I'd take them to the local lake beach where the sunfish nibbled your toes in the water.
Sigh. They're grown up and now I'm wishing for a few of those days back. But only a few!
Angel, checking in! I want to cry at being able to at least read the blog. I haven't been able to get to my email, and I'm in serious withdrawal.
On the computer front, looks like the new one won't be here until next Tuesday. The question is, will I survive until then?
I so feel your pain, PC. As a total introvert, I get to feeling quite claustrophobic during the week. Then the weekends get here and I feel exponentially worse! Oh well. Its worth it to be able to stay home with the kiddios, but some days... And the youngest isn't old enough for me to ship off anywhere, much to my dismay.
That's one reason I'm such a nightowl. After the kids go to bed, I don't want to sleep. I want to stay up and enjoy the quiet. Read a book or write while there's no one to interrupt me. Heavenly...
Angel
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