Home Alone

There was a time, not so long ago, when a week home alone would seem... fun.  Not that I want to spend time apart from My Lovely Wife.  I feel much more relaxed when she's with me than not.  So when she proposed that she spend a week with RG at her parents, my first reaction was "sweet".

That lasted for almost as long as it took for the "sw" sound to form in my head.  

My next thought was a week without My Lovely Wife and Daughter?  What was that going to be like?

I agreed to it, because it's good for her to bond with her grandparents and also good for Mommy to have an adult to talk to besides me (because as soon as I get home, I just want to talk to My Lovely Daughter, which involves a lot of stereotypical baby talk).  We set the date far enough in the future that I would give myself enough time to get myself steeled toward that moment when I would say goodbye to both of them.

That date, ladies and gentlemen, was this past Sunday.  The plan was that My Lovely Wife's parents would come down and spend the weekend with us, then leave with my ladies on Sunday.  That plan lasted right up until Friday night when the impending snow storm made us change things around.  Instead, My Lovely Wife's father would drive down on Saturday morning, pick up the ladies, and head back home.

And that's what happened.

I've been keeping a bit of a diary.

Day -0.5: Saturday

Everyone just left.  The house is oddly quiet - it is, in fact, the sound of our house from 5 months ago.  The quiet is oddly familiar, but strange at the same time.

I make lunch and watch Netflix.  Then I watch some stuff on the PVR to make space for the shows that I'll watch with My Lovely Wife when she returns.  I think about making another snack, but the snow hasn't hit us yet so I go grocery shopping instead. This has the added benefit of making me not think about the fact I am alone.

My Lovely Wife calls to let me know they've arrived safe and sound.  The snow hasn't started yet.  I think that they could have postponed leaving for a little while, but that's not really fair.  And better safe than sorry.  I watch some more Netflix and read a book.  I make supper.  I play some video games.  I watch a movie and eat chips.  The chips are way better than the movie, but that may be because I don't eat much junk food.  Or it could also have just not been that great a movie.

I watch Netflix in bed, then do a crossword puzzle.  I am luxuriating in staying up late (it's past ELEVEN!) because nobody in the house has to get up early to feed or change a baby.

Day 1: Sunday

The car alarm across the street wakes me up at around 4 AM. I put a pillow over my head and go back to sleep. 

At 6:30 AM, I get up and look out the window.  It snowed.  A great deal.  I can see the car across the street honking and flashing lights to alert everyone to the danger that it is experiencing.

I call the RCMP.  They say that they can't really do much about it, but they'll send someone to check it out.

I eat breakfast, do some email, read my book.  The alarm goes off and on.  I go on Facebook and talk about it.  I write a poem of sorts and post it here.  I call the RCMP again at 8:30 AM.  They say that the streets aren't plowed and they can't get anyone out there.  I say that it's just weird how it goes off and on like it does.  Almost like someone would if they were trying to signal that they were in trouble.  The RCMP say that they'll send someone out as soon as they can.

I do some laundry.  I run the dishwasher.  I finish my book so I watch some Netflix to the dulcet tones of the car alarm.

I eat another breakfast because it feels like that kind of a day.  

I see an RCMP officer walking around the car across the street.  He checks all the windows in the house.  He talks on his radio and then starts walking across the street. I think that he is going to come talk to me because I called in a complaint, but he keeps walking down the street.  That is when I realize that A) there is no RCMP vehicle in sight, B) the snow in the street is almost up to his knees, and C) he is walking down to the Shediac Road so that he can get picked up.  I feel bad.

I do another load of laundry and reload the dishwasher.

The car alarm finally dies at around 2:30, right around the time that I get a text message from a friend saying that they've been hearing reports about it on her police scanner.  I think the battery must have died, because there was nobody else around.

It is still snowing too much to go outside, but I shovel the porch and walkway just to get outside. 

I talk to My Lovely Wife about 5 times through the day.  I make supper and watch some TV, play a video game for a little while, and do some writing. 

I go to bed early.  

Day 2:  Monday

I at least have the day at work to distract me for most of the day.  I miss my family.  I forgot that it was casual week at work, and got dressed in my regular clothes like a sucker.  I vow to wear casual for the rest of the week.

I eat supper and watch The West Wing.  I started watching it on Sunday and don't know why I never watched it before.  It's a great show.  I think about waiting and watching it with My Lovely Wife, but I need it to keep playing to distract me.

I go to bed early after doing a load of laundry so I would have casual pants to wear tomorrow.

Day 4:  Wednesday

I wake up super happy because I've made it through half the week.  Only a few more days to go before I see My Lovely Wife and Daughter again!  

Breakfast is a cheery affair.  I use up all the blueberries on the last of the Cheerios.  I even woke up early enough that I could watch half an episode of The West Wing before I go to work.  I consider watching it all the way through, but decide to go to work a little early instead. 

On the car ride in, I hear the radio say that it is Tuesday.

Day 4:  Wednesday Day 3:  Tuesday

I am sad. 

The rest of the day is much like Day 2, only it feels like I'm further behind because I thought I was further ahead.  

I do more laundry.  Towels this time.

Day 4:  Wednesday (For real this time)

I used up most of my feeling good about today yesterday, but still, I'm at the halfway mark and I'll be driving up to see everyone on Friday night and that's only two sleeps away!

I ate all the blueberries and Cheerios yesterday so I have toast for breakfast.  

I go out for lunch with people visiting our office from Europe.  They are very interesting and lunch is great.


I buy more blueberries and Cheerios after work.  

I make sloppy joes for supper.  The whole time, I am humming Adam Sandler's "Sloppy Joe's" song.  My Lovely Wife calls while I'm eating and I say "I'm eating sloppy joe's."  She sings Adam Sandler "Sloppy Joe's" song.  This is one of the reasons I love her.  We discuss the weather forecast, and decide that I'll come up on Saturday morning instead.  It means three sleeps before I see them, but at least I won't be driving at night in the rain.

I decide to watch something other than The West Wing, but only get halfway through an episode of Burn Notice before I decide to do some writing.  I retreat to the basement and crank this out.

Now, I guess I'll go back upstairs and watch some West Wing.

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