On My Own

Oscar is taking Best Friend to the Nickelback concert tonight. I once had another friend ask me if I was really comfortable with them doing things together without me. I think I laughed. Oscar considers Best Friend one of his closest friends, but nothing could EVER happen between them. They get along well as friends but would end up killing each other if they were in a romantic relationship. Literally. (My odds would be on Best Friend to emerge victorious in that scenario, by the way.)

Regardless, I will be alone for the evening, or at least as alone as I can be with a toddler and three cats running around the house. When I am planning to be away from the house, Oscar generally responds in one of two ways. He will either profess to look forward to my absence and state his intention to get all sorts of chores done, but instead end up sitting on the couch watching television. Or he will talk about how miserable he's going to be without me and pull out his pouty, "Do you have to go?" face until I remind him that TURTLE is the baby in the house, not him. Either way, I can generally expect that the before and after pictures of my house and husband are not going to change much in the time that I am away.

When Oscar is planning to be away from the house, which is rare, I. Love. It. It's one thing to be home during the day and run interference on an active toddler. I'm lucky to keep up on getting his toys put away, much less getting any kind of big projects done. Not even his nap time is of much use. That's the only chance I usually have to get a shower, eat lunch and have five minutes of my own to recharge before Hurricane Turtle gets up again. But when I have an evening by myself to look forward to, when I know that Turtle will be going to bed and I can actually get things done? Ahhh....bliss.....

There is so much I can get done tonight. There are so many things that have been neglected in the last few months to which I could devote my attention this evening. The possibilities are endless. My head is spinning. Do I clean the kitchen? Do I pack up the in-laws' Christmas gifts? (I told you things have been neglected lately. Don't judge me!) Do I, dare I even say it?, clean my bathroom? I haven't decided yet, but I'm really looking forward to having the time alone to see how much I can get done. I suppose some people would take advantage of alone time by catching up on some reading, or relaxing, like Oscar. But for me, it is far more satisfying to see how much I can accomplish in the time I have.

Of course, none of that prevented me from dropping a note to my Crush and letting him know that I will be sans company this evening. He's looking at flights now.