On my own

The Boy is taking a nine-day sabbatical from me. Our house. Our life. He's with his dad.

I've been living on bottles of wine, Wheat Thins from the box, potato chips, corn on the cob fresh from the microwave and frozen pizza. I've also discovered that cream cheese wedged between chocolate graham crackers is quite the delicacy. No need to set an example this week.

Although I have filled up the days thus far with home projects and grown-up play dates, the place is messier than usual and I'm feeling increasingly out of sorts. That's what happens when he's gone this long. . .it starts out all "Hey, hey I'm free!" and quickly dissipates to feeling like a robot slowly slowing down on run-down batteries. Maybe it's the wine.

But tonight I got my second wind because of the wind. . .literally.

The long, harsh brutal Midwest winter birthed an interesting summer. Lots of summer rain (which I happen to love) and these last few weeks have been pretty breathtaking. Today was strange in that I woke up at 7 and it was sunny and cool. A bit later, it rained. Sprinkling, really. Then the sun peered out again but it got almost sizzling hot with a heavy humidity. And then it really cooled down......

The wind rattled my shutters and made the curtains dance. The perfume of my backyard flowers floated to me as I lay semi-comatose in my bed ( the semi-comatose a direct result of too much work and too much gulped wine).

That snap of fresh made me wake and finish some things I had started. I felt as if I had just awoken from 9 solid hours. It's so chilly, I had to go and close the windows about 10 minutes ago.

I love these mysterious out-of-season dips and curls in weather. The unexpected warm summer torrent; the chilly nights staved off by fleece or flannel.

I will sleep the sleep of the child who's played outside all day and falls into the bed with clothes intact before melting into the bed.