i'm baaaaaack

A lot has happened since I wrote last. I am still crazy, but my life is not so much. I have a new house, in a new town, and a new job, which I am slowly but surely settling into and allowing myself to enjoy, despite the little voice in my head that whispers "REALLY?!"

For my dear friends and readers I make only this promise as I go forward: every week, once a week, I will write something. I hope to have funny stories and witty anecdotes and make the time you spend reading enjoyable, but I may only have a line or two of babble...stick with me, practice makes perfect, right? And by perfect I mean: not terrible.

I am able to sit down and write today, in this blog, versus one that remains private, because I have the time to delete and rewrite, and delete and rewrite again, and think and write, etc, etc. The Pea is with her dad. Most of the weekends I spend alone I cram FULL of all sorts of activities and chores and before I know it I am running to pick her up, hardly noticing at all that she has been gone. This weekend, however, I purposely did not schedule anything and at about noon yesterday, when the reality of that hit me, I started to panic a bit. The Pea's dad, instead of the usual meet halfway, was going to pick her up at school, which meant two and a half hours of my time was now, mine. Then work gave us the word that we would get out early, and oh holy hell, an entire afternoon with NOTHING to do.

I decided to go shopping, not because I needed anything, but because I would be able to wander aimlessly, instead of the usual in and out with a map and a plan and the steely determination of a soldier. I would be able to try things on without the whole dressing room hearing "mommy, do you have a baby in your belly, cuz it's getting BIIIG" or "mommy, your butt is jiggly, why is your butt jiggly mommy?" or all of TJMaxx seeing me run nekkid into the accessories section because she decides I have spent entirely too much time in the dressing room and walks out, despite my having JUST gotten undressed.

I spent an hour in the store and $80, all on the Pea, and tried on nothing. It was still early afternoon and I needed a few things, so I went to Target. Since learning about the Pledge of Allegiance the Pea has been pledging every flag we come across (which has been exhausting for her this week, since there is one on every lamp post in my town) and after me to buy one for the house. I went into the store with a plan for: one hose (since it was probably high time we stopped borrowing the neighbors to fill up the kiddie pool), one American flag, one case of beer, and sunscreen. Two hours later I had a cart full of who knows what else, but everything I came for. At that point I was ready to go home, and I was full of energy. I was gonna clean my house, organize the junk basket (a whole drawer is not nearly big enough for me), and cook a nice big dinner, oh yeah...it was on...and then the lights went out in the store. A huge thunderstorm had hit while I was shopping, it was pouring rain, and the electricity was out.

I tried for awhile to wait it out, but people get a little kooky when the power goes out, and it was getting hot, and I just wanted to go home. I got home with a car full of soaking wet stuff (most of which I didn't need in the first damn place), was soaked and cold myself, and all grand plans went out the window. I got into my pjs, opened a bottle of wine, a carton of hummus and some crackers, and cozied up to the DVR. I was in bed at 6pm. My holiday weekend was off to an exciting start.

On the bright side, I am now raring to go, and the neighbors have a big plan: the community pool, opening day. Why am I going to brave a thousand screaming kids and smoking hot concrete when I don't have to? I am not sure, but I am off to do just that. Have a safe and happy holiday weekend y'all, and remember the reason for it. Too many men and women have died in battle to keep this country free and safe, we should honor them every day, but since we sometimes forget, take a moment this weekend to do so. Think about the families that are one (or more) fewer so that our little corner of the world is a safe democracy.