Tuesday, March 10, 2009

While the Tom Cat's Away....

I don't find myself virtually alone in my house very often. This has been an unusual eight days all right. Very interesting. First, there was a seminar and then a guys' fishing trip leaving just me and my daughter HOME ALONE.

Verrrry interesting.

No, we didn't get up to anything bad but damn, was it ever relaxing. She is in her first semester in college and currently on spring break so there were no alarm clocks to set, no dealing with anything pressing at all. I'm not kidding...this stuff is great.

Not that we don't miss him. That's not it at all but I've learned over the years that some people are a creature of habit. They want things just they way they want them. Mail fetched at a certain time. Dinner served precisely at 6 p.m. The list goes on and on and on. You get the drift.

So for eight days it has been just my seventeen year old daughter and I and I must say we've had fun. Nothing special really, just chilling out. Watched what we wanted on the tube. Read books and talked about them. Discussed life and love and family history that she didn't know before. Then in the morning, we slept as late as we wanted. Sometimes we'd move aimlessly from room to room. I've written, eaten lunch and dinner and watched television in various rooms. Didn't want lunch until 2 p.m.? Not a problem. We ate when we were hungry. And messes? What messes? No one cared. We were free and light and easy.

And writing. Oh my! Got a lot of that done too. Don't you find it nice to just chill and let your mind go free? I do. I made notes on stories that as of now are only a glimmer in my imagination and worked on my current story. It occurs to me there is a huge difference between loneliness and solitude. These past few days have been solitude. There is a lot to be said for that.

13 comments:

Judith Leger said...

Isn't it lovely! The moments when my family leaves me all alone are rare too. But when they do happen I soak it up. Sort of refreshes me for the start of the hectic season again.

Kelley Nyrae said...

Sounds nice, Reg. I'd love some time like that.

Regina Carlysle said...

Didn't realize how much I needed it, ya know? No alarms. No meals that HAD to be done at a certain time. I've just been able to BREATHE. Think I'd forgotten how.

Anonymous said...

Write baby! When my youngest left home I didn't know how things would work out. I thought I'd fall into a deep funk. But what I discovered was that I had time to do what I'd wanted to do for years - write! No interruptions unless I choose to interrupt myself. Don't get me wrong. I loved raising three busy children and everything that came with them, but once they left for school, I sort of felt like I could get back to the roots I never got to experience because I got pregnant so young. I treasure my alone time and then I totally treasure the time when they come home!

Regina Carlysle said...

My daughter will officially leave home for college in August and I've been dreading it so much, Julia. Just terrified I will fall to pieces because she and I are so close. I'm hoping my experience mirrors yours and that I'll write like crazy.

Anne Rainey said...

Sounds like you and your daughter had a good time!

Amy Ruttan said...

I'd love to have some time like that but I have about 18 years (counting from the one in my belly) before I get some freedom.

I'm counting the days.

Regina Carlysle said...

Counting the days already, Amy?? Funny. How are you feeling these days?

Regina Carlysle said...

Yes, we did have a good time, Anne. We talked a lot and watched movies. It was great.

Mona Risk said...

I had a lot of free times when we were both working and DH was traveling one to two weeks per month. After twenty years of such free time, I no longer enjoy it and like him around as much as possible. Am I the exception? But I need the family to learn to respect my writing time. I guess we can't have it all.

Regina Carlysle said...

No, I guess we can't Mona. Respect of writing time is another matter all together. I still go through everyone expecting me to drop what I'm doing whenever they want me. Drives me nuts.

Mary Ricksen said...

Now that I get. As much as I love him, I loved when he went away for work. He'd be extra nice when he got back. And I was FREE for awhile. No dinners, no laundry, no would you pleases, just me and the dog.
I so enjoyed that solitude.

Regina Carlysle said...

Yep, Mary. Now THAT'S what I'm talkin' about. He just called and will be home within the hour. Guess my solitude is OVER. sigh.