32 minutes. That’s the amount of time I saved this morning. Mom and the girls are gone for a few days for Spring Break. Mom, both her sisters, Grandma, and all the kids (7 girls and a boy) are all spending a few days together at a location that isn’t here.
The best part? I was able to watch LOST and The Pacific back to back without anybody interrupting me to perform a hastily choreographed skit combing cheerleading and gymnastics.
Anyway, I left 32 minutes earlier for work. And it felt weird being part of the early to work crowd instead of the just in time for work crowd. I felt a little out of place. Like Boston College in the ACC. However, having them out of the house makes things simpler. I was going to say easier but that’s not really the right word. There’s a few things you notice when the only person you have to get up in the morning is yourself.
1) When you are shaving you don’t have to answer any questions regarding the taste of shaving cream or its relation to whipped cream. Nobody is fighting for position in front of the mirror. Bailey is quick but there’s not much to her. If Rye gets her hip into Bails – its over. It’s like Barkley boxing out Stockton back in the day.
2) Breakfast consists of just eating. I had completely forgotten about this. When you don’t have to answer anything about fractions or the economy of the western states or where a 6 year-old may have placed her sneakers last, you can read the entire paper, eat a whole bowl of oatmeal and pack your lunch in 48 seconds. It’s really amazing.
3) It feels like you forgot something all morning. I was completely thrown off by the fact that the only person I was responsible for was me. I’m not going to lie, it was really, really disconcerting. I was fighting instinct. I almost stopped by daycare just to see if the girls’ friends needed anything.
The other thing was noticed was how quiet the house can get. I got home last night and didn’t speak a single word until I arrived at work this morning. It was so quiet you could have snuck into Durham and stole Cameron Indoor. By the way, I like Duke as the first one seed to go down in the tournament. First round upsets? UTEP, Siena, and Murray State. Maybe Utah State but I’m not ready to pull that trigger yet.
Anyway, Mom and the girls get home tomorrow afternoon sometime. Which is good because I think I’m going to have the girls fill out their own bracket this year and see who does better – me or them. I’ll let you know how it goes…