Alone

Thanksgiving was nice, as usual. The following morning around 8:00, Dear Hubby left with all three of my sons to go on a one-night camping trip. It's a tradition of sorts, since 1999. Dear Hubby and some friends of his from high school take their kids camping the day after Thanksgiving. Which left me ... alone.

For the first time since Son #3's birth four years and nine months ago, I was going to have a whole day and night to myself. Just me. (I've taken mini-vacations by myself to visit my mom, but that's hardly all alone, is it?) Ah, the possibilities!

I ended up doing what so many others do on the day after Thanksgiving. I went shopping. I left the house at 10 am and was finished by 1:30 (including a quiet little lunch - party of one). It's surprising what you can accomplish when shopping uninterrupted and with both hands. Usually my right hand is occupied - holding Son #3's hand, or dragging him by the collar out from under the racks of clothes, depending on his mood. No tug-of-war, no 100 questions. Yes sir, even as the 20th person in the checkout line at Bath & Body Works, I was still smiling!

In the afternoon, I cleaned the house and assembled our Christmas tree. I did not put a single ornament on, though. The kids wouldn't forgive me, if I had (we decorated on Sunday). I thought it would be nice to watch a movie uninterrupted for a change, but by dinnertime, I was getting a little tired of the quiet. Fortunately, my friend, Sandie, invited me over for dinner. She and her husband were cooking filet mignon. How could I say no? I spend a few hours at their house and was home by 9:30.

At this point, I should tell you that I'm not really comfortable being home alone at night (with or without the kids). I don't sleep well when Dear Hubby is away. So I did a quick check for the boogeyman (closets, under the beds, behind the shower curtains), put on my pjs, cranked up the Christmas music on the radio and read for a few hours. It was around 1 or 2 a.m. before I finally turned it for the night. Dear Hubby and the boys came home around noon on Saturday.

It's Monday evening now, the holiday week is over, and the kids are back to their usual antics and squabbling. Now I miss the peace and quiet (even if just a little). Just goes to show you: the grass is not always greener! OY!