Home Alone
While my wife vacationed in Cancun with her parents this past week, I spent a great deal of time with my thoughts and myself. I’ve changed a lot since I was a younger man. Then again, I haven’t changed much at all. My wild and frenzied week of being home alone looked vaguely similar to this.
I listened to more records on my turntable at high volume than I have in a decade and even found a few rarities that I forgot I owned. I prepped a few new recipes in the kitchen and made bbq chicken twice. It was delicious. I cleaned the refrigerator. Every single shelf is spotless, including the condiments shelves and the crispers. I laundered all of the Mexican blankets and linens. I drank coffee whenever I wanted and took my medications regularly as prescribed. I watched football, basketball, music videos, and Bogart films.
I danced with my pets. They make me laugh and I’m willing to bet they laughed at me too. I just can’t tell. I made the best grilled cheese sandwich in the world… three different times. I wore a ponytail, a baseball cap, flip flops, $600 slacks that I paid two dollars for at a thrift store, and many nights I wore pajamas before Brian Williams welcomed me to the 6:30 evening news. There was even one night when I sat with the flickering glow of candlelight while reading liner notes.
I did those mundane things like the dishwasher, the litter box, the laundry, the grocery store, and my weekly jaunt to the landfill and recycling center. I reorganized the kitchen cabinets. I captured a few moments with my camera and a few more with words. I taught myself how to do a few things that I didn’t know before last week. I spent time with each of our three children. They’re all adults now, but they’ll always be my children. I saw red cardinals on several different occasions during the week and I managed to catch an unexpected afternoon nap one day, something I rarely ever do.
I talked to my Mom on the telephone and told her I loved her before saying goodbye. Several nights I was in bed before 10, and other nights not until after 2AM. On Saturday morning I served up a wonderful breakfast, just for the pups and I. I made it a point to say my prayers before going to bed, but admit that I missed a few nights. I also cursed a couple times during the week and apologized whenever I caught myself.
Looking back, my week was everything that it normally is on any given week, minus the company.