The Dog & Me & All This Time

My people have been out of town all week. I was leery of saying that earlier this week because, well, BANDS OF THIEVES WHO SCOUR THE INTERNET (not really), but by the time I post this my fellas, who have been in Washington, DC and Williamsburg, VA on Alex’s 5th grade trip, will be on the way home. Needless to say, I cannot wait to see them because 1) I have missed them, and 2) I have a feeling that they will have some stories. I also have a feeling that they will want some sleep, especially considering that they didn’t have the luxury of recovering from the switch to daylight savings time (plus a time zone change from central to eastern) after a SIXTEEN HOUR BUS RIDE.

Say it with me: SIXTEEN HOUR BUS RIDE.

Before they left I figured that I would do all sorts of wonderful things during this six-day stretch of being home by myself. I imagined that I would organize some closets, catch up on all the laundry, clean out the refrigerator, and maybe even tackle a few projects. And while I have done some laundry and I’ve definitely taken care of Hazel (normally Alex is Hazel’s go-to caretaker), I’ve mostly read and watched a little TV and then gone to bed early. I had plans to go to dinner a couple of nights, but I felt so guilty about leaving Hazel (after she’d already spent the day at home while I was at work) that I re-scheduled.

I can’t even speak to the level of co-dependence this reveals between Hazel and me.

Suffice it to say that the level of co-dependence is significant.

In my defense, though, I just couldn’t bring myself to leave her when she has already missed Alex like crazy this week. Every single afternoon she has walked down to his room and looked for him. It’s been like watching a combination of a Hallmark commercial and a sad dog movie play out before my very eyes.

And then there’s this.

I lived by myself for six years before David and I got married, and I loved it. I really did. I liked the quiet, I liked having that space to myself, I liked cleaning and decorating my little apartment and knowing that no one was going to mess it up. In so many ways I liked the solitude.

But after this last week, I think I have realized that I AM NO LONGER THAT INDEPENDENT 20-SOMETHING.

Because my word. My biggest takeaway from this week of holding down the fort with Hazel is that the quiet has been sort of deafening. And night before last I may or may not have turned on Madagascar 2 in the den so that I could sit in the kitchen and maybe it would at least sound like there were other people here.

It was a little bit of an alone time low.

Even still, I’m really not complaining. I’m so happy that the fellas have had a great trip and made all sorts of fun memories and etc. In lots of ways the timing of this week-o-alone has been perfect because I have been craving some time to just be still and think, and sweet fancy Moses I sure did get it. For days.

Literally.

So now? I’m all margined up. I’m watching State play in what will probably be their only game in the SEC basketball tournament, and I have American Idol on the DVR, and I may be able to squeeze in tonight’s episode of Survivor if I can stay awake. Hazel is resting comfortably – at least until the next time a pinecone rolls 1/4 centimeter closer to the house – and I’m beside myself that my people will be home soon.

I’m also tickled that I found this little meme on Pinterest.

I may make it my official wall hanging for Alone in My House 2015.

And if this pattern repeats itself in 2016, some of y’all are totally coming over for a slumber party.

We can even have a special encore presentation of Madagascar 2.