The Physicist is overseas. He's been gone for over two weeks and will return on March 3. I miss him and he misses me. We talk whenever we can and we Facebook message each other a lot, but a nine hour time difference means those interactions are fleeting.
That's okay. He's always traveled for work. And at least he's not completely in harm's way--though I was worried about this trip more so than others. I know he'll be home soon and I have regular communication with him. This is a luxury compared to many of the military spouses who go months without seeing their beloved ones.
Up until this year, I always had someone else to look after. But now I'm officially an Empty Nester. So it's just me, Tonks, and Mischief rattling around this cage. I've become a bit feral as a result.
So the following things have occurred during this long time without my hero.
1. Those of you who have met me know that I am a hair and makeup girl. I get dressed for the day, put on make up, style my hair and try to look decent for the Physicist when he comes home from a long day's work. But when he's gone, my routine changes. I go to the gym, work out, come home, shower and get cleaned up but no more. Not unless I have to be seen in public. I wear a ratty holey sweater and write all day until about 4PM.
2. A real meal for dinner is optional. Really. I love to cook, but eating tuna salad out of the bowl it's made in is perfectly fine when there is no one around to watch me. Oh, Cheerios can so be a starch. I also eat when I want to eat--which means no waiting for someone to come home and unwind before eating a later meal. There is a level of bonus to this situation.
3. I don't sort my laundry. Nope. I just wait till the basket gets full and dump it into the washing machine. Most of my laundry comprises of workout clothes and socks. And I don't care if my socks get a little dingy. Turns out that while the Physicist has been overseas working, he's also done the same thing with his laundry. Yes. We are a couple of wild and crazy peeps!
I've also become unafraid of asking for help when I need it. To date I've had to work with my security company to fix the alarm system, and I had to call the fire department over the weekend because my gas stove top was acting weird. I tell you it was rather nice having three gorgeous, extremely young men standing in their full uniforms in my kitchen. I am writer. I can look. Right?
And yes, the Physicist knows about my little stove top incident. He's evolved that way.
So what do you do when your "cat's away?"
2 comments:
I don't have a cat anymore, so every weekend I don't have my children is an indulgence of lounging around the house. I'm the same way about fixing myself up - meticulously so - but every other weekend it becomes optional. Some days a shower is also optional. Meals are casual and tend to consist of odds and ends. (A Snickers totally includes all four food groups!) I admit, I've wallowed a bit in the freedom of setting my own schedule, doing what I wish, when I wish, with zero regard for anyone else. There are advantages to single life. There also disadvantages, but who wants to hear about those? :)
It's nice to be able to do what you want to do whenever you want, but I hear you on the downside. I've handled all the not so fun stuff of running the household and maintaining the vehicles as well. It gets old after a while. When the College Kid was still bitty bit, the Physicist took a position 8 hours away from our home. That lasted 2.5 years. It was tough, but we got through it. I know I developed an amazing respect for single parents who didn't always have the support from their ex-spouses and were doing the job of raising their kids alone.
So you sure do deserve a lazy weekend every other weekend. Seriously!!
Have a super rest of your day and thanks for stopping by the Veranda.
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